Chapter 30

“The most important Runic Arrays on the puppets are the Spirit Core Runic Array and the Spirit Control Runic Array.

“The first is able to amass the Spirit Energy that wanders throughout the realm and to store it, and in this way is similar to a Spirit Garnering Array. Spirit Stones can also be placed in corresponding nodes in which their Spirit Energy can be used to drive the puppets.

“The second is an array used to control the puppet.”

Lu Qingfeng was spending a lot of time thinking all about the puppets.

No matter the size of a puppet, suffusing it with Inner Chi, Genuine Chi, or mana to perform manipulation wasn’t practical. Even controlling each of the Runic Arrays on a puppet would, likewise, be exhausting.

Hence, someone had invented a unique Magical Artifact called the Twin Stone. By inserting runes into a Twin Stone via the coding method and then using the Twin Stone to establish a link between the Runic Arrays on a puppet, a cultivator could easily control a puppet with mastery over the Twin Stone.

This was the exact method that Mu Yuanyi was using to control the massive puppet. If he weren’t able to use this method, even though he had been a powerful cultivator in the Foundation Building Stage for a long time, he wouldn’t have been able to control a 7- to 8-foot-tall puppet.

However, what Lu Qingfeng wanted to do was to Enhance, Elevate, or Merge the controller Runic Array in the Twin Stone, so as to be able to accomplish remote control or even allow the puppets to move on their own according to specific instructions.

This wasn’t impossible!

In the 100 Art Sect and the Courtyard of Destiny, methods that would allow a cultivator to control a puppet without being in it did exist.

However, this was classified as a core technique that even Mu Yuanyi wasn’t eligible to acquire.

It was said that in the entire Courtyard of Destiny, only their extremely mysterious Court Master had been able to acquire the art of refining such puppets. On Emerald Mountain, an unknown number of puppets had been hidden, thus depriving all demons of the courage to invade the area.

It was because of this ability that the Courtyard of Destiny was able to rule an area covering the mountains that spanned 300 miles.

…

In a Pill Refining Chamber…

Lu Qingfeng closed the Analysis of the Basics of Puppet Mechanisms.

He had been able to recite every principle concerning the puppet mechanisms fluently for a very long time. Now that the Crimson Furnace had been successfully refined, he had decided that he would be attempting the refining of puppets next.

After making various calculations, he decided that it was almost time for his drugstore in the real world to close. Thus, at this time, Lu Qingfeng went offline in this very Pill Refining Chamber and vanished.

…

“Qingfeng, someone from the Linchuan Drugstore on West Avenue has sent us a letter. It says that their boss is inviting you to join him for dinner at the Four Seasons tonight.”

As he woke up, Lu Qingfeng saw Lu Qingshan standing in front of him holding a letter.

It had been two months since Lu Qingfeng and his siblings had settled down in Miaoyin City.

During these two months…

The Emery Drugstore that Lu Qingfeng had acquired had developed into a booming business.

Miaoyin City was full of people. Now, the Sapphire Gate was in a double confrontation with the Wargod Assembly and the Truth Sect. Even after they had been diluted, the Nourishing Pills and Spirit Cleansing Powder that Lu Qingfeng had refined still had excellent efficacy, which had, in return, raked in a heck of a profit for him.

After his reincarnation progress had been completed in “Primitive”, Lu Qingfeng hired a shopkeeper and two assistants to run the drugstore while he, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu were able to devote themselves to cultivation.

Within two months, with no shortage of pills, the strength of the three siblings had improved significantly.

Lu Qingyu had stabilized her cultivation in Level 1 of the Fetal Phase, and she could break into Level 2 at any minute.

Lu Qingshan had just attained a breakthrough several days ago, and he was now sitting at Level 3 of the Fetal Phase.

As for Lu Qingfeng, he was progressing like a hot knife cutting through butter and was now at Level 4 of the Fetal Phase.

Name: Lu Qingfeng [Real Body]

Race: Human

Faction: None

Title: None

Cultivation Stage: Level 4 of Postnatal Fetal Phase

Level: 8 (35/40)

Chi Control: 310/310 (Grade: Authentic)

Destined Life Span: 16/68

Innate Talent Level: 1

Merit: Unknown

Karma: Unknown

Technique: Yellow Court Classic (Apex) [Property: Ability Upgrade (Level 1); Commanding Power (Level 1); Verdant Sword Art Level 9 (Apex) [Updatable]

Magic: Fireball (Level 2); Celestial Eye (Level 2); Shifting Steps (Level 2); Smoldering Palm (Level 2); White Jade Mantra (Level 2); Mantle Sword Style (Level 2); Yang Finger Technique (Level 2); Gale (Level 2); Golden Ray (Level 2); Entangle (Level 2); Vanish (Level 2); Assemble Chi (Level 2); Telekinesis (Level 2); Sound Transmission (Level 2); Aqua Style (level 2); Frostbite (Level 2)

