Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

It would be naive to expect them to greet you with smiles.

We walked slowly to the entrance of Longhu Mountain.

Disciples guarding Longhu Mountain were already waiting nearby.

Upon seeing the Tang Clan's group, a young Taoist priest stepped forward and bowed.

"Could it be the fellow Daoists of the Tang Clan's Craftsmanship Hall?"

"The seniors from the Wuhou Sect, Tiangong Hall, and Mo Sect have all arrived. Please follow me up the mountain."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Taoist Master."

Cui Ming returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

The group began their ascent, guided by the trailhead.

Longhu Mountain is steep and has winding stone steps, which was a considerable burden for the Tang Clan, who were carrying a large amount of goods.

However, what happened next made the eyes of the spies from all sides who were monitoring the route, especially the people from Tiangongtang, shrink.

The Tang Clan disciples did not carry things on their shoulders or in their hands like ordinary people.

Instead, with a wave of his hand, several nearly transparent hidden lines emerged from his cuffs, precisely connecting to those seemingly bulky cargo boxes.

With a series of mechanical clicks, six mechanical limbs extended from the iron crate loaded with goods.

Then, several of the cargo boxes seemed to come alive.

Guided by the hidden threads of the Tang Clan disciples, they ascended the stone steps step by step, steadily making their way up with the group.

Thus, mountain climbing became such an easy thing.

"this..."

The spies from the Heavenly Craft Hall looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.

They could naturally see that this was not just about saving effort.

The sophisticated manipulation of mechanisms, energy utilization, and overall coordination of the mechanical puppets involved demonstrate an extremely high level of technical skill.

This Tang Clan's Skillful Crafts Hall seems to be a case of "silence is golden, but when it does, it's astounding!"

The other spies from the same sects who were also monitoring the situation also changed their expressions and immediately dispatched people to report back to the mountain at a faster speed.

The Tang Clan members suddenly appeared and immediately flexed their muscles without any hesitation, their intentions being self-evident.

In the upcoming talks, the Tang Clan wanted to have a strong voice.

The short, ten-minute hike became increasingly complicated by this little incident.

The people spying along the way changed one after another, not only the Wuhou School, the Mo School, and the Tiangong Hall who were invited to the meeting.

Even some minor sects near Longhu Mountain, and some well-informed hermits and eccentrics, came upon hearing the news.

They all gathered on both sides of the mountain road, curiously observing this Tang Clan team with its unique style and amazing skills.

The most eye-catching figure was undoubtedly the young man walking at the very front of the group.

He has an upright posture and a handsome face, yet he possesses a composure beyond his years.

He carried a large, mechanical wooden box on his back, which was even taller than himself. He walked with ease and had a cheerful demeanor, which made people feel good about him at first glance.

"That's Cui Ming, the head of the new branch of the Tang Clan, the Qiaogong Hall?"

"So young? Really?"

"I've heard that most of the changes that have occurred in the Tang Clan in recent years are related to this person..."

Discussions about Cui Ming continued to rise from the crowd.

Soon, the group arrived at a spacious platform halfway up the mountain, where a simple and grand Taoist temple stood.

The square in front of the Taoist temple was now packed with people.

The leader, dressed in a deep blue Taoist robe, had sword-like eyebrows and tiger-like eyes that seemed to hold thunder in them. His figure was as imposing as a mountain, and his aura was harmonious and natural, as if he were one with the heavens and earth of Longhu Mountain.

This is Zhang Jingqing, the contemporary Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain and the most outstanding figure of his time.

Several groups of people stood beside Zhang Jingqing, each with a different aura.

On the left is an exceptionally robust and muscular old man with snow-white hair and beard, yet he is full of energy, his muscles bulging out of his cloth shirt.

His gaze was sharp as lightning, making no attempt to conceal his probing intent, and he stared intently at Cui Ming.

Behind the old man stood a bald man with a similarly muscular physique, his face tense, arms crossed, eyes glancing to the side, his expression full of reluctance and displeasure.

With this attitude, they practically had the name "Tiangongtang" written all over their faces.

On the right is a middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe, looking like a refined scholar.

He had a refined appearance, with a gentle smile on his lips, and was observing Cui Ming and the others with great interest.

Behind him followed a young woman dressed in a light blue palace dress.

At this moment, she raised her eyebrows and glared angrily at the Tang Clan members, especially Cui Ming, as if she harbored some deep-seated hatred.

A little further away was a taciturn middle-aged man, dressed in a black outfit that almost blended into the shade of the trees, clutching a strangely shaped metal object in his hand.

