Chapter 118: Puppet Talismans and Universal Satisfaction

"Finish it quickly."

Beneath a crimson volcano, Qian Dai spoke in a low voice. His stout frame lit up with an earthy-yellow spiritual glow, which rippled outward like waves in every direction. The earthy-yellow ripples surged into the surrounding rock and crags, instantly coalescing into a massive earthy-yellow formation.

"An instantaneous formation."

Shen Lian, observing quietly from behind, felt a flicker of surprise. Most formations required a significant amount of time to set up; for Qian Dai to casually deploy a Tier 2 High-Grade concealment formation in the span of a few breaths suggested he was truly well-equipped. He had likely refined the formation into a portable array disk.

As a formation master himself, Shen Lian knew full well that a lone formation master lacked the skill to craft such portable arrays; it required the collaboration of an artificer. Such portable arrays were notoriously difficult to craft, with low success rates and a high demand for synchronization between the formation master and the artificer, making them extremely rare. Of course, if one were a dual-master of both formations and artifact crafting, it would be much simpler. However, such talent did not exist in the Ten Thousand Star Sea.

Soon, Qian Dai, having set the formation, left a lingering silhouette behind and fled toward the distance. It seemed he was off to search for more earth veins again. The Profound Corpse Sect... searching for earth veins... the great war at Haiyuan Island years ago... perhaps it wasn't as simple as just fighting over mineral veins.

In an instant, a line of inquiry formed in Shen Lian's mind. Once he determined the direction Qian Dai had taken, he turned his spirit puppet toward the opposite side.

"Five Elements Evasion Technique, Earth Evasion!"

Inside a makeshift cave, Shen Lian narrowed his eyes, praying that within the range of his divine sense, his puppet would find a suitable Golden-Eyed Ring-Patterned Demon Spider.

The terrain on Golden Mountain Island was bizarre. Despite the intense heat, the mountains contained not only solidified lava but also muddy, foul-smelling swamps that exuded a pungent, fishy stench. Spider-type demon beasts were naturally venomous, and the Golden-Eyed Ring-Patterned Demon Spider was no exception.

The spirit puppet continuously shifted its elemental affinity, slipping between earth, stone, and flame. Most of the demon spiders were in hibernation, their plump abdomens rising and falling slowly as they inhaled the surrounding heat. Soon, in a hollow where magma flowed, the puppet discovered a group of nine crouching Golden-Eyed Ring-Patterned Demon Spiders, each the size of a small hill.

The one in the very center was several times larger than the others; its fur was a mix of red and black, with each strand sharp as a needle, and its back was covered in golden markings. The remaining eight were also about a zhang in size, though their aura was much weaker, only at the late stage of Tier 1. Thick, black-green slime floated atop the flowing magma, emitting a foul, unbearable odor.

After carefully sensing their auras, he noted that the one in the middle was at the late stage of Tier 2, while the other eight were Tier 1 and posed no threat.

The Five Elements Spirit Puppet flashed with light, and several talismans flew out, transforming into five figures of varying sizes and genders. Upon closer inspection, these figures were blurred, possessing only the general shape of humans. The talismans split in mid-air, and the ethereal figures stepped out, descending upon the largest demon spider.

The Golden-Eyed Ring-Patterned Demon Spider had poor vision but keen perception. Sensing the disturbance, it awoke from its slumber, and strands of crimson spider silk whipped out. Simultaneously, plumes of red-green mist rolled out from beneath the spider.

The five puppet talisman-humans swayed, chanting as five colors of spiritual light—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—erupted from them.

"Five Elements Interdiction!"

A multicolored halo, dominated by red, formed in the air and slammed onto the spider's skull. However, the beast was formidable, breaking free from the interdiction in a single breath. It raised its hideous spider legs, intent on shattering the multicolored light above.

The spirit puppet, which had been hiding in the earth and stone, emerged. It unleashed a palm strike that surged with heat, the Five Elements evolving within and crimson-gold flames swirling without—a Five Elements Fire Palm. It grew to a zhang in size in the air and slammed down with a *thud*.

*Crack!*

The spider's raised leg was shattered into pieces by the fire palm, which then struck the beast's massive skull, leaving a deep, fire-seared, multicolored handprint embedded in its head. This single strike drove most of the spider's body into the magma below. Several of its legs, failing to retract in time, were severed and hissed as they melted into the lava.

After taking a direct hit from the spirit puppet’s Five Elements Fire Palm, the late-stage Tier 2 demon spider was severely wounded, its body erupting with flames and toxins.

