Chapter 184
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Chapter 184: Underground Base
The tool puppets that emerged from the teleportation formation began to take out various earth-drilling artifacts, expanding underground.
At the same time, specialized drilling puppets and detection puppets started appearing in the teleportation formation.
“Expanding underground, Grape, we’re on the same page,” Xu Fan said with a grin.
“Once we go 5,000 meters deep, based on the current data about the demon race, the concealment will be optimal, allowing us to avoid detection by higher-level beasts. Once things stabilize, we can push even deeper.”
“Plus, the puppets only need spiritual energy to function. If we hit any spirit ores, the puppet army in the demon race can quickly become self-sufficient and even support the master,” Grape added.
“Feels like I’m playing a construction game,” Xu Fan remarked.
As more puppets were transmitted to the demon race, a puppet base began to take shape in the Wan Chong Mountain Range.
A hidden formation spanning ten miles in diameter shielded the cave where the Thick-Shell Puppet was stationed.
Grape’s clone had already entered the cave with an unassuming Nascent Soul Stage battle puppet.
Xu Fan watched the tool puppets’ construction speed and nodded in approval.
“At this pace, you can call me a construction maniac.”
By now, the entire mountain had been hollowed out by the tool puppets, with countless heavy artillery pieces hidden within.
The drilling tool puppets had already reached 1,000 meters underground.
“Master, we’ve detected a small vein of purple demon iron and a small spirit stone vein underground. Once refined, they’ll cover the early losses for the puppet army in the demon race.”
Not long after, Xu Fan received the good news from Grape.
“Not bad, a solid start,” Xu Fan said with a smile. Though Hidden Spirit Island now had millions of puppets, every move they made required spirit stones, much like cars needing fuel.
Often, the massive spirit stone consumption during large-scale puppet operations made Xu Fan’s heart skip a beat.
“Keep digging. If you find any high-value spirit ores or exotic treasures, send them all back to the sect,” Xu Fan said, licking his lips. He knew that even common spirit ores from the demon race could fetch a high price in the cultivation world.
“Understood.”
In Lin Sen Fairy City, Xu Gang welcomed his good friend, Ji Muhua.
“Brother Ji, long time no see,” Xu Gang said with a smile, clasping his hands in greeting.
“Haha, it hasn’t been that long, but for some reason, I’ve really missed Friend Zhang,” Ji Muhua said eagerly, looking at Xu Gang. Everyone he could spar with in Qiandao Sect had gone out on missions.
With his hands itching for a fight, he sought out Zhang Han, who he had yet to settle a score with.
“Friend Ji, Zhang Han is just an alias I used while wandering the cultivation world. My real name is Xu Gang.”
“You can call me Friend Xu,” Xu Gang said, a bit sheepishly. After all, they’d fought side by side, and revealing his true name now felt a little unfair.
“I get it,” Ji Muhua nodded. He’d used aliases himself during his travels in the cultivation world.
“Thanks for understanding, Brother Ji.”
On the Ten Thousand-Mile Giant Lake, a spiritual boat, controlled by Grape, was heading toward the Hidden Spirit Sect.
Aboard the spiritual boat, Ji Muhua gazed at the endless lake, recalling the task the elder had given him before leaving.
He was to secretly observe the combat skills of the Hidden Spirit Sect’s disciples.
“Friend Xu, does your Hidden Spirit Sect have challenge puppets?” Ji Muhua asked. He’d recently been thoroughly beaten by those challenge puppets.
Xu Gang instinctively glanced down at his legs for some reason.
“Yes, all the disciples of my sect, including myself, have to face the challenge puppets to advance,” Xu Gang said with a hint of sadness, recalling the times he was relentlessly battered by those puppets.
“When I visit your sect, I’d like to see these challenge puppets for myself and also settle who’s stronger between us,” Ji Muhua said, a spark of battle excitement flashing in his eyes.
“Feel free to try, but be ready to get beaten up.”
“Even I can only last half an hour at most now,” Xu Gang admitted.
“That’s impressive,” Ji Muhua said, surprised. He could hold his own against challenge puppets of the same level for an hour.
He wasn’t naive enough to think his strength had improved.
“You’ll see for yourself when you visit my sect,” Xu Gang said with a knowing smile.
Inside the Hidden Spirit Sect, Ji Muhua was in awe of everything around him.
“This place has a truly divine aura, perfect for cultivation,” Ji Muhua said, gazing at the waterfall of spiritual liquid that looked like the Nine Heavens Galaxy in the distance.
He had seen lakes made of spiritual liquid before, but a massive waterfall like this, integrated into the entire sect, was something rare.
“This was all designed by my fourth junior brother,” Xu Gang said proudly.
“Oh, I’d love to meet your fourth junior brother when the chance arises,” Ji Muhua said, admiring the breathtaking scenery.
“I’ll introduce you when I can; he’s currently in seclusion.”
“Fair enough.”
“Let’s first pay our respects to my master, and then we can head to a remote spot to spar,” Xu Gang suggested.
“Of course. The elder knew I was coming to the Hidden Spirit Sect and specifically asked me to bring gifts for your Grand Elder,” Ji Muhua replied, curious about the kind of person who could mentor someone as talented as Xu Gang.
