Li Mu put the purple Jade Slip into the storage compartment. There were still 30 Years until the next opening of 'Lingxu Blessed Island', so there was no point in thinking about it too much now.
Putting away the purple Jade Slip, Li Mu's gaze naturally fell upon the Taiyin Spirit Wood in front of him, and a thoughtful glint appeared in his deep eyes.
This seventh-Rank Taiyin Spirit Wood was enormous and had accumulated tens of thousands of Years of precipitation, emitting a mysterious and ancient aura. It was an extremely rare and top-grade material for refining high-Rank Puppets.
After consuming the medicine king spirit ginseng last time, his spiritual nature greatly increased. Li Mu also took the opportunity to raise his Puppet Art to the seventh level, gaining a large amount of Puppet refining experience. Now, refining a sixth-Rank Puppet was a piece of cake for him, and he even had the chance to refine a seventh-Rank Sky Puppet.
Before this, Li Mu had never personally refined a sixth-Rank Puppet, but he didn't have too many worries about it. His attainments in Puppet Art were already vastly different from before, especially after unexpectedly acquiring two Sky Puppet Spirit Tokens. In his free time, he would enter the Sky Puppet Spirit Tokens and conduct countless Heart Palace trials. Each trial was a profound re-engraving and familiarization of countless Puppet spiritual patterns.
Now, Li Mu's familiarity with the myriad Puppet spiritual patterns recorded on the Sky Puppet Spirit Token had reached a state of perfection. He deeply understood the function and meaning of each spiritual pattern, and he knew even better how to cleverly combine them to imbue Puppets with powerful abilities and vitality.
At this moment, looking at the seventh-Rank top-grade Puppet material in front of him—the Taiyin Spirit Wood—Li Mu couldn't help but feel his hands itch, preparing to refine it into a high-Rank Puppet.
Li Mu's Divine Thought spun rapidly, already planning the refining process for his first sixth-Rank Puppet in his mind.
To refine a powerful sixth-Rank Puppet, in addition to skilled techniques and exquisite spiritual pattern carving, suitable refining Materials and formulas were also needed. The cooperation between various spiritual Materials had to be just right to maximize their effectiveness.
Li Mu's Divine Sense delved into the nine storage spiritual pearl, where countless rare Materials he had meticulously collected over the Years were stored. He carefully screened and matched them, striving to refine a powerful Puppet.
Illusory spiritual nang, this sixth-Rank earth-element spiritual material is extremely rare and can endow the Puppet with the characteristics of illusions and phantom gods, allowing the Puppet to create various illusions in battle, confusing enemies. As for golden origin fine crystal, this sixth-Rank spiritual material contains sharp metal and golden origin characteristics, which can greatly enhance the Puppet's attack power, making its attacks indestructible. In addition to these two rare spiritual Materials, Li Mu also carefully selected several other Materials, each possessing unique attributes and functions. The goal was to perfectly integrate these spiritual Materials, gather the Five Elements spirits, and thus construct an impregnable grand cycle of Five Elements mutual generation.
Through such refining, the Puppet will not only possess powerful strength but also unique characteristics and skills. Furthermore, it will also have powerful abilities such as the Five Elements protective array and Five Elements Escape Technique, and can even use the Five Elements to manifest an aura similar to its main body.
Li Mu planned to use this to refine a batch of substitute Puppets, so that in future explorations and actions, his main body could safely hide in the Painting World Treasure Mansion, while these substitute Puppets would appear on his behalf. This would greatly enhance his safety and the stealth of his actions.
However, refining a substitute Puppet that could deceive high-Rank Cultivators was by no means a simple matter. Such a Puppet not only needed to be extremely realistic in appearance and aura, but also needed to possess the power of life and Divine Soul aura to avoid revealing flaws in the perception of high-Rank Cultivators. To achieve this, Li Mu needed to finely carve and refine the Taiyin Spirit Wood Puppet core, allowing the spiritual nature of the finished Puppet to fully bloom.
...
