The Heavenly Puppet Technique

At the sudden turn of events, Zhou Wuji's immediate reflex was to tighten the flesh, sinews, and bones of his hand. Having cultivated the Five Tigers Fist to grand attainment, his skin, flesh, and bones were as unyielding as steel. While that would not suffice against weapons wielded by a martial artist of equal rank, tensing his hand at this moment was enough to withstand the tendrils branching out from the bronze figurine. Just as Zhou Wuji was about to forcibly rip the thing away, he heard an eerie laugh. He quickly realized something was amiss. The laughter pierced straight into the depths between his brows; it was not heard with his ears, but transmitted directly into his divine sense through his sea of consciousness. *Could it be some kind of evil entity?* Confronted with such a bizarre anomaly, Zhou Wuji did not panic. First, he activated the Pure Heart Divine Incantation. A bronze figurine whose spirituality was on the verge of dying out had limited strength no matter how formidable it once was; there was no need to be overly alarmed. The Pure Heart Divine Incantation was more than sufficient to protect his mind and consciousness from external corrosion. Zhou Wuji reached out and seized the bronze centipede. Within his sea of consciousness, the eerie laughter continued. He sensed that sword intent would be useless here. Dealing with such an inexplicable evil entity required spells. Silently chanting the incantation, Zhou Wuji pointed a finger. A deep-blue Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword condensed from true qi plunged into the bronze centipede. The spiritual radiance that had flickered faintly in his Six Yang Dharma Eyes silently dispersed, and the eerie laughter ceased at that very moment. Words surfaced upon the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment: *Slain damaged evil spirit, convertible to four liang and seven qian of primordial profound spirit.* Only then did Zhou Wuji breathe a sigh of relief. A damaged evil spirit had actually yielded four liang and seven qian—far stronger than any ghost or spirit he had ever encountered, and significantly more than that Rank 6 ghost soldier. That such a powerful evil spirit had been obliterated by his Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword was somewhat hard to believe. He suddenly thought of the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment. Since this divine artifact had fused into one with him, it would surely protect his divine soul as well. Had the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword he cast also received the empowerment of the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, allowing it to slay the evil spirit with such ease? The Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment was wondrous beyond measure. Zhou Wuji had constantly been exploring the divine artifact's true applications, but too little time had passed, and his understanding of it remained shallow. With its evil spirit eradicated, the bronze centipede transformed once more into a scroll of bronze bamboo slips, engraved with thousands upon thousands of characters. These tadpole-like glyphs seemed alive, swimming across the bronze slips. When Zhou Wuji's gaze fell upon the bronze slips, his divine sense naturally comprehended the meaning conveyed by the tadpole glyphs. It was a secret technique entitled the *Heavenly Puppet Technique*. This technique took all living beings and all things in creation as puppets, possessing myriad variations. Its foundation was the Thread Pulling Technique, divided into three realms: Form Pulling, Spirit Pulling, and Soul Pulling. Form Pulling was the simplest. For instance, this bronze figurine was an already crafted Heavenly Puppet. Once one mastered the Heavenly Puppet Technique, one could turn the bronze figurine into a puppet and control it at will. Since the bronze figurine could change size at will, could it itself be a formidable... magic treasure? According to Daoist classifications, magic implements were divided into nine ranks, and those above Rank 1 were called magic treasures. Magic treasures were likewise categorized into nine ranks, and beyond a Rank 1 magic treasure lay divine artifacts. Zhou Wuji had heard his master explain these divisions. The Seven Stars Sword in his hand was a Rank 7 magic implement, specifically designed to suppress demons, ghosts, and monsters. Just like that Rank 6 ghost soldier—formidable though it was, with a body as hard as steel when solidified—it had collapsed upon contact beneath the Seven Stars Sword. While this was certainly due to his sharp swordplay, it was even more so because the Seven Stars Sword specifically countered all variations of yin qi. If a Rank 7 magic implement possessed such power, what feats could this bronze figurine in his hands pull off? According to ancient records, magic treasures either possessed tremendous might or transformed at will, boasting all sorts of inconceivable powers. Since the bronze figurine could transform at will, it matched the characteristics of a magic treasure. Even if it were only a Rank 9 magic treasure of the lowest tier, it would still be an extraordinary prize. Zhou Wuji could not help but sigh with emotion. His luck this time had truly been exceptional. Not only had he turned the tables and slain a Rank 6 demonic cultivator, but he had also obtained a magic treasure