I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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"Xiang Dalong! The life-and-death enmity of the past is etched into my bones. With Jing Wufeng not here today, let's see how arrogant you can be!"

After more than a hundred years, upon seeing her nemesis again, True Monarch Netherwater's eyes turned blood-red with rage. The bitter memory of being jointly beaten by the "Twin Dragons of the Central Region" resurfaced.

Back in the battle of the Seven True Monarchs, her particularly tragic defeat as a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator had helped cement the fame of the Central Region's Twin Dragons.

"Stay!"

True Monarch Netherwater's jade-like face turned frosty. Her hands formed incantation seals, and her elegant figure shimmered like liquid. Black waves surged dozens of li around her, monstrous tides rolled, and violent winds swept the area.

Boom!

Lan Chang'an's ears rang from the roar; his mana and blood flow slightly stagnated. Confronting a former mid-stage giant alone, his protective barrier sizzled under the pressure.

He was like a lone boat, swallowed and battered by the stormy sea.

"Heh… A hundred years have passed. Fellow Daoist Netherwater's techniques have improved somewhat, but her spiritual power hasn't grown at all."

Lan Chang'an let out a soft chuckle, the meaning behind his words deep.

Despite her intense killing intent, True Monarch Netherwater's actions revealed she only intended to entangle him until another powerhouse behind her arrived.

Splash!

True Monarch Netherwater sneered. Her black dress fluttered as her shapely figure dissolved into a puddle of black water, merging into the raging waves and vanishing without a trace.

Lan Chang'an's back chilled, even though he was deeply familiar with high-grade Water Escape techniques.

In the next instant, the crest of a wave a hundred zhang behind him.

Splash!

A graceful woman in a black dress suddenly appeared midair. Her cold jade-white palm opened, revealing drops of incomparably condensed, deep black water.

Profound Dark Heavy Water!

A stifling, dangerous aura spread out, and the void trembled faintly with a low hum.

Each drop of this hyper-condensed heavy water rapidly expanded, each containing the weight of mountains, crashing down toward Lan Chang'an like meteorites from behind.

Lan Chang'an's figure blurred, emerald-green light flowed and in an instant, he split into three copies.

Boom! Boom boom!

The flood-like heavy water exploded, blasting the three white-robed figures away.

Two of them were Wood Clone illusions, each carrying thirty percent of his original power, but fragile as paper. They were instantly annihilated, absorbing only a small part of the force.

Whoosh!

Lan Chang'an's true body borrowed the force to be flung backward. His protective barrier shattered, his hair tousled, and he looked slightly disheveled.

Almost at the same time, a simple, ancient-looking black feather fan appeared in his hand. As his mana burst forth, it flickered with flames of green, blue, red, purple, and cyan.

With a wave of the fan, the shrill cries of five chaotic spiritual birds tore through the void.

In an instant, five distorted, bizarre poisonous flames radiating terrifying aura fanned out toward True Monarch Netherwater.

"This fan seems to be a replica of the spiritual treasure Five Birds Venom Fire Fan. Its materials are extremely rare in Great Yuan…"

From afar, a gray-haired man rapidly approaching narrowed his eyes, revealing surprise.

The Five Birds Venom Fire Fan was activated at a perfect moment, right after Netherwater had used her Water Escape technique and followed with the heavy water divine ability, leaving her momentarily drained.

True Monarch Netherwater's expression drastically changed. In haste, she activated her magical power; a black curtain of water surged around her.

Boom!

The five-poison flames exploded wildly, striking her squarely.

The figure in the black skirt trembled, staggered backward in disarray. The surrounding waves were evaporated, isolated by the poisonous flames.

Her Water Escape technique failed temporarily.

True Monarch Netherwater let out a muffled groan. Fortunately, as a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, her abundant mana allowed her to forcibly withstand the strike of the Five Birds Venom Fire Fan.

However, Lan Chang'an's assault had not ended.

The erupting multi-colored poison flames masked the sound of mechanisms within the ancient fan.

Three feathered poison needles, concealed in the toxic mist and steam, shot like lightning toward True Monarch Netherwater.

Not good!

True Monarch Netherwater's heart turned cold. After the first wave of poisonous fire, the black curtain around her body had dimmed to the extreme.

