Chapter 56
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Chapter 56: Misty Puppet
[Five Element Technique (Level Four): 197/400]
Currently, Wang Chen’s biggest challenge in his cultivation was that his strength level could not fully match the overall enhancement in his spell levels.
Last night, when confronting the wolf beast possessed by Evil Spirits, he unleashed the Fire Crow Technique at full power three times, depleting more than half of his dantian’s power, which clearly showed his lack of stamina for prolonged combat.
Although this issue could be mitigated by consuming Qi Recovery Pills, during intense battles, there might not be an opportunity to take these elixirs.
Moreover, Qi Recovery Pills require time to take effect.
Additionally, all elixirs carry some toxicity, and lower-grade pills also contain internal poisons.
Therefore, no matter how effective an elixir might be, a solid foundation is far more reliable and secure.
Thus, Wang Chen decided to reduce the frequency of increasing his skill proficiency to allocate more time to practicing his main technique.
He aimed to swiftly advance to the fifth-level Qi Trainer!
In fact, Wang Chen’s cultivation speed was already remarkably fast.
Even by following the standard progression, he could reach the peak of the fourth realm in just two months at most.
In less than five months, he had achieved a minor breakthrough in mid-level Qi Training without relying on elixirs or spiritual materials.
Not even a prodigy could accomplish such a feat!
However, a deep-seated sense of crisis within Wang Chen urged him to push for even greater speed!
Additionally, he had also reached the peak of the first layer of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method.
Wang Chen wanted to attempt breaking through this body-refining technique for the first time without consuming Heavenly Merit.
If unsuccessful, he would simply add some.
Furthermore, when practicing the Heavenly Dragon Vajra True Method, Vajra Ghee was an indispensable auxiliary material.
He had to buy! Buy! Buy!
"This Evil Energy Pearl doesn’t have very high essence or purity," Manager Jin assessed the Evil Energy Pearl that Wang Chen presented.
He said, "I can offer you a maximum of four hundred and twenty spirit fragments."
The value of an Evil Energy Pearl is determined by its size, the amount of dark energy it contains, and its purity.
The pearl Wang Chen obtained last night was clearly inferior to the previous one he had.
He earnestly told Wang Chen, "Fellow traveler, this is a fixed price; there’s no room for negotiation!"
Wang Chen pondered for a moment, "I want to exchange it all for Vajra Ghee; can you offer a discount?"
Manager Jin chuckled wryly, "Vajra Ghee has been in high demand lately, and the supply from Tianlong Temple is somewhat tight. The price has already risen to twelve spirit stones per bottle."
Despite the inability to negotiate further, after some bargaining, Wang Chen ultimately exchanged the Evil Energy Pearl for thirty-eight bottles of Vajra Ghee.
After completing the transaction, Wang Chen initially intended to leave, but then he suddenly had a thought and tentatively asked, "Manager, do you know what happened last night?"
The Four Seas Trading Association had branches spread across the Mountain-Sea Realm, wielding an incredibly vast influence.
The news here was indeed exceptionally well-informed.
Although Wang Chen was well aware that information here was a commodity,
trying to extract useful intelligence from this astute manager without parting with spirit stones was nearly impossible.
But it didn’t hurt to ask; what if the manager suddenly had a lapse in judgment or a moment of folly?
However, Manager Jin’s wits were sharp, and he greeted Wang Chen with a knowing smile.
Unable to gain any advantage, Wang Chen shrugged.
He decided it was time to leave.
Just as Wang Chen was about to rise, Manager Jin raised his hand to halt him.
He extended a stubby finger and proposed, "A trade: you tell me how you acquired your Evil Energy Pearl, and I’ll share what transpired last night."
"Deal!"
Wang Chen responded without hesitation, "I obtained my Evil Energy Pearl by defeating an Evil Beast."
The origin of his Evil Energy Pearl was entirely aboveboard; it was neither stolen nor illicit, with nothing to conceal.
Disclosing its source in exchange for information posed no issue whatsoever.
To substantiate his claim, Wang Chen even described the appearance of the Evil Beast in detail.
“Just as I suspected,"
Manager Jin nodded thoughtfully and revealed, "I can inform you that the Evil Beast you encountered last night was under the control of a Misty Puppet."
Misty Puppet!
Instantly, a passage from "On Evil Spirits" flashed through Wang Chen’s mind.
Misty Puppets were classified as "Grudge" level Evil Spirits, comparable to the Purple Palace level among cultivators.
Yet, the abilities of Evil Spirits were peculiar, and the Grudge level was formidable indeed.
Some Grudge level Evil Spirits could compel even a Purple Palace master to retreat, avoiding direct confrontation.
Misty Puppets were adept at stealth and puppet mastery; they could command hundreds or thousands of Evil Beasts as puppets, hunting cultivators within their self-created "fog zones."
Misty Puppets started at the Gray Grudge level and could ascend to the Black Grudge level at their peak.
"Last night’s intruder in the outer sect area was likely a white Grudge level Misty Puppet," Manager Jin intimated, "You were fortunate not to encounter a Giant Puppet Beast; otherwise…"
Though Manager Jin left his sentence unfinished, Wang Chen fully grasped the implication.
He immediately recalled the giant that had been struck by lightning!
“Is that Misty Puppet connected to the gray-eyed thieves?”
A white Grudge level Misty Puppet wouldn’t just randomly breach the heavily fortified mountain gate.
And the Yunyang Sect’s most formidable adversary was undoubtedly the gray-eyed thieves, who kept resurfacing!
The gray-eyed thieves revered powerful Evil Spirits and could easily command Grudge level Evil Spirits.
To be honest, the Yunyang Sect’s tendency to label the remnants of the Three-Eyed Sect as gray-eyed thieves often leads to underestimating these troublesome evil cultivators, making them seem like mere Bandits and Rogues.
In reality, the troubles brought by the gray-eyed thieves to the Yunyang Sect are unlikely to end anytime soon.
Even though the Yunyang Sect recently celebrated a glorious victory,
Wang Chen felt as though his sect had been humiliated just the night before!
When Wang Chen raised this issue, Manager Jin merely smiled without answering, reaching instead for the tea cup on the table.
His gesture was clear—it was time to replenish the funds.
Forget it!
Wang Chen already knew the answer and saw no point in pressing further and making things awkward.
After leaving the Four Seas Trading Association, he took another stroll around the city.
He managed to purchase a fresh batch of magical beast meat.
Interestingly, the price of magical beast meat had dropped significantly, prompting Wang Chen to buy more than usual.
However, the spirit stones in his storage bag were dwindling rapidly.
In contrast, buying items like a door, a bed, a table, and chairs cost him only a few spirit fragments.
Such everyday items were quite affordable in the world of cultivation, with skilled craftsmen abundant.
During his shopping, Wang Chen noticed an unusual number of loose cultivators in the city.
Many inns had put up "No Vacancy" signs.
Business was exceptionally brisk!
Additionally, there was a noticeable increase in cultivators dressed as farmers and spiritual plant farmers.
They were evidently spooked by the sudden invasion of Evil Spirits the previous night and had come seeking refuge.
After all, Yunshan City boasted a protective formation and was guarded by several Purple Palace masters.
The real issue was, how could Yunshan City possibly accommodate such a surge of outside cultivators?
Wang Chen decided to head home.
Upon his return, his first task was to enhance the secret passage and the hidden chamber, digging even deeper.
As he reached his front door and stepped into the small courtyard, a sudden sense of warning gripped his heart.
Every hair on his body stood on end!
