Chapter 37

Truth Exterminator One!

Lu Qingfeng named the miniature puppet he’d designed and successfully refined Truth Exterminator One.

First, the name signified his resolution to destroy the Truth Sect.

Second, the word Exterminator indicated that Truth Exterminator One was a combat-style puppet.

“The Truth Exterminator One is a physical combat-style puppet. The Stability and Swift Runic Array is engraved on its legs, and the Power, Vision Clarity, and Precision Runic Array is engraved on its arms. Spirit Energy is amassed inside it to augment the various Runic Arrays.

“In the future, I want to equip Truth Exterminator One with bows and arrows and develop it in the direction of making long-range physical attacks. I also want to slightly tune its internal Runic Array and engrave runes of martial arts on the Twin Stone to make it into a melee puppet. Or maybe I’ll engrave magic Runic Arrays and make it a long-range spell-casting puppet.”

Lu Qingfeng had a fairly detailed development plan for Truth Exterminator One.

In fact, over his years of studying the refining of puppets, most of his failures had been due to Lu Qingfeng’s faulty design concepts.

More often than not, due to issues in matching the Runic Arrays, the puppets refined according to his designs were either too weak on defense and would crumble after one single strike or too cumbersome and inflexible because of a defensive power that was too potent.

After many experiments and revisions, he’d finally come up with a more balanced and complete model in Truth Exterminator One.

Although, most certainly…

Despite having designed Truth Exterminator One, in order to become proficient in its refinement, Lu Qingfeng would have to go through another 100 or even 1,000 failures.

This would be yet another hefty investment.

However, the design of Truth Exterminator One was already completed, which implied the accomplishment of the hardest step.

The proficiency issues that would follow were nothing in comparison.

At the very least, even if a mistake were to happen at a certain step and the refining failed, the previously refined parts would always be usable. Hence, waste would be greatly reduced.

“Now, while I’m refining Truth Exterminator One, I shall master the refining of a few Runic Equipments that are compatible with Truth Exterminator One, such as bows, broadswords, spears, shields, and so on. With different Runic Equipments, I will also have to fine-tune the Runic Arrays within Truth Exterminator One, which isn’t very troublesome.

“In the meantime, I can also enhance the whole of Truth Exterminator One.”

Lu Qingfeng prompted his mind. His vision switched to Truth Exterminator One, and the puppet arrived in front of him in a few leaps at a quick speed.

The miniature puppets Huang Tiangu had researched were mostly in Level 1 (Fetal Breath Phase equivalent) and Level 2 (Genuine Chi Phase equivalent). With some slight tinkerings of the Twin Stone, he had been able to control the puppets at short distances via the Twin Stone.

Up until the moment before Huang Tiangu disappeared without a trace, this short distance was about 50 feet.

“I’ve individually stripped the refining method of the Twin Stone in Huang’s Puppet Handbook and merged it with the three common Twin Stone refining methods on the market to have them compensate each other’s flaws. I’ve then enhanced the combination twice.

“After merging, the controlling distance improved from 50 feet to 100 feet.

“The first enhancement improved it from 100 feet to 1,000 feet.

“The second enhancement improved it from 1,000 feet to 10,000 feet.

“However, I still can’t update to a Twin Stone that can perform control autonomously according to instructions.”

The update option was very flexible.

For example, the Huang’s Puppet Handbook could be updated as a whole, either enhanced, merged, or elevated.

Due to this technique’s unique property, it could also be separated. For instance, it could enhance the refining method of the Twin Stone alone, or with the Spirit Core Runic Array, Spirit Control Runic Array, and so on.

By individually enhancing the refining method of the Twin Stone, after three mergers and two enhancements, the quality of the Twin Stone refined was greatly improved.

Even though the Spirit Control Runic Array hadn’t been enhanced, its control range was still increased from 50 feet to 10,000 feet, and the improvements in the puppet’s practicality could even be described as epoch-making.

But this hadn’t met Lu Qingfeng’s expectations.

An individual’s mental power was limited.

