Demonic Demoness Training Project

The so-called stamping workshop is a workshop that specializes in refining various basic mechanical components. Some small sects with limited inheritance of the Yan Dao (a type of martial arts technique) often outsource the bulk ordering of mechanical components.

To put it more bluntly, Lu Li has entered the factory.

In his previous life, he was also a master's student in telecommunications. Even after transmigrating to the world of cultivation, he still couldn't escape his fate of being a beast of burden, working like a screwdriver.

For example, the stamping workshop in Nanyang Town where Lu Li works specializes in producing the outer shell of first-order elemental cores.

Those who skillfully craft and manufacture mechanical components like this are called "Fitters" in this world. Fitters are a branch of Puppeteers, and are divided into three ranks from highest to lowest: Heaven, Earth, and Human.

His current salary is 800 coins per month, but Lu Li has already figured it out. As long as he passes the assessment at the end of the month and becomes a Renpin Fitter, he will be able to handle more detailed and complex work, and his monthly salary will increase to 1,300 coins.

In short, Lu Li felt that there was still hope in life, but not much.

Chapter 3 Stamping Techniques

As he stepped into the workshop, a strong smell of sawdust mixed with the pungent odor of spirit oil hit him, causing Lu Li to cough. He wasn't late; there was still about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before he started work, and the day shift workers hadn't left yet.

The stamping workshop operates on a two-shift system, with each shift lasting six hours and a break every two hours. Cheap late-night snacks are also provided in between.

For night shift workers like Lu Li, the extra 100 copper coins per month for the night shift allowance is quite generous. Of course, this is on the premise of perfect attendance. If they miss even one day, they will lose the night shift allowance.

Before dinner was even over, Lu Li and the servant who was cooking the porridge had a bit of a tug-of-war, and with great difficulty, Lu Li managed to get two copper coins on credit to buy a pancake and two ounces of fruit peel.

Watermelon peel, pear peel, orange peel... all kinds of fruit peels are mixed together. Among them, the pear peel is the best. These fruit peels were bought cheaply from the restaurant next door by the stamping workshop. Lu Li also wanted to buy them directly from the restaurant to avoid the stamping workshop making a profit.

Unfortunately, Lu Li had no connections.

After accumulating a huge debt of thirty-six spirit stones, Lu Li entered a state of indifference, and the twenty copper coins he owed this month seemed insignificant.

Lu Li couldn't skip meals. She wasn't confident in her frail body and worried that fainting at her workstation would cost her perfect attendance record, which would be a huge loss.

At this moment, Lu Li took a tattered booklet from the shelf next to him, leaned against the wall, opened the booklet with one hand, and ate a steamed bun with the other.

The booklet cover has five large characters written on it: "The Secrets of Stamping, Volume 1".

Turning to the first page of the stamping manual, you'll see two columns of formulas.

[Iron pivots are forged into molds, refined a hundred times to form a finished product.]

[A thousand pounds of true form can be fixed, but a single thought can shatter ten thousand forms.]

The Stamping Technique is the foundational training method for fitters. It is divided into three volumes: upper, middle, and lower, corresponding to the three ranks of fitters: human, earth, and heaven. These three volumes are provided free of charge by the Stamping Workshop.

The training manual is right here for you to refer to. It's the most basic of the basics, so why not take a look?

When Lu Li first came here, he heard from the master craftsmen in the workshop that this stamping technique was created by a master craftsman of ancient times. It seems to be about how to use tools to stamp and forge mechanical components, but in fact it contains a set of martial arts skills. If you can comprehend it, you can stamp mechanical components with your bare hands.

"A thousand pounds of true form can be fixed, a single thought can destroy ten thousand forms..."

Lu Li kept repeating these two sentences. He thought they were cool and powerful. Although he couldn't do them at this stage, it didn't stop him from fantasizing about them.

Once he grasped the true meaning, he held the irregularly shaped iron block in his hand, then activated the stamping technique and squeezed it hard. Smoke billowed out, and the surrounding temperature rose sharply.

When he opened his hands again, the iron block had turned into a well-shaped steel billet. If he felt the billet wasn't round enough, he would pinch it again to make it round.

Then, his strong fingernails transformed into drills, and with a few digs into the steel billet, he could create through holes or blind holes of varying sizes.

Finally, he could polish the surface of the component with the palm prints by rubbing it for a while.

Fantasy aside, at this stage, Lu Li can only refine some of the most basic and simple mechanical components by relying on tools.

Lu Li had read this booklet no less than ten times, and he knew its contents by heart, but he still couldn't figure out its true meaning. No matter how he looked at it, he felt that it was just about stamping mechanisms and there were no martial arts techniques hidden in it at all.

Lu Li suspected that the master craftsman was deceiving him, after all, he had never seen anyone who could break mechanical components with their bare hands, not even a low-level pliers.

There is a top-grade fitter enshrined in the workshop, but Lu Li has never seen him make a move. Perhaps it is because he has his own separate workstation. An apprentice like him, who is not even a fitter of the highest rank, is probably not qualified to observe a top-grade fitter make a move.