She parted her lips and spat out a silver-blue water pearl magical treasure, which struck away the needle aimed at her face with a metallic ding.

At the same time, she twisted her supple body, barely dodging the needle aimed at her heart.

The third feather needle, aimed at her lower body, was unavoidable. It grazed past her black-skirted thigh, leaving a faint trace of blood.

"Hm? Mixed fourth-rank venom..."

True Monarch Netherwater sensed a stinging pain from the wound, along with an odd numbness.

She didn't panic. With a mocking smile, she activated Black Sea Sect's Poison-Transformation Divine Art.

Buzz!

From the cold white wound on her thigh, faint black watery blood light flowed, and the spreading poison quickly dissipated.

"No wonder it's one of the Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects."

Lan Chang'an retrieved the Five Birds Venom Fire Fan and the three feathered poison needles.

In that clash, he had probed the depths of True Monarch Netherwater's strength.

… Brought to you by MV6LEMPY6R.

Just then, black clouds dyed the horizon. A terrifying spiritual pressure, comparable to a leader of the Great Qing Demonic Sects, approached within a hundred li.

Whoosh!

Behind Lan Chang'an, a pair of domineering black wings several zhang long unfolded. Black light and wind mist swirled around him as he transformed into a streak of black-winged light and soared into the sky, fleeing with the wind.

"So fast!"

True Monarch Netherwater had expended most of her strength resisting the poison and had no power left to stop Lan Chang'an's escape.

With the aid of the black-winged treasure, Lan Chang'an's short-burst speed even surpassed hers slightly.

The Grand Elder of Black Sea Sect arrived shortly after. Staring at the receding black-winged light, his expression grew increasingly grim:

"Junior Sister Netherwater, how could you fail to hold Xiang Dalong even for a moment?"

The gray-haired man's tone revealed dissatisfaction, clearly blaming her.

"I underestimated Xiang Dalong's strength,"

True Monarch Netherwater's face turned pale green with shame as she admitted fault, biting her silver teeth:

"That man's mana has surged, nearing the peak of early Nascent Soul. His combat instincts, divine abilities, and magical treasures are no longer what they were a hundred years ago."

In that brief exchange, Netherwater had felt as though she were up against a great figure of the seas.

Compared to over a century ago, her mana had stagnated, just as Lan Chang'an mocked.

It all stemmed from that battle with the Central Region's Twin Dragons.

Back then, she had been struck by the Sky-Cleaving Axe, her body nearly shattered, and her life essence drained.

Though she was later saved with the help of wondrous treasures of heaven and earth, her body's foundation was damaged and never fully healed.

She once ventured to the Outer Sea in search of the rumored Evergreen Technique physician.

After traveling far, she finally arrived, only to find that the Evergreen Sage was now a consecrated guest of a top-tier power, of such exalted status that he no longer treated outsiders. She hadn't even gotten an audience.

Fortunately, her senior brother had promised that if she found the lost teleportation ruins of Tinghai Pavilion, he would spare no effort in restoring her body.

Once that was achieved, the Grand Elder would even pay the price to request aid from one of Great Yuan's Three Great Cultivators, Overturning Sea True Monarch, to use Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects Sect's supreme treasure to fully heal her body.

…

"Fellow Daoist Xiang, please wait!"

Lan Chang'an flew toward the territory of the Great Yu Kingdom. Behind him, a thunderous sound like a tidal wave surged from the clouds.

The Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect, with his grey hair flowing, rode the waves and wind, slowly closing the distance.

Both were at the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage, yet this sea-suppressing sect powerhouse's escape speed exceeded that of the Beast King Valley Grand Elder.

"What guidance does Your Excellency wish to offer?"

Inside his sleeve, Lan Chang'an secretly held a mid-grade fourth-rank escape talisman.

"If Fellow Daoist Xiang hands over the teleportation ruins of the Tinghai Pavilion, I will overlook past grievances, including your feud with Junior Sister Netherwater, and the death of Master Gou."

The Black Sea Sect's Grand Elder advanced through water techniques, vanishing amid the waves and reappearing a distance ahead.

"What teleportation ruins? I've no idea what you're talking about!"

Lan Chang'an frowned, looking baffled.

"No need to play dumb! Without a long-distance teleportation array, how did you vanish into thin air and reappear in Great Yuan? Without a fortuitous encounter in the Tinghai Pavilion, how could you, in just over a hundred years, amass such formidable magical treasures and divine abilities?"

