"I'm sorry, Senior," Chen Guan replied respectfully. "I have never heard of that sect."
"I have observed your performance," Shu Tianhe said, his voice echoing with ancient authority. "It was admirable. Even in my era, there were few young men who could compare to you. What is truly rare, however, is your soul perception. It far exceeds that of your peers. You are an excellent seedling."
"Thank you for your praise, Senior," Chen Guan said, though a part of him felt a faint blush of flattery. He was confident in his own talent, but he wasn't so arrogant as to believe he was without equal. He knew there were unique constitutions in the world, like the Triple Jade-Green Snake-Flower Pupils or the Innate Poison Body, that defied all common sense. He, for all his skill, was still bound by it.
"Haha, little friend Chen," Shu Tianhe continued, "have you heard of the profession of a Puppet Master, or the art of Puppetry?"
"To be honest, Senior, I have never heard of a Puppet Master. In the current Dou Qi Continent, the only special profession that has truly endured is that of the Alchemist. Others, like Weapon Refiners or Spirit Vintners, have all but vanished, their legacies severed. As for Puppetry... there are remnants. I know that some of the major powers still possess the methods to refine the Sky Demon Puppet."
He mentioned the Sky Demon Puppet deliberately, a well-known creation of the Heavenly Demon Puppet Sect, wondering if there was a connection to this Heavenly Puppet Sect.
Seeing no adverse reaction from the old soul—and trusting the gut feeling he'd had since they first met—Chen Guan relaxed his guard slightly. Besides, what other choice did he have? The old man was clearly powerful. If he meant him harm, resistance would be futile. Chen Guan didn't have a golden-ticket cheat system; he was just a talented person in a world of monsters.
Hearing that only the Alchemists had survived the passage of time, a flicker of disappointment crossed Shu Tianhe's face before it was replaced by a sneer of disdain.
"The Sky Demon Puppet? A mere unorthodox trick! How could it be considered true Puppetry? There are countless deviant techniques far more powerful than that crude thing, but they will never be part of the true, orthodox path. We are Puppet Masters, a noble and upright profession. In my time, even the Alchemists treated us with the utmost respect. After all, no matter how many connections an Alchemist has, they cannot be summoned at a moment's notice. But a puppet... a puppet is different. To carry a creation of my Heavenly Puppet Sect is to carry a perfect sense of security."
Shu Tianhe launched into a grand, passionate speech, praising the art of the Puppet Master until it sounded nigh-omnipotent.
Have you ever seen an ancient expert who was such a chatterbox? Chen Guan thought, his perception of the old master shifting slightly.
Still, he had to admit, it sounded incredibly alluring. According to the old man, the most advanced puppets were indistinguishable from real people. They could speak and act independently and possessed formidable combat strength. They were like perfect clones, their spirituality so profound that it was nearly impossible to tell them from their master.
If he told anyone on the Dou Qi Continent about this, they would think he was insane. It was utterly beyond comprehension.
"That's truly amazing!" Chen Guan said with genuine wonder. "I'm sure such a puppet couldn't be created by just any Puppet Master. Senior, you..."
"Ahem, you think too highly of me," Shu Tianhe interrupted, though the pride in his voice was unmistakable. "Though I possessed a Heavenly Realm Soul, even I could not refine such a Divine Puppet. The required Rank 9 materials alone were nearly impossible to gather. According to our sect's records, only the very first Sect Master ever succeeded. After he passed, outsiders mistook his Divine Puppet for the Sect Master himself. It wasn't until a thousand years later that the truth was discovered. By then, a new generation had already risen to lead our sect."
He sighed, a deep, weary sound. "But no legacy is immortal. When the Soul Clan began their expansion, my Heavenly Puppet Sect was the first to bear the brunt of their assault. In the ensuing war, our masters were all but wiped out. The Sect Master had no choice but to break up the inheritance and command the survivors to flee. Only he knew the complete method for refining a Divine Puppet. Now that I am all that is left, the others are surely gone as well. The true art of the Puppet Master will never be whole again."
The sadness in his voice was palpable, but it was dulled by time. He had long since made peace with his fate.
"Even so," he continued, his eyes regaining their fire, "mastering even a fraction of our sect's essence will be enough to benefit you for a lifetime. Young Chen, are you willing to join my Heavenly Puppet Sect and carry on this legacy for me?"
The moment had finally arrived. Only a fool would refuse, and the sealed tomb didn't exactly give him the option.
Chen Guan responded decisively, bowing his head in a deep, formal kowtow.
"Disciple Chen Guan pays his respects to Master."
Whether it was about securing a powerful backer didn't matter anymore. In that moment, Chen Guan simply couldn't bear the thought of this lonely old soul remaining trapped at the bottom of a sunless lake, enduring the endless torture of time all alone. He felt a genuine desire to help.
