Qin Fei

Shangyu Market.

Outer city.

The air was thick with a foul stench of blood. Fortunately, a rain shower had diluted some of the bloody water in the streets.

A few severed limbs could still be seen from time to time, but the city guards promptly cleared them away.

The barbarians had "raided the border" last night, and quite a few more people had died in the outer city.

As a result, even the vendors who had worked diligently all year set up their stalls a little later than usual.

Qin Fei was busy alone at a stall in the southeastern corner.

He laid down a large wooden board to keep out the bloody water on the ground, spread a large beast hide over it, and set out three walnut-sized spheres. Then he waited for business to begin.

The spheres were called Puppet Soldiers. Once activated, they would transform into humanoid puppets, and it took only one Spirit Essence to command one.

They could scout the way or serve as humanoid cannon fodder.

They were favorites of the city's hunting parties, who would generally buy three or five before heading into the mountains.

If used well, they might save a few lives.

This was also the skill Qin Fei relied on to survive in this borderland.

"Morning, Fellow Daoist Qin. Looks like last night's 'border raid' didn't do much to you."

A voice rang out. Without turning around, Qin Fei knew it was Old Zhang from the neighboring stall.

Both were at the Qi Refining Third Layer. Despite their difference in age, they were friends and often bickered, though Qin Fei had never come off worse.

"I was lucky enough to escape that calamity. You're alive and well yourself."

"Hehe, of course I am. The barbarians reached my doorstep last night, but I slapped on two Breath-Concealing Talismans, and they couldn't find me."

Old Zhang boasted loudly, drawing glances from passersby.

Qin Fei's thoughts turned, and he realized Old Zhang was pulling his promotional routine again. He played along.

"Much the same for me. Before the barbarians could get close, my Puppet Soldiers spotted them, so naturally they couldn't catch me."

The two spun extravagant boasts about their products, and more Rogue Cultivators began stopping at their stalls.

A barbarian "border raid" meant that barbarians invaded the border and seized supplies. It happened almost once every three months.

This was a feature of the borderlands. Humanity was in decline, and everyone had long since grown used to it.

Large numbers of Rogue Cultivators died in every "border raid."

If something could really save their lives, who wouldn't want it?

"Is your Breath-Concealing Talisman really that miraculous?"

"Of course. Put one on, and even the barbarians' wolfhounds won't be able to sniff you out."

"How much?"

"Seven Spirit Essences. The same honest price for young and old."

"That expensive? Why don't you just rob people?"

"Ask around Shangyu Market. Who doesn't know my, Old Zhang's, skill with spirit talismans? This can save your life, and you're haggling with me?"

"All right, I'll take five."

Qin Fei watched Old Zhang spout nonsense with satisfaction. The old fellow had already learned seventy or eighty percent of his hunger marketing.

"How much for this Puppet Soldier?"

"Ten Spirit Essences, guaranteed genuine."

"Are you serious?"

"Let me tell you, this is an upgraded version. Its revolutionary architecture breaks through the performance ceiling. It'll absolutely thrash every other Puppet Soldier on the market."

Seeing that the other party looked a little bewildered, Qin Fei casually picked up a sphere and flung it at the ground.

"Bang-"

A yellow humanoid puppet appeared, then began dancing on the spot.

"This is the latest version of the Puppet Soldier. I call it Bumblebee."

"It does seem a little more nimble than the ones I bought before. I'll take one."

Before long, the crowd dispersed, and Qin Fei's and Old Zhang's stalls were completely empty.

"Kid, charging ten Spirit Essences for one of those Puppet Soldiers is daylight robbery."

"What robbery? The craftsmanship involved in making my Puppet Soldiers is extremely complex. If I fail even once, all the materials go to waste. Ten Spirit Essences barely covers my costs!"

Old Zhang didn't believe a single word Qin Fei said.

Still, he knew it was true that crafting puppets consumed a great deal of money.

For Puppet Masters whose skills weren't particularly polished, every failed attempt cost them a large amount of materials.

It was even possible for their expenses to exceed their income.

"Work's done. Time to pack up!"

The two exchanged smiles and got busy.

Just then, several tall figures came to a stop in front of Qin Fei's stall.

All of them wore armor and carried weapons, and the character "Lin" was embroidered over their left breasts.

