Chapter 266: Slaughtering Oneself to Become a Puppet Secret Technique

Old Man Di Que had gathered these spiritual materials to repair the Yin Ring and forge the Yang Ring. However, he lacked a few crucial spiritual items, preventing him from completing the forging. Had Old Man Di Que possessed an additional Primordial Cohesion Ring today, the outcome might have been entirely different.

Since Qin Sang was currently unable to use magical artifacts or gather the necessary spiritual materials, the Primordial Cohesion Ring held little immediate value. He put away the Yin Ring and other spiritual items, intending to study them further after reaching the Golden Core stage.

Next, his gaze settled on the bottle of Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold. It was no wonder Old Man Di Que had been so excited; the jade slip contained a detailed description of the item.

The Crimson-Gold Vine absorbs the world's metal and fire spiritual energy, producing a fruit that is an unformed Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold. If given to an artifact refiner, who then melts the golden peel and the inner pulp together, true Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold can be obtained. Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold is a type of refined gold, primarily used in artifact crafting, not as a spiritual medicine.

However, a senior from the Spirit Control Sect once discovered an ancient beast-taming manual among relics of an ancient cultivator. They found that if the Crimson-Gold Vine's fruit was not melted but its pulp was extracted and fed to spirit insects, there was a certain chance it could help the insects achieve a breakthrough. To most cultivators, the Crimson-Gold Vine fruit served only one purpose: artifact refining. However, for cultivators of the Spirit Control Sect, who specialized in beast taming, the Crimson-Gold Vine fruit was an exceptionally precious and exotic treasure.

While exotic insects could be nurtured with spiritual medicines to rapidly boost their power, the greatest challenge lay in the cultivators' inability to control their transformations. It was akin to human cultivators who could never manage to establish their foundation, no matter how hard they tried. It was truly regrettable when a master died of old age before their exotic insect had even begun its first metamorphosis.

Exotic insects possessed a myriad of peculiar abilities, and a transformed one could be an immense asset. Nurturing a powerful exotic insect might even prove more valuable than a magical artifact; others might not even be willing to trade their artifacts for one. While the Crimson-Gold Vine fruit couldn't guarantee an exotic insect's transformation, it offered cultivators a glimmer of hope, which was incredibly significant. This was precisely why Old Man Di Que had valued the item so highly.

What a pity. Qin Sang held the Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold before his eyes, examining it carefully, a deep sigh escaping him. Old Man Di Que, who had spent thirty years lurking outside the Kui Yin Sect for the Heart-Eating Worm, must have painstakingly gathered numerous exotic insects. Unfortunately, in his haste, Qin Sang hadn't managed to retrieve Old Man Di Que's spirit beast bag, unsure if it was destroyed by the Heavenly Gang Blade Talisman or lost to the magma.

Given his talent, he barely had enough time to dedicate to cultivation, making it difficult to spare attention for seeking exotic insects before forming his Golden Core. The Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold, now in his possession, was truly a valuable item that he couldn't put to proper use. Even the Primordial Cohesion Ring required cooperation with spirit beasts for its use.

"It remains to be seen if I'll be fortunate enough to encounter an exotic insect in the future," Qin Sang mused. He gently shook his head, putting away both the Scarlet Fire Gilded Gold and the jade slip. The jade slip contained highly detailed information on various exotic insects, so he wasn't concerned about failing to recognize one should he encounter it.

He then proceeded to examine several more jade slips, all of which contained cultivation methods inherited from various major sects. It appeared that Old Man Di Que had killed quite a number of people. The items Old Man Di Que had kept were all high-quality, but they were useless to Qin Sang, so he simply put them aside.

