Chapter 261 - 222: The Puppet is Complete, Martial Artists Enter the Fray

Chapter 261: Chapter 222: The Puppet is Complete, Martial Artists Enter the Fray

Three months slipped by quietly.

Lu Zhao gazed at the ground, covered by nearly a thousand densely packed puppets.

About eight hundred of them were Sword Box Puppets, and the other two hundred were Long Blade Puppets.

Though these puppets were Non-Tiered, they could still exert a consistent level of power in the hands of Mortal Martial Artists.

"This is enough for now," Lu Zhao murmured to himself. A flicker of exhaustion crossed his eyes, but it was overshadowed by the quiet satisfaction of achieving his goal.

With a wave of his hand, the nearly one thousand puppets transformed into streaks of light and flew into several specially made Storage Bags.

He pushed open the heavy stone door and walked straight to the side hall where Zhao Xiaoshu handled miscellaneous affairs.

"Little Shu." Lu Zhao’s voice was flat, without a ripple of emotion.

Zhao Xiaoshu, who was organizing Jade Scrolls, immediately stood up at the sound of his voice and bowed respectfully. "Elder, you’ve come out of seclusion? What are your instructions?"

"Go and notify the major powers affiliated with Broken River Castle—the Hann Family, the Xu Family, the Wang Family... Have them each prepare a contingent of Mortal Martial Artists. I need a total of nearly eight hundred, including one hundred Martial Masters and ten Grand Martial Artists."

A flicker of surprise crossed Zhao Xiaoshu’s face, but he quickly suppressed it. Without asking a single question, he replied decisively, "Yes, Elder! I’ll see to it at once!"

Watching Zhao Xiaoshu’s hurrying figure, Lu Zhao turned and returned to his Quiet Chamber. He knew that for the Cultivation Clans, this request would seem abrupt, even bizarre.

But he knew better than anyone that in a place like the Broken River Plains, power was the ultimate authority. As long as he, Lu Zhao, remained the Commander of Broken River Castle, these clans wouldn’t—and wouldn’t dare—question his decision over a few mere Mortal Martial Artists.

...

Outside Broken River Castle, deep within the settlement, representatives from the major clans were quickly summoned by Zhao Xiaoshu to a makeshift meeting hall.

After Zhao Xiaoshu finished relaying Lu Zhao’s request with a deadpan expression, the hall fell into a brief, deathly silence.

Hann Lin, Xu Fang, Wang Chu, and the other representatives of the local Cultivation Clans looked at each other, their faces etched with shock and bewilderment.

"Nearly eight hundred Mortal Martial Artists? Including a hundred Martial Masters and ten Grand Martial Artists?" Xu Fang repeated instinctively, as if he’d misheard. "Fellow Daoist Zhao, what does Elder Lu want with so many Mortal Martial Artists? Is he planning to reclaim wasteland and start farming?"

His tone was laced with disbelief, but even more so with confusion.

Wang Chu, his face also full of doubt, chimed in, "Indeed, Fellow Daoist Zhao. In Magical Combat between Cultivators, mortals are nothing but cannon fodder, no matter how numerous."

’Why would he need these mortals? Is it for some special kind of manual labor?’ he wondered, trying to find a reasonable explanation.

Zhao Xiaoshu’s expression remained unchanged, his tone still flat but carrying an air of finality. "Elder Lu only instructed me to gather the men; he did not state their purpose. You all just need to provide the requested number."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over them, and added, "This is the Elder’s command. If any of you have questions, perhaps you should go inside the castle and ask Elder Lu in person?"

As soon as he said this, the hall fell silent. ’Ask him in person? Risk the Lord Commander’s wrath over such a "trivial matter"? Do we have a death wish?’

Hann Lin was the first to react. He stroked his graying beard and forced a smile. "Fellow Daoist Zhao, you’re being too serious. Since it’s what Elder Lu requires, the Hann Family will, of course, do its utmost to cooperate."

"It’s just a few Mortal Martial Artists. The martial tradition in the Hann Family’s territory is strong; scraping together a hundred or so will be no problem. We will also provide the required number of Martial Masters and Grand Martial Artists." He was the first to declare his stance.

Xu Fang and Wang Chu exchanged a look and had the same realization. ’Right, they’re just Mortal Martial Artists. In the eyes of a Cultivator, what are they but ants? Even if they all died, it would just be the loss of some insignificant "property".’

’Questioning the decision of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator over such "property"? Utterly foolish!’

"The Xu Family has no problem! We’ll have them ready on time!" Xu Fang guaranteed, patting his chest.

"The Wang Family as well!" Wang Chu hurriedly declared.

The two large Demon Hunting Teams and representatives from other powers also chimed in with their agreement, and for a moment, the atmosphere became surprisingly enthusiastic.

"Excellent." Zhao Xiaoshu nodded. "You will be notified of the specific time and place for the handover. You may all leave now."

Watching the representatives hurry away, their minds clearly filled with doubt, Zhao Xiaoshu felt a flicker of curiosity himself. ’What on earth does the Elder want with so many Mortal Martial Artists?’ But he knew his place. He suppressed the question deep in his heart and turned to handle the follow-up arrangements.

The news quickly reached the ears of the various clans’ upper echelons.

