The Puppet Emperor's remnant soul was now deeply perplexed, the flickering flames in his eye sockets wavering uncertainly. In the end, he simply stopped thinking about it too hard; the youth these days really knew how to play wild and break all the conventional rules.
He was already dead, his original body completely dismantled by the Medicine Buddha. All that remained was this final wisp of a soul, clinging to existence for one singular purpose: to pass on his legacy. These ancient Great Emperors, in their final days, ultimately pursued only two things: the elusive dream of immortality, and the eternal preservation of their lineage and knowledge.
It was just a pity that he had committed too many sins and offended too many powers in his time. In his obsessive research on puppetry and eternal life, he had managed to offend nearly every major divine beast clan. As for why he didn't simply exterminate them to silence them forever? The reason was simple and pragmatic; the divine beast clans had their own powerful, ancient alliances.
Picking a fight with one or two was manageable, but if a whole group of supremely powerful divine beasts came at him simultaneously, all wielding their ancestral imperial artifacts, even a peak Great Emperor would be genuinely threatened. So he'd simply captured a few lone Unity-stage beasts for his experiments and called it a day.
But he knew in his heart that once his natural lifespan reached its end, retribution would surely come. So he decided to go all the way, bringing all his research and creations into his tomb for one final, desperate attempt. Yet as the long millennia passed, his ultimate pursuit ended in undeniable failure.
He had transformed his own body into an imperial artifact, hoping to achieve eternal existence like other artifact spirits. But then he nearly lost his very consciousness to the assimilation process. Artifact spirits had no true freedom; what was worse, most of the time their consciousness was in a state of chaotic slumber, only awakening when their wielder demanded it. Even more terrifying was the fact that he would have to become someone else's tool, a slave to another's will.
The so-called immortality he sought was nothing more than the freedom to wander freely between heaven and earth, to experience all of creation. This twisted outcome completely violated his original purpose for cultivating in the first place. In the end, he had no choice but to halt the transformation midway, leaving him trapped in a horrific state between life and death, unable to truly live, yet unable to completely die.
It was only when the compassionate Medicine Buddha arrived that he finally found release from his torment. His final, simplest wish was just to find a worthy successor to pass his knowledge to.
Now, the young woman before him left him feeling deeply conflicted. She was so formidably talented and young, and he had silently witnessed the entire battle outside his chamber. As far as Su Min was concerned, this was a nearly flawless inheritor, but precisely because she was too flawless and walked her own powerful path, he knew she wasn't truly suited to be his sole successor.
She had no real need for his core puppetry, a cultivation method that many considered to violate the natural order.
"The Medicine Buddha's judgment is beyond question, little girl. I know what you truly seek," the remnant soul rasped. "As an alchemist, you want specific puppets to help you withstand the heavenly tribulation of high-level pill refinement, correct? This jade slip contains the culmination of all my knowledge on the matter."
As the Puppet Ancient Emperor spoke, a pristine, glowing jade slip slowly rose from the stone floor before his skeleton. Light shimmered across its smooth surface, containing the vast, ancient legacy of a Great Emperor's lifelong work.
"What does the Great Emperor wish of me in return?" Su Min asked, her voice respectful but cautious. She didn't immediately reach for it in greed. To her, this was merely icing on the cake for her current power. Moreover, she was standing before the last echo of a Great Emperor. While she didn't fear the Medicine Buddha deceiving her, she still had to show these ancient powerhouses their due respect.
"I want you to swear a binding soul oath, ensuring my lineage continues and is not lost to time."
"Agreed."
Su Min answered almost without hesitation, her decision swift and clear. She already had her own thriving sect; incorporating this legacy would be no different from how Xie Yingying's Heavenly Yin Sect had merged with hers.
Currently, the Immortal Sect had two main powerful lineages: Xie Yingying's Heavenly Yin branch, and Su Min's own Five Elements branch, along with the even more critical and influential Alchemy branch. Adding a specialized Puppetry branch wouldn't be an issue at all; she just needed to ensure the legacy survived and was practiced responsibly.
She had no intention of hiding it either, treating it as some dark secret. She could simply place a dignified statue of the Puppet Ancient Emperor in the main hall alongside other honored predecessors. Of course, strict restrictions would be necessary, especially regarding the more ethically questionable techniques for crafting puppets from living beings. Those would be sealed and accessible only to the most trusted elders.
"Sigh... Don't disappoint me, girl. Don't let my life's work end in mere obscurity."