Behind him, a girl who looked quite young was squatting on the ground, looking bored, with her hands supporting her chin and her eyes vacant, completely out of place in this serious setting.

Chapter 72 Three Factions

Cui Ming glanced at it and immediately understood.

Unsurprisingly, the burly old man and the muscular bald man should be from the Heavenly Craft Hall;

The refined scholar and the young girl in blue dress, in terms of style, belong to the Wuhou School of Zhejiang.

The man and girl in black must be from the Mo Clan of Shandong.

only...

Is it possible that the rules of the Mo Sect require everyone to wear black?

This aura makes him seem even more like an assassin than the Tang Clan.

A nonsensical thought couldn't help but cross Cui Ming's mind.

Besides these, there were also many other people with different outfits and temperaments standing at the edge of the square.

Presumably having received the news, Cui Ming could no longer identify all the other sects who had come to observe the ceremony or inquire about the situation.

He composed himself, strode forward, and stopped in front of Zhang Jingqing and the others.

He immediately cupped his hands, bowed, and performed a standard junior's greeting.

"Cui Ming, head of the Tang Clan's Craftsmanship Hall, along with his disciples, pays respects to the Celestial Master and greets all the seniors."

Cui Mingqing's clear voice echoed in the square, his manners impeccable, neither humble nor arrogant.

Zhang Jingqing laughed heartily, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

He already had a good personal relationship with Tang Bingwen, the head of the Tang Clan. When Tang Bingwen sent someone to deliver the letter, he already knew that the Tang Clan, a sect that made its name through killing, intended to transform itself.

Now that I see that the person in charge of all this is such a talented young man, I feel even more inclined to mentor the younger generation.

Not to mention, his own arrogant disciple Zhang Zhiwei, after returning from his last trip down the mountain...

He even made an unprecedented mention, saying that there was a rather interesting kid named Cui Ming in the Tang Clan, and that in a few years, he might actually get to have a good run-in with him!

"Bang bang?"

Zhang Jingqing thought of Zhang Zhiwei's seemingly indifferent but actually lazy demeanor, as if he thought "heaven is the most important thing to me and I am the second most important thing to him."

He just wished someone would really give him a good beating and properly deflate his arrogance!

Zhang Zhiwei's journey has been too smooth; he needs to experience some setbacks for his future benefit!

This Cui Ming in front of me is quite a formidable opponent!

Firstly, he was a disciple of an acquaintance, and his demeanor was calm and his eyes were deep.

The wooden box behind him was even more mysterious, and it faintly emitted an aura that even made this Taoist master somewhat wary.

Perhaps... there might actually be a glimmer of hope in the future?

Thinking of this, Zhang Jingqing's smile widened, and she stepped forward to offer a helping hand, her voice loud and clear.

“Young Cui Ming, there’s no need for such formalities. I’ve long heard of the Tang Clan’s Skillful Crafts Hall, and seeing it today, I can confirm that its reputation is well-deserved.”

"It is truly a blessing for the world of extraordinary people that a young person possesses such abilities."

"When you have time in the future, please visit my Longhu Mountain more often. Young people should exchange ideas and learn from each other so that we can all improve together!"

His words were sincere, both out of respect for the Tang Clan and out of genuine optimism for Cui Ming.

"You flatter me, Celestial Master. I am humbled."

“Longhu Mountain is the ancestral home of Taoism, a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. I will definitely come here often in the future to listen to the teachings of the Celestial Master.”

Cui Ming responded respectfully, adopting a very humble attitude.

At this moment, the burly old man standing to Zhang Jingqing's left also strode forward, his voice booming.

"Young Cui! Your puppet-switching technique is really quite impressive!"

He stared intently at the self-propelled cargo boxes, then glanced at the mechanism box behind Cui Ming.

"The design is ingenious, the power is abundant, and when combined with your Tang Clan's unique techniques, hey! I must say, it has a whole new flavor!"

"I am Meng Ye, the sect leader of the Heavenly Crafts Hall! How about it? Would you like to consider joining my Heavenly Crafts Hall?"

He waved his large, fan-like hand, his tone carrying a touch of boldness.

"What kind of future is there in a lifetime of fighting and killing!"

"With your talent, you should focus all your energy on becoming a weapon refiner. That's the right thing to do!"

"My Tiangongtang has plenty of resources and platforms to ensure your skills reach new heights!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people present varied.

Zhang Jingqing smiled without saying a word, her eyes carrying a hint of watching a show.

The bald, burly man behind Meng Ye was Tie Rujin from the Tiangong Hall. Upon hearing this, his face instantly fell, and he inwardly groaned.