Daoist Baihua had come to report on her work to Li Ping.
Of course, her primary purpose was to ask for Source Power Essence.
After absorbing it several times and seeing her strength leap forward, Baihua had tasted the sweetness and could no longer bear to part with it.
In truth, the golden Source Power created through the prayer rituals of the You people was still slightly inferior to true Source Power Essence.
Yet for an ancient method Longevity cultivator like Baihua, so long as it allowed her to advance further, it was practically indistinguishable from the genuine article.
While greeting Li Ping, Baihua also noticed Qiaogong and Tianyang at his side.
Though Tianyang appeared merely as a teenage youth, the power harbored within him gave Baihua a secret chill of apprehension.
As for Qiaogong, he gave Baihua a familiar impression.
It was the aura of a cultivator from beyond the Xuanhuang Realm.
After sizing the two up carefully, Baihua did not press the matter.
Far too many bizarre figures had gathered in the Great Qi Sacred Dynasty. She had long since grown accustomed to seeing strange things.
For her, this was actually a good thing.
Having obtained the Source Power Essence from Li Ping, Baihua departed in high spirits.
"Fellow Daoist, who was that?" Qiaogong asked somewhat tentatively.
"Daoist Baihua, former sect master of the Tianlian Sect in the Wansheng Realm," Li Ping introduced succinctly.
A single simple sentence shocked Qiaogong while sending his thoughts racing.
She, too, was a survivor from another cultivation realm just like him. Were there even more of them within this pocket world?
Carrying this question, Qiaogong and Tianyang followed Li Ping on a broad tour of the Great Qi Sacred Dynasty.
Whether it was the Immortal Spirit Tower endlessly discharging spiritual energy day and night, or the Sky-Patrolling Arrows sweeping across the sky on alert patrol, both filled the two with marvel.
During their journey, the unfathomable figures they occasionally crossed paths with made them realize all the more clearly: the Great Qi Sacred Dynasty harbored crouching tigers and hidden dragons, and existences like them...
There were many more.
Eventually, they arrived inside the Holy Emperor Throne.
Li Ping returned to his rightful place and looked down upon the two, his voice echoing through the vast, empty structure.
"Fellow Daoist Qiaogong, I know your artifact crafting skills are superb."
"I have several concepts here for refining a new type of puppet; you might consider consulting them."
Qiaogong was soon captivated by the blueprint Li Ping presented.
"Source Power Essence combined with the Path of Bodily Transformation, supplemented by the crafting techniques of the Tianji Realm..."
"To forge an existence endowed with its own consciousness, rivaling an immortal-grade puppet."
The more Qiaogong read, the more excited he became.
In his view, this plan was completely feasible. Many of its conceptions even coincided with notions he had harbored for a long time.
"I will carve out a dedicated space within the Great Qi pocket world to serve as your research quarters,"
"Tianyang will assist you as well,"
Li Ping continued. "First refine a few puppets to test your hand. Once you are certain there are no issues, assist Tianyang with his modification."
Hearing this, Qiaogong glanced at Tianyang, and understanding suddenly dawned on him.
"Mo Yan as the foundation, with Source Power Essence aiding sublimation..."
"Once brought to completion, his strength will likely be no lower than a Xuanhuang Longevity cultivator!"
At the thought that a Longevity—or in a sense, an immortal-grade—existence could truly be born from his own hands in the future, Qiaogong was privately thrilled.
Shortly after coordinating with the relevant personnel of Great Qi, Qiaogong impatiently set to work.
'Everything is prepared. Next is waiting for the people of the Medicine King Sect to return,' Li Ping thought to himself.
He had long laid an inescapable net; once the Medicine King Cauldron returned to the Xuanhuang Realm, it would be drawn straight into the Great Qi pocket world.
Although medicinal pills did little to raise Great Qi's overall strength, Li Ping possessed quite a few venomous pill formulas capable of severely crippling the cultivators of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.
The Faceless Holy Emperor sat upon the Holy Emperor Throne, reviewing all recent affairs of the Sacred Dynasty in his mind.
Without needing his intervention in every minor detail, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion, developing steadily toward the good.
Under circumstances where everyone knew the Holy Emperor watched at all times, no one dared to slacken.
After looking over various trivial matters, the Holy Emperor's thoughts gradually settled.
With a flicker of his figure, he arrived the next moment in a gloomy secret chamber beneath the Holy Emperor Throne.
This place was like a boundless starry sky, where dozens of treasures floated silently like stars, radiating brilliant light.
The Sacred Dynasty's fishing competition had never ceased for a single moment.
The treasures pulled from the fishing pond were countless as well.
The oath Li Ping had originally sworn remained unbroken.
These treasures belonged entirely to the individual subjects of the Sacred Dynasty.
Of course, those who did not need a treasure due to personal disposition or because they could not discern its specific use could choose to hand it over in exchange for other rewards.
Inside this treasury lay such unowned treasures from the fishing pond.
Most of them Li Fan did not care much about.
Except for one among them...
Li Ping extended his right hand, and golden Source Power Essence suddenly manifested.
One of the light clusters in the treasury reacted the fastest. Before any of the others could make a move, it had already arrived beside Li Ping.
It spun ceaselessly, as if currying favor.
Within the cluster of light, a tiny kitten could be faintly seen, gazing eagerly up at Li Ping.
Li Ping condensed the Source Power Essence at his fingertips, and the little kitten instantly understood his intent.
Mewing with joy, it drew near and began licking Li Ping's fingers.
'Resembling a beast yet not a beast; resembling an artifact yet not an artifact. The vast sea of stars is truly full of myriad wonders. Even such a creation exists,' Li Ping could not help marveling inwardly.
This little kitten seemed harmless to humans and beasts alike.
Yet when it drew near, the giant web of golden Source Power within Li Fan's body sensed danger and spontaneously mounted a defense.
Though it seemed like a living thing, it possessed not the slightest aura of life.
In fact, after it was fished up, it had initially been merely a kitten-shaped statuette.
No matter what methods that lucky angler tried, he could not discover the use of the cat statuette. In the end, he had crestfallenly handed it over to the Sacred Dynasty in exchange for other rewards.
At first, even Li Ping had not noticed anything unusual about it.
Until one day, he abruptly realized that the treasures kept in the treasury were mysteriously dwindling. Only after baiting it with Source Power Essence in a sting operation did he catch the culprit.
A cat was merely one of its forms.
Having eaten its fill, it was lazily preparing to sleep when it felt the intent transmitted by Li Ping.
Though somewhat reluctant, considering its future meals, the tiny kitten still let out a weak, languid growl.
Following a flash of dark greenish light, the tiny kitten transformed into the shape of a small square box.
Engraved across the sides of the box were bizarre scenes.
Stars falling from the heavens, and myriad beasts teeming across the earth.
In the sea of stars, countless gargantuan starships stretched out in an unbroken, majestic line.
Two colossal figures stood facing each other, divided down the middle by a river of light and shadow.
...
Li Ping held the small square box and aimed it at one of the light clusters in the treasury.
From one end of the box, a faint greenish glow burst forth in an instant.
It enveloped the cluster of light completely.
Chapter 1220