Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 67 Human Puppet

"The Geng family wants to give it to us."

The Geng family?

Hou Xianbo looked around and then focused his gaze on Geng Shiheng, who was lying on the ground, unable to get up.

Interesting, the Geng family has all tracked them down here.

"I can give it to you."

Hou Xianbo spoke calmly, saying that a mere Qi Refining stage soldier wouldn't affect the overall situation.

"I want to confront her about the authenticity of the Youth-Preserving Pill!"

Li Xiangming pointed at Madam Zhen.

"Rejuvenation Pill?"

Hou Xianbo looked at Madam Zhen.

Madam Zhen's expression was not very good. She took out a pill from her waist and threw it to Li Xiangming.

Li Xiangming took the pill, and his face immediately darkened. This pill was exactly the same as the Youth Preservation Pill that had appeared in Changyang Valley.

"Was the one you sold fake?"

Li Xiangming couldn't help but question him.

"So what?"

Madam Zhen pursed her lips.

"Where are the spirit stones?"

"It's gone."

"impossible!"

"Anyway, there are no spirit stones, but the true core is right here. Take it or leave it."

Li Xiangming, enraged and embarrassed, retorted: "How can I be sure this pill is genuine?"

At this moment, Hou Xianbo interjected, "She wouldn't dare lie to my face."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangming turned to Li Chengkang and Li Qianxiong.

Both of them had seen the Youth Preservation Pill, and now they shook their heads slightly.

Seeing this, Li Xiangming had no choice but to reluctantly accept the pills.

But the sight of Madam Zhen's arrogant face made him grit his teeth.

The other party clearly caused trouble in Changyang Valley, yet they received no punishment whatsoever!
With that in mind, Li Xiangming tentatively asked, "Would Nie Rong also stay?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhen stamped her foot and exclaimed, "You brat, don't go too far!"

The life or death of the Geng family brat was none of her business. Giving away the Youth Preservation Pill, she had at least received spirit stones in return, so it wasn't a loss for her.

Nie Rong is different; he not only embodies her hard work but is also her protector. How could she easily give him up?
“Nie Rong was originally a disciple of the Northern Cold Sect, right? He has nothing to do with your Mang Sect. Moreover, Nie Rong won the championship of the Changyang Valley Fighting Tournament, which ruined several months of our Li family’s efforts. It’s not appropriate for him to just leave like that.”

Li Xiangming remained neither humble nor arrogant, and the latter half of his speech was entirely addressed to Hou Xianbo, completely ignoring Madam Zhen.

"you"

Madam Zhen's pretty face flushed with anger, and she was about to lash out.

Hou Xianbo stretched out his arm to stop her, while looking at Li Xiangming with a rather amused expression.

I never expected this kid to be so outspoken even after being intimidated by me.

"What's your name?"

Hou Xianbo asked.

"what?"

Upon hearing the question, Li Xiangming secretly groaned.

I should have kept quiet. If the leader of the Mang Cult has his eye on me, what good will come of it?

Li Xiangming stammered.

Upon seeing this, Hou Xianbo chuckled softly.

"If you like it, you can keep it."

"Master!"

Madam Zhen cried out in disbelief, but at that moment Hou Xianbo's entire figure had turned into white light and disappeared.

Not receiving a response from the sect leader, Madam Zhen's face turned pale and then red. Not daring to act presumptuously in front of the Li family's Foundation Establishment cultivators, she could only bite her lip and glare hatefully at Li Xiangming.

Soon, she left with the severely injured and unconscious Blind Luo, Ghost King Qi, and Fu An.
Watching their retreating figures, Li Xiangming was still somewhat dazed and couldn't help but ask, "Patriarch, is this the end of the matter?"

"Let's leave it at that for now."

Li Qianxiong shook his head. The Li family's trip was a bit of a letdown, but it wasn't a complete waste; at least they obtained a lot of intelligence about the Mang Cult. The Mang Cult was no simple entity. Whether it was the previously heard attack on Zhanggongling or the Geng family that had been implicated this time, it all indicated that the Mang Cult was getting its hands on Pu County.

It's unclear whether Bailumen knows about these things.

If they knew, they would probably be terrified, right?

After all, the Golden Core cultivators of the White Dew Sect have not yet been stationed in Pu County, while the Mang Sect...
"Patriarch, what should we do with the Geng family and Nie Rong?"

Li Xiangming continued to ask.

Li Qianxiong first glanced at Geng Shiheng, knowing he was still alive, and sighed, "This kid is lucky. The one who kidnapped him is a ghost cultivator. Once we verify his identity, we can ask the Geng family for some benefits."

After saying that, he looked at Nie Rong and said, "This puppet is also a treasure. You spoke at just the right time, otherwise the Mang Sect might not have been willing to let go."

Nie Rong was Madam Zhen's protector, and Li Chengkang and Li Qianxiong, mindful of their status, naturally wouldn't ask for anything from a mere woman.

