Gongshu Wumao fell silent for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "You girl," he said, "if only you were half as quick-witted with strangers as you are with your master, that would be great!"

Mo Wuwei pursed her red lips and smiled. "Let's go!"

Gongshu Wumao adjusted his monocle and followed her. "I must make it clear in advance," he said. "If the rumor is false and this youngster doesn't have any Puppet Birds, I will turn around and leave immediately. I won't stay for a single moment... What I detest most in my life are those who fabricate and falsify their research! Especially those who are good-looking and still commit fraud! Pure charlatans!"

"Got it..."

***

Mo Wuwei was tall and slender, while Gongshu Wumao was short, not even reaching her shoulders. Combined with his habit of walking with a hunched back and his hands clasped behind him, the two of them looked like an elder accompanying a child from a distance. However, as the Seat of the Manipulation Sect and a Great Ability of the Emergence Stage, he possessed an air and presence that commanded respect and prevented anyone from underestimating him.

Wang Xiu had seen Gongshu Wumao once before and immediately