Even a top-tier clamp master, whose monthly salary starts at five spirit stones, would be treated with utmost respect by the workshop owner. If his monthly salary were five spirit stones, he could pay off his debts in just over half a year.

How enviable!

The immense debt burden was suffocating him.

Suddenly, Lu Li's reverie was interrupted by the shop owner's shouts and curses.

"Hey, newbie, what are you dawdling about? Get over here right now. Do you expect all these people to wait for you?"

The workshop owner's surname was Tang. He was a middle-aged man with broad shoulders and a stout build. It was said that he was also a master fitter of the Earth grade, and the workers in the workshop were all afraid of him.

Lu Li reluctantly shoveled the crumbs from his palm into his mouth, went to his workstation, and skillfully picked up a file. Just as he was about to start working, Tang Fangzhu behind him coughed and said:

"Let me say a few words. Recently, some people have been slacking off, often using the excuse of relieving themselves to go to the outhouse to slack off. You should treat the stamping workshop as your own home."

As the shopkeeper spoke, it sounded like he had phlegm stuck in his throat, making it very unpleasant to listen to. The crowd exchanged glances, and although they were dissatisfied, they dared not speak out.

"What kind of expressions are those? If you're going to the toilet, then push harder. That's all I have to say. Do it if you want, or there are plenty of people outside who will."

After saying this, Tang Fangzhu turned and walked into the inner room.

Lu Li is really short of money right now. Thinking of the consequences of overdue payments mentioned by Mu Ya, such as having his soul extracted and his spirit root dug out, Lu Li felt a chill run down his spine just thinking about it.

So he wanted to get some money in advance and pay back a portion of it first, so that the disciples of Qingyang Palace wouldn't actually come knocking on his door.

After carefully considering his words, he addressed Tang Fangzhu:

“Master Tang, didn’t you say you’d treat the stamping workshop like your own home? I was thinking… I’m a little short on cash lately, could you perhaps give me an advance?”

"Ok?"

What do you need an advance on your salary for?

"Twenty spirit stones, ah, ten spirit stones will also do."

"How many?"

Tang Fangzhu frowned and glared at Lu Li impatiently.

"Go back to your workstation. Your money will be paid at the beginning of the month, and you'll get whatever amount you're owed."

"Oh."

Seeing that the workshop owner disagreed, Lu Li returned to his workstation dejectedly and began his day's work.

When it was time to leave work, just after dawn, Lu Li rubbed his sore neck, got up and prepared to leave. He planned to go home and get some sleep first, and then see if he could audit a class at the private school in the afternoon.

Speaking of learning from others, Lu Li felt somewhat disheartened. Rather than fantasizing about learning from others, it would be more appropriate to find a job during the day and quickly pay off his debts.

When Lu Li first arrived in this world, he learned that immortals existed. He was overjoyed by this and fantasized that one day he could also embark on the path of cultivation.

However, he will be sixteen next month. He has neither the Great Wall of Sword Qi that can be summoned at will, nor the ring containing the old man, nor the big willow tree at the village entrance to help him cleanse his marrow, nor the kind of Gu worm that can be restarted by cheating.

If there's anything he has in common with those online novel protagonists from his past life, it's that he lost both his parents.

Of the six realms of reincarnation, the human realm is the most painful. He wanted to climb up and see the scenery at the top, but no matter how hard he tried, he never had that opportunity.

On the main street of Nanyang Town, before the sun had risen, Lu Li walked in the cold morning mist, exhaling a breath of mist, his body trembling slightly.

He suddenly remembered that he hadn't yet collected his mother's body.

Chapter 4 The junior brother was transformed into a junior sister by the master.

Qingyang Palace, Yujin Peak, Back Mountain.

A mechanical wooden crow quietly landed in front of a cave on the back mountain. It pecked at the barrier at the cave entrance a few times, and the light from the barrier quietly dissipated. The wooden crow went deep into the cave and skillfully opened various ingenious mechanisms and barriers, as if it were the master of this place.

When it arrived at the deepest part of the cave, it saw a high platform rising up, and on the platform sat a beautiful young woman.

The woman appeared to be around sixteen years old. She wore a light blue Taoist robe, and her silver-white hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

She was petite, with her eyes closed, delicate features, and fair skin like solidified cream, yet shimmering with the warm luster unique to porcelain glaze. Two lines of fine blue lines, like tear stains, hung down from beneath her eyes.

The woman simply sat there cross-legged, her beauty breathtaking, almost otherworldly. She exuded a chilling aura, making the entire cave feel eerily cold.

The crow looked the woman up and down, then eagerly burrowed under her skirt, nudging herself a couple of times. When it emerged again, its face showed utter disappointment.

"It's so pretty... It's not fully formed yet, it's still a little lacking. Oh well, I'll just make do with it for now."

After saying that, the wooden crow lay down next to the woman, its wooden wings flapping up and down as if it were making a hand seal.

