Chapter 481 - 441: Flesh and Blood

Chapter 481: Chapter 441: Flesh and Blood

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, nearly a month had passed.

During this month, no new Artifact Refiners arrived. Chu Mu did a quick calculation: a total of thirty-eight Artifact Refiners were now participating in the repair of the Tier Four Soldier Puppet.

Thirty-one of them were from the Chen Family’s own clan. However, with the exception of two Golden Core Realm refiners, the majority were only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, and some were even at the Qi Cultivation Realm.

The other Artifact Refiners were all like him—Golden Core Realm cultivators, and at least Tier Three Refiners.

From snippets of their daily conversations, he gathered that only a very small number of these Artifact Refiners were native to the Vast Sea. The majority were like him—outsiders who, for various reasons, had come to reside in the Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World, either temporarily or permanently. Perhaps they had been drawn by its unique, Demon-centric Cultivation System.

This made it clear just how barren the art of Artifact Refining was among the natives of the Vast Sea. Even a colossal power like the Chen Family, entrenched in the Vast Sea for tens of thousands of years, could hardly be said to have any deep heritage in Artifact Refining.

In the entire, massive Vast Sea Cultivation Immortal World, it was outsiders like them who occupied the pinnacle of the Artifact Refining Skill.

The benefits of bloodline Cultivation were great, but its drawbacks could be glimpsed in this as well.

On this particular day, Chu Mu had some rare leisure time. He didn’t spend it loitering in front of the broken Tier Four Soldier Puppet, but instead took the opportunity to rest for a day in the residence the Chen Family had provided.

The residence was situated at the edge of the square, and even from within his room, he had a clear view of the towering Soldier Puppet.

Chu Mu sat at his desk, where Spirit Paper and Spiritual Ink were laid out. As his brush danced across the page, a strikingly lifelike portrait of a Soldier Puppet holding a sword and shield began to materialize on the Spirit Paper.

With each stroke of the brush, the Soldier Puppet became clearer. Every piece of its Scale Armor, every single Array Prohibition Inscription, was rendered in crisp, visible detail.

About an hour passed before Chu Mu slowly put down his brush.

Gazing at the lifelike Soldier Puppet on the Spirit Paper, he frowned slightly, deep in thought.

’This Soldier Puppet seems different from any puppet system I’ve known before.’

’It was just like back in... Water Heaven Workshop. I originally thought that refining with Array Prohibition Inscriptions was the only form of the Artifact Refining Skill, but then I was exposed to Rune Refining, a completely different branch.’

’This Soldier Puppet seems to be a similar case.’

’Although it’s primarily based on Array Prohibition Inscriptions, it seems to contain... traces of a Flesh and Blood Demon Puppet.’

’The traces are extremely well-hidden. They aren’t blatant and on the surface like the Array Prohibition Inscriptions. Instead, they’re mixed in, in the form of Flesh and Blood Spiritual Materials. Anyone without a deep enough understanding of this Soldier Puppet, or without any knowledge of Flesh and Blood Demon Puppets, would inevitably overlook them.’

Chu Mu waved his hand, and the lifelike image of the Soldier Puppet on the Spirit Paper rapidly changed. Its internal structure appeared, projected with the extreme clarity of a dissected specimen.

Within the Soldier Puppet’s enormous frame, he saw that it wasn’t just lifeless metal. It possessed a structure like a human body, complete with a Dantian, Meridians, and an interwoven network of crisscrossing channels. It was precisely this network that allowed the Soldier Puppet to wield its immense and terrifying Tier Four power.

"It must be... the Live Killing Skill..."

Chu Mu murmured to himself as a rough theory formed in his mind.

’This refining method must have used a Secret Skill similar to the live-killing techniques used in Alchemy, smelting flesh and a Divine Soul to integrate some of the advantages of a Flesh and Blood Demon Puppet into this Soldier Puppet.’

’If that’s the case, this Soldier Puppet isn’t a purely inanimate object. Much like the countless Demon Puppets in the Demon Realm, it possesses some characteristics of life. It wouldn’t need to rely entirely on Spirit Stones as a power source; it could absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi on its own.’

’As long as Spiritual Qi remains, the Soldier Puppet will not die.’

’Even when damaged, it can use the wondrous properties of a Flesh and Blood Demon Puppet to restore itself to some extent.’

