Soon, nine different types of Level 7 Spiritual Materials were refined by Li Mu into a Level 7 Puppet with a Chaos aura. However, this Puppet was completely different from the Level 4 Puppet he had practiced on before, because without a Source Core, it was impossible to drive the Puppet's body and generate a Puppet Soul.
"Master, this won't do! It's just a waste of high-level Spiritual Materials!"
Seeing this, Mingyue couldn't help but become anxious, her bright eyes filled with worry as she advised Li Mu.
Li Mu smiled slightly, his eyes deep and showing no sign of panic, as he already had a plan in mind.
"Don't worry, Mingyue, I have my own plans." Li Mu said with a comforting smile, reaching out to gently caress the Level 7 Puppet radiating a Chaos aura before him. He then said in a deep voice, "No Source Core is indeed a problem, but it doesn't mean it can't be solved."
Saying that, Li Mu summoned a large piece of Heavenly Flame Dragon Scale and a ball of Heavenly Flame Dragon Bone from his tianxuan ring, then summoned three balls of Heavenly Fire from within his body.
"Since this Chaos Puppet cannot internally generate a Source Core, then I will use external force to refine a set of Dao Armor for it, and with the spirit of the Dao Armor, assist it in giving birth to a Puppet Soul."
Li Mu's words carried an undeniable firmness. With a flick of his finger, the three balls of Heavenly Fire immediately dispersed into spiritual forms.
"Heavenly Fire as Furnace, condense!"
Li Mu let out a deep roar. The next moment, the three balls of Heavenly Fire responded to his summons, instantly expanding and transforming into a massive three-colored fire furnace, suspended in mid-air. Within the furnace, flames blazed fiercely, melting all things.
The next moment, Li Mu revealed his Chaos Dao Body, forming hand seals. Surging Chaos Power furiously injected into it. With a thought of his Divine Thought, large pieces of Heavenly Flame Dragon Scale and several Dragon Bones flew into the Skyfire Refining Furnace.
As soon as the Heavenly Flame Dragon Scale and Dragon Bones entered the furnace, they were immediately enveloped by the three-colored flames, emitting roars like a Dragon. The flame patterns on the scales seemed to be activated, flickering with dazzling light.
Li Mu's Divine Thought was like a precise craftsman, meticulously carving each Dragon Scale, controlling the Heavenly Fire to soften the Level 8 Heavenly Flame Dragon Scale and Dragon Bone. At the same time, with a thought of his Divine Thought, he took out a ball of Level 7 Snow Silkworm Silk and a Piercing Gold Needle from his tianxuan ring, driving them with his Divine Thought.
"Snow Silkworm Silk is tough, the Gold Needle pierces armor, Dragon Bone gives birth to a Soul. When these three combine, the Dragon Armor will be indestructible!" Li Mu murmured, his fingers moving slightly. The Piercing Gold Needle, carrying the Level 7 Snow Silkworm Silk, snaked out like a spiritual snake, gently falling into the furnace.
Soon, under Li Mu's control, the Piercing Gold Needle transformed into a golden light, swiftly weaving through the Dragon Scales with the Snow Silkworm Silk, causing the Dragon Scales and Snow Silkworm Silk to fuse together, quickly weaving into a magnificent Dragon Scale Armor.
Li Mu multi-tasked, his Divine Thought enveloping the Heavenly Fire Furnace, controlling the Heavenly Fire to refine the Dragon Bones. Under the fierce tempering of the Heavenly Fire, the Dragon Bones gradually became crystal clear, and the residual Dragon Soul Power was being awakened by both the Heavenly Fire and Chaos Power, slowly integrating into the Dragon Armor artifact embryo.
As the Dragon Bones integrated, the Dragon Armor began to emit an ancient and solemn aura, as if a Dragon Soul was slumbering within it, awaiting the moment of Awakening.