"Roar!"

A furious howl erupted from its fang-filled maw. Its mandibles clashed with a clicking sound, spitting out countless crimson spider threads that pierced toward every direction where it sensed movement.

The five puppet talisman-humans swayed, ignoring the incoming threads. Spiritual light flickered in their hands as they manifested Five Elements sword qi, striking directly at every part of the beast.

*Puff, puff, puff!*

The spider roared in pain. The crimson threads, sharp as blades, wove together in mid-air, locking the puppet talisman-humans in place and pulling them toward its gaping maw. Just as one of the puppet figures reached its mouth, the multicolored light on its body flared brilliantly.

The Five Elements Spirit Puppet merged into the puppet talisman-human. Multicolored light converged in its arm to form a crimson-gold fire snake, which tore through the woven web and blasted into the spider's maw. The fire snake hissed, writhing as it tore the spider's mouth open and split its skull in two.

*Boom!*

As the mountain-sized spider collapsed, the woven crimson webs and surging fire qi lost their support and dissipated into the air. The five puppet talisman-humans tore through the remaining silk and charged toward the other demon spiders.

The Five Elements Spirit Puppet also split into five, rapidly clearing the battlefield. Soon, after eliminating the Tier 1 spiders, the five puppet talisman-humans flickered in the air and spontaneously combusted. The spirit puppet swept up the ashes with a storage bag. With that done, it shifted its fire affinity to earth, and in one fluid motion, vanished into the soil.

***

Inside the temporary cave, Shen Lian felt a wave of dizziness. The drain on his divine sense was significant. Only when he had retrieved the spirit puppet back to the vicinity of the cave did he breathe a sigh of relief, a thought crossing his mind. This was the first time the puppet talisman-humans had been used, and controlling them was still quite taxing. Furthermore, using them once and having them destroyed was too wasteful; the cost of drawing the talismans was quite high. He needed to figure out how to make them reusable and perhaps rechargeable.

Also, in the future, he should purchase broken magical artifacts tainted with the auras of other cultivators and let the puppet talisman-humans nurture them; they could serve as disguises after a battle. The puppet talisman-humans’ spells were limited by the copied Five Elements Spirit Puppet template, so their attack power was inevitably lacking. He would have to incorporate toxic powders and fumes later.

***

At the scene of the "crime," Qian Dai, who had flown out from the depths of the island, looked at the crater of shattered magma and then at the other directions.

"Could there be other cultivators on the island hunting Golden-Eyed Ring-Patterned Demon Spiders?"

It wasn't impossible. The ocean was vast, and the demon beasts had no owners; whoever killed them claimed them. His sea monster chart, which marked the locations of deep-sea beasts, came from the Master of the Profound Corpse Sect—his own mentor. As for how his mentor had obtained such information, he didn't need to ask.

After searching the area and finding nothing else, Qian Dai hurried back toward the formation. He had trapped two late-stage Tier 2 demon spiders—a male and a female—a deliberate move on his part. Given the strength of Qiu Qian and the others, if the spiders were too weak, they would have been slaughtered in an instant, leaving him no time to investigate the earth veins deep within the island.

Inside the formation, Qiu Qian and his group had already finished off the female spider, driving the remaining male into a frenzy. Its eyes turned blood-red and violent, and its silk pierced the void like lightning. A cultivator who couldn't dodge in time had their body pierced by the threads. Fortunately, they weren't a disorganized group; they were cautious, and with Qian Dai watching from the outside, others would step in to assist whenever someone was in danger. Thus, while there were injuries, no one faced a life-threatening crisis.

The male spider’s body erupted with golden light. Its fang-filled maw opened, spitting out strands of silk that pierced the surrounding rocks. It slid along the threads, its barbed, long legs cutting through the splashing spiritual light like broadswords. In its rage, the late-stage Tier 2 spider was thirty percent faster than usual. Fu Jingcheng, unable to dodge in time, watched as a long spider claw swept toward him. In the crisis, he spat out a black seashell. The shell suddenly expanded to three feet wide, blocking his body.

*Crack!*

As the spider's claw descended, spiritual light erupted from the black shell. The surging force shattered the shell, and Fu Jingcheng was sent flying, coughing up blood. After striking one person, the spider bent its long legs, and its mountain-like body leaped into the air with wind-like speed, shocking the cultivators within the formation.

"Hum!"

