I Get You, Ignoring the Elimination

"Want to learn? Beg me!"

Hearing this, Gongshu Xia couldn't help but curl his lip; he hadn't expected this guy to be so arrogant.

Yet, he wasn't angry in the slightest; in fact, he felt like agreeing on the spot.

He just snuck a glance down at the Weapon-Forging Platform and saw Gongshu Songting staring at him with a sour, long face.

So, after a moment's thought, he lowered his voice and said, "There are too many people here. How about I beg you after we get off the ring?"

Bamboo Hat Man: "..."

Good grief, this guy didn't have a shred of a genius's pride!

Looking at those burning eyes, there wasn't a hint of competitive spirit, only a damn thirst for knowledge.

He nodded. "We'll talk after we get down."

Gongshu Xia immediately beamed. "You got it! Begging is one thing, but I'm still going to crush you, so I'm getting back to work!"

With that, he returned to his own forging station.

He simply found the Bamboo Hat Man's techniques novel—they didn't follow the same path as any puppet-making he currently knew. He couldn't say which was superior, just that it was interesting and he wanted to learn.

But to suggest he thought he wasn't the Bamboo Hat Man's match? That was pure nonsense.

One had to know, he had spent an entire year comprehending the Great Dao of Puppetry.

He knew deep down that puppetry was an incredibly complex discipline, not something easily mastered.

Forging a body for a puppet to grant it the necessary mobility and strength was merely the simplest step.

What followed—the infusion of spirits and the connection of spiritual power circuits—was the true crux of the matter.

The reason the Gongshu Clan's puppets were so strong was that generations had accumulated the most ideal combat puppet-body system, combined with a vast network of experts that allowed them to build spiritual power circuits compatible with all sorts of martial arts.

A few days ago, the reason his old man dared to price a puppet at one thousand spirit stones was because it possessed a perfect martial body and incredibly comprehensive spiritual power circuits.

As for himself, his own martial arts attainments were quite profound, allowing him to embed combat instincts directly into the spirit core.

The trinity of these elements created the most efficient killing machine.

Of course, the person who commissioned this puppet was a bit strange; they didn't seem to need a puppet for combat.

But that didn't matter.

During that year of seclusion, Gongshu Xia had dissected human anatomy in its entirety. He believed the puppets he forged could move just like a human body, avoiding the clumsiness that usually plagued puppets outside of combat.

Furthermore, he had pioneered a formation to optimize spirit cores, allowing puppets to be more in sync with their master's intent.

In every aspect, he had achieved near perfection; how could he possibly lose to anyone else?

He continued to forge his puppet with practiced ease.

Whenever his hands were free, he continued to observe the Bamboo Hat Man's forging techniques.

"Damn it! Are you looking down on me?"

Luo Qing couldn't help but curse. Over the years, he had visited countless masters of puppetry, and he had become incredibly proficient in every step, each with distinct personal flair.

Moreover, by utilizing the connection between mother-child gu insects, he had specially crafted a child-gu medicinal liquid that could dissolve into the spirit core. As long as the puppet master placed a jade chip infused with mother-gu spiritual liquid on their forehead, their control over the puppet would be boosted significantly.

This Puppet Assembly was meant to be his stage.

The only threat to him was that monstrous genius from the Gongshu Clan.

But he was confident that even Gongshu Xia would be shocked into silence by him.

That was why he had specifically chosen the spot opposite Gongshu Xia, hoping to rattle him with provocations.

As it turned out...

Gongshu Xia hadn't looked at him once from start to finish.

Instead, he kept staring at that strange Bamboo Hat Man!

Look at me, damn you!

This is truly bullying!

Luo Qing snorted coldly. To avoid affecting his focus, he simply stopped looking at the two people opposite him and concentrated on forging his own puppet.

They ignored him.

He would ignore them too.

Once he took the crown and saw the look of collapse on their faces, wouldn't that be satisfying?

By then, his reputation would soar, and he would secure those two thousand spirit stones—it would surely make the princess look at him in a new light.

Sword-Viewing Tea Pavilion.

Top floor.

The smile on Li Runyue's face grew wider. "I didn't expect this Puppet Assembly to actually lure out so many experts. Little Mingzhu, who do you think will win?"

The corner of Pu Mingzhu's eye twitched.

"Little Mingzhu?"

Aside from that Imperial Princess, surely no one else would call a forty-year-old palace maid "Little Mingzhu," would they?