After hearing Su Min's solemn oath, the Puppet Emperor let out a deep, weary sigh that seemed to carry the weight of millennia. Then, that last wisp of his soul flickered brightly one final time before dissipating into the air completely, its purpose fulfilled. The soft light enveloping the jade slip faded away. Su Min sighed softly, a touch of melancholy in her heart for the passing of such an era, before reaching out to take the slip.
But her brow soon furrowed as she began scanning the information within, realizing just how complex and morally troublesome some of these techniques were. The scroll contained numerous, detailed methods for creating powerful puppets using living beings or freshly dead corpses as a base, which made her expression darken with concern.
She wasn't inherently, philosophically opposed to such methods if used on willing subjects or sworn enemies, but the risk of abuse was far too high. Even if one didn't kill innocents, obtaining high-level, intact corpses would often require grave robbing or other desecration. A single misstep in judgment or a loose-tongued disciple could easily turn the entire righteous world against her sect.
"Fortunately, it seems the Puppet Ancient Emperor was himself aware of the issues with parts of his legacy. He specifically labeled these as forbidden arts, not outright banned but to be used with extreme caution and only under dire circumstances. The other mainstream puppetry techniques aren't problematic at all, relying on rare natural treasures and metals as their foundation."
As she flipped through the mental pages of the Puppet Ancient Tome, Su Min carefully noted these important distinctions. Truthfully, she personally had no interest in these flesh-crafting methods. Controlling complex puppets also required learning intricate soul seals and control systems; this was an entire cultivation system unto itself, almost like the specialized Tang Sect from some of the wuxia stories she'd read in her past life.
She simply had no energy or desire to fully integrate this into her own personal combat system, so she dismissed that idea outright. She could just take the legacy back to her sect and let the interested younger generation study and develop it. What she was really after, the method for creating lightning-resistant puppets, lay within the carefully regulated forbidden arts section.
"Demon-Sealing Puppet, an extremely rare and advanced puppet that uses heavenly lightning as its source of evolution and power. But it requires the intact, powerful corpse of at least a Dao Comprehension cultivator as its foundation. Tch, where am I supposed to get a corpse like that on short notice? Whatever, I'll deal with that later. More important matters first."
Su Min rubbed her temples in mild frustration. It wasn't that she had any moral objection to preserving and using corpses, but the reality was that battles at her level almost always required going all out, leaving little chance of enemies' bodies remaining intact enough for such delicate work.
"If all else fails, I can send some trusted disciples into the ancient battlefield to search. Half-step Dao Comprehension cultivators should be able to safely retrieve some long-dead Dao Comprehension-level corpses from the periphery. Those ancient bones would suffice as a foundation; they don't need to be fresh."
Soon, a rough plan formed in her mind. The ancient battlefield would undoubtedly be a treasure trove for such materials. The only real pity was that she could no longer enter it herself after reaching the Dao Comprehension stage; the spatial rules barred her.
And for ordinary Divine Transformation cultivators, venturing deep inside was far too dangerous. This would require careful planning and a well-equipped expedition team upon her return. She didn't oppose puppetry itself, only its potential for widespread abuse if left unchecked.
"More important than puppet materials right now is refining the Ten Thousand Laws temporarily within me into something permanent for my Dharma Body. And now, full control of this tomb is in my hands."
As she finished examining the jade slip, Su Min realized with surprise that it also served as the tomb's master control key. With this, she could relocate the entire massive structure if she wished. With a mental command and a wave of her hand, the chamber behind her, containing the Emperor's skeleton, abruptly closed before sinking silently into the tomb's very lowest, most secure level.
Unless she died, no one would ever disturb the Puppet Ancient Emperor's final rest again. Though the man's reputation in life was undoubtedly poor, even having had conflicts with the Little Golden Crow and dragon clans who were now her allies, he had still chosen to pass his legacy to her. The dead were gone; there was no point in dwelling on past grievances now that he had found his peace.
"Next is the next critical step of my path, refining these temporary laws within me and forging an indomitable, unique dharma body, clearing the way for my advancement to the Unity stage."
Su Min's eyes narrowed with focus as she slowly sat down in a meditative posture right there in the silent chamber, beginning the arduous process of refining and integrating the myriad laws within her. She also needed to use this perfect, protected opportunity to break through to the late Dao Comprehension stage.
Thus began another long period of deep seclusion, one that would last until she successfully reached that new level of power. Time flowed swiftly for a cultivator in meditation, and for a Dao Comprehension expert, seclusion was naturally a lengthy affair, often spanning decades.
Meanwhile, on the backwater planet Su Min had once visited centuries ago...
