Entering the Path of Immortality, Mastering a Hundred Crafts: Chapter 26 - The Sky Wolf Puppet (Seeking Favorites)

A massive influx of memories flooded into Li Feng's mind. This time, he did not lose consciousness, feeling only a slight headache. He noticed that with every addition of new memories, his divine sense grew significantly stronger.

He stepped out of the cave he had excavated to find Li Qing still in deep meditation. He had learned her name from his simulations. Li Qing possessed a dual spiritual root and exceptional talent, making her a favorite of the Ancestor of the Blood Cloud. Her current journey was twofold: to temper herself and to track down the impostor who had been masquerading as her.

Li Feng certainly wouldn't let her know that the person she had been tirelessly searching for was right in front of her. Given her temperament, she would surely turn her blade against him upon learning the truth. Avoiding any disturbance, he quietly slipped out of the cave to hunt for materials to craft puppets in the vast mountains.

Puppetry required many components, the most vital being the demon beast's essence core. A second-tier puppet required at least a low-grade second-tier core to serve as its energy source. After scouting the mountain range, Li Feng finally located a second-tier mid-stage demon beast suitable for his target.

The beast was massive, standing five meters tall, covered in black fur, and resembling a cross between a lion and a tiger—a truly ferocious creature. It crouched by a small stream, lowering its head to drink. Occasionally, it would lash its tail, causing the surrounding trees to sway as if they might collapse at any moment.

Roar!

Li Feng moved slightly, preparing for a sneak attack. But the beast was extremely alert; hearing the faintest movement, it spun around and let out a furious roar that sent a flock of birds scattering in terror. A terrifying sonic wave erupted like crashing surf, whipping up a violent gale.

Li Feng cursed inwardly, immediately holding his breath and suppressing his aura, remaining perfectly still. While the Evergreen Arts were not suited for direct combat, they were highly effective at concealing one's presence. The second-tier beast sniffed the air, trying to catch a trace of an intruder, but found nothing. After a moment of confusion, it lowered its head to drink again.

Li Feng took out his talismans and set up a formation around the area, waiting silently for the perfect opportunity. Once the beast finished drinking, it stretched and began to stroll slowly back toward its den. Seeing the moment was right, Li Feng quickly cast his talismans.

Each talisman adhered tightly to the beast's body, erupting with immense power that left it drenched in blood. In pain, the beast immediately activated its innate ability, wrapping itself in a protective layer of pale blue light. Li Feng was not surprised; all demon beasts capable of cultivation possessed some form of innate skill.

By now, the beast had fallen into the pre-arranged formation. As the formation activated, thunderous sounds echoed throughout the heavens.

"Roar!"

The beast bellowed, crashing about in a frantic attempt to break free. However, this formation was designed specifically for demon beasts; the more it struggled, the deeper it became ensnared.

"Bind!"

Li Feng channeled his spiritual power into the core of the formation. The light of the array flared brilliantly. Slowly, the movement inside ceased.

Li Feng did not let his guard down. The demon beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains possessed a degree of intelligence, and having dealt with hunting cultivators for years, they were cunning. A moment of carelessness could cost him his life. He opened a small gap in the formation and tossed in fifty thunder talismans.

Only after the thunderous explosions died down did he dare to open the formation completely. Inside, the carcass of the second-tier beast was scorched pitch-black. Li Feng was not deterred; the pelt and essence blood alone were enough to provide materials for hundreds of talismans, and the core and skeleton, with a little polishing, would make excellent materials for first-tier puppets.

After processing the carcass and stowing it in his storage bag, he wandered the area to erase any signs of the struggle. Confident there were no anomalies, he departed.

...

Back at the cave, Li Qing was still cultivating. Li Feng did not disturb her, instead retreating to his own chamber to start crafting his talismans and puppets with the materials he had gathered.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

"Finally finished!"

That day, Li Feng looked at the boxes brimming with talismans and puppets, a gratified smile on his face. There were about twenty puppets. They were small, roughly half a meter tall, modeled after the second-tier beast he had slain, though they could only manifest power equivalent to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

"Now, I need to name them."

He pondered carefully, and a flash of inspiration struck: "Got it, I'll call them 'Sky Wolves'."

"Not only does it sound imposing, but it also suits the appearance of the beast puppets!"

Currently, limited by a scarcity of materials, he could only create mechanical, modular puppets. These were assembled from various parts and driven by the essence cores. The benefit was their durability and ease of maintenance; if a part broke, it could be replaced directly. The drawbacks were obvious: they lacked raw combat power, required constant focus to control, and could not multitask. They lacked the agility of living puppets and were mostly useful for reconnaissance and exploration.

Living puppets, by contrast, retained a measure of intelligence, followed orders more faithfully, and required no additional focus to operate. Furthermore, they could be used in combat, retaining about eighty percent of their original strength. However, they were far more difficult to craft, and under current conditions, he had no way to make them.

Li Feng waved his hand, collecting the talismans and puppets into his storage bag. Over the past few days, Li Qing had shown no signs of waking from her meditation. Li Feng guessed she was likely preparing for a breakthrough, so he left her be.

He continued to venture out in search of more demon beasts. His current stockpile would be insufficient to deal with Jin Yanzi and the ten Foundation Establishment experts at his side. With the twenty Sky Wolf puppets, however, his efficiency in scouting for materials in the Ten Thousand Mountains had increased dramatically, and he could now avoid danger well in advance.

Whenever he found a suitable target, he used the Sky Wolf puppets to distract the prey while he launched a sneak attack—the results were surprisingly effective. In just half a month, he had slain eight second-tier early-stage and twelve first-tier late-stage demon beasts. Having processed them all, his inventory now stood at five thousand talismans and three hundred puppets. Occasionally, if he was lucky, the Sky Wolf puppets would even find some spiritual herbs. His storage bag grew heavier by the day.

With his defensive capabilities bolstered, Li Feng felt much more confident. Even though his cultivation was only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, he no longer feared facing late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

On this day, a powerful aura surged out from the cave. The waterfall at the entrance was blown aside by the sheer force of the Foundation Establishment energy. This phenomenon lasted only a few seconds before the aura was concealed once more.

Inside the cave, Li Feng naturally felt the intense vibration. He stepped out of his chamber to see Li Qing looking radiant, and he bowed in congratulation.

"Congratulations to fellow Daoist for taking a step forward on the path to immortality."

Li Qing put away the flying sword she had been fiddling with and replied with polite formality: "I must thank you, fellow Daoist. Without those pills you provided, I fear I would have been left with hidden injuries, and a breakthrough would have been a mere pipe dream."

Having broken through to the third level of Foundation Establishment, Li Qing was in high spirits and spoke with newfound warmth.

"By the way, my name is Li Qing. You may address me as Fellow Daoist Li."

Throughout the days she had spent cultivating, Li Feng had not disturbed her once, even providing pills to assist her breakthrough. Li Qing’s opinion of him had shifted, leading her to reveal her name.