Li Mu's Divine Thought was like an invisible net, enveloping the Skyfire Refining Furnace. He formed hand seals, and Chaos Power surged out, resonating strongly with the Dragon Armor in the furnace. Using his Divine Thought as a brush and Chaos Power as ink, he engraved artifact arrays onto the Dragon Armor artifact embryo.
"Dragon Soul Artifact Array, condense!" Li Mu roared, his Divine Thought like a brush, successfully outlining a complex artifact array within the Dragon Armor. Various powers intertwined within the array, perfectly fusing Chaos Power, the spirituality of the Dragon Scales, the Soul Power of the Dragon Bones, and the toughness of the Snow Silkworm Silk, imbuing the Dragon Armor with life.
As the artifact array was completed, the light on the Dragon Armor artifact embryo became even more dazzling, as if countless tiny Dragon shadows were swimming within it. This was a marvelous sight produced by the intertwining of Dragon Soul Power and Chaos Power.
With the Dragon Armor artifact embryo formed, Li Mu, without hesitation, formed hand seals, using Chaos Power to condense Three Thousand Divine Runes into artifact patterns, to urge the formation of artifact patterns for the Dragon Armor.
Li Mu's fingers flew, and the manifested Divine Rune phantoms of Chaos Power, one after another, continuously poured into the Dragon Scale Armor in the Skyfire Refining Furnace. At this moment, he was like a highly skilled painter, outlining a magnificent and exquisite pattern on the Dragon Scale Armor.
These spiritual rune patterns were not random; they were Divine Rune layouts he had carefully considered and meticulously designed. Each Divine Rune carried a specific function and power, intertwining and resonating with each other, collectively forming a vast and complex network of artifact patterns.
"First, Five Elements Body Protection, condense!" Li Mu roared. The first artifact pattern, composed of nearly a hundred Divine Runes, instantly appeared on the surface of the Dragon Armor artifact embryo, cloaking the Dragon Armor in an invisible layer of Dragon Scale armor, enhancing its defensive capabilities.
"Second, Primal Chaos Power, condense!" Li Mu roared again, and immediately after, the second artifact pattern appeared on the Dragon Scale Armor.
"Third, Dragon Soul Resonance, condense!" Li Mu's voice echoed around the Artifact Refining furnace. Along with his low roar, the third artifact pattern, like a flood Dragon soaring into the sky, coiled around the Dragon Armor artifact embryo, creating a strong resonance with the Dragon Soul Power inside the Dragon Armor.
At this moment, the Skyfire Refining Furnace seemed to have become a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. The flames within the furnace blazed fiercely, but they were no longer mere flames; they had integrated the spiritual energy and Chaos Power of Heaven and Earth. These powers churned and intertwined within the furnace, forming a magnificent picture.
In the sky, the originally calm clouds began to stir, as if attracted by the power within the Artifact Refining furnace. A large amount of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surged from all directions like a tide, gathering above the Artifact Refining furnace. These spiritual energies condensed into brilliant spiritual clouds above the furnace, emitting dazzling light that illuminated the entire Artifact Refining area as if it were daytime.
"Fourth, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Protection, condense!" Li Mu formed hand seals, guiding the spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth into the Artifact Refining furnace, merging it with the Dragon Armor artifact embryo. As this artifact pattern was completed, a faint spiritual light appeared on the surface of the Dragon Armor. This spiritual light seemed capable of isolating all harm, providing unparalleled protection to the wearer.
...
As artifact patterns condensed one after another, the light on the Dragon Armor artifact embryo became increasingly brilliant, as if countless tiny Dragon shadows were swimming and circling within it. They resonated with the spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth, forming a magnificent sight.
At this moment, the Skyfire Refining Furnace was no longer a simple Artifact Refining tool, but a mysterious existence that gathered the power of Heaven and Earth and Chaos Power, emanating a powerful aura that caused the entire Treasure Mansion Space to tremble.
