Chapter 269: The Puppet Child

Thoughts could change endlessly, all within the blink of an eye. Qiao San narrowed his pupils and leaped into the air, dodging the mutated “Five Elements” light.

The mutated Five Elements formation quickly struck back, rapidly limiting Qiao San’s freedom of movement.

“Damn it, no more thinking! Let’s fight first!”

The rogue had never liked tormenting himself. When things didn’t make sense, he simply cast them aside. This excellent rogue tradition cleared his mind completely. His three souls and seven spirits gathered at his brow, radiating red light like a violent storm, instantly turning the tide of battle.

The rogue no longer held back. Before the five maidens could stabilize their stances, his deadly palm strike already landed on the Metal Heavenly Maiden’s head. The fatal blow was as heavy as thunder and as fast as lightning!

The other four maidens were preoccupied with their own struggles. Yet the Metal Heavenly Maiden, unable to resist, showed no fear—not the kind of fearless determination, but a calm and natural composure.

“Bang!”

A tiny fist appeared from the void. Though small, it carried an immense force like the sky collapsing and earth cracking, instantly sending Qiao San flying more than ten zhang away.

The little fist slowly rose, as if an invisible giant hand were lifting a tiny figure from nothingness. A strange child with red hair, red eyes, red skin, and red clothes slowly stretched out his limbs…

Above the heavenly palace, Lord Tai Bai joyfully knelt before the Queen Mother. “Congratulations, Your Majesty! I am honored to report that the Five Elements Formation Spirit has been successfully forged.”

Thoughts shift in the blink of an eye. Qiao San narrows his pupils and leaps into the air, dodging the mutated light of the “Five Elements.”

The altered Five Elements array swiftly returns, and Qiao San’s freedom rapidly diminishes.

“Damn it, no more thinking, let’s fight first!”

A rogue at heart, Qiao San dislikes tormenting himself. When he can’t figure something out, he tosses it aside. His rogue instincts clear his mind, focusing all his energy between his brows. A red light, like a raging storm, instantly turns the tide of battle.

No longer holding back, Qiao San doesn’t wait for the five women to regain their footing. His deadly palm strikes the head of the Golden Celestial Maiden; his lethal move is as heavy as thunder and as fast as lightning!

The other four Celestial Maidens are too preoccupied to help, but the Golden Celestial Maiden, though powerless, shows no fear—not a fearless resolve, but a calm, natural indifference.

“Boom!”

A tiny fist emerges from the void. Though small, it carries a force as vast as the heavens collapsing, instantly sending Qiao San flying over thirty feet.

The tiny fist slowly rises, as if an invisible hand is lifting a small figure from the void. Red hair, red eyes, red skin, red clothes—a strange, red child slowly stretches its limbs…

High in the celestial palace, Taibai Jinxing kneels joyfully before the Queen Mother. “Congratulations, Your Majesty. I have fulfilled my duty. The spirit of the Five Elements array has been successfully forged.”

“Good. Jinxing, your efforts are commendable. I hereby promote you to Taibai Xingzun, in charge of the twenty-eight constellations.”

The Queen Mother gazes smugly at the mystical images transmitted by the Thousand-Mile Eye, especially the enlarged eyes of the rogue, which bring her immense satisfaction. She can’t help but chuckle, “Bold Three, let’s see how you fight back now! Hehe…”

Her laughter pauses briefly as she cautiously asks, “Taibai, is the spirit’s will completely under control?”

The newly promoted old man kneels again and reports, “Your Majesty, even if the five Celestial Maidens ordered the spirit to self-immolate, it would do so without hesitation. Moreover, I’ve added a secret technique to ensure the spirit remains in this form forever—it will not grow, not think, and thus never rebel!”

“Good, that’s an excellent method.”

The Queen Mother is fully satisfied. She closes her eyes contentedly and settles into her phoenix throne.

“Kill!”

At the command of the Golden Celestial Maiden, the red child’s expression changes instantly. Its dull eyes turn wolfishly fierce, and its small, five- or six-year-old body lunges at Qiao San.

“What the hell is this monster?!”

The monster and Qiao San immediately engage in a fierce battle. The power of the five Celestial Maidens continuously flows into the spirit’s body, meaning Qiao San is indirectly fighting all five women. Since he had won before, he isn’t afraid now.