If Li Xiangming didn't speak, Nie Rong would leave with Madam Zhen.

What is a human puppet?

Li Xiangming asked curiously, since his second uncle had previously referred to Nie Rong as a human puppet, which he had heard but did not understand.

"The so-called human puppet is a type of mechanical puppetry."

Li Chengkang explained.

Human puppet?
Li Xiangming was startled and couldn't help but look at Nie Rong.

At this moment, Nie Rong's consciousness of Madam Zhen was severed by Li Chengkang, and his eyes were vacant. Even when he heard the conversation of the three members of the Li family, he did not react at all.

So, Nie Rong is already a puppet.
However, although Nie Rong's behavior was unusual, he was not much different from a normal person, and he could also speak.

As if sensing Li Xiangming's doubts, Li Chengkang continued, "Human puppets are divided into living puppets and dead puppets. Dead puppets are self-explanatory, but living puppets are made from living people. The reason you think he is no different from an ordinary person is because he is still alive."

"A puppet that's still alive?"

Li Xiangming exclaimed in surprise, "I have also read some books on mechanical puppetry and seen many blueprints for humanoid puppets."

But the living puppets were unheard of.

"It's nothing more than using various methods to constantly erase the consciousness of living people and reduce their memories, while ensuring that they have enough instinctive reactions. It's very difficult to grasp this balance, but there are always extraordinary people in the cultivation world who can do this and train living people into puppets who listen to everything and obey everything."

"However, doing so is too cruel and harmful to people. When many ancestors of the puppet lineage integrated the art of mechanical puppetry, they did not make a special record of it, let alone leave a legacy. It is normal that you do not know it."

To train living people into puppets?
Li Xiangming's face turned pale. How much suffering must he have endured in the meantime?
Suddenly, Li Xiangming thought of Tang Xueyan.

The other party is trying every means to find Nie Rong, but now...
"Is there any way to restore a living puppet to its former state?"

Li Xiangming asked softly.

Li Chengkang shook his head: "There is no way. Once a living puppet is made, it is irreversible. His current intelligence is equivalent to that of an eight or nine-year-old child, at most no more than ten years old. It is not because he has a congenital intellectual problem, but because his soul has been artificially damaged."

“Even Hou Xianbo only dared to spare a wisp of his divine soul to refine a divine avatar. The divine soul of this puppet is already riddled with holes. Even if we bring immortal pills, it will be of no use.”

"However, despite this, this puppet still has many commendable aspects. For example, its dantian is intact, it can use magic power, and it possesses a fairly high level of instinctive consciousness. Its strength has not been greatly diminished. This is also the meaning of the existence of a living puppet: to act as a protector."

"Don't underestimate these things. Not just any living puppet can act as a protector."

"The vast majority of people will go insane during the refining process. Of the few who don't go insane, their strength will be reduced to less than one-tenth after the refining. Only those with a firm Dao heart, extraordinary talent and strength can possibly refine a perfect human puppet and act as a protector of the Dao."

It turned out to be the case.

Li Xiangming remained silent; the materials used for the puppet were crucial, affecting the success rate.

That's why Madam Zhen took action against the talented disciples of minor sects.

Nie Rong of the Northern Cold Sect was undoubtedly a genius in the past.

But isn't this too cruel for Nie Rong and the Northern Cold Sect?

They did nothing wrong.
But that's the world of cultivation!
After a moment of reflection, Li Xiangming seemed to have thought of something and slowly said, "Patriarch, Second Uncle, may I keep this puppet?"

"This"

Li Chengkang and Li Qianxiong exchanged glances, and finally Li Qianxiong spoke up: "It was originally what you asked for, so it's reasonable to give it to you. It also makes up for your inability to overuse your magic power."

"But there's one thing you need to be careful about. I didn't realize he was a puppet before, probably because the female cultivator had concealed it. But I've seen him fight, and he's quite strong. You need to be careful with him. Don't become arrogant just because you have a protector. In the end, a puppet is just an external thing; true strength comes from within."

Xiangming will keep in mind the teachings of his father.

Seeing that Li Xiangming agreed, Li Qianxiong nodded, then glanced at Li Chengkang.

Without hesitation, Li Chengkang took out a booklet from his storage bag: "I have done quite a bit of research on puppetry. This is my own experience and insights. In addition, it records some puppet-making methods. You can take a look."

"Thank you very much, Second Uncle."

Li Xiangming was overjoyed and quickly accepted it. He was worried about how to control Nie Rong, and this thing came at just the right time.

"In that case, let's go back first."

Li Qianxiong summoned his flying shuttle, took Li Xiangming with him, and then instructed Li Chengkang, "Second Uncle, I trouble you to go north and find Xiangren. You must not let anything happen to Xiangren."

"I see."

(End of this chapter)