Crack, crack!
The wooden puppet twisted its arms, pulling its fist from the ground where it was embedded, but beneath that fist…
Bai Ye was nowhere to be seen!
Suddenly, Bai Ye appeared above the wooden puppet.
Teleportation didn't just allow for targeting ground locations; it could also target aerial positions!
"Poison Dragon!"
Bai Ye grunted and raised his fist, bringing it down towards the puppet.
A large amount of venom surged from Bai Ye's body, rapidly coalescing into a giant venomous dragon that smashed downwards.
Bang!
The venomous dragon struck the wooden puppet's back and then exploded.
The surrounding horse bandits, soldiers, and Chosen Ones clearly had no idea what was about to happen, so the moment the venom splashed outwards.
"Ah, my hand, my hand…"
"Help, help, someone save me…"
"It burns, it burns so much!"
…
Those splashed by the venom cried out in agony.
A horse bandit fell from his mount, looking in horror at his arm as flesh and blood rapidly decayed, exposing bone.
A Chosen One was drenched in venom, his entire body soaked. He trembled violently, rolling on the ground as his flesh and blood dissolved, quickly turning him into a skeleton adorned with rags of decaying flesh.
However…
Wisps of white smoke rose from the wooden puppet's back. Its back was scorched black, and then…
The wooden puppet turned and hurled another punch in Bai Ye's direction.
Bai Ye quickly crossed his arms to block, feeling the immense force as he was sent flying through the air by the wooden puppet's punch.
"Damn it, this thing has poison resistance!"
Bai Ye grit his teeth, got up from the ground, and spat a mouthful of blood to the side.
The venom from the Venom-Venom Fruit wasn't entirely ineffective against the wooden puppet, but its impact was negligible. The materials used to craft the puppet were clearly resistant to poison.
However, Bai Ye had a solution!
Standing upright again, the wooden puppet stomped its foot down towards Bai Ye.
Bai Ye didn't dodge; instead…
Spirit Form!
The wooden puppet's massive foot landed directly on Bai Ye, but Bai Ye didn't turn into a bloody pulp as most would have expected. The giant foot passed straight through Bai Ye's body.
Using the aerial capabilities of Spirit Form, Bai Ye floated into the air.
The wooden puppet threw another punch, but it was useless. When it struck, the puppet passed straight through Bai Ye's body.
"Just as I suspected!"
Bai Ye grinned. This wooden puppet's attack method seemed to be limited to close combat, meaning…
Only physical attacks!
And Bai Ye's Spirit Form could ignore all physical attacks!
However, the Venom-Venom Fruit ability, his trump card, couldn't be used.
In Spirit Form, Bai Ye also couldn't launch physical attacks. While the venom wasn't a physical attack, it was secreted from Bai Ye's body. Currently, Bai Ye was in Spirit Form, his body completely ethereal, so he couldn't secrete venom.
But the Phoenix's abilities could still be used!
The flying swords could also be commanded with mental power!
"Seven-Colored Sword Qi!"
Bai Ye uttered a soft cry, and seven-colored flying swords shot into the sky, emitting a buzzing hum. They then slashed downwards in unison.
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
Seven-colored sword qi rained down from the sky, continuously striking the wooden puppet and creating loud noises, forcing its massive body to retreat.
Bai Ye floated in the air, his hands crossed, rapidly changing hand seals.
Seven Rainbow Piercing the Heavens (Seven swords combine to attack the enemy target)
The seven-colored flying swords soared through the air again, dancing and chasing each other, their emitted light constantly intertwining.
Soon, the seven-colored lights tangled together, forming a magnificent rainbow of light, several zhang in size. It swept across the sky and then pierced downwards.
Boom!
The magnificent rainbow of light descended, striking the wooden puppet's chest. With a loud crash, it blasted a hole directly in its chest.
Bai Ye immediately raised his fist and brought it down.
The Venom-Venom Fruit ability couldn't be used, but the Phoenix's supernatural power still could!
Heat waves rolled around, and scorching flames appeared, burning in the air like a sea of fire. Then, with Bai Ye's punch, the surrounding flames condensed and descended.
A giant pillar of fire formed, striking directly at the wooden puppet's chest through the shattered opening.
Then…
"Flame Explosion!"
Bai Ye clenched his fist in the air, and immediately, an explosion sounded. A massive fireball detonated within the wooden puppet's chest!
The immense impact force sent the wooden puppet staggering backward. Unable to withstand the impact, its body crashed to the ground.
With a bang!
The wooden puppet fell, shattering a large area of the ground and kicking up countless dust and sand.
A large, burnt hole marred its chest, with charred edges and black smoke still billowing out from within.
Bai Ye emerged from Spirit Form and landed back on the ground.
Was it done?
It should be done!
Bai Ye figured that after taking such a beating, it shouldn't be able to move anymore…
Suddenly…
The dull red light in the wooden puppet's eyes flickered, then intensified, becoming richer and deeper. Following this, the puppet once again struggled to its feet.
The wooden puppet swept its arm out, instantly sending those around it flying. Then, it got back up and kicked towards the crowd.
The bandit leader's face turned ashen with fear as he saw the wooden puppet approach.
"No, no, no, I was the one who activated you, you are my servant, you should help me…"
Bang!
The wooden puppet raised its foot and stomped down on the bandit leader, crushing him and his horse beneath its heel.
"No, I…"
Blood trickled from the bandit leader's mouth as he struggled, but at that moment, the wooden puppet exerted more force.
With a crack, the bandit leader's chest bones shattered. His body below the chest was pulverized into a bloody pulp, and blood quickly flowed out from beneath the wooden puppet's foot.
Bai Ye couldn't help but be surprised. The wooden puppet seemed to have suddenly gone berserk. Its attacks had been somewhat measured before, but now it seemed to be attacking wildly.
"Is this because its body is damaged and it's gone berserk?"
Bai Ye muttered, then quickly ran forward, raising his fist, intending to attack with flames again.
But at this moment…
"Whirlwind Blade!"