Chapter 97: Second Rank Puppet Beast

Five days later, Zhao Ningxiang returned to the Welcome Hall, this time accompanied by Liu Yuerong.

Liu Yuerong was the daughter of the Medicine King Valley's sect leader, and Zhao Ningxiang had always wanted to befriend her, but opportunities were scarce. Zhao Ningxiang had discreetly inquired about Liu Yuerong's interests and knew she was very keen on puppet techniques. When Wang Changsheng came seeking help, Zhao Ningxiang used her connections to arrange a meeting with Liu Yuerong.

Upon learning that Zhao Ningxiang's cousin could craft second-tier puppet beasts, Liu Yuerong was skeptical but followed Zhao Ningxiang to the Welcome Hall. Seeing Liu Yuerong, the two Qi Refining cultivators immediately stood up and respectfully said, "Disciples greet Senior Martial Aunt Liu."

Liu Yuerong waved her hand and instructed, "A few days ago, did a fellow Daoist named Wang Changsheng come to visit relatives? Take me to him." A hint of surprise simultaneously appeared in the eyes of the two Qi Refining cultivators; they had not expected Wang Changsheng to know Liu Yuerong. Without delay, they quickly led Liu Yuerong.

Soon, Liu Yuerong met Wang Changsheng, and the two Qi Refining disciples discreetly withdrew. Zhao Ningxiang smiled and introduced, "Cousin Changsheng, let me introduce you. This is Senior Martial Aunt Liu, the daughter of Sect Leader Liu Hongguang." Wang Changsheng was delighted. He quickly cupped his hands toward Liu Yuerong and solemnly said, "I am Wang Changsheng. It's a pleasure to meet you, Immortal Liu."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, I heard from Junior Martial Niece Zhao that you can craft second-tier puppet beasts," Liu Yuerong said, looking Wang Changsheng up and down and getting straight to the point. "I need a flying crane puppet that can cast intermediate-level spells. Can you make one?"

Wang Changsheng pondered for a moment and replied, "I can craft it, but I don't have enough materials on hand. I'd need to acquire them, which would take at least half a year."

Liu Yuerong frowned slightly and shook her head. "Half a year is too long. Tell me what materials you need, and I'll help you gather them. However, let's be clear: I'll only provide three sets of materials. If you need more, you'll have to pay with your own spirit stones. Of course, I won't let you work for nothing. I know a few second-tier alchemists who can help you prepare the spirit liquid, but you'll need to pay them an additional fee. What do you think?"

"No problem," Wang Changsheng said. "Then I'll trouble you, Immortal Liu. Here are the materials needed for crafting the second-tier puppet beast and for preparing the Jade Cold Spirit Water. I'll need five sets of materials for the puppet beast. Here are five hundred spirit stones." Wang Changsheng took out two jade slips and five hundred spirit stones, handing them to Liu Yuerong. As the daughter of the Medicine King Valley's sect leader, Liu Yuerong was unlikely to deceive him.

"Then it's settled," Liu Yuerong said. "Once the materials are gathered, I'll have Junior Martial Niece Zhao deliver them to you. I hope you can successfully craft the second-tier flying crane puppet beast." Liu Yuerong accepted the items, turned, and left, with Zhao Ningxiang quickly following.

Not long after, the two Qi Refining disciples entered, their faces filled with fawning expressions. "Senior Wang, we apologize for any offense we may have caused earlier. Please don't hold it against us," one said. "Indeed!" the other added. "We didn't realize Senior Wang knew Senior Martial Aunt Liu. We're all one family, so there's no need for spirit stones." The middle-aged man took out twenty spirit stones and offered them to Wang Changsheng. Wang Changsheng repeatedly declined, but the two men were very insistent, so Wang Changsheng had no choice but to accept the spirit stones.

"Senior Wang, Senior Martial Aunt Liu said she would arrange a better residence for you. Please follow us." The middle-aged man led Wang Changsheng to another stone chamber. The chamber was elegantly furnished and had a relatively abundant supply of spiritual energy.

True to her status as the daughter of the Medicine King Valley's sect leader, Liu Yuerong only took three days to gather all five sets of materials and had Zhao Ningxiang deliver them to Wang Changsheng.