The Grand Elder's eyes gleamed coldly as he questioned sternly.

"I stumbled into Great Yuan by accident, through a spatial rift. I know nothing about teleportation ruins."

"I've heard of the Tinghai Pavilion. But wasn't that Deity Transformation sacred land divided among your Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects during the late ancient era?"

Lan Chang'an replied coldly, his face darkening.

The Black Sea Grand Elder faltered. From the other man's expression and tone, he could find no flaws.

Indeed, over half of today's Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects were once vassals under the Tinghai Pavilion's rule over the coastal regions.

After the pavilion's destruction, its legacy, magical treasures, cultivation manuals, spiritual veins, and blessed lands were largely inherited by those sixteen sects.

But it's said that the true treasures and secrets were seized by the Nascent Soul Great Cultivators and Deity Transformation experts of that era, leading to devastating battles.

"Don't say I didn't warn you! Killing a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator today was just a little warning."

"If your sect keeps pushing, once Brother Jing returns after his advancement, the Black Sea Sect will pay a heavy price!"

Lan Chang'an's voice turned frosty as he issued a final warning.

…

The gray-haired elder's expression grew grim as he watched Lan Chang'an cross into Great Yu territory. He did not pursue.

To openly hunt Xiang Dalong in the Great Yu Kingdom would be tantamount to declaring war.

More importantly, Xiang Dalong's displayed strength had exceeded expectations and his escape speed was unparalleled.

Killing him would be as hard as killing a mid-stage Nascent Soul powerhouse.

Even this brief encounter had raised many questions.

How had Xiang Dalong seen through their scheme?

From start to finish, the three of them had been played like fools. There seemed to be an information gap between them.

Could it be that Xiang Dalong had formed a deep alliance with the imperial family and was protected by a fourth-rank divination grandmaster?

The elders of Black Sea Sect would never guess that Xiang Dalong was a fourth-rank divination grandmaster himself.

After all, it was only within the past hundred years that he became a fourth-rank puppet master, it was hard to associate him with other high-level side paths.

"A fourth-rank puppet master…"

"In the earlier clash, that brat didn't even use puppets, yet held his own against Junior Sister Netherwater!"

At that thought, the elder's heart sank.

Xiang Dalong might be hiding his true power. Or perhaps due to the puppet army's lack of mobility, he simply hadn't used them yet.

"Senior Brother."

True Monarch Netherwater soon arrived, reuniting with the Grand Elder.

"That earlier illusion formation… fourth-rank puppets!"

The two of them quickly returned to the forest outside the Great Yu border, where the fourth-rank illusion formation had been set.

But when they arrived, there was no trace of the formation or the white-robed puppet.

"Xiang Dalong crafted fourth-rank puppets, his positional battle prowess exceeds even some mid-Nascent Soul cultivators. And he has a Nascent Soul sect backing him. As long as he remains in Great Yu, directly threatening him is unrealistic…"

The Grand Elder's face shifted between gloom and resignation. He had to admit they'd underestimated Xiang Dalong.

After weighing their options, the two Black Sea elders could only retreat to the Eastern Region and reconsider their plans.

…

Within the Great Yu borders.

Lan Chang'an landed in a secluded mountain valley.

After a short wait, a streak of greenish-black light descended into the valley, materializing as a restrained, low-profile, green-armored puppet.

"Mission accomplished."

The true fourth-rank puppet controlled by Puppet Master Wei handed over a storage pouch.

As it turned out, the earlier fourth-rank illusion formation had been anchored by Wei, with sixteen puppets forming the army formation that powered it.

Lan Chang'an, meanwhile, had focused on mobile combat and enemy disruption, without using the puppet army or the Azure Profound Sword Formation.

He had only brought the Exotic Spirit Peacock puppet but it wasn't needed.

The Profound Water Turtle was stationed at Yunxia Sect to guard against unexpected backlashes, like from Great Snake Mountain.

In truth, Lan Chang'an had gone easy this time.

Against two mid-Nascent Soul cultivators from Black Sea Sect, he couldn't outright defeat them, and there was no point in exhausting himself.

Even facing just the Grand Elder alone, he could preserve himself but not inflict serious harm.

