Chapter 648: The Puppeteer Family, The Southwestern Wang Family

After several tests, Lin Moyu confirmed that as long as he stayed outside a 10,000-meter radius, there was no danger.

10,000 meters was the critical threshold.

The vortex was connected to surrounding oceans in every direction.

Lin Moyu was certain monsters existed in the other oceans, yet near the vortex itself, not a single monster could be found.

Even the starlight of the Starlight Ocean vanished here.

The vortex felt like a forbidden zone, a place no monster or living being dared to approach.

Yet without getting closer, Lin Moyu could not uncover the truth.

His Detection spell also could not cross 10,000 meters.

“Let’s try using the undead army.”

Lin Moyu summoned 10 Headless Knights and ordered them to charge toward the vortex from different directions.

He planned to use their vision to observe what lay within.

Even if they were destroyed, it wouldn’t matter. The Headless Knights would simply be reborn in his summon space.

Activating the Charge skill, they surged forward at a speed of 3,000 meters per second.

The 10 figures rushed in from different directions.

The instant they crossed the 10,000-meter boundary—advancing less than 100 meters in under 0.1 seconds—they collapsed without a sound.

There was no warning. No impact.

All 10 Headless Knights died simultaneously and reappeared in the summon space.

Through their final moments, Lin Moyu felt an attack aimed directly at the soul.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, “Again.”

10 Headless Knights were far too few. This time, he summoned 10,000.

The Headless Knights formed a massive ring around the vortex, sealing off every direction—from the sky to the sea.

At Lin Moyu’s command, they activated Charge and rushed forward as one.

His soul force surged violently as he linked himself to10,000 perspectives.

Then, a shocking scene unfolded.

A flash of blue light erupted, followed by the emergence of a gigantic face.

It appeared human, yet within it were countless monsters.

The face was formed entirely of soul force—immensely powerful, yet chaotically unstable.

Like a feral beast, it rose above the vortex and unleashed a furious roar.

The soul roar swept across the 10,000-meter radius.

Every single Headless Knight collapsed instantly.

Lin Moyu’s body shuddered, his face draining of color.

Because his soul was linked to the undead troops, the roar rebounded directly onto him.

The Nine-Colored Dragon Soul Crystal flared, pouring out soul force to protect and heal him.

The damage was minor, a mere shock, completely restored in an instant.

Lin Moyu began forming conclusions.

That human face explained much.

It was merely a manifestation; its true nature was a soul attack.

On a deeper level, the chaotic consciousnesses within it suggested something even more terrifying—the soul force was composed of countless fused souls.

The souls had merged, but the consciousnesses had not.

As for their origin, Lin Moyu had little doubt. They were likely monsters and living beings dragged in by the ocean currents.

Once swallowed by the vortex, their souls were imprisoned, becoming fuel for its power.

Their consciousnesses weren’t destroyed. They were trapped.

A chill ran down Lin Moyu’s spine.

If those consciousnesses still existed, still capable of thought, then this vortex was nothing less than a prison of eternal torment.

“What exactly lies within that vortex…?”

“To imprison souls on this scale is not something an ordinary person could accomplish.”

He prepared to summon the Headless Knights again, hoping to glimpse that face once more.

Though the observation window lasted only 0.1 seconds, he could compensate with repetition.

By observing it often enough, he might uncover something.

Just as he was about to act, Lin Moyu suddenly stopped.

Two class users were flying toward him—a man and a woman, hand in hand, clearly a couple.

The man appeared to be in his forties; the woman seemed about the same age, though her carefully maintained appearance made her look younger.

When they reached him, the man cupped his fist, “Brother, are you here to admire the Central Great Vortex as well?”

So that was its name.

Lin Moyu gave a brief nod.

The man continued, “The Vortex Reverse Flow will begin soon. It’s a rare spectacle—only happens once every few years.”

Lin Moyu frowned, “Vortex Reverse Flow?”

He had never encountered the term in any records.

