The map of this sea region, after flying for a month along a rarely visited path of cultivators, finally led him to land on an unnamed small island. The island was modest, covering only about forty square li, yet it hosted a rather unimpressive, low-grade spiritual vein stretching roughly seven to eight li in length. If located inland, such a vein would have long been claimed by some obscure, lesser family. Yet in this vast sea teeming with beasts, how could any family lacking sufficient strength dare to relocate here? Even medium-sized families with high-level cultivators would not find such a modest vein appealing. Moreover, the island lay off the main sea routes, quite remote and thus remained abandoned until now. To韩立, however, the location proved highly satisfactory. Immediately, he released his array of flying swords within the mountain's core, clearing out a spacious area, and then activated the Heavenly Mechanism Mansion. Instantly, a refined, compact dwelling appeared before him. To be safe, Han Li not only activated the sealing spells embedded in his dwelling but also arranged an additional concealment spell outside the small mountain, summoning a vast expanse of white mist that enveloped the area—spanning over ten miles, including the mountain peak—making it difficult for others to detect the dwelling. Only after completing these preparations did Han Li transfer his carried spiritual insects and herbs to the insect chamber and herb garden within the dwelling. The earth-plated dragon was also sealed and casually placed into a pavilion, after which he entered a separate chamber with a large quantity of materials. "These materials are sufficient only for a single batch of crafting. Should any critical component fail during the process, there would be no time to locate a replacement. The success rate is truly uncertain. After all, this is my first attempt to craft on behalf of the elder—any misunderstanding in my interpretation might lead to a complete failure." As soon as he stepped into the chamber, Han Li pulled down the bamboo cylinder from behind and stood it upright before him, speaking calmly. "I am fully aware of this matter." Before beginning the process, I will carefully and thoroughly explain the method to you, repeatedly checking your understanding until you truly grasp it completely—only then will I allow you to proceed. Before I begin my explanation, please take a moment to review this jade scroll that came from the bamboo tube. It contains a general account of my process for crafting puppets. Please first gain an overall understanding of it before offering any comments. The voice of the Great Yanshan Sovereign emanated from the bamboo tube, as if he had long anticipated this very moment, radiating confidence. Then, with a soft "click," the lid of the bamboo tube opened, and a white jade scroll shot out, caught instantly by Han Li. "Since the elder has such clear intentions, I feel at ease now," Han Li nodded, said little, and immediately settled into a meditative posture, immersing his consciousness into the scroll. As time passed, Han Li's expression changed continuously—first in astonishment, then in excitement, and finally turning into a look of profound awe. After an unknown length of time, he finally drew his divine awareness out of the jade scroll, yet did not immediately speak. Instead, he closed his eyes right away and silently recalled and pondered on the ground. After a full minute, Han Li opened his eyes, his expression returning to calm. "Indeed, if this puppet is successfully crafted, its power is truly unparalleled. With sufficient spiritual stones, it should be able to hold its own against a late-stage Yuan Yin stage cultivator in a direct confrontation. However, there is one point I still find unclear. I hope the elder can clarify it for me." After a brief pause, Han Li finally spoke. "Since I intend to fully transmit this puppet technique to you, I won't be holding anything back. Please ask away." The Daxian Divine Sovereign replied without hesitation. "With such assurance from the elder, I shall not be shy either. According to my previous understanding of puppet techniques, higher-tier puppets require the integration of more refined essences and souls." As for this puppet, I simply can't think of which immortal beast's spirit soul would be suitable to fuse with it in order to fully unleash its power. Even the spirit soul of the newly captured eighth-tier crimson-fire dragon, which I just captured, might not be adequate. Yet, up until now, my lord has never mentioned anything about spirit souls—this has left me rather puzzled. Could it be that you have some other arrangements, my lord?" With a furrowed brow, Han Li asked seriously. Until he received a reasonable explanation, he remained consistently cautious—indeed, a subtle concern stirred within him. Though over the years he had shared a relationship with the Great Yanshan Sovereign that was half-master, half-friend, he would never casually discard the necessary vigilance. "No need for any spirit of a beast or creature—merely fuse my own spirit directly with the puppet at the time will suffice," the Great Yanshan Sovereign said, his voice settling into a calm tone, as though speaking of a trivial matter. "Using your own spirit?" Han Li's face instantly changed, filled with astonishment. "Do you think my spirit strength is inferior even to that of a nine-tier beast creature?" the Great Yanshan Sovereign replied calmly. "Of course not. You originally possessed the late Yuan-Ying stage cultivation level, and after mastering the Da-Yan Technique, your awareness and spirit strength surpass even that of a Huashen-period cultivator. However, you have no intention of reincarnating. Once your spirit is fused into the puppet, it