Chapter 146: Zhao Xing's Astonishment – The Legendary Master of the Straw Puppet Technique!

Following the straw puppet, Zhao Xing reached a level area halfway up the mountain. A palace loomed ahead, surrounded by several plots of land, all planted with flowers, grass, and trees, ranging from second to fourth rank.

The benefit of being a Shennong was that large-scale construction projects were quite easy. Any moderately skilled Shennong could build their own luxurious residence, with the size, if not the grandeur, guaranteed.

Walking along the stone-paved path, Zhao Xing passed by a plantation outside the palace walls. Straw puppets were at work everywhere—some were wielding hoes to dig, others were sawing trees, and there were even straw puppets swiftly walking by with bundles of firewood on their backs.

Inside the palace walls, Zhao Xing saw even more straw puppets. On the training ground, they were clashing with swords, spears, and halberds. As he passed a pond, one puppet was fishing quietly by the water's edge. In another corridor, a puppet emerged from the ground, holding a golden stone in its hand. In the distance, another puppet was sitting in a pavilion, engrossed in a book.

Even with Zhao Xing's vast experience, the sight made his scalp tingle.

This was because all the straw puppets looked exactly like Liu Tianning!

Moreover, some of these "Liu Tianning" puppets appeared quite strange—some had broken limbs, which seemed normal, but others were missing their heads and still walking around.

Though the puppets shared the same appearance, their expressions varied. Some had a cold and sinister aura, others were sunny and cheerful, while a few appeared deranged or even insane.

"A fifth-ranked Shennong, having reached the Pure Essence realm, with ample energy to support so many puppets, isn't surprising. But Liu Tianning's obsession with the Straw Puppet Technique, and his insistence on making them all look like himself..."

Zhao Xing couldn't help but question the mental state of this powerful figure.

Genius and madness often walk a thin line—or perhaps Liu Tianning was both a genius and a madman!

When Zhao Xing reached the main palace, he found about a hundred people already gathered there.

His arrival didn't draw much attention.

Everyone's focus was on the straw puppets.

"This place is called the Palace of Myriad Techniques. I use my straw puppets to demonstrate all kinds of techniques, day and night, year-round," explained one of the straw puppets.

"On the demonstration grounds, there are eighteen mid-level Straw Puppet Techniques that are not part of the imperial court's official curriculum."

"You may observe and learn from them as you wish or explore the various sections of the palace."

"If you wish to earn points, you must master one mid-level Straw Puppet Technique and practice it to the fourth transformation."

"Passing the third trial will reward you with 800 points."

"In one month, there will be a ranking competition using the Straw Puppet Techniques. The first-place winner will receive 50,000 points."

"Do you have any further questions?" the puppet asked.

"No more questions," Zhao Xing shook his head.

"If you do have questions, feel free to ask here," the puppet said with a smile. "If you're just looking for directions, ask any puppet with the character 'Liu' on its clothes."

"Understood." Zhao Xing cupped his hands in thanks.

The puppet then turned and blended into the crowd of straw puppets, disappearing so quickly that Zhao Xing couldn't tell which one had led him here.

Zhao Xing didn't start studying immediately. Instead, he observed his surroundings.

Most of the straw puppets moved along fixed paths. For example, those tasked with digging only dug, and those watering plants only watered. These were Servant Puppets, which followed simple commands, but the way the Five Elements energy flowed within them was far more sophisticated than the ones Zhao Xing had made before.

There were also some puppets with greater autonomy—they could speak, see, and hear. These had the character "Liu" on their clothes.

"So this Palace of Myriad Techniques... He is none other than the famous Liu Banfeng from the era of Emperor Wu!"

"No wonder! With so many Self Straw Puppets... It's no surprise he went mad. He started making these 'Self Straw Puppets' this early in his career..."

Zhao Xing was astonished as a familiar name came to mind.

Liu Tianning, though his appearance hadn't changed much from later years, lacked the dark and crazed aura that would eventually become his trademark.

Zhao Xing hadn't recognized the name at first but now realized the man before him was the infamous figure known by his nickname and reputation.

It all clicked when he saw the Palace of Myriad Techniques.

Liu Tianning had shocked the world with his mastery of the Straw Puppet Technique during the reign of Emperor Wu. He held the title of Second-Rank Transport Commissioner, responsible for supplying the grain and provisions of the ten Imperial Guard armies.

He didn't just manage the supply for one army; all the grain and provisions for the ten armies fell under his command.

Furthermore, Liu Tianning was also appointed as the "Inspector of the Three Armies," wielding the prestigious Nine-Section Staff. He had the authority to investigate and punish any misdeeds by fourth-rank or lower Shennong, with the power to execute first and report later.

At his peak, Liu Tianning oversaw armies numbering over a hundred thousand, extending his authority over the Four Great Barbarians Expeditionary Corps.

His palace, The Hall of Myriad Techniques, was renowned, and his mastery of the Straw Puppet Technique was unrivaled in the world.

