Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

That could never be decoration; it was clearly planned in advance for some kind of independent device that could provide a stable energy source!

"I saw it clearly! That groove is definitely not just an empty space!"

"Without a stable and efficient external energy source, it would be absolutely difficult to sustain such a high level of continuous combat capability relying solely on one's own Qi!"

"If this problem isn't solved, this suit of armor is nothing more than a big toy. Don't you think so!"

Meng Ye's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and eagerness.

Ren Pingsheng, who was about to bring up the cooperation, swallowed back his words after hearing Old Master Meng's pointed question.

He also looked intently at Cui Ming.

Even Zhuge Zhen, who had always appeared calm and unpredictable, leaned forward slightly, revealing a strong interest.

Zhang Jingqing sat upright in his chair, stroking his beard without speaking, his eyes also carrying a hint of inquiry.

Despite the intense gazes of these four top figures of the era, Cui Ming remained unfazed, a confident smile still playing on his lips.

Cui Ming did not answer directly, but slowly raised his right hand, and the mechanism box behind him immediately emitted a series of rapid clicking sounds.

The lid of the mechanism box slid open a crack.

A soft, pure blue light, seemingly brimming with boundless vitality, flowed out from the crevice, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Cui Ming's hand reached into the light, then withdrew and opened again.

A crystal the size of a fingernail lay in the palm of my hand, crystal clear.

Inside the crystal, a blue halo seemed to be slowly flowing, emitting stable energy fluctuations.

This is the miniature energy core that Cui Ming created after multiple modifications!

"Old Master Meng has a keen eye."

Cui Ming held the energy core, which emitted an alluring blue light, his voice calm.

“I will name this thing Qi Core.”

"It is the core of the exoskeleton armor, and even the core of many mechanical creations of my Tang Sect in the future, the true source of power!"

Old Master Meng's eyes, which were already gleaming with intelligence, widened instantly when he saw the pure blue light in Cui Ming's palm.

He sprang up from his seat like a firecracker that had been lit.

"Great! Excellent! This is good stuff!"

Meng Ye's voice trembled as he paced back and forth around Cui Ming's palm, wanting to get closer to take a look but afraid of being too forward with this treasure.

His scratching his head and jumping around showed no trace of the demeanor of a top-notch weapon-refining master.

"So pure! So stable! A masterpiece!"

Grandpa Meng suddenly stopped, his gaze burning as he looked at Cui Ming, his tone filled with eager excitement.

"Young friend Cui! No, Grandmaster Cui! No doubt about it! From this day forward, my Heavenly Craft Hall will be your Tang Clan's most loyal supporter and most steadfast ally!"

"As long as... as long as you're willing to provide this Qi core to my Heavenly Craft Hall!"

"Price is negotiable! We'll provide the materials! We'll cover the labor!"

"Our entire Tiangong Hall will do everything in our power to assist your Tang Clan in completing this transformation. It would be best if our two sects could cooperate as one, just like family!"

Old Master Meng's words were powerful and resounding, elevating the cooperation to a strategic alliance with incredibly generous terms.

They even proposed merging the two factions, a proposal that was tantamount to betraying one's master and ancestors.

But for these weapon refiners, it seems like there's no problem.

Clearly, this tiny Qi core was of immeasurable value in the eyes of this master craftsman, enough for him to stake the future of the entire Heavenly Craft Hall.

Grandpa Meng felt that countless ideas were gushing out of his mind.

Sect? What sect?

If he could actually get his hands on this thing, or even learn how it was made, Old Master Meng would be able to establish a faction on the spot.

What do you mean by betraying one's master and ancestors? This is called abandoning darkness and embracing the light! Embracing the future!

The day is the day to establish our lineage and ancestors!

But Old Master Meng's madness shocked Ren Pingsheng, who was just watching with a gossipy attitude.

Old Master Meng's Tiangongtang's willingness to disregard costs was enough to tempt even Cui Ming of the Tang Clan, let alone the Mo Clan.

Seeking cooperation naturally means choosing the best sects, but the Mo Sect is currently...

Thinking of this, Ren Pingsheng's expression immediately changed. If he couldn't obtain the prosthetic limbs and exoskeleton armor that the Tang Clan had showcased, the future of his Mo Clan would be bleak...

Currently, the Mo Sect is facing immense pressure from Japanese pirates in the East. The battle on the front lines is intense, and the number of Mo Sect disciples killed or wounded is increasing daily.

If that old fellow Meng Ye were to use the resources of Tiangongtang to preemptively forge a deep alliance with the Tang Sect...

With those powerful exoskeleton armors and those mechanical prosthetics clearly designed for ordinary people, what chance do they have for the Mo Clan?

The thought of his disciples and civilians on the Northeast front struggling against the Japanese pirates' guns and strange magic made Ren Pingsheng unable to sit still any longer.

He stood up abruptly, his voice filled with an unprecedented solemnity.

"Old Master Meng, please wait! Young friend Cui, and everyone else!"

