Chapter 87: The Art of Spirit Puppetry, Five Elemental Spirit Puppets
Anwen Island.
The Tranquil Heart Cave Dwelling.
Within the cave, in a specially carved stone chamber, spiritual energy surged, oppressive force permeated the air, and the aura of thunder and fire lingered in the surroundings.
Thirty-six Heavenly Thunderfire Talismans were arranged in three tiers—upper, middle, and lower—forming a circle. In the center of this circle, an ordinary jade talisman hovered, entwined with fire and arcs of lightning, linked to the thirty-six thunderfire talismans.
Every few dozen breaths, strands of thunder and fire power would be drawn from the ordinary talisman, converging into the jade talisman.
...
Outside the thunder- and fire-filled chamber, the Five Elements Profound Spirit Entrapment and Slaughter Array enveloped the area.
“Thank you, great one.”
In the main stone chamber, Shen Lian was bowing in all four directions—east, south, west, and north—murmuring under his breath.
There was no particular reason, other than being in a good mood.
Half a month earlier—
He had used his insight points to activate the Puppet Inheritance, advancing in one go to the lower second tier.
He had thought that the inherited puppet arts would be similar to his previous experiences with alchemy and talisman crafting—passed down gradually according to grade.
This was indeed the case. Both major puppet-crafting paths of the cultivation world had been inherited.
Yet, beyond these two puppet techniques, there was also a method called the Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art.
This art’s puppet-crafting was entirely different from the traditions of the cultivation world.
All beings could become puppets.
To put it simply, in the two classic puppet-crafting paths, the strength of the beast and the quality of the spiritual material determined the puppet’s grade.
A puppet made from a demon beast would have a fixed size and, when not in use, could only be stored away. Even if refined as a life-bound puppet, as the cultivator advanced, the puppet would eventually fall behind—unless the cultivator was stuck at their stage.
But the Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art used spiritual materials as the medium, emphasizing unity of cultivation between the puppet and the cultivator.
The immortal spirit puppets thus created were not limited by form—they could be soft when needed, firm when required, stand tall at a command, or flow like liquid at a thought.
Utterly at his will.
Such spirit puppets were perfectly suited to Shen Lian.
When crafting five-element puppets, he could adapt their forms to the environment, using different arts for different situations, even making them flee rapidly if needed.
Moreover, the Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art thoughtfully included a divine sense tempering method specifically for controlling puppets.
Puppets, being lifeless, required the cultivator’s divine sense to command them in battle, which limited their range and made them heavily reliant on the cultivator.
For example, Shen Lian’s divine sense spanned over six hundred feet, so his puppets could only operate within that range.
The divine sense tempering in the Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art, called the Threading Method, could refine divine sense into filaments, extending its reach and thus the puppet’s operational range.
If not strong in intensity, he could make up for it with length.
Right from the first step, the Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art differed from ordinary puppet-crafting. The latter started with gathering materials and inscribing puppet runes.
But the Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art began with nurturing the material’s spirit.
After much study, Shen Lian could sum it up simply: like hatching an egg.
The first step was akin to incubation.
He would use his own life-blood to draw immortal puppet patterns on the chosen spiritual material, nurturing it within himself until it could be absorbed into his body—best if he could “hatch” or warm it.
It was as if turning a physical item into something partly ethereal.
For a dignified, handsome cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, this method felt as undignified as squatting at a crossroads in the market to relieve oneself.
It was simply too mortifying.
...
Inside the cave dwelling, the scent of blood hung thick in the air.
Shen Lian sat cross-legged, before him a jade casket, two jade bottles, and five spiritual objects shimmering in azure, crimson, yellow, gold-white, and black hues.
The casket and bottles contained beast blood pills and Vital Qi Treasures, courtesy of Daoist Pei.
He had already consumed several beast blood pills and one of the two Vital Qi Treasures.
Among the five colored spiritual materials, the azure was a jade-like branch from the Bodhi Jade Bluewood; the crimson, a firestone from a second-tier Scarlet Flame mine, called Scarlet Crystal Fire Jade; the yellow, a semi-transparent mass known as Immortal Root; the gold-white, Earth Gold Jade; and the black, a pearl from an ancient deep-sea clam.
All five were lower second-tier natural materials, some better than others, but all rare.
Originally, Shen Lian had bought them to refine Five Elements True Essence, but now they were perfect for crafting his immortal spirit puppets.
Three of the five spiritual items already bore spirit puppet patterns inscribed by Shen Lian.
