Mortal: The Path to Immortality

"What a handsome... bald man."

Looking at the puppet that had just awakened, Lu Nanzhu sighed inwardly.

At this moment, the puppet's eyes were blank, its expression vacant, and it stared back at Lu Nanzhu without moving.

Since it has not yet circulated any cultivation techniques within its body, it currently possesses no cultivation whatsoever. It is merely a "mortal" with a little spiritual energy, or more accurately, with its formidable physical foundation, it is more like a "humanoid demon beast" draped in human skin.

Lu Nanzhu circled the puppet twice, looked it over, and then decided to officially name this new type of puppet "Spirit Puppet".

After a moment, he stopped, his expression gradually becoming serious. Although the skeleton of this spirit puppet had been successfully crafted, the real challenge lay in controlling it.

Throughout the cultivation world, controlling puppets has always involved traditional methods such as using spirit stones, soul stones, or divine sense. However, puppets activated by these methods are mostly stiff and rigid in their movements, and their abilities are quite limited.

Now, facing this "spiritual puppet" pieced together using ten-thousand-year-old spiritual materials and whose interior perfectly replicates the cultivator's meridians, the only way to completely control it and unleash its true mysteries is to thoroughly refine it into an external clone and send a portion of one's soul to attach to it.

Lu Nanzhu stood there, silently recalling a peculiar technique called "Spirit Transformation" that he had studied in the book "Corpse Vein Spirit Transformation Technique" back in Tiannan. This technique was remarkably similar to the "External Avatar" secret technique recorded in the famous "Mysterious Yin Scripture".

However, this "spirit possession" is even more domineering. The clones it can create are not limited to the bodies of fallen cultivators who lack divine souls. As long as the secret technique is appropriate, it can even try to refine the shells of some high-level demonic beasts.

Furthermore, the clones formed through this method can not only share the five senses with the original body at any time, but also serve as the perfect escape route for the creator when the original body encounters a life-or-death calamity in the future.

As long as the main body's divine sense is strong enough, there is no need to worry about the risk of the clone backfiring on the main body.

Having made up his mind, Lu Nanzhu did not delay. He immediately sat cross-legged beside the stone table according to the incantation recorded in the cultivation method and began to try to refine the "spirit puppet" into a clone.

……

Weeks later, at the summit of Linghai Peak.

Lu Nanzhu sat alone on the mountaintop of the precipice. He was dressed in his usual loose-fitting casual clothes, gazing quietly at the calm sea in the distance.

The sea breeze blowing in his face made his robes rustle and made his long, loose hair, which was not restrained, stand out clearly.

"Mancang" was lying obediently beside him with its eyes closed. Its round body rose and fell slightly with its steady breathing, and it was sleeping soundly in the cool breeze.

As streaks of golden-red dawn spread across the distant horizon, the red sun finally emerged from the sea amidst the sound of waves, slowly climbing into the sky.

"Having been in this world of cultivation for so long, it's rare to have the time today to sit here and watch the sunrise," Lu Nanzhu said with some emotion, bathed in the rising sunlight.

After lingering on the mountaintop for a while, until the sun had completely risen into the sky and the fog on the sea had dissipated, Lu Nanzhu slowly got up, waved his sleeve, and took the startled "Mancang" back to his mountain cave.

As soon as he entered the cave, Lu Nanzhu saw a familiar figure busily working at the stone table, seemingly oblivious to everyone else.

He was a burly, dark bronze-colored, and extremely handsome bald young man. At this moment, he was skillfully using some of the simplest alchemy tools to refine the pills needed by Qi Refining stage cultivators.

Looking at the table already filled to the brim with a large basin of finished "Huanglongdan" (a type of medicinal herb), Lu Nanzhu couldn't help but twitch slightly, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Stop!"

"Chongli, stop refining them. These pills are enough for you to cultivate all the way to the Foundation Establishment stage."

"You are exceptionally talented and have outstanding aptitude, far surpassing those pseudo-spiritual root cultivators. Moreover, the spiritual energy here is quite good, sufficient for your future cultivation."

Upon hearing his voice, the spirit puppet named "Chongli" turned its head stiffly and glanced at Lu Nanzhu.

Then, it slowly put down the herb it was still processing and, as usual, replied:

"oh."

Seeing Chong Li's dazed expression, Lu Nanzhu knew it was a symptom of his divided soul not yet fully adapting to his clone. He could only shake his head and continue to instruct him:

"Before you begin your cultivation, remember to go to the herb garden at the bottom and carefully irrigate those spiritual herbs with the spiritual spring water you've drawn in."