Ren Pingsheng glanced around at everyone in the hall, and finally his gaze fell on Cui Ming. His usual composure was gone, replaced by worry.

"To be honest, our Mo Sect is now... at a critical juncture of survival!"

"Not only my Mo Sect, but the entire northeastern region of my Eastern Kingdom is in grave danger."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingqing paused slightly as he stroked his beard, and even Meng Ye, who was in a state of excitement, calmed down and looked at Ren Pingsheng.

A look of understanding flashed in Zhuge Zhen's eyes, and then he frowned and began to think.

Ren Pingsheng took a deep breath and recounted the fierce battle situation on the front lines and the predicament faced by the Mo Sect.

The Japanese pirates launched a fierce and ruthless offensive, and the disciples of the Mo Sect fought bravely.

However, they were outmatched in both equipment and manpower, and the ruling party responded passively, causing the defenses to retreat again and again.

They've already retreated to places like Beijing and Tianjin. If these two important cities are lost...

Under the nest, the eggs are finished.

The methods of the Japanese supernatural beings are even more bizarre. In a one-on-one fight, he was no match for them, and his situation was extremely precarious.

Lately, the Japanese have been making increasingly troublesome moves, constantly deploying troops and sending foreigners to infiltrate the Mo Sect. The sect is on the verge of collapse.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became extremely heavy.

No one expected that the seemingly aloof Mo Clan had been under such immense pressure, shedding their blood on the front lines of the national crisis.

Cui Ming was naturally aware of all this; he even knew that Qilu would be completely lost in the future.

For the Mo Clan, who fought bravely on the front lines, survival during enemy occupation would be extremely difficult, and the possibility of their annihilation was even slim.

"The more exoskeleton armor and mechanical prosthetics we have, the more hope our disciples and soldiers on the front lines have for survival, and the more solid our Eastern Kingdom's defenses will be!"

Ren Pingsheng's tone was earnest, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible pleading.

"Master Cui, the things your Tang Clan has created are exactly the lifeline my Mo Clan desperately needs on the front lines!"

Chapter 84 The Secrets of the Wuhou Sect

Ren Pingsheng changed the subject, his eyes flashing, as if he had made up his mind.

"Furthermore, your faction has not yet conducted extensive testing on these armors, has it? It certainly needs a lot of combat data and feedback to further improve them."

"Looking across the world, is there anyone more suitable to be a test subject than our Mo Sect to go to the front lines?"

At this point, Ren Pingsheng paused, his voice lowering and carrying a hint of complex emotion.

"Furthermore...the front lines are extremely dangerous, and our lives are hanging by a thread."

"My young apprentice Zhang Xuan is quite talented in the art of mechanical puppets, and it seems that my young friend Cui also admires her quite a bit."

"Rather than letting her risk her life on the front lines with this worthless wretch like me, it's better to..."

"Why not let her stay in the Tang Clan, by Master Cui's side?"

"It can assist you in research and development, and also help improve these armors."

"In a way, this can be considered... leaving behind a seed of inheritance for my Mo Sect."

These words were practically an invitation to entrust his son to someone else.

Leaving behind the most valued disciples was not only to protect the lineage, but also to strengthen ties with the Tang Clan and obtain valuable equipment support in return.

The hall was silent, save for Meng Ye's slightly heavy breathing, which was audible due to his excitement.

Zhang Jingqing sighed silently. Who could predict the future? Looking at Ren Pingsheng's expression, Zhang Jingqing made a decision in her heart.

Just then, Cui Ming spoke up, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

"Sect Leader Ren's patriotic heart is truly admirable. With the disciples of the Mo Sect fighting valiantly on the front lines, how can our Tang Sect stand idly by?"

His gaze swept over Ren Pingsheng and Meng Ye.

"To be honest with you all, I never intended to cooperate with only one sect when I invited you all here today."

Cui Ming then spoke slowly.

"Our Eastern Kingdom has a vast territory, surrounded by powerful enemies. It is difficult to support the overall situation with the strength of only one or two sects."

"Only through multi-party cooperation can we achieve win-win results and keep enemies out of our country."

Cui Ming looked at Ren Pingsheng and made a promise.

"If the situation becomes urgent, the Tang Sect will immediately adjust its strategy, concentrate resources, and prioritize the creation of a batch of exoskeletons and urgently needed mechanical prosthetics for the Mo Sect to alleviate the immediate crisis at the front lines."

Then, he looked at Grandpa Meng, who was beaming with excitement.

"As for the further development and optimization of Qi cores, and even the research and development of a new generation of mechanical creations based on Qi cores, we need the strong support of refining holy lands like Tiangong Hall."

“We can jointly establish a research institute, share some technologies, and work together to push the application of Qi cores to new heights.”

Finally, his gaze fell on Zhuge Zhen, who had been silent all along.

"The Zhuge Liang School of Qimen Dunjia, with its calculations and deductions, was unparalleled in its time."