In the midst of the chaos, the spirit suddenly splits its fingers, chops with a single palm, and raises its knee—revealing the three signature moves of the rogue clan: eye gouge, throat lock, and groin kick!

Almost instinctively, Qiao San counters with the same three moves. Their fingertips clash, palm blades chop against each other, and knees collide with a sickening crunch.

Qiao San grimaces in pain, staring at the child in shock. “Kid, who are you?”

The spirit’s finger bones are visibly deformed, but its red face remains unchanged. Its murderous aura makes its red hair stand on end. The little monster ignores Qiao San’s question and continues attacking with its broken fingers.

Amidst the flying sand and stones, another chaotic battle ensues. Ultimately, Qiao San’s superior skill prevails. He lands a heavy blow, knocking the spirit to the ground, and follows up with a punch aimed at the little monster’s head.

The whistling fist wind stirs the red hair on the little monster’s head. In that moment, an inexplicable emotion floods Qiao San’s heart. Unconsciously, his hand softens, his force shifts, and the punch narrowly misses.

“Boom!” A dull thud, and blood mist sprays. While Qiao San hesitates, the little monster pounces like a wolf, delivering a fierce kick to Qiao San’s chest, disregarding its own vulnerabilities in a suicidal attack.

Qiao San forces himself to swallow the blood as he rolls. A flash of ten suns’ red light heals most of his injuries in an instant. Then, his mind burns with rage—he has never suffered such a loss in his life.

“Damn it!”

The strongest thunder and fire envelop the space. Lightning appears out of nowhere, and killing intent locks onto the monster’s most vulnerable weak point. Qiao San is absolutely confident he can turn the little monster into charcoal in an instant.

Despite the dire situation, the Golden Celestial Maiden remains calm. Glancing at the swirling lightning in the sky, she mutters as if to herself, “Kill him, and the world will be rid of one more demon spawn! Bold Three, strike now!”

“Ah!”

A wave of dizziness hits Qiao San’s mind. He understands now—the little monster is his own son with Beigong Zhen! Damn it, how despicable, how vile!

The spirit’s dull face once again radiates ferocity. Qiao San’s powers are useless; he can only dodge the frenzied attacks of his estranged son.

“Hehe…” The Queen Mother’s triumphant laughter echoes in the celestial palace as she sips her divine nectar, enjoying the spectacle. “Mmm, this wine tastes wonderful!”

Absolute power can corrupt “humans,” but can it corrupt “immortals” as well?

Frustration fills Qiao San’s mind. Though he knows the Queen Mother’s sinister plot, he can’t find a way to counter it. Watching his young son turned into a puppet, his heart aches, but he is powerless.

If he can’t fight, then… he must flee!

Suddenly, Qiao San shines like the sun and turns to flee, abandoning any thought of entering the Three Sacred Heavens. The five Celestial Maidens and the spirit are momentarily blinded by the dazzling light. When it fades, the cunning rogue has already vanished with Xuannü, leaving only a black dot in the distance. The five Celestial Maidens exchange helpless sighs, unsure how to report their failure.

Though they blocked Qiao San’s path to the Three Sacred Heavens, their mission was not just that. Qiao San’s unexpected power has disrupted their meticulously crafted plan.

Thoughts shift in the blink of an eye. Qiao San narrows his pupils and leaps into the air, dodging the mutated light of the “Five Elements.”

The altered Five Elements formation swiftly returns, and Qiao San’s freedom rapidly diminishes.

“Screw it, I’ll just fight first!”

A scoundrel never likes to torment himself. If he can’t figure something out, he tosses it aside. The fine tradition of being a rogue clears his mind of distractions, and his three souls and seven spirits converge between his eyebrows. A red light, like a raging storm, instantly turns the tide.

The scoundrel no longer holds back. Before the five women can regain their footing, his deadly palm strikes the head of the Golden Celestial Maiden; the fatal blow is as heavy as thunder and as fast as lightning!

The other four Celestial Maidens are too preoccupied to help, but the helpless Golden Celestial Maiden shows no fear in her eyes—not the kind of fearless resolve, but a calm, natural indifference.

“Boom!”

