Chapter 30: Something

"Did you hear?"

"Our sect has discovered a new Spirit Stone Mine!"

"Really?"

"Doesn't that mean we'll get bonuses?"

"Dream on. Even if there are bonuses, they'll go to Inner Sect Disciples—we Outer Sect Disciples have no chance."

As Luo Yao walked along the path, she heard many people discussing the news that Xuanyuan Sect had discovered a new Spirit Stone Mine.

Even if she encountered Zhao Yang again at Qi Refining Stage 8, she would no longer be powerless to fight back.

Still, remembering her master was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Luo Yao felt she was worrying too much.

Now Luo Yao was at Qi Refining Stage 5, so Xiao Kui's maximum cultivation could only reach Qi Refining Stage 7; no matter how hard she trained, she could not break through. Only after Luo Yao broke through to Qi Refining Stage 6 could Xiao Kui break through, and her maximum level would not exceed Qi Refining Stage 10.

"What's your name?" Luo Yao asked curiously after the girl had dressed, "You were... a Puppet?"

Luo Yao had confirmed that the girl had indeed evolved from a Puppet.

Because she had previously blood-sealed the Puppet, the imprint still remained in her mind—and it corresponded exactly to the girl before her.

A girl with skin as smooth as snow stood naked before her, her face exquisitely crafted, her dark, glossy eyes darting lively.

Drip!

The dice landed silently, but Luo Yao's mind automatically conjured the sound of them coming to rest.

A Low-grade Mortal Tool isn't bad either—when short on money, craft more Dharma Treasures to sell.

After all, once Ziguang Sect learns of this news, they certainly won't stand idly by while Xuanyuan Sect claims the Spirit Stone Mine and grows stronger; it might even escalate into a full-scale war between the two sects.

Shaking off these thoughts, Luo Yao returned to her Cave Abode. Gongsun Elder's Cave Abode remained shrouded in an Array—clearly, he was still in seclusion.

The target was still yesterday's Puppet.

At that moment, a Sound Transmission Talisman flew in from outside. Luo Yao froze, caught it, and found it was Fang Qingyan calling for her.

Today, Luo Yao changed her approach: she bathed, burned incense, cleansed her clothes, and adjusted her attire before tossing the dice.

Spirit Stone Mines are strategic resources for every sect; countless sects have fought bloody wars over them. The century-old feud between Xuanyuan Sect and Ziguang Sect originated from a single Spirit Stone Mine.

"Where's my huge Puppet?"

"Where's my Puppet?"

In the blink of an eye.

"I have no name," the girl shook her head, looking at Luo Yao. "Please, Master, grant me a name!"

"I don't know the details, but my master said to avoid going out these next few days—especially not leaving the sect."

"Then from now on, I'll call you Xiao Kui!"

The broken Puppet vanished, replaced by...

Even though Xiao Kui was only at Qi Refining Stage 7, practicing with her, Qi Refining Stage 8 wouldn't be a problem.

Luo Yao quickly helped her up and handed her clothes, urging her to put them on quickly.

"Greetings, Master."

"What's your current strength? What abilities do you have?"

4 to the fourth power!

Luo Yao immediately understood the meaning, and then saw white light envelop the Puppet.

"Don't worry, Yan Jie. I'm planning to enter seclusion too—just focus on your cultivation, don't worry about me."

Luo Yao was about to dismiss the Array when she remembered Xiao Kui was still inside—if Yan Jie discovered a girl in her Cave Abode, how would she explain it?

Luo Yao's mind quickly formed a clear explanation: Xiao Kui could cultivate, but her cultivation increase could never exceed two-thirds of Luo Yao's own level.

Luo Yao widened her eyes, and finally had to accept that her Puppet was gone.

She had once speculated that her Golden Finger might cause the Puppet to evolve—but she never imagined it would turn into a human! That was too absurd!

While stunned, Luo Yao couldn't help but reach out and pinch the girl's skin—it was bouncy and elastic; if you only looked at her appearance, you'd never guess she was a Puppet.

"Using the Golden Finger on the Puppet was truly the right choice."

The Master listens obediently, and if Yan Jie or the Master heard about her, it would be hard to explain.

But Luo Yao didn't relax—even if she didn't have to be cannon fodder, she'd still go to the battlefield, because only combat could raise her strength fastest.

Luo Yao smiled happily, resolving to think carefully before using the Golden Finger again, and to use it wisely.

Even if she went to the battlefield later, she'd have protection.

"Also, my master told me to enter seclusion starting tomorrow—he'll carve out a few days to guide my cultivation, so you probably won't see me for ten days or even half a month."

The last time she entered Yan Jie's Cave Abode, she'd also been unable to reach her by Sound Transmission Talisman.

The girl was indistinguishable from a normal human, with comparable intelligence: "My current strength, by human cultivator standards, should be Qi Refining Stage 8."

That meant, with a single thought, she could make the girl die instantly—there was no need to fear betrayal.

Luo Yao leaned more toward the latter.

Besides, what she'd just thought was pure speculation—perhaps the war wouldn't happen at all.

"You can also forge artifacts?" Luo Yao was surprised to learn this from Xiao Kui's mind.

Most importantly, Xiao Kui's identity couldn't be explained—she wasn't ready to introduce her to others yet.

But if this had been before, she'd have been treated as cannon fodder in a sect war—now, she was the personal disciple of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, impossible to be treated as such.

"4"

Luo Yao planned to make Xiao Kui her secret weapon.

Therefore, upon hearing this news, she wasn't as optimistic as others.

"Um, just call me Xiao Yao."

So Luo Yao quickly ordered Xiao Kui to hide in the seclusion chamber, then dismissed the Array—just as Fang Qingyan rushed in, breathless.

Luo Yao felt a bit worried; her master had been in seclusion refining his cultivation technique for several days, so there shouldn't be any problems, right?

Moreover, to be honest, under normal circumstances without special situations, when the two of them visited each other's Cave Abode, they would send a Sound Transmission Talisman rather than actually entering directly.

Seeing the figure that appeared, Luo Yao immediately widened her eyes, her face filled with disbelief.

Either Xuanyuan Sect deliberately spread the news, or their secrecy work was poorly done.

The young girl knelt on one knee and bowed to Luo Yao.

"Yes, my current cultivation level only allows me to forge Low-grade Mortal Tools."

Of course, before that, she still needed to prepare some life-saving methods.

It was still one throw per day.

Most importantly, her own Dharma Treasure could be forged with Xiao Kui's help.

By all rights, Xuanyuan Sect should have kept the information about the Spirit Stone Mine hidden tightly, but now almost the entire sect knows, which is obviously...

"As for ability, I can cultivate on my own, but the improvement in cultivation level depends somewhat on Xiao Yao's ability..."

"Yan Jie, what happened?"

"???"

Only then did Luo Yao slap her forehead, suddenly remembering that she had recently set up more than ten Arrays, so Yan Jie truly had no way to enter.

Yan Jie knew her Array password, so why did she still send her a Sound Transmission Talisman?

"Thank you, Master, for bestowing the name!"

Fang Qingyan repeatedly emphasized her master's warning, which made Luo Yao feel a bit nervous and worried in her heart; could it be that the thing she had guessed before had happened?

It was just a pity that her master had not yet emerged from seclusion, so she had no idea who to ask.

(End of this chapter)