Puppet One
Inside the courtyard, after selecting the main materials for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet, Lin Ming Lin Ming, having already made preparations, also took out several rare metals from his Storage Ring as auxiliary materials to be refined into the Puppet later.
Among these metals, the three most important are: First, "Starfall Steel," which is extremely hard and contains a faint Star Power, enhancing the Puppet's physical defense, strength, and speed in the dark; second, "Flowing Silt Silver Sand," which has excellent energy malleability and conductivity, optimizing energy execution efficiency within Puppet and allowing it to recover quickly after injury; and third, a metal called "Origin Returning Titanium Gold." It has only one function: it possesses memory, allowing the Puppet to regenerate as long as it hasn't been destroyed.
In addition to these three main metals, Lin Ming had also prepared other metals. However, the quantities were not large. Among them were items such as "Black Jade Iron" to increase toughness and "Fire Copper" to slightly improve Fire Attribute.
With all the materials prepared, the atmosphere in the Quiet Room suddenly became solemn. Lin Ming's eyes narrowed, and his hands abruptly formed the first complex hand seal. He uttered a low shout, "Rise!"
The well-preserved corpse of Xie Bi Yan floated into the air above the Quiet Room.
At the same time, Lin Ming opened his mouth and spat out a ball of eerie and noble Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame. It did not directly burn the corpse, but split into two parts.
A portion of it transformed into a stable halo of flames, enveloping the entire corpse and beginning the initial "warming" process to dispel the lingering chill and Death Qi within.
The other group, like skillful firesmiths, rolled up the pieces of metal and threw them into the floating furnace of flames nearby.
"Hiss..."
Under the terrifyingly high temperature of the Heavenly Flames, metals such as Starfall Steel, Flowing Silt Silver Sand, and Origin Returning Titanium Gold quickly turned red and softened, eventually turning into clumps of molten metal that shimmered with different lusters.
Lin Ming concentrated his Soul Power, precisely controlling the temperature and removing impurities from the metal, while guiding the solutions of different properties to begin their initial fusion. This was a delicate task, requiring the various metal components to be evenly distributed without the slightest deviation, otherwise it would affect the overall effectiveness of the Puppet's body.
At the same time, the "tempering" of Xie Bi Yan's corpse officially began.
The Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame transformed into countless tiny flame needles, penetrating every inch of the corpse's bones, muscles, and meridians. The gray-purple poison gas and the mottled Dou Qi of battle qi that were originally hidden within were forced out and incinerated bit by bit, as if they had encountered their nemesis.
The skin on the corpse's surface dried and shrank at a visible speed, and its color changed from its original pale white to a lifeless grayish-white, as if all impurities and original attributes had been stripped away, leaving only the purest and most malleable physical framework.
This process lasted for a full four hours. When Lin Ming felt that the Xie Bi Yan's body had been tempered to its limit, without any impurities, and that the mixed metal solution had reached a state of perfect fusion, flowing like mercury, a glint of light flashed in Lin Ming's eyes!
"Infuse gold into the body, strengthen the foundation and nourish the vital energy!"
With a change of hand seals, the molten metal, shimmering with starlight and silver light, seemed to come alive under Lin Ming's control and slowly flowed towards Xie Bi Yan's corpse.
The solution did not cover the body surface. Instead, under the precise guidance of Lin Ming's Soul Power, it seeped into the bones of the corpse along specific routes, like drawing meridians, wrapped around the main meridians, and even merged into the skin membrane!
"Sizzle..."
When high-temperature metal comes into contact with a quenched body, it produces a strange sound.
This is an extremely dangerous process. If the temperature is not properly controlled or the integration position is off, it may result in damage to the material and all previous efforts will be wasted. In severe cases, it may trigger an energy conflict and directly destroy the material.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Lin Ming's forehead. His Soul Power, like the most precise carving knife, guided the molten metal to distribute evenly and combine perfectly with the biological tissue.
As the molten metal was incorporated, the grayish-white body began to faintly gleam with a metallic sheen, giving it an impression of indestructibility.
Next, the "energy runes" will be inscribed.
Lin Ming's fingertips were swirling with condensed Dou Qi and a trace of Soul Power. He began to inscribe intricate runes, each containing the ultimate principles of heaven Supreme Principle, on the surface of the Puppet's body and on the key nodes where metal was fused within.
These runes are the Puppet's Energy Circuit, the key to transmitting the Demonic Core Energy throughout its body, driving its actions and unleashing its power. Each stroke requires a large amount of Soul Power and cannot be flawed. In the Quiet Room, only Lin Ming's heavy breathing and the faint hum of energy from his fingertips tracing the void could be heard.
When the last rune was completed, the entire body seemed to be covered with a pale silver net of light, woven from energy and metallic luster, which was mysterious and extraordinary.
"Fusion!"
Seeing this, Lin Ming didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately picked up the Seventh Order Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's Magic Core, enveloped it with his Soul Power, and slowly pushed it into the groove surrounded by countless runes that had been left in the location of the corpse's heart. The moment the Magic Core embedded itself—
"Buzz--!!!"
The Puppet's body shuddered violently, and the silver light net on its surface suddenly burst forth with dazzling light!