A tiny fist emerges from the void. Though small, it carries a force as vast as the heavens collapsing, instantly sending Qiao San flying over thirty feet.

The small fist slowly rises, as if an invisible hand is lifting a small figure from the void. Red hair, red eyes, red skin, red clothes—a strange, “red” child slowly stretches its limbs…

In the Heavenly Palace, Taibai Jinxing kneels joyfully before the Queen Mother, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. I have fulfilled my duty. The spirit of the Five Elements formation has been successfully forged.”

“Indeed, Jinxing, your efforts are commendable. From now on, you are promoted to Taibai Xingzun, in charge of the twenty-eight constellations.”

The Queen Mother gazes smugly at the mystical images transmitted by the Thousand-Mile Eye, especially the enlarged pupils of the scoundrel, which bring her particular delight. She can’t help but chuckle, “Bold Three, let’s see how you fight back! Heh, heh…”

Her laughter pauses briefly as she cautiously asks, “Taibai, is the spirit’s will completely under control?”

The newly promoted old man kneels again and reports, “Your Majesty, even if the five Celestial Maidens ordered the spirit to self-immolate, it would do so without hesitation. Moreover, I have added a secret technique during its forging. The spirit will remain in this form forever—it will not grow, not think, and thus will never rebel!”

“Indeed, that is an excellent method!”

The Queen Mother is fully satisfied. She closes her eyes contentedly and settles into her phoenix throne.

“Kill!”

At the command of the Golden Celestial Maiden, the red child’s expression changes instantly. Its lifeless eyes turn as fierce as a wolf’s, and its small, five- or six-year-old body lunges toward Qiao San.

“What the hell is this monster?!”

The monster and Qiao San immediately engage in a fierce battle. The power of the five Celestial Maidens continuously flows into the spirit’s body, meaning the scoundrel is indirectly fighting all five women. Since he had won before, he naturally feels no fear now.

In the midst of the chaos, the spirit suddenly separates its fingers, chops with a single palm, and then raises its knee—revealing the three signature moves of the scoundrel clan: eye gouging, throat locking, and groin kicking!

Almost instinctively, Qiao San counters with the same three moves. Their fingertips collide, palm blades clash, and knees crash with a sickening crunch.

Qiao San grimaces in pain, staring at the child in shock, “Kid, who are you?”

The spirit’s finger bones are visibly deformed, but its reddened face remains unchanged. Its murderous aura causes its red hair to stand on end. The little monster ignores Qiao San’s question and continues attacking with its broken fingers.

Amid flying sand and rolling stones, another chaotic battle ensues. Ultimately, the scoundrel’s superior skills prevail. He delivers a heavy blow, knocking the spirit to the ground, and follows up with a powerful punch aimed at the little monster’s head.

The whistling fist wind stirs the red hair on the little monster’s head. In that moment, an inexplicable emotion floods Qiao San’s heart. Unconsciously, his hand softens, his force shifts, and the heavy punch narrowly misses.

“Boom!” A dull thud echoes as blood sprays. The scoundrel’s hand falters, but the little monster, fierce as a wolf, delivers a brutal kick to Qiao San’s chest, disregarding its own vulnerabilities and fighting with a suicidal determination.

Qiao San, tumbling through the air, forces himself to swallow the blood rising in his throat. A flash of Ten Suns’ red light heals most of his injuries in an instant. His mind burns with rage—he has never suffered such a defeat in his life.

“Damn it!”

The strongest thunder and fire envelop the space. Lightning appears out of thin air, and killing intent locks onto the monster’s most vulnerable weak spot. The scoundrel is absolutely confident he can reduce the little monster to ashes in an instant.

Despite the dire situation, the Golden Celestial Maiden appears quite relaxed. Glancing at the swirling lightning in the sky, she mutters as if to herself, “Kill him, and the world will be rid of one more demonic descendant! Bold Three, strike now!”

“Ah!”

A wave of dizziness pierces Qiao San’s mind. He suddenly understands—this little monster is his own son with Beigong Zhen! Damn it, how despicable and shameless!

The spirit’s lifeless face once again radiates ferocity. Qiao San’s immense power is useless here, and he can only desperately dodge the frenzied attacks of his estranged son.