Immediately afterwards, a phantom figure floated out from the wooden crow and was about to land on the woman when a cold snort came from outside the cave.

"Uncle-Master, now's the time! Make your move!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a magic array rose up from beneath the stone platform, and bright yellow stone locks sprang up from the ground, transforming into a stone prison that bound the woman within.

The woman suddenly opened her eyes, the cold aura around her dissipated, and her spiritual power was disrupted. She saw two people rushing in from outside the cave: a young man and an old Taoist priest with white hair.

"You unfilial disciple, what are you doing!"

"Reporting to Master, I believe your actions are against the rules of the sect. However, you are my master after all, and I cannot tell who is right and who is wrong. Therefore, I have informed Uncle Hou Ze of this matter and left it to him to decide."

"Junior Sister Duan, stop now. You've gone astray. You tried to fake your death to escape your debts and also tried to scam the death insurance. The beneficiary was your disciple. You thought this was a battle of wits and schemed for it, but little did you know that you were courting your own destruction."

Upon hearing this, the white-haired woman's face gradually darkened. She circulated all her spiritual power, and dozens of ice shards suddenly condensed and shot towards the stone prison. However, the inner wall of the stone prison was extremely solid, and no matter how the ice shards attacked, it remained unmoved.

"It's no use, junior sister. Your body is only at the Spirit Pivot Realm, while my Jade Soul Profound Yellow Prison is a fourth-rank artifact. Even cultivators at the third level of Creation Realm can't break through it."

The Puppet Master Realm is merely the beginning of Puppet Dao cultivation, corresponding to the first-stage Puppet. Above the Puppet Master Realm are the three major realms of Open Source, Spiritual Pivot, and Creation, corresponding to the second to fourth stages of Puppet. To attempt to break through the stone cage of a fourth-stage Puppet with the body of a puppet at the Spiritual Pivot Realm is nothing short of a fool's dream.

Duan Xuanyuan kept casting spells, trying to break the stone cage. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, her flat chest heaving up and down.

"Yang Jue, you treacherous disciple who betrays his own master! I have treated you well, yet you actually help outsiders against me. Do you even have any respect for me as your master?"

"You've treated me well? Heh heh heh, when you turned your junior brother into a human puppet, did you ever think of us as your master?"

Duan Xuanyuan surprisingly uttered a slightly androgynous voice as he slowly uttered two words.

"Senior brother..."

Hou Ze and Yang Jue both assumed that the unexpected call was directed at them, and they were both taken aback until Duan Xuanyuan spoke next.

"Senior Brother Yang, how have you been?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Jue's body trembled.

"That voice is my junior brother! You're not dead. No, that's not right. Who are you? Are you that old man or my junior brother?"

“That’s right, I’m not dead…” Suddenly, Duan Xuanyuan’s tone changed, a cold smile appeared on his lips, and even his voice changed. “Not dead? You’re right. Your junior brother was already refined into this body by me. You and your junior brother are really a pair of star-crossed lovers, hehehe.”

Yang Jue was completely dumbfounded.

He sized up the woman in front of him; her face bore a resemblance to his junior brother in his memory, which momentarily threw him into a panic.

How could this be? His junior brother is clearly a man. Although he's a bit nagging, he's a man. How could he have turned into this grotesque mess?

In other words, his junior brother was transformed into his junior sister by his master, and then possessed by him?

Just then, Elder Hou Ze said calmly:

"I never imagined that your [Reversal of Heavenly Dipper Instrument] could not only reverse cause and effect, but also reverse yin and yang. With this, you turned that disciple into the Qingling Female Puppet."

"Uncle-Master, are you saying that old woman used the Reversing Heavenly Dipper Instrument to turn my junior brother into a woman?"

“Senior brother is right, but I am not a complete woman yet. The final step to becoming a Qingling is this—”

Duan Xuanyuan reached out and shook hands.

The Demon Orb shatters!

boom!

A crimson hue spread from around her skirt, and then her aura surged again, breaking through from the Spirit Pivot Realm to the Creation Realm in one fell swoop.

The pressure of the Creation Realm instantly filled the entire cave. Yang Jue was so frightened that he quickly hid behind his Uncle Hou Ze.

Although Yang Jue was filled with resentment, he was also intimidated by the pressure of the Creation Realm expert. He could only brace himself and dare not breathe too loudly, and could only growl in a low voice:

"Uncle-Master, quick, quickly take her away."

Hou Ze raised an eyebrow, glanced at Yang Jue, and spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"Huh? What did you call me?"

"Master, Uncle-Master."

“If you were outside, you would call me ‘Uncle-Master’ and I wouldn’t argue with you. But now that your master has gone astray and you’ve come to me for help, what should you call me?”

"Master!"

"Hahaha, he's teachable. You can go out now... Junior Sister Duan, your disciple isn't stupid."

After saying that, Elder Hou rolled up his sleeves, revealing the mechanical arm beneath them. He exuded the aura of a peak Creation Realm expert and protected Yang Jue behind him. The next moment, the stone cage in front of them shattered with a crash.