Puppets, if broadly categorized, can generally be divided into nine levels, with each level further divided into three stages: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The inherent strength and skills of a puppet derive from the abilities of its creator.
Looking at the pile of materials in the secret chamber, Li Lin slightly smiled bitterly. The upcoming days would be full of hard work.
With the change of hand seals, his spiritual power began to fluctuate. The process of puppet refinement shared similarities with weapon forging, differing only in the final step. However, Li Lin had never forged weapons before.
A surge of spiritual power was injected into the Fire Dragon Cauldron, which could also serve as a weapon cauldron. Within the cauldron, flames rose, and Li Lin threw a large piece of top-quality refined iron into it.
Enveloped by roaring flames, the metal began to melt.
The method of puppet refinement, deeply engraved in Li Lin's memory, was profoundly mysterious and required utmost attention. Any mistake would mean starting over, not to mention the waste of spiritual power and the valuable materials that would turn into scrap.
Time passed slowly. In the Flying Spirit Gate, tranquility prevailed. Upon hearing the news of the Sect Leader's death, apart from a few disciples who felt sorrow, most were merely surprised for a moment and then indifferent. The relationship between the regular members and the Sect Leader was not strong, and with the decline of Flying Spirit Gate, they felt little sense of belonging.
However, recent stirrings within the Sect suggested change. According to the Sect's rules, every five years, new disciples received a first-grade Dan medicine for cultivation, while senior disciples received a second-grade one.
Five years ago, the Sect had already failed to provide this medicine, leading to the departure of half of its members, leaving around two to three hundred people. Li Qing promised to compensate for this the next time, which temporarily settled the matter. But now, with another five-year period passing and the Sect Leader dead, many disciples doubted they would receive their Dan medicine and contemplated leaving the Sect.
Their strength, mostly at the Martial Apprentice and few at the Martial Warrior level, meant finding work outside was not difficult. For many, this seemed a better option than staying in the disheartening Flying Spirit Gate.
“Do you think we'll get the Dan medicine this time?”
“It seems impossible now, with the Sect Leader gone. Who do we ask?”
“Isn't there still the Elder?”
“Do we not know the situation of Flying Spirit Gate? It's unlikely we'll get anything. If we don't, I might leave too. Better to try my luck outside than to wither away here.”
Many disciples whispered among themselves, contemplating leaving the Sect.
Five days later, in the secret chamber, Li Lin continued to pour spiritual power into the Fire Dragon Cauldron. The flames inside the cauldron soared as he refined all the materials into a solution.
The spiritual fire needed to burn continuously to remove impurities from the solution, crucial for crafting a perfect puppet. A body with impurities would significantly compromise its defensive abilities.
As Li Lin continued to channel energy, the flames in the cauldron blazed even more fiercely. The solution churned like magma inside a volcano, its intense heat capable of instantly turning a person to ashes.
After another day, Li Lin's complexion was extremely pale due to the immense expenditure of energy. The solution had finally reached a satisfactory state.
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“Puppet Art, condense!”
With a low shout, Li Lin formed intricate hand seals, casting beams of light into the Fire Dragon Cauldron.
“Crackle! Crackle! Crackle…”
The large mass of solution burst out of the cauldron, enveloped in spiritual fire and suspended in mid-air of the secret chamber. The intense heat turned the entire chamber a faint red.
Continuously casting hand seals, Li Lin directed beams of light onto the solution. Each time the light entered, the flames would roar higher, and his complexion grew even paler.
After three hours, the solution slowly took shape, forming a figure over two meters tall. Drops of scorching liquid fell and spun, transforming under Li Lin’s meticulous control.
Slowly, the scorching solution began to coalesce into a tangible figure, resembling a two-meter-tall giant, but this giant had the head of a wolf and the body of a human. Its feet were massive, and its arms, extending down to its knees, bore sharp claws. Sharp fangs also formed in its mouth.
Li Lin then cast another strange hand seal, emitting a ray of light, causing the entire solution to flow over the wolf-headed humanoid like water being poured over it.
The wolf-headed figure quickly became radiant, developing a metallic luster and texture. Its entirely crimson body transformed into a dark cyan metallic sheen.
"Condense."
Another low shout came from Li Lin, and his hand seals rapidly emanated a mysterious bright light. This light transformed into fine rays, like threads, each landing on different joints of the wolf-headed figure – arms, elbows, shoulders, waist, legs, mouth, and knees.
As Li Lin's hand seals changed, the limbs, elbows, shoulders, waist, legs, mouth, and knees of the wolf-headed figure began to move rhythmically, no longer as stiff as before.
"Puppet Secret Technique."
At this moment, Li Lin's eyes slightly darkened, and his hand seals swiftly changed again. Mysterious rays of light, accompanied by a glimmer from his forehead, continuously struck the wolf-headed figure.
At this time, the wolf-headed figure seemed to come fully alive, moving its entire body. Its eyes opened, emitting a piercing light despite their emptiness.
Moments later, as Li Lin continued to cast hand seals, the wolf-headed figure performed various actions – soaring, flashing, moving, leaping, somersaulting, rolling, jumping, punching, and kicking. Each movement was fluid, without the slightest hesitation.
"Sigh..." Finally, Li Lin stopped his hand seals, his face pale but with a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth.
"Success." Li Lin said softly, unable to hold back his laughter: "I truly am a genius, a self-taught one at that," he said shamelessly.
Feeling the connection with the wolf-headed figure before him, Li Lin could distinctly sense a bond as if connected by flesh and blood. During the Puppet Secret Technique, he had imbued the puppet with a part of his soul force, allowing him to control the werewolf puppet with his thoughts.
Li Lin stood up in front of the werewolf puppet, prepared himself, and thought, "Attack me."
Instantly, the empty eyes of the werewolf puppet flashed, and it threw a punch with a roaring wind straight at Li Lin.
"Let's see your strength." Li Lin took a horse stance, bent and rose, channeling power from the ground, surrounded by a faint earthy-yellow glow. He met the attack with a Mountain Splitting Palm, using all his strength to withstand it, eager to know the power of the puppet he had created.
"Bang, bang..."
The two forces collided in the secret chamber, causing an explosive sound and continuous echoes. At the same time, a figure was violently pushed back several steps, hitting the stone wall.
"Damn, that's strong." Li Lin leaned against the wall, his blood churning, and his expression one of surprised admiration. Touching his numb palm, he realized the werewolf puppet was indeed powerful. His Mountain Splitting Palm was usually enough to defeat peers of his level, but the puppet had not only withstood his attack but also pushed him back without any damage.
Considering the puppet's strength and its relentless, unyielding nature, even a first-level Martial Master might have to avoid its edge.
"Goodness, when I have time, I'll refine a hundred or eighty of these. Let's see who dares to mess with me then," Li Lin thought wickedly. His self-made werewolf puppet had reached the advanced stage of the second level, which was quite impressive. With the puppet by his side, he now had a bodyguard comparable to a first-level Martial Master, and an utterly loyal one at that.
Satisfied, Li Lin stored the werewolf puppet in his spatial bag. Although the spatial bag and storage rings couldn't store living beings, there was no problem with puppets, though their size meant only a few could fit in one bag.
After storing the Fire Dragon Cauldron in his storage ring, Li Lin began to recuperate. Creating the Blood Soul Mark and refining the werewolf puppet had taken him twenty days in the secret chamber.
Three days later, the door of the secret chamber thundered open, and a figure in a blue robe stepped out.