“Heh, heh…” The Queen Mother’s triumphant laughter echoes through the Heavenly Palace as she sips on divine nectar and watches the spectacle. “Mmm, this wine tastes exquisite!”

Absolute power can corrupt absolutely, but can it also corrupt the gods?

Frustration fills Qiao San’s mind. Though he knows the Queen Mother’s sinister plot, he can’t find a way to counter it. Watching his young son turned into a puppet, his heart aches, but he is helpless.

If he can’t fight, then… he must flee!

The scoundrel suddenly shines like the sun, then turns and flees, abandoning any thought of entering the Three Sacred Heavens. The five Celestial Maidens and the spirit are momentarily blinded by the dazzling light. When the brightness fades, the cunning scoundrel has already escaped with the Mystic Maiden, leaving only a distant black dot. The five Celestial Maidens exchange helpless sighs, unsure how to report their failure.

Though they have blocked the scoundrel’s path to the Three Sacred Heavens, their mission is far from complete. Qiao San’s unexpected power has disrupted their meticulously laid plans.

Her laughter paused briefly as she cautiously asked, “Tai Bai, is the Formation Spirit’s will completely under control?”

The old man, recently promoted three ranks, knelt again and reported, “Your Majesty, the five maidens could command the Formation Spirit to self-destruct instantly. Moreover, I added a secret technique during its forging. This Formation Spirit will forever remain in this form—no growth, no independent thought, and naturally, no rebellion!”

“Hmm, that indeed sounds like a good plan!”

Fully satisfied, the Queen Mother closed her eyes contentedly and sat back on her phoenix throne.

“Attack!”

At the command of the Metal Heavenly Maiden, the red child’s expression instantly changed. His previously blank eyes became ferociously savage like a wolf’s. With a body about the size of a five or six-year-old, he lunged straight at Qiao San.

“Damn it, what kind of monster is this?!”

Thoughts shift in the blink of an eye. As Qiao San narrows his pupils, he leaps into the air, dodging the mutated light of the “Five Elements.”

The altered Five Elements formation swiftly returns, and Qiao San’s freedom rapidly diminishes.

“Damn it, no more thinking, let’s fight first!”

A rogue at heart, Qiao San dislikes tormenting himself. If he can’t figure something out, he tosses it aside. The fine tradition of rogues clears his mind of distractions, focusing his three souls and seven spirits between his eyebrows. A red light, like a raging storm, instantly turns the tide of battle.

No longer holding back, before the five women can regain their footing, Qiao San delivers a fatal blow to the head of the Golden Celestial Maiden. His deadly strike is as heavy as thunder and as fast as lightning!

The other four Celestial Maidens are too preoccupied to intervene, but the Golden Celestial Maiden, powerless to resist, shows no fear in her eyes—not a fearless resolve, but a calm and natural composure.

“Boom!”

A tiny fist emerges from the void. Though small, it carries a force as immense as the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting, instantly sending Qiao San flying over thirty feet.

The small fist slowly rises, as if an invisible hand is lifting a small figure from the void. Red hair, red eyes, red skin, red clothes—a strange “red” child slowly stretches its limbs…

In the celestial palace, the Great White Planet joyfully kneels before the Queen Mother, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. I have fulfilled my mission. The spirit of the Five Elements formation has been successfully forged.”

“Well done, Great White Planet. I hereby promote you to the Great White Star Lord, in charge of the twenty-eight constellations.”

The Queen Mother smugly watches the mystical images transmitted by the Thousand-Mile Eye, especially the enlarged eyes of the rogue, which brings her particular delight. She can’t help but gloat, “Bold Three, let’s see how you fight back! Hehe…”

Her laughter pauses briefly as she cautiously asks, “Great White, is the spirit’s will completely under control?”

The newly promoted old man kneels again and reports, “Your Majesty, even if the five Celestial Maidens ordered the spirit to self-immolate, it would do so without hesitation. Moreover, I have added a secret technique in its forging. The spirit will remain in this form forever—it will not grow, not think, and thus will never rebel.”

“Indeed, a clever method!”

The Queen Mother is fully satisfied. She closes her eyes contentedly and settles into her phoenix throne.

“Kill!”

