Start from the Martial Arts

Song Dynasty.

Half of the entire country is covered by a desert of spiritual energy, with only quasi-fourth-level spiritual veins at the highest level.

The natural geographical disadvantage made Song State the last country among the seven major cultivation countries in Yunzhou.

Legend has it that in ancient times, the Song State owned the largest and only fifth-level spiritual vein in Yunzhou.

Later, many transformed gods fought in a melee, draining the spiritual energy of their spiritual veins and half of the heaven and earth vitality of the Song Dynasty.

This resulted in the southern area of ​​the Song Kingdom becoming barren of grass and becoming a spiritual desert.

There are also rumors that the aura desert in the southern part of the Song Dynasty hides the heaven-defying opportunity to become the True Monarch of the Nascent Soul and even transform into a Divine Lord.

Regardless of whether the rumors are true or false, it is an indisputable fact that there are many monsters living in the Aura Desert.

The casual cultivators in the Song Dynasty basically made a living by watching and killing monsters.

Throughout the Song Dynasty, the Feng Yuan Sect dominated the whole country.

The quasi-fourth-level spiritual veins in the north, as well as the large areas of Lingshan blessed land, all belong to Fengyuan Sect.

Other sects in the Song Dynasty had long since relocated and left the Song Dynasty.

A small part of the local immortal cultivating families in the Song Kingdom were attached to the Fengyuan Sect.

Most of the cultivating families and casual cultivators were gathered in the central part of the Song Dynasty.

Guancheng City is located on the only third-level middle-grade spiritual vein in the central part of the Song Dynasty. It is located at the boundary between the spiritual desert and the oasis. It is the holy land of the Song Dynasty's casual cultivators and most of the immortal cultivating families.

It is said that the Gongshu family that controls the government city has fourth-level low-grade puppets passed down from their ancestors, and their combat power is comparable to that of the True Monarch in the early stage of Nascent Soul.

Fang Xiu changed his appearance and restrained his breath.

It took a month to cross the vast desert in the southern part of Song Dynasty.

The monsters here often make sneak attacks, but when the situation is bad, they will escape into the sand sea.

During this period, Fang Xiu also encountered a rare monster called the "Sandworm", and had mastered the "Crazy Sand Technique" with his natural talent.

Explosive Sand is a large-scale attack spell that poses a certain threat to monks in the later stages of foundation building, especially in the desert.

Sandworms look like khaki flying silkworms, are extremely fast, and their bodies can blend into the desert.

The "Crazy Sand Technique" released contains violent earth spiritual energy, which can block the detection of divine consciousness.

As soon as Fang Xiu's ivy sword was released, the sandworm burrowed into the ground.

Yellow sand swept across the sky, and a giant city that seemed to be made of loess and full of exotic customs stood in the desert.

On the south side of the giant city, not a single blade of grass grows.

Less than a mile north of the giant city is an oasis with lush vegetation and fresh air.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth also became rich.

"It's finally here."

Fang Xiu lowered his escape light and entered the city with the cultivation level of the first level of foundation building.

He found an inn in the outer city to stay.

Three days later.

A young man with ordinary appearance and medium height came to the inn and entered the wing on the third floor.

When the young man saw a handsome man in black robe sitting in the room, his expression was obviously stunned, as if he didn't understand why he was here.

He looked at Fang Xiu with confusion, his eyes gradually becoming blank.

"The magic of sending gods plus the soul of the magic tree is really powerful!"

Fang Xiu's eyes lit up.

The incarnation of ‘Zhao Changqing’ still retains part of his autonomous consciousness. When the Demonic Tree Spirit does not give clear instructions, he will still act according to his own behavior and habits.

Even the person next to him probably wouldn't be able to notice anything unusual about him.

Fang Xiu took out a porcelain bottle from his storage bag and threw it over.

The incarnation put away the genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, turned and left.

The Zhao family's land is only two thousand miles away from the city.

The Gongshu family was in charge of Guancheng City, but the Gongshu family invited major aristocratic families in the Song Dynasty and powerful casual cultivators to join and form a Heavenly Puppet Alliance.

The Zhao family is one of the members of the Tianpuppet Alliance.

Under the demon of the Tianpuppet Alliance, there are three Jindan Zhenren and four Fake Danzhen, which is comparable to a relatively strong medium-sized sect.

At the same time, the Tianpuppet Alliance joined the Five Nations Alliance in the name of the Government City.

Therefore, the Tiangui Alliance is nominally an ally of Fengyuan Sect.

Although the identity of this ally is not binding, it at least prevents Feng Yuan Sect from doing anything too ugly on the surface.

Fang Xiu entered the inner city of Government City and started walking around.

"It is indeed the holy land of puppetry."

He discovered that the inheritance of puppetry could be purchased directly in the organ city.

However, the highest level only sells the secret technique for making low-grade puppets of the first level.

There is nothing further up. You must join the organ city, perform tasks, and accumulate meritorious deeds in order to exchange for higher-level puppet making secrets.

Of course, foundation-building monks can directly become guest ministers in the organ city. After signing the contract, they can obtain the complete inheritance of first-level puppetry.