Squelch
A grotesque, wet sound echoed across the churning ocean as a massive, whale-like Filthbeast was cleanly split in two by a brilliant sword aura, its vile blood staining the water.
"A Dao Comprehension-level Filthbeast is nothing special anymore. But compared to how Master handled them back then with such ease, I'm still far behind."
Gazing at the enormous corpse now floating lifelessly on the ocean's surface, Lin Yao couldn't help but sigh, wiping her blade. Her surroundings were now enveloped in a peculiar, cleansing radiance emanating from a tower on the shore, and the distant sea actually shimmered with tranquil, unpolluted waves.
The Filthbeasts that had once plagued this world for centuries had been completely eradicated. Humanity had finally reclaimed the oceans.
"I plan to leave this place soon, to follow Master's path among the stars. Staying here, I'll never reach the Dao Comprehension stage in this lifetime."
Lin Yao's tone was calm but resolute as she addressed the group of powerful figures behind her. The moment she spoke, their expressions shifted slightly, a mix of awe and apprehension. Her cultivation had already reached the peak of the late Divine Transformation stage. Though the Dao Comprehension stage remained a distant mountain, her actual combat prowess was terrifying, honed in countless battles. She was now undeniably the planet's strongest cultivator.
Her battle strength, efficient and overwhelming, carried faint but unmistakable echoes of Su Min's own dominant style. Back then, Su Min had fought her way through every obstacle alone. But Lin Yao's path had been comparatively smoother, paved by her master's prior world-shaking efforts. The critical method to completely eradicate the Filthbeast spawning grounds had been found among the deceased Bloodfiend Patriarch's secret collections. After Su Min killed him, his hidden lair had been discovered and opened, where they discovered a complex Heaven-grade purification formation diagram.
With the entire planet's combined efforts and resources, and with Lin Yao's rapid rise to power leading them, they had finally confined the Filthbeasts to a minuscule area before wiping them out. Their centuries-long calamity had finally ended. Su Min had known about this method all along but chose not to simply hand it over. Before leaving, she had simply offered guidance; this world's problems needed to be solved by its own people to truly grow stronger.
Now, after personally seeing the centuries-long disaster to its end, Lin Yao felt she had no more reason to stay.
She had never married nor had children, wholly dedicated to her cultivation. Family and old friends had all faded into the river of time. With this existential crisis resolved, her only remaining pursuit was the path of immortality itself.
But this planet's spiritual foundation was simply too weak and damaged; she had no possible path to the Dao Comprehension stage here. When Su Min left, she herself had only just entered the Dao Comprehension stage and couldn't leave behind any specific guidance for that immense leap. So Lin Yao knew in her heart she had to depart, to seek her own opportunities in the vast cosmos.
"Miss Lin, are you certain about this?" One of the elders asked, his voice laden with concern.
The others' expressions were far less composed than Lin Yao's. She was their strongest cultivator and ultimate guardian, and she had never shown interest in political power. Usually, she simply cultivated in peace, emerging only when dire threats appeared, exactly the kind of benevolent, unstressed existence everyone adored.
Unmatched strength, no meddling in mundane affairs, always there as a final safety net.
But now, her clear declaration filled them with deep unease. They knew their own limits well; none of them would ever reach the Dao Comprehension stage in this lifetime. They could offer Lin Yao no further assistance on her path, and with no blood ties or deep obligations binding her, she was completely beyond their influence.
This wasn't ideal for the planet's long-term security. In theory, they should have urged Lin Yao to marry quickly, bear children, then pour all their resources into raising those descendants. That would have given them a lasting leverage and connection to her. But the problem, the immense problem, lay with her master.
That great and terrifyingly mysterious existence. As the saying went, "A dead tiger's might remains intimidating", and Su Min wasn't even dead yet—she was a living legend. If she ever returned to find her only disciple had been pressured or coerced into anything, her legendary fury could literally flip this planet's continental plates. The mere thought was enough to give them nightmares.
Thus, none of them had ever dared to even hint at coercing Lin Yao, leaving them in an awkward, powerless position.
Faced with her firm determination to leave, they had no real recourse. As for using force to stop her? Just look at her equipment—a full set of gleaming Earth-grade high-tier armor and artifacts, all gifts from her master. They could probably attack her all day without even piercing her defenses.
After all, Su Min had left behind no small number of treasures and resources for her disciple, ensuring Lin Yao's journey through the Divine Transformation stage would be as smooth as possible.