At the command of the Golden Celestial Maiden, the red child’s expression changes instantly. Its dull eyes turn as fierce as a wolf’s, and its small, five- or six-year-old body lunges toward Qiao San.

“What the hell is this monster?!”

The monster and Qiao San engage in a fierce battle. The power of the five Celestial Maidens continuously flows into the spirit’s body, meaning Qiao San is indirectly fighting all five women. Since he had won before, he naturally feels no fear now.

In the midst of the chaos, the spirit suddenly splits its fingers, chops with a single palm, and raises its knee—revealing the three signature moves of the rogue clan: eye gouge, throat lock, and groin kick!

Almost instinctively, Qiao San counters with the same three moves. Their fingertips clash, palm blades chop against each other, and knees collide with a creaking sound.

Qiao San grimaces in pain, staring at the child in shock, “Kid, who are you?”

The spirit’s finger bones are visibly deformed, but its reddened face remains unchanged. Its murderous aura makes its red hair stand on end. The little monster ignores Qiao San’s question, continuing to attack with its broken fingers.

Amid flying sand and rolling stones, another chaotic battle ensues. Ultimately, Qiao San’s superior skill prevails. He delivers a heavy blow, knocking the spirit to the ground, and follows up with a punch aimed at the little monster’s head.

The whistling fist wind stirs the red hair on the little monster’s head. In that instant, an inexplicable feeling floods Qiao San’s heart. Unconsciously, his hand softens, his force shifts, and the heavy punch narrowly misses.

“Thud!” A dull sound echoes as blood mist sprays. Qiao San’s hand falters, but the little monster, fierce as a wolf, kicks him hard in the chest, disregarding its own vulnerabilities, fighting as if ready to perish together.

Qiao San forces himself to swallow the blood as he rolls. A flash of ten suns’ red light heals most of his injuries in an instant. Then, his mind heats up, and rage surges. In his entire life, he has never suffered such a loss.

“Damn it!”

The strongest thunder and fire envelop the space. Lightning appears out of thin air, and killing intent locks onto the monster’s most vulnerable fatal flaw. Qiao San is absolutely confident he can turn the little monster into charcoal in an instant.

Despite the dire situation, the Golden Celestial Maiden looks quite relaxed. Glancing at the circling lightning in the sky, she mutters as if to herself, “Kill him, and the world will have one less demon offspring! Bold Three, strike now!”

“Ah!”

A wave of dizziness invades Qiao San’s mind. He understands everything now. Like a punctured balloon, he deflates instantly.

A son—this little monster is actually his son with Beigong Zhen?! Damn it, how shameless, how despicable!

The spirit’s dull face once again radiates ferocity. Qiao San’s powers are useless, and he can only dodge the frenzied attacks of his estranged son.

“Hehe…” The Queen Mother’s triumphant laughter echoes in the celestial palace as she sips on divine nectar, enjoying the spectacle. “Mmm, this wine tastes wonderful!”

Absolute power can absolutely corrupt “humans,” but can it also corrupt “immortals”?

Frustration fills Qiao San’s mind. Though he knows the Queen Mother’s sinister plot, he can’t find a way to counter it. Seeing his young son turned into a puppet, his heart aches, but he is helpless.

If he can’t fight, then… he must flee!

Suddenly, Qiao San shines like the sun, then turns and flees, abandoning any intention to enter the Three Sacred Heavens. The five Celestial Maidens and the spirit are momentarily blinded by the dazzling light. When the light fades, the cunning rogue has already taken the Mystic Maiden and turned into a distant dot. The five Celestial Maidens can only sigh in resignation, unsure how to report their failure.

Though they have blocked Qiao San’s path to the Three Sacred Heavens, their mission is not yet complete. Qiao San’s unexpected power has disrupted their meticulously crafted plan.

In no time, amidst the chaos, the Formation Spirit suddenly parted his fingers, chopped with one palm, and raised his knee—clearly executing the rogue clan’s three ultimate moves: eye-gouging, throat-locking, and groin-kick!

Almost instinctively, Qiao San reacted simultaneously with the same three rogue moves. The two instantly clashed fingers, exchanged palm strikes, and finally smashed knees together with a loud crack.

Qiao San winced in pain, staring at the child in shock. “Kid, who are you?”

