Chapter 433: "Saint"

To be honest, Chen Mobai hadn't expected Yan Bingxuan to achieve Foundation Establishment in a single attempt. After all, even he had required two attempts.

However, upon further reflection, Yan Bingxuan was indeed a genius. For nine years at university, she had dedicated herself day and night, just like him, to refining and purifying her spiritual roots. Coupled with the auxiliary effects of the Foundation Establishment Three Treasures, Snow Spirit Water, and Water Mist Ice Crystal, her preparation was already comparable to taking a Foundation Establishment Pill. Considering the Foundation Establishment knowledge from the Immortal Sect, such as the spiritual power vortex technique he had taught her, it made perfect sense that Yan Bingxuan could achieve Foundation Establishment on her first try. This was similar to how cultivators like Hong He, Zhou Wangshen, and E Yun from the Divine Wood Sect had succeeded. They too had succeeded with just a single Foundation Establishment Pill.

"Congratulations! Now that you've achieved Foundation Establishment, I can finally relax." Chen Mobai replied happily after hearing Yan Bingxuan's good news. On the path of longevity ahead, he would at least have a companion who could accompany him for another two hundred years.

Yan Bingxuan said, "You're the first person I called. I'm still in the cultivation chamber."

Chen Mobai replied, "I'm deeply honored. What are your plans for the future? Will you take the civil service exam, go for a master's degree, or stay at the Academy of Nature for further studies?"

Yan Bingxuan responded, "I probably won't take the civil service exam. My Mysterious Ice Art only requires a Water Element Core Formation Pill. My original plan was to stay at the Academy of Nature after Foundation Establishment, just like my teacher."

Chen Mobai recalled Yan Qiongzhi, who had indeed successfully formed her core by relying solely on a Water Element Core Formation Pill and the tier-four water-vein spiritual energy of the Goumang Daoist Academy. Yan Bingxuan had inherited her true teachings. If she followed in her teacher's footsteps, she also had a good chance of forming her core.

"Once you reach the peak of Foundation Establishment, you can apply to open a Golden Core domain through a realm gate," Chen Mobai added. "If you master True Person Yan's freezing technique and follow her successful experience, you might just succeed in opening one." Chen Mobai brought this up again; it was his last remaining concern before his own Core Formation.

"Yes, I'll work hard," Yan Bingxuan replied. "I'll strive to successfully open a Golden Core domain with you." Yan Bingxuan's words implicitly assumed Chen Mobai's success, as it was widely believed that someone with his potential for Deity Transformation would undoubtedly succeed.

Hearing this, Chen Mobai felt a pang of embarrassment. Having such a grand reputation had its downsides. Achievements that were incredibly difficult for others were expected of him, and failing to meet those expectations would inevitably lead to widespread doubt. Still, Chen Mobai was quite open-minded about it. He cared little for such empty fame and had already made peace with the possibility of failing to open his own Golden Core domain. After all, cultivation level was far more practical than reputation. Furthermore, even if he failed to open a Golden Core domain at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he would have another chance after achieving Core Formation, as long as he didn't falter then. He shouldn't falter, right?

Chen Mobai mused to himself. He chatted with Yan Bingxuan for a couple more minutes, then an awkward silence fell between them as they ran out of things to say.

"After you graduate, do you plan to pursue a master's degree or stay at the Daoist Academy?" Yan Bingxuan finally broke the silence with a question.

Chen Mobai considered. He had no intention of taking the civil service exam, as he was wary of what secrets the Immortal Sect might harbor and feared that the Turtle Treasure might be exposed. While staying at the Daoist Academy was an excellent way to acquire a Five Elements Core Formation Pill, Chen Mobai planned to focus most of his post-graduation energy on the Sky River Realm. Its resources were, after all, far more abundant than those available in the Immortal Sect. Furthermore, given his current standing within the Divine Wood Sect, obtaining Golden Core spiritual items would not be particularly difficult.

"I haven't decided yet," Chen Mobai finally replied vaguely. "I'll think about it after I graduate next year."