"I entrust this planet to you now," Lin Yao said quietly, her fingers brushing the cool, familiar surface of the central control array one last time. The gentle, steady hum of the powerful artifact resonated beneath her palm, a comforting heartbeat in a world she had fought so hard to protect. "As long as this formation continues to operate, you'll remain safe from external threats. That's all I can offer for now."
She paused, her gaze lifting toward the wide, open sky. Through the faint, shimmering canopy of protective talismans above, distant stars twinkled like silver needles stitched across an endless dark tapestry. "It's not like I'll never return," she murmured, as if trying to convince herself as much as anyone who was listening. "Maybe one day, when I'm stronger, like Master, I'll learn to cross the sea of stars at will... and when that time comes, I'll surely visit again."
But even as she said the words, they felt thin and distant, like smoke, half-true and already fading on the wind. Her throat tightened with a sudden, unexpected pang of emotion. It had been many long years since she last saw Su Min, yet that brief, final farewell still lingered in her mind, bright and unbearably vivid, carved into the very marrow of her soul. There had been no final embrace, no lingering words of affection. Just Su Min's retreating back as she vanished into the sky, white robes flaring like captured starlight in the night, after coolly slaying those monstrous Mahayana-level Fallen Ones with a terrifying, effortless grace.
Lin Yao had stood frozen on the ground then, too proud to call out and beg her to stay, too young and in awe to fully understand the profound ache of absence that would follow her for centuries.
Now, as she faced the shimmering spatial rift she had painstakingly carved into the heavens, her heart beat with a quiet, fierce resolve. Fear of the unknown whispered at the edges of her mind, but it was drowned out by something much stronger: the burning hope of finding her master again, of standing by her side.
A single, cherished image came unbidden to her mind. Su Min turning at the last moment to offer a small, knowing smile, her eyes holding that unshakable calm that had always anchored Lin Yao. That memory had haunted Lin Yao's dreams for years, as vivid and painful as the day it was made.
Without another word, her decision absolute, she stepped forward into the swirling, chaotic light of the rift.
Not for glory. Not for duty or fame.
But to chase the fading shadow of the one person she could never, ever forget.
"She's really gone..."
The group of elders and leaders watched Lin Yao's departure with profoundly mixed feelings but could say little to stop her. Regardless of Lin Yao herself, the mere fact that she was Su Min's disciple made her untouchable, and Su Min had been their planet's great savior.
Had she not eliminated that Mahayana-level fallen one all those years ago, their only fate would have been becoming another's blood sacrifice, their world a farm for despair. All they could do now was stand there with constipated, helpless expressions, utterly powerless to change the course of a dragon's destiny.
"Let her go. It's better this way, for her and for us. At least we have some lasting goodwill between us. If we, or our descendants, ever venture out into the wider cultivation world, we'll have a powerful connection. Let's head back and rest. A new era begins for us now."
One elder, wiser than the rest, seemed to have finally come to terms with it, sighing before leading the others away from the empty platform.
Thus, several more years passed in the blink of an eye. At the mighty Immortal Sect, far across the galaxy...
"This token is undoubtedly Su Min's unique handiwork. She mentioned her travels to me before. So you must be that disciple she picked up on her journey. Hmm..."
Xie Yingying studied the slightly nervous, travel-worn girl standing in the grand reception hall, her sharp eyes deep in thought. That day, their sect had received an unexpected guest from the stars, one who arrived bearing a jade token intricately carved with Su Min's personal spiritual mark. This was no small matter.
As the continent's only publicly acknowledged eighth-grade alchemist, every move Su Min made could send tremors through the power structures of the entire cultivation world. It was no exaggeration to say that a single, casual promise from her could make superpowers go to war for her favor.
Thus, Su Min was usually extremely tight-lipped about her connections and debts. For someone to arrive at their gates with such a token meant they must have rendered her a truly significant, personal aid at some point.
Anyone connected to Su Min, especially those who had genuinely helped her, naturally received the Immortal Sect's full and immediate attention. And then this young woman had calmly dropped a bombshell: she was Su Min's personally taken disciple.
In the hierarchy of the Immortal Sect, that revelation essentially made her the unofficial young sect master, a figure of immense potential status.
As for Lin Yao, she was utterly dumbfounded by the sheer scale and power of the sect before her. She knew her master was extraordinary, but this... this was far beyond her wildest expectations. The spiritual energy here was so thick it was almost liquid, and the disciples she saw were all profoundly powerful. And especially with this supremely powerful, beautiful woman before her, whose aura felt like a frozen glacier, staring at her with such an intense, unreadable expression.
===
They really meet. Sorry, I'm laughing again. This is so interesting.