858: Chapter 854: A Heart Set On Death 858: Chapter 854: A Heart Set On Death Ye Zhihuan’s lower half had already been deeply buried in the ground…
However, Ye Zhihuan did not resign himself to defeat.
Instead, he pushed his cultivation power to its absolute limit!
The Four Symbols Formation is at its most powerful when executed by the four elders of the Ye family.
But with only three participants, its strength is naturally diminished.
Back then, the formation was broken by Ye Tian when Ye Zhicang was absent…
And now, with Ye Zhihuan—the strongest of the Ye family—missing, its power is even weaker.
Furthermore, though Ye Zhihuan had become a puppet, his familiarity with the Four Symbols Formation made it easier for him to dismantle it!
The soil surrounding Ye Zhihuan was affected by the fiery force of his Samadhi True Fire, turning into magma before evaporating into smoke and dust!
Ye Zhihuan leapt upward, escaping the confines of the Four Symbols Formation!
“Don’t let your guard down!
Reform the formation!”
Ye Zhiran shouted again.
When Ye Zhihuan was absent, Ye Zhiran served as the core figure of the Four Symbols Formation, making it his responsibility to guide Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong in reassembling the formation.
“Got it!” “Understood!”
Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong nodded in understanding and, alongside Ye Zhiran, surrounded Ye Zhihuan once more.
“Water-Thunder Formation!!”
Ye Zhiran commanded again, prompting Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong to channel their powers!
In an instant, a thundercloud manifested above Ye Zhihuan’s head!
“Crack!”
A bolt of lightning struck fiercely toward Ye Zhihuan!
Though the lightning was swift and unavoidable in appearance, Ye Zhihuan, being well-acquainted with the attack patterns of the Four Symbols Formation, managed to evade it with strenuous effort!
Of course, the attacks of the formation are unrelenting and interconnected.
Though Ye Zhihuan escaped the overwhelmingly powerful lightning, the thundercloud soon unleashed torrential wind and rain!
But this was much more than mere “rain.” Bolstered by the Four Symbols Formation, even natural phenomena are amplified uncontrollably.
The gale and deluge resembled a flood, engulfing Ye Zhihuan’s body instantaneously!
Having cultivated the Sun’s Drop technique, Ye Zhihuan’s body radiated like a red-hot iron, capable of melting all objects within proximity.
Thus, the Ye elders resorted to water-based attacks, leveraging the heavy storm from the Four Symbols Formation to subdue Ye Zhihuan!
Though submerged by floodwaters, Ye Zhihuan did not surrender.
The immense heat radiating from his body vaporized the surrounding waters.
As the floodwaters began to evaporate entirely, Ye Zhiran shouted again, “Don’t lose morale—push harder!”
In response to Ye Zhiran’s call, Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong poured all their energy into the Four Symbols Formation.
More torrents erupted forcefully from the thundercloud, submerging Ye Zhihuan’s body again.
Still, Ye Zhihuan was no ordinary adversary.
As a puppet, the power he wielded was far beyond what he had commanded in the past.
His body endlessly generated energy—not only from the Sun’s Drop technique but also supplemented by Sima Yun’s Wind Flow Strength technique!
The two forces intertwined, creating a formidable resistance that even the Four Symbols Formation couldn’t completely suppress…
The raging floodwaters boiled into steam upon contact with Ye Zhihuan’s body, enveloping him entirely in thick vapor and obscuring his figure from view…
“This is bad!
He’s escaped!”
Ye Zhiran yelled in alarm, realizing that Ye Zhihuan’s presence could no longer be felt within the formation’s boundaries!
Ye Zhihuan had taken advantage of the steam enveloping his body to quietly leap away, breaking free from the encirclement of the Four Symbols Formation.
Ye Zhiran only noticed his absence after he escaped, but by then it was too late!
“Where did he go?”
“I don’t know—find him, quickly!”
Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong were hurried and flustered, though it was clear using their eyes to locate Ye Zhihuan would be futile.
Just as the three elders started searching for Ye Zhihuan’s whereabouts, Ye Zhiran was suddenly struck by a fist!
“Bang!”
The blow, infused with scalding fire energy, inflicted severe damage on Ye Zhiran, who was already suffering from the toxic affliction known as ‘Red Wind.’
Ye Zhiran was sent flying and crashed heavily onto the ground, his back grievously burned…
“Ugh…”
Ye Zhiran spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong quickly rushed to his aid!
“Ye Zhiran, are you alright?”
“I didn’t expect the Clan Leader to move so swiftly—it’s impossible to catch sight of him!”
Only after Ye Zhiran was hit did Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong realize Ye Zhihuan’s location.
When they looked at Ye Zhihuan, however, his face was completely devoid of emotion, akin to lifeless wood!