Unfortunately, his newfound filial piety was destined to be in vain.
Shu Tianhe laughed, a hearty, booming sound that filled the small chamber. "Hahaha, rise, quickly! I am overjoyed to have found a successor before my soul dissipates completely. It is a pity I cannot be a proper teacher and guide you in person. All I can leave you with is a lifetime of experience and a few trifles of little value."
As if fearing Chen Guan would change his mind, Shu Tianhe acted instantly. He pointed a single, ethereal finger at Chen Guan's brow. An immense flood of information poured into his mind—countless methods for refining puppets, a lifetime of insights and experience, and even a complete technique for cultivating one's soul.
Simultaneously, the dark blue ring on the skeleton's hand slipped off and floated before Chen Guan.
After completing this final act, Shu Tianhe's already transparent soul flickered, becoming so illusory he could barely maintain his human form.
The value of the inheritance was immeasurable, but Chen Guan had no time to examine it. He took the ring and immediately noticed a small, specially-made vial inside. Within it, more than ten grains of a faint yellow powder swirled like a miniature storm.
In today's Dou Qi Continent, this substance was more precious than an ordinary Rank 8 pill.
"Master, this must be Spirit Nourishment Powder! It has a profound effect on the soul. Master, you can..."
"It is useless," Shu Tianhe said gently. "Spirit Nourishment Powder is not a panacea. While it can maintain and restore a soul, its primary function is to nurture it, to enhance the spiritual energy within, and to help one break through to the Spirit Realm. Its effect is greatest when one is on the very threshold of that realm."
He explained, "I was a Heavenly Realm soul master. The powder has little effect on me now. When I was young, our sect's formulas allowed us to recruit a Rank 8 Alchemist, so I used a great deal of it. After my body was destroyed, I used what remained, but the effects diminished each time until it was completely useless. You should keep it. With its help, your path to the Spirit Realm will be much faster. Our Puppet Masters' requirements for soul strength are no less demanding than an Alchemist's."
Chen Guan felt a knot of despair tighten in his chest. The master he had just accepted was about to fade away, and there was nothing he could do. What had begun as a desire for a powerful backer had transformed into genuine respect. This old man had shown him immense kindness, a debt he now had no way to repay.
"Master," he said urgently, "I once read of an Alchemist whose body was destroyed. His soul was in a state similar to yours, but he was able to recover by absorbing Dou Qi. You could absorb mine! Once we get out, I will find the herbs needed to repair your soul!"
"My dear disciple," Shu Tianhe's voice was soft, filled with a warmth that belied his fading form. "I am overjoyed by your sentiment, but that method is useless for me. My soul should have dissipated long ago. I have spent countless years filled with regret, using every method I knew just to cling to this world. My soul is fragile now, like porcelain that has weathered ages. It would shatter at the slightest touch. There is no saving it."
He offered a faint smile. "You need not feel sad for me. I have lived a satisfying life. And now, my final regret has been resolved. The heavens have been kind."
He paused, then added, "While I still have a few days left, you should begin learning Puppetry. I will guide you and help you become a Fourth-Rank Puppet Master as quickly as possible. Only then can you leave this place."
Chen Guan looked up, his eyes filled with confusion.
Shu Tianhe's ethereal form seemed to shrink in on itself, and he offered an incredibly awkward smile. "Ah, yes. When my soul was still strong, I was... rather arrogant. I left a seal on the exit as a test for my future successor. I insisted that anyone who could not reach the rank of a Fourth-Rank Puppet Master was unworthy of my legacy and shouldn't be allowed out to embarrass the sect. I... did not expect that after all these years, besides you, only that little snake would ever find this place."
He looked deeply embarrassed. From a certain perspective, he had completely screwed over his own disciple. He had set the trap, but now he lacked the power to undo it.
"Can't it be broken by force?" Chen Guan asked, his mind reeling. "I see you still have some puppets in your ring."
"Ahem. The entire stone chamber was cast from Celestial Black Iron mixed with refined copper. It would be nearly impossible to break through without the strength of a Dou Ancestor. The remaining puppets... the strongest is only equivalent to a Three-Star Dou Emperor. So, that path is blocked. Unless you can break through to the Dou Ancestor realm very quickly, this is the only way."
Chen Guan opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was utterly speechless. All this master's grand arrangements had, in the end, fallen squarely on his shoulders. The deep sadness in his heart was slowly being replaced by a profound sense of exasperation.
"Master," he finally managed to say, a wry smile touching his lips. "You truly lived without restraint."
"Ahem! Practice, Disciple Chen! Practice! I am optimistic about you! With your soul strength and the help of the Spirit Nourishment Powder, becoming a Fourth-Rank Puppet Master will be no trouble at all. You'll be out of here in no time!"
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