Wu dong Qian Kun: I, Lin Langtian, Refuse to be a Supporting Character

Chapter 192: War with the Magma Rock Dynasty

"Kneeling on one knee, the Devil Puppet spoke, 'My lord.'" It lowered itself with the loyalty of a true sentinel, now transformed into something closer to a living being, leaving Lin Langtian both surprised and pleased.

If before, the Devil Puppet was merely a tool for combat, it was now more like a robot with an intelligent core—one that could think and respond. With its new-found awareness, the Devil Puppet had become exponentially more valuable.

Lin Langtian closed his eyes, feeling his mental energy subtly split. One part remained within him, and another resided within the puppet, which would now follow his every command as faithfully as before. And yet, he could sense a trace of the spirit that had previously attempted to possess him, a remnant within the puppet's mind. It was this piece of the old spirit that granted the Devil Puppet its intelligence, making it almost human.

Content with this turn of events, Lin Langtian nodded. "Stand up. Put this on, and mask that aura of dark energy," he said, handing the puppet one of his own robes.

"Yes, my lord," replied the Devil Puppet, with deference. Swiftly, it donned the robes and, with newfound control over its aura, restrained the ominous energy that had once emanated from it. The effect was profound: now cloaked in a green robe, the Devil Puppet had a fierce yet youthful look, appearing almost like a regular person.

Lin Langtian was impressed. The Devil Puppet's former sinister aura had once made its presence known from miles away, so he rarely summoned it openly. But now, it could remain by his side without drawing unwanted attention.

"What is your name?" he asked the puppet.

"I have no name," the Devil Puppet replied blankly, its face emotionless.

Lin Langtian paused, disappointed. Apparently, the spirit's mind had been too fractured to even remember its name. He had hoped the spirit's memories might hold insights into the ancient battlefield, but he reminded himself that if the spirit's mind had survived intact, the puppet's loyalty would be questionable at best. Better this way, he concluded.

"In that case," Lin Langtian said after a pause, "you'll be called 'Shadow.' And you'll address me as Senior Brother from now on." Since the puppet had now awakened, the term "master" seemed inappropriate. Shadow, born of both the Devil Puppet and the lingering spirit, suited it well. As for his title, the standard "Senior Brother" used by his allies would do, allowing him to keep Shadow's identity concealed from the rest of his group.

"As you wish, Senior Brother," replied Shadow with its unfailing respect.

At that moment, the golden crow, Jinwu, flew down to inspect Shadow, cocking its head in curiosity. Sensing Lin Langtian's aura within Jinwu, Shadow did nothing to stop it, allowing the bird to perch on its shoulder. Lin Langtian smiled at the sight; Jinwu had seemed a little lost after Lin Dong's departure and was now intrigued by Shadow.

With thoughts of Lin Dong on his mind, Lin Langtian remembered that, once he secured the Ancient Key, he'd need to help Jinwu reach the Nirvana stage. As a royal beast, the Golden Crow possessed enormous potential, and its eventual evolution into a Nine-Fiend Black Gold Crow would make it an invaluable ally.

Mind made up, Lin Langtian produced a small sack from his storage and withdrew eighteen seeds from the Heavenly Symbol Tree. With a focused breath, he activated the Golden Spirit Wheel Mirror and disappeared, taking the seeds with him to plant them within the mirror's pocket dimension.

After half an hour, Lin Langtian returned to the stone chamber, dusting off his hands and once again storing the mirror in his dantian. Planting the seeds had been simple enough, though he knew he'd have to wait for the trees to mature fully. For now, his only choice was patience.

Stretching, Lin Langtian made his way out of the chamber with Jinwu and Shadow in tow. It had been nearly a month since he'd entered seclusion, and he was curious to learn how the outside world had changed during that time. After all, he was still Senior Brother of the Flame Alliance.

As he exited, he found himself in the central courtyard of a large estate in Yang City, a residence that the Flame Alliance had taken over. But as soon as he stepped out, he noticed an unusual atmosphere—a tense silence hung over the courtyard, giving the impression that the estate was under siege.

Frowning, he was just about to investigate when a patrol team of five Flame Alliance members spotted him and broke into relieved smiles. "Senior Brother! You've returned!" one of them said.

Lin Langtian nodded and observed the wary expressions of the patrol members. "What's going on here?" he asked, sensing that something serious had happened. "Why is everyone in such a defensive posture?"

The five members exchanged glances, and finally, a tall member spoke up. "Senior Brother, soon after you entered seclusion, several new powers moved into Yang City. Among them was our old enemy, the Magma Rock Dynasty. About two weeks ago, the Flame Alliance formally went to war with them."

Hearing this, Lin Langtian's face darkened.

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