Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

"Charge! Kill them all! Crush these insects hiding behind the puppets!"

"Wealth, merit, and everything you desire are within your grasp!"

Encouraged by him, the remaining ronin and ninja also gleamed with ferocity in their eyes and gripped their swords tightly.

The Onmyoji activated their abilities once more, and the shikigami in front of them let out a silent roar, ready to pounce.

However, just as the Onmyoji leader was smug and believed victory was assured, he was about to issue the order to charge.

Mutation and regeneration.

Above the platform, on both sides of the stone steps leading to the summit, and in the surrounding woodland.

The place was completely silent, but suddenly a flurry of footsteps could be heard.

Shadows of people.

Disciples dressed in the iconic white robes of the Trinity Sect emerged from their hiding place.

Most of them were injured, some with bandages wrapped around their necks, and some were pale.

But his eyes were icy cold, and he gripped the crossbow provided by the Divine Machine Alliance tightly in his hand, exuding a murderous aura.

At this time, most of the disciples of the Sanyi Sect who were still capable of fighting were ordinary first-level disciples.

However, there are still at least several dozen elite disciples who have cultivated to the second level.

Now, his iconic white inner garment is further enhanced by an exoskeleton armor provided by the Divine Machine Alliance, further boosting his strength.

Even more alarming was the presence of numerous puppets that had never appeared before, accompanying them.

These puppets come in various shapes and sizes; some resemble armored warriors with shields, while others carry multi-barreled quivers.

Several heavy ballistae emerged from above, their dark firing ports aimed at the platform below.

Meanwhile, below the platform, on the mountain path they had come from, there was also some commotion.

The brothers Zhao Pingshan and Zhao Tianhai, along with Zhang Xuan, Li Muxuan, Wuming, and other members of the Divine Machine Alliance, each led dozens of puppets as they steadily emerged from the dense forest, blocking the retreat route down the mountain.

The puppets were arranged in a clear formation with distinct layers, clearly indicating that they were well-trained, a stark contrast to the previous scattered and disorganized attacks.

In the blink of an eye, the more than thirty Japanese soldiers on the platform were surrounded from above and below, trapped in a tight encirclement.

On the mountain, there was a defensive line composed of the remaining disciples of the Sanyi Sect and new forces.

Down the mountain, the elite of the Divine Machine Alliance and the puppet army stood ready for battle.

The Onmyoji leader's maniacal laughter suddenly froze, his pupils contracted, and his fingers gripping the bat fan turned white from the force.

He looked around at the enemies pouring out from their hiding places, feeling the suddenly tense and deadly atmosphere. A chill ran from his feet to the top of his head.

We've fallen for their trap?

The previous puppet attacks, the retreat, and the lack of anyone showing up... were they all just illusions to lure the enemy in?

The plan was to lure them to this hillside platform and then... trap them like turtles in a jar.

He suddenly looked up, gazing towards the mountaintop.

Two figures appeared in front of the main hall at some unknown time.

The man was hunched over and thin, with white hair and a pale face; it was Zuo Ruotong.

The other person, dressed in black and holding a folding fan, had a calm expression; it was Cui Ming.

The two men cast their gazes down indifferently, as if looking at ants.

Chapter 232 A Desperate Struggle

The leader of the Japanese Onmyoji had a face ashen and gloomy as water.

He originally thought that the Sanyi Sect had been weakened by this great calamity and could only rely on the puppets of the Divine Machine Alliance to prolong its existence.

Unexpectedly, the other side also had a well-organized combat squad.

The weapons they possessed were so formidable that they left the Japanese Onmyoji speechless.

Exoskeleton armor is already well-known within the Japanese army; the danger level at least doubles when fighting an enemy wearing exoskeleton armor.

Furthermore, according to the Japanese tests, these exoskeleton armors can provide protection and stress relief for the wearer to a certain extent.

Fortunately, this time it was the Onmyoji who were in charge; otherwise, if it had been Tsukimi Shinjuku or Hira Ninja, they probably wouldn't have even been able to climb the mountain and would have been completely wiped out.

Even so, the Sanyi Sect still had the support of those strange puppets from the Divine Machine Alliance.

By waiting in ambush, they laid out this trap of encirclement from both above and below.

Dozens of disciples from the Sanyi Sect were on the mountain, dressed in various weapons from the Divine Machine Alliance, exuding a murderous aura.

In addition, there are two top experts, Zuo Ruotong and Cui Ming, who are in charge.

Just from their imposing presence, you could tell that the group down the mountain was not to be trifled with.

They are clearly elite members of the Divine Machine Alliance, and not only that.

The puppet legions beside them looked several levels stronger than the cannon fodder puppets on the mountain path before.

This encirclement has completely blocked their escape route.