He was the Shennong who controlled the most straw puppets—no one could surpass him.

That's why Emperor Wu entrusted him with such vast responsibilities and influence.

"During the first barbarian campaign, Liu Tianning went mad. By the end of the campaign, he had personally executed over a million Shennong, including more than 200 commanders of the rank of Martial Lord."

As for players? Countless had fallen to Liu Tianning's puppets during that time. Zhao Xing himself had been killed several times by Liu Tianning's straw puppets.

Why were so many executed? Most were on trumped-up charges, wrongfully accused or implicated. By the end of the first barbarian campaign, Liu Tianning had earned the nickname Half-Mad, and it was clear that his mental state had indeed deteriorated.

Afterward, he was removed from his position and reassigned to the Dao of Creation Academy, where he served intermittently, drifting between moments of lucidity and madness.

Unable to teach regularly, Emperor Wu eventually sent him to guard Ling Mountain for quiet recuperation, replacing him with Mi Fu.

"Liu Tianning must have been practicing the Phenological Law, while also delving into the Self Straw Puppet Technique. He's still a fifth-ranked Shennong, so even though he's cultivating on his own, bound by the Fortune Dynasty's system, his cultivation realm wouldn't have surpassed the Pure Essence realm. But to have created so many puppets... It's no wonder he went mad."

"What is a Self Straw Puppet?"

The Self Straw Puppet, also known as the Self Straw Puppet or Myriad Techniques Straw Puppet, was a high-level technique within the Straw Puppet Techniques.

It focused on extreme control and vast expansion.

By combining the Scout Straw Puppet, Reviving Straw Puppet, and Mighty Vajra Straw Puppet techniques, the caster could create a straw puppet as their doppelgänger—one that could speak, observe, and even fight.

What was meant by extreme control? The Self Straw Puppet could do almost anything the caster could. It was essentially a second body. No other Straw Puppet Technique could achieve this level of control.

As for expansion, the Self Straw Puppet could integrate all other Straw Puppet Techniques!

For instance, Zhao Xing's current mastery of the Swift Straw Puppet and Mighty Vajra Straw Puppet could allow him to combine the two into a Divine Vajra Straw Puppet. Eventually, it could combine three or four techniques.

But the other Straw Puppet Techniques could only combine a few, while the Self Straw Puppet, with its Self foundation, could theoretically fuse all techniques because its internal Five Elements system mimicked the human body.

In theory, it could even accommodate all souls!

The ultimate goal of the Straw Puppet Techniques was to achieve the Myriad Techniques Straw Puppet—one that could house a practitioner's three souls!

Even if their physical body decayed, they could transfer their three souls into the puppet, achieving immortality!

The Self School had always been known for its audacity, and the Straw Puppet Technique branch was home to some of the boldest dreamers.

However, leaving aside these far-fetched dreams, controlling a Self Straw Puppet placed a tremendous burden on the mind. Over time, it could irreparably damage the practitioner's soul. To manage thousands of Self Straw Puppets, one had to cultivate the Soul Splitting Technique, which divided the soul to strengthen the connection between mind and puppets.

Each technique integrated into the Self Straw Puppet increased the strain on the soul, and the mental burden grew even greater.

Liu Tianning had controlled far more than ten thousand puppets at his peak.

"He never lived to see the later age of revival, unable to break through that barrier and transform his mind into divine consciousness, elevating his soul. Relying solely on the protection of the Fate Palace, it's no wonder he went mad."

"Liu Tianning must have been invited to the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven. He's probably still... stable, right?"

"I'll definitely steer clear of him from now on. I can't risk getting killed by him again." Zhao Xing shuddered at the thought. He only had one life now, and back in Liu Tianning's prime, he was favored by Emperor Wu, even killing princes and marquises without hesitation.

...

After observing for a while, Zhao Xing headed to the demonstration square to study the straw puppets.

The Straw Puppet Techniques Zhao Xing had learned back in Gucheng were all elementary-level techniques.

At the elementary level, the technique heavily depended on the materials used.

For example, a Mighty Vajra Straw Puppet made from ordinary rice stalks wouldn't necessarily be stronger than a robust adult. It might only be useful for chasing off grain-eating birds.

But if made from Vajra Bamboo, a Mighty Vajra Straw Puppet would be incredibly powerful, comparable to a ranked warrior.

Of course, a Vajra Puppet was simple and brutish, with no technique to speak of—just raw power, charging forward recklessly.

The strength of the Straw Puppet Technique lay in numbers. Its core strategy was overwhelming the enemy with sheer volume.

However, mid-level Straw Puppet Techniques were different.

They emphasized both technique and materials.

While better materials increased the upper limits of a puppet's power, the technique itself set a high baseline for its effectiveness.

Zhao Xing was now observing one such technique.

"Invisible Straw Puppet."

He touched the air in front of him, finding it soft and straw-like despite being completely invisible.

"Even when made from the most basic first-stage straw, the puppet can still turn invisible. This is the power of technique."