They were from the Lin Household.

The Lin Household ruled the inner city and was the undisputed overlord of Shangyu Market. It even had a Foundation Establishment Ancestor personally holding down the fort.

Qin Fei didn't dare be negligent. He quickly put on a smile:

"Gentlemen, you've come too late. I'm packing up."

A burly man with a bushy beard stepped out from among the newcomers. Ignoring Qin Fei's words, he asked:

"Are you a Puppet Master?"

"Yes."

"Do you recognize this person?"

The burly man raised one hand, and a square piece of beast hide unrolled downward.

It was a wanted notice.

The notice depicted a woman who looked about eighteen or nineteen, with a cold, aloof face and seven or eight Puppet Soldiers following behind her.

The reward was a hundred Spirit Stones. Good heavens, that was a truly lavish sum.

One Spirit Stone was worth a hundred Spirit Essences, so it was easy to imagine how high the reward was.

Qin Fei was extremely tempted, but he answered honestly:

"I haven't seen her."

At that answer, disappointment showed on the burly man's face.

"Let's go. We can ask somewhere else."

The companion behind him seemed somewhat anxious and spoke up to urge him on.

The burly man nodded slightly and led the group away until they disappeared at the end of the street.

"Wanted by the Lin Household, that person probably won't live long."

Old Zhang watched their departing backs and muttered softly.

Qin Fei, however, paid it no mind and said indifferently:

"There are still three months until the next raid. Rather than worry about that person, we might as well prepare early so we can survive the next one.

"Old Zhang, I've sold out of Puppet Soldiers. I reckon I'll need to spend some time making more before I come back. See you another day."

"Okay. I need to draw some more talismans too."

Old Zhang formed a circle with his thumb and forefinger, spread his other three fingers, and waved the gesture in the air.

It was a gesture Qin Fei had taught him, meaning certainty.

Hearing his clumsy pronunciation, Qin Fei shook his head with a chuckle, then headed toward the center of the market.

He had sold three Puppet Soldiers this time for a total of thirty Spirit Essences, enough to buy another batch of crafting materials.

After winding his way through the streets, he arrived at a small pavilion with practiced ease.

The Spirit Material Pavilion.

Though it was neither the largest nor the best-stocked place to buy materials in Shangyu Market, its prices were much cheaper.

Qin Fei was a regular customer here.

"Shopkeeper, the usual. Materials for Puppet Soldiers, packed separately."

Hearing his voice, a stout middle-aged man came out to greet him.

"No problem. Young Friend Qin, you've struck it rich again?"

"Rich, my ass. I've figured it out: being a Puppet Master is a damn trap. I'm doing well just to keep my capital intact.

"Your line of work is much steadier, Shopkeeper. When you open a branch someday, make me a manager too."

The shopkeeper laughed heartily:

"You jest, Young Friend Qin. I'm still waiting for you to become a First-Tier Puppet Master. Once you're an honored guest of the Lin Household, don't forget to look after my little shop."

As the saying went, amiability brought wealth, and the shopkeeper naturally knew how to offer compliments.

As for what he really thought, only he himself knew.

"Here are the materials you wanted. Please take them."

Qin Fei took the bags, checked them over, and nodded in satisfaction.

After paying the Spirit Essences and returning to his small courtyard, he plunged into the thatched hut and got to work.

For the next few days, the door never opened again.

From inside the thatched hut, sounds of clanging and tinkering rang out from time to time.

Qin Fei hadn't actually lied about the cost of the Puppet Soldiers.

With his current attainments in puppet-making, he was essentially working for nothing, barely earning enough to cover the stall's rent.

Yet he still never tired of it, naturally because he had something to rely on.

One night seven days later, Qin Fei looked excitedly at the three Puppet Soldiers before him.

[Puppet Soldier completed, experience +2]

[Puppet Soldier completed, experience +3]

[Puppet Soldier completed, experience +2]

"Done!"

With a thought from Qin Fei, a panel invisible to anyone else appeared.

[Heavenly Craft Creation Pavilion (lv0) (100/100) (upgrade available)]

[Pavilion master: Qin Fei]

[Puppets: Puppet Soldier (unranked)]

[Bonuses: none]

[Blueprints available to unlock: none]