In such a situation, if it were a normal encounter battle, he would probably have no choice but to lead his men in a desperate charge, fighting these extraordinary people to the death and causing as many casualties as possible.

Fortunately, however.

The platform they were on halfway up the mountain brought him a glimmer of hope.

The platform had just gone through a brutal battle, and the deathly aura and resentment were so intense that they were almost tangible.

For ordinary people, and even for the vast majority of extraordinary people, this is a filthy and ominous place.

However, for Onmyoji who are proficient in Yin-Yang arts and skilled in manipulating the energy of life and death.

These deathly energies and resentments can be transformed into... a unique source of power for them.

"Form ranks! Protect the Dharma! The time has come to pledge our loyalty to the Empire!"

Without further hesitation, the Onmyoji leader swung his bat fan downwards and shouted sharply.

Upon receiving the order, the remaining five or six Onmyoji immediately moved closer to him.

Those surviving ronin and ninjas, upon hearing the Onmyoji leader's words, understood that they needed to risk their lives to buy time.

But this order did not frighten them; on the contrary, it made these Japanese devils, who had been brainwashed by militarism, feel extremely honored!

Their long-standing instinct to obey orders led them to quickly form a tight defensive circle centered around the Onmyoji.

They all faced outwards, swords drawn, qi surging, displaying a fanatical and frenzied demeanor, ready to fight to the death for any target.

Many shikigami were also summoned back by the Onmyoji.

Coyotes and vengeful spirits surrounded the perimeter, while the stone giant strode heavily to the front of the defensive perimeter, like a moving stone wall.

Lantern-shaped shikigami floated above the Onmyoji's heads, casting a pale green halo that seemed to form some kind of simple barrier.

The Onmyoji leader quickly tucked the bat fan back into his waistband, formed a complex and ancient hand seal with his hands, and began chanting strange and obscure incantations.

A dark purple aura emanated from his body, spreading continuously from his feet to the platform floor.

Those dark brown bloodstains and charred burn marks seemed to echo each other, emitting an ominous red glow.

"Oh?"

In front of the main hall at the mountaintop, Cui Ming noticed the unusual behavior of the Yin-Yang Master below and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Based on his understanding of these Japanese devils.

They did not attempt to break through, nor did they choose to storm the summit and risk their lives to complete the mission.

Instead, should they retreat, hold their ground, and deploy spells?

...This behavior is too abnormal.

This place is neither defensible nor a dead end. What exactly are they planning to do?

Cui Ming's mind raced as he quickly reviewed the memories of the Japanese Onmyoji he had captured in Shenji City.

They tried to find any matching spells or secret techniques in his memory.

However, after rummaging through those fragmented and chaotic memories, most of them were about shikigami summoning, basic onmyoji arts, and some rudimentary use of curses.

No clear precedent has been found for this kind of array-based spellcasting.

So, was that Onmyoji's status really too low after all?

However, thanks to knowledge far beyond this era, and understanding of various film and television works on the theme of Onmyoji from previous lives.

A sense of unease rose in Cui Ming's heart.

Onmyoji's methods are often mysterious and unpredictable, and are related to death energy, vengeful spirits, and rituals.

And that platform halfway up the mountain had just recently been soaked in the blood of hundreds of people, burying countless souls...

"Master Zuo."

Cui Ming turned his head and whispered to Zuo Ruotong beside him.

“Something is amiss. The deathly aura and resentment below are too strong, and these Japanese soldiers happen to be extraordinary individuals who specialize in this field. I fear they may be using us.”

Although Zuo Ruotong looked old, a sharp glint appeared in his deep-set eyes.

He nodded slightly, his voice hoarse yet clear.

"I feel the same way. We can't let them continue like this!"

The two quickly reached an agreement.

Cui Ming immediately issued instructions to the Shenji Alliance members at the foot of the mountain and throughout the mountain via the communication device:

"Zhao Pingshan, Zhao Tianhai, and Zhang Xuan, the three of you will lead your troops to hold the outer perimeter, block the downhill passage, and guard against the enemy's desperate measures or the possibility of a surprise attack by reinforcements."

"Nameless, you lead the puppet troops forward, maintain distance, and continuously suppress and harass them with ranged firepower to test their defensive strength and reaction. If their spell is complete... then it will probably be up to you!"

The instructions are clear and unambiguous.

Down the mountain, the Zhao brothers and Zhang Xuan received their orders and directed their disciples and puppets to further tighten the encirclement. Crossbows were nocked, mechanisms were ready to fire, and they vigilantly watched the movements on the platform.

Nameless remained expressionless, raised his hand, and dozens of uniformly designed large crossbow-cart-like puppets, each carrying a multi-barreled crossbow and a jet propulsion device, stepped forward to form a crescent-shaped attack line, with their crossbow muzzles and jet nozzles pointing towards the Japanese defensive perimeter in the center of the platform.