The patterns used in the Immortal Puppet Art, called spirit puppet runes, carried innate spirituality, consuming far more divine sense than ordinary puppet runes and requiring one’s own life-blood as a medium.
Once refined, these were called immortal spirit puppets—a name that set them apart from the ordinary fare of the cultivation world.
He now picked up the Immortal Root and resumed his work.
By the time he had carved spirit puppet runes onto all five spiritual objects, he felt utterly drained, both mentally and physically.
The five items clustered near him—though lifeless, he could sense a faint connection to each, as if they were extensions of himself.
And this was only the beginning. He would need to repeatedly inscribe spirit puppet runes until they were fully integrated within him, at which point he could begin the second phase: incubation.
Five months later.
After a cultivation session, Shen Lian opened his eyes to see Dahei squatting nearby.
“Master, what happened to your dantian?”
Dahei looked up, eyes gleaming like black crystals.
“Get lost.”
Chasing Dahei away, Shen Lian heaved a sigh.
Ancestor, whoever created this Myriad Spirits Immortal Puppet Art was a true genius.
Within him, the five spiritual materials had lost their original forms and now blended together, showing a hint of unity.
“Out!”
He cast an incantation.
Five streaks of spiritual light shot forth, weaving around him in a haze.
“Go!”
The five lights merged into one, gleaming with an earthen yellow glow, and plunged into the mountain.
The next moment, the light pierced through the mountain, emerging outside the cave, flying five hundred feet away before splitting into five again.
These five rays took on vague humanoid forms, diving toward a pool below.
Just as they were about to touch the water, they merged once more, flashing with black light as they blended into the pool.
Splash!
The pond erupted.
The five streaks of light, their colors shifting, shot into the forest as a sheet of azure, passing through rock and stone, swiftly returning to Shen Lian’s side, then splitting once more into five indistinct figures.
Although each spirit puppet was crafted from a lower second-tier spiritual material, they were still lifeless objects, not true living beings. It would take more time to fully awaken their spirituality.
Thus, even after refining, each one’s aura fell just short of Foundation Establishment, but together, they gave off that very presence.
“It’s still too soon.”
Rising to stand before them, Shen Lian began inscribing more spirit puppet runes.
The more runes, the greater his control.
Moreover, he discovered that the Five Qi Toward the Origin Art he cultivated, and the five-element True Essence and Origin Qi produced from refining five-element spiritual materials, could be used to further strengthen the spirit puppets.
...
East of King’s Isle.
A large spirit boat sped through the skies.
Within its pavilion, nine cultivators sat in meditation.
The leader was at Foundation Establishment, the other eight at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining.
Ai Jinfou opened his eyes and looked at the eight before him.
“I need not explain the task. Do it well, and there’ll be rewards. Anyone who gossips will find me less than forgiving.”
“Yes.”
“Rest assured, Elder. The task will be done.”
One disciple patted his storage pouch in a show of resolve.
“Good.”
Ai Jinfou nodded and closed his eyes to rest.
This mission was simple and routine: to incite war among the mortal nations of King’s Isle.
...
On King’s Isle, there were five nations, the largest being the Realm of Qian.
Qian lay at the island’s center, occupying the best plains and boasting the largest population.
Its dominance stemmed from the support of the Sea of Myriad Stars’ greatest sect, the Xuanhai Sect.
That day, in Qian’s capital, the sound of bells rang from the imperial palace, summoning all civil and military officials to the throne room.
On the grand throne, the King of Qian sat high, surveying the assembled ministers.
“Gentlemen, news from the border reports that men of the Realm of Ying have raided Beacon Fortress—two hundred soldiers dead or wounded. I have resolved to raise the army and march against Ying.”
“Great General...”
...
After court, the dignified King of Qian returned to the main hall of the harem, his face full of deference and humility.
“Master Immortal, I have issued the order to muster a million troops to attack the Realm of Ying.”
“Good.”
Seated on a wide, throne-like couch was Ai Jinfou. As for the palace concubines and maids, they had long since cowered trembling in the corners, not daring to meet his gaze.
“Well done.”
“It is my honor to serve the upper sect,” the King of Qian replied, bowing his head. He had no wish to know the reasons—whatever the master from the upper sect commanded, he obeyed.
A month later, the border between Qian and Ying erupted in a bloody battle. The fighting raged for five days, rivers ran red, and corpses piled high.
Beneath the battlefield, deep underground, a strange formation slowly rotated.
At the center of the formation, in a hollowed array disk, a single drop of crystalline blood trembled, within it a profound, deep blue light swirling.