Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 583 Customized Puppet

What is the price of a puppet at the late stage of the Golden Core realm?

Ji An was naturally tempted by the prospect of getting everything done in one go.

He probably can't afford to buy them now, but he can grow puppets made from Rudraksha trees as spiritual materials, thus saving a lot of money.

Master Xuanmu gave a business-like smile and said:
"The puppets at the late Golden Core stage cannot be purchased with high-grade spirit stones. They need to be exchanged with resources of grade three or higher, or traded with top-grade spirit stones."

Puppets in the late Golden Core stage possess a very high level of intelligence and can accept relatively complex commands from their masters. Most importantly, they have a certain degree of self-learning ability.

The materials used to refine the puppets are extremely valuable. The Golden Puppet Pavilion has accumulated tens of thousands of years of resources, and only a dozen or so top-grade third-tier puppets remain. This is the foundation of a Nascent Soul sect.

Ji An understood that this was the other party's euphemism for saying that a late-stage Golden Core puppet was something he couldn't afford right now, and that was indeed the case. He didn't have any high-grade third-tier resources or top-grade spirit stones.

"Is the main raw material for this puppet top-grade Bodhi wood?"

Master Xuanmu shook his head and said with considerable pride:

"No, it's third-grade superior Bodhi wood. Using top-grade materials to create top-grade puppets doesn't really show the puppeteers' strength."

Just like a weapon refiner, only when one learns to use low-grade materials to refine higher-grade magical artifacts can one's skill reach its pinnacle.

This is similar to cooking. A good chef is one who can only preserve the original flavor of the ingredients. Only by bringing out the freshness of various ingredients to achieve better results can one be called a master chef.

Ji An nodded slightly and asked:
"If I could provide enough Tier 3 High-Grade Vajra Bodhi spiritual materials, and also provide Soul Stones, how much would the refining cost be?"

There is still a lot of empty land in the Golden Spirit Field in the small world. He also has some third-tier Vajra Bodhi Spirit Seeds. Materials that are hard for others to find, he can obtain simply by spending time.

Over the years, Ji An has gained a clearer understanding of the characteristics of the Gathering Yuan Tree. It can influence the growth of spiritual plants in most of the small world, enabling them to improve to the same quality as the Gathering Yuan Tree at a faster pace.

The Gathering Yuan Tree is currently a low-grade third-tier spiritual plant. Spiritual plants in the small world can be upgraded to low-grade third-tier in just over ten years, which was unimaginable before.

This unique characteristic is a godsend for the spirit farmers, which is why he is now insisting on improving the grade of the Gathering Yuan Tree.

Only when the grade of the Gathering Yuan Tree surpasses that of the Spirit Field will he consider upgrading the grade of the spiritual veins of the small world.

There is another important reason for doing this: upgrading the Gathering Yuan Tree of the same grade requires relatively less Dao essence.

There's still too little Daoist wisdom; otherwise, there would be no need for a choice, he would want it all.

"Where did you get this top-grade third-tier Vajra Bodhi wood, fellow Daoist?"

Master Xuanmu immediately realized what he had said and waved his hand, saying:

"I didn't mean to pry into your secrets, I was just too surprised."

Vajra Bodhi wood and soul stones are the most important materials for the puppet. If you can provide them, we only need to use third-tier metal elemental materials and solidify them with magical restrictions to create an energy transmission circuit.

In that case, fellow Daoist only needs to trade some high-grade third-tier spiritual items to offset the refining costs.

"Fellow Daoist, could you give me a list so I know how much Tier 3 High-Grade Vajra Bodhi Wood and Soul Stones I need?"

"No problem, fellow Daoist, please sit here and wait for a moment. I'll be right back."

Master Xuanmu got up and left. He was not capable of refining puppets at the late stage of the Golden Core realm and did not know how many materials he would need to prepare.

He went up to the top floor and reported the situation to the pavilion master.

The Golden Puppet Pavilion is an asset of the Golden Puppet Sect, and Cloud Sea Immortal City is the headquarters of the Golden Puppet Pavilion. The Pavilion Master is always concurrently held by the Deputy Hall Master of the Puppet Hall of the sect.

Becoming the Pavilion Master of the Golden Puppet Pavilion will lead to becoming the Hall Master of the Puppet Hall, and then the Sect Master of the Golden Puppet Sect.

All the previous sect leaders followed this path: as long as their cultivation could eventually reach the Nascent Soul stage, they could compete for the position of sect leader.

The Pavilion Master, True Person Xuanji, was a seventh-level Golden Core cultivator. He frowned slightly and asked in confusion:

"Is this cultivator a core disciple of some major sect?"

Only disciples of major sects have the confidence to casually ask for high-grade third-tier resources in the early Golden Core stage.

Master Xuanmu shook his head, "No, he was originally a cultivator from the Western Continent who traveled here."