will immediately lose its individuality," Han Li said, hesitating. "Of course I must enter the cycle of rebirth. After my reincarnation, I might even be able to resume my journey toward immortality!" With a hearty laugh, the Grand Immortal Da Yan spoke without hesitation. "What does that mean? If I haven't misunderstood, you intend to fuse your spirit with the automaton, yet still wish to preserve the opportunity for rebirth. Could it be that you possess some secret technique allowing both?" Han Li was momentarily stunned, yet being no ordinary cultivator, he quickly pondered and speculated. "Han, you're indeed quite sharp. That's exactly what I mean. When I was trapped within the automaton due to the Spirit Transfer Technique, I naturally didn't intend to remain passive. Over several thousand years, I devoted myself to researching a method that would allow me to transfer my spirit from the automaton without relying on spiritual energy. Though this method proved too difficult and ultimately failed, I discovered an alternative—my secret technique of dividing the spirit. This spirit division is quite different from the ordinary separation of spiritual awareness. It is a genuine, physical division of our cultivators' souls. At that time, I will divide my essence into two parts. One portion, carrying half of my essence power, will merge into the puppet; the other, bearing my emotions and memories, will dissipate and return to the cycle of reincarnation. The Great Yanshan Sovereign had no intention of hiding this secret and explained it openly. "But will this method truly work? Dividing one's spirit essence seems far from a simple task," Han Li said, astonished upon hearing this secret technique. "Rest assured," the Sovereign replied calmly, "the part I am dividing off is merely my essence power, which will not significantly hinder my reincarnation. Once these essence forces have settled into stillness, they will naturally dissipate." "Ah, now I understand. Then I am at ease," Han Li said after thinking it over, finding no major issues and nodding to ease his mind. "Very well. Since there are no concerns, I shall now begin to explain the methods for crafting each component and the points that require special attention." Let us begin with the puppet body itself, composed of several dozen core components, made from materials such as... "The Great Derivative Sovereign did not hesitate, launching straight into the explanation. Han Li's spirit instantly sharpened, and he focused intently, listening carefully. Day after day passed, and Han Li rarely left the chamber. Most of the time, he used his divine awareness to command several giant ape puppets moving about the estate, promoting the maturation of medicinal herbs and cultivating various spiritual insects. However, besides nurturing the twelve six-winged frost serpents with the Nishang grass, he suddenly had an idea—giving each of them a snow-soul pill to see what effect it would have. After all, these pills were of great benefit to his Purple Luo Ji fire, and should likewise prove useful to the extremely cold, deeply Yin six-winged frost serpents. To his surprise, pills that took him three or four months to fully absorb himself, the serpents managed to completely assimilate them within just one month, and their emitted cold breaths also showed a notably enhanced power. Thus, Han Li was pleasantly surprised, and only kept the essential Snow-Soul Pills for himself, entrusting the rest to the giant ape to feed the spiritual insects. As for the gold-devouring insects, the continuously consumed Nishang Grass gradually matured them, though they had not yet reached full maturity—something that seemed to take an indeterminate amount of time. Han Li could only patiently wait, making steady progress. Time passed swiftly; within half a year, Han Li had just finished refining a component of a puppet in the inner chamber. Upon hearing the words of the Great Derivation Sovereign, he placed several materials before him, his face expressing clear astonishment. "You say these materials can be incorporated into the puppet?" Han Li asked, frowning slightly. "Indeed," the Great Derivation Sovereign replied calmly, "the functions of these materials are something I've only recently conceived. They will undoubtedly elevate the puppet's power to a new level." "As for this final magmatic pearl, perhaps the elder has another method to shape it into a weapon for the puppet. But as for these other items—I still haven't fully understood what they are, nor have I been able to discern their purpose." Han Li slightly raised his hand, pointing to two materials lying on the ground, expressing his growing confusion. The items he indicated were indeed the slender silver chain once used to bind the corpse phantom, and the several fragments of ancient stele he had discovered in the realm of magical deepness—gray and unremarkable. "As you mentioned, the magmatic pearl itself—I had already pondered how to shape it into something when I first received it. Though it is the sole material required to forge the dragon-sword, it could still be used to create other powerful magical artifacts. I've already decided to shape it into a particularly valuable item, to serve as a decisive weapon for the puppet. As for this chain, I immediately took notice when you mentioned its ability to withstand the strikes of the Bingjing flying swords, and thus, I've been thinking about its potential ever since." Though I do not yet know what material this thing is made of, when combined with some qi-silver, it can be used to forge a protective shield for the puppets. As for these fragmented steles, I only recently recalled what they are. Upon saying this, the Great Derivative Divine Sovereign paused, her expression growing serious.