Just as the twenty-eighth artifact pattern condensed, the three-colored flames within the Artifact Refining furnace suddenly converged into a thick beam of light, shooting straight into the sky. Within the light beam, Dragon shadows churned and Dragon Souls roared, and a Level 7 top-grade Dao Artifact was born, manifesting as a miniature red little Dragon, crystal clear throughout, its scales shimmering with interwoven fiery red and golden light. Its Dragon eyes were nimble, containing endless wisdom and majesty.
The red little Dragon circled in the air once, and the next moment, it attempted to escape this space. However, Li Mu was already prepared. With a grab of his hand, Chaos Power expanded, like an invisible net, instantly enveloping the red little Dragon.
The red little Dragon was highly spiritual, but in front of Li Mu, its creator, it appeared too naive. It struggled a few times, but ultimately could not escape the clutches of his grasp, and had no choice but to stop struggling, its Dragon head lowered, seemingly indicating submission.
Li Mu smiled slightly, summoned a Spiritual Artifact sword from his tianxuan ring, and sliced his finger. A drop of fresh blood, containing Li Mu's essence blood and Soul imprint, slowly floated towards the restrained red little Dragon. The Dragon Armor Artifact Spirit, feeling this pure power from its creator, flashed a hint of surprise in its eyes, but more so, reverence for this power.
"With my blood, I contract your Soul. From now on, you shall be my companion, named 'Long Yi'." Li Mu's deep and solemn voice echoed through the space, every word seemingly carrying an irresistible magic.
The drop of fresh blood condensed into a complex rune in the air, slowly merging into the little Dragon's forehead. The little Dragon's body suddenly trembled, then erupted with an even more dazzling light. The sound of a Dragon's roar rang out again, but this time, it was no longer anger or fear, but full of excitement and joy.
After the contract was completed, the Dragon Armor Artifact Spirit's body seemed to become more solid, and its Dragon might became even more intense.
Feeling the Bloodline connection established with the Dao Armor Artifact Spirit, Li Mu smiled slightly, looking at the Level 7 soulless Puppet floating beside him, and gestured, "Go! Use it as your body, and help it give birth to a Soul."
Upon hearing this, Long Yi's eyes flashed with curiosity and excitement. It circled once, transforming into a streak of light, and directly rushed towards the Level 7 soulless Puppet suspended in mid-air.
One could see Long Yi's body gradually merging into the Puppet. The Puppet's surface began to glow with a faint red light, as if activated by a mysterious power, and a magnificent set of Dragon Scale Dao Armor appeared on the Puppet's torso.
As Long Yi's Dao Armor fused with the Puppet, the Puppet's body began to undergo subtle changes. The originally cold metallic texture was gradually replaced by a warm, jade-like texture, and the Puppet patterns flowing on it became more vivid, as if they had come to life. The Puppet's eyes suddenly lit up; those were Long Yi's eyes, full of nimbleness and wisdom.
At this moment, Mingyue was completely stunned. She never expected that Li Mu would 'resurrect' this soulless Puppet in such a way.
"Master, how... how can this be?" As a Puppet Soul, Mingyue truly could not accept such a situation. Replacing a Puppet Soul with an Artifact Spirit was simply unheard of, completely subverting her understanding of the Dao of Puppetry.
"Why not? All paths lead to the same destination. Puppet Souls and Artifact Spirits are both Acquired Souls. As an Artifact Spirit, Long Yi is connected to my mind. Its integration will not only give this Puppet stronger power, but also enable it to condense a Source Core earlier, solving the problem of its body being without a Soul root." Li Mu smiled slightly and retorted.
"But, this... this... then, Puppet Souls and Artifact Spirits are originally two separate paths. How can it exert the power of the Puppet body!" Mingyue was still not satisfied with the answer and retorted unwillingly.
Li Mu smiled slightly and retorted, "Why be so eager for the Artifact Spirit to exert the power of the Puppet body? When the Puppet Soul is born, combined with Long Yi's Artifact Spirit, the two will jointly evolve into a brand new form of existence. This will be a great attempt at the Fusion of the Dao of Puppetry and the Dao of Artifact Spirits."
