"The Heavenly Demon Puppet — a puppetry technique passed down since ancient times. To refine such a puppet, three essences must be gathered as one: the body, the soul, and the monster core. The body serves as the vessel, the soul as the guide, and the core as the heart. Combined with numerous materials and tempered through flame, one can forge a Demon Puppet of unmatched might."
"These puppets are divided into three grades — Heaven, Earth, and Human. Their rank depends upon the materials used and the strength of the refining flame. They feel neither joy nor sorrow, pain nor fatigue. They exist solely as weapons of slaughter…"
Liu Xi's calm voice echoed through the cave as he read each line.
Beside him, Su Qian and Xiao Yixian stood in silence, both shaken by the cruelty and dominance of this ancient technique.
After finishing the passage, Liu Xi rolled up the bamboo slip and said evenly, "Grand Elder, I'll be keeping this puppet technique."
Su Qian nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's too bloody to be kept within the academy. That Monster Core must have been prepared by the Earth Demon Old Ghost himself. Take it — it's yours."
He had no objection; Liu Xi had contributed the most to the destruction of Demon Flame Valley, and the academy had already gained a Di Class mid-level Qi Method and Dou Technique from the spoils.
Without hesitation, Liu Xi stored the bamboo slip and the fiery red 7th Rank Monster Core into his Storage Ring. This puppet technique's potential was boundless — the more powerful the body, the core, and the soul used, the stronger the resulting puppet would become.
Casting his gaze across the wooden racks, Liu Xi gathered all the rare medicinal herbs and minerals, leaving behind the Xuan Class Qi Methods, Dou Techniques, and weapons for the academy — to enrich its foundation for generations to come.
---
Within the Valley Square
With every threat in Demon Flame Valley wiped out and its treasures seized, the elders of the Inner Academy assembled under the open sky.
Su Qian's tone carried a trace of reluctance. "Elder Liu, are you certain you won't return to the Inner Academy?"
Liu Xi's calm gaze met his. "No. I've already bid farewell to everyone. Next, we'll head to the Central Plains."
Su Qian smiled faintly. "A good man's ambitions should reach far beyond these mountains. Still, remember — Jia Nan Academy will always be your home. You're welcome back anytime, Elder Liu."
Liu Xi returned his smile. "I'll remember that."
Su Qian nodded once more, then turned and ascended into the sky. Behind him, Qin Xuan and the other elders followed suit, spreading their Dou Qi wings as they vanished into the clouds.
"Big Brother, are we going to the Central Plains now?" Zi Yan asked, turning toward Liu Xi.
Xiao Yixian said nothing, but her gentle eyes were filled with the same question.
Liu Xi stretched lazily, smiling. "No hurry. Before that, I'll refine the Heavenly Demon Puppet. Once completed, it'll be a weapon worth remembering."
---
The once-bustling Demon Flame Valley was now utterly silent. Those who hadn't perished had long fled.
Deep in its heart, Liu Xi discovered a secluded cave residence — likely once an elder's place of seclusion, now his temporary forge.
He unrolled the bamboo slip again, carefully studying the refining diagrams and formulae.
After two hours, every detail of the process had been engraved into his mind.
Putting the slip away, he summoned the charred body of the Earth Demon Old Ghost from his Storage Ring.
He examined it for a moment, then spoke softly, "Elder Yao, I'll use this 7-Star Dou Zong body for now. When the chance comes, I'll forge you a stronger vessel."
From within the ring came Yao Tianhuo's calm voice. "As you wish, little friend. I only seek another chance at life. This body, crude as it is, will do for now."
The corpse was blackened, its flesh still tainted by remnants of Xiao Yixian's Woeful Poison Blood. Because of that lingering toxin, traces of the Earth Demon Old Ghost's soul still clung to the body — a useful advantage for the refinement ahead.
Raising his hand, Liu Xi summoned a wisp of cyan flame. The Heavenly Flame coiled and danced along his fingertips, then crept across the corpse, enveloping it in its radiant heat. Under his expert control, the temperature fluctuated within precise limits, neither too fierce nor too faint.
Soon, the body began to glow a dull crimson. Wisps of gray-black vapor seeped from its pores, burning into nothingness under the cyan flame's purifying glow.
That smoke was the last remnant of Xiao Yixian's poison — an impurity that would otherwise disrupt the fusion of body, soul, and monster core. It had to be eradicated completely.
Moments later, a sharp, ghostly wail pierced the silence.
"Ahhh! Damn you, brat! Even after my death, you won't let me rest?! I curse you — may you die without a grave!"
The anguished, hate-filled voice of the Earth Demon Old Ghost echoed through the cavern.
Liu Xi's expression didn't flicker — not even once.
His focus split in two, applying his Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique to temper both the corpse and the lingering soul simultaneously. The process was slow and grueling. Three hours passed before the body had been fully tempered, now reduced in size and coated in an eerie gray-white sheen.
The soul's screams faded into whimpers, then silence. In that instant, the final trace of its spiritual mark vanished — the Earth Demon Old Ghost was no more.
With a flick of his finger, Liu Xi sent a gust of wind through the air, carving open a hole in the corpse's chest.
He retrieved the 7th Rank Monster Core and placed it within the cavity, embedding it deep into the chest before resuming the refinement.
At the same time, he drew forth several rare metallic ores from his ring — each glowing with a different hue. With another gesture, he ignited more streams of cyan flame, melting the metals into a shimmering dark-gold liquid.
Days passed.
By the fifth day, the ores had merged completely into the molten solution, glowing faintly within the firelight. Yet the fusion between the corpse, soul, and core still wasn't perfect.
Liu Xi, however, was patient. Years of alchemy had honed his endurance. He waited in silence.
Two days later, a faint light flashed in his eyes. 'It's ready.'
Forming a mysterious hand seal, Liu Xi chanted an ancient, guttural syllable.
The corpse trembled violently. The fragments of the Earth Demon Old Ghost's soul shattered under the sound, dispersing into countless motes of light that flooded through the body.
At the same moment, the Monster Core pulsed — torrents of fiery energy burst outward like a released flood, surging through the corpse's meridians.
A vast, emotionless aura erupted from the body — cold, mechanical, yet as powerful as a 5-Star Dou Zong.
Liu Xi's lips curved faintly. With a wave of his hand, the molten golden liquid cascaded down like a shining rain.
Hiss! Hiss!
The molten metal struck the flesh, releasing bursts of white steam and the acrid stench of burning flesh. Using his Spiritual Power, Liu Xi spread the liquid evenly, coating every inch of the body.
Soon, the sizzling intensified, the air thick with white smoke.
Liu Xi frowned slightly. "What a foul smell…"
With a flick of his sleeve, waves of cyan flame surged forth, enveloping the corpse entirely. The last step of refinement had begun.
The most dangerous phase was over — now, it was merely a matter of time. He waited in silence, watching as the Heavenly Demon Puppet began to take its final form.
(End of Chapter)
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