from a mere banner corporal. Evidently, this magic treasure was an heirloom passed down through some cultivator sect, which had somehow ended up in Jin Chuan's hands. A method like the *Heavenly Puppet Technique*, which made puppets of all creation and living beings, was completely unheard of to him. Upon the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, the *Heavenly Puppet Technique* had already appeared. As the preeminent slaughtering divine artifact of the Daoist sects, the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment could not only convert profound qi, profound spirit, and profound essence, but also possessed the innate capability to discern and rectify all external techniques. Zhou Wuji had been using the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment for two months now, and this was an insight he had gained through experience. Whenever he used the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment to empower spells or martial arts, he might fail to master them, but he would never cultivate them incorrectly. This alone was enough to ensure he never took a wrong step. With the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment as his foundation, he had no fear of cultivating a flawed method that would shorten his lifespan or claim his life. Zhou Wuji felt that the *Heavenly Puppet Technique* was quite complex. He tried investing a little over one liang of destiny pattern to convert into primordial profound spirit. Purple light unfolded, and he began his arduous cultivation of the Heavenly Puppet Technique. When the purple light faded and Zhou Wuji opened his eyes, the *Heavenly Puppet Technique* was marked on the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment as *Rudimentary*. A destiny pattern of just over one liang was indeed not worth much, but his current realm was no longer low; ordinarily, a little over one liang of primordial profound spirit should have produced decent results. Equating to ten to twenty years of cultivation just to reach the rudimentary level, this *Heavenly Puppet Technique* was truly intricate and profound. Zhou Wuji selected two more destiny patterns of over two liang each, advancing to the *Proficient* realm after bitter cultivation. At this stage, Zhou Wuji knew he was approaching the limit. The deeper one cultivated the Heavenly Puppet Technique, the more complex it became. To advance to the *Mastered* realm, he feared even a destiny pattern of over three liang would not suffice. His only high-rank destiny pattern now was the Rank 6 demonic cultivator's, which measured a full four liang and one qian. Such a high destiny pattern could be used to advance his swordplay or his Five Tigers Fist, either of which would directly bolster his combat strength. Even using it to advance the *Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture* would directly elevate his cultivation base. Using it on the *Heavenly Puppet Technique* seemed somewhat wasteful. Zhou Wuji considered it for a moment, then decided to upgrade the *Heavenly Puppet Technique* first. His swordplay had reached the realm of Transformation; the demonic cultivator's four-liang-one-qian destiny pattern alone could not possibly raise it to the Perfection realm. As for the Five Tigers Fist, it posed a different problem: taking another step forward would very likely generate true qi and form a qi sea. For a martial artist, this would be a monumental breakthrough, but for him, it would be a major trouble. He circulated true qi according to the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture, unifying that true qi with the power of his Five Tigers Fist through his sword intent. If the Five Tigers Fist gave birth to its own true qi, it would inevitably clash with the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot true qi. With his current martial attainments, he was not yet capable of resolving the conflict of fusing disparate kinds of true qi. Powerful though the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment was, it was not a living being after all, and might not necessarily resolve the clash between the Five Tigers Fist and the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture. The risk was too great. If the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment failed to solve the issue, he would be the one finished off. There was no need to take such a gamble. The *Heavenly Puppet Technique* was, after all, a profound spell, and he already possessed the matching magic treasure, the Heavenly Puppet. Cultivating the *Heavenly Puppet Technique* well would allow him to bring out the magic treasure's power. Without hesitation, Zhou Wuji invested the four-liang-one-qian destiny pattern. Purple light unfolded, and he began cultivating the *Heavenly Puppet Technique*. When he opened his eyes again, the Heavenly Puppet Technique had reached the Mastered level. Zhou Wuji had attained thorough mastery over the various transformations of the Thread Pulling Technique, harboring no further doubts. In the context of the intricate and profound *Heavenly Puppet Technique*, he had actually only reached the level of Form Pulling, but that was already more than enough for his current needs. He also learned the name of this magic treasure: Heavenly Puppet. "Heavenly Puppet" was merely a general designation used to describe the puppet's formidable nature. The one in his hands was