Time flew by. Li Mu's eyes were sharp, and the Puppet refining ideas outlined in his mind became clearer and clearer. He suddenly began to act, summoning a sixth-Rank golden-element Spirit Sword from the nine storage spiritual pearl. The sword body shimmered with sharp golden light. He condensed his true Qi, infused power into the Spirit Sword, and then slashed fiercely down at the thick Taiyin Spirit Wood.
“Whoosh— ”
The Spirit Sword cut through the air, emitting a sharp whooshing sound, and then heavily struck the Taiyin Spirit Wood. Although the seventh-Rank Taiyin Spirit Wood was incredibly hard, it was still split open with a deep crack under Li Mu's full-strength strike.
Li Mu did not stop, continuously swinging his sword, each time precisely striking the crack, until the crack gradually widened, and finally with a "crack" sound, the Taiyin Spirit Wood was split into two.
The inside of the Taiyin Spirit Wood presented a deep black color, with the wood core faintly visible.
Li Mu manipulated the golden-element Spirit Sword, gradually removing the surrounding ordinary wood, revealing the wood core that contained powerful spiritual energy.
This wood core was the essence of the Taiyin Spirit Wood. It contained extremely rich vitality and spiritual energy. Li Mu could feel the powerful energy fluctuations emanating from the wood core, which was the core material for refining the substitute Puppet's core.
This section of wood core was half a zhang long and gathered dense Yin power. If all went well, it should be able to carve seven Puppet cores.
Li Mu's Divine Thought condensed into a needle and attempted to touch the wood core. However, before it could even touch the Taiyin Spirit Wood core, it was immediately attacked by its powerful Yin power, causing his Divine Soul to tremble.
Li Mu frowned. If he hadn't cultivated the Star Cloud Contemplation Method and his Divine Thought was extremely powerful, comparable to a Void Refining Late Stage Cultivator, his Divine Soul might have been injured by this Yin power with just that one strike.
Li Mu gazed at the Taiyin Spirit Wood core in front of him, sighing with emotion. As expected of a seventh-Rank spiritual wood, the Yin power and spiritual energy contained within it were beyond imagination. Spiritual Materials of this Rank were indeed priceless treasures for refining Puppets.
However, trying to utilize it and carve it into a Puppet core was no small trouble.
Use Extreme Yang Heavenly Fire to assist?
Li Mu's brows furrowed, and he quickly rejected this decision.
Extreme Yang Heavenly Fire is Yang, and this wood is Yin. Once the two come into contact, a strong conflict might erupt, causing the Yin power of the wood core to dissipate, resulting in more loss than gain.
Using Yin Yang Lightning Fire, however, might be worth a try. The lightning power of Yin Yang Lightning Fire Innately restrains this wood. However, if Yin Yang Lightning Fire were used, the spiritual nature of this wood core might be damaged.
For a moment, Li Mu looked at the Taiyin wood core in front of him, hesitating, unsure how to proceed.
If fire refining wouldn't work, then only water refining was left. Li Mu couldn't help but think of the seventh-Rank spiritual water in Azure Moon True Dragon's hand—Blue Spirit Glass Water.
Thinking of this, a thought arose in Li Mu's mind, and he immediately summoned Azure Moon True Dragon, Xue'er, Crimson Refining Fire Phoenix, and Ginseng King from the spirit control treasure bracelet.
With a series of "whoosh whoosh" sounds, several figures quickly appeared one by one in front of Li Mu.
"Master!"
"Lord Li!"
As soon as the beast companions saw Li Mu, a hint of joy flashed in their eyes, and they greeted him in unison, their voices revealing deep respect and intimacy.
Li Mu nodded gently, a faint smile on his face as he said to them, "Mmm, the exploration of the Icefield Secret Realm has ended. We are now in the Seven Profound Sect, and I am currently in seclusion in the Sect Leader's Mansion. This journey has truly been hard on you all. There are no other tasks now, so you are free to move around!"
"We're back at the Sect already? How did that happen so fast!" The Green-Eyed Golden Ape couldn't help but exclaim, seemingly still not having fully recovered from the exploration.
Xue'er, on the other hand, widened her eyes and asked with some confusion, "Lord Li, it seems I didn't help much on this trip, so why did it end so quickly?"
