"Have you ever heard of Huayi Shen Ni?" "Of course. Huayi Shen Ni is known as the Phantom Form Ointment—supposedly capable of transforming into various shapes and being shaped into intricate artifacts, and even possessing the special ability to self-repair after damage. It's a rare material used in crafting complex magical devices. Could this be it? However, I've heard that Huayi Shen Ni is white, like fine jade—so why does it look so unimpressive now?" Han Li was also surprised, staring intently at the fragments of the stele, and asked in astonishment. "Han, don't be alarmed. These indeed are Huayi Shen Ni, but they have been specially treated and blended with other substances by ancient cultivators. In ancient times, they were known as Chi Ling Rou Yu. Few cultivators in the world could recognize them—no more than ten. I myself once came across some relevant records in an ancient cultivation sanctuary during my early years, but I had long since forgotten them. It wasn't until recently that a matter I recalled became connected to this very substance that I could now identify them." The Great Derivation Sovereign explained. "Chi Ling Rou Yu? Han Li pondered thoughtfully. "Didn't you also notice this? Once refined, this divine mud not only fully realizes its ability to restore and reshape, but also absorbs the spiritual energy attacks of cultivators. A powerful, potent attack upon contact with this mud can be weakened by more than half. The only drawback is its vulnerability to attacks directed at the object itself, since it has no inherent defensive capabilities. Yet even with this limitation, its value is hardly inferior to that of Jing Jing." The Great Derivation Sovereign explained. "Ah, so now I understand. Then, Master, what exactly would you like to create using these divine muds in the bodies of the puppets?" Upon hearing of Chisi's soft jade achieving such remarkable results, Han Li naturally beamed with delight and immediately asked further. "How could I not know? When combined with your Jang Yin silver, this divine mud is the ideal material for crafting the puppets' bodies. A shell made from these two materials—without any defensive artifacts—would be extremely difficult to destroy, even in the Human Realm." The Great Derivation Sovereign said with pride. "Then it shall be as the elder has said." Han Li naturally agreed without hesitation. "Yes, leave these things undisturbed for now. First, complete the crafting of the other components. It should take about a year to refine most of the parts, after which we can integrate them into a complete automaton. Proceed with crafting the components now." "Very well," Han Li replied, shaking his sleeve and a cascade of emerald light swept across the ground, where the materials instantly vanished. Then, he tapped his storage pouch, and several jade boxes containing other materials appeared before him. Han Li began crafting the next component of the automaton. As the seasons changed, day after day passed. For cultivators, a year and a half passed almost like a blink of an eye. During this time, besides closing himself off to refine the automaton, the twelve six-winged frost centipedes unexpectedly advanced in cultivation, thanks to a snow essence pill administered each month. After undergoing a molt, these centipedes not only grew significantly larger—nearly doubling in size—but also finally developed a pair of snow-white wings on their backs. Between the movements, not only did his speed increase dramatically, but he also became remarkably agile—an unexpected bonus. However, after this advancement, the effectiveness of the Snow-Spirit Ball on the Six-Winged Frost Serpent had noticeably diminished, far less pronounced than before. On this day, Han Li stood motionless in the center of the chamber, his eyes closed, with a shimmering humanoid figure now floating in mid-air before him. His fingers rapidly tapped, launching ten golden filaments that pierced the puppet's body at various points, his expression solemn. At a distance of a cun above the silver puppet's head, a bamboo cylinder emitted a soft green glow, rotating gently. After an unknown length of time, Han Li's expression shifted, he halted his finger movements, and finally opened his eyes. "It appears all is well," he said, gazing intently at the figure before him, "the integration is remarkably seamless. I had not expected such smooth assembly of the components." "This puppet is the result of my own research. With my guidance, you will naturally have no mistakes in its refinement. Since everything seems smooth, it seems we may now proceed with the fusion of essences." The voice of the Great Yanshan Sovereign came softly from within the bamboo scroll. "Indeed, you are determined to proceed without further consideration? The Soul-Splitting Technique is being used for the very first time by your senior—there may well be unforeseen complications that could significantly impact your reincarnation journey. Moreover, once the soul is split, your residual soul fragments will inevitably dissipate and fade, unable to endure beyond that point." Hearing this, Han Li's expression of joy faded, and he asked seriously. "Ah, well. For most of my life, my greatest efforts have been devoted to puppetry. To unite my essence with this very puppet has always been my original aspiration. Besides, even if I refrain from employing the Soul-Splitting Technique, my life's end is approaching—what further hesitation could there be? You need not urge me anymore. In fact, I have already passed on the remaining chapters of the Great Yanshan Technique to you. I hope you will carry it forward and ensure its lineage does not The Da-Yan Divine Sovereign chuckled lightly, speaking with complete indifference. Hearing this, Han Li furrowed his brows, and after a long pause, sighed deeply. "If your resolve is so firm, then I shall say no more. I only hope you find all things go smoothly." The Da-Yan Divine Sovereign laughed heartily, and suddenly, the bamboo tube flashed with a green light from its center, splitting spontaneously into two halves. A