Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

"Senior Brother Cui, thanks to your assassination crossbow, those guys' protective qi energy was as flimsy as paper!"

"Yes! Senior brother, these arrows of yours are so useful! We'll need to get more arrows for the next mission!"

"Thanks to your puppet, Amin, otherwise we really wouldn't have made it back this time..."

Taking this opportunity, Cui Ming launched various equipment and puppets that had been re-enhanced by runes.

She gradually became acquainted with Tang Mingyi, who suppressed her murderous desires all day long; Wang Li, who was a doting father; Tang Tongbi, who had an aggressive young lady personality; and Du Fosong, who was always sticking to her.

These were people Cui Ming specifically contacted because they were the main force in the future battle of Mianshan.

He did not give these people any special treatment, but instead contacted them by summoning personnel involved in experiments such as puppet machines.

They also tried to customize or improve equipment according to their individual characteristics, which naturally brought them closer together.

Furthermore, during his communication with them, Cui Ming continuously guided them to propose some tactical ideas and equipment requirements for complex environments, especially mountain and jungle warfare.

"If we encounter a large-scale enemy siege, would we need a mechanism that can be quickly deployed to slow down the enemy?"

"Are we needed to counter opponents who are skilled in stealth techniques?"

"In high-intensity, continuous combat operations, logistical support and rapid equipment maintenance are crucial. Could we consider designing some portable repair tools...?"

These suggestions often hit the nail on the head, sparking in-depth discussions among fellow students.

Cui Ming silently noted down their various feedback and suggestions, preparing to incorporate them into his research and development plan.

They began to utilize the workshop's high production capacity to produce small batches of improved equipment that had been tested in actual combat, prioritizing its distribution to fellow disciples who would participate in crucial battles in the future.

In a short time, the style of Tang Clan disciples when carrying out missions subtly changed, becoming more unpredictable, deadly, and efficient, and the casualty rate also dropped sharply.

The Tang Clan assassins were even more fearsome in the world of supernatural beings, and the name Cui Ming, along with the new Tang Clan equipment of those elusive mechanical puppets, gradually spread.

Chapter 17 The Mysterious Armor Limited by the Era

On the back mountain of the Tang Clan, in a training ground designated as a restricted area, three figures moved swiftly, the sounds of metal clashing and Qi piercing through the air filling the air.

The most conspicuous among them was Li Ding, whose entire body was covered in a layer of jet-black armor.

This armor differs from the Black-tailed Armor, which fits snugly against the skin, providing good defense without affecting the user's agility.

The armor Li Ding is wearing now does not completely cover his body, but rather uses an intricate skeletal structure to support key parts, with runes faintly shimmering at the joints.

That was the culmination of Cui Ming and Liang Wu's painstaking efforts, and it has now been officially named—Xuanji Armor.

In the arena, Li Ding's movements were wide and sweeping. The already incredibly powerful Black Tail Armor, supported by the mechanical frame and aided by the rune power, became even more formidable.

Li Ding threw several punches, creating explosions in the air. His agile figure, who was sparring with him, kept flashing by, dodging the visible black fist energies.

The force of the punch flew towards a nearby hilltop, and a boulder as tall as a person shattered upon impact.

Countless fists rushed towards him, and with no way to avoid them, the figure could only lightly leap into the air.

On the ground, Li Ding revealed an expression that suggested he had expected this, and he prepared to deliver a powerful punch.

A fist the size of a watermelon flew rapidly toward the figure floating in the air.

The figure made a rapid turn in mid-air that defied the laws of physics, like a ghost.

This is precisely the amazing mobility brought about by the Xuanji Armor's built-in mechanisms and Qi jet propulsion.

The one sparring with Li Ding was Cui Ming, who was wearing a simple Xuanji armor.

And Liang Wu, who was constantly harassing and supporting Liang Wu by manipulating several Shadow Spiders equipped with Swiftness and Sharpness runes.

This intense confrontation lasted for almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before the three of them finally stopped, panting heavily.

Li Ding removed his mask, revealing a pair of excited and bright eyes.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Li Ding slapped the armor plate on his chest hard, making a dull sound.

"His strength has increased by at least 30%, and his mid-air maneuvers are simply unpredictable!"

"Hahaha! Wear this! Even if I had to face that guy from Longhu Mountain again, I might still be able to put up a fight!"

Cui Ming didn't speak. He knew that the guy Li Ding was talking about was Zhang Zhiwei, who was almost invincible among his peers.

He sighed inwardly. Let alone the unfinished Xuanji Armor, even the complete version would be difficult to complete.

Liang Wu, however, was so exhausted that he sat down on the ground and waved his hand.

"Senior Brother Li, please stop praising it. You've already felt the consumption of this thing; it puts too much strain on the materials."

Most importantly, the Qi circulation enhancement system we envisioned is far less effective than expected.

