Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master - Chapter 1503

Chapter 1503: Chapter 617: The Goldblood Offering (Part 2)

A cultivator from the Golden Stone Alliance brandished a Trial Blade Short Knife, striking fiercely at the shoulder of the Flowing Gold Guest.

Clang!

The blade sank half an inch into the flesh, only to be obstructed by something beneath the skin, and the edge slipped alongside to create only a slanting cut on the shoulder of the Flowing Gold Guest.

Golden blood gushed out, but the wound quickly healed.

The Flowing Gold Guest’s eyes gleamed: “This golden mesh robe is impressive.”

This garment was no ordinary robe; it was a mass of red gold threads, fine as hair, resembling a spider web dyed by the morning glow.

After the Flowing Gold Guest refined it, the golden threads merged into his body.

The golden threads burrowed beneath the skin, spreading along the fascia, bone gaps, and muscle, densely surrounding the internal organs, providing internal protection.

The skin showed nothing on the surface, only faint blue-gold lines emerging, like extensive tattoos.

“If I were to face the Defensive Wheel Slash Formation’s swords and axes again…” he murmured to himself.

The Golden Stone Alliance cultivator withdrew, and the Flowing Gold Guest took out a Blood Body Talisman.

The talisman was crimson red, its paper as thick as leather, pulsating warmly to the touch.

He activated it recklessly, and half of his Essence Blood was forcibly drawn from his body, poured into the talisman.

The talisman flew out of his hand, transforming into a crimson-gold Blood Shadow.

The Blood Shadow was initially blurry, but its features, form, and aura gradually solidified, becoming identical to the Flowing Gold Guest. Even its chest had a hint of golden light, as if concealing a Pill.

The Flowing Gold Guest’s complexion turned pale.

Having half his Essence Blood drawn away at once, even for someone with a Golden Liquid Returning Pill Body, left him slightly faint, his body hollow and weak.

But in the next moment, a Golden Blood Pill Pearl in his abdomen scattered, turning into surging Golden Mist, circulating within.

The depleted Blood Qi was rapidly replenished, his meridians revived like parched lands quenched by rain, his chest swelling again.

The blood avatar stepped forward, punching with a thunderous crack of air.

The Flowing Gold Guest watched the avatar and smiled.

For others, this might be a desperate, life-endangering talisman. For him, it’s just right. As long as the Golden Blood Pill Pearl remains, he can replenish Essence Blood with it, and create avatars with Essence Blood.

After practicing with the blood avatar, he attempted to ingest a Fire Extinguishing Pill.

The pill, cold as an ice blade, entered and didn’t harm him, instead forming a light platinum membrane over his body.

A cultivator unleashed a Fire Technique to burn the Flowing Gold Guest.

The white membrane around him glowed slightly, blocking the fire at the surface; though still causing pain, it couldn’t penetrate deeply into his blood.

In excitement, he clenched his fist: “This pill is excellent; with it, why should I fear Ning Zhuo’s Fire-attribute Spells?!”

The Blood Body Talisman and the Fire Extinguishing Pill, both of high quality and consumable, he only practiced with briefly, cautious not to overuse them.

Finally, he took out the Chaotic String Split Sound Fork.

Like the previous treasures, the sound fork was also funded by the major forces of the Flowing Cloud Peak.

The sound fork, dark gold and slightly twisted, was unlike any proper weapon. Its tines were densely covered with fine sound patterns, resembling broken strings, cracked porcelain, fractured gold.

Held normally, it was silent; but when he infused a strand of Golden Blood, the fork trembled lightly.

Zheng——

The sharp, jarring, fragmented sound burst like a taut golden string snapped abruptly beside the ear.

Wielding the fork, he swept it, and layers of crimson-gold sound waves exploded through the air. The sound waves disrupted the flight paths of several Mechanical Birds used for testing, their feathers clattering, with one crashing directly into a stone pillar, shattering into pieces.

His eyes gleamed with golden brilliance: “Ning Zhuo, can your Ancient Zither still be played with the sound fork in my hand?”

Just then, a cultivator approached to report: “The altar is set up. Please proceed there immediately, Lord Flowing Gold Guest.”

“Oh? It’s ready?” Aware of the preparations, he moved at once.

The altar was set in the deepest part of the Cloud Cave.

There, piles of golden stones, Taibai Pure Gold, Cold Blade Fine Gold, White Iron, Geng Metal Sand, layered to form golden steps leading to the altar. At the center stood a beast statue. Resembling a Pixiu, its belly was large like a furnace, mouth wide to the ears, filled with golden teeth, eyes half-closed, as if sleeping.

Jin Mantang presided in person.

Usually jovial, his expression now somber, he removed all Treasure Rings, collecting his treasure light carefully.

Standing before the altar, his corpulent body unusually straight.