Yan Bingxuan said, "If you stay at the Wuqi Daoist Academy, I can apply for a master's program there. And if you go to another Daoist Academy for further studies, I can go with you too." Students from the four major Daoist Academies, if they felt their knowledge was insufficient after graduation, could pursue further studies by applying for a master's program at one of the other three academies.

Even if Chen Mobai were completely oblivious, he would have understood the implicit meaning behind Yan Bingxuan's words. To be honest, if his life were to remain as it was, he would be very willing to spend the rest of his days with her. After all, Yan Bingxuan was his "white moonlight" from his youthful infatuation. Just like Lu Hongsheng and Yu Shu, if Chen Mobai had known in high school that he could walk hand-in-hand with Yan Bingxuan, he would have certainly felt that his life was complete, without any regrets. However, the current Chen Mobai had embarked on a different path, a different destiny. With the Turtle Treasure allowing him to travel between two realms, he had the potential to reach higher cultivation levels. Beyond Core Formation, Chen Mobai even dared to aspire to Nascent Soul.

This was precisely why he was hesitant to commit to a lifelong partner so early. When Chen Mobai was very young, his grandparents passed away one after another. Although he was too young to fully comprehend, he still felt the pain of losing loved ones, even falling seriously ill as a result. A Daoist companion was a lifelong partner, a relative for eternity, and often the primary emotional anchor for cultivators. Chen Mobai didn't want to witness his Daoist companion gradually age and turn to dust centuries later. So, although his inner expectations had been met, he thought it over and decided not to make a commitment so lightly.

"Given what you've said, I really need to give this some serious thought." Chen Mobai finally replied with a smile to Yan Bingxuan. She softly hummed in acknowledgment, and after a long silence, they hung up the call.

With Yan Bingxuan's successful Foundation Establishment, Chen Mobai had no other pressing concerns in the Immortal Sect. He began to devote himself entirely to the creation of the Formless Puppet.

In the first month of the new semester, Chai Lun arrived with various tools. The two then went together to the Divine Craftsman Artifact Factory, where Zhou Tiangong arranged a small workshop for them, similar to the one where Chen Mobai and Chai Lun had previously created the Actor Puppets. As Chen Mobai began assembling various parts, he also instructed Chai Lun on tasks within his capabilities. The Formless Puppet represented the pinnacle of mechanical, electronic, and bionic engineering in the Immortal Sect. Chai Lun could probably grasp about a third of its intricacies, so Chen Mobai assigned him the simpler mechanical pre-assembly tasks, with Chen Mobai conducting the final checks himself. The more complex electronic and bionic aspects, however, had to be handled by Chen Mobai personally. Fortunately, Wenren Xuewei arrived shortly after. She was a bionics expert, and although not well-versed in the Puppet Dao, she could easily follow Chen Mobai's line of thought. Together with Zhou Tiangong, who was skilled in artifact refining, the four of them discussed the project at length, ensuring every aspect of the blueprint was thoroughly understood and all doubts resolved. Only then did they begin their respective collaborative tasks.

"Then I'll take my leave," Wenren Xuewei said, smiling as she took the custom blueprints from Chen Mobai. "I'll deliver all these bionic materials in about three months." The raw materials for these bionic components were valued at around eight million good deeds in the Immortal Sect market. However, since only the Goumang Daoist Academy could cultivate them, they set the price. As one of the four credited contributors to the project, Wenren Xuewei covered these costs, saving Chen Mobai a significant amount. The remaining mechanical and electronic parts were handled by Chai Lun and Zhou Tiangong. Chen Mobai's sole major expense was the tier-three chip. Even so, the chip was expensive, costing ten million. This price was a favor to Che Yucheng; otherwise, it would have been unobtainable even with money. This was because the Formless Puppet's chip was a custom-made component that could not be mass-produced. For this, Chen Mobai made a special trip to the Western Profound Grotto-Heaven to finalize the custom chip contract and pay the full amount for it. As a result, the Flying Talisman Factory's account was once again drained, and he even had to take out a three-million loan from the Immortal Sect Bank to cover the remaining cost. Chen Mobai was well-versed in this. What kind of company operates without any debt, anyway?

