171: Puppet Instruction

In a dark underground place.

The Dark Blood Demon was completely shrouded in a thick cloak, and before him sat Pluto Douluo Harosa in a cross-legged position.

"Are you really that comfortable letting that kid leave?" Harosa's eyes showed no ripples, as if he were asking about something trivial.

"Hehehe... That kid left his essence blood in my hands; do you really think I'm afraid he'll run away?" The Dark Blood Demon gave a weird laugh. "On the contrary, you seem to care about that boy even more than I do."

Harosa remained noncommittal, an unusual emotion flickering in his eyes. "For some reason, I have a certain feeling toward this boy—a feeling of closeness, even filial attachment, that makes me feel quite disgusted."

"Underworld Emperor, you are the Son of the Plane. For someone to make you feel this way, could it be that he is the Lord of the Plane?" The Dark Blood Demon laughed sinisterly.

"Whether he is or isn't doesn't matter. Have you told the Ghost Emperor about his situation?" Harosa closed his eyes, seemingly unwilling to continue this topic.

"Of course." The Dark Blood Demon extended his right hand, several drops of essence blood roiling in his palm. "However, the Ghost Emperor has been busy with our plan and doesn't seem to have much interest in the boy, saying I can dispose of him as I wish..."

"Ever since my Physical Body was destroyed by that fellow Yun Ming, I've had to replace it every ten years. This kid is lucky; it hasn't even been a year since my last replacement. If I can properly nurture his body..."

"You've set your sights on his Physical Body?" Harosa opened his eyes, his brow furrowed. "Given his growth rate, if you wait ten years, he might become quite troublesome."

"It doesn't matter." The Dark Blood Demon waved his hand. "Once he has Cultivated to the Spirit Saint level, I can bring him under control and prevent him from growing any further..."

"Do as you please, just don't let the ship capsize in the gutter." Harosa said no more and resumed his meditation with closed eyes.

—

Shen Guyan and the other two had just left the Holy Spirit Cult's underground base and stepped into the blizzard-filled Far North Land. The gale howled and the snow lashed against their faces, but for Nalali and Lan Fozi, this bit of bitter cold could not hinder their steps.

"Alright, teach me as we walk. I also want to try the mysteries of your Puppet Technique," Lan Fozi said impatiently.

Shen Guyan stopped in his tracks upon hearing this. He had already intended to use teaching Lan Fozi the Puppet Technique as a way to further infiltrate the Holy Spirit Cult's internal affairs; her status in the cult might be useful to him.

He took out several pre-prepared Puppet models from his Storage Ring. These Puppets were all forged from extremely rare Cold Iron, hard in texture yet light, shimmering with a cold luster against the reflection of the ice and snow.

He handed a Puppet to Lan Fozi and said, "The essence of the Puppet Mechanism Technique lies in the precise control and application of Soul Power. First, try to envelop this Puppet with your Soul Power and carefully feel every part of its structure, from the flexibility of the joints to the overall balance."

Lan Fozi did as instructed. She closed her eyes, concentrated her mind, and slowly released her Soul Power to envelop the Puppet in her hands.

Shen Guyan then reached out and tapped Lan Fozi's wrist. A stream of pure Soul Power flowed from his fingertip into her body, guiding her Soul Power to stabilize. "Don't rush. Calm your mind and feel the Puppet's weight, balance, and the resonance between the Core Formation and your Soul Power."

Lan Fozi took a deep breath. Under Shen Guyan's guidance, she quickly gained control over her Soul Power. The Soul Power seemed to take on a life of its own, slowly enveloping the Puppet and forming a subtle connection with every component.

Shen Guyan was secretly startled because the Lan Fozi before him didn't seem to be much inferior to Nalali in terms of Soul Power cultivation!

The Holy Spirit Cult truly was a place of hidden talents... Lan Fozi naturally didn't know what Shen Guyan was thinking. She continued her slow attempts until her Soul Power connected to the Core Formations at every joint of the Puppet.

Shen Guyan nodded. "That's it. Every joint is key to the Puppet's movement; you must become familiar with their reactions to Soul Power. Next, try to condense your Soul Power into threads and connect them to each joint of the Puppet. This step requires extreme focus and control."