Abhijna: None

Equipment: Wolf Hair Runic Brush, Talisman(s)

Pill Refining: Fundamentals of Pill Refining; Deciphering Medicine; Complete Guide to Basic Medicinal Herbs Refinable pills: Fasting Pill, Yellow Dragon Pill, Spirit Cleansing Powder, Rejuvenating Pill, Incense Pill, Yellow Millet Pill, Soul Corrupting Pill, Breath Fostering Pill, Essence Pill, Golden Pith Pellet, Chi Cycling Powder, Chi Infusing Pill

Talisman Crafting: Detailed Explanation in the Preparation of the Six Common Cinnabarites, Fundamentals of Runic Papers, Encyclopedia of Low-Grade Talismans Craftable Talismans: Talisman of Peace, Stealth Talisman, Earth Talisman, Fireball Talisman, Talisman of Rejuvenation, Golden Ray Talisman, Escape Talisman

Tool Refining: Fundamentals of Tool Refining, Refining the Spirit Runic Brush, Crimson Furnace, Analysis of the Basics of Puppet Mechanisms Refinable Tools: Wolf Hair Runic Brush, Crimson Furnace

Pet: Skylark bird (*9)

Attaining Level 4 of the Fetal Phase by cultivating in the Authentic-grade Verdant Sword Art was very much different from attaining Level 4 of the Fetal Phase by cultivating in the Preliminary-grade Scorching Sun Classic.

There was a massive disparity in the amount and grade of Chi Control.

Back when Lu Qingfeng was cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic, when he had attained Level 4 of the Fetal Phase, his Chi Control had only been at about some 30 to 40 points. Now that he was cultivating in the Verdant Sword Art, the amount of Chi Control he had was more than 300.

It was nearly tenfold!

Even if he reached Level 9 of the Fetal Phase cultivating in the Scorching Sun Classic, he might not necessarily gain such a profound Chi Control.

The quality difference between the two couldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath.

One of them was of the Authentic Grade, while the other one was just of the Preliminary Grade. There were a whole three levels of difference.

With profound Chi Control and mastery over spells and martial art techniques, Lu Qingfeng was no longer the feeble boy he had been back in Blackwood Village. At present, even if an ace in the Genuine Chi Phase were to attack him, he was confident that he would be able to deal with him.

If his enemies were those who had just entered the Genuine Chi Phase, he even had the confidence that he could defeat and kill them.

Most certainly, this was only applicable to cultivators in the Genuine Chi Phase who cultivated in a Preliminary- or Refined-grade technique. If one was talking about cultivators who were also cultivating in a Lateral- or even Authentic-grade technique like he was, Lu Qingfeng would be better off running as fast as he could.

However, right now the world of cultivation in the Guangyuan Commandery was in a rather deplorable state. Lu Qingfeng had seen the Truth Sect’s Art of Truth. It was a technique that was only slightly more advanced than the Scorching Sun Classic, but still within the Preliminary-grade technique category.

If even the Truth Sect was using a Preliminary-grade technique to dominate the realm, it was pretty easy to guess the technique grade of the many open or hidden cultivators across the Guangyuan Commandery.

Glancing at his Attribute Panel, Lu Qingfeng made up his mind as he took the letter Lu Qingshan was holding out to him.

The content of the letter merely mentioned how well known Lu Qingfeng was and that this banquet was specially designed so that guests could get acquainted with each other. The owners of another two drugstores and three shops in southern Miaoyin would also be attending the banquet.

The letter was signed by Kang Zizai, who was the owner of the Linchuan Drugstore on West Avenue.

“Why did the owner of the Linchuan Drugstore invite me to a banquet?

“Is it because the Emery Drugstore has blocked their means of earning money?”

Lu Qingfeng closed the letter, feeling a little hesitant.

It stood to reason that in such a big market as Miaoyin City, the teeny tiny Emery Drugstore could at most set off a splash in the water. It was absolutely impossible that they would hinder their fellow drugstores from earning money.

That would leave only two possibilities.

First, Kang Zizai had his eye on Emery Drugstore’s recipes and was thinking about acquiring them by force.

This was the negative interpretation.

Second, it could be as stated in the letter. Kang Zizai really just wanted to meet Lu Qingfeng and make friends with him.

This was the positive interpretation.

“He must be up to no good!

“Qingfeng, let’s not attend the banquet.”

When Lu Qingshan saw that his older brother wasn’t talking, he took the initiative to speak.

Having experienced Blackwood Village and all the perils of the Truth Sect, he had a great distrust of people. Kang Zizai approaching them uninvited and suddenly inviting Lu Qingfeng to a banquet did seem pretty fishy.

Lu Qingshan was also worried about potential monkey business.

“The Four Seasons is located in the most prosperous area of Miaoyin City. Even if he’s up to no good, he wouldn’t dare to do anything at the Four Seasons or within Miaoyin City.”

Lu Qingfeng shook his head. “I’ll go and see what he is up to. It won’t be too late for us to make our plans after that.”