However, he was a good alchemist and also possessed the skills of a talisman maker, making him quite wealthy.

Moreover, he was also a spirit farmer, capable of cultivating second-tier top-grade Azure Dragon Wood of exceptional quality.

Master Xuanji was even more puzzled and asked:
"With this level of strength, how could they possibly acquire a high-grade third-tier Vajra Bodhi wood?"

Although he was not familiar with the specific situation in Xizhou, he knew that the areas occupied by Xizhou cultivators were relatively barren.

Master Xuanji spread his hands, "I don't know. Maybe he obtained some secret inheritance that can stimulate the growth of spiritual plants."

Rumor has it that the Divine Tree Sect possesses a heirloom that can generate divine elixir, greatly accelerating the growth of spiritual plants; similar heirlooms also exist in the cultivation world.

The cultivation world has many secret realms or ruins, where various treasures with different effects grow due to their special environment and laws.

Throughout history, countless stories have been passed down of lucky individuals who obtained treasures and soared to great heights.

He paused and said:
"Senior brother, we only need to give him the approximate amount of Vajra Bodhi wood and soul stones we need. Why bother whether he can gather so many spiritual materials?"
If we can gather enough, we will not only hone our skills but also obtain the materials.

If we can't raise enough, we won't suffer any loss.

He felt that providing a list of materials was no big deal; outsiders couldn't possibly deduce how to craft a puppet based on the quantities of just two materials.

Master Xuanji nodded and said:

"Junior brother is right."

He took out a blank jade slip and recorded the required quantities of the two materials, each amount being more than 10% more than the actual amount needed.

Master Xuanmu took the jade slip, bid farewell, and hurriedly returned to the VIP room.

"Fellow Daoist, you've been waiting for a long time. Here is the list of materials you need."

"Thank you for your trouble," Ji An said, taking the jade slip and placing it on his forehead to examine its contents. He understood what was going on.

He put away the jade slip and said:

"I'll leave the matter of customizing a highly spiritual puppet to you, fellow Daoist. How much will it cost to make?"

The small world needs a servant with sufficient intelligence to help him manage it. Picking spirit fruits, feeding spirit fish, collecting honey, and so on can all be done by the puppet.

"Although the requirements for the material of this kind of puppet are not high, the requirements for the craftsmanship are not low. I will use second-grade high-quality ironwood to make the puppet for you. It will be more durable and will only cost fifty high-quality spirit stones."

Master Xuanmu quoted a rather expensive price, which was much more expensive than a normal second-tier high-grade attack puppet.

Ji An was quite surprised. "This price is very unfriendly. I even paid for the Soul Stones."

"The craftsmanship contained within is the most crucial element. As I've said before, these puppets possess the ability to learn and improve on their own."

"If you are not satisfied after using it, you can contact me to negotiate a refund." Xuanmu Zhenren responded with great confidence. The Golden Puppet Sect's heritage can be traced back to the end of the last True Demon Calamity. The puppet-making technique has been improved by many generations of disciples and is now close to perfection.

With the same level of cultivation and the ability to control the same number and types of puppets, the current disciples of the Golden Puppet Sect are able to completely suppress the disciples of the sect's previous generations.

"Haha," Ji An chuckled softly, taking out a high-grade spirit stone:

"I trust you, fellow Daoist. Let's cut the soul stone now. How long until I can come back to retrieve the puppet?"

"Two months later."

Master Xuanmu replied that, with sufficient materials, it would take about half a month to complete.

If you provide a longer timeframe, customers will be more likely to believe that the product is worth the price.

Sunrise and sunset, half a month passes in the blink of an eye.

In the gourd world, Ji An dived into the pond, retrieved the porcelain jar containing medicinal mud, and came ashore.

He removed the sealing talisman and immediately smelled a faint sandalwood fragrance emanating from it. The medicinal mud inside was a pale golden color with a transparent texture.

"Let me experience the effect!"

Ji An whispered something, took off his Taoist robe and inner garment, and evenly applied a thin layer of medicinal mud to his body.

I immediately felt the warmth seeping into my skin from the outside in; it felt very comfortable.

There was no stinging sensation like when preparing medicinal mud during the cultivation of the Golden Jade Bone Body; it felt more like soaking in a hot spring with a suitable temperature.

Ji An's mood immediately improved. Cultivation is an enjoyment that makes it irresistible.

He began to circulate the Fudo Myoo Palace, and his blood and energy surged from his heart, flowing along specific routes to nourish his internal organs, bones, muscles, and skin.

Unlike pure body cultivators, his heart has merged with the Fire Element Divine Palace, and his blood and qi carry a trace of Fire Element Divine Intent, which can play another role in tempering.

White mist rose from the top of his head, and power flowed upwards from the soles of his feet, spreading along his spine to every inch of his bones.

