Chapter 26: The President Returns! Puppet Shock!

These past few days.

Lu Qingfeng reached level 4 (18/20), and his cultivation also reached the peak of the Second Level of the Fetal Breathing Realm, with the possibility of breaking through at any moment.

With Inner Breath at his disposal, Lu Qingfeng was finally able to use an Alchemy Furnace.

Alchemy Furnaces are different from the medicinal material processing table.

Each Alchemy Furnace is meticulously refined by Artifact Refiners, assisting Alchemists to refine Elixir Pills more effectively and efficiently.

Like Wang Tao, he uses a Fourth-rank Talisman Alchemy Furnace—Purple Smoke!

It is etched with three hundred and thirty-six talismans, forming thirteen sets of talisman arrays including Gathering Spirit, Cooling, Flame, Temperature Control, and so on. Controlled with Inner Breath and True Qi, alchemy is done with much ease.

Using the medicinal material processing table, it takes Lu Qingfeng half an hour to refine a batch of Yellow Dragon Pills. But using Wang Tao's 'Purple Smoke', the time is shortened by the duration of an incense stick.

It might seem insignificant, but the accumulation over days and months should not be overlooked.

"Perhaps I can start learning Artifact Refining Skill from the Alchemy Furnace by collecting ores and metals in Miao Yin City!"

Lu Qingfeng pondered and stepped out of the Alchemy Room.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Just as he came out, the ground seemed to tremble slightly. Shortly after, a roaring sound reached his ears. Looking up, he saw a giant rapidly approaching from outside Yuan Yi Mountain.

This giant was the very cause of the earth's trembling!

"Is this—"

"Puppets?!"

Lu Qingfeng looked towards the 'giant', immediately thinking of the puppets Wang Tao had mentioned during the past few days!

According to Wang Tao, Mu Yuanyi, the president of Yuan Yi Guild, is a Foundation Establishment Elder from the Cui Ping Mountain's Spirit Mechanism Institute, a prominent figure in both status and strength within the institute.

And the Spirit Mechanism Institute is an annex established by the Spirit Void True Cultivators of the Great Hundred Skill Sect on Yunmeng Mountain hundreds of miles away.

Hundred Skill Sect, known as 'Hundred Skill', is top-notch in the entire East Victory Continent for its puppetry and the skill of refining various talismans and magical artifacts!

With Yuan Yi Guild backed by the Spirit Mechanism Institute, and the institute being an annex opened by the Spirit Void True Cultivators of Hundred Skill Sect, having puppets is not surprising at all.

But for Lu Qingfeng, witnessing a seven- or eight-zhang-tall Human-shaped Puppet was still overwhelmingly shocking.

Upon a closer look, behind the seven- or eight-zhang-tall Human-shaped Puppet, there were nine slightly smaller puppets, about two to three zhang tall each. Alone they might be equally shocking, but following behind the giant puppet, they seemed a bit overshadowed.

These puppets bore various signs of battle, and their bodies were stained with dark red blood, indicating they had experienced a fierce fight!

"These are our Yuan Yi Mountain's Mechanical Puppets, so powerful!"

"Of course! These were refined by the elders entrusted by Spirit Mechanism Institute. The biggest one can sweep away Sixth Rank demon beasts, and the other nine can battle against Fourth and Fifth-Order demon beasts!"

"I wonder when I'll be able to have a puppet of my own!"

...

Behind Lu Qingfeng, many members of Yuan Yi Guild, alerted by the commotion at the foot of the mountain, ran out to see what was happening.

They arrived earlier than Lu Qingfeng and had seen these puppets before but were still startled by the sight.

"Old Lu, come with me."

Lu Qingfeng watched the ten puppets vanish from sight and turned to hear Wang Tao's call.

Lu Qingfeng hurriedly followed.

"The president and the others are back; I'll take you to meet them," Wang Tao said as he led Lu Qingfeng forward while explaining.

In no time.

They arrived at the back mountain of Yuan Yi Mountain.

Lu Qingfeng, having become familiar with Yuan Yi Mountain over the past few days, knew that the back mountain was a forbidden area for Yuan Yi Guild. Strictly speaking, he was not yet a member of Yuan Yi Guild, so he wasn't allowed to enter. This time, with Wang Tao leading the way, they proceeded unimpeded.

The back mountain was completely different from the front mountain.

The front mountain is gentle, lush with vegetation. The back mountain, however, is steep, with odd-shaped rocks protruding everywhere.