At that moment, the earthy-yellow formation hummed loudly, and a beam of earthy-yellow light descended, piercing the spider's back like a sharp sword. The spider shrieked continuously, its entire body convulsing as if struck by lightning before it tumbled to the ground. A massive, blood-gushing hole appeared on its back like a fountain. Its huge skull turned, and as blood-red light flickered over its body, it prepared to spit more silk.

In an instant, various spells flew from all sides, turning into sword light and water techniques that slammed into the spider simultaneously. With a final roar, the spider kicked its eight legs and collapsed, its life extinguished.

"Tend to your wounds and collect the demon carcasses," Qian Dai’s voice rang out. "I just detected the presence of other cultivators on the island. Everyone, move quickly."

***

Inside the temporary cave, the formation slowly opened, and a thick, pungent scent of malice and blood rushed in. Shen Lian and the others rose to their feet.

"They've returned."

The cultivators who returned were all accounted for; no one had fallen, though they were in poor shape. Only three appeared uninjured, while two others had weak auras, and blackened wounds could be seen through their torn robes.

"Fellow Daoists, does anyone have an antidote?"

Shen Lian reached into his storage ring and produced a jade bottle. "This is an antidote I concocted previously. I'm not sure if it will be effective against spider venom."

"Many thanks." The injured took the antidote, taking turns using it internally and externally.

"So, Fellow Daoist Lu can also concoct antidotes?" Qian Dai, entering last, narrowed his eyes as he looked at Shen Lian.

"Cough... alchemy and toxicology are two sides of the same coin. I studied it a bit in my spare time," Shen Lian replied coolly.

"So Fellow Daoist Lu is an alchemist."

Only then did the cultivators in the cave realize. No wonder he had joined this demon-hunting expedition and hadn't personally attacked—he was likely there to secure a share of the demon beast spoils. If he were an alchemist, it made perfect sense.

"What grade of alchemist is Fellow Daoist Lu?"

"Tier 2 Low-Grade."

A flash of disappointment appeared in the eyes of the several Foundation Establishment Seventh-Layer cultivators, though it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Who was to say a Tier 2 Low-Grade couldn't advance to Mid-Grade?

"Fellow Daoist Qian, you said there were other cultivators on the island hunting the spiders?"

"Correct. When we were hunting that pair of spiders, I heard the sounds of battle elsewhere on the island. Though the fluctuations were faint, I still sensed them." Qian Dai spoke softly. "Shall we stay or leave?"

"Let's go. We've already gained quite a harvest."

To hunt this pair of spiders, the dozen or so people—while some were uninjured—had all expended a great deal of energy. Now, with over a dozen Tier 2 demon beasts in their possession, everyone was feeling cautious.

"Then let's leave."

***

After two days of recovery, the injured had stabilized their conditions and suppressed the spider venom, and the group set off on the return journey. This hunt could be considered a full harvest.

On the spirit boat, Shen Lian looked at the cultivators seated around him. Even the injured wore smiles on their faces. It was true; this hunting team was like a breath of fresh air in the cultivation world. Not only did they return fully loaded, but not a single person had died. Most importantly, everyone had achieved their goals.

It was a happy outcome for all.

The hunt had yielded a total of eleven demon beasts: three Golden-Eyed Ring-Patterned Demon Spiders (two late-stage Tier 2 and one early-stage Tier 2) and eight Sea-Swallowing Dragon Fish (one late-stage Tier 2, measuring three zhang, two mid-stage Tier 2, and five early-stage Tier 2). Only three had intact pelts, all from the Sea-Swallowing Dragon Fish. The three spiders were the most heavily damaged.

When it came to the final division, everyone's excitement was palpable. They first appraised the total value of the beasts' skins, bones, blood, cores, and scales, then divided it according to the ratio of spirit stones. Based on their respective shares, they would exchange them for the parts of the beasts they wanted. Of course, if they didn't want the parts, they could sell them directly to Qian Dai.

As the initiator of the hunt, and the one who had taken on the burden of searching, navigating, and providing the formation protection, Qian Dai claimed forty percent of the shares. No one raised an objection to this. Qiu Qian and the other eight cultivators received fifty-five percent. Shen Lian, Qu Yuren—who had been on guard duty in the sea—and Bian Yichang, another Foundation Establishment Fifth-Layer cultivator who had participated actively but contributed little, shared the final five percent.

Three people sharing five percent; Shen Lian had no objections. He had barely done any work, so receiving a few scraps was a good deal. Conversely, Fellow Daoist Bian Yichang looked somewhat dejected. Everyone else had gained something, while he had participated actively, only to find that participation was its own reward.