Chapter 132: Chapter 131: Tier One High-Grade Puppet Master

A month later, Lu Zhao made another trip to the Bixia Marketplace. He stopped in front of an Artifact Refining Shop and exchanged his saved-up Spirit Stones for a Tier One Middle-Grade Magical Artifact: a carving knife that gleamed with a cold light. As for his old knife, it held a certain sentimental value, having been with him through so much. Lu Zhao tucked it away for safekeeping deep within his Storage Bag.

As for the Demon Beast corpses, Lu Zhao had obtained a total of five well-preserved Tier One High-Grade Ape Demon corpses from Lin Yuanshan, the Shopkeeper of the Spirit Puppet Tower, and Hu Ming. With their knotted muscles and tough hides, these ape corpses were the primary materials for refining the "Cyan Wood Giant Ape."

Looking at the five ape corpses in his Storage Bag—corpses that had cost him a hefty sum of Spirit Stones—Lu Zhao mulled it over for a moment. ’It’s still not a sure thing,’ he concluded.

When Lu Zhao returned to the Bixia Sect, he didn’t go back to his Cave Mansion. Instead, he first made a trip to the Merit Hall. He didn’t intend to exchange for the ape corpses right away; he wanted to scout things out first and see the Sect’s internal pricing for such items.

In the inner hall of the Merit Hall, the Steward in charge of material exchanges barely lifted an eyelid upon hearing Lu Zhao’s inquiry about the price of a Tier One High-Grade Ape Demon corpse. He consulted a Jade Scroll, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "A Tier One High-Grade Ape Demon Beast corpse, well-preserved with its Demon Power intact, is fifteen Merit points."

Fifteen Merit points!

Lu Zhao was inwardly surprised. If converted to Spirit Stones, this price was actually slightly lower than the "friendship price" that Hu Ming and the Spirit Puppet Tower had given him. And their price was already cheaper than what Wanderers were paying on the open market.

It seemed the Sect truly did offer its own Cultivators some "benefits" when it came to exchanging for Spiritual Materials and other goods, making them much cheaper than on the outside.

"Thank you for the information, sir," Lu Zhao said, cupping his hands in gratitude.

He didn’t make the exchange right away, however. Instead, he simply turned and left the Merit Hall.

After all, Merit determined his place in the queue for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Every single point was precious. Lu Zhao was unwilling to spend it unless he had absolutely no other choice. ’If five Tier One High-Grade ape corpses are enough, then there’s no need to use my Merit,’ he calculated silently. ’Today was just about being prepared, just in case.’

As it turned out, his caution was not unwarranted.

Upon returning to Xin 210 Cave Mansion, he activated the dwelling’s isolation Array and took out the five ape corpses and the Cyan Spirit Wood Tree Heart. He took a deep breath, centered himself, and poured all his energy into the refinement of the Cyan Wood Giant Ape.

Refining a Tier One High-Grade puppet was a challenge on a completely different level from refining Middle and Lower-Grade ones. Processing the materials, carving the Puppet Core, embedding and activating the Spirit Patterns, channeling Spiritual Power to connect all the components to the core... every single step demanded extreme precision and powerful control over one’s Divine Sense.

Although Lu Zhao was on the verge of becoming a Tier One High-Grade puppet master, with a Divine Sense comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the actual process was still fraught with difficulty.

The first attempt, using the first Demon Ape corpse, failed at the critical juncture of embedding the Puppet Core Spirit Pattern. A subtle conflict with the residual Demon Power caused the Spiritual Power circuit to collapse in an instant. The core exploded, destroying all the materials.

After the first failure, Lu Zhao quickly reviewed the process, identified his mistake, and began the second refinement.

However, the second corpse, the third, the fourth, the fifth...

Failure! Failure! And still more failure!

In succession, five priceless Tier One High-Grade ape corpses were reduced to nothing but scrap in Lu Zhao’s hands.

The Cave Mansion filled with the stench of scorched materials and the rank smell of dissipated Demon Power. Fragments of ruined materials littered the floor.

