Chapter 303: Three Feet of Snow, Situation Verification

The way of puppets has three main branches: Human Puppets, Iron Puppets, and Beast Puppets.

They are categorized by material, form, and function. Among puppets, variant zombies are comparable to Earth-level puppets, while Heaven-level puppets are on par with Heaven-grade bloodline demonic beasts. Such puppets have almost never appeared in this world. At best, they only reach the fourth tier; this is both a limit and a result of insufficient mastery of the craft, compounded by the absence of corpses from Divine Transformation realm cultivators for puppet creation.

The Earth Grievance Puppet technique is a top-tier puppet refining method that Wang Yu acquired from the Old Earth Fiend Ghost while he was still in Guiling. It is optimally used with the active remains of Nascent Soul cultivators. This Huangquan Ghost Bone somewhat fits the criteria. While it lacks vitality, which might prevent it from advancing in rank, it doesn't mean it cannot be refined. However, a significant amount of its power has been lost, and Wang Yu felt he needed to try his luck.

If he could control a fourth-tier puppet, even if only in its initial stage, it would bring him a monumental change. After searching for a while, he finally found his target.

First, he checked the placement slot.

Placement Slot 6: Earth Grievance Puppet Master Scripture (Puppet Refining/Secret Art/Third Tier)

"Earth Grievance Puppet Master Scripture (0/100): Three refinements a day, can be completed in twenty years."

Wang Yu frowned. A third-tier secret art… could it really refine the Earth Grievance Puppets described within? Or was this just the fantasy of the secret art's creator? After all, anyone can boast without consequence.

After thinking for a moment, he decided not to remove it yet. He would wait for the placement slot's feedback to assess the quality of this secret art. Even if he wanted to refine a puppet, it wouldn't be an overnight task.

He reorganized his collection. The newly acquired storage rings, like Wen Hua's, were difficult to handle.

Wang Yu had only transferred the Nascent Soul Pill formula and various materials like the Nine-Bends Spirit Ginseng from Wen Hua's ring to his Sea Heart Ring. He hadn't touched the rest, including the eye-type magical artifact that had shown some power. His main concern was that the Yin-Yang Gate might trace him through channels for selling stolen goods. Ideally, Wen Hua's storage ring should be exchanged for spirit stones in Huangquan Temple territory.

Similarly, the spoils from the Zhuo family members were also difficult to dispose of. Wang Yu inspected the contents, burning anything suspected of having tracking effects.

Finally, he took out the white magic robe worn by the Huangquan Ghost Bone.

Magic robes are a type of magical artifact; they can be defensive, but their effects are generally not outstanding among items of the same tier. Their primary function is to amplify supernatural abilities and spells that share the wearer's origin. Top-tier magic robes are no less effective than magical artifacts of the same level.

Wang Yu injected his divine sense into it, leaving his imprint and beginning to refine it with his spiritual power, finally gleaning a lot of information. The robe was named "Three-Foot Snow!"

This Yin-cold attribute magic robe was not only compatible with Huangquan Temple cultivators but also highly compatible with Wang Yu himself. Its original rank was Tier 4 High-grade. Due to combat damage and the ravages of time, it was now only Tier 3 Low-grade. This wasn't a major issue; as long as it wasn't completely ruined, it could be repaired!

As for it being worn by a corpse… For him, there were no taboos. As long as there were benefits, it was auspicious.

Moreover, since this item merely suffered a drop in rank, restoring it would be much easier than crafting a new Tier 4 magic robe, let alone a Tier 4 High-grade one, which is extremely rare!

This garment was typically of ancient design. It was pure white with silver patterns, and its hem, which reached below the hips, was somewhat long and ragged. The back waist area had a hole torn by a sharp claw. Its appearance was currently rather shabby; minor nicks could be slowly restored through spiritual power nourishment, but the large tear would require repair.

Top-grade ice-attribute silk should suffice. He made a mental note of this.

An hour later, based on Zhuo Jie's memories and utilizing the Myriad Traces Secret Art, Wang Yu located a new tomb. This time, it wasn't a grand palace built openly on the surface, but a subterranean palace entrance!

Most cultivators' tombs are self-built, often on a scale and with designs far grander than those of emperors in Wang Yu's previous life. Some even include special arrangements. Naturally, those qualified to construct such elaborate tombs typically come from influential forces and hold significant status; otherwise, they wouldn't even be able to protect their own remains. Placing a tomb within a spatial secret realm, for example, was considered a magnificent undertaking.

Now, seeing a real tomb, combined with the situations he encountered before, he suspected that the Huangquan Ghost Bone was likely a tomb guardian of the Netherworld Bone Dao, who probably encountered some unforeseen event, leading to the abandonment of this tomb secret realm. For example, the strange spirit puppets he encountered.

Zhuo Wenshi and that array master likely entered this tomb's subterranean palace. This time, Wang Yu didn't follow them directly. Instead, he released both the Yin Fiend Corpse and the Thunder Corpse. Hidden within the surrounding misty gloom, their natural affinity made them thrive, like fish in water. Wang Yu's figure also gradually became transparent, disappearing at the entrance.

He decided to lie in wait!

Inside the unnamed subterranean palace, Zhuo Wenshi stared at the middle-aged array master, pointing to a coffin and saying, "Go open it."

