Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Golden Puppet

In fact, considering Liu Junhuai’s age and the length of his cultivation, the emergence of this inner demon was actually a good thing.

Liu Junhuai, having only just set foot into the world of cultivation, encountered a heart demon that cultivators often face only after decades or even centuries of practice. Was this not, in its own way, a stroke of fortune?

The path Liu Junhuai pursued was not the ruthless way favored by the masses of the cultivation world, but rather the way of sincerity—treasuring family bonds and cherishing love above all.

This path of sincerity was not without desire, yet its longing was genuine; it involved killing, but only with discernment, knowing when to act and when to restrain.

The old steward’s assistance was undoubtedly valuable, but Liu Junhuai understood that reliance, once habitual, would gradually erode his ability to depend on himself.

The same truth applied to killing; when one grew accustomed to weakness, weakness would become second nature.

His wish was simple: to protect his dreams and those dear to him with his own hands and his own shield.

At this moment, Liu Junhuai felt a fleeting insight in his heart, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared—intangible, elusive.

Mo Sitong worried that their sudden departure might upset the two young girls, since they had only just become acquainted, and so she shared her concerns with Liu Junhuai.

Liu Junhuai, also preoccupied with setting up the Spirit Guiding Array, bade the old steward farewell in haste and returned to the Chaos Space.

With the old steward having devised a cultivation plan for Shen Duoduo and her companion, Mo Sitong went to assign them their training tasks.

Liu Junhuai called upon Wu Shaoyuan to help perfect the Spirit Guiding Array.

Thus, a busy and fruitful day passed.

As night fell, Liu Junhuai returned once more to the Myriad Phenomena Tower.

He was still thinking about the golden puppet and asked the old steward about it.

The old steward replied, “Originally, I intended to wait until you could melt the Three-Star Stone before refining the puppet. However, since you have this in mind, there’s no harm in proceeding. If successful, the puppet will serve as a valuable assistant.”

The two of them entered the puppet room.

On the wall hung only a single jade plaque. Taking the plaque and probing it with his spiritual sense, Liu Junhuai saw a refining incantation appear within.

As Liu Junhuai committed each segment to memory, the text would fade away, replaced by a series of hand seal techniques once he had memorized all the incantations.

After two hours in the time formation, he had thoroughly memorized all the spiritual techniques and steps involved in refining the puppet.

Instead of using the puppet room’s earth-fire furnace, Liu Junhuai took out the Hongyuan Chaos Furnace, summoned Ah Zi, silently recited the incantation, and picked up the golden skeletal remains.

He first selected a short piece of bone and placed it in the Chaos Furnace. As the temperature inside gradually rose, the bone began to soften.

The softening process was tedious and protracted. Only when a drop of golden liquid was squeezed from the softened bone did the entire bone begin to shrink.

Golden liquid accumulated steadily as the bones gradually vanished, transforming into a pool of golden fluid that flowed into a groove outside the furnace.

With the initial melting a success, Liu Junhuai grew more confident and began adding larger pieces of bone.

While melting the materials, Liu Junhuai hurriedly drew spell talismans. By the time all the golden bones had melted into a large mass of golden fluid, he had finished dozens of talismans.

He then successively added ink-silver, secret silver, white silver, profound iron, black gold, fire copper, magnesite, corundum, and black shining stone, melting each in turn and mixing them with the golden liquid, making the pool of golden fluid even larger.

Drawing out a wisp of spiritual sense, he wrapped a small portion of the golden fluid and returned it to the Chaos Furnace, reciting the incantation as his hands formed seals in rapid succession, controlling the floating golden fluid as it slowly took shape in the furnace.

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the golden fluid gradually formed the upper torso of a human figure. As Liu Junhuai cast in a spell talisman, a groove appeared on the left side of the torso under the control of the incantation.

Without delay, Liu Junhuai bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood onto the torso. A golden light flashed, and his spiritual sense drew out the now-formed torso.

It took a full five hours for the puppet’s limbs and head to be refined one by one. Without proceeding to the final merging, Liu Junhuai immediately sat cross-legged to restore his vital energy.

Only the critical fusing stage remained, where even the slightest error could not be allowed. Liu Junhuai had to be in perfect condition to see it through.

After an hour, Liu Junhuai exhaled his final breath of turbid air, steadied his mind, and drew out six strands of spiritual sense.

These six strands wrapped the four limbs, torso, and head, and were slowly inserted into the Chaos Furnace.

He instructed Ah Zi to maximize the furnace’s heat, formed countless hand seals at lightning speed, and began bringing the puppet’s parts together.

At the instant the right arm touched the torso, a golden light flared. Liu Junhuai swiftly threw a spell talisman at the joint, chanting the incantation rapidly as lines of runes burrowed into the seams.

