Li Chen was in no hurry to leave. He allowed the three auras to approach, and soon three streaks of flying light appeared within his Eye Crystal's field of view.
They belonged to two Puppeteers sharing a Shuttle-Shaped Craft and a Mechanical Martial Artist flying alone in War Armor.
Like Li Chen, the two Puppeteers seemed to have undergone modifications using the Head-Swapping Technique. Neither had a body resembling that of a normal human, but only one used a Puppet Chassis forged from metal. The other had the body of a demonic creature over ten feet tall, resembling a gigantic white ape, with the magical auras of both a human and a demonic creature.
This was a modification method akin to transferring the brain body with the Brain Deconstruction Technique. After hunting down demonic creatures, Puppet Masters valued their powerful bodies and put them directly to use as spirit materials.
Once the nerves were connected and control of the body established, they could immediately acquire the formidable strength the creature had cultivated over many years. Those with exceptional skill could even control its inner core and retain some of its innate divine abilities.
Although they could not control it as freely as its original soul had, and much of its potential for growth would be lost, it was almost equivalent to a natural Mecha, like a Heavenly Demon descending to possess a dharma body.
This was far more convenient than injecting spirit blood, nurturing the body in a spirit pool, and continually modifying one's own flesh over a long period. Moreover, if damaged, it could be repaired or replaced just like a Mecha, making it extremely convenient and practical.
This was an advanced application combining the medicine-craft art, biological modification, Draw Silk, Rejoin Meridians, and numerous other secret techniques. Puppet