Entering the Path of Immortality, Mastering a Hundred Arts: Chapter Twenty-Seven: Deep into the Inner Perimeter

"Fellow Daoist Li, while you were in seclusion, I kept a close watch on the movements of Jin Yanzi and his group. They have begun a carpet search from the north; I fear it won't be long before they discover this place."

Li Qing’s expression grew grave, her previous lighthearted demeanor vanishing.

"According to your assessment, Fellow Daoist Li, how should we respond?"

Since Li Feng had brought this up, he must have prepared a plan.

"If you are willing to assist me, our odds of slaying Jin Yanzi and his cohorts will be at least seventy percent."

"Seventy percent?" Li Qing was astonished.

As the last closed-door disciple of the Blood Cloud Ancestor, she possessed no shortage of life-saving artifacts, yet even she would never dare to make such a bold claim. One had to remember, they were facing ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, with Jin Yanzi himself boasting the strength of the eighth level of Foundation Establishment. Such a force was not to be underestimated in any part of the Guiyuan Kingdom.

"Fellow Daoist Li, could it be that you have already mastered the art of puppetry?"

Li Qing could not imagine what kind of trump card could make Li Etian so confident.

Li Feng chuckled, offering no clear answer.

Li Qing was stunned; the smile itself was the answer. How long had it been? He had actually mastered the art of puppetry.

"It seems you have a remarkable talent for puppet crafting, Fellow Daoist. To reach this level of proficiency so quickly is truly surprising." Li Qing offered her congratulations.

Li Feng corrected her: "You misunderstand, Fellow Daoist. I am currently a first-tier middle-grade puppeteer."

"What?"

Li Qing’s expression froze, struggling to process the revelation. "Do not tease me, Fellow Daoist. While the art of puppetry may not be as prominent as alchemy or talisman crafting, it is no less difficult than any other immortal craft. How could you have attained the first-tier middle grade in such a short time?"

She did not want to disbelieve him, but it sounded simply too absurd.

Li Feng did not offer further explanation. To ensure she would willingly serve as his free labor, he produced the Sky Wolf puppets he had crafted for her to inspect. The puppets were rendered with such lifelike detail that they could be considered masterpieces among first-tier puppets.

Li Qing observed them closely. Every detail of the Sky Wolf puppets was handled to perfection; it was difficult for anyone not deeply versed in puppetry to achieve such a result.

"Fellow Daoist Li, you are truly born to be a puppeteer. It is hard to imagine how far you will go on this path in the future."

Li Qing sighed with deep emotion, showering him with praise without reservation.

"You are too kind, Fellow Daoist. I have little talent for cultivation, so I can only busy myself with these little trinkets." Li Feng replied politely, steering the conversation toward their cooperative beast hunting.

"Fellow Daoist, with such a formidable enemy before us, the number of puppets I have is insufficient to pose a threat to Jin Yanzi, which truly worries me."

As he spoke, his face filled with concern, giving the impression he was acting entirely for Li Qing’s benefit. Even though he simply wanted to accumulate more puppets to bolster his own defenses, his words framed it as a selfless act of benevolence.

Li Qing was straightforward and asked directly, "What can I do?" A cultivator who dabbled in alchemy, talismans, arrays, and puppets was someone worth associating with.

"I need more monster materials, but the beasts in the outer perimeter are widely dispersed and generally weak. I would like to ask you to accompany me into the inner region to hunt for stronger beasts."

Li Feng had his heart set on the materials for life-extending pills that grew in the inner region. Since he was already here, he could not let the opportunity slip by. However, going in alone was too risky. With a Foundation Establishment expert by his side to protect him, his safety would be greatly enhanced.

Li Qing hesitated upon hearing this. "The inner region is fraught with danger; even I dare not venture too deep. Given your current level of puppetry, the materials from the outer region should be sufficient. There is no need to take such risks."

"Fellow Daoist, that is where you are mistaken. Puppets made from high-quality materials will naturally be more powerful, which will increase our chances of victory when dealing with Jin Yanzi." Li Feng wanted her to know that his risk-taking was all for the sake of helping her eliminate their enemy.

After much deliberation, Li Qing agreed.

"Very well. I shall risk my life for a friend and accompany you into the inner region."

She did not believe Li Feng was right, but she was willing to grant him this favor. The two of them harbored their own hidden agendas. After a brief preparation, they headed deeper into the Ten Thousand Mountains.

The further in they went, the more the environment changed. The surrounding area was overgrown with thickets, and towering trees reached over a hundred feet, blotting out the sun. The flora in the inner region was exceptionally lush, vibrant, and fragrant.

Li Feng did not remain idle; he harvested every useful low-tier spiritual herb and plant he encountered, fully embodying the spirit of a locust swarm leaving nothing behind. Li Qing, however, remained vigilant throughout the journey, lacking Li Feng’s relaxed ease.

Halfway there, they encountered several second-tier mid-grade monsters. The battles were surprisingly easy and smooth. Li Feng’s individual combat power was not high, but he possessed many defensive methods. Combined with the enduring spiritual energy of the Evergreen Technique, he was able to use arrays, talismans, and puppets simultaneously to pin down the monsters.

Li Qing controlled her flying sword, waiting for the perfect moment to deliver a fatal blow. Over the course of a few days, their cooperation became increasingly seamless. Li Feng’s storage bags were filled to the brim.

However, he still lacked the monster materials necessary to craft a second-tier puppet. To obtain such materials, one had to slay at least a second-tier late-grade monster. Compared to human cultivators, these beasts possessed strength equivalent to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment or higher. They were much trickier to handle and possessed high intelligence, rarely allowing themselves to fall into dangerous situations.

After searching for several more days, they still had not found a suitable target.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I believe we should venture a bit deeper," Li Feng said, pausing to turn toward Li Qing.

"If we go any deeper, we will likely encounter third-tier monsters. Those are powerful spiritual beasts comparable to the Golden Core stage," Li Qing said, sounding worried.

"Monster" was a general term for beasts. When a beast reached the third tier or higher, it was called a "spiritual beast." They possessed intelligence rivaling that of humans and were the absolute overlords within the mountain range.

"We do not have much time. Jin Yanzi and his group might have already sensed our trail. Let us gamble on this; we might just encounter some opportunities."

The depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains never lacked opportunity. Countless cultivators had fallen here; if luck was on their side, finding treasures was not impossible.

The two lowered their presence as much as possible, walking deeper and deeper as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Li Feng put aside his greed for minor gains, releasing a Listen-All Talisman every few hundred meters. As a first-tier high-grade talisman, it could instantly detect activity within a five-hundred-meter radius. If there was any movement, Li Feng would be the first to know and could take countermeasures.

Coupled with the scouting capabilities of the Sky Wolf puppets, the entire journey remained perilous but uneventful.

After some time, their efforts finally bore fruit. While using a Sky Wolf puppet to scout the surroundings, Li Feng discovered two second-tier late-grade monsters locked in a fierce battle two kilometers away.