The Black Sea Sect's techniques were highly defensive. With his peak mid-stage cultivation, soul power, and spiritual defenses or treasures, the damage of Lan's Barbed Arrow was greatly diminished.

Of course, if he managed to ambush Netherwater when she was alone, there was a chance he could kill her. But only a chance, success was far from guaranteed.

Any mid-Nascent Soul cultivator was a regional powerhouse in Great Yuan. Killing one was multiple times harder than dealing with an early-stage Nascent Soul.

"This skirmish will make the Black Sea Sect more cautious, giving me some peace to cultivate."

Lan Chang'an calculated with his fingers, pondering silently.

He had no intention of a death-match with the Black Sea Sect. Displaying strength and issuing a warning had already achieved his aim.

Fortunately, he had fourth-rank divination abilities, which made the plan run smoothly.

When he received Fairy Le's letter and calculated the cause, he spotted a flaw.

Rather than let Black Sea plot from the shadows, he struck preemptively to nip the trouble in the bud.

Lan Chang'an did not fear the Black Sea Sect.

But the Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects, the most powerful coastal alliance was not to be trifled with. He had to avoid offending them too deeply.

In Great Yuan, three powers ruled supreme: the Sea-Suppressing Sect, the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, and the Yellow Heaven Ghost Palace.

These were unprovokable powers, each backed by a Nascent Soul Great Cultivators.

Among them, the Sea-Suppressing Sect held sway over the coasts through its alliance with the sixteen sects and dominated sea trade routes. It was the wealthiest of the three.

Their headquarters sat atop a top-level fourth-rank spiritual vein, once the site of the ancient Tinghai Pavilion, now the largest inherited property from that sacred land.

It's said that the Sea-Suppressing Sect inherited twelve "Sea-Suppressing Flags" and laid down the "Sea-Suppressing Demon-Refining Grand Array," projecting power across vast stretches of the sea.

Once a late-stage transformation sea monster rampaged near the coast, only to be ruthlessly trapped and refined by the Grand Array.

…

Returning to the Yunxia Sect.

In the Yunlan Sect's cave residence, Lan Chang'an sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, surrounded by various mysterious divination artifacts floating in the air, as he began a deeper level of divination.

The conflict with the Black Sea Sect was not a major hidden threat.

What Lan Chang'an truly worried about was the Xuantian Relic.

After his deductions, he let out a long sigh of relief.

Neither True Monarch Netherwater nor the Black Sea Sect currently suspected anything about the extraordinary secret of Xuantian Relic.

The era was far too ancient. Back in the days of the Tinghai Pavilion, the Xuanmu Vine Gourd had been an absolute secret, known only to the most inner core of the sect.

After the destruction of Tinghai Pavilion, those qualified to compete for the Xuantian Relic were all top-tier powers of the realm. The participants were either Deity Transformation Heavenly Lords or peak late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

The final result of the struggle had been muddled by conflicting information and the erosion of time, with the truth long buried.

Even the present-day Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects couldn't grasp the full picture, nor could they confirm who had ultimately taken the Xuantian Relic.

Moreover, according to ancient records Lan Chang'an had researched, the Xuanmu Vine Gourd in the Heaven Honoured Continent human realm was not limited to the one in his possession, which further muddied the divinatory threads of fate.

But there was also bad news.

In Lan Chang'an's calculations, True Monarch Netherwater bore the deepest obsession and would relentlessly pursue clues regarding the legacy of Tinghai Pavilion.

If this continued, there was the potential for future crises.

"This woman is truly like a lingering ghost!"

Lan Chang'an's expression darkened, a cold gleam flashing through his eyes.

True Monarch Netherwater knew the most.

Back in the day, the Tinghai Pavilion successor "True Monarch Shazhai" had been hunted by this very woman, and finally escaped to the lands of Great Qing with the teleportation array, where he found the hidden treasure vault of Tinghai Pavilion.

"Unless I reach the mid-Nascent Soul stage, I won't have solid confidence in dealing with this woman and the troubles she brings."

Lan Chang'an sighed to himself and suppressed his killing intent.

Only by advancing to mid-Nascent Soul could his strength make a true leap forward.

By then, with the Azure Profound Sword Formation and fourth-rank Puppet Army as backing, he would be able to protect himself even against Nascent Soul Great Cultivators.