Cui Ming also took off the Xuanji Armor parts he was wearing, his brows furrowing slightly.

Looking at the runic veins that caused cracks on the parts due to overload.

"The effect of gathering Qi is indeed better than nothing, and it can only slightly assist in the recovery."

The greatest achievement is that we successfully combined the fundamental strengthening properties of the Five Treasures Protection Method with the principles of earth and wood flow, which enabled us to create this Qi-assisting rune.

He pointed to several main energy channels inside the armor.

"These runes can resonate with the user's Qi circulation path, greatly reducing the Qi loss when driving the Xuanji Armor and performing techniques."

"But its defensive capabilities are actually quite good..."

Li Ding touched the smooth outer layer of the armor plate. Just now, Cui Ming manipulated the four mechanical arms to merge and transform into a sharp blade, slashing the Xuanji Armor without causing any damage. So why did Cui Ming still have such a different expression?

"It's more than enough to deal with ordinary attacks, but whether it can completely withstand... top-tier experts is questionable..."

Cui Ming could only sigh inwardly.

Materials are the biggest challenge right now.

With the technological level of this era, the alloys they can find and smelt now have almost reached the pinnacle of this era.

To further enhance defense, one must either find legendary rare and precious materials, or Cui Ming must lead a technological revolution or achieve a revolutionary breakthrough in the art of runes.

Otherwise, achieving true unity of Qi and armor is absolutely impossible in the short term.

"We must take things one step at a time. We are already very fortunate to have achieved the current results."

Cui Ming suppressed a hint of urgency in his heart and calmly summarized the situation.

Just then, a Tang Clan disciple rushed over, bowed to the three of them, and said to Cui Ming.

"Senior Brother Cui, the Sect Master requests your presence in the council hall. There are important matters to discuss."

Cui Ming felt a sudden unease, vaguely sensing something was amiss.

He looked at Liang Wu and Li Ding.

"Senior brothers, let's call it a day. Senior Brother Liang, the data has been recorded, and we'll need your help with the fine-tuning later. Senior Brother Li, thank you for your cooperation with the experiment over the past few days."

Liang Wu felt as if he had been granted a general amnesty and waved his hands repeatedly.

"You go ahead and get busy. I'm still thinking about this rune load problem. It's exhausting."

The continuous high-intensity research and development and testing were almost too much for even a weapon-forging fanatic like him.

Li Ding also smiled憨厚ly.

"It's alright. I've benefited greatly from participating in the creation of such a novel thing. You should go now; important matters need to be addressed."

Cui Ming nodded, quickly tidied his appearance, and then followed the disciple out of the training ground.

Watching Cui Ming's departing figure, Liang Wu rubbed his aching wrist and sighed to Li Ding.

"Senior Brother Li, don't you think Cui Ming is... pushing himself too hard?"

Li Ding's smile faded, and his expression became more serious.

"It's more than just working hard. He's constantly on edge, as if something is chasing him from behind, making him dare not stop for even a moment."

How long did it take for this mysterious armor to go from conception to initial completion? It's simply insane.

After a moment of silence, the two men looked at Tang Jiaren, the patriarch who was approaching from the side.

It turned out that Tang Jiaren had already arrived and watched part of the testing process.

"Master!" ×2

The two bowed with their hands clasped in greeting.

Tang Jiaren waved his hand, looked up in the direction Cui Ming had left, and said slowly.

"You felt it too?"

Liang nodded.

"Yes, he seems...very anxious, extremely anxious. It's as if if he slows down even a step, something irreversible will happen."

Li Ding added.

"Whether it's cultivating the Pill Devouring Technique or forging the Mysterious Armor, it's the same. His talent and willpower are truly unparalleled in my life. But his sense of urgency is somewhat abnormal."

Tang Jiaren sighed, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

"I've spoken to him several times, and he always says it's for the future of the Tang Sect, to prepare for a major upheaval. But... what exactly is this upheaval, and why is he so anxious? He never wants to say..."

All three fell silent.

They all greatly admired Cui Ming's talent and were grateful for the changes he brought to the Tang Clan, but at the same time, they were deeply worried about his almost self-destructive state.

At this moment, Cui Ming had already quickly arrived at the council hall.

Inside the main hall, Tang Bingwen had a serious expression, and the other elders were also present.

"Cui Ming, you've come at the perfect time."

Tang Bingwen said in a deep voice.

"Based on the information we obtained from the two spies you captured during your last mission, we have finally located some of the Japanese soldiers' hidden areas after extensive investigation."

"Our Tang Clan has a reconnaissance mission. The terrain there is complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack. We need to send people in to infiltrate and investigate to find out the truth."

"You're a meticulous lad, and mechanical puppets are perfect for reconnaissance. Would you be willing to lead the team on this mission?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Cui Ming bowed and replied.

"This disciple is willing to go!"