Li Mu smiled slightly after hearing this and briefly summarized everything that had happened in the Secret Realm, including the intervention of the two Sword Masters and their swift return to the Sect via the teleportation array. At the same time, he also mentioned to Azure Moon True Dragon about borrowing the Blue Spirit Glass Water to refine the Taiyin wood core.
After listening to Li Mu's narration, the beast companions all showed expressions of sudden enlightenment. They hadn't expected that this exploration of the Icefield Secret Realm would cause such a stir, and that even the two Sword Masters of the Xuantian Sword Sect would personally intervene.
Azure Moon True Dragon looked at Li Mu, his eyes gleaming with determination, and volunteered, "Master, if you need my help, just say the word! The Blue Spirit Glass Water has been completely refined by me. If you let me do it, it will be much easier!"
Li Mu nodded happily after hearing this, and said gratefully, "Hmm, then I'll trouble you!"
Azure Moon True Dragon nodded and silently walked to Li Mu's side, preparing to assist him in refining the Puppet.
Seeing this, Xue'er and the other beast companions did not dare to disturb Li Mu and bid farewell.
Then, they were sent out of the Painting World Treasure Mansion by Li Mu. They had stayed in the Seven Profound Sect for decades, and the Elders and Disciples of the Seven Profound Sect held them in great respect, so there was no need to worry.
"Master, we can begin!" Azure Moon True Dragon was ready, opening his mouth to spit out a crystal-clear green Dragon Pearl. Immediately after, surging blue water flowed out from the Dragon Pearl, converging into a deep blue water mass, which was precisely the Blue Spirit Glass Water containing powerful water origin power.
"Mmm!" Li Mu nodded, as if remembering something, and gestured, "Oh right, Qing Yue, give me that array token you got from the White Whale clan. This item is related to the Seal of the two-world passage, and it's quite important!"
A look of doubt flashed in Azure Moon True Dragon's eyes, but without any hesitation, he continued to conjure a Jade Token from his body and handed it to Li Mu.
Li Mu gazed at the Blue Spirit Glass Water and the Jade Token in front of Azure Moon True Dragon. Under his Heavenly Talent - Identifying Myriad Spirits, he completely obtained their attribute information.
【Blue Spirit Glass Water】
【Rank: Seventh-Rank Innate Spiritual Water】
【Characteristics: Moistens all things, source of the blue sea, spiritual water is extremely soft, purifies and removes yin, endless vitality, blue spirit water essence.】
【Status: Glass water condensed, water spirit surging, spiritual nature active】
【Blue Spirit Glass Water, conceived from a special water element Spiritual Vein in the deep sea, the root of Innate seventh-Rank spiritual water, has undergone a long period of Years of precipitation. It gathers the softest and purest Qi between heaven and earth, conceived from a special water element Spiritual Vein in the deep sea. It can nourish vitality, moisten all things, restrain the driest and hottest power in heaven and earth, and purify all source spirits.】
【Water Element Array Token】
【Rank: Seventh-Rank Array Artifact】
【Characteristics: Water Element Great Array, unpredictable transformations, myriad phenomena Divine Mechanism, illusory reality, water mansion array hub.】
【Status: Water mansion avoids the world, array token spirit falls into deep slumber.】
【Refined with Heavenly Net Spiritual Jade, comes with Water Element Law, has gathered the most wondrous and illusory array Qi between heaven and earth for ten thousand Years, condenses Dao and conceives an array spirit. It is the central array token of the Lingbo Water Mansion, continuously absorbing Water Element power, which can allow the array token spirit to become familiar with and learn the location of the Bibo Water Mansion in advance.】
"Have you finished refining this item? Can you sense the location of the Water Mansion!" Li Mu looked at Azure Moon True Dragon and asked with concern.
Previously, Blood Demon Lord - Dana and the Nine Demon Sect spared no expense, even sending Void Refining assassins, to launch an island-destroying war just to obtain this item. If he wasn't mistaken, this item was the water array hub, one of the seven sub-arrays of the Chaotic Sealing Domain Great Array.
"This item has been refined by me, and I have a faint sense of it, but the distance is too far, so I can only sense a general direction," Azure Moon True Dragon frowned and replied.