After finishing his business at the Immortal Sect Bank in Danxia City, Chen Mobai remained at home for a few more days. Spring had arrived, and it was time for sowing at Little South Mountain. Every year, if he had the time, he would personally plant two *mu* of land. This time was no exception. However, unlike the usual trio of master and disciples, this time they were joined by Xueting, a female Qi Refining cultivator from Chui Xue Palace.

"This fire spirit rice doesn't demand much earth qi, but it can't encounter cold weather during the heading stage, otherwise the spiritual rice cultivated will be just like ordinary mortal rice... If extreme cold weather does occur, we'll need to set up formations in advance or place a bag over each seedling... Pests and diseases are also a major issue. Besides protective formations, we've also hired mortals at Little South Mountain to monitor the fields, ensuring each person inspects their assigned spiritual fields daily and contacts us immediately if any problems are found..." As Chen Mobai loosened the soil, he watched Zhuo Ming patiently teaching Xueting on a nearby tier-one spiritual field and nodded with satisfaction.

"Master, aren't you going to have Senior Sister hold back some techniques?" Luo Yixuan, wearing a straw hat, leaned in and whispered. In the Eastern Wild, it was customary to teach only half of one's true skills, holding back the rest, even when teaching one's own children.

"Under my tutelage," Chen Mobai said, gently tapping his young disciple's smooth forehead, "the first rule is: treat others with sincerity, and establish yourself through trustworthiness." He was aware of the customs in the Eastern Wild and had no intention of changing others. However, he was determined that his own disciples should understand the meaning of "integrity" and uphold it as a guiding principle. Among them, Zhuo Ming was pure-hearted. Through years of his direct teaching and personal example, her conduct and mindset had completely aligned with his, leading him to regard her as his true successor. Luo Yixuan, on the other hand, had been deeply influenced by her family's values during her formative years. Coupled with her shorter time as a disciple, some residual undesirable thoughts still lingered. In contrast, his eldest disciple Liu Wenbo, despite also coming from an aristocratic family, was likely honest by nature, or perhaps the Liu family's ethos was commendable, making him a genuinely sincere person.

"Master, are there any other rules? I'll write them all down." Luo Yixuan rubbed her forehead, looking slightly aggrieved.

"Not for now," Chen Mobai replied. "I'll tell you when I remember." This made Luo Yixuan pout, but she dared not say anything else, only nodding in agreement.

"Bring the seedlings," Chen Mobai instructed, as he began sowing. Today, he was planting Green Jade Spirit Rice seedlings. After several rounds of cultivation and enhancement, this new type of spiritual rice could now reliably produce tier-two crops. Still, he felt a bit uneasy, so he came personally to oversee the planting of the first batch of Green Jade Spirit Rice. Zhuo Ming had already mastered the technique, so she was teaching Xueting how to plant fire spirit rice nearby. Luo Yixuan seized the opportunity to take Zhuo Ming's place and assist Chen Mobai.

"Yes, Master." At Chen Mobai's call, Luo Yixuan immediately selected ten seedlings from a large pile some distance away and levitated them over using Object Manipulation. Although Luo Yixuan was somewhat less proficient in farming compared to Zhuo Ming, she had become quite skilled over the years. Master and disciple worked together with great understanding. One handing, one planting, they quickly finished planting an entire *mu* of land.

"Should I perhaps step aside?" Xueting, who knew the Green Jade Spirit Rice was a tier-two spiritual grain, consciously suggested to Zhuo Ming that she avoid being present as Chen Mobai and his disciple began planting.

"It's fine," Zhuo Ming said with a smile. "Master said that if possible, this Green Jade Spirit Rice will eventually be spread throughout the entire Eastern Wild. If you can learn how to cultivate it, you'll be helping him." Zhuo Ming smiled as she took the fire spirit rice seedling from Xueting and inserted it precisely and skillfully into the soil. As it was a demonstration, she manually planted each seedling, painstakingly detailing and performing every step—loosening the soil, compacting it, and watering—for Xueting.

