"Is this what you refined?"
Presented before the grandmasters was a plainly elegant, finely crafted electronic computer. Its black-and-white casing looked dignified and imposing, gleaming with the distinctive luster of metal.
Seeing that the object truly possessed not a trace of spiritual essence, just as Li Chen had said, the grandmasters were astonished, yet doubts also arose in their minds.
"An object devoid of spiritual essence is like rotten wood or stubborn stone. How could it serve any great purpose?"
Puppet Masters ordinarily used spiritual essence cores. Whatever the circumstances, spiritual power had to be involved, allowing them to perceive human intentions and resonate with divine sense.
Faced with their doubts, Li Chen replied calmly, "That is precisely what makes it remarkable."
Dongfang Mao looked at Li Chen. "Demonstrate it."
Li Chen said, "Grandmaster Artisan, please send a Strongman to assist me. This object requires electricity to operate."
Dongfang Mao glanced at the hand-cranked generator beside it and could not help chuckling. "This creation of yours is rather ingenious. If it truly can generate electricity, it could indeed be called a mortal creation."
He was no ignorant man of antiquity; he saw through the generator's workings at a glance.
Since human effort could operate it, wind and water power could likewise be employed. That did fit the theme Li Chen had chosen.
However, that alone would not suffice for Li Chen to pass the Grand Artisan assessment, for Puppet Masters had discovered electromagnetic effects and mastered lightning hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Although spiritual essence was inevitably incorporated to enhance their efficiency, those creations had already come exceedingly close to the path of mortals.
Besides, what Li Chen was about to demonstrate was the computer, not the generator itself.
Soon, a Strongman came forward at the command, gripped the