The bones have a feeling of being tightly wrapped, and the bone marrow inside vibrates slightly. The unseen impurities in the bone marrow are expelled from the body in strands with breathing and the flow of blood and qi.

Ji An felt his internal organs vibrating in an extremely subtle but highly rapid manner, and his breathing gradually became heavier. It felt as if a volcano was being gestated in his chest.

The medicinal mud, which was originally warm to the touch, now had a cool and refreshing feel, making it exceptionally comfortable.

At this moment, the medicinal mud began to glow with a crystalline light, and his whole body was like a piece of jade, warm and bright.

With the aid of the medicinal mud, Ji An immediately felt that his body would make slight progress with each major cycle of cultivation.

The color of the medicinal mud becomes increasingly dull as one cultivates, which is a sign that the medicinal properties are gradually being absorbed by the body.

An hour later, Ji An finished his cultivation and, panting, began to walk around the Gathering Yuan Tree. At this moment, the medicinal mud began to peel off, revealing skin with a bright and smooth texture.

The practice of the Immovable King Technique is extremely taxing on physical strength, and even a Golden Core cultivator finds it difficult to withstand.

Practicing the Five Elements Reincarnation Technique consumes a great deal of spiritual energy, while practicing the Immovable King Technique mainly consumes physical energy.

Whether it was a misperception or not, Ji An felt that although his body was tired, his mind and spirit were more acute.

Now that he has the medicinal mud, the cultivation of the Immovable King Technique will maintain a relatively high speed. His requirements are not high; he just wants his physical cultivation strength to be raised to the Golden Core level as soon as possible.

At that time, with a strong body, powerful spirit, and profound magical power, he had more confidence to face the storms of the outside world.

Once his breathing became even and no longer rapid, he sat down cross-legged and focused his mind. When the deep sea was serene and calm, he began to circulate the Five Elements Wheel Sutra.

As the cultivation technique was activated, his physical strength recovered much faster than during normal rest, and the two cultivation techniques actually complemented each other.

Golden Puppet Pavilion, VIP Room.

Ji An picked up the teacup, took a sip, and nodded in satisfaction. He had actually tasted a third-grade low-class famous tea, a privilege he had never enjoyed before when he came here.

Master Xuanmu entered the room and said apologetically:

"Fellow Daoist, you've been waiting a long time. Recently, there have been many more people ordering Golden Core puppets than before, so we've been extremely busy."

As he spoke, he took out the humanoid puppet that had been prepared beforehand and activated the central control core in the puppet's chest:

"Fellow Daoist, please store your magic imprint inside. In the future, you will be able to communicate directly with the puppet through spirit."

Ji An was astonished by the appearance of the puppet. If one ignored its open chest and the lack of spiritual fluctuations, this puppet was no different from a real person.

He stored the magical imprint into the soul stone, and a light flickered in the puppet's eyes.

Master Xuanmu concealed the central core and laughed:

"This puppet also has a cleansing spell. When you need it to do something, demonstrate it a few times first, and it will master it quickly."

It is powered by high-grade spirit stones, and one spirit stone can power it for about two thousand hours. The spirit stone only needs to be replaced once a year.

When the spirit stones are almost depleted, its eyes will emit an orange-red light to remind you to replace them.

He gave some instructions, which Ji An noted down one by one.

Ji An returned to his cave in Black Stone Mountain and brought the puppet into the small world.

He pointed to the Soul-Eating Insects charging the tower and said:
"If a hole appears at the top of this jade pupa, it means that the spirit insect has completed its metamorphosis, and then the jade pupa needs to be put away."

I sorted the jade pupae into different categories based on their luster and brightness. See how I did it.

After demonstrating several times, he said:
"Come and try."

The original ordinary puppets couldn't distinguish the jade pupa at all. This custom-made puppet was expensive, but he still had high hopes for it.

The puppet stepped forward, its eyes scanning rapidly like radar, quickly collecting all the jade pupae on the insect tower that were devoid of spirit insects.

Ji An inspected it once and clapped his hands in satisfaction. This puppet could completely distinguish the different qualities of the jade cocoons, so he could delegate the task to the puppet.

He then instructed, "Every three days, take some spirit insects to feed the spirit fish and fire crystal ants. I'll show you how to get to know them."

This task is much simpler; an ordinary puppet can do it.

Next, he taught the puppet how to pick spirit fruits, pick the golden leaves of the Xuan Ye Sword Bamboo, and prune the branches of the fruit trees. The puppet was able to learn quickly.

Ji An then taught the puppet how to harvest honey, how to pick and roast spirit tea, how to scale and clean spirit fish, how to grill fish, and how to steam spirit rice. The puppet learned all of these skills very quickly.

The chef at Kui Lei grilled the fish and his control of the heat was quite good; it tasted great.

"Haha, now I'm free."

Ji An burst into laughter, feeling that spending these spirit stones was worthwhile, equivalent to having an extra farmhand.

(End of this chapter)