Chapter 120: Golden-Core Puppet
"You want me to deliver justice for you..."
That night in the First-Rate Sword Hut, Di Nufeng rubbed her chin and considered the situation for a moment.
"Eh?" Chu Liang was shocked. "Esteemed Teacher, why are you hesitating? Someone almost smacked your most beloved disciple to death!"
"First, tell me what happened. You said you were going to buy something, but you were gone for so damn long, and you even almost died on the way back," Di Nufeng said.
Chu Liang gave her a brief recount of what he'd experienced. Of course, he emphasized how he'd felt so weak and helpless in the face of Xu Nanling's intense ferocity and ruthlessness.
"Hmph," Di Nufeng scoffed disdainfully after hearing what had happened. "He's merely a manager of the Whale Gang, yet he dared to try and kill my disciple. It seems like he thinks his family has too much money and he's trying to use up some as compensation... No, it's more likely that he thinks he's been alive for too long."
"Mmhm!" Chu Liang nodded in agreement.
"However, if you want me to move my legs to get revenge for you, you'll have to let me rest for a day at least," Di Nufeng said. "I used up a lot of energy to forge a sword for you."
"Didn't you request for Master Kunwu to forge the sword? Why did you have to do anything, Esteemed Teacher?" Chu Liang asked puzzledly.
"The esteemed Senior Di Nufeng chose the best material currently available at the First-Rate Sword Hut—the Glowing Jade-Gold Crystal," explained the simple and honest-looking young man who had walked out with Di Nufeng, his voice tinged with pain. His heartache over the loss of his family's smithy's best material was too difficult for him to hold back. "The Glowing Jade-Gold Crystal can only be forged using the Samadhi True Fire, so esteemed Senior Di Nufeng had to put in a lot of effort for us to forge the sword."
This young man was, of course, Xu Kunwu's only son—Xu Sui.
While Xu Sui said that, he was thinking of a totally different scene. He recounted how Di Nufeng had brazenly barged into the First-Rate Sword Hut, completely disregarding the gazes of the many onlookers.
...
At the time... Di Nufeng had seemed like a thug as she charged toward Xu Sui's father.
"Now, I'm letting you help me forge a sword, but I, Di Nufeng, won't just stand by idly and watch you do all the work. I heard that swords forged using Samadhi True Fire are the best."
However, the reason why swords crafted with the Samadhi True Fire were the best was because only the most excellent materials were used whenever the Samadhi True Fire was employed. Less exceptional materials would be instantly destroyed by Samadhi True Fire.
Therefore, it was very clear what Di Nufeng meant.
I want the best materials. If you dare to brush me off and use ordinary materials, don't blame me for destroying them.
And if you're still thinking of saying that you're not willing to use the best materials...
A flickering purple ball of SamadhiTrue Fire hovered above Di Nufeng's fingertips. Who could say a single word of refusal upon seeing that?
Xu Kunwu could only grit his teeth and agree to Di Nufeng's demands.
"I see," Chu Liang said.
After listening to the whole story, he realized that Di Nufeng had actually put much thought into her response to his request.
Then Chu Liang concluded, "In that case, let's wait for you to recover all of your foundational qi. We can find that guy and get revenge later, Esteemed Teacher. It's not an urgent matter."
"Indeed," Di Nufeng nodded. "If all I'm doing is dealing with a weak cultivator at the Realm of the Five Elements, I wouldn't need to rest. But since we're the ones initiating the attack, we should be in our best condition to cope with any unexpected situations that may arise. For example, striking a young person may prompt an elder from their family to step out to save them...
"Moreover, with the chaos that occurred at the Hall of Ten Thousand Beasts earlier, they will surely be heavily guarded now. It would easily arouse suspicion if we go there rashly. Let's wait for a day and catch him off guard. It will be easier to get him then."
After hearing his teacher's analysis, Chu Liang felt that it made a lot of sense.
This was, after all, an analysis that Di Nufeng, a street-smart war advisor, had formulated using the valuable combat experiences she'd gained from the many years she'd spent in the Mount Shu Sect and out in the martial world. There was no need for Chu Liang to consider whether what she'd said was right or wrong; he just needed to learn her ways.
Di Nufeng might be unreliable in every other aspect, but when it came to fighting, her instincts were always reliable!
...
As the night deepened, Chu Liang found a place to rest in the First-Rate Sword Hut and retreated to his room.
As the tranquil stillness surrounded him, he finally seized the moment to step into the White Pagoda within his own mind.
A small Human-Faced Xiao's phantom was suspended in one of the iron cells.
This little guy... It's so fierce and cunning, but why do I find it so damn likable?
Chu Liang shifted his attention to the Large-Headed Doll sitting in a corner of the White Pagoda, working diligently. Due to the perfect operation of the Qi-Circulation Technique, there was always a cloud of smoke surrounding the puppet. Yet, despite emitting smoke, the puppet had never asked for Chu Liang to raise its salary by even one Qi-Gathering Pill.
It's truly touching. Who wouldn't want more employees like this?
Chu Liang nervously pressed the word "Refine." He didn't know if the White Pagoda would give him the same reward for this Human-Faced Xiao, which was slightly stronger than the first one he'd killed.
Boom.
Chu Liang couldn't help but hold his breath as the white light slowly flew out of the cell.
Judging from its form, it looks similar to a puppet... It has to be a puppet!
Then the object inside the white light fell into Chu Liang's hands.
[Golden-Core Puppet: This puppet boosts the development of the host's Golden Core to aid in their cultivation. The puppet must first form a Golden Core and then use it to further develop the host's Golden Core. All progress achieved in cultivation will be transferred to the host. The puppet consumes one Spirit Concentration Pill during the day and two at night. Additionally, during combat, the puppet can run its Golden Core simultaneously with the host's Golden Core, but the consumption of Spirit Concentration Pills will double.
Please be aware that this puppet is to be used strictly as a cultivation and combat aid. There is a risk of damage if used inappropriately.]