With each spell talisman and rune that entered the gaps, the golden light grew brighter, radiating outwards from the connection points.

In a single breath, the second golden flare appeared, followed by the third, fourth, and fifth.

Liu Junhuai desperately hurled spell talismans, his incantations forming rune-like beams that shot into every junction.

For a moment, the Chaos Furnace blazed with golden brilliance so intense Liu Junhuai could not open his eyes.

His hands shifted through seals without pause, moving so fast they became a blur of light and shadow.

He spat blood repeatedly, the crimson splattering everywhere. As the golden light gradually calmed, it spread over each part of the puppet’s body.

Prompted by the old steward, Liu Junhuai took a ninth-rank demon core and embedded it into the puppet’s skull.

As the golden light saturated the puppet’s form, Liu Junhuai swiftly inlaid a Gold Essence Stone into the groove on the torso.

He then forced out a drop of essence blood and let it fall into the groove. The golden light from the Chaos Furnace burst forth in a brilliant flash, and as it faded, a dazzling golden puppet leapt from the furnace and stood at Liu Junhuai’s side with arms at its sides.

This puppet was two heads taller than Liu Junhuai, with a broad forehead, a square face, the body of a tiger, and the waist of a bear. Its golden eyes glared fiercely, inspiring awe.

At that moment, Liu Junhuai’s vital energy and spiritual sense were severely depleted. He took a drop of spiritual liquid and swallowed it, slowly recovering his strength.

“Master, try testing the puppet’s responsiveness,” the old steward suggested.

At Liu Junhuai’s mental command, the puppet stepped back two paces and bowed respectfully. Then, lifting its leg, swinging its fist, leaping, and flipping through the air, it moved with surprising agility, though the transitions between actions remained a bit stiff.

“Oh, by the way, steward, what’s the purpose of the demon core you had me embed in the skull?” Liu Junhuai recalled the old steward’s earlier instruction.

The old steward smiled. “That serves as the puppet’s brain. This brain cannot think for itself; it follows your commands.”

Liu Junhuai asked in puzzlement, “Why isn’t this step mentioned in puppet refining manuals?”

The old steward explained, “Because no one else knows you possess two brains. The golden orb in your sea of consciousness is your second brain. The puppet’s brain is controlled by your second brain, and you command the golden orb. This brain-equipped puppet is vastly superior to ordinary puppets, with far greater flexibility and more human-like movements.”

“What techniques does it know?” Liu Junhuai asked curiously.

“Whatever you know, it can perform, precisely because of this brain,” the old steward patiently replied.

“Haha, so it’s like having another Liu Junhuai! I’ve struck it rich—gained a brother for nothing.” Liu Junhuai exclaimed in delight.

The old steward laughed heartily. “You’re oversimplifying things, master. This puppet can’t use your cutting technique or Heavenly Eye because it lacks divine sense—your spiritual sense. Nor can it wield the Godslayer Spear.”

At this, Liu Junhuai’s excitement faded. Without those offensive abilities, the puppet’s strength would be less than half his own. What use was it, then?

Fortunately, it could still perform Instant Movement. Well, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about it escaping danger.

Seeing through Liu Junhuai’s thoughts, the old steward reassured him, “Don’t worry about its power. Any technique you learn in the future, it can also master—like your Thunder’s Roar of the Eight Directions and the Heavenly Inferno Incantation.”

“How about its strength?” Liu Junhuai pressed.

“Its strength far exceeds yours. It must have practiced Body Tempering Techniques or something even higher in its previous life—perhaps even attained sanctification. Golden bones are exceedingly rare even in the Immortal Realm; only those whose physical strength has reached an extraordinary degree form golden bones. If it truly practiced such arts in life, you’ve reaped a tremendous benefit,” the old steward replied.

“Oh? Is that so?” Liu Junhuai straightened with pride at the steward’s words.

The old steward smiled. “This puppet’s brain has no memory; it can’t recall any techniques it once knew. But Body Tempering Techniques, once trained into the very marrow, become part of its physical nature, just as its immense strength is innate. So, what it can do, you can now do as well.”

“Its strength is innate? Not something I refined into it?” Liu Junhuai asked.

“Yes, its strength comes from your refinement, but it possessed this from the moment it emerged from the furnace. The same applies to its physical toughness—these two qualities are closely tied to the level of your refining skills and the quality of your materials. If you improve your skills and use even stronger substances like Three-Star Stone Essence in the future, it will grow even more powerful,” the old steward explained.

After a moment’s thought, the old steward added, “You should keep it nourished in your sea of consciousness. That way, the golden orb within will control it more smoothly. More importantly, as it absorbs the golden energy there, its golden skin will fully integrate. Once the transformation is complete, it will become your perfect avatar—even its aura will be identical to yours.”