…

Several months later.

A red-faced old man at the late Core Formation stage flew through the sky atop a bronze cauldron, arriving in the kingdom of Great Yu, windblown and travel-worn.

At the Yunxia Sect's main hall.

"So it's a disciple of 'True Monarch Refinement Cauldron' from the Alchemy Dao Alliance. Fellow Daoist Chang, what brings you to Yunxia Sect today?"

Sect Master Xuefeng personally received this peer of the same realm and inquired about his visit.

He recalled that last time, True Monarch Xiang had issued a rebuke to the Alchemy Dao Alliance's True Monarch Refinement Cauldron, warning him not to deceive Fairy Le.

Now, with Refinement Cauldron's eldest disciple visiting in person, it was likely to deliver a response.

Sect Master Xuefeng harbored concerns, was it truly worth it for Yunxia Sect to offend the neutral Alchemy Dao Alliance over a single Core Formation female cultivator?

"Sect Master Xuefeng, may I request an audience with your sect's True Monarch Xiang?" the red-faced elder cupped his fists politely.

"True Monarch Xiang is in seclusion and has clearly stated he won't receive guests. If you have a message, I can record it and convey it to the True Monarch," said Sect Master Xuefeng with a calm yet firm demeanor.

Before understanding the purpose of this visit, he would not allow the man to meet True Monarch Xiang and risk escalating tensions with the Alchemy Dao Alliance.

The red-faced old man gave a bitter smile and said, "I've come on my master's orders to offer an apology to True Monarch Xiang, along with a gift of compensation."

An apology and a gift?

Sect Master Xuefeng was surprised, his heart stirred.

Could one of the recent rumors actually be true?

At that moment, both Core Formation cultivators stiffened as a True Monarch's majestic presence descended from the sky, a powerful spiritual sense sweeping across the great hall.

Sect Master Xuefeng immediately stood up, bowed deeply in the direction of Yunlan Peak.

The red-faced old man hurriedly stood as well, bowing with his head lowered, like a nervous quail.

Sect Master Xuefeng's lips moved slightly, exchanging a few words via spiritual sense with the distant True Monarch.

Moments later, that overwhelming spiritual sense withdrew from the hall.

Phew!

The red-faced elder exhaled in relief and looked at Sect Master Xuefeng with a pleading expression.

"True Monarch Xiang is very displeased with your master's behavior. If anything happens to Fairy Le, he will certainly visit the Alchemy Dao Alliance in person one day!" Sect Master Xuefeng stated calmly.

"It was all a misunderstanding!" the red-faced elder said hurriedly. "My master was a close friend of Alchemist Le in his lifetime and had vowed to ensure Fairy Le's safety. The misunderstanding has been explained in a letter, which I was instructed to deliver to True Monarch Xiang."

He was bitter inside but forced a smile.

The rumor about Lan Chang'an slaying Master Gou and forcing the two from Black Sea Sect to retreat had still been picked up by intelligence networks.

True Monarch Refinement Cauldron, upon receiving the Yunxia Sect's rebuke, became wary and gathered information on True Monarch Xiang and the Central Region's Twin Dragons.

What he found recently made him uneasy and frightened.

Over a century ago, the Twin Dragons of the Central Region fought seven True Monarchs, even destroying a mid-Nascent Soul physical body, shaking the region with their power.

Now, years later, one of the Twin Dragons, Xiang Dalong had grown even more formidable. There were recent rumors of him killing another Nascent Soul cultivator, forcing two mid-stage powerhouses of the Black Sea Sect to retreat in failure.

Such a terrifying figure was not someone the leadership of the Alchemy Dao Alliance could afford to provoke. They advised him to tread carefully.

"The True Monarch does not receive guests, nor does he listen to apologies. He only looks at results," said Sect Master Xuefeng, lifting his tea with ease and completely dominating the exchange despite being of equal cultivation.

"This…"

Failing to complete his mission, the red-faced elder looked distressed but dared not cause trouble.

"Then you may leave."

Sect Master Xuefeng rose to see him off and added, "Oh, but the gift can stay."

"Of course, of course!"

The red-faced elder acted like he'd been pardoned, hastily leaving behind a bulging storage pouch.

