Activating the War Puppet!

"Young Master Li, inside here are the 3,000 Spirit Stones from our last trade, along with the 500-inch LCD screen you requested."

Just as he had finished booting up the operating system, Boss Qi had already arrived at the Li Family estate.

It was exactly what he needed!

Li Xiang took the items he wanted from Boss Qi, glanced at the man who was currently sipping tea, and tossed him a Storage Ring. "Boss Qi, those 20 Beast Blood Fruit from last time were just our stepping stone; your business moves fast. I'm giving you 80 more now—let me see what you're capable of."

"80?"

Boss Qi paused for a moment, then chuckled. "It seems the Li Family still doubts my capabilities. That's fine, though. Young Master Li's Beast Blood Fruit have a strong market. Give me three days—three days is all I need to sell these 80."

"Three days?" Li Xiang frowned.

He had already done the math; the Li Family was providing him with at least 3,000 Beast Blood Fruit a month. If it took three days to sell just 80, how many years would it take to clear his stock?

Seeing the look on Li Xiang's face, Boss Qi was pleased rather than offended, as it suggested Li Xiang possessed a massive quantity of the fruit. He quickly added, "Yes, first of all, the fruit is a new product, so I must ensure buyers understand its efficacy and benefits. Buyers will introduce other buyers, which will create market competition. Once that happens, the volume I can sell will grow, and the price... could even go higher!"

"So that's how it is." Li Xiang finally breathed a sigh of relief; after all, he truly had no experience in sales.

As he saw Boss Qi out, Li Xiang asked, "Boss Qi, what we discussed... that thing, is it ready?"

"It's doable, but the price is steep. I've already had someone ship it back from beyond the borders," Boss Qi said with interest.

"How many Spirit Stones?"

Boss Qi held up two fingers. Seeing that Li Xiang didn't flinch, he continued, "But I'll say this upfront: once you get your hands on that thing, just play with it, but don't let anyone find out. Otherwise, I really can't cover for you."

"Don't worry." Li Xiang grinned. "If I get caught, I'll tell them I didn't get it from Boss Qi."

"..."

Boss Qi decided not to touch that subject. He glanced at the old woman pacing outside the Li Family gate and asked suspiciously, "Isn't that the artificer from Number 12? Young Master Li, have you gotten yourself into trouble?"

Li Xiang replied nonchalantly, "Oh, I went to her to have some gear crafted earlier. You know her, right?"

"That explains it." Boss Qi was clearly familiar with Grandma Ling's 'illustrious reputation.' "Did you make her suffer a loss, Young Master Li? She couldn't get the better of you with your spirit tools?"

"I had someone help me, so she didn't dare. Look at me—weak, pitiful, and helpless. She only dares to pick on me."

Li Xiang waved his hand dismissively.

"Fair enough. Rest easy, Young Master Li, I have my ways."

With that, Boss Qi stepped out the door.

As Li Xiang closed the door, he faintly heard Boss Qi's laughter from outside.

"Ah? Auntie Ling? What are you saying? How could I possibly know Li Xiang? No, no, I don't know him. Yes, yes, it has nothing to do with me."

"...You son of a bitch."

Li Xiang's facial muscles twitched violently. He had thought Boss Qi had a way to calm Grandma Ling down, but it turned out this cunning merchant just had a way to slip away and avoid being caught in the crossfire!

"Fine then."

He wasn't in a rush. Boss Qi was only a business partner, and there was no need to get him involved in his troubles. Besides, in this day and age, if you weren't being targeted by a few experts, you couldn't really claim to be making a name for yourself!

Back in his room, Li Xiang busied himself for a while, installing the 500-inch LCD screen until the entire wall looked like a massive display.

In this era, this kind of thing was an antique that required custom work.

Li Xiang's game was growing larger, and a small screen could no longer satisfy him. A larger screen allowed him to see a wider map and made operations much more convenient.

Especially...

[You have activated the War Puppet operating system!]

[Manual activation available!]

In an instant, Li Xiang chose to activate it.

Immediately, a wave of dizziness washed over his mind. His vision shifted to a pitch-black cellar; he couldn't feel his physical surroundings, but he could sense the state of the War Puppet!

It was just like the mech piloting courses at school.

The most peculiar part was that he still had a second perspective: the real world. He was still operating his mouse and keyboard, shifting his view!

He looked down.

He could see the mechanical arms. With a single thought, Li Xiang could make the arms move, then the legs... the entire body!

Not only that.

He could also sense the hidden weapons on the War Puppet.

[Laser Sword/A]

[Left Arm Laser Cannon/S]

[Right Arm Laser Cannon/D]

[Flight Mode/Q]

[...]

"It can do this too? This is so much fun!"

Li Xiang suddenly burst through the cellar, startling Li Yaotie, who was worshipping in the ancestral hall. The two-hundred-plus-pound burly man stared dumbfounded at the flying robot, "The Ancestor has manifested! This is the true romance of a man!"

It wasn't just him; everyone in the Li Family saw the flying mecha!

Li Xiang operated the mecha, soaring around the Li Family settlement and breaking through the clouds. Although he couldn't precisely perceive the air of this entire world and the people still appeared as if they were animated, Li Xiang's sensations were becoming increasingly vivid.

