Chapter 9 - 8: Puppet Silk

Chapter 9: Chapter 8: Puppet Silk

The benefits of the Zhengqi Furnace were tangible.

It gave Lu Jing’an a more solid sense of confidence in the path ahead.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, before the sky had brightened, Lu Jing’an was already up as usual.

He began his Posture Stance in the courtyard at his customary early hour.

Thanks to his [Extraordinary Physique] talent and the enhancement from his Soft Armor,

the moment he settled into the stance, he could clearly feel the blood surging through his body.

The speed was astonishing.

In just a few moments,

a foul, fishy-smelling mist began to rise from his body.

The stench came from the toxins that had accumulated in his blood over the years.

These toxins were harmless to ordinary people,

but for a Martial Cultivator,

they were quite troublesome.

They would contaminate the quality of one’s Qi and blood.

They also caused the body to stiffen,

and one’s strength to wane.

The cultivation of the Qi Blood Third Transformation

first required expelling all these toxins.

This would make the body light and powerful,

and purify the Qi and blood.

An hour of Posture Stance passed in the blink of an eye.

When he finished, Lu Jing’an only had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

Not only did he feel no fatigue, but he actually felt his strength had faintly increased.

This was the vast difference between reaching the Entry Level and not.

Before reaching the Entry Level, exhausting one’s energy was mostly a futile effort.

But once one reached it, every bit of effort yielded a clear, tangible return.

During breakfast, Lu Jing’an ate with a relaxed posture, chewing slowly as he casually asked a servant girl standing by his side:

"Where is my master? Has he had breakfast yet?"

The servant girl replied respectfully, "Young Master, someone was sent to invite him, but there was no answer from Master Chen’s room."

Lu Jing’an wasn’t worried that Chen Xuan would leave without a word.

’He’s probably out for something related to teaching me Fist Skill.’

He didn’t ask any more questions and simply nodded.

After breakfast, Lu Jing’an returned to the courtyard and continued his Posture Stance cultivation.

The sun climbed higher, and the morning slipped away quietly.

It was only then

that he finally felt a slight soreness in his limbs.

Lu Jing’an summoned a servant and ordered them to ask Cui Jieyi to prepare a medicinal bath.

Even though he had reached the Entry Level, Lu Jing’an had no intention of letting Cui Jieyi leave.

After all, on this path of a Martial Cultivator,

the further one went, the more nourishing tonics were needed.

Having a Medical Cultivator to assist would make things twice as effective with half the effort.

’I’ve already started late. If I don’t use gold and silver to pave my way

and accelerate my cultivation, how can I ever catch up to those chosen by heaven?’

After lunch, Chen Xuan was still nowhere to be seen, and Lu Jing’an couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled.

As the sun began to set,

Lu Jing’an was pacing in the courtyard

when he finally saw Chen Xuan return, covered in dust.

The hem of his robe was still stained with a bit of dirt.

"Master, have you been on a long journey?" Lu Jing’an went up to him, his voice filled with concern.

Chen Xuan nonchalantly dusted off his sleeves and said calmly, "Yes, I went to get something to help you with your Practicing Boxing."

Lu Jing’an frowned slightly. "Master, if you needed something, you could have just sent a servant. There was no need for you to go to all this trouble yourself."

"No one else could have retrieved this."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan took out a ball of thread from his robe.

The ball was only the size of a baby’s fist.

Its material was peculiar, neither silk nor hemp, and it gave off a faint, eerie glow.

Lu Jing’an had never seen anything like it.

But the moment his eyes fell on it, a notification appeared on the panel in his mind: [Extract] or [Repair].

He knew this was no ordinary object and couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Master, what is this?"

Chen Xuan held the ball of thread in his palm and explained, "This is Puppet Silk. It will be of great use in your boxing practice.

However, before we use it, we need to have Doctor Cui treat it first."

Lu Jing’an immediately sent someone to fetch Cui Jieyi.

While they waited, Chen Xuan explained in detail how to use the item.

It turned out to be a treasure used by Puppet Masters to control their puppets.

It allowed the puppet’s movements and Qi to be perfectly synchronized with the controller’s.

Chen Xuan planned to use it

to personally guide Lu Jing’an’s boxing practice.

By tying on the Puppet Silk,

Lu Jing’an would be able to replicate his movements and Qi and blood circulation without the slightest error.

This could greatly shorten the time it took to reach the Entry Level for the Fist Skill.

Hearing of its wondrous use, Lu Jing’an once again felt the profound power of resources.

’With a famous master and a treasure, the path of cultivation is truly different.’

When Cui Jieyi arrived, her gaze fell upon the ball of thread on the table. She gasped in surprise. "Puppet Silk?"

Seeing that she recognized it, Lu Jing’an took the opportunity to ask, "Doctor Cui, you know what this is? Do you have any idea what it’s worth?"