She shook her head. "At this Puppet Assembly, whoever takes the crown rests entirely on the Imperial Princess's whim, so I shall refrain from guessing!"

Li Runyue was somewhat displeased. "I told you to guess, so guess. Xingluo asked you to accompany this old aunt in her stead; is this how you accompany me?"

Pu Mingzhu had no choice but to comply, analyzing the situation on the arena with a serious expression. "For the world's puppeteers, the universal pursuit is high combat power, but the Imperial Princess's requirements are likely not these."

This single point alone is enough to render most of the years of accumulation of those puppeteers useless.

Unless they bring out something new, even if they surpass all other puppeteers, they cannot possibly gain the Imperial Princess's favor.

Therefore... if there truly is a winner, it should be among those three."

Li Runyue was quite satisfied. "No wonder Xingluo values you so highly, even treating you with the courtesy due to an elder; your insight is indeed sharp."

Pu Mingzhu said indifferently, "The Imperial Princess treats me with courtesy only because I serve her with all my heart; it has nothing to do with insight."

Li Runyue did not commit to an opinion.

She simply watched the arena quietly.

She had thought only Gongshu Xia was worth noting, but she had not expected two other geniuses to appear.

Their fundamentals were extremely solid, and both possessed unique methods of spirit-imbueing.

She felt that the puppet she had sought for many years was finally within reach.

It was understandable that Gongshu Xia was heaven-defying, and the Nanzhao puppet master had also provided a surprise, but where had that Bamboo Hat Man popped out from?

She spread her spiritual sense once more, locking onto the Bamboo Hat Man.

Then.

Her brows furrowed tightly.

This person seemed a bit off.

A long time passed.

Pu Mingzhu reminded her, "Imperial Princess, it is over."

Li Runyue raised her hand. "Tell the other puppeteers to take their travel expenses and get out, and bring up the puppets crafted by the three people you mentioned."

"Yes!"

Pu Mingzhu nodded and prepared to leave, but was suddenly called back.

"Wait!"

"What is your command, Imperial Princess?"

"Remove that man's bamboo hat. If you deem it necessary, bringing up only one puppet is fine."

"!"

Nearly a hundred puppeteers at the scene had finished and were waiting with nervous hearts.

To make a name for oneself.

It would be today.

Even if the so-called "stepping on the Gongshu Clan" was just an empty title.

Those two thousand spirit stones would not lie; sixty thousand taels of silver were enough to establish a mid-sized family.

Gongshu Xia was quite at ease, leaning in toward the Bamboo Hat Man again and lowering his voice. "Brother Bamboo Hat, remember your promise. Once there are fewer people around, I will kneel to you. Regardless of who wins or loses, do not let it affect our friendship. Please, you must exchange puppetry insights with me."

Bamboo Hat Man: "..."

On the stage.

Luo Qing was so angry he gritted his teeth.

Still ignoring me!

These two are still ignoring me!

Truly arrogant.

Below the stage.

Gongshu Songting was so angry he gritted his teeth.

Wretched brat!

Do you think that just because your voice is low, this father cannot hear you?

The most monstrous craftsman of the younger generation of the Gongshu Clan, yet he is willing to kneel to someone else just for a mere crafting technique?

Is that appropriate?

However, it is also good; this Bamboo Hat Man seems to have stirred his thirst for knowledge. If this opportunity is used well, perhaps it can reignite the boy's passion for crafting.

Of course.

He did not believe his son would lose to the Bamboo Hat Man. He had seen the spirit-imbue technique Gongshu Xia had created himself; it was truly stunning. Although its practical utility was low, it fit the requirements of this Puppet Assembly perfectly.

Even though the Bamboo Hat Man's spirit-imbue technique was also something never seen before, with the foundation of the Gongshu Clan's ancestral teachings, there was no possibility of his son losing.

That day at the auction, the face of the Gongshu Clan had been trampled into the dirt.

Today, his son would win that face back, letting the whole world know that the Gongshu Clan was invincible under heaven.

Finally.

The middle-aged woman who had appeared at the auction that day took the stage once more.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, she pointed to three people: "Except for these three, everyone else is eliminated!"

In an instant, the Weapon-Forging Platform erupted in chaos.

The crowd: Why?! (╯°Д°)╯︵┻━┻

Luo Qing: ヽ(￣▽￣)ノ

Gongshu Songting: ヽ(￣▽￣)

At least you have an eye for talent.