Oh, right, don't forget those guys on the second floor either. Go feed them some Spirit-Nourishing Pills, and throw in a few of the newly cultivated Dragon Blood Fruits while you're at it.

After seeing Chong Li mechanically nod in agreement, Lu Nanzhu said no more and turned to enter the inner room.

Now, he has delegated all the tedious and miscellaneous tasks, except for refining pills to improve his Foundation Establishment cultivation, to this spirit puppet clone, so that he can free up more energy and time to focus on cultivation.

In the spacious inner room, Lu Nanzhu stood with his left hand behind his back and a jade slip containing cultivation techniques in his right hand, pacing back and forth as he began to plan his next cultivation journey.

"Having already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, the mana required for this cultivation method will be even greater in the future, and the raw materials needed for alchemy need to be planted and accumulated as soon as possible."

After that, it's time to start preparing for Core Formation. Looks like I need to find some time to go out and inquire about the whereabouts of that 'Dust-Clearing Pill'.

Thinking of this, Lu Nanzhu subconsciously raised his right hand and gently touched his cheek.

Thanks to the "Youth-Preserving Pill" he took a long time ago when he was in Tiannan, Lu Nanzhu, who is now nearly 40, still looks as handsome as jade and radiant, with no trace of the ravages of time on his face.

……

Several days later, in the cave of Tianzhu Mountain in the Qingyun Mountains.

In a huge stone chamber filled with rich spiritual energy, a middle-aged man with a slightly haggard face sat high on the main seat at the head of the table.

He was dressed in a simple blue robe and was none other than the ruler of Kui Xing Island—a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, True Man Mu Long.

At the foot of the stone steps below the hall, Yang Liansheng bowed deeply and spoke with utmost respect:

"Your subordinate congratulates the Island Master on the successful completion of your seclusion! Judging from your demeanor today, your cultivation must have progressed remarkably well during this period of seclusion. Truly a cause for celebration!"

"Um."

Master Mulong simply responded casually. While listening indifferently, he was focusing his attention on the two tattered silk handkerchiefs placed on the left and right sides of the table in front of him.

"During the years I've been in seclusion, has anything significant happened on the island?"

"Island Master, during the years you were in seclusion, the weather on my Kui Xing Island was favorable, and the people lived in peace and contentment without any major disturbances."

As for the cultivation world, the island continues to attract some independent cultivators who come to travel and settle down.

Yang Liansheng kept his head down, his hands clasped in front of him, and continued to report dutifully.

He paused slightly, as if remembering something, and looked up:

"However, among these newly arrived rogue cultivators, I noticed a Foundation Establishment cultivator who has quite a bit of knowledge about formations."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

Master Mulong continued to fumble on the tattered handkerchief with his fingers, without even raising his head, and said somewhat casually.

Having received permission, Yang Liansheng straightened up and recounted in detail the entire story of how the Red Moon Island cultivators had set up a troublesome formation, how they were helpless against it, and how Lu Nanzhu had eventually broken the formation cleanly and efficiently.

"If what you say is true, as a rogue cultivator, being able to break the restrictions left by the cultivators of Red Moon Island, this person is indeed a pretty good array master."

After listening to Yang Liansheng's account, Master Mulong slowly put down the silk handkerchiefs in his hand, raised his head to look down, and continued to ask in a deep voice,

"Has this person's background been investigated?"

"Your Excellency, I dare not neglect this matter. I have personally confirmed and verified it with several other colleagues who are in charge of affairs on other outlying islands."

This person has a clean background and is indeed a rogue cultivator who does not rely on any other force. He was only summoned by the Gu family to serve as an offering a few years ago.

Seeing that the island lord had become interested, Yang Liansheng quickly continued to bow and answer:

"When he came to Dengxian Pavilion to complete the procedures, there was another rogue cultivator in the Qi Refining stage. According to my observation, these two should be old acquaintances and have a rather close relationship."

After hearing this, Master Mulong nodded slightly, then flicked his long sleeves.

A porcelain bottle containing Foundation Establishment stage pills transformed into a white light and came to a steady stop in mid-air in front of Yang Liansheng.

"In that case, I will take the opportunity to test him when I have time in the future."

If his skill in formations is truly as remarkable as you say, I will naturally reward him accordingly. You may leave now.

"Thank you for your generosity, Island Lord. I will take my leave now!"

A look of gratitude appeared on Yang Liansheng's face. He carefully picked up the bottle of pills with both hands, then bowed and slowly withdrew from the cave hall.