In a secret chamber of the Hann Family, Hann Lin reported the matter to several clan elders. One hot-tempered elder blurted out, "He’s always demanding something. This time it’s Mortal Martial Artists? What’s next, is he going to order us to send Cultivators into the Wilderness again?"

It was clear that while he didn’t dare speak ill of Lu Zhao, he harbored resentment over Lu Zhao sending members of the Hann clan into the Wilderness.

"Silence!" Hann Song cut in sharply, a keen light flashing in his murky old eyes. "Watch your tongue! Do you want to bring ruin upon our entire clan?"

"Whatever Elder Lu wants, we give him! Never mind Mortal Martial Artists; even if he ordered us to send more Cultivators into the Wilderness, we would have to comply! Besides, what are a few Mortal Martial Artists?"

"Get it done, quickly! Pick strong, obedient ones. Fulfill the quota for Martial Masters and Grand Martial Artists to the best of your ability. There must be no mistakes!"

Similar scenes played out in the Xu and Wang Families.

The leaders of these Cultivation Clans were similarly filled with doubt. Though they felt the matter was bizarre, all their confusion and dissatisfaction were forcibly suppressed in the face of Lu Zhao’s absolute authority.

They quickly reached a consensus: fulfill the request, ask no questions, and above all, do not investigate.

However, as the order trickled down the hierarchy to the low-level Stewards and branch-family disciples who were responsible for its execution and had ties to the world of Mortal Martial Artists, it caused some unexpected ripples.

...

「In a secluded courtyard within Wang Family Castle.」

Wang Hai, a Wang Family branch disciple at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, stared with a deep frown at the young man kneeling before him.

It was his biological brother, Wang Shan.

"Brother! Please, just let me go!" Wang Shan pleaded, lifting his head, his face a mixture of excitement and desperation. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Immortal Master Lu is recruiting Martial Artists to grant us power! I think it’s puppets! Magical puppets that will allow us mortals to fight against Cultivators!"

Wang Hai looked at the burning desire in his brother’s eyes, his heart a tangle of emotions. He sighed, his voice tinged with helplessness and the instinctive disdain a Cultivator holds for mortal power. "Shan, don’t let those rumors go to your head."

"I may not pay much attention to the affairs of Martial Artists, but I know that the only things that can grant power to mortals are the so-called ’Blood Refining Spiritual Artifacts.’"

"Those things require the physique of a Grand Martial Artist just to withstand. They operate by burning away one’s Essence Blood and Lifespan. At their absolute peak, their power might rival a Cultivator at the first or second layer of Qi Cultivation, but they are exceedingly dangerous and their use is limited. You’re only at the Martial Master Realm. Messing with things like that is suicide!"

He paused, looking at his brother’s stubborn expression, and softened his tone with brotherly concern. "Listen to me. Isn’t it better to live a safe, quiet life? With me here, I can always make sure you’re well-fed and live peacefully."

"Brother!" Wang Shan’s voice was choked with emotion but incredibly firm. "I know you mean well! But I can’t accept it! I can’t accept spending my whole life just looking up at you!"

"I can’t stand cowering in fear during a Demon Beast attack, unable to even protect our mother!"

A strange light flickered in his eyes. "Brother, I may not be a Cultivator, but I was born into the Wang Family. I know more than those ordinary Martial Artists."

"I questioned the Martial Artist who saw the puppet. His description was perfectly clear—it’s nothing like the sinister look of a Blood Refining Spiritual Artifact! This is a true creation of a Cultivator! It’s an opportunity Immortal Master Lu is giving us mortals! Brother, I’m begging you! Let me go! Even if something terrible happens, I’ll accept it! I don’t want to live so powerlessly anymore!"

Wang Shan’s voice broke, and he slammed his forehead to the ground. "Brother! I’m begging you! Let me take this one chance!"

Looking at his weeping brother, Wang Hai fell silent. ’How could I not know the frustration he feels?’

’Born into a Cultivation Clan without a Spiritual Root, forced to practice martial arts while watching the clan’s Cultivators from the sidelines, forever an outsider.’

’He couldn’t fully experience that feeling, but he could understand it.’

He closed his eyes. An image of his mother’s kind face flashed through his mind, followed by the image of his brother’s stubborn figure throughout the years.

Finally, he heaved a deep sigh, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Fine... so be it..." Wang Hai’s voice carried a deep exhaustion, and a hint of resignation. "Since your mind is made up, I won’t stop you."

He bent down and pulled his kneeling brother to his feet. Looking into his brother’s red-rimmed eyes, he said in a heavy voice, "You can go. But before you do, go see Mother."

"Spend some time with her, so she won’t worry. And be careful. If things go south, your life comes first! Remember that. Come back alive!"

"Brother!" An ecstatic light burst from Wang Shan’s eyes, and tears welled up again—tears of joy this time. "Thank you, brother! Thank you! I’ll go see Mom right now! I’ll be careful! I’ll definitely come back alive!"

Watching his brother rise and stride away, his back filled with determination and hope, Wang Hai leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, a complex mix of emotions churning within him.

He had a nagging premonition that his brother was about to embark on a path of no return, one completely different from anything before, with a fate impossible to predict.

’And as for the unfathomable Elder Lu, his reasons for gathering nearly eight hundred Mortal Martial Artists... whatever he’s planning, it’s certainly no small matter.’