Chapter 152
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Chapter 152: Two Benefactors
Just as the two Core Formation stage cultivators were about to explore the Ten Thousand-Mile Giant Lake, turbulent waves arose nearby as a Transformation God-level giant turtle, carrying a palace on its back, surfaced from the lakebed.
The giant turtle had a peculiar small red flower on its head, making it especially eye-catching.
“Welcome, esteemed seniors,” Xu Fan’s voice echoed.
This was Xu Fan’s idea; it was safer to meet them outside, given his possessions at the Hidden Spirit Sect.
Xu Fan appeared at the doorway of the palace on the giant turtle’s back.
“Is Zhang Han’s master here?” asked a middle-aged Core Formation stage cultivator in a blue robe, mistakenly thinking Xu Fan, who was at the Foundation Establishment Stage, was just a gatekeeper.
Damn it, I really need to research a set of secret techniques for disguising my cultivation level. This became Xu Fan’s most urgent thought.
“I am the master of Zhang Han and Zhang Meimei.”
“Please, esteemed seniors, come inside to talk,” Xu Fan said.
The two Core Formation cultivators exchanged surprised glances, realizing that a Nascent Soul stage disciple had a Foundation Establishment master.
Then, they communicated with their thoughts; if he was a Creation Spirit Master, it seemed plausible.
An alchemist and an artifact master could achieve success with diligence, even if their talents were mediocre, provided they had money.
However, a Creation Spirit Master was destined from birth, a favored child of the Dao, just like a fish that knows how to swim instinctively.
But regarding cultivation, the Dao has its flaws; most Creation Spirit Masters possess four or five spirit roots, making it challenging for them to advance early on.
Inside the Turtle Origin Hall, Xu Fan welcomed the two Core Formation stage cultivators to take their seats.
“What brings you esteemed seniors to seek me?” Xu Fan asked.
“Zhang Han defeated a prodigy of our Qianling Sect, and his secret techniques are quite unique. We would like to visit his Creation Spirit Master,” said one of the Core Formation cultivators.
“My disciple’s secret techniques might seem amusing to you esteemed seniors.”
“The secret techniques my disciple uses were discovered by me in a hidden ruins.”
“If you are interested, I can lend you some jade slips to study.”
As Xu Fan said this, he placed several jade slips on the table.
At that moment, a humanoid puppet stepped forward and began to brew tea.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, the two Core Formation stage cultivators could not shake off the feeling that they were behaving like thieves.
“I have a question. Your two esteemed disciples are at the Nascent Soul stage, yet why are you still at the Foundation Establishment Stage?”
By now, the other Core Formation stage cultivator had realized Xu Fan’s exceptional nature.
To ordinary Core Formation cultivators, Foundation Establishment disciples merely possess a liquid form of spiritual energy beginning to coalesce in their dantians.
However, to these two Core Formation stage cultivators, Xu Fan’s liquid spiritual energy in his dantian appeared as vast as the Ten Thousand-Mile Giant Lake.
Moreover, there were numerous Dao manifestations above his dantian.
Is this really a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator? This immense accumulation may even surpass that of those at the Nascent Soul stage.
“I took my two disciples under my wing from a young age, and I can’t believe they’ve advanced to the Nascent Soul stage in just one hundred years’ time.”
“I really can’t help it,” Xu Fan said helplessly. His tone conveyed his genuine frustration; he didn’t want things to be this way.
“We’ve come for two reasons: first, to visit the Creation Spirit Master who crafted your disciple’s unique techniques.”
“Second, we’d like to exchange some thoughts with Zhang Han’s master on how to train disciples,” said the blue-robed Core Formation stage cultivator with a smile.
Every Core Formation stage cultivator is a shrewd old fox, and it was clear that the young man before them was likely the Creation Spirit Master they were searching for.
However, it seemed this Creation Spirit Master didn’t want to reveal his identity, hence the excuse about the ruins.
Before arriving, they had already obtained a combat recording of Zhang Meimei.
Finding one set of techniques suited for their disciples might be luck, but stumbling upon a second set? That was pushing it.
“It seems the Creation Spirit Master you’re looking for isn’t here, but I can certainly share some insights on training disciples,” Xu Fan said with a smile, realizing he couldn’t fool these big shots.
“I’m an artifact master, skilled in crafting puppets. I often create challenge puppets of similar rank with high combat strength for my disciples to spar against.”
“Whenever my disciples win, I craft a stronger puppet for them to continue challenging.”
As Xu Fan spoke, he summoned a Foundation Establishment stage challenge puppet for the two Core Formation stage cultivators to inspect.
“What kind of combat strength can a Foundation Establishment stage puppet have?” one of the Core Formation stage cultivators asked skeptically. In his experience, puppets lacked intelligence; unless controlled by a specialist in puppet manipulation, their combat strength wouldn’t match that of spirit beasts of the same rank.
“Why not have a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator or spirit beast test it out?” Xu Fan suggested with a gesture.
“Alright, let’s give it a try.”
With a wave of his hand, the Core Formation stage cultivator summoned a three-meter-tall rocky armored beast before the three of them. Its imposing, humanoid frame was intimidating, but it posed no real threat to the group.
“This is a worker I’ve raised in my fields. It’s quite capable for a Foundation Establishment stage beast. Let’s see how your puppet fares.”
“I doubt your puppet can break through its defenses.”
Xu Fan didn’t respond. Instead, he waved his hand, and the reception room transformed into a spacious dojo.
“Your precious artifact palace has some hidden tricks; it looks like the work of a master,” remarked the middle-aged Core Formation stage cultivator in the blue robe.
“This is just a humble dwelling I crafted for myself. Please excuse its simplicity,” Xu Fan replied modestly.
As the puppet and the rocky armored beast entered the arena, the battle began under the watchful eyes of the three.
The puppet Xu Fan presented was an ordinary challenge puppet, but it had well-balanced attributes.
The battle started with the rocky armored beast swinging its massive, pot-sized fist at the challenge puppet.
The fight that followed rekindled the two Core Formation stage cultivators’ early memories of combat.
The clash was like a brute with raw strength facing off against a seasoned warrior. No matter how many moves the brute tried, it couldn’t land a single hit on the puppet.
When the puppet realized it couldn’t break through the beast’s defenses, it quickly shifted tactics, targeting the rocky armored beast’s heart core with repeated strikes.
After five punches, the puppet’s fists glowed with spiritual light, and it delivered a powerful double punch, shattering the beast’s heart core.
The battle ended, and the two Core Formation stage cultivators stared at the pile of shattered rocks on the ground, speechless for a long moment.
They had enough experience to recognize that this Foundation Establishment stage challenge puppet could easily defeat nearly half of the Foundation Establishment disciples in their Qianling Sect.
“I am Zhong Yu, an elder from the Affairs Peak of Qianling Sect,” said the middle-aged cultivator in the blue robe.
“I am Xiang Heng, an elder from the Ten Thousand Treasures Realm of Qianling Sect,” added his companion.
“Elder Zhong Yu, Elder Xiang Heng, greetings. I am Xu Fan,” Xu Fan quickly greeted, initially considering using an alias but deciding to reveal his real name to show sincerity.
As Xu Fan thought about it, this combination sounded familiar. Were they here for a major procurement?
“Xu Fan, is someone controlling your puppet from behind the scenes? Otherwise, ordinary puppets wouldn’t have such refined combat techniques.”
At that moment, the two Core Formation stage seniors became big shots in Xu Fan’s eyes.
And so began the nightmare for the disciples of Qianling Sect below the Transformation Stage.
