Dream Realm.
Outside the earthen house.
A warrior, a scholar, a pregnant woman, a child, an old man, a young woman, an old woman, a human-skin drum, embroidered silk shoes, a withered tree, shadows... Countless Ghostly Beings stood expressionlessly across the open ground before the house. As time passed, the gazes they fixed on Fu Xuanxu grew more and more impatient.
Suddenly, Fu Xuanxu finally spoke. "That should do."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the wooden door behind him opened by itself. Fu Xuanxu immediately turned and stepped inside.
This time, the wooden door did not close at once. Through the doorway, one could see that the earthen house was clean and tidy, with not a soul inside.
On the offering table at the far end, a pair of oil lamps burned quietly. Fresh fruit gleamed softly in their light, looking especially tempting.
Fu Xuanxu crossed the main room and entered the kitchen on the right, heading straight for the earthen stove.
He gathered up his robe and knelt beside the stove opening, then reached into its belly. First, he felt around and pulled out an unfinished hemp rope. After casually straightening it, he began pulling one "crowd" after another from inside.
At that moment, these "crowd" had no power to resist him. He could handle them however he pleased.
Fu Xuanxu thrust his fingers through their necks, then threaded the hemp rope through each one, stringing them all together.
When he was done, Fu Xuanxu rose and lifted the string of puppets. He weighed it in his hand and gave a slight nod.
The next moment, his features began to change. Soon, after his entire figure rippled like water, he had transformed into Pei Ling.
Pei Ling gazed at the string of puppets and smiled faintly.