The man they saw had just injured his own sibling, yet showed no trace of remorse…
Unable to bear the sight, Ye Zhirong questioned Ye Zhihuan angrily: “Clan Leader, we know you’ve been controlled by Sima Yun’s Puppetry Technique, but with your strength, can’t you retain even a shred of consciousness?
You just injured your second brother—does that mean it didn’t affect you at all?”
“…”
Ye Zhihuan remained utterly expressionless, but nearby, Sima Kuan laughed coldly.
“Hahaha~~~~~~~~~~ Foolish.
Your Clan Leader has been completely controlled by the Puppetry Technique!
Even if his own child or beloved wife called out to him, he’d ignore them!
The current Ye Zhihuan is nothing more than the Sima Family’s killing machine, devoid of any emotion!”
But the Ye elders paid no attention to Sima Kuan’s mocking words.
Ye Zhicang stepped directly in front of Ye Zhihuan and shouted, “Clan Leader, as the head of the Ye family and a renowned martial artist, you should possess unyielding pride!
I refuse to believe you could be subdued by mere puppetry!
Ye Tian was once controlled by the Puppetry Technique too, yet he broke free through sheer willpower.
Clan Leader, you can do the same!”
Back then, Ye Tian had faced Sima Feng and deliberately let himself be controlled by the Puppetry Technique.
He subsequently freed himself from its influence, gaining newfound strength to confront Sima Feng head-on.
This story was well known to the four elders of the Ye family…
Since Ye Tian managed to escape the grips of the Puppetry Technique, Ye Zhicang believed fervently that Ye Zhihuan, as Clan Leader of the Ye family, could do the same!
Upon seeing the Ye elders try every method to awaken Ye Zhihuan’s conscience, Sima Kuan sneered in disdain!
“Is the Ye family full of fools?
You think the Puppetry Technique can be undone so easily?
Do you truly believe the Sima Family’s skills are so simple to counter?
Utter ignorance!”
He then barked an order at Ye Zhihuan: “Ye Zhihuan, I command you to kill your three brothers immediately—leave none alive!”
Once again, Sima Kuan issued the command, though he no longer held the Jade Flute.
As a member of the Sima Family, he could still control puppets effortlessly…
Yet Ye Zhihuan remained stationary, his expression unchanged.
“What’s going on?
Ye Zhihuan, kill them now!”
Sima Kuan repeated his command.
However, Ye Zhihuan stayed still, an eerie silence cloaking him.
All present could sense the chaotic flow of energy within Ye Zhihuan.
His body began to tremble lightly amidst the turbulence…
“Impossible!?”
Sima Kuan’s face contorted in astonishment.
Since obtaining the Jade Flute, the Puppetry Technique had never failed—excluding the one time Ye Tian had relied on his own power to break free…
Yet now, Sima Kuan found himself unable to control the puppetized Ye Zhihuan, leaving him dumbfounded!
Amid Sima Kuan’s disbelief, a piercing flute melody suddenly echoed through the skies!
The sound was entirely devoid of harmony, grating on everyone’s nerves and leaving them uneasy…
“Damn!
It’s Sima Yun!”
Ye Zhicang cried out.
The melody clearly emanated from the Jade Flute—the Life Weapon used to control puppets.
As the creator of the puppets, Sima Yun could observe their every move through the Jade Flute.
If he detected any anomalies, he would immediately use the flute to reprogram them…
“That despicable Sima Yun—he leaves no openings whatsoever!”
Ye Zhirong cursed in frustration.
Once the flute’s melody reached Ye Zhihuan, his expression reverted to ferocity, his entire being radiating blazing force once more.
This meant the Ye elders’ earlier efforts had been completely undone by Sima Yun’s flute.
Ye Zhihuan’s conscience had now vanished entirely, leaving him a complete puppet once again!
“Enough of this—reform the formation!”
Realizing Ye Zhihuan could not be brought back, Ye Zhiran commanded Ye Zhicang and Ye Zhirong to resume the formation.
The three elders once again positioned themselves at the south, west, and north points around Ye Zhihuan and poured their full strength into reactivating the Four Symbols Formation.
Yet this time, the situation was starkly different!
Now that Sima Yun had reasserted control, Ye Zhihuan’s internal power surged to new heights!
Meanwhile, the three Ye elders, all affected by the ‘Red Wind’ poison, were already struggling.
With their vital energies further depleted from prolonged combat, their bodies began to show signs of severe strain.
Ye Zhiran, having already been injured by Ye Zhihuan earlier and suffering deep poisoning, was now utterly stretched to his limits…
Ye Zhicang was in a similar predicament, still unhealed from his own injuries and afflicted by new toxins—completely incapable of enduring a prolonged battle…
But the Ye elders were renowned martial artists, each driven by an indomitable resolve.
They knew full well that pressing forward recklessly would only lead to death…
Yet, with no retreat available, the three could only grit their teeth and charge ahead…