The Formation Spirit’s finger bones were already visibly deformed, yet his red little face showed no reaction. His red hair bristled with rage, and the little monster ignored Qiao San’s question, swinging his broken fingers straight at him.

Amidst flying sand and rolling stones, another fierce battle erupted. Eventually, the rogue proved superior, landing a heavy palm strike that knocked the Formation Spirit down. Immediately following up, he threw a punch aimed at the monster’s head.

The whistling wind from the punch stirred the red child’s hair. In that moment, an indescribable feeling suddenly surged into Qiao San’s heart. Instinctively, his hand softened, his force veered off course, and the heavy punch barely missed.

“Bang!” A dull sound echoed. Blood mist sprayed. The rogue hesitated, but the little monster fought like a wolf or tiger, ruthlessly kicking Qiao San in the chest, completely disregarding his own vulnerability, clearly intending mutual destruction.

Rolling backward, Qiao San barely swallowed the blood rising in his throat. A red glow flashed from his Ten Suns technique, and in an instant, most of his injuries had healed. His mind heated up with rage. Never in his life had he suffered such a humiliating defeat.

“Damn it!”

The strongest thunderfire engulfed the space. Lightning appeared out of nowhere, its killing intent locked onto a single point—the monster’s most vulnerable fatal weakness. The rogue had absolute confidence to instantly reduce the little monster to cinders.

The situation looked dire, yet the Metal Heavenly Maiden remained leisurely. Glancing at the swirling thunderclouds above, she seemed to mutter to herself, “Go ahead, kill him. The world will be rid of a demonic descendant! Bold San, hurry up and strike!”

“Ahh!”

Dizziness surged into his mind. How could Qiao San not understand immediately? Like a punctured balloon, he instantly deflated.

A son? Could this monster actually be his own son with Bei Gong Zhen? Wretched… How despicable and vile!

The Formation Spirit’s blank face began exuding ferocity again, but Qiao San’s powers were now useless. He could only desperately dodge the frenzied attacks from his estranged son.

“Hehehe…” The Queen Mother’s delighted laughter echoed through the heavenly palace as she sipped her celestial wine while watching the spectacle. “Mmm, this wine tastes absolutely wonderful!”

Absolute power can absolutely corrupt a “man”—but can it also corrupt a “deity”?

Depression filled Qiao San’s mind. Though fully aware of the Queen Mother’s sinister plot, he couldn’t find a way to counter it. Watching his child transformed into a puppet, his heart ached with helplessness.

He couldn’t bring himself to fight. Then… he would run!

Thoughts shift in the blink of an eye. Qiao San narrows his pupils and leaps into the air, dodging the mutated light of the “Five Elements.”

The altered Five Elements array swiftly returns, and Qiao San’s freedom rapidly diminishes.

“Screw it, I’ll fight first and think later!”

A rogue at heart, Qiao San dislikes tormenting himself. When something is unclear, he tosses it aside. His rogue instincts clear his mind, focusing his soul and spirit between his brows. A red light, like a raging storm, turns the tide of battle.

No longer holding back, Qiao San strikes before the five women can regroup. His deadly palm slams down on the head of the Golden Celestial Maiden, a thunderous, lightning-fast blow.

The other four Celestial Maidens are too preoccupied to intervene, but the Golden Celestial Maiden shows no fear—not a resolute fearlessness, but a calm, natural indifference.

“Bang!”

A tiny fist emerges from the void. Though small, it carries a force like the heavens collapsing, sending Qiao San flying over thirty feet.

The small fist slowly rises, as if an invisible hand lifts a small figure from the void. Red hair, red eyes, red skin, red clothes—a strange, “red” child stretches its limbs…

In the Heavenly Palace, Taibai Jinxing kneels joyfully before the Queen Mother. “Congratulations, Your Majesty. I have successfully refined the Five Elements Array Spirit.”

“Good work, Jinxing. I hereby promote you to Taibai Xingzun, in charge of the Twenty-Eight Mansions.”

The Queen Mother gazes with satisfaction at the mystical images transmitted by the Thousand-Mile Eye, especially the enlarged eyes of the rogue, which bring her particular delight. She chuckles, “Bold Three, let’s see how you fight back now! Hehe…”

Her laughter pauses as she cautiously asks, “Taibai, is the Array Spirit’s will completely under control?”