When he picked up the final jade slip, Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation of surprise. The jade slip contained a secret technique called the "Body Severing Clone Puppet Art." This secret art could be employed without spiritual energy or divine sense. It required sacrificing one's own limb, which would then transform into a puppet resembling a clone. This puppet could exist for ten breaths of time. Aside from lacking the true body's strength, it would be identical in appearance and aura, without the slightest difference. Furthermore, the moment the puppet came into existence, any tracking aura locked onto the true body by an opponent could be instantly transferred to the puppet. This allowed the true body to effectively "shed its skin" and escape undetected. Qin Sang recalled the severed arm that had been struck off by the Heavenly Gang Blade Talisman, realizing that Old Man Di Que must have used this secret art to escape.

The "Body Severing Clone Puppet Art" was a peculiar secret technique that, if applied skillfully, could help one evade many deadly dangers. However, the price of this secret art was not merely the loss of a limb; once severed, it was exceedingly difficult to restore, as Old Man Di Que's moniker clearly indicated. Qin Sang carefully put away the jade slip, vowing not to use it unless absolutely necessary.

Lastly, there was the iron piece. Qin Sang held it, sensing that it was actually a bone fragment, yet it was as hard as profound iron. Like a jade slip, it contained a demonic cultivation method titled "All-Heaven Demonic Sound." What was known as the "Thousand Illusion Divine Sound" was, in fact, the "All-Heaven Demonic Sound," which Old Man Di Que had cleverly disguised.

This cultivation method was extraordinary. It not only pointed directly to the Dao of Spirit Severing but also boasted an exceptionally complete lineage. The method included over a dozen accompanying incantations, each possessing remarkable power. The "All-Heaven Demonic Sound" alone was sufficient to establish a sect. It was likely that Old Man Di Que had acquired it from the ruins of an ancient sect, as such completeness would otherwise be impossible.

Before reaching the Golden Core stage, Qin Sang couldn't possibly switch to another cultivation method. However, this demonic art specialized in the path of demonic sound, which was uncanny and unpredictable, making it perfectly suitable as a backup technique for after his Golden Core formation. Qin Sang read through it carefully, including all the accompanying incantations. Some of these incantations required cultivation alongside the "All-Heaven Demonic Sound," while others did not. The latter could also be used by simulating demonic sound power with spiritual energy, albeit with reduced potency.

One particular incantation, called the "Soul Seizing Incantation," immediately caught Qin Sang's attention. After reviewing its effects, he decided he must cultivate it. The Soul Seizing Incantation was not an offensive spell for combat. Instead, it used the power of demonic sound to assault an opponent's mind, allowing for interrogation while they were disoriented and mentally vulnerable from the demonic assault. The target would unknowingly divulge their secrets.

However, this incantation also came with limitations. Firstly, the target's strength could not significantly surpass that of the caster. Additionally, the target needed to be restrained beforehand, as the incantation required preparation and had to be cast directly upon them to take effect. Moreover, over time, the Soul Seizing Incantation's effect would gradually diminish until the target broke free. If the target possessed an exceptionally firm will, the duration of the incantation's influence might be very brief. Secondly, the Soul Seizing Incantation could only be used once per person. After experiencing its effects once, their primordial spirit would become guarded, making subsequent attempts highly unlikely to succeed.

The "Soul Seizing Incantation" bore similarities to a forbidden art known as the "Soul Searching Art." However, the latter was far more malicious; those subjected to it not only endured unbearable pain but also suffered the shattering of their primordial spirits, leading to death. Furthermore, the "Soul Searching Art" would be instantly detected by the target upon activation. If the target possessed sufficient power, they could self-detonate their primordial spirit, causing a severe backlash to the caster. Many cultivation methods also existed that could circumvent the effects of the "Soul Searching Art." In contrast, the "Soul Seizing Incantation" lacked these drawbacks and carried no risk of backlash.

"Was it because of this incantation that Old Man Di Que dared to confront Daoist Xuanyu?" Qin Sang wondered. Old Man Di Que had forced Daoist Xuanyu to burn his Golden Core and then imprisoned his primordial spirit. Even if he couldn't obtain the Inner Scenery Primordial Talisman, he could still interrogate him for the refining method, ensuring he wouldn't leave empty-handed.