An ordinary person could split their attention to control one or two puppets. However, they couldn’t accurately control ten or 100 puppets simultaneously. Even Lu Qingfeng, who had arrived at the Genuine Chi Phase, dared not to claim that he could control three to five puppets proficiently.

Moreover, three to five puppets were very far from the Sea of Puppets that Lu Qingfeng desired.

“The most exquisite Twin Stone refinement technique is hidden within the 100 Art Sect, and it is unavailable to non-disciples and unlearnable by cultivators below the Cosmic Stage. Even though the Twin Stone I’ve refined with the method I obtained after two enhancements is inferior to that of the 100 Art Sect, it shouldn’t be too different.

“Maybe the crux of the autonomous control in puppets is not or not only on the Twin Stone. Perhaps the Spirit Control Runic Array engraved within a puppet is the vital key.”

Having studied Puppet Crafting for ten long years, Lu Qingfeng summed up his experiences.

First…

A puppet is composed of a complete system. If only a part of it or a single Runic Array was enhanced, it would cause an overall imbalance in the puppet and give rise to various problems.

Lu Qingfeng had suffered a lot in this regard, so he was extra-cautious when doing enhancements.

The refining method of the Twin Stone, on the other hand, was one of the few things that had only positive effects and no negative effects toward puppet refining.

The Spirit Control Runic Array was engraved in the Twin Stone, which in contrast to the Spirit Core Runic Array, Swift Runic Array, and so on, might allow it to be enhanced separately.

“I’ll enhance the Spirit Control Runic Array individually once, and then refine Truth Exterminator One to see if it is as I thought. If enhancing the Spirit Control Runic Array can realize autonomous control in Truth Exterminator One, that would definitely be the best-case scenario.”

All speculations have to be verified by experiments.

Lu Qingfeng expended ten Experience Points to enhance the Spirit Control Runic Array one time.

Modifying the Spirit Control Runic Array was the easiest one to enhance.

The puppet didn’t have to be re-refined. Lu Qingfeng just had to disassemble Truth Exterminator One, take out the Twin Stone, erase the original Spirit Control Runic Array, and engrave the enhanced version of the Spirit Control Runic Array.

The results of the experiment put Lu Qingfeng in seventh heaven.

First, no negative effects emerged due to the enhancement of the Spirit Control Runic Array.

Second, the reaction speed of Truth Exterminator One was greatly increased.

This was exactly what Lu Qingfeng had been expecting.

After all, the Spirit Control Runic Array was equivalent to a puppet’s control center and the soul of a human being. With its soul enhanced, it was only natural for its reaction speed to get faster.

“The Spirit Control Runic Array has increased from 40 to 60 Runic Arrays, and its sensing range has increased from 10,000 feet to 20,000 feet, making the puppet more flexible during manipulation.

“Looks like I’m heading in the right direction!”

After Lu Qingfeng had gone in and out of the Emery Tool Refining Chamber and tested the sensing range of Truth Exterminator One, the smile on his face got bigger and bigger.

“Gotta further enhance it!”

Upon the second enhancement, the composition of the Spirit Control Runic Array had increased from 60 to 80 Runic Arrays. The sensing range of Truth Exterminator One had improved from 20,000 feet to 30,000 feet and become even more flexible when controlled.

Upon the third enhancement, the composition of the Spirit Control Runic Array had increased from 80 to 100 Runic Arrays. The sensing range of Truth Exterminator One had improved from 30,000 feet to 40,000 feet and…

“Autonomous control at last!”

Lu Qingfeng prompted his mind and issued an instruction:

Revolve!

This time, Lu Qingfeng did not consciously enter the puppet. By issuing an instruction via his link with the Spirit Control Runic Array, he saw Truth Exterminator One start spinning around while staying in the same location.

Punch!

Sprint!

Hop!

Truth Exterminator One was able to complete every instruction given by Lu Qingfeng swiftly and accurately.

“Attack me!”

Lu Qingfeng attempted complex instructions.

Truth Exterminator One moved its feet, charged toward Lu Qingfeng, and smashed his fist at him!

***Author’s message: leaving this here to hit word count!