"Cousin Changsheng," Zhao Ningxiang said, handing Wang Changsheng a blue storage bag, "Senior Martial Aunt Liu has already arranged for someone to prepare the Jade Cold Spirit Water for you; there's over a hundred jin of it. However, she'll only give it to you after you've crafted the flying crane puppet. Also, you'll need to pay the second-tier alchemist a reward of five hundred spirit stones. Once the puppet beast is finished, just have Senior Brother Chen inform me."

"No problem. I'll have him inform you immediately after I've finished crafting it." Zhao Ningxiang chatted with Wang Changsheng for a while before taking her leave.

After seeing Zhao Ningxiang off, Wang Changsheng meditated for a quarter of an hour before beginning to craft the flying crane puppet. Crafting second-tier puppet beasts was much more difficult than first-tier ones. Firstly, it required spirit wood that was over a hundred years old. Such wood was very hard and difficult to carve. Secondly, there were more spirit runes to engrave, and even a minor error could lead to failure.

Time flew by, and half a year quickly passed. Wang Changsheng sat on a prayer mat. In front of him was a lifelike wooden flying crane puppet, covered in red spirit runes. Around him lay four other wooden flying crane puppets, also covered in red spirit runes. Wang Changsheng's face was slightly pale and covered in sweat. He had failed four times already, and this was his last set of materials.

In front of him, a cluster of red liquid hovered. He continuously formed hand seals, striking the red liquid with various incantations. Under the control of his divine sense, the red liquid violently churned, then blurred and transformed into a red flying crane. With a flap of its wings, it crashed into the flying crane puppet. A large amount of red liquid flowed into the spirit runes on the puppet's surface, causing the flying crane puppet to glow with a dazzling red light and exude potent spiritual energy.

After more than ten breaths, all the red liquid was absorbed by the wooden flying crane puppet, and the spirit runes pulsed continuously. Wang Changsheng took out a black porcelain bottle, from which an egg-sized green light orb flew out. Attracted by the red spiritual light on the flying crane puppet's surface, the green light orb slowly drifted toward it. Wang Changsheng changed his hand seals, and several incantations struck the flying crane puppet. The puppet seemed to come alive, its mouth opening to unleash a powerful suction force that involuntarily drew the green light orb into its mouth.

"Condense," Wang Changsheng commanded, changing his hand seals once more and striking the flying crane puppet with an incantation. All the spirit runes on the puppet's surface lit up. It flapped its wings and soared into the air, flying within the stone chamber.

"Finally, success," Wang Changsheng murmured. He wiped the sweat from his face, a smile appearing on his weary expression. It had taken him half a year to craft just one second-tier low-grade puppet beast, which demonstrated the immense difficulty of crafting such items.

This flying crane puppet's flight speed was comparable to a low-grade flying magical artifact, and it could also cast the intermediate-level spell, Hundred Blade Slash. Furthermore, its defensive capabilities were on par with a low-grade defensive magical artifact. If Wang Changsheng were to sell it, it would fetch at least over a thousand spirit stones. Crafting this flying crane puppet cost him over one thousand five hundred spirit stones. Even if he sold it for over a thousand spirit stones, he would still incur a loss of over five hundred spirit stones.

Wang Changsheng put away the flying crane puppet and the scattered materials, then opened the door and walked out. He asked a disciple named Chen to inform Zhao Ningxiang, who naturally did not dare to delay.

The next morning, Liu Yuerong and Zhao Ningxiang appeared in Wang Changsheng's secret chamber. Liu Yuerong fitted a mid-grade spirit stone into the flying crane puppet and then conjured a black stone tablet, about a zhang tall. The black stone tablet emitted a powerful spiritual aura, clearly indicating it was a high-grade magical artifact.

Liu Yuerong manipulated the flying crane puppet to attack the black stone tablet. The puppet swooped down from above, its claws scratching the tablet, leaving only faint white marks. It then opened its mouth and spat out dozens of foot-long red fire blades, which eagerly struck the black stone tablet. A series of rumbling explosions resounded as dozens of red fire blades burst open one after another, transforming into a large expanse of crimson flames that enveloped the black stone tablet, the fire swirling intensely. After the flames dissipated, a golden character "叁" (three) appeared on the surface of the black stone tablet.