It is capable of making a first-order peak puppet, which is comparable to ordinary Qi refining and soil cultivation.

Although puppets are relatively rigid, they may not be the opponents of monks of the same level when fighting alone.

But as long as the number increases, not to mention being invincible at the same level, they can even kill cultivators at a higher level.

Half a year later.

The open space in the middle of the cave.

A black wooden ape about five feet tall stood in front of Fang Xiu, swinging his body flexibly to make various postures, and even making grimaces.

Of course, Fang Xiu's facial processing is relatively rough, and the ape's face is relatively stiff, so only the movements are similar.

"Puppetry is really interesting."

Fang Xiu nodded secretly.

After half a year of study, he has become proficient in making first-level low-grade puppets.

The reason why he can learn so fast is partly because of his talent, but mainly because of his strong spiritual consciousness, and his weapon refining skills have reached the second level of the middle level.

The prerequisite for learning the art of puppetry is to master the art of weapon refining.

In addition, if the puppet only relies on its own strength to fight the enemy, its strength will definitely be far inferior to that of monks of the same level.

It would probably be too much for a body refiner of the same level.

Slightly more advanced puppets need to be equipped with magic weapons.

For example, the ape puppet used by Fang Xiu is an entry-level melee puppet. It can be equipped with heavy low-grade magic weapons such as giant axes, maces, and swords, so that it can pose a fatal threat to monks in the early stage of Qi refining.

Making a puppet itself requires relatively low refining skills.

A first-level low-level weapon refining technique is enough to refine a first-level high-level puppet.

The higher the level of weapon refining, the easier it is to refine a puppet. The higher the precision of the puppet, the easier it is to control.

The magic weapon used by the puppet can be purchased and customized separately, but the cost is too high, so it is best to refine it yourself.

Generally speaking, a top puppet master must be a first-class weapon refiner.

This is also the reason why the puppet art is a side branch among the various arts of cultivating immortals.

It’s not that it’s not strong, on the contrary, precisely because it’s too strong, the learning cost is extremely high, and ordinary cultivators cannot afford to learn it.

To control a puppet, you also need to learn a secret skill.

Only by detaching a trace of soul into the puppet can you control the higher-end puppets more accurately.

Especially second-level puppets must be filled with monster souls and given a trace of soul control in order to exert their true power.

Although the secret technique is simple, none of the shops in the city sell it.

However, this is not a problem for Fang Xiu.

He practiced the art of sending souls, which was far more sophisticated than the art of dividing souls.

"I wonder if I can follow the method of making a first-order low-grade puppet and improve the quality of materials to make a first-order mid-grade puppet."

Fang Xiu put away the ape puppet and walked outside the cave.

Before he walked out of the cave, his body shape and appearance changed.

He turned into an old man in his early fifties, with a plump figure, sparse hair, a shiny face, and sunken eye sockets.

Then, he entered the Baibao Pavilion in the inner city.

"Hey, Fellow Taoist Gao is here."

Behind the counter, a middle-aged man came out, smiling and holding his hand.

This person's name is Zhao Feiyu. He is in the early stage of foundation building and is the shopkeeper of Baibao Pavilion.

Zhao Feiyu is the Zhao family where the incarnation of ‘Zhao Changqing’ is located.

"I have met fellow Daoist Zhao." Fang Xiu said with a smile. His pseudonym was "Gao Sheng" and he claimed to be from the Yuan Dynasty.

The city is very tolerant and welcomes casual cultivators to join. Many casual cultivators from Qian, Zhou and Yuan Kingdoms come here because of its reputation.

For a foundation-building monk like him to enter the machine city, it actually means nothing.

Among the seven real people in Guancheng, three of them are fake cultivators outside the Song Dynasty.

"Fellow Taoist Gao is here to buy puppet materials again?" Zhao Feiyu asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm more interested in this." Fang Xiu nodded.

"Actually, if Fellow Daoist Gao wants to obtain the subsequent puppet inheritance, Zhao has another way." Zhao Feiyu suddenly said.

"Oh? Please tell fellow Taoist Zhao directly." Fang Xiu's eyes brightened slightly. Zhao Feiyu had invited him twice on behalf of the Zhao family and Guancheng.

Fang Xiu excused himself on the grounds that he was the patriarch of a small family in the Yuan Kingdom.

Zhao Feiyu said: "Recently, there have been many outside Taoist friends like Gao Taoist who want to inherit the puppet technique, but they cannot join the government city and local families due to various reasons.

Our Zhao family has been a matchmaker for you and has found a few foundation builders whose families have declined. They are willing to sell their family's puppetry skills to you.

In this way, all Taoist friends have obtained the inheritance of puppetry, and they can also exchange for the required resources.

He doesn't violate the rules of the government city, so he can accomplish multiple things with one stone. "

"I wonder how I can participate in this trade fair?" Fang Xiu became interested.

Since it's a trade fair, you might be able to get other good things in exchange.

Zhao Feiyu explained: "The trade will be held in a month, and the location will be Maple Leaf Villa, the Zhao family's villa, two thousand miles north of the city.