The two crossed the main peak and arrived at Xu Fan’s courtyard.
“Junior Ji Muhua pays his respects to Elder Xu,” Ji Muhua said, performing a respectful gesture as a junior.
He didn’t underestimate Xu Fan just because he was at the Golden Core Stage; in fact, he respected him even more, knowing Xu Fan’s other identity as a master craftsman.
In the cultivation world, master craftsmen were held in the same regard as respected elders at the Overcoming Tribulations and Great Ascension stages.
“No need for formalities, please rise,” Xu Fan said kindly, presenting a precious artifact—the Fourth-Rank Heavenly Tree Pearl—and handing it to Ji Muhua.
“Take this; it’s a small token of my appreciation,” Xu Fan said. As Xu Gang’s master, he wanted to uphold his disciple’s reputation when friends came to visit.
Ji Muhua examined the Heavenly Tree Pearl in his hand, feeling the intense wood-type spiritual energy radiating from it. He was genuinely surprised.
Though he wasn’t unfamiliar with precious artifacts, this Heavenly Tree Pearl felt like it was made just for him, far surpassing the artifact he currently used.
Holding the pearl, he noticed the surrounding wood-attribute spiritual energy becoming more vibrant.
“Thank you, senior,” Ji Muhua said, performing another respectful gesture.
He then presented the gift he had brought for the elder before concluding the visit.
Xu Fan looked at the gift from the Qianling Sect elder and smiled. “We’ll need to order two more sets of challenge puppets. Not bad.”
“Grape,” Xu Fan called out.
“I’m here~”
“Send a Transformation God puppet with healing spirit pills to keep an eye on those two. If they start fighting and can’t stop, step in and intervene.”
"Understood."
After handling everything, Xu Fan opened the live stream from the demon race Puppet Base to watch.
Now, Xu Fan’s hobby was gradually shifting from fishing to watching live broadcasts of the demon race’s construction.
"Not bad, they’ve set up the Production Line for basic tool puppets. I wonder how puppets made from purple demon iron differ from those made with spirit iron ore," Xu Fan commented, observing the newly activated Production Line on the Live Stream Light Curtain.
"Puppets made from purple demon iron are better suited for the demon race’s environment and are more concealed underground," Grape explained.
"That’s great," Xu Fan replied.
Just as Xu Fan was about to control a batch of tool puppets to explore underground for other ore veins, another live stream appeared.
"These two rascals are already at it; how long have they been holding back?" Xu Fan remarked, referring to the other live stream.
Three thousand miles north of Hidden Spirit Island, Xu Gang and Ji Muhua stood in the void, about a hundred meters apart.
"Friend Xu, now that there’s no one disturbing us, we can fight to our heart’s content," Ji Muhua said with a smile, his eyes filled with an unmistakable desire for battle.
"No, unless something unexpected happens, my master is watching us both," Xu Gang replied.
"Really?" Ji Muhua began to look around.
"The entire Ten Thousand-Mile Giant Lake area is under my master’s surveillance, but that doesn’t affect our fight."
"As long as it’s not a life-threatening crisis for either of us, my master won’t intervene," Xu Gang stated.
While waiting for the two to start their battle, Xu Fan chuckled and scolded the little rascal, then casually turned off their live stream.
"What’s so interesting about two big cannons fighting? I’d rather play some more exploration games."
As Xu Fan spoke, he controlled the puppets to head deep into the ground.
At that moment, Xu Gang received a notification from Grape and said, "Alright, now that no one is watching us."
A phantom of a towering giant tree appeared behind Ji Muhua.
"Let Xu Brother see my true strength."
The phantom of the towering giant tree took root in the void, and countless vine whips danced in the wind.
The lake water below began to surge, and soon a large piece of land floated up.
Ji Muhua waved his hand, sending numerous wooden spears flying toward Xu Gang.
"Then I won’t hold back either."
A law form of Thousand Hands appeared behind Xu Gang, with a large amount of lake water floating around him, changing shapes.
As Xu Gang formed seals, the surrounding lake water transformed into a giant hand, slapping toward Ji Muhua.
The wooden spears and the giant hand collided, producing an astonishing explosion.
Boom!!
At that moment, disciples nearby who were catching beasts turned to look at the source of the explosion.
Soon, all the disciples in the sect received a message from one of the disciples.
"Peak Master Xu is sparring with an outsider; everyone hurry over to watch!"
"Cannon-style duel, if you miss this, there won’t be another chance!"
Thus, over a hundred first-generation disciples from the Hidden Spirit Sect surged toward the direction of the explosion.
Receiving the message while playing his game, Xu Fan instructed Grape, "Send some guardian puppets to protect those disciples; we don’t want them to be caught in the aftermath."
"Understood."
A spiritual boat, carrying a hundred guardian puppets, flew toward the direction of Xu Gang’s duel.
"It seems I need to let the disciples go out more often to see the world, so they don’t just blindly rush in when they encounter other cultivators in battle."
"I need to think of a way to make them aware of the dangers in this society," Xu Fan mused, stroking his chin.