"I truly didn't expect to find such an ideal person as Martial Uncle Chen in the Eastern Wild," Xueting murmured. Xueting wasn't sure how to describe Chen Mobai. At the very least, he was the first person she had ever met who harbored no sectarian biases and openly shared all his knowledge, even with an outsider like herself. Before coming, she had mentally prepared herself for disdain and cold treatment. After all, she was there to learn spiritual plant cultivation techniques that others had painstakingly developed through trial and error. If someone were to come to Chui Xue Palace to learn their Crystal Spirit Rice cultivation, the Palace would be considered well-mannered for not outright expelling them.

This was precisely why, when Lan Lingping chose someone for this task, her senior and junior sisters all made excuses to decline. Xueting, who was usually not good at socializing and was often ostracized because of her striking beauty, was put forward. Xueting dared not defy her sect or her master, and completing this task would earn her ten thousand contribution points, which was exactly enough to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. She usually had few friends in the sect. Although she was close to reaching the ninth layer of Qi Refining, she hadn't accumulated enough contribution points, and others were unwilling to lend them, so this had been a constant source of worry for her. Upon hearing about the ten thousand contribution points, Xueting suppressed her indignation and accepted the task. However, Lan Lingping also understood the difficulty of the task. Before Xueting left, she assured her that if she could return with the complete and intact method for cultivating fire spirit rice, she would be guaranteed one of the Foundation Establishment Pills from the sect's next batch. Lan Lingping even subtly hinted that, to complete the mission, Xueting might need to make some "appropriate sacrifices." What "sacrifice" implied didn't need to be explicitly stated. Upon hearing this, Xueting understood why her master had allowed her senior and junior sisters to put her forward for the mission. For the first time, she felt that being beautiful was a sin. However, the resentment that arose within her began to twist her mindset. She even contemplated that if she truly had to make a sacrifice to complete the mission, then once she achieved Foundation Establishment, she would ensure that others in the sect also experienced the same suffering she had endured.

Yet, the outcome was completely different from what she had anticipated. The infamous top sword cultivator of the Divine Wood Sect was, to her astonishment, an exceptionally sincere individual. Her initial apprehension upon arriving at Little South Mountain seemed to have been noticed by his clear, bright eyes. He then arranged for her to stay at Senior Sister Zhuo's mountain residence. Senior Sister Zhuo was a genuinely earnest person. Even before the planting began, she had taken Xueting to the spiritual fields both on and around the mountain, providing hands-on instruction and teaching her all the tricks and essential techniques for cultivating fire spirit rice. Furthermore, the scene she witnessed on the peak of Little South Mountain on New Year's Day deeply moved Xueting. Could such a harmonious master-disciple relationship truly exist in the Eastern Wild? Xueting had frequently undertaken missions to earn sect contributions before, and had encountered many disciples from the Divine Wood Sect. She was well aware that this sect was no different from Chui Xue Palace in its general conduct. Therefore, the close and seamless master-disciple relationship at Little South Mountain could only be attributed to the unique nature of this particular lineage. This curiosity led Xueting, for the first time, to genuinely want to understand Chen Mobai more deeply. And the more she learned, the more she admired him. He was a true genius, an ideal person. If she had to describe him in one word, Xueting felt he might be a "saint."

"Alright, that's enough for the morning," Zhuo Ming said. "Come with me to wash some spiritual rice and pick some fruits and vegetables." At that moment, Zhuo Ming planted the last seedling in that *mu* of spiritual land. She stood up, clapped her hands, dusted herself off, and called Xueting to help prepare lunch. On the other side, Chen Mobai also stopped. As the master, it was naturally time for him to relax and enjoy himself. Luo Yixuan went to join Zhuo Ming and Xueting in preparing the meal.

Before long, cooked spiritual rice, roasted spiritual chicken, and a large pot of stewed vegetable soup were brought before Chen Mobai. Zhuo Ming and Luo Yixuan, already adept, had seated themselves on either side of Chen Mobai, each serving a bowl of spiritual rice and beginning to eat. Only Xueting stood there, feeling a little lost.