The newly promoted official kneels again. “Your Majesty, even if the five Celestial Maidens ordered the Array Spirit to self-immolate, it would do so without hesitation. I’ve also added a secret technique to ensure it remains in this form forever—it will not grow, not think, and thus never rebel.”

“Indeed, a clever solution!”

The Queen Mother is fully satisfied. She closes her eyes contentedly and settles into her phoenix throne.

“Kill!”

At the Golden Celestial Maiden’s command, the red child’s expression shifts. Its dull eyes turn wolfishly fierce, and its small body lunges at Qiao San.

“What the hell is this monster?!”

The monster and Qiao San engage in a fierce battle. The power of the Five Celestial Maidens continuously flows into the Array Spirit, making it an indirect fight between Qiao San and the five women. Having won before, Qiao San remains unafraid.

In the chaos, the Array Spirit suddenly splits its fingers, chops with a palm, and raises a knee—mimicking the rogue’s three signature moves: eye gouge, throat lock, and groin kick!

Almost instinctively, Qiao San counters with the same three moves. Their fingertips clash, palm blades chop, and knees collide with a sickening crunch.

Grimacing in pain, Qiao San stares at the child in shock. “Kid, who are you?”

The Array Spirit’s fingers are visibly deformed, but its red face remains unchanged. Its murderous aura makes its red hair stand on end. Ignoring Qiao San’s question, the little monster charges again, swinging its broken fingers.

Amidst flying sand and stones, another chaotic battle ensues. Ultimately, Qiao San’s superior skill prevails. He lands a heavy blow, knocking the Array Spirit to the ground, and follows up with a punch aimed at the monster’s head.

The whistling fist wind stirs the red monster’s hair. In that moment, an inexplicable feeling floods Qiao San’s heart. Unconsciously, his hand softens, his force shifts, and the punch narrowly misses.

“Thud!” Blood sprays as Qiao San hesitates, but the little monster, relentless, kicks him hard in the chest, disregarding its own vulnerabilities, fighting as if to take him down with it.

Rolling away, Qiao San forces down the blood in his throat. A flash of Ten Suns’ red light heals most of his injuries. His anger flares—he has never suffered such a loss in his life.

“Damn it!”

The strongest thunder and fire envelop the space. Lightning appears out of nowhere, its killing intent locking onto the monster’s most vulnerable spot. Qiao San is confident he can reduce the little monster to ashes in an instant.

Despite the dire situation, the Golden Celestial Maiden remains calm. Glancing at the swirling lightning in the sky, she murmurs, “Kill him, and the world will be rid of a demon’s descendant! Bold Three, strike now!”

“Ah!”

Dizziness overwhelms Qiao San. He realizes the truth—the little monster is his son with Beigong Zhen! Damn it, how despicable and shameless!

The Array Spirit’s dull face grows fierce again. Qiao San’s powers are useless; he can only dodge the frenzied attacks of his estranged son.

“Hehe…” The Queen Mother’s triumphant laughter echoes in the Heavenly Palace as she sips her divine nectar, watching the spectacle. “Mmm, this wine tastes exquisite!”

Absolute power can corrupt “humans,” but can it corrupt “immortals” too?

Frustration fills Qiao San’s mind. Though he knows the Queen Mother’s sinister plot, he can’t find a way to break it. Watching his son turned into a puppet, his heart aches, but he is powerless.

If he can’t fight, then… he’ll flee!

Suddenly, Qiao San shines like the sun and turns to escape, abandoning any thought of entering the Three Sacred Heavens. The Five Celestial Maidens and the Array Spirit are momentarily blinded by the light. When it fades, the cunning rogue has already vanished with Xuannü, leaving the five maidens to exchange helpless sighs, unsure how to report their failure.

Though they blocked Qiao San’s path to the Three Sacred Heavens, their mission was more than that. Qiao San’s unexpected power has disrupted their meticulously crafted plan.

Although they had stopped the rogue from entering the Three Holy Heavens, their mission was far from complete. Qiao San’s unexpectedly formidable powers had already disrupted their meticulously designed plan.