"Mmm! After I finish what I'm doing, we'll go to the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region and search for it!" Li Mu nodded understandingly, directly put away the Jade Token, and solemnly placed it in his storage compartment.
After refining the substitute Puppet, Li Mu needed to go to the Ice Nether Spirit Valley to set up a Great Array for the Xuantian Sword Sect and repair the Restrictions. While there, he would secretly plan a spiritual land for himself in the extreme Yin place.
Li Mu took a deep breath, looked at the Blue Spirit Glass Water in front of Azure Moon True Dragon, and began to form hand Seals for the spirit control technique.
Li Mu looked up at Azure Moon True Dragon and said with a serious expression, "Next, we will jointly refine this Taiyin Spirit Wood and carve it into seven Puppet cores. The process is very complex. This seventh-Rank Taiyin Spirit Wood core has undergone tens of thousands of Years of precipitation and contains extremely strong Yin power. During the refining process, a slight mistake could cause damage to the Divine Soul. If we can successfully endure the refining, it will also be of great benefit to Spirit Refining the Divine Soul."
Azure Moon True Dragon gazed at the Taiyin Spirit Wood core, which emitted a rich Yin power, a hint of solemnity flashing in its eyes. Hearing Li Mu say this, it immediately became nervous, preparing to face the upcoming challenge.
In the eyes of the beast companions, Li Mu was an omnipotent existence. They followed him closely, witnessing his repeated creation of miracles. No one understood his true strength better than them.
To outsiders, Li Mu was merely a Transformation God cultivator who cultivated both the Five Elements and was adept at both arrays and artifacts. However, they clearly understood that Li Mu's strength was far more than that. He was not only exceptional in arrays and artifacts, but also capable of Spiritual Charms Drawing, refining Puppets and Spirit Pills. His Body Refining close combat ability was enough to rival a Beast God, and his Divine Sense intensity was even difficult for Void Refining Cultivators to match. His overall strength had already surpassed that of an ordinary Void Refining Late Stage Cultivator.
In the eyes of the beast companions, Li Mu's advancement to Dao Lord and then to Dao Ancestor was only a matter of time. Therefore, when Li Mu gave such a solemn instruction regarding this matter, Azure Moon True Dragon couldn't help but become fully focused, not daring to be careless in the slightest.
The next moment, Li Mu performed the Beast Control Divine Ability - Shared Soul Technique, controlling Azure Moon True Dragon's True Dragon Soul, and manipulating the Blue Spirit Glass Water to slowly envelop the Taiyin Spirit Wood.
With a "swish" sound.
Azure Moon True Dragon's face instantly turned pale, sensing an extremely strong Yin power surging in with the Blue Spirit Glass Water, as if it wanted to freeze its Dragon Soul. That chilling power, like ten thousand Years of ice, mercilessly eroded its Divine Soul, causing it unprecedented panic.
Fortunately, a bolt of lightning fire illuminated its Divine Soul out of thin air. The faint firelight provided a little warmth, quickly helping it unfreeze its Dragon Soul. Although the light of the lightning fire in its Divine Soul was faint, it was like the rising sun, gradually dispelling the gloom in its heart. Azure Moon True Dragon felt its Divine Soul quickly regain vitality under the illumination of this firelight.
Azure Moon True Dragon couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and the fear in its heart dissipated. It knew that this lightning fire was Li Mu's aid, that he had saved him at a crucial moment. However, the Yin power contained in this Taiyin Spirit Wood core was truly terrifying. His Master actually wanted to use it for Artifact Refining!
As continuous Soul Power surged in, Azure Moon True Dragon's Divine Soul rapidly regained vitality. Under the effect of Li Mu's shared soul, it carried and manipulated the Blue Spirit Glass Water, causing it to quickly circulate within the Taiyin Spirit Wood.
Soon, the rapidly flowing Blue Spirit Glass Water gradually recovered from its sluggishness, accelerating its washing over the surface of the Taiyin Spirit Wood. One after another, mysterious and complex spiritual patterns gradually appeared on the Taiyin Spirit Wood core.
