The forest air seemed to tighten around them, the mist thickening until it clung to skin like damp silk. Every breath carried the scent of wet earth and something older, darker. The beast stood in the clearing ahead, its hulking silhouette swaying slightly, the weight of its grotesque frame pressing down on the group like a physical force.
The juniors shifted uneasily, boots scraping against the moss and roots underfoot. Somewhere, a droplet of water slid from a leaf and landed with a faint plop that seemed far too loud.
Senior Brother Lian's voice cut through the tension. "Juniors, stay in the center. Do not move unless you are ordered to."
His tone was calm, but every word carried the weight of command. The three Inner Sect seniors stepped forward in unison, the faint aura of corpse Qi rising around them. It shimmered faintly in the dim light, a ghostly haze that made the air seem heavier.
Gu Muye's eyes tracked their every movement. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, steady but strong. The fear that clung to the juniors like a second skin was absent in him. Instead, he felt sharp, aware, every sense tuned to the forest, the monster, and the disciples around him.
A sideways glance caught Xue Yiran watching him. There was no warmth in those eyes. Only calculation.
The beast shifted, its foot slamming into the ground with a THUMP. A ripple ran through the soil beneath them. Its breath came in heavy bursts, HUUUHHH… HUUUHHH, fogging the air in front of its jagged maw. The faint red gleam of its eyes cut through the mist like embers in a furnace.
Senior Sister Yun's hand moved in a subtle gesture. The corpse Qi around her swirled violently, condensing before her like a storm gathering form. The ground trembled faintly and then split with a sharp CRACK. From the fissure rose a figure — a puppet taller than a man, plated with dull iron and etched with old runes that pulsed faintly. Its joints groaned as it straightened, KRRRNNK, and its eyes lit with a pale, cold glow.
Beside her, Senior Brother Lian's corpse Qi gathered in a sharper, almost cutting aura. He lifted his hand, fingers spread, and the mist swirled violently before parting. A lean, four-limbed puppet emerged, its limbs ending in hooked blades, its movements unnervingly smooth. It crouched low, ready to pounce, the faint SHHHK of its joints cutting the silence.
The third senior, a broad-shouldered man named Feng, moved with slower, heavier motions. His puppet burst from the ground in a shower of dirt, THUD THUD, towering over the others. Its frame was reinforced with blackened steel, and instead of hands it bore crushing gauntlets the size of a man's torso. It let out a low mechanical grind, GRRRRNNHHH, as its head turned toward the beast.
The juniors gasped. Even some of the calmer ones could not help but take a step back.
Gu Muye's eyes narrowed. So this was how the Inner Sect fought. No strings. No visible tether. Just mind and will bound to the puppet. He could almost feel the subtle ripple of intent that passed between master and construct, as though the air between them vibrated with an unseen thread.
The beast's head tilted. Its growl deepened, reverberating through the clearing, RRRRHHHHH. The sound made the hairs on the back of every neck stand on end.
Senior Brother Lian's voice rang out. "Advance."
The puppets moved as one.
CLANG! The iron-plated puppet stomped forward, each step shaking the ground.
SHHHKT! The bladed puppet darted in a zigzag pattern, weaving between roots and stones with unnerving speed.
THOOM! The gauntleted puppet strode forward, fists tightening with a metallic KRRRK.
The beast met them head-on. Its clawed hand swung outward in a wide arc, WHOOOM, smashing into the iron-plated puppet's side. Sparks burst into the air, SKRRRSH, as metal ground against bone-hard claws.
The bladed puppet slashed upward, SHIIING, its hooked arms cutting across the beast's thigh. A spray of dark, viscous fluid hit the ground with a wet SPLAT.
The beast roared, RRAAAAGHHHH, the force of its cry rattling leaves from the canopy above. Birds that had been hiding burst from the trees in a chaotic storm of wings, FWAP FWAP FWAP, vanishing into the distance.
The gauntleted puppet slammed its massive fists into the beast's side, BOOM! BOOM!, driving it back a step.
From behind the safety of the formation, the juniors muttered in awe and fear.
"Look at the size of that thing…"
"It's holding back the beast…"
"No… the beast's still stronger…"
One of them let out a nervous laugh. "At least it's not looking at us."
Zhou Min stayed silent, eyes darting between the fight and Gu Muye, who stood unnervingly still.
The beast lashed out, grabbing the bladed puppet mid-leap. The metal shrieked under its grip, SKRRREEEEE. Senior Brother Lian's eyes narrowed, and with a flicker of intent the puppet's limbs twisted unnaturally, slicing at the beast's wrist until it released its hold.
Gu Muye watched every exchange. The puppets fought differently — Yun's iron-plated one absorbed the hits, Lian's bladed one struck fast and evasively, and Feng's gauntleted one hammered with relentless force. Three different approaches, three different answers to the same enemy.
The beast roared again and charged, THUD THUD THUD, straight into the iron-plated puppet. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, BOOOM, forcing the juniors to brace themselves.
"Juniors!" Senior Sister Yun called out. "Corpse Qi support, now!"
The juniors obeyed, channeling corpse Qi into thin, dart-like projectiles. FWIP FWIP FWIP! They pelted the beast's side, drawing shallow wounds but more importantly pulling its attention.
The beast twisted toward them, eyes flashing.
"Hold the line!" Feng bellowed, sending his gauntleted puppet barreling forward. CRASH! It slammed into the beast's ribs, driving it sideways.
Gu Muye tightened his grip on the dagger at his hip. The blade was old, its surface etched faintly with wear, but the balance was good. He had chosen it from the outer sect's armory upon joining, back when he thought it was simply a tool to meet the sect's demands.
The beast struck again, claws raking across the gauntleted puppet, leaving deep grooves in its steel. SKRRRAAATCH!
Gu Muye's eyes sharpened. Its movements were powerful, but not without rhythm. It hesitated before each lunge, weight shifting to its right foot first. That was its tell.
Another roar. Another clash. BANG! CLANG! BOOM! The forest seemed to shake with every exchange.
Over the noise, Gu Muye caught Xue Yiran glancing at him again. The look was different this time — more focused, as though measuring him.
The fight raged on, the mist swirling and shifting under the currents of force. Leaves swirled in chaotic spirals, WHSSHHH, only to be flattened by each heavy THUD of the combatants.
The iron-plated puppet locked arms with the beast, the sound of grinding metal and straining bone filling the air, GRRRRRNNNHHH. The bladed puppet darted in from behind, slashing at tendons, SHHNK SHHNK, while the gauntleted puppet struck from the side with punishing force.
The beast bellowed, its voice raw and primal, RRRAAAAGHHHHH.
Still, it did not fall.
Still, the seniors pressed forward.
Still, the juniors stood their ground.
And in the midst of it all, Gu Muye watched. Learning. Waiting.
The forest seemed to lean in, the air itself holding its breath, as steel and bone clashed under the shadow of ancient trees.
---
A/N: And so, our brave corpse sect disciples are out here playing "whack-a-mole" with a nightmare monster 😎 Will Gu Muye keep acting like the mysterious MC and land more of those cool weak-spot hits, or will he get smacked into a tree? 🌳💥 If you're enjoying this, don't forget to drop a power stone or leave a review so Gu Muye can buy… I don't know… a puppet with air-conditioning? 😂