"Martial Niece Xueting, please sit down," Chen Mobai invited. "Don't be so reserved, just eat casually with us." After Chen Mobai's invitation, she somewhat hesitantly knelt on the grass, accepted the bowl and chopsticks Zhuo Ming offered, and cautiously served herself a small amount of soup, sipping it slowly.

"Although this Green Jade Spirit Rice is a bit firm in texture, its spiritual efficacy is gentle. Try some," Chen Mobai said, noticing Xueting's reservation, and gestured for Zhuo Ming to serve her a bowl instead of just eating herself. His second disciple obediently complied.

"Thank you, but this tier-two spiritual rice is too precious," Xueting said, somewhat awkwardly declining the Green Jade Spirit Rice Zhuo Ming offered. She had been at Little South Mountain for over a month and had gained some understanding of the spiritual plant cultivation methods mastered by this lineage. As one of two types of tier-two spiritual rice, Green Jade Spirit Rice was as valuable as the Crystal Spirit Rice cultivated by her own Chui Xue Palace. It was a treasure even her master, Lan Lingping, couldn't necessarily enjoy every meal.

"Just eat it," Zhuo Ming said, placing the bowl directly into Xueting's hand. She then quickly finished her own bowl and served herself another large one. At this point, Luo Yixuan had only eaten about half a bowl.

"Senior Sister has a really good appetite," Luo Yixuan remarked, a hint of envy on her face. After so many years under Chen Mobai's tutelage, she understood the benefits of consuming spiritual rice with every meal: it strengthened internal organs, invigorated blood qi, and conserved energy and the medicinal power of Foundation Establishment Pills during the critical Marrow Cleansing and Bone Transformation stage of Foundation Establishment. However, as she was only in the Qi Refining realm, she could only consume tier-one spiritual rice with every meal. Tier-two spiritual rice was a rare treat she could only have every few days. Zhuo Ming had been the same, but things changed after she attained initial mastery of the Nine Ren Dharma Body cultivation technique. Now she could consume tier-two spiritual rice once a day without worrying about indigestion. Besides spiritual rice, Zhuo Ming also had a significant demand for spiritual chicken and fish. This increased appetite was a sign of having entered the Nine Ren Dharma Body. Ji Daoyuan, for instance, had consumed nutrient-rich spiritual beast meat for over a decade. After cultivating his divine sense, he then supplemented with various potent blood-invigorating elixirs, barely managing to achieve the first layer of the Nine Ren Dharma Body during his Qi Refining stage.

Zhuo Ming, however, had modest expectations for herself. If it weren't for the desire to avoid bringing shame to the Little South Mountain lineage and to enter the inner disciple ranks at the sect's grand competition to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, she likely wouldn't have bothered with this body cultivation technique. Nevertheless, her Earth Mother Art, through her farming practice, had led her to comprehend the essence of the earth, making her cultivation of earth-attributed techniques exceptionally efficient. Thus, after two years of consuming spiritual rice, she astonishingly achieved initial mastery of this body cultivation method, widely considered the most difficult in the Eastern Wild. And after attaining mastery, Zhuo Ming's appetite significantly increased. It was fortunate that she was under Chen Mobai's tutelage. Not only did he not deduct spirit stones, but he also provided annual benefits. Spiritual rice was abundant, and there was no shortage of spiritual poultry, fish, or vegetables. Although the tier-one blood-qi nourishing elixir for the Nine Ren Dharma Body differed from standard cultivation pills and had virtually no pill toxicity, Chen Mobai still invited Yan Jinye to convert it into a medicinal wine. While this meant she had to drink it daily, it guaranteed freedom from the harmful effects of pill toxicity.

After the master and his two disciples finished eating, Xueting watched, stunned, as Zhuo Ming pulled a gourd from her storage pouch. A rich aroma of wine wafted out as she uncorked it, then Zhuo Ming tilted her slender neck back and took several long gulps. "I never expected Senior Sister Zhuo to be such a strong drinker," Xueting thought. Among the female cultivators of the Eastern Wild, Xueting had never heard of anyone who drank alcohol. Zhuo Ming's uninhibited and spontaneous demeanor filled her with even greater envy. Only under the tutelage of such a saint-like master could one preserve such pure and unblemished innocence, she mused.