likely a magic treasure forged by an expert or an heirloom passed down through a sect. Zhou Wuji activated the Thread Pulling Technique. True qi and divine sense condensed into tens of thousands of invisible threads that settled upon the Heavenly Puppet. In an instant, Zhou Wuji established a tight connection with the Heavenly Puppet. It felt as though it had become an extension of his own hand, completely subject to his control. Circulating the Heavenly Puppet Technique, Zhou Wuji watched as the Heavenly Puppet rapidly expanded and grew taller, soon turning into a humanoid puppet the same height as himself. The Heavenly Puppet was not made of true bronze. Under the stimulation of divine sense and true qi, it morphed as freely as liquid mercury. What maintained the framework of the transformation was the Heavenly Puppet Technique; as for what specific form it took, that depended on the controller's skill and intent. Zhou Wuji manipulated the Heavenly Puppet to assume his appearance. In facial features and stature, it was indeed remarkably similar, though its metallic luster could not be entirely masked. Between its brows, the resemblance was merely skin-deep, lacking the genuine spiritual spark in the eyes. Next, Zhou Wuji conducted various tests with the Heavenly Puppet, such as throwing punches, wielding a saber, and so forth. Through the precise manipulation of the Thread Pulling Technique, the Heavenly Puppet could transform into almost anything. He could even release true qi through it, though its potency was diminished by about thirty percent. Controlling the Heavenly Puppet constantly drained his true qi and divine sense. With his current cultivation, he could sustain it in an all-out battle for at most ten breaths of time. The benefit was that the Heavenly Puppet could be controlled remotely; his divine sense currently reached up to a hundred paces away. The greater the distance, the greater the drain on his energy. For now, despite the Heavenly Puppet's special material, due to the various drains of controlling it, its combat strength would always remain thirty to forty percent lower than his own. The advantage, however, was that the puppet feared no death. Because of the Heavenly Puppet's unique material, it retained exceptional sturdiness and human form after morphing. He could also control it to become armor or a weapon, which had considerable utility in combat. Finally, the Heavenly Puppet could even possess other living beings—such as Jin Chuan here. Looking down at the unconscious Jin Chuan, Zhou Wuji's gaze gradually grew profound and cold... Having restored his true qi and divine sense, Zhou Wuji pointed toward Jin Chuan. The Heavenly Puppet dissolved into wisps of green light that sank into Jin Chuan's body. The green light continued to seep in. It took nearly half an hour for the light to completely submerge into Jin Chuan's body, truly merging into his limbs and bones. The unconscious Jin Chuan showed no reaction throughout, nor did Zhou Wuji need him to. Zhou Wuji directly took control of the Heavenly Puppet, and the unconscious Jin Chuan stood up. Under his control, the unconscious Jin Chuan threw a series of punches, then drew his saber to run through a set of saber techniques. By all indications, the energy consumption was roughly the same as controlling the Heavenly Puppet alone. What remained uncertain was how much of an impact Jin Chuan waking up would have on controlling the puppet. Zhou Wuji was in no rush; he still had time to ponder and experiment. Jin Chuan was of little consequence, but Wu Di had to die. As for Centurion Zhang Yunfeng, that matter still needed investigating. If Zhang Yunfeng truly intended to make trouble for him, Zhang Yunfeng wouldn't be allowed to live either. Everything else was open to discussion and compromise, but he only had one life. If the other party wanted his life, there was nothing left to discuss. Wu Di and Zhang Yunfeng were both members of the Iron Clothes Guard and not to be trifled with lightly. This was an important reason he had chosen to cultivate the Heavenly Puppet Technique. Certain matters that were inconvenient for him to handle in person could be left to the Heavenly Puppet. This time, he could use Wu Di to test its capabilities. If all else failed, he would disguise himself as a martial artist, charge straight in, and beat the bastard to death. With the formidable Five Tigers Fist, no one would ever suspect him. After working through the night until dawn, Jin Chuan finally awoke. Clutching the back of his head with a couple of groans, his consciousness gradually cleared. Finding himself still alive, Jin Chuan felt that his headache was no longer as severe. But as soon as he turned his head and saw Zhou Wuji sitting in a wooden chair nearby, seeing that faint, mocking smile on Zhou Wuji's face, he plummeted straight into the abyss... "Don't be afraid. Where did you get that bronze figurine? Explain the situation clearly from beginning to end. As long as you cooperate, everything can be worked out." Zhou Wuji spoke with a pleasant countenance and a remarkably gentle demeanor. This settled Jin Chuan's heart slightly; he guessed that the bronze figurine might truly be an extraordinary treasure, which was why Zhou Wuji's attitude had softened. Yet Jin Chuan hesitated. Should he really tell the truth? If he laid everything bare, would Zhou Wuji silence him to keep the secret?