Lan Fozi concentrated again, condensing her Soul Power into threads as thin as hair, cautiously extending them toward the Puppet's joints. However, this seemingly simple operation was actually fraught with difficulty.

The spirit power threads were extremely fragile and would break with the slightest lapse. Fine beads of sweat gradually broke out on Lan Fozi's forehead, which instantly froze into ice in the extreme cold, looking like glittering gems embedded on her brow.

Nalali, who had been standing quietly to the side, was now drawn in by the scene. She took a few steps forward and asked curiously, "These spirit power threads are so thin. It must have been incredibly difficult for you to control them when your cultivation was below the Spirit Ancestor level. How did you do it back then?"

Shen Guyan glanced at Nalali and pulled a spool of transparent thread from his robe. "By using physical threads, of course. The key to control lies in being free of distractions and finding the balance point between Soul Power and your own intent. You can imagine these threads as extensions of your body, using your intent to command them rather than relying solely on the strength of Soul Power."

Lan Fozi bit her lip, constantly adjusting the strength and toughness of the spirit power threads. After many attempts, several threads finally successfully connected to the Puppet's joints. A joyful smile appeared on her face as she looked up at Shen Guyan.

Shen Guyan gave a look of approval and said, "Very good. Now try to control the Puppet's movement. Remember, you must feel the Puppet's actions through the spirit power threads, as if it were your own limb."

Lan Fozi frowned slightly, focusing her energy on controlling the spirit power threads to make the Puppet take a step. The Puppet's leg trembled slightly as it slowly moved forward a small step. However, because Lan Fozi's control over the spirit power threads was not yet proficient, the Puppet's movements appeared extremely stiff, like a rusty machine.

Shen Guyan lent a hand again. His hands danced rapidly, and streaks of spirit power threads shot from his fingertips, intertwining with Lan Fozi's. With Shen Guyan's help, the Puppet's movements became fluid, and it began to walk and turn on the snow.

"See? The spirit power threads need to cooperate with each other to form an organic whole. You must learn to perceive every movement of the Puppet and anticipate its next step to achieve effortless control."

"Heavens, how did you do that?" Nalali couldn't help but click her tongue in wonder. Shen Guyan had only released ten spirit power threads from his fingertips, yet he could precisely make the entire Puppet move. It was simply incredible.

Lan Fozi focused all her attention on sensing Shen Guyan's method of Soul Power control, striving to imitate and learn. However, despite her hard work, she still found it difficult to fully grasp the essence. The Puppet's movements were sometimes stiff and sometimes out of control, making her feel a bit frustrated.

Nalali watched from the side, her interest in the Puppet Technique also piqued. She asked again, "What if we wanted the Puppet to perform more complex movements, like that Red Mecha?"

Shen Guyan looked at Nalali and then at Lan Fozi, smiling. "That requires even finer control over the spirit power threads, as well as a deep understanding of the Puppet's structure and performance. Puppets of different sizes have different joint ranges of motion and centers of gravity; you need to adjust your Soul Power thread control based on these characteristics. Furthermore, to give a Puppet greater combat power, you also need to set up Core Formations inside it and use Soul Power to activate their strength."

Hearing this, Nalali took a deep breath and said, "This Puppet Mechanism Technique is indeed profound. Even for us Titled Douluo, it's difficult to master in a short time."

What she didn't say was that Shen Guyan, who could effortlessly control the metal pieces that made up the Puppets and assemble them into various Puppets for battle at any time, was even more terrifying!

Shen Guyan smiled slightly and said, "Don't be in a hurry; the Puppet Mechanism Technique isn't mastered overnight. Young Lord, you just need to practice persistently. As your Soul Power control becomes more proficient, you will naturally grasp its mysteries."

The three continued through the blizzard of the Far North Land. As they walked, Lan Fozi constantly tried to control the Puppet, while Shen Guyan patiently provided guidance and corrections. Nalali also observed carefully, occasionally asking questions.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the three finally reached the outskirts of the Far North Land.

As time passed, Lan Fozi gradually became able to control the Puppet to perform some relatively coherent simple movements, but she was still far from proficient.

"Young Lord, you've made some progress in controlling Soul Power, but it's still not delicate enough. You can try changing the tension of the spirit power threads while walking to make the Puppet perform movements at different speeds and postures," Shen Guyan said.