"Huh, me?" The middle-aged array master's blank expression gave way to a mixture of grievance and annoyance. He complained indignantly, "Miss Zhuo, aren't you being a bit too unreasonable? From before we entered the secret realm, every restriction and array we encountered along the way, wasn't it I who deciphered them? And all the spirit materials harvested in the front part of this subterranean palace, weren't they all taken by you? Understand this clearly: I am a guest elder of your Zhuo family, not a slave!"

Seeing this, Zhuo Wenshi said nothing, just pointed to the coffin and raised her delicate chin, making the middle-aged array master flush crimson.

"Hmph— I'll go then!" Approaching the coffin, the array master meticulously examined the patterns on it, forming a transparent membrane with his divine sense and carefully pressing it onto the surface. After deliberating for a while, he reached the tail end of the coffin. He tapped it with his finger, then took out a large set of tools, prodding here and there. After much fumbling, he finally nodded to Zhuo Wenshi and said, "The outermost restriction has been dealt with. I don't know if there are any issues with the contents inside, so it's best not to touch them lightly. Inspect them first."

"Understood."

As the outermost coffin opened, a slightly smaller coffin appeared before them. The array master scratched his head and continued to decipher it. This process repeated twice. The third layer was finally the true coffin.

Pushing open the lid, Zhuo Wenshi's eyes lit up. "This is the tomb of a Huangquan cultivator! This item should be Huangquan Crystal, a natural material that only Tier 3 corpses can condense. What a great find!"

The middle-aged array master secretly retreated, then stomped his right foot forcefully. His expression was one of immense satisfaction.

Immediately after, the tomb chamber deep within the subterranean palace began to tremble. A Severing Dragon Stone suddenly dropped down at the entrance they had used, and turbid yellow water droplets began to seep from the surrounding walls. The unique corrosive scent of the Yellow Springs began to spread.

Zhuo Wenshi's expression darkened as she stared at the middle-aged array master. "Heh, I knew you were suspicious. I just didn't expect you to be so patient. Tell me! Who sent you to infiltrate the Zhuo family?"

"You knew?" The middle-aged array master couldn't help but sneer. "My disguise was so perfect, how could you possibly see through it? And you even let me…"

As he spoke, he trailed off. The reason was simple: Zhuo Wenshi's coercion throughout the journey had been too intense; several times, her attitude implied 'do it or die,' which was excessive even for the Zhuo clan.

"What if I knew? The restrictions of this tomb have already been triggered by me. You can enjoy a taste of the ancient overlord's anti-tomb-raiding defenses here, hahaha~"

The middle-aged array master defiantly said a few words, then stomped his foot again. The tomb chamber fell silent.

"Bang~""Bang~""Bang~"

"Stop stomping, you'll shatter the tombstone." The middle-aged array master was utterly perplexed. He stopped looking at Zhuo Wenshi and muttered to himself, "How is this possible… My Earth-Walking Array Pattern isn't working."

Then, he suddenly looked up, revealing eyes filled with murderous intent. "Bitch! What did you do to my array pattern?!"

"So soon?" Zhuo Wenshi pointed to the special mechanisms on the four walls, where water droplets had turned into gushing streams. A satisfied smile finally appeared on her fair, delicate face. After scooping up all the treasures from the coffin, she said:

"Even if you don't tell me, I can guess whose subordinate you are. Zhuo Shouqing's, right? There's another one of your people outside, who should have killed Zhuo Jie and Zhuo Yu. But… how can you be so sure I have no means of confirming their deaths? And how dare you move against me?"

The middle-aged array master didn't want to hear this. He was indeed Zhuo Shouqing's subordinate, but his mission was only to stall for time until Wang Yu arrived at the secret realm entrance. Who knew that person never came? Under threat of his life, he had no choice but to open the secret realm door and barely survive until now.

And because of the constant pressure along the way, he developed a murderous intent towards Zhuo Wenshi. He tested her multiple times and, after discovering that she truly knew nothing about array formations, this scene unfolded. Now, it seemed, it was all this woman's elaborate scheme. He had been played!

—Damn her!!!

Seeing the triggered restrictions, with the increasing amount of Yellow Spring Corroding Bone Water about to spread, the middle-aged array master quickly flew up, glaring fiercely at Zhuo Wenshi. "Since that's the case, let's die together, array—" Before he finished speaking, Zhuo Wenshi flew to the entrance, which was blocked by the Severing Dragon Stone, and waved at him with a smile, as if deliberately mouthing something silently. Her figure actually vanished into the Severing Dragon Stone.

That was his Earth-Walking Array Pattern!! "No—"

But when he rushed over, the restrictions that suddenly burst forth from the Severing Dragon Stone immediately repelled him, sending him flying backward and into the Yellow Spring Corroding Bone Water. In an instant, his flesh dissolved, revealing stark white bones. No matter how he shrieked and wailed, there was no response, until the turbid yellow poisonous water filled the tomb chamber…

This Yellow Spring Corroding Bone Water is a type of sinister water prepared with a secret method, extracting components from true Yellow Spring Water and mixing them with corrosive bone poison. It is extremely potent against flesh-and-blood creatures.

This substance also exists in the current Huangquan Temple, but not in large quantities. It is said that in their hands, this water can also become a cultivation material for a top-tier supernatural ability.

After Zhuo Wenshi left, she did not return to collect the array master's body. Through the Earth-Walking Array Pattern, she reappeared on the surface, having deviated from the subterranean palace entrance.