Sect Master Xuefeng picked up the pouch, scanned it with his spiritual sense, and felt his heart race, though he dared not be greedy.

Even the Nascent Soul cultivator of the Alchemy Dao Alliance hadn't dared meet True Monarch Xiang in person and had chosen to surrender remotely. This was unexpected.

"So long as you're an enemy, no matter how far, you shall be punished!"

He silently repeated the warning True Monarch Xiang had once sent to the Alchemy Dao Alliance's Nascent Soul cultivator and reflected deeply, reputation was indeed forged through power.

...

Yunlan Peak, within the cave residence.

Inside a secret chamber, Lan Chang'an raised his hand and remotely pulled over the storage pouch gifted as compensation by True Monarch Refinement Cauldron.

After inspecting it, he gave a slight nod and revealed a satisfied smile.

Though this compensation couldn't compare with the lavish gifts from the imperial family, it was equivalent to what an average Nascent Soul cultivator might accumulate over sixty years.

He had fulfilled his promise to Alchemist Le, and in the process, extorted a tidy sum from that greedy old monster.

Lan Chang'an could proudly declare he had a clear conscience!

Half a year later.

Lan Chang'an received a letter of gratitude from Fairy Le of the Alchemy Dao Alliance.

In the letter, Le Qingni promised that once the Great Yu War ended, she would personally visit the Yunxia Sect to express her thanks and deliver a personal gift.

"Unnecessary," Lan Chang'an said with a smile, shaking his head. From now on, he and Alchemist Le's lineage owed each other nothing, he had no desire for further entanglement.

...

The Great Yu War devolved into a war of attrition, with casualties steadily increasing.

Occasionally, high-ranking cultivators fell on both sides. Some True Monarchs were severely injured, their Nascent Souls forced to escape their bodies.

Time flowed steadily, twenty-eight years passed.

Above Yunlan Peak, heaven and earth spiritual energy gathered into an invisible vortex, with the clouds tinged faintly with colorful radiance.

"At 555 years old, I've finally reached the peak of early Nascent Soul. Slightly ahead of schedule."

In the secret chamber, Lan Chang'an opened his eyes while seated cross-legged, the Evergreen mana within him now vast and torrential.

Thanks to his longer lifespan, his magic power now surpassed that of True Monarch Cyanwood when he had been at the same stage.

Of course, the "peak of early stage" wasn't a distinct realm, but rather indicated reaching the limit of a stage.

From early-stage Nascent Soul to its peak, both cultivation and spiritual sense grew steadily in a gradual curve.

Thus, compared to when he had just returned to Great Yuan, Lan Chang'an's powers and divine arts had not undergone a qualitative leap, what had changed was the accumulation of quantity.

By now, his foundation had become even more profound, and his overall strength had risen across the board.

Having reached the current limit of his cultivation stage with no further room for advancement, Lan Chang'an formally ended his closed-door cultivation.

As he stepped out of the chamber, he gazed around his cave residence, sensing the vibrant, refined spiritual energy of heaven and earth. He sighed:

"Unknowingly, the Yunxia Sect's main spiritual vein has grown to mid-grade fourth-rank. This Great Yu War, though a catastrophe for most cultivators, has been an opportunity for a few."

Over the decades of war, the disciples of Yunxia Sect had gone to the frontlines and exchanged their battle merits for large amounts of strategic resources.

With Lord Earthrock assisting her, Fairy Zixia had steadily excelled on the battlefield, earning war achievements that far outstripped most of her peers in the Nascent Soul stage.

"Fellow Daoist Lan has emerged from seclusion."

From the adjacent puppet chamber emerged the green-armored puppet controlled by Puppet Master Wei.

Behind Puppet Master Wei, three puppet men appeared, clad respectively in white, green, and blue robes.

A few years ago, the third puppet of the puppet formation had been successfully completed.

There had been one failed attempt in the process, requiring a remelt and rebuild but fortunately, only 30% of the materials had been lost.

Now that Puppet Master Wei had returned to the Yunxia Sect, he was focused on fabricating parts for the fourth puppet and refining the puppet army's combat drills.

Though still lacking the full set of four, the three identical fourth-rank puppets were now enough to begin initial formation training for the puppet army.

As for the Exotic Spirit Peacock, its style and construction were too different from the other fourth-rank puppets and unsuitable for inclusion in the formation.