’This was the fundamental reason why, when I observed the Tier Four Soldier Puppet, its broken Array Prohibitions were still flickering faintly, even though the puppet was thoroughly damaged.’

’The Soldier Puppet is healing itself!’

"Meaningless..."

Chu Mu shook his head, murmuring softly.

’This kind of self-healing effect can only mend minor injuries at best. With half its body missing, it would be completely meaningless, even if it could heal until the end of time.’

"Unless... it completely becomes a puppet of flesh and blood..."

It was a flight of fancy, but Chu Mu immediately followed it with a self-deprecating smile.

’True, living puppets of flesh and blood are not unheard of in the Cultivation Immortal Realm.’

’Corpse Puppets, evil Ghost Species... basically any entity controlled by a Cultivator is referred to as a Puppet.’ 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

’Although called Puppets, they are in fact living beings, no different from people. They even have the potential to change their fate through Cultivation.’

’Creating an artificial puppet of flesh and blood, then, is tantamount to creating life itself.’

’And as for the level required to create life...’

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Just then, a sudden knock sounded at his door.

Chu Mu waved his hand, clearing away the simulated Soldier Puppet Artifact Formula on his desk, before turning his gaze to the door.

Outside the Stone Gate, a paper crane hovered. It tapped gently against the stone, almost like a person, and with each touch, a knocking sound rang out.

Chu Mu made a gesture, and the paper crane tapping at the Stone Gate was swept up by a wave of Magical Power, finally coming to rest in his palm.

The moment it landed, the paper crane abruptly disintegrated, and a transmitted voice message echoed in Chu Mu’s ear.

"They’ve taken a simple Sound Transmission Technique and made it into a whole spectacle..."

Chu Mu shook his head with a light laugh.

It was just one of the most common Sound Transmission Techniques, yet from Great Chu to the Vast Sea, he had seen at least a hundred different versions of it.

Though all based on the same principle, the forms these Sound Transmission Techniques took were endlessly strange and varied.

Some Cultivators even went out of their way to create their own exclusive Sound Transmission Techniques just to stand out and distinguish themselves from others.

He swept his sleeve, performing his usual routine. A gentle breeze swept through the room, gathering every trace of his presence. He channeled everything into a Storage Talisman, which then shattered, making all signs of his existence vanish from the Cultivation Immortal Realm completely.

In the past, he did this to prevent anyone from discovering any signs of his Alchemy or Artifact Refining, which could attract disaster.

But as his Cultivation grew higher and he saw more of the world, this habit only became more ingrained, and he grew ever more cautious.

The Cultivation Immortal Realm had a history stretching back for countless eons. Who knew what kind of sinister Magic Techniques existed that could be used to plot against someone?

All he could do was be as cautious as humanly possible.

He had to avoid leaving any potential openings or hidden dangers.

Even if the possibility was minuscule.

Stepping out of the residence, he could vaguely see the other Artifact Refiners who had been milling about beneath the Soldier Puppet. They, too, were now heading one by one toward the location of the Array Dao Nascent Soul.

Chu Mu glanced toward the stone house. Several Chen Family Cultivators were already standing outside, greeting the Artifact Refiners as they arrived.

After a moment of contemplation, he took a step and walked directly toward the stone house.

The Stone Gate, usually sealed shut, was now wide open. Greeted by the Chen Family Cultivators, Chu Mu stepped into the dim stone house.

Beyond the Stone Gate, a deep, chilly gloom prevailed, illuminated only by the faint blue light of candles. Chu Mu’s eyes scanned the room, and he realized it was a small reception hall. Two rows of stone tables and chairs were arranged within, and platters of Spirit Fruits and Spirit Wine were already set upon the tables.

Several Golden Core Cultivators were already seated at the tables, while a number of Foundation Establishment Realm disciples from the Chen Family stood silently behind them.

There were nine stone chairs of identical size and make for the Golden Core Realm Artifact Refiners. At the head of the hall was a single, grayish-white Jade Chair.

Chu Mu scanned the room, casually chose a stone chair, and sat down. At once, several graceful Maids approached, some serving tea, others pouring wine.

Chu Mu spared them a glance, then closed his eyes to rest, silently awaiting the arrival of the Array Dao Nascent Soul...

...