He had just asked Chen Xuan, who had said he didn’t know, so this was the perfect chance to confirm with Cui Jieyi.

Cui Jieyi’s expression grew solemn as she said slowly,

"Among Cultivators, there’s a saying, ’an inch of thread for an inch of gold,’ but it’s often priceless because it’s never for sale.

This ball...

...is probably worth at least a hundred Yellow Croakers!"

A hundred Yellow Croakers!

Hearing this, Lu Jing’an’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That was equivalent to forty or fifty thousand Silver Coins.

It was enough to buy over twenty courtyard homes in Shangjing. This was definitely a significant gift.

Moreover, since it was a Puppet Master’s life-bound Magical Treasure,

it was highly unlikely that it had been simply purchased.

Seeing his reaction, Chen Xuan added in a flat tone, "This belonged to the culprit behind the Paper Man Murders case that caused such an uproar in the city a while back."

Lu Jing’an understood at once.

He had heard about that case.

In the end, the Anping Bureau had driven the person out of Yin Mountain County.

’It seems Master Chen knew their whereabouts.

He probably didn’t want to get involved originally.

But now, for my sake, he has taken action and settled the matter.’

"Disciple thanks you, Master!" Lu Jing’an took a step back, his expression solemn, and gave a deep bow with his fists clasped.

This was truly a great debt of gratitude.

Chen Xuan waved his hand, his tone still nonchalant. "It was nothing. The person deserved to die. For his belongings to be put to good use can be considered a form of atonement."

The Puppet Silk was handed over to Cui Jieyi for processing.

She needed to remove the Puppet Master’s unique toxins and the accumulated Evil Qi clinging to it.

It wasn’t until after dinner that Cui Jieyi returned with the properly treated Puppet Silk.

Seeing the treasure was ready, Lu Jing’an grew a little impatient.

Chen Xuan didn’t delay either and immediately got to work.

He carefully wrapped one end of the Puppet Silk around Lu Jing’an’s arms, legs, waist, and other key areas.

The other end he connected to himself.

"Young Master, relax your mind in a moment. Do not resist," Chen Xuan instructed in a deep voice.

Lu Jing’an took a deep breath and nodded. "Understood."

The next moment, a strange sensation washed over him.

It was as if his body no longer completely belonged to him.

His every move, even the circulation of Qi and blood within him,

began to synchronize with Chen Xuan’s movements.

He could clearly feel it.

Every subtle exertion of force, every turn Chen Xuan made,

he replicated them all perfectly, without the slightest deviation.

"Young Master, focus your mind and spirit. Carefully experience the feeling of this Qi Force circulation, and memorize it."

Chen Xuan’s voice rang out at the right time, guiding his attention.

Lu Jing’an immediately collected his thoughts.

He cast out all distracting thoughts.

He immersed himself completely in this guided state of cultivation,

savoring the force techniques of every movement

and the trajectory of every wisp of Qi and blood.

Two hours flew by in a state of intense focus.

When Chen Xuan stopped moving and untied the Puppet Silk,

Lu Jing’an discovered that he had already reached the Entry Level for the basic Long Arm Fist.

Reaching the Entry Level in two hours!

If word of this speed got out, it would be considered utterly shocking.

But if one knew this was achieved with a Great Martial Cultivator who possessed the red [Master of Boxing] entry,

sparing no expense on a great treasure,

and using himself as a template for the most precise guided instruction,

then it all seemed quite reasonable.

"Young Master, while the feeling is still fresh, practice a round on your own to solidify it."

A hint of anticipation was hidden in Chen Xuan’s voice.

Lu Jing’an did as he was told.

With the solidifying ability of his attribute panel,

even without the Puppet Silk,

his execution of the Long Arm Fist was still smooth and natural.

The wind from his fists whistled.

It clearly showed he had reached the Entry Level.

When Lu Jing’an finished his form and stood still, the breeze his movements had stirred in the courtyard had not yet completely died down.

Chen Xuan watched him, a complex look in his eyes that finally resolved into a soft sigh.

"Young Master, you are truly a martial arts prodigy, the kind seen only once a century."

This wasn’t mere praise, but a remark filled with genuine emotion.

He had originally thought it would take at least five days.

He never expected that with just a single guided session,

he would be able to master it to this degree.

Lu Jing’an retracted his aura and said humbly, "It is all thanks to Master’s excellent guidance.

If Master hadn’t used this precious treasure and taught me everything he knows, it would have been impossible for me to reach the Entry Level so quickly."

He knew full well

that his "prodigious" performance

was largely due to this incredibly luxurious method of cultivation.

Chen Xuan shook his head slightly, not dwelling on the matter. He changed the subject, "Tomorrow, you can practice on your own, Young Master. I need to go out for the day."

Lu Jing’an’s heart skipped a beat. He looked up at Chen Xuan, his tone probing, "Is it... is there news about my third uncle?"