The raging dark energy within the Magic Core, like a flood bursting its banks, was instantly activated, surging and flowing throughout the entire body along the inscribed energy runes! The once still body seemed to have countless engines roaring inside, and a powerful and dangerous aura began to spread, its intensity already surpassing that of the original Xie Bi Yan in life!
However, despite its strong aura, the body's color did not fully transform into the bright silver that Earth Demon Puppet should have. Instead, it presented a darker, more subdued color with a faint copper sheen.
"The Human Demon Puppet is at its peak, approaching the Earth Demon Puppet, but it's still one final step away from Qualitative Change!"
Lin Ming frowned slightly, instantly assessing the situation. The material's potential had not been fully realized; the fusion of energy and body, especially the fit between the metal skeleton and the Energy Circuit, still lacked final refinement.
"Infuse it with spirit! At the same time, temper its body with Heavenly Flames to aid its transformation!"
A fierce glint flashed in Lin Ming's eyes, and he immediately took out the Jade Bottle that sealed the Iron Protector's soul.
"Lin Ming, if you know what's good for you, release us right now, or the Soul Hall will never let you off the hook!" As soon as the Jade Bottle appeared, the Iron Protector's threatening and resentful roar came from within.
"Hmph! It seems I've let you all have it too easy by taking you in and not paying attention to you! As a result, you still can't grasp the situation. However, I will forgive you, Iron Protector." Lin Ming immediately snorted coldly, a sinister smile on his lips.
Without further hesitation, Lin Ming immediately broke the seal, and his Soul Power transformed into an invisible hand that grabbed the illusory Soul Body of the Iron Protector.
"If we don't act now, when will we?"
Grabbed by Lin Ming, Iron Protector let out a terrified scream. However, Lin Ming ignored him, forcibly restraining him and precisely injecting the energy into the Puppet's brow Consciousness Sea!
"Roar!"
The moment the soul entered the body, the Puppet suddenly opened its "eyes"—two empty, lifeless, grayish-white specks of light, filled only with pure obedience and a will to kill! A powerful aura, mixed with the Iron Protector's soul's instinctive resistance and resentment, erupted with a bang! The dark bronze light on the body flickered violently and was extremely unstable.
"Refine it for me!"
Lin Ming was prepared. With a low shout, the Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame, which had been kept gentle, suddenly became violent! It was no longer gentle, but transformed into a raging inferno, completely engulfing the entire Puppet!
This time, the flames not only scorched the newly integrated soul, forcing it to merge with the Puppet's core and erasing its independent consciousness, but also carried out the final "spirit forging" and "body tempering"!
The intense heat of the Heavenly Flames, like forging iron, was tempering every inch of the Puppet's "body." Its dark bronze body crackled in the flames, and the internal metal structure and Energy Circuit were further fused and optimized under the high temperature, becoming more compact and efficient.
Iron Protector's resistance was rapidly disintegrated under the burning of the Heavenly Flames, and was eventually completely obliterated, leaving only his most instinctive fighting spirit and absolute obedience to Lin Ming.
This is a slow but crucial process.
Lin Ming continued to unleash his Dou Qi and Soul Power, beads of sweat forming on his face, but Lin Ming ignored them, his eyes remaining sharp.
As time continued, the Puppet's aura gradually became purer and more solid. Beneath its dark bronze base, specks of silver light were lit up like stars, growing more numerous and brighter...
After an unknown amount of time, when the silver light accumulated to a certain degree, it seemed to have reached a critical point—
"Buzz--!"
A clear, resonant sound, like the clanging of metal, suddenly echoed in the Quiet Room! The Puppet burst forth with a dazzling silver light! Its original dark bronze color was completely dispelled, replaced by a bright silver that resembled flowing mercury or condensed moonlight! The aura emanating from its body also underwent a qualitative leap at this moment, reaching a formidable level comparable to a four- or Five-Star Dou Ancestor!
Earth Demon Puppet, complete!
The flames gradually subsided, eventually returning completely to Lin Ming's body. He let out a long sigh of relief, his body swaying slightly, revealing the immense exhaustion he had endured, but his face was filled with an irrepressible joy and sense of accomplishment.
The Puppet before me was the same height as a normal person, its entire body a perfectly streamlined silver, the metallic luster and biological texture blending together in a wondrous way, giving it an impeccable sense of solidity and power. It stood there silently, its eyes empty, yet radiating a chilling oppressive force.
Lin Ming extended his finger, forced out a drop of Essence Blood containing his own Soul Imprint, flicked it, and precisely inserted it into the Puppet's brow.
In an instant, an incredibly clear and seamless connection was established between him and the Silver Puppet. He could even vaguely sense the flow of energy within the Puppet's body and decide its actions with a single thought.
"From now on, you will be called 'Puppet One'," Lin Ming said softly.
A gray-white light flashed in the Silver Puppet's eyes, and it lowered its head slightly, indicating absolute obedience.
Looking at the Earth Demon Puppet that embodied his hard work and precious materials, Lin Ming nodded in satisfaction.
With Puppet One, he no longer needed to personally handle some minor tasks. Most importantly, he could finally focus on refining Tier 7 and above pills with peace of mind. As for the Lightning Tribulation during pill Pill Formation, that would be Puppet One's sustenance.
After putting the Puppet One back into his Storage Ring, Lin Ming stopped sitting cross-legged and, sensing the Xiao Yi Xian Protector outside, immediately got up and walked out of the courtyard.