Lu Qingfeng saw a large and nine little puppets disappear into the sheer cliffs of the back mountain without a trace.

Not long after.

A dozen figures leapt up from the foot of the mountain in a few bounds.

The person leading them, dressed in a black battle robe, appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a resolute face, sharp features.

This is the Yuan Yi Guild leader, and the Foundation Establishment Elder of the Spirit Mechanism Institute at Cui Ping Mountain—

Mu Yuanyi!

"Brother Wang, is this the newcomer Old Lu mentioned?" Mu Yuanyi's voice was deep and magnetic, making a good impression at once.

"Yes, Lu Qingfeng, a low-level Alchemy Apprentice. When it comes to refining low-level elixirs, I must say I am inferior to Old Yue," said Wang Tao, generously praising after his introduction.

"Brother Wang flatters me."

Lu Qingfeng humbly replied, and then greeted Mu Yuanyi with a cupped fist, "Lu Qingfeng pays respect to the Guild Leader."

"No need for such formalities among our own brothers."

"Old Wang and Old Yue have an eye for talent. Given their high evaluation of you, I will have people construct a third Alchemy Room in the next couple of days for Brother Lu to manage."

Mu Yuanyi didn't bother to check and directly settled the matter.

He then introduced Lu Qingfeng to the several people behind him.

"Lao Zhang, Zhang Zong, a top-level artifact refining apprentice, currently studying Puppetry Technique."

"Lao Yu, Yu Bufan, a Sword Cultivator, whose combat strength ranks within the top three in the guild."

Mu Yuanyi introduced all the dozen people behind him, with Zhang Zong and Wang Bufan receiving special introductions. Wang Tao also transmitted messages to Lu Qingfeng secretly, informing him that these two were the last two members of Yuan Yi Guild.

At this moment, those gathered here were the top fighters of the Yuan Yi Guild.

Mu Yuanyi, Zhang Zong, Yu Bufan, and the other three Foundation Establishment Practitioners combined. The remaining twelve, with cultivation levels ranging from the Seventh Layer to the Ninth Layer of the True Qi Realm. Commanding Human-shaped Puppets, their combat strength was no less than that of Foundation Establishment Practitioners!

It's easy to advance from the Fetal Breathing Realm to the True Qi Realm, but to progress from the True Qi Realm to Foundation Establishment involves a transformation from the Postnatal stage to the Innate stage, which is extremely difficult. An untold number of cultivators are blocked at this step.

Lu Qingfeng, in Black Sand Town, had seen too many cultivators stuck in the True Qi Realm.

Including Daoist Huang Luo, who he was on very good terms with!

Foundation Establishment is not easy; within the entire Yuan Yi Guild, there are only three Foundation Establishment Practitioners including Mu Yuanyi.

They were there on an assignment from the Spirit Mechanism Institute, to head over a hundred miles southeast to Mushan City to suppress a beast tide.

More than ten days ago, they had killed the Sixth Rank demon beast that triggered the beast tide. It took a few more days to clear out the beast tide, and only today did they return to Yuan Yi Mountain.

"Guild Leader, what kind of demon beast was causing trouble this time? I heard that the Yama Guild, Blood Wolf Guild, and Green Flame Guild were all assigned this job too!"

As the group walked towards the mountain summit, Wang Tao asked curiously.

Four of the eight major guilds in Sishui Town were mobilized at once, indicating that this beast tide was no ordinary event.

"It was a Three-headed Python," Mu Yuanyi pursed his lips as he said.

"A Three-headed Python?"

"The legendary Three-headed Python that can spew water, fire, and wind spells, and even consume talismans and magic artifacts?" Wang Tao's eyebrows twitched.

"That's right."

"This Three-headed Python must have cultivated for countless years, reaching the Sixth Rank. With its innate spell power and its ability to counter magic artifacts, it's nearly invincible in the Foundation Establishment Stage. Together with the Yama, Blood Wolf, and Green Flame Guilds, we fought for more than two hours before we were finally able to kill it."

Mu Yuanyi recalled with a hint of trepidation on his face.

Beside him, Zhang Zong, who appeared middle-aged, spoke up, "We still fared well. The Blood Wolf Guild's treasure, the Blood Wolf Puppet, was bitten in half, a serious blow. Before the Blood Wolf Puppet can be repaired, I fear they will have to lay low!"

Lu Qingfeng walked alongside everyone, listening to their discussion about the mission.

All sorts of strange demon beasts, various puppets, and incredibly thrilling battles—it was truly an eye-opener.