Hope for the Spiritual Beast's Advancement

Actually.

Da Huang had tracked Zheng Jinbao more than once.

He had found nothing unusual the previous few times.

But...

This time was different.

Zheng Jinbao had gone to meet two people.

The auras of those two people were exactly the same as those of the two Mid Qi Refining Rogue Cultivators Da Huang had sensed last time!

"Sure enough, it was Zheng Jinbao."

After receiving the news, Li Chang'an was not surprised in the slightest.

After all.

If no one had been directing them, why would the Rogue Cultivators keep targeting him?

"Keep watching them. Be careful yourself, too. Don't let them discover you."

Li Chang'an cautioned Da Huang.

Then, he took out that Puppet and examined it carefully.

"Judging only from its appearance, it really is just an ordinary Puppet of little value. I wonder where the Legacy is hidden."

The Hexagram Image only showed that the Puppet contained a Legacy; it did not say which part it was in.

Li Chang'an could only search carefully.

After a moment.

He began cautiously dismantling the Puppet.

The Puppet was already battered and broken, so it was fairly easy to take apart.

About a quarter of an hour later.

A large pile of scattered components lay before Li Chang'an.

He had dismantled them as thoroughly as possible, yet he still had not seen anything containing the Legacy.

"No wonder the Puppet Masters of the Zheng Family couldn't spot the problem."

Li Chang'an pondered for a moment.

"If that's the case, I can only take a slight risk."

He picked up one of the Puppet's components and gave it a powerful shake.

Crack!

The component shattered on the spot.

Fine fragments tumbled to the ground.

Li Chang'an shook his head slightly, picked up another component, and repeated the previous action.

As time passed.

More and more components became fine debris.

After a long while.

When Li Chang'an shattered yet another component, a dim Jade Slip fell out from inside.

It hit the ground with a clatter.

"Hm?"

Li Chang'an's eyes lit up, and he immediately picked it up.

After briefly scanning the contents of the Jade Slip, a smile instantly spread across his face.

"Sure enough, it's the Puppet Inheritance!"

The Legacy had actually been hidden inside the materials used to make the Puppet.

If someone else had bought this Puppet, they would most likely have missed the Legacy within it.

Fortunately, Li Chang'an had the Hexagram Image's hint.

Over the following month.

Li Chang'an did not study Puppets. Instead, he continued researching Talisman Skill.

His Fourth Layer of Qi Condensation cultivation made drawing Talismans much easier.

One day.

At noon.

Li Chang'an watched the Talisman he had just drawn with a smile on his face.

The quality of this Talisman surpassed that of an ordinary First-tier Mid-grade Talisman. It was unmistakably a Premium Grade one!

"Not bad. The quality is Excellent!"

Li Chang'an was particularly satisfied.

At this point, his Talisman Skill had temporarily reached its limit.

He did not know when he would obtain the subsequent Legacy.

"It was time to take a look at this Puppet Technique."

Li Chang'an put away the Talisman Paper and Talisman Brush, then devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Way of Puppets.

Very soon.

He discovered.

There were some areas where the Way of Puppets and the Way of Talismans were connected.

"The reason a Puppet can be controlled is that the Puppet Master has carved patterns inside it to guide Mana."

The process of carving them was very similar to Drawing Talismans.

The only difference was that Talisman Paper had been replaced with the Puppet's body.

Therefore.

Li Chang'an learned it quite quickly.

He could not help recalling a rumor he had once heard.

"It is said that all techniques are connected. When every path reaches its end, they will all converge onto the same road."

Of course, such a realm was far too profound.

It was far beyond what Li Chang'an could touch at present.

He shook his head, gathered his thoughts, and continued studying.

A month later.

Li Chang'an slowly lowered the Jade Slip.

He had already finished learning the contents of the First-tier Low-grade Puppet Legacy within it.

"There is no need to study the later contents for now. I'll first try making a First-tier Low-grade Puppet."

Li Chang'an purchased some materials for making Puppets.

For some time afterward, he shut himself in his room, doing nothing but cultivating and making Puppets.

Everything was difficult at the beginning.

During his first attempt, he failed even at carving the most basic patterns, directly ruining a large piece of material.

"Making Puppets is very time-consuming. It can't be done in one sweep like Drawing Talismans."

Li Chang'an was very patient and did not become discouraged. He continued trying according to what he had learned.

Before he knew it.

Two months passed in a flash.

A large amount of discarded Puppet material had piled up in the corner of the room.

Finally, on this night.

Li Chang'an successfully made his first Low-grade Puppet.

This Puppet was shaped like a spider rather than a human. That was only because making a humanoid Puppet was more complicated.

"Move!"

With a thought from Li Chang'an, the Spider Puppet began to move.

Its movements were smooth, and it was nimble and agile.

It seemed just like a real spider.

Li Chang'an nodded slightly, extremely satisfied.

"My Puppet-making skill can basically be considered to have reached the entry level."

Next.

Li Chang'an began trying to make more complicated Puppets.

During this period, Da Huang kept tracking those two Rogue Cultivators.

Throughout this time.

The two men did not return to their Stronghold outside the Marketplace. They stayed in the Marketplace instead, and their location was very close to Li Chang'an's residence.

The two hid in the shadows, watching Li Chang'an virtually every moment.

What they did not know was that.

Li Chang'an was watching them as well.

"They still haven't acted after all this time."

After giving it some thought, Li Chang'an came to a conclusion.

"It looks like they don't have the nerve to attack inside the Marketplace. They can only wait for an opportunity and hope that I leave the Marketplace on my own."

It made sense when he thought about it.

A Foundation Establishment Ancestor was stationed in Clear River Market.

Moreover, the Zheng Family's patrols ceaselessly circled the Marketplace day and night, searching for all sorts of suspicious people.

All of this was because of the struggle among the Three Great Families.

But the Rogue Cultivators had been affected as well.

Quite a few Rogue Cultivators had been discovered recently.

Those who had not yet been discovered were hiding cautiously in the shadows, not daring to show themselves at all.

"This is fine, too. The longer they drag things out, the more advantageous it is for me."

Li Chang'an had the Hexagram Image to aid him.

His rate of strength growth far surpassed that of the two Rogue Cultivators.

In the days that followed.

He occasionally strolled around the Trading Area.

He collected various materials for making Puppets and took the opportunity to see whether he could find any hidden treasures.

A month later.

That night, just after the Midnight Hour.

A long-awaited Auspicious Divination appeared before Li Chang'an.

[Divination Result Refreshed]

[Today's Divination Result: Auspicious]

[You go treasure seeking in the Trading Area and buy a seemingly ordinary brown stone. After shattering it, you unexpectedly discover a "Earth Origin Pearl".]

"An Earth Origin Pearl?"

Li Chang'an raised his brows, pleasantly surprised.

The Earth Origin Pearl was a precious Earth Element Treasure.

It could be used to refine Earth Element Magical Tools.

But it had another, more widely known use—helping Earth Element Demonic Beasts advance!

The Spiritual Energy contained within it was extremely gentle and had no side effects whatsoever. It was an outstanding treasure for assisting Earth Element Demonic Beasts in advancing!

"With this pearl, Da Huang can advance from the First-tier Mid-stage to the First-tier Late-stage."

Originally, according to Li Chang'an's estimate, Da Huang would need several more years before it could advance.

This unexpected delight had brought that moment forward.

The next day, in the Early Morning.

Li Chang'an hurried toward the Marketplace's Trading Area.

Behind him.

Two icy gazes remained fixed on his back.

"This brat really is a turtle in human form. After all this time, he hasn't left the Marketplace even once! He barely leaves his own home, either!"

The two Rogue Cultivators hid in the shadows, their killing intent surging.

Because the Wu Yun Brothers had disappeared.

They had no choice but to personally keep watch over Li Chang'an.

Their months-long stakeout had left them especially irritable, and their patience was nearly worn away.

"Big Brother, how about we take a risk and attack him directly?"