If fellow Taoists are interested, just attend on time.

There is only one requirement. If the transaction is successful, one percent of the market price of the treasure must be paid in spiritual stones as a handling fee.

After all, the Zhao family's matchmaking for everyone also requires a certain amount of manpower and material resources. "

"One percent handling fee, that's no problem." Fang Xiu nodded.

"Please keep this token, fellow Taoist." Zhao Feiyu took out a red maple leaf token and handed it to Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu put away the token and left Baibao Pavilion.

Zhao Feiyu watched Fang Xiu leave and narrowed his eyes slightly.

A month later, Fang Xiu arrived as scheduled and came to Maple Leaf Villa, the villa of the Zhao family.

Looking from the sky, the mountains are covered with maple trees, and the maple leaves are as red as flames. The scenery is quite good.

Fang Xiu released his consciousness, and there were no traces of formations or traps surrounding the villa.

To be on the safe side, he activated the fourth page of the Book of Destiny and obtained the spiritual blessing of the false elixir realm.

God's consciousness swept over, and there were ten foundation-building cultivators with different auras in the villa, mainly in the early stage of foundation-building, and only two in the middle-stage of foundation-building.

Fang Xiu nodded secretly, lowered his escape light, and came to the entrance of the villa.

A young monk came up to him, "Senior, do you want a trade fair?"

"Yeah." Fang Xiu took out the token.

After checking the token, the young monk opened the door and bowed: "Senior, please."

The young man led Fang Xiu into the door and went straight to the front hall.

A hall of several hundred square meters appeared in front of him.

Ten foundation-building monks were sitting around.

Some of these people wore masks, while others showed their true colors.

The most eye-catching thing is a cultivator whose whole body is covered by a black robe. You can vaguely tell from her outline that she is a female cultivator.

However, gender can also be disguised.

Seeing Fang Xiu enter the hall, everyone looked at him.

In the middle of the hall, there is a long table.

Zhao Feiyu sat behind the table.

"Fellow Taoist Gao is here, and I'll leave you alone."

"Sorry, I'm late." Fang Xiu was polite and found an empty seat to sit down.

At this time, a middle-aged beautiful woman got up first, walked to the long table, and took out the body of a giant red-haired rat. The second-level low-grade red fire rat was exchanged for a second-level mid-grade metallic demon pill.

In the end, no one exchanged, and she returned to her seat,

Then, a monk with big shoulders and round waist stood up and took out a jade box, which contained a blue Ganoderma lucidum.

"Second-level low-grade Shui Yunzhi is of great benefit to monks who practice water-attribute skills. It can be used to refine elixirs that improve cultivation...

The great monk didn't get what he wanted in exchange, so he sold Shui Yunzhi for a thousand spiritual stones.

Fang Xiu never made a move, there was nothing he wanted in it.

Until Zhao Feiyu came forward and proposed that the Zhao family was willing to give up the complete inheritance of the first-level puppet technique, plus a second-level low-level puppet, in exchange for two genuine foundation-building pills.

Although Fang Xiu was interested, he no longer had any foundation building pills.

In the end, Zhao Feiyu exchanged the complete inheritance of the first-level shameful puppet technique for a genuine foundation-building pill.

Immediately afterwards, two more monks took out the first-level puppet technique inheritance.

But their conditions are too harsh, and Fang Xiu is not willing to suffer this disadvantage.

"Quasi third-level dragon scale stone, in exchange for the sandworm corpse and inner elixir. I will also accept the spiritual stone."

A neutral and hoarse voice sounded, and the monk, who was covered in black robes, stood up and said words that shocked everyone.

"Quasi third-level dragon scale stone?!"

Several people in the field looked greedy.

Fang Xiu's eyes narrowed. One of his targets this time was the Dragon Scale Stone. He didn't expect it to appear in advance.

He immediately sent a message to the other party.

The black-robed monk looked at him.

After a moment, the two looked at each other and nodded. The other monks had no intention of bidding to buy the dragon scale stone.

After the trade fair ended, Fang Xiu left Maple Leaf Villa and completed the transaction outside the villa.

Fang Xiu took out a bag of middle-grade spiritual stones and handed it over.

The black-robed repairman patted the storage bag, took out a jade box and threw it to Fang Xiu. Inside was a scaly yellow ore, exuding a rich earth aura.

The transaction was completed, and the two looked behind them at the same time.

"Fellow Taoist, do you still have the dragon scale stone? I can help." Fang Xiu's consciousness swept away, and his face showed a cold look.

"No need." A neutral and hoarse voice sounded, and the black-robed monk shook his head in rejection.

The two parted ways and returned to Tianji City.

As a result, the two tails that were following me halfway suddenly stopped following.

Another five months have passed.

Fang Xiu refined the last earth-attribute flying sword, the Dragon Scale Sword.

The five elements flying swords gathered together.

The large-scale auction is about to begin, and there is also good news from the Incarnation side.

After he successfully established the foundation, he obtained the complete inheritance of the first-level puppet technique and the first level of the soul-dispersing and gathering-mind technique.

"The next step is to show off your talent for puppetry and gain subsequent inheritance.'