"Master, are you saying..." Mingyue's eyes widened, seemingly understanding Li Mu's intention, yet not daring to fully believe it.
"That's right, I want Long Yi and this Puppet to evolve together, forming an unprecedented life form. This life form will possess the toughness and power of a Puppet, while also having the spirituality of an Artifact Spirit. It will no longer be a mere Puppet, nor a mere Artifact Spirit, but a perfect Fusion of the two." Li Mu's eyes sparkled with excitement as he laughed heartily.
As Li Mu's words fell, the Level 7 Puppet, now fused with the Dragon Armor, began to undergo astonishing changes. Its body was no longer a simple metallic structure; it was imbued with the rhythm of life. The Dragon Scale Dao Armor perfectly fused with its Physical Body, radiating powerful Dragon might. The Puppet's limbs slowly began to move, each movement accompanied by faint crackling sounds in the air, a sign of power accumulated to its peak.
Long Yi's consciousness completely dominated this Puppet, but its existence transcended a simple relationship of control and being controlled. A deep resonance seemed to form between the two. It slowly raised its arm, and with a light tap of its fingertip, ripples actually spread through the air—traces of space being slightly twisted by its power.
"The moment to witness a miracle has arrived." Li Mu said softly, gazing at Long Yi's state, his eyes filled with anticipation.
One could see the Puppet floating up and standing, Long Yi's spirituality fully released. The nearly ten-foot-long Puppet's body shrank by half, clad in a red full-body armor. On the armor, Dragon Scales were densely packed, shimmering with cold light, containing endless power and majesty.
The Level 7 Dragon Scale Dao Armor not only enhanced the Puppet's defense but also bestowed upon it an indescribable noble temperament. The Puppet's arms became more slender and powerful, with faint Dragon breath faintly visible between its fingers. Each swing seemed capable of tearing space, demonstrating astonishing destructive power.
Its eyes, which were the Dragon eyes of the Dragon Scale Dao Armor Artifact Spirit, displayed heterochromatic vertical pupils, one blue and one green, deep and bright, as if they could perceive all things in the world, revealing a transcendent wisdom and dominance.
A faint Dragon-shaped Qi current surrounded the Puppet, which was the materialized form of Long Yi's Soul Power, making the entire Puppet appear like a True Dragon about to soar into the Nine Heavens, majestic and inviolable.
"Long Yi, greets Master!"
The Dragon Armor Puppet's voice echoed in the air. It was a tone both ancient and full of power, delicate yet not lacking in majesty, perfectly integrated with the Puppet's mechanical texture. Its body slightly bowed in the air, performing an elegant and solemn bowing gesture, showing absolute loyalty and respect to Li Mu.
"You can move around in this space and get familiar with this body. Just don't damage the spiritual plants!" Li Mu smiled and nodded, instructing him.
Long Yi was a newly born Artifact Spirit, and after fusing with this Puppet, it gained more freedom of movement. It needed more time to familiarize itself with this body.
"Understood, Master. I will be careful!" Long Yi respectfully agreed, looking around with curiosity.
The Fusion of a Level 7 Puppet and Level 7 Dao Armor, along with the Dragon Scale Battle Armor that could defend against a Dao Monarch's attack, and the fearless Puppet body, meant its combat power far exceeded that of an ordinary Body Integration Cultivator.
Li Mu's heart stirred. His tianxuan ring contained many high-level Spiritual Materials, large amounts of Heavenly Flame Dragon Scale, and Dragon Bones. Refining a few more such Dragon Guard Puppets to serve as trump cards would be no problem at all.
Thinking of this, Li Mu's eyes grew hot. Having more Dragon Guard Puppets would greatly enhance their strength and safety.
So, Li Mu quickly took action.
As time passed, Li Mu used up a large amount of high-level Spiritual Materials, Heavenly Flame Dragon Scale, and Dragon Bones, refining thirteen Dragon Guard Puppets in total. They were clad in Dragon Scale Battle Armor, emanating powerful Dragon might and displaying a formidable aura. (End of chapter)
