Ancient Puppet Seed Art!

"Liu Ling, your Master has another secret art to pass on to you!"

Hearing Gu He's words, Liu Ling, who had crouched down as Gu He patted his shoulder, swiftly entered a focused state, ready to receive the information Gu He was about to transmit.

"System, pass the Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art to my eldest disciple, Liu Ling!"

As Gu He's mental command rang out, everything in his mind concerning the Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art, along with some of his own refining experience, flooded into Liu Ling's mind all at once.

The reason Gu He chose to leave the Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art to Liu Ling rather than teach it to Zi Yan and Han Yue was, first, that Liu Ling, as an alchemist, was better suited to learn such a secret art. Second, the process of refining Heavenly Demon Puppets was far too bloody. Since most of Gu He's disciples were women, he could only choose Liu Ling, a man, to learn it.

In just a moment, Gu He had fully imparted the Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art to Liu Ling. When Gu He withdrew the palm resting on Liu Ling's head, the system notification immediately sounded in his mind.

"Ding! Detected that the host has bestowed the Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art upon eldest disciple Liu Ling. Congratulations, host, you have received a Ten Thousandfold Return: ancient secret art, Puppet Seed Art!"

"The ancient secret art, Puppet Seed Art, has been distributed to the System Space. Please check it promptly!"

Ancient secret art, Puppet Seed Art!

Upon hearing the system notification, Gu He immediately focused his consciousness into the System Space.

At that moment, in the center of the System Space, beside the Abyssal Demon Fire, floated an equally pitch-black orb of light, along with a purple orb of light the size of an egg.

That black orb should have been the returned ancient Puppet Seed Art, while the purple orb, smaller than an egg, was the eight months of cultivation returned from transmitting his power to Liu Ling.

At this moment, Gu He's attention was entirely fixed on the black orb.

Ancient Puppet Seed Art: Use one's Soul Realm power to condense a Puppet Seed and merge it into another person's soul. Those implanted with a Puppet Seed retain their previous thoughts and can cultivate normally, but they will completely obey every command issued by the caster. Unless someone's Soul Realm greatly surpasses that of the caster, they will be utterly unable to detect the Puppet Seed hidden deep within the controlled person's soul.

It was actually this powerful—turning living people into puppets that retained their thoughts and could continue cultivating!

Seeing the description of the ancient Puppet Seed Art, Gu He was immensely excited. With such a powerful secret art, perhaps he could use it to infiltrate the major factions and severely weaken them without their notice.

However, Gu He had no idea exactly how much higher someone's Soul Realm needed to be than the caster's to detect the Puppet Seed.

"With my current Soul Realm, would those big shots with Emperor Realm souls be able to detect the Puppet Seeds I planted...?"

"Forget it. There's no need to think so much. By the time I can come into contact with people like that, my Soul Realm will probably no longer be at its current level."

With a silent sigh, Gu He slowly withdrew his consciousness from the System Space.

"Master, this Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art is so miraculous! It can actually refine powerful puppets completely under one's control!"

After Gu He withdrew his consciousness from the System Space, Liu Ling had already absorbed all that massive information and exclaimed excitedly.

"The Heavenly Demon Puppet Secret Art truly is miraculous. Once you reach the Dou Emperor realm and break through to become a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, these Heavenly Demon Puppets will be of tremendous help to you!" Gu He said calmly upon hearing Liu Ling's exclamation.

The information Liu Ling had just received also mentioned that after a Heavenly Demon Puppet was successfully refined, it could be tempered with the pill lightning produced when refining pills of the seventh grade or above, greatly increasing the Heavenly Demon Puppet's strength.

The image of the Heavenly Demon Puppet that had appeared in his mind earlier had already stirred Liu Ling's heart. Now, hearing Gu He's words, Liu Ling replied with utmost seriousness, "Yes, this disciple will certainly work hard to improve my pill-refining skills!"

After Liu Ling finished speaking, Gu He lightly raised his hand, signaling for him to rise.

Once Liu Ling stood up, a lotus-shaped green flame suddenly appeared in Gu He's hand.

The moment the lotus-shaped green flame appeared, Liu Ling's small courtyard was instantly filled with a terrifying heat. If not for the seal Gu He had set around the courtyard, everyone in the city would likely have felt as though they were inside a furnace.

"Master, what is this?"

Seeing the blazing flame in Gu He's palm, Liu Ling asked curiously.

Xiao Jin's gaze was also full of curiosity. It could sense the terrifying energy contained within that tiny flame.

"This is the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. It comes from deep beneath the earth at the center of the desert. Today, your Master will bestow it upon you as a reward for successfully completing this training."

Gu He extended his hand forward and slowly held out the Green Lotus Core Flame before Liu Ling.

Under the intense heat, sweat continuously dripped from Liu Ling's forehead.

"Master... you are truly too good to your disciple..."

Seeing that Gu He was actually giving him something as precious as the Green Lotus Core Flame without hesitation, Liu Ling swallowed hard, his voice choked with emotion.

Seeing Liu Ling like this, Gu He could not help raising his voice as he scolded, "What kind of man cries and whines like this? Even Xian'er didn't act like you when she obtained a Heavenly Flame!"

Hearing Gu He's rebuke, Liu Ling's face suddenly flushed red.

After being compared again and again, he had already fallen far behind Xiao Yi Xian. As the eldest senior brother, this filled him with shame.

The next moment, Liu Ling could only change the subject. "Master, what Heavenly Flame did Junior Sister Xian'er obtain?"

Hearing Liu Ling's question, Gu He answered bluntly, "Your junior sister obtained the Netherworld Poison Fire, ranked twentieth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!"

Netherworld Poison Fire!

Hearing Gu He's words, Liu Ling was utterly shaken. In just one day, he had personally seen three of these powerful Heavenly Flames that existed only in legends. Adding Xiao Yi Xian's Netherworld Poison Fire, that made four Heavenly Flames. In the past, he would scarcely have dared imagine such a thing.

And now, he himself would soon possess a Heavenly Flame as well.

Stay calm. I have to stay calm...

Forcibly suppressing the tremor in his heart, Liu Ling stretched out his slightly trembling hand and slowly reached toward the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"Wait!"

Seeing Liu Ling actually reach out to touch the Green Lotus Core Flame directly, Gu He swiftly slapped his hand down and said irritably, "You little brat, do you want your hand to turn into a roasted pig trotter?"

After Gu He slapped his hand, Liu Ling awkwardly scratched the back of his head, then said with a grin, "Master, your disciple was too excited just now. I forgot how terrifyingly hot this thing is."

"Liu Ling, this is not something ordinary Beast Fire can compare to. Do not treat it lightly!"