With a wave, the surrounding cultivators retreated, leaving even Lei Wangyue, the Golden Hairpin Old Woman, and others silent.

The depths of the Cloud Cave grew eerily quiet, only the gentle trembling and subtle chimes of countless golden stones beneath the altar, like copper coins lightly colliding.

Guided, the Flowing Gold Guest ascended the altar.

Jin Mantang unfolded a roll of aged, blackened golden silk.

Unfurling it, the Cloud Cave resonated with low beast roars. The sound, muffled and deep, seemed to emerge from the mountain’s core. The Flowing Gold Guest envisioned a giant beast lying beneath the earth, sniffing the altar’s offerings.

Jin Mantang began to chant invocations.

His tone, bizarre and ancient, echoed not of modern elegance, bearing the old intonation of merchants’ deity worship, each word resonant like a copper hammer striking golden bricks.

“Gold born of mountain, wealth flowing in the world.”

“Beast mouth swallowing gold, divinity belly storing treasure.”

“By my offering, commune with divine teeth.”

“With what I have lost, in exchange for a glance from the god.”

“All gold with spirit, returns to its belly.”

“All wealth has an owner, all heed its name.”

“The Swallowing Gold God, the God of Wealth’s beast.”

“Open your mouth to accept offerings, lower your eyes to grant domain!”

The first prayer fell, and the treasure rings at the four corners of the altar simultaneously lit up.

Spirit Stones, treasures, and Magic Artifact Fragments flew out from the rings, landing on the golden steps beneath the altar. Once these items touched the altar steps, they seemed to be bitten by an invisible mouth, their surface Spirit Light quickly dimmed, and Gold Qi turned into a thin stream, drilling into the belly of the beast statue.

The Swallowing Gold Beast statue remained with eyes closed.

Jin Mantang’s expression did not change and continued to recite the second time.

This time, the cultivators around them took out their offerings.

The Golden Stone Alliance presented Taibai Golden Marrow.

The Thunder Cloud Association offered Purple Lightning Gold Sand.

The Territorial Expansion Alliance brought out the Earth Lung Hidden Gold Soil.

The Floating Life Association contributed three boxes of Gold Essence.

…

The offerings piled higher and higher, and the golden light on the altar grew increasingly intense. Yet the Swallowing Gold Beast statue only slightly brightened in its belly, still not opening its eyes.

Jin Mantang looked at Flowing Gold Guest: “Your turn.”

Flowing Gold Guest took a deep breath.

He placed his hand on his chest, and the Quasi-Divine Power “Golden Liquid Returning Pill” slowly circulated. For a moment, the Golden Blood within his body surged like a raging river, flowing turbulently along his meridians.

The first Golden Blood Pill Pearl was forced out of his chest.

The Golden Blood Pill Pearl fell into the golden cup.

Thump.

The sound was very light, yet it made the entire altar slightly tremble.

Jin Mantang’s third prayer followed, the tone more exalted than before.

“Golden Blood as pill, within it holds life.”

“A life offered, a divine request.”

“The Swallowing Gold God, the God of Wealth’s beast.”

“Open your mouth to accept offerings, lower your eyes to grant domain!”

The light in the belly of the beast statue was even brighter, but still, it did not open its eyes.

Flowing Gold Guest’s heart tightened, he gritted his teeth slightly, and forced out the second one.

The second Golden Blood Pill Pearl fell into the cup.

The beast statue’s mouth full of golden teeth seemed to gently clack together.

Crack.

The sound was extremely faint.

Yet Flowing Gold Guest felt a chill in his heart.

He suddenly realized he was not negotiating with a god, nor haggling with Jin Mantang.

He was offering food to a divine entity.

And the Swallowing Gold Beast God was selecting his flesh and blood.

Jin Mantang did not urge but said softly: “Still lacking.”

Hesitation and pain flashed in Flowing Gold Guest’s eyes, and then he remembered the humiliation brought by Ning Zhuo and his own situation.

At this point, could he still retreat?

Absolutely impossible!

Thus, the third, fourth, fifth…

One Golden Blood Pill Pearl after another fell into the golden cup.

With each one falling, the altar trembled once. The piled golden stone treasures around grew dimmer in Spirit Light. The golden black light in the beast statue’s belly became increasingly intense, as if an endless abyss was slowly opening within the golden beast’s belly.

After more than ten Golden Blood Pill Pearls were offered, the Swallowing Gold Beast statue suddenly moved slightly.

Jin Mantang sharply raised his voice, almost shouting:

“Gold is born from the mountain, wealth exists in the world!”

“All gold has an owner, it is true when returned to the belly!”

“Offer ten pills, offer ten portions of blood!”

“Please, Swallowing Gold God, open your mouth!”

“Please, God of Wealth’s beast, grant domain!”