"The Invisible Straw Puppet essentially practices the Invisibility Technique, using the power of the Five Elements to conceal itself."

"But hiding a living person is far more difficult than hiding an inanimate object."

Humans practicing the Invisibility Technique had to reach the high-level realm, as living beings had complex life, energy, and elemental forces, which constantly fluctuated. Concealing all that was challenging.

But for a straw puppet, it was just a mid-level technique. A puppet only involved the fluctuation of the Five Elements, making it easier to hide.

"Combining the Invisible Straw Puppet with the Scout Straw Puppet—merging a mid-level technique with a low-level one—is relatively simple. It creates an excellent stealth scout."

"If I could integrate it with the Swift Straw Puppet, forming a three-technique fusion, it would be the perfect scout."

The invisible puppet was pacing back and forth around the square, moving through the flowerbeds, over the square, and near the soil.

For the convenience of the students, the invisible puppet constantly changed its position.

Using his Hawkeye and Five Elements Observation, Zhao Xing could clearly perceive the puppet, observing its internal mechanisms as it moved.

"The Five Elements forces merge into the surroundings, shifting with the environment."

Zhao Xing followed the invisible puppet's path.

After about a quarter of an hour, the puppet dissolved back into a pile of straw.

Moments later, a golden light shot from the palace, landing on the scattered straw.

"Buzz~"

The straw rapidly reassembled, and step by step, it reformed into the invisible puppet.

When the final step was completed, the puppet became fully invisible again.

After watching this once, Zhao Xing felt a spark of insight.

His Hawk Eye had reached the peak of mid-level, and his Five Elements Observation had advanced as well. This technique remained Five Elements Observation even at high levels.

The combination of Hawk Eye and Five Elements Observation allowed Zhao Xing to understand the essence of the invisible puppet. The weaving process was secondary—he could pick it up just by watching.

"After passing the third trial, there will likely be a competition. The Invisible Straw Puppet may lack combat power, but I can't afford to miss this technique."

"Learning this will make mastering the Invisibility Technique easier in the future."

Zhao Xing recalled that the Invisible Straw Puppet was part of the Liu's Compiled Techniques passed down by Xue Wenzhong. At the time, Xue Wenzhong had demonstrated it, but Zhao Xing hadn't been able to learn it then—he'd merely taken notes.

Now, as he recalled it, he realized how vast the gap was between Xue Wenzhong and Liu Tianning.

Xue Wenzhong, only at the ninth rank, had learned the technique from weaving it step by step. His approach was to precisely replicate the process, using flawless weaving to stabilize the puppet's internal Five Elements flow.

Liu Tianning's invisible puppet, on the other hand, was an essence-based demonstration.

Even if some straw was missing, it wouldn't matter. In fact, Zhao Xing suspected that even if the puppet lost a limb, it would still remain invisible.

Xue Wenzhong's method wouldn't allow for that.

Lose even a single strand of straw, and the invisibility would break. This wasn't Xue Wenzhong's fault; the difference in their understanding of the Dao was simply too vast.

Now Zhao Xing was sure: Liu Tianning was indeed a genuine descendant of the Liu clan from Taihe County, and a direct heir of Liu Zonghai.

[You have observed the straw puppet's demonstration and comprehended the mid-level technique Invisible Straw Puppet.]

[Invisible Straw Puppet: 1/9999]

[Effect: Move with the Five Elements, blending into the world.]

"Rise!"

As the puppet disintegrated again, Zhao Xing didn't wait for the golden light from the palace. Instead, he cast the spell himself.

"Buzz~"

The scattered straw quickly reformed, and a somewhat rough-looking puppet slowly turned invisible.

Why rough? The head was crooked, and the feet were splayed outward.

But it was still an Invisible Straw Puppet.

"Ugly, but functional."

"Walk."

Zhao Xing commanded the puppet.

It wobbled forward.

"There's still an issue."

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment. When the puppet transitioned from the flowerbed to the square, there was a half-second delay in the elemental flow.

During that half-second, its form became vaguely visible. Someone paying close attention could spot it with the naked eye, even without using any special techniques.

"Let's try again."

Zhao Xing disassembled the puppet, gathered more materials from nearby, and continued practicing.

Inside the Palace of Myriad Techniques.

Liu Tianning cast a glance toward a corner of the square, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes.

"Analyzing the essence and learning after just one observation?"

"Not only that, but his first attempt, though clumsy in appearance, already succeeded in function."

"This one has talent in the Straw Puppet Technique."

With his sharp eye for talent, Liu Tianning could immediately discern that Zhao Xing had a knack for the Straw Puppet Technique. He didn't need long to observe—just seeing Zhao Xing's first attempt was enough to make that judgment.

Most learners started by mimicking the form. Zhao Xing, however, delved straight into the essence and managed to grasp it.

"Hmm? What is he doing now?" Liu Tianning chuckled, shaking his head with amusement. "This kid, so mischievous!"

Zhao Xing was using his invisible straw puppet to pull on someone's belt.