Puppeteer Technique!

Qin Huai followed suit, settling into a cross-legged position on the ground before he too faded from sight.

…

At the True Path Sect, an inconspicuous young man slowly rose from a concealed chamber. Pushing the door open, he made his way into the bustling crowd.

Astonishingly, the multitude of True Path Sect disciples in attendance paid no heed to this Dao Child. More accurately, they didn’t recognize him at all. action

He swiftly navigated through the mountainous terrain, making his way to the highest peak of the True Path Sect. There, a bearded elder clad in a purple-gold robe practiced gentle boxing techniques mid-air. Man and landscape seemed to blend seamlessly into each other.

“Master,” Zhang Youji said quietly.

The bearded elder’s movements stuttered momentarily before resuming their fluidity. Once he completed his series of punches, he turned as though nothing had interrupted his practice. Seeing Zhang Youji now less than five meters behind him, the elder’s eyes twitched involuntarily.

“Youji, your concealment skills are advancing rather impressively,” the True Path Sect’s master commented, a wry smile on his face.

“Did I deceive you, Master?” Zhang Youji’s expression remained neutral, his intentions inscrutable.

The sect master laughed softly. “I only realized you were approaching when you were within thirty meters of me.” He retained his composure, adding, “However, there’s still plenty of room for improvement.”

Zhang Youji slightly shook his head.

“If you have the time, you should focus on honing our sect’s unique lightning technique. How are you going to defeat enemies relying solely on these unconventional methods?” The sect master tried to persuade his disciple.

“Master, you misunderstand. My father named me hoping that I would always remember to avoid confronting enemies directly. It’s risky and inefficient,” Zhang Youji explained. “It’s better to strike from the shadows…”

Interrupting the repetitious lesson he’d heard countless times, the Sect Master of the True Path Sect sighed. “Alright, alright. Why are you here?”

The sect master seemed a little worn out. He had been tolerant of his disciple’s unusual approach because Zhang Youji was the Dao Child of True Path Sect, yet he had never practiced the sect’s lightning technique. His victories had always relied on stealthy attacks. Even during the fight for the title of Dao Child, his methods were unconventional. This made Zhang Youji’s reputation within the True Path Sect less than ideal.

“There’s been a big development in Qingzhou…” Zhang Youji shared the full account of events with the sect master, whose expression shifted from grave to shocked, then back to grave.

“So, you’re saying that the youngster named Qin Huai has actually refined the true dragon bone?” he asked. “The boy’s blood essence must be stronger than I’d thought.”

“Indeed… He nearly annihilated everyone in the spirit blood level. Even the guardian of the Golden Spirit Temple was defeated by him,” Zhang Youji admitted, feeling as though he was reliving a dream. “Third Young Master Qiong, who had originally entered the Golden Spirit Temple, was forcibly removed by Qin Huai.”

The sect master’s eyes showed a flicker of surprise. “That young man has potential. If you wish to assist him in Qingzhou, go. I don’t need you at the moment,” the sect master of the True Path Sect conceded.

“Thank you, Master!” Two voices echoed in unison.

The sect master abruptly turned around, to find an identical Zhang Youji standing behind him. “You…”

“I’ve recently mastered the puppeteer technique. Even I struggle to differentiate between the real and the fake when I split my consciousness,” Zhang Youji said calmly, looking at the sect master he had successfully tricked.

“Did you draw out a soul strand?” The sect master instantly understood.

“Wise as always, Master,” Zhang Youji responded respectfully, adding, “My spirit is intact, and the death of the puppet doesn’t affect me. This puppet possesses one-third of my strength. Deploying them at the frontlines will undoubtedly fool the enemy.”

The sect master could only shake his head. If only Zhang Youji’s talents had been utilized in the cultivation of the lightning techniques, he would have long surpassed him. What a waste…

“The white-robed king is one of the four great protectors serving under the Sacred Heart Sect’s master. His king realm combat power far surpasses those of the visceral prefecture realm,” the sect master muttered to himself. When he looked around, Zhang Youji — both the real and the fake — had already vanished.

…

Meanwhile, the Ying clan, Bai clan, Phoenix clan, Huang clan, along with the other royal clans, dispatched their experts to the Great You Imperial City. Numerous scouts were sent out with one common objective: to find out Qin Huai’s identity.

…

In the blood sea, Qin Huai gradually opened his eyes. A drop of golden blood seeped from his body, suspended in his hand and radiating a brilliant light like a precious artifact.

“My soul and blood essence have fully merged,” Qin Huai mused, using the drop of blood to understand the changes within himself. The cleansing effect of the Golden Spirit Temple’s invincible Vajra blood provided him with the treasure many craved, while also facilitating the first necessary transformation to reach the king realm.

“My strength hasn’t noticeably increased, but it feels more profound,” he observed. “It’s not just about the power, but my understanding of blood essence has deepened. I had been wasteful in the past.”

Qin Huai quickly grasped the cause of the change. “The advancement of martial arts goes from the physical cultivation to a deeper comprehension.”

This was evident in the spiritual altar realm. He waved his hand gently, and countless images of Qingzhou City appeared before him. Scenes of crumbling walls, ruins, and dried blood flashed by, with endless battles continuing as time went on.

With a thought, Qin Huai brought the image on the scroll closer to the Thousand Divination Tower. Soon, he spotted cultivators wearing a blend of Daoist and monk robes. His movements grew more cautious as he neared the central area, and eventually, a familiar figure came into view — the white-robed king.

Opposite the white-robed king stood Gao He, the former governor of the state. Gao He, on one knee, was speaking to the white-robed king. The conversation lasted an hour, after which Gao He, sprouting wings akin to a Kun Peng, took off towards the blood sea.

“Gao He should be one of Tang Pi’s most trusted men,” Qin Huai thought.

He remembered Gao He and Tang Pi being inseparable, with the former having saved the latter multiple times. However, now, with Tang Pi and the white-robed king at odds, why was Gao He still in the Thousand Divination Tower? Was it an act, or did Gao He hold a different identity?

Unable to decipher their intentions, Qin Huai turned his attention back to the white-robed king, who sat at the edge of the pavilion, eyes closed.

“It seems I’ve yet to be discovered. At least the white-robed king hasn’t launched an assault on East Qingzhou’s ten counties yet.”

Closing his eyes, Qin Huai sifted through countless cultivation techniques. Soon, he found a disguise technique. Now that he possessed hundreds of these techniques, his conflicting blood essences coexisted harmoniously within him, a phenomenon that would surely stun other martial artists.

His hands molded his face like clay, quickly transforming his appearance into that of Wang Kun. Emerging from the blood sea, he was promptly approached by dozens of Kun Peng demons.

“Who are you…” Just as one of them was about to raise an alarm, another quieted him, greeting Qin Huai respectfully, “Greetings, Lord Wang!”

Qin Huai nodded naturally. “Bring me to see…” he started, only to be interrupted by a boisterous voice from afar. “Brother Wang! It’s been a while!”

The figure that followed was Tang Pi. Unlike before, he appeared younger, his wrinkles lessened, and his vitality surged.

“How long has it been?” Qin Huai inquired.

“Ten days,” Tang Pi replied with a chuckle. “Judging by Brother Wang’s aura, it’s clear you’ve gotten spirit stones and retreated to the spirit world for cultivation.”

“Sect Master Tang, your perception is commendable,” Qin Huai replied without denying the fact. He was slightly taken aback by the time he had spent in the spirit world. It felt like only a few days had passed, yet in the real world, it had been ten days.

“May I ask what brings Brother Wang here today?”

“There is indeed something I’d like to discuss with Sect Master Tang.”