Each failure was like a heavy blow to Lu Zhao, consuming his hard-earned Spirit Stones and precious time.

Watching the last of the remains turn to ash, Lu Zhao stood in silence for a long time. He replayed and analyzed the five failures over and over in his mind.

He hadn’t come away empty-handed, however. Each failure gave him a deeper understanding of the difficulties in refining the Cyan Wood Giant Ape and a clearer view of the subtle flaws in his own control.

’My control still isn’t quite there yet...’ Lu Zhao muttered to himself. His eyes held no trace of dejection, only a stubborn tenacity. He knew that breakthroughs in craftsmanship were often forged through constant failure and analysis.

Without further hesitation, he headed to the Merit Hall once more. This time, his goal was clear. He found the same Steward in charge of material exchanges.

"I’d like to exchange for three Tier One High-Grade Ape Demon corpses," Lu Zhao said, presenting his Identity Token.

The Steward took the token, his expression unchanging. With a sweep of his Divine Sense, he confirmed the Merit points were sufficient, deducted forty-five, and retrieved three Demon Beast corpses from the back hall, handing them to Lu Zhao.

After returning to his Cave Mansion with the three ape corpses he had traded his Merit for, Lu Zhao didn’t start working immediately this time. He sat cross-legged in silent meditation, replaying the process of each failure in his Sea of Consciousness. He pored over every detail, searching for the root cause of the Spiritual Power conflicts, the critical tipping point in his control of the refining fire, and the optimal timing for embedding the Spirit Patterns.

A day later, he opened his eyes, which shone with a sharp, focused light. Having restored himself to his peak condition, he picked up his carving knife and began his sixth attempt.

This time, his movements were steadier, his Divine Sense Threads moving like an extension of his own limbs, precisely guiding the Magical Power as it flowed through the ape corpse.

While processing the materials, he took greater care to eliminate the hostile energy lingering within the residual Demon Power. While carving the Puppet Core, he made minute adjustments to the embedding sequence of the Spirit Patterns and the rhythm of the Magical Power infusion. When fusing the components, his control over the refining fire reached an unprecedented level of precision.

However, the difficulty of refining a Tier One High-Grade puppet was beyond imagination.

Despite being just one step away from completion, his sixth attempt ended in failure, right on the cusp of success!

Lu Zhao stared at the semi-finished product before him, its Spirit Light already extinguished. He fell silent for a moment, a flash of pain in his eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by an almost obsessive calm.

He wasn’t discouraged. On the contrary, this near-success allowed him to see the path to victory more clearly than ever. He analyzed the failure one more time, searing the critical mistake into his mind.

After a long period of meditation to regulate his energy, Lu Zhao brought himself to his absolute peak. He then took out the seventh ape corpse.

This time, his mind was free of all distractions. His Divine Sense was focused to a razor’s edge, as if he had become one with the materials, the carving knife, and the Magical Power in his hands.

Each step was as smooth as flowing water, yet executed with the utmost caution. Processing the demon corpse, carving the Puppet Core, embedding the Spirit Patterns, fusing the components... Time slipped by unnoticed in his state of intense concentration.

When the final Main Spirit Pattern connecting the puppet’s entire body was successfully activated, a torrent of Spiritual Power, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, surged through the Puppet Core and the puppet’s frame. It circulated smoothly, without the slightest hint of obstruction!

HUMMM—!

A low hum emanated from the puppet’s core. The Cyan Wood Giant Ape’s tightly shut eyes snapped open, shooting out two intimidating beams of cyan light!

Its nearly ten-foot-tall frame shot upright. An aura as heavy as a mountain—ferocious and tyrannical—erupted with explosive force, filling the entire Cave Mansion! The fur on its body gleamed with a metallic sheen, like cast armor. The slight swing of its thick arms created a dull whoosh as they cut through the air.

Success! The seventh corpse. The Tier One High-Grade puppet, the Cyan Wood Giant Ape, was successfully refined!

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