small figure, glowing golden, materialized there. This figure was a puppet only a few inches tall, neither made of gold nor wood, exquisitely crafted, resembling a middle-aged man scaled down by a factor of over a hundred—elegant and refined in appearance. Now, the figure's eyes flashed with green light, and he settled into a meditative posture, cross-legged. Immediately, a low, resonant incantation began to echo. A beam of green light shot out from his mouth, expanding to the size of a fist, enveloping his form. Upon seeing this, Han Li moved his lips slightly, yet could not utter a word. As the incantation grew more urgent, the green light intensified, becoming increasingly bright and piercing, almost blinding to the onlookers Han Li narrowed his eyes, his pupils contracting as blue luminescence flickered incessantly. Then, a loud, painful cry from the Great Yanshan Sovereign shook the entire chamber. As Han Li's face changed, the green light suddenly split in two—the larger portion drifting directly toward the silver automaton, while the smaller one flashed briefly and reentered the smaller figure, restoring its humanoid form. Yet now, the small figure's head was slightly bowed, and its eyes dim and lifeless. Seeing this, Han Li did not hesitate. He pointed at the silver automaton with his fingers several times, and instantly, the humanoid figure opened its mouth, launching十余 slender silver filaments that swiftly swept the divided light globes into its body, drawing them inward. The automaton then radiated a brilliant silver glow, its form trembling continuously. Han Li's expression darkened. Without further words, he opened his mouth and expelled a surge of purple flame, striking the automaton's body directly. The sound of "zī lā" surged forth, and a thick layer of ice rapidly spread across the puppet, instantly sealing it completely and transforming it into a massive block of ice. At this moment, Han Li finally exhaled in relief, lifting his head to gaze at the small figure floating in the air, a subtle concern now visible on his face. "This is exactly what it feels like to split one's spirit," the Great Eye Sovereign exclaimed, his voice suddenly coming through from the figure, yet noticeably weak and frail, as though just recovering from a serious illness. "Master, are you all right?" Han Li asked, unable to help but inquire. "Rest assured," the Great Derivation Sovereign replied, his tone now full of enthusiasm and urgency. "Though after splitting my spirit, I won't be able to sustain myself for long, I should still be stable for ten to fifteen days. You must quickly complete the fusion of this puppet's spirit so that I may witness its true power before my consciousness dissipates." "Of course," Han Li responded. But before that, at my humble request, I'd like to use the Spirit-Stabilizing Seal to secure the remaining spirit essence of the elder, in case anything unforeseen should happen." Han Li arched his eyebrows slightly and, with a flick of his sleeve, a blood-red scroll soared into his hands. "The Spirit-Stabilizing Seal—this is quite a rare type of scroll. Using it on someone nearing death seems rather wasteful, doesn't it?" the Daxian Divine Sovereign expressed some surprise. "This seal was found inside the storage pouch of a Yuan-Stage cultivator I defeated last time. Even if it's precious, it's merely something I've gained—what could be more to lose?" Han Li replied calmly, then gave a gentle flick of his wrist, and the blood-red scroll instantly transformed into a streak of blood light, striking the small humanoid automaton. A surge of blood mist erupted, quickly absorbed by the automaton's body. "That's quite an improvement. However, since you've chosen to use this seal yourself, don't expect any special favor from me!" the Daxian Divine Sovereign's voice grew louder and carried a distinct tone of emphasis. "Nothing at all." "That was merely the interest the elder had previously helped with," Han Li replied calmly after a moment of silence. The Da Yan Divine Sovereign hummed a few times, then suddenly extended both hands and waved at the two half-cylindrical bamboo tubes lying on the ground. Instantly, with two sharp "whoosh" sounds, the two bamboo tubes shot upward and swiftly closed around the small figure, restoring their original cylindrical shape. The cylinder then drifted down and stood upright before Han Li once more. At this point, Han Li did not wait for the Da Yan Divine Sovereign to speak. With a single hand motion, he reached out toward the massive ice block. Within the ice, purple light flickered, and the humanoid automaton began to dissolve and melt from its own icy form. Han Li then settled back into a meditative posture, suddenly striking his forehead with a single palm. A bright green glow surged from the top of his head, and a translucent, jade-like infant spirit emerged, flying directly toward the humanoid automaton. Three months later, on the nameless, remote island where Han Li resided, a streak of vivid green light suddenly shot skyward and then vanished into the void. On Kuzhu Island, a small island located near the The old master of the island, Gu Ben, though renowned for little among the inland cultivation circles, is well known and deeply respected by many mid-to-late Yuan-ying stage cultivators there, who hold him in high regard. Among overseas cultivators, Gu Ben is even more celebrated. Though only at the mid-Yuan-ying level, he has long been regarded as a being of the rank of the Three Immortals of the Overseas, thanks to his three hundred and sixty-five cold-bamboo flying swords and the Heavenly Sang Tree on his island. The vast Wuman Array, centered on the Heavenly Sang Tree, is exceptionally refined and has exerted its influence over overseas cultivators for tens of thousands of years, standing among the most renowned ancient arrays known throughout the overseas realm. Even Yuan-ying late-stage cultivators find themselves weakened by a third of their abilities upon entering the array. Yet on this day, an unexpected and unwelcome guest arrived in the sky above the island.