Free Web NovelChapter 1691: Chapter 977:
The corpse control technique not only allows for the manipulation of a large number of corpses, but also takes a very short time to turn them into corpse puppets. Ku Daoist estimated that with Funeral Guanyin’s skills, it would take a mere three to four hours to refine those hundred corpse puppets.
However, the combat strength of those low-level corpse puppets is indeed lacking; they are dead objects and must be directed by the manipulator to move.
The puppets refined by Ku Daoist are different; they are called living corpse puppets, as the name implies, they are puppets with a certain level of thought, albeit limited, but they can inherit some of the deceased’s lifetime combat experience in battle.
Moreover, these living corpse puppets, after being refined with special magic techniques, have copper skin and iron bones, are impervious to knives and guns, their agility is equal to when they were alive, and are commandable at one’s fingertips.
"Can they use magic artifacts to fight?" Yang Xiao was also intrigued by what Ku Daoist said.
"Hmm... that’s a bit difficult. Achieving this requires not only superb corpse refining techniques but also high standards for the cadres being refined, and even the herbs need to be high-level. Just setting up these elements is quite challenging. In short, such corpse puppets are hard to come by." Ku Daoist explained.
"Have you ever refined such puppets that can use magic artifacts?" Yang Xiao pressed further.
"I’ve refined for twenty years and have only managed to create three, but all were destroyed by that bastard Wu Qingcang." Every time Ku Daoist thought of those three puppets, his heart ached as though bleeding, his two decades of hard work were obliterated by Wu Qingcang with three shots—it simply wasn’t human.
Yang Xiao could understand Ku Daoist’s sentiments, so he didn’t scrutinize him for his disrespectful remarks about Captain Witch. For some reason, hearing Ku Daoist curse Wu Qingcang made Yang Xiao feel a bit smug.
"What level were those three puppets, the same strength as yours?" Yang Xiao continued to ask.
Upon hearing Ku Daoist shaking his head, "Yes, at You Level indeed, but only at mid-stage Ghost Level yet somewhat above average. Each puppet could use an attack-type magic artifact, and combined with the formation I set up, these three puppets together could even hold their own against a Peak of Ghost Level Apostle."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao nodded. He knew Ku Daoist wasn’t bluffing, having reviewed Ku Daoist’s records before and understood his formidable prowess; even though he was only close to the Peak of Ghost Level himself, killing him would still be a difficult task even for a genuine Peak of Ghost Level.
Despite Funeral Guanyin and Ku Daoist having similar spiritual power, Funeral Guanyin ultimately lost to Ku Daoist. And this was under the premise that Ku Daoist wasn’t wielding any handy puppets while Funeral Guanyin had prepared hundreds of corpse puppets.
If both were fully prepared, Funeral Guanyin would likely suffer a faster and more miserable defeat.
Even in terms of martial arts hierarchy, Funeral Guanyin would look up to this old fellow.
"You said if one wants to refine a good puppet, the quality of the corpse is crucial. So... what counts as a perfect corpse?" Yang Xiao continued to ask, "A high-level Apostle’s corpse?" freёwebnoѵel.com
"The strength of the corpse when alive, whether the corpse is intact, and the inherent quality of the corpse itself—for instance, this Funeral Guanyin, she belongs to Withered Bone Pavilion. Don’t be deceived by the withered look of people from this lineage, their resilience is remarkably strong, and their ability to control magic artifacts is excellent, making them top-grade material for refining puppets. Corpses of Disciples from Withered Bone Pavilion fetch a high price on the black market." Ku Daoist explained to Yang Xiao.
"I see." Yang Xiao slowly nodded. At this moment, his secret room still had a corpse of a Disciple from Withered Bone Pavilion, and Bone Burning Taoist was still present.
Yang Xiao was now more or less able to distinguish the difference between the corpse control and corpse refining factions, yet another scene involuntarily emerged in his mind.
It was the dream he had last night, where a young Sect Master commanded hundreds to thousands of puppets to attack him, and all were high-level puppets capable of using magic artifacts.
When Yang Xiao consulted Ku Daoist on this, Ku Daoist shook his head while laughing, saying it’s impossible, no one can control hundreds to thousands of high-level puppets at once—at least he has never seen it; some martial arts rumors are unreliable. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao was slightly relieved; in the field of corpse refining and corpse control, Ku Daoist was relatively authoritative.
Staying here had been long enough, Yang Xiao and Ku Daoist agreed to meet again at the same time tomorrow. He planned to continue learning, and the similar process would persist for at least a week—Yang Xiao had adequate time.
Of course, Ku Daoist said he doesn’t guarantee success this time.
There are risks with corpse refining.
And if refining fails, this corpse would be wasted, its value significantly diminished.
After a day’s rest, returning the next afternoon at the same time, Yang Xiao came again, this time hauling a large box. As the box lid opened, Ku Daoist’s face stiffened, he was dumbfounded, "Bone Burning Taoist?!"
"You recognize him?" Yang Xiao curiously asked.
"You... how did you kill him too?" Ku Daoist looked at Yang Xiao, his face filled with horror. He never expected that because of what he said yesterday, Bone Burning Taoist would face utter destruction.
He merely uttered one more sentence, saying the people of Withered Bone Pavilion have good constitutions, suitable for corpse refining, who would’ve thought Yang Xiao would bring in a corpse packed in a box the next day—and the corpse was gruesomely tortured, the efficiency and means are simply heinous.
Ming Emperor Ye Xiao, terrifying indeed!
Yang Xiao was too impatient to waste words with him; his time was precious, and he had no time to delay, so he urged Ku Daoist to start quickly.
For clarity’s sake, Ku Daoist began teaching Yang Xiao right before the two corpses, discussing what he considered basic knowledge, but unfortunately, Yang Xiao’s foundation was too poor, and it seemed like he heard nothing but gibberish.