"Take a break," Chen Mobai said after they finished eating, lazily stretching out on the grass. "If either of you has any questions about your cultivation, feel free to ask." However, both disciples had already asked their questions during the New Year, so they shook their heads. Luo Yixuan, especially, having been reprimanded earlier, no longer dared to speak casually.

"What about Martial Niece Xueting?" Chen Mobai turned his head to glance at Xueting, who was actively helping to clear away the leftover food. His inclination to teach prompted him to speak.

"Well... I can't think of any questions at the moment," Xueting hesitated, her ingrained caution preventing her from speaking up.

Chen Mobai didn't press the issue. He closed his eyes and began to ponder the assembly of the Formless Puppet.

He stayed at Little South Mountain for five days. On the first day, he personally sowed the Green Jade Spirit Rice seedlings. After confirming everything was in order, he used the seeding puppets to do the work for the next two days. The fifty *mu* of tier-two spiritual fields that Zhuo Ming had prepared were all effortlessly planted with Green Jade Spirit Rice by him.

"This is the first large-scale sowing, after all," he instructed his two disciples before leaving. "There might be unexpected issues, so please work diligently and guide the farmers in taking good care of the fields." After the sowing was complete, Chen Mobai was ready to go into seclusion. Before departing, he naturally needed to instruct his two disciples. As they nodded, he noticed Xueting beside them also nodding along. Chen Mobai paid no mind. After giving his instructions to the two disciples, he gracefully ascended to the peak of Little South Mountain, riding his Red Cloud Smoke Gauze. Soon after, the Great Cloud Mist Formation activated, shrouding the small wooden house on the mountaintop.

"I never expected that Martial Uncle Chen, so infamous in the outside world, would be such a simple and unassuming person in private," Xueting murmured to herself after seeing Chen Mobai leave. He was lauded as the Divine Wood Sect's foremost sword cultivator, yet in the days she spent with him, she never sensed the sharp edge characteristic of a supreme swordsman. Perhaps his sword dao had returned to its primal simplicity, making him appear on the surface like a rustic hermit, plain and unpretentious.

"That's because you haven't seen Master on the battlefield," Luo Yixuan said, shaking her head upon hearing Xueting's murmuring. "When he fought at Mount Tremor, Master was incredibly fierce." She firmly believed that farming was merely an immortal cultivation skill her master chose to hone the keenness of his sword dao. At his core, her master was a peerless divine sword destined to astound the ages!

Chen Mobai, of course, had no idea that in his young disciple's mind, he was almost more than human. After confirming with Chu Zuoshu that there would be no large-scale conflicts with Mount Tremor in the near future, he left his puppet body behind and returned to the Immortal Sect.

"My apologies, the custom chip took a considerable amount of time," Chen Mobai said, apologizing to Chai Lun upon returning to the Divine Craftsman Artifact Factory's workshop. As Zhou Tiangong, the chief engineer of the factory, was typically very busy, the workshop was primarily used by just the two of them.

"No worries," Chai Lun replied. "The Butian Daoist Academy is notoriously bureaucratic; I'd be surprised if you *hadn't* been delayed." Chai Lun had previously ordered puppet chips from the Butian Daoist Academy, paying in full upfront, but each time the process dragged on for an extended period. Understanding this, he nodded and handed Chen Mobai the skeletal frame of an arm he had assembled over the past few days, asking him to check for any issues.

*I actually thought the Butian Daoist Academy was quite fast*, Chen Mobai mused inwardly. He recalled his two collaborations with the Butian Daoist Academy, where it seemed that as soon as payment was received, they promptly arranged for the order and production. *But that's probably because I pulled some strings*, he thought.

Chen Mobai didn't mention it further. He carefully examined the arm's skeletal frame that Chai Lun had assembled and found three minor issues. He patiently explained them to Chai Lun, then asked him to disassemble and reassemble the part.