Lan Fozi followed his advice, trying hard to adjust the tension of the spirit power threads. She controlled the Puppet, first making it walk slowly, then attempting to increase its speed. However, during the speed changes, the Puppet's movements began to grow uncoordinated again, and it even nearly fell several times.

"Gongzi Yu, why does the Puppet have trouble maintaining balance as soon as I change the speed?" Lan Fozi asked, somewhat distressed.

Shen Guyan answered bluntly, "This is because when you change the tension of the spirit power threads, you aren't simultaneously adjusting the force applied to different parts of the Puppet. When you speed up, the Puppet's center of gravity shifts, and you need to adjust the spirit power threads in the legs and other parts of the body accordingly to maintain balance."

Nalali observed from the side, her interest in the Puppet Technique growing even stronger. She hugged Shen Guyan's arm and said, "Brother Yu, if this Puppet were used in battle, how would it coordinate with one's own attacks?"

Shen Guyan only gave Nalali a faint glance and didn't push her away, continuing his instruction. "In battle, a Puppet can serve as an auxiliary means of attack for a Spirit Master, or be used to distract the enemy. You need to flexibly adjust the Puppet's actions and your own attack rhythm based on the battlefield situation. For example, when you're preparing a powerful attack, you can have the Puppet attract the enemy's attention first to create a better opening."

Lan Fozi nodded thoughtfully. She tried controlling the Puppet again, this time focusing more on adjusting the Puppet's balance while changing speeds. After several attempts, the Puppet was finally able to walk relatively stably at different speeds.

"Very good, Young Lord. Your progress is evident. Next, we can try some more complex movements, such as jumping and dodging," Shen Guyan applauded.

Lan Fozi took a deep breath, a joyful look in her eyes. She knew this would be an even greater challenge, but she was determined to master this skill. She concentrated her mind and began trying to make the Puppet jump. However, the Puppet's first jump ended in failure, as it fell heavily onto the snow.

"Don't be discouraged. Jumping requires even more precise Soul Power control, especially during takeoff and landing. You need to anticipate the Puppet's trajectory in advance and adjust the strength of the spirit power threads appropriately," Shen Guyan continued to encourage her.

Lan Fozi bit her teeth and tried again. This time, she carefully recalled Shen Guyan's guidance and meticulously controlled the spirit power threads. The Puppet's legs bent and then suddenly exerted force, successfully jumping up. However, upon landing, there was still some deviation, and its body wobbled a few times before it stood steady.

"That's already very good, Young Lord. Practice a few more times to master the rhythm and application of force, and you'll be able to perform jumps proficiently," Shen Guyan praised unsparingly.

Nalali watched Lan Fozi practice and felt eager to try as well. She said, "Brother Yu, could you also give me a Puppet to try?"

Shen Guyan raised an eyebrow and didn't refuse. He immediately took an assembled Puppet from his Storage Ring and handed it to Nalali, saying, "Then you try as well. You can start with basic Soul Power enveloping and perception. Ask me anytime if you have questions."

Nalali excitedly took the Puppet, not forgetting to give Shen Guyan a peck on the cheek. She then followed the method Shen Guyan had taught Lan Fozi and began trying to envelop the Puppet with Soul Power. As a control system Spirit Master, her Soul Power was relatively steady, and she quickly sensed the Puppet's structure.

"I can feel all the parts of the Puppet too! Next, do I also need to condense spirit power threads?" Nalali asked excitedly.

"Keep it up. Condensing spirit power threads requires great concentration; you must take it slow and not rush." Since leaving the Holy Spirit Cult, Shen Guyan was in no hurry to return to Hailu City.

Under Shen Guyan's guidance, Nalali also began learning the Puppet Technique, while Lan Fozi continued practicing jumping and dodging to the side. However, Nalali seemed to have a superior talent in this area... The three moved slowly toward Hailu City as if they were on a sightseeing tour. After these days together, Lan Fozi gradually opened up, and Nalali would cling to Shen Guyan at every opportunity. Their relationship gradually became more harmonious.

"We're here." Shen Guyan climbed to a mountain peak and looked down at Hailu City below the cliff, breathing a sigh of relief. After all was said and done, he was finally back.

He only hoped that during his absence, Shen Guhong hadn't let him down too much...