He even stood before his descendants, watching them as they looked as small as little animals, listening to them speak, and observing their expressions of astonishment; it was becoming more and more wondrous.

It feels like a real world.

Finally, having exhausted most of the War Puppet's spiritual energy, Li Xiang maneuvered the War Puppet back into the cellar and returned his consciousness to the real world.

What Li Xiang was more concerned about wasn't the perspective, as many VR games could achieve this nowadays.

What he truly cared about was that if this were the case, he could personally operate the War Puppet and maximize its combat power.

Instead of the way the War Puppet fought automatically, wasting energy by firing two laser cannons at enemies or activating its light sword unnecessarily.

Soon, the time in the game reached [Li Family Year 33].

After the long drought ended, the world outside the Li Family grew better and better.

The Li Family's farmland could also be expanded outward. Although they couldn't venture deeper into the Silver Iron Forest, the Li Family occasionally hunted on the outskirts, and the number of demonic beasts was increasing as well.

However, Zhien Village did not gain any new villagers.

This was another drawback of the end of the drought.

Wasn't it better to farm in Tailin Town than in a place like Zhien Village? Especially since Tailin Town had also begun to be vigilant, helping commoners restore their livelihoods, while the Hu and Wang families spread rumors that Zhien Village was a gathering place for demons and monsters.

At the same time, rifts had formed among the four major families of Tailin Town. The trade between the Chen Family and the Li Family made the Hu and Wang families feel deeply enraged, yet the Chen Family continued to go their own way.

Over these three years of trade, the Chen Family had already gained considerable benefits.

The Body Forging Powder and Seven-Flavor Soup refined by Li Yaoqing benefited their cultivators immensely. Li Yaotie would sell them scattered parts from the Black Iron Beast Blood Armor every so often, and they could even purchase some demonic beasts and various miscellaneous spiritual herbs from the Li Family.

The cooperation between the two families grew deeper and deeper.

The Chen Family even wanted to intermarry with the Li Family. Unfortunately... when Li Dalong and the Chen Family head, Chen Wudi, discussed introducing Li Yaoqing to the eldest young master of the Chen Family to cultivate feelings, things went awry.

When Li Yaoqing ate with the eldest young master of the Chen Family, he would ask if the other party understood spiritual medicine. Why didn't he eat spiritual medicine? Taking pills would increase drug resistance and damage the spirit; what did he think about taking potions?

While strolling through the streets, he would ask, "Excuse me, what kind of spiritual medicine is best to plant in this alley without sunlight? In a noisy downtown area filled with dust, what kind of spiritual medicine can change the noisy environment?"

"If you don't understand spiritual medicine, how can you understand me? Will the children we have be born with congenital defects?"

After spending only three days together, the eldest young master of the Chen Family never wanted to see Li Yaoqing again, even feeling that marrying Li Yaoqing would affect family harmony.

Immediately after, the poor eldest young master of the Chen Family was set up with the Li Family's fourth young lady, Li Yaowen.

Well, the spring of the eldest young master of the Chen Family had arrived.

Li Yaowen was extremely beautiful. The eldest young master of the Chen Family fell in love at first sight. Although Li Yaowen was frail and sickly, she was well-read, polite, gentle, and kind; everyone who met her felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

The eldest young master of the Chen Family had even thought of what to name their children.

Li Yaowen even agreed to the marriage with the eldest young master of the Chen Family.

But before the betrothal gifts were sent, three maidservants of the Chen Family and a concubine of a Chen Family elder found Chen Wudi; all four were pregnant with the eldest young master's children. This matter spread throughout Tailin Town, making Li Dalong so furious that he jumped with rage and rejected the marriage on the spot.

Chen Wudi felt he had lost all face and felt even more guilty toward the Li Family. That very day, he broke the legs of the eldest young master of the Chen Family and sent a generous gift to the Li Family as an apology.

He never dared to mention marriage with the Li Family again.

"Just because of the Chen Family, they want to intermarry with our Li Family? Overestimating themselves."

In the ancestral hall, Li Yaowen reported to Li Xiang's Ancestral Tablet with great pride, "Ancestor, Yaowen has followed your instructions and used a small trick to make the Chen Family give up this idea."

"Hahaha, correct!"

Li Dalong, who had been angry before, was now all smiles, "They were all rotten apples. The Ancestor is right; when it comes to marriage, we should prioritize character first, and only then consider background, appearance, and potential."

Lying on his bed watching the 500-inch screen, Li Xiang revealed a sinister smile.

Marriage alliances like this were truly undesirable... very few had a foundation of affection; they were all about interests, and among them were deceit and treachery. Li Xiang did not want to bring these things into the family, as that would cause unnecessary trouble.

What the Li Family needed now was steady development!

However, although they managed to refuse the marriage alliance with the Chen Family.

Li Yaozu also had no plans to marry after separating from Qu Xiaoxiao.

The guy Li Xiang least expected was currently hiding behind a large tree, gazing with full admiration at a woman running while holding a rock. This woman was nearly 1.9 meters tall, wearing cloth clothes that exposed her biceps in the hot summer, even revealing her eight-pack abs. Her dark skin was covered in sweat.

A proper, muscular tomboy.

The peeping Li Yaowen drooled.

"What a sturdy woman. If she had children with me, she would definitely be able to give birth to true heroes and heroines."

"Slurp~"