A month later, Chen Mobai finally understood why Chai Lun used to roar in frustration when he was teaching him. Even though the blueprints had been fully explained, Chai Lun, unlike Chen Mobai, didn't have a complete grasp of the Formless Puppet's intricacies from the start. Consequently, unexpected issues constantly arose during actual assembly or when printing parts. Several times they assembled sections, believing they had succeeded, only to find that the components wouldn't activate after spiritual energy was supplied. Upon re-checking from scratch, they would discover a misplaced wire or a part with a slight dimensional inaccuracy. The Formless Puppet required extremely high precision, with no more than 0.01 millimeter of error allowed. Chai Lun's understanding, however, was still at 0.1 millimeter precision, leading to several parts he had printed being scrapped and remade. This meant that nearly a month's worth of their prior work had been wasted.

At that moment, Chen Mobai truly felt like cursing. However, adhering to the principle of "do not do to others what you would not have done to yourself," he certainly wouldn't lash out at Chai Lun. After offering a few words of comfort, he joined him in reprinting the irregular parts. Chai Lun was, after all, an excellent puppeteer who never repeated his mistakes. As their coordination improved, the assembly process became progressively faster. Time slipped away as they immersed themselves in their work.

By the time Wenren Xuewei delivered the bionic materials, they had astonishingly completed the entire skeletal structure of the Formless Puppet. All that remained was to use various bionic materials to simulate the human body's meridians, blood vessels, organs, and flesh. This was where Wenren Xuewei's expertise was needed. While Chen Mobai's theoretical knowledge was perfect, if he were to attempt the practical application himself, he would likely need to scrap several attempts before he could confidently and perfectly apply the materials onto the skeletal frame.

"These small electronic components that simulate neurons are also crucial," Chen Mobai meticulously explained to Wenren Xuewei. "They need to be placed in their precise locations while applying the bionic materials, so that the skeletal support links seamlessly with the simulated meridians, blood vessels, organs, and flesh. If even one is misplaced, we'll have to cut it open and redo the section." To ensure the highest success rate, Chen Mobai reiterated all his knowledge on the subject to Wenren Xuewei, going over it multiple times. Wenren Xuewei nodded solemnly, assuring him that she fully understood and had no doubts.

However, after the actual application was completed, six neurons failed to link up as intended. "It's alright, just consider it a minor surgery," Chen Mobai said, gently comforting a guilt-ridden Wenren Xuewei. He then activated his Empyrean Spirit Eyes, picked up a surgical-knife-like tool, and carefully cut through the bionic flesh on the Formless Puppet's shoulder, precisely locating one of the electronic components that hadn't activated. Fortunately, the Formless Puppet had no sensation. Chen Mobai quickly completed the activation of all neurons, and once he confirmed there were no further issues, the three people in the workshop all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Next, we'll need to trouble Senior Sister Wenren to recultivate these six excised pieces of bionic flesh, then reapply and fuse them with the rest of the materials." As Chen Mobai looked at the Formless Puppet on the workbench, now bearing six small incisions he had made, a strong sense of accomplishment welled up within him. Though he had relied on the efforts of three companions, he had been the one to lead this project. This was the Formless Puppet, the pinnacle of Immortal Sect puppetry.

Just then, Chen Mobai's phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the caller ID, a look of delight on his face, and answered. "Hello, Teacher! Yes, that's fine. It'll be delivered the day after tomorrow? I'll be there." After he hung up, Chai Lun, already guessing what it was, asked with a look of pleasant surprise, "Is the chip finished?"

"That's right," Chen Mobai confirmed. "Fu Borong happened to have something to discuss with Teacher Che Yucheng, so he brought it along. I'll go with Teacher Che to meet him then." The three of them were overjoyed after Chen Mobai's announcement.

"I can't believe I ended up being the one holding us back," Wenren Xuewei said, a little embarrassed. "I'll head back to the Goumang Daoist Academy right away and cultivate these six pieces of bionic flesh as quickly as possible." She then politely declined Chen Mobai and the others' offers to see her off, booked a flight for the same day, and departed immediately.

"Have you decided what kind of magic artifact embryo you want the principal to order?" Che Yucheng suddenly asked Chen Mobai one day, as they, dressed in their Wuqi crimson and black robes, headed to the airport to pick someone up.