The man chuckled, “That’s just what I call it. I saw it mentioned in an ancient book. Once every few years, the Central Great Vortex experiences a water back-flow. They say it’s breathtaking.”

“Water back-flow?” Lin Moyu asked, “What does that mean?”

The man shook his head, “Exactly what it sounds like. I’ve never witnessed it myself, but it’s supposedly spectacular.”

The woman spoke up, “Let’s move closer.”

The man nodded, and the two flew forward.

“Come back!” Lin Moyu shouted.

The man halted, “Is something wrong, Young Brother?”

“Do not go within 10,000 meters.” Lin Moyu warned, “It’s dangerous. You’ll die.”

The man was startled. He didn’t fully believe him, but Lin Moyu’s expression was far too serious to dismiss.

Instead of arguing, he produced a metal bead the size of a fist and tossed it into the air.

Activating a skill, the bead exploded with a sharp bang, turning into a puppet half the size of a person, wielding a sword.

Lin Moyu’s eyes narrowed, “A Puppeteer?”

Puppeteers were extremely rare, bound by bloodline heritage. In the Shenxia Empire, only one Puppeteer Family existed.

The man smiled faintly, pride evident in his voice, “That’s right. I’m Wang Feng, of the Southwestern Wang Family.”

The Southwestern Wang Family was an ancient Puppeteer family whose history predated the founding of the Shenxia Empire.

Their ancestors had made monumental contributions to both the empire and the human race itself, earning eternal recognition in historical records.

Though they had not produced a God-level powerhouse in the past century and had declined somewhat, no one dared underestimate them.

Even families with God-level experts avoided provoking them—partly due to their legacy, and partly because they possessed God-level puppets.

Wang Feng, already level 83, had a strong chance of becoming the next God-level Puppeteer. His pride was well-earned.

Lin Moyu’s tone softened with genuine respect. The Wang Family has done much for the empire and all of humanity.

Wang Feng’s expression grew even prouder.

With a gesture, he pointed forward. The puppet shot ahead.

Its aura was restrained, but its speed suggested combat strength around level 80.

Lin Moyu sensed faint soul fluctuations within it—a connection linking puppet and master.

“So he’s controlling it with his soul.” Lin Moyu realized.

That meant Puppeteers had delved into soul research. Among non–God-level class users, such understanding was exceedingly rare.

The puppet crossed the 10,000-meter boundary. Instantly, it froze and dropped straight down.

Wang Feng let out a muffled groan.

His face went pale, his eyes filling with terror, as though he had glimpsed something unspeakable.

His soul had been injured.

Since the puppet was bound to his soul, its destruction inevitably caused backlash.

Fortunately, the damage wasn’t severe. With rest alone, he would recover in a few days.

“Brother Feng!” The woman cried, supporting him, “Are you alright?”

Wang Feng shook his head, indicating he was fine.

He turned to Lin Moyu, his earlier confidence gone, “What… exactly is happening here?”

His tone was now cautious, even humble. He harbored no resentment.

After all, Lin Moyu had warned him.

Had he gone personally, he wouldn’t merely have lost a puppet.

That soul attack had been horrifying. He knew with certainty that he wouldn’t have survived it himself.

In that sense, Lin Moyu had saved his life.

“I’m not sure yet.” Lin Moyu said, “But it appears to be a form of soul attack.”

Wang Feng nodded grimly, “There’s very little information about the Central Great Vortex. I only found a few scattered notes in an ancestor’s handwritten record. It mentioned that every few years, the vortex undergoes a water back-flow.”

“I ran some calculations and estimated the timing of this one.”

Given the Wang Family’s history, it wasn’t surprising they knew secrets others didn’t.

Still, even Wang Feng didn’t truly understand what the water back-flow entailed.

The notes only described it as magnificent—nothing more.

Suddenly, a deep rumble echoed from within the vortex.

The inward-flowing water grew violent.

At the vortex’s center, the surface churned as though boiling, and then a massive column of water surged upward.

Lin Moyu’s expression changed instantly, and he shouted, “Fall back!”