Passion Puppets Honed to Perfection

"The Environment Has Deteriorated."

After exchanging a few words with Tang Wanqing and learning that her young ladies' business had not been as good as before lately,

Su Qing shut the doors and windows, then looked at the Demoness Puppets he had just finished crafting. He could not help feeling a little depressed.

Originally, the war between the Desiring Demon Immortal Kingdom and the Cloud Mountain Immortal Kingdom had had an extremely limited impact on White Cloud Market Town. In fact, because it lay deep within White Cloud Sect territory, it had even enjoyed a wave of profits from the frontline war. The Rogue Cultivators of White Cloud Market Town had lived rather comfortably these past few years.

Only with surplus purchasing power would Rogue Cultivators spend Spirit Crystals to reward their Second Brother. Now, even the Everlasting Freshness young ladies under Tang Wanqing were seeing their business grow weaker by the day. It was clear that the effects of the war between the two sects had gradually spread to White Cloud Market Town.

Though it was still a long way from the day the Rogue Cultivators would Pack Up and Flee, for a while now, they would likely have to spend their Spirit Crystals where the blade met the bone and let their Second Brother suffer a little.

"No wonder Tang Wanqing is planning to do business in Flesh Puppets. She knows the Rogue Cultivators are going through Consumption Downgrade!"

With the sales of his only flagship product about to take a hit, Su Qing naturally could not be happy.

But when he thought of how the demand from Hundred Treasures Pavilion alone was enough to leave his profits overflowing,

he immediately felt much better.

As a Rogue Cultivator, he was not yet qualified to concern himself with the course of the war between the Desiring Demon Immortal Kingdom and the Cloud Mountain Immortal Kingdom. Right now, the Desiring Demon Immortal Kingdom only dared send a few Small Fry into the markets within White Cloud Sect territory to Corrupt Hearts. That alone showed it would be a long while before the two sects decided a victor.

"Besides, if things really turn chaotic, the Lizard Warriors shouldn't be hard to sell. Maybe I can make a windfall too!"

With that thought, Su Qing immediately cast aside all Distracting Thoughts and refined Demoness Puppets with a heart as still as water.

Demoness Puppet (Passion Puppet) +1, Proficiency 154/200.

Demoness Puppet (Passion Puppet) +1, Proficiency 155/200.

Before he knew it, Su Qing only ended today's refining after his Mana was Depleted, still wanting more.

And that day's work had yielded twenty-four Demoness Puppets, each with a different pose and a different charm.

"Though they were all made from Liu Yun'er's template, subtle changes in their micro-expressions greatly enhanced their distinctiveness. With matching Voice Runes as well, the flirtatious ones are flirtatious, the innocent ones innocent—each splendid in her own way, each beautiful in her own way. I truly put my heart into this batch!"

Especially satisfied with today's results, Su Qing specifically had the Wood Spirit Servant prepare some Mighty Ox meat to reward himself.

Mighty Ox was a Tier 1 demonic beast and one of the demonic beasts Rogue Cultivators could raise. Quite a few Rogue Cultivators in the Market made their living raising Mighty Ox beasts.

Though it was somewhat cheaper than wild Mighty Ox, demonic beast meat was never cheap. At three to five Spirit Crystals per pound, most Rogue Cultivators could only look at it and sigh.

Back when he had been poor and miserable, he had even rationed his Spirit Rice. Naturally, he had never dared dream of Mighty Ox meat.

But now, wasn't your brother rich?

He still could not afford high-end goods like Magic Artifacts, Dharma Robes, spirit beasts, and spirit servants for the time being.

But he could bear to eat demonic beast meat for a few meals.

More importantly, this body of his truly needed demonic beast meat.

Five Years Ago, Su Qing had worked 996 in his previous life—if it did not kill him, he worked himself to death. Then he transmigrated into the body of this unlucky fellow who had, for some unknown reason, died in the forbidden grounds behind Cloud Mountain Sect.

The original owner's soul had dissipated, and all his memories had vanished. Su Qing had no idea what he had experienced before.

But this body, drained of both qi and blood and even far weaker than that of an ordinary mortal, told him that the original owner must have encountered something extraordinary in Cloud Mountain Sect's forbidden grounds.

He had no interest in investigating the truth. Using his bodily depletion, his slower cultivation progress, and his inability to break through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining within the allotted time as excuses, he had smoothly been driven out through Cloud Mountain Sect's gates.

Over the past few years, he had made a living repairing Puppets for others in White Cloud Market Town. Though his days had been hard, no trouble had come knocking.

No trouble was naturally a good thing, but while he had lacked the means to address his bodily depletion before, now that he had the means, he ought to nourish himself properly.

The stir-fried Mighty Ox meat was fragrant and savory. Paired with two bowls of Spirit Rice, it instantly swept away the day's fatigue.

After eating, he practiced a set of Health Preservation Art so weak that it did not even Appear on his System Panel, helping his digestion.

He sat cross-legged in meditation to restore his mana, intending to fight through the night by lamplight once it had fully recovered. He wanted to max out the Passion Puppet's Proficiency sooner and unlock the Meditating Doll sooner.

In his estimation, the Meditating Doll might be a Puppet that could help him restore mana.

"Then I'll be able to save even more time refining Puppets, Making money, and cultivating!"

Su Qing, who had found 996 unbearably painful in his previous life, did not reject a 007 life in the Cultivation World. After all, the rewards earned through hard work in this world were far beyond anything he could have gained as cheap labor in his previous life.

About two hours later, after receiving a reminder from the Wood Spirit Servant, Su Qing ended his meditation.

He walked out of his room and opened the courtyard gate. Outside, a dark-faced cultivator paced back and forth. Hearing the gate open, he lifted his head in surprise and delight.

At the Same Time, Tang Wanqing pushed open the gate to the neighboring courtyard. Her gaze fell this way as she scrutinized the visiting cultivator several times.

Su Qing gave her a grateful look, indicating that he had old ties with this man and that he was no evildoer. Only then did Tang Wanqing nod slightly and Turned Back to leave.

"Fellow Daoist Ge, you have come late at night. You must have something to discuss with this humble Daoist. There are too many eyes and ears outside; please come into the courtyard so we may speak."

Su Qing stepped aside and ushered the panicked middle-aged cultivator into the courtyard.

The middle-aged cultivator was named Ge Changyuan. He was only at the Second Layer of Qi Refining and made a living farming spirit fields in the Spirit Field District at the very edge of the Market.

When Su Qing had been down on his luck, he had taken on jobs repairing farm tools in the Spirit Field District. Ge Changyuan's family had shown him considerable kindness.

Ever since Su Qing moved into the Living Area, however, they had not kept in contact. Only when Ge Changyuan occasionally went to the Stall Area to buy supplies would his daughter stop by Su Qing's stall and chat with him for a few words.

Now that Ge Changyuan had come calling in the middle of the night, Su Qing guessed that something major had happened. He simply did not know what could make Ge Changyuan seek help from a Fourth Layer of Qi Refining weakling like him.

Sure enough, before Su Qing had even shut the courtyard gate, Ge Changyuan cried out in a choked voice, "I deserve to die! I knew demonic beasts had been appearing in the Spirit Field District lately, yet I only thought they would not dare show themselves in daylight. That's why I left Ling'er at home alone. Who could have thought that beast would be bold enough to harm someone in broad daylight!"

"Something happened to Ge Ling?" Su Qing's heart lurched. He had few friends here, and Ge Changyuan's family was among the rare few who could stir his emotions.

"Fortunately, a fellow cultivator arrived in time and saved her life from that beast's jaws. But both her legs couldn't be saved. They said it would take a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator using the Limb Regeneration Technique. How could an old man like me possibly find a way to reach a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator? I thought Fellow Daoist Su is a puppet master, so perhaps you could refine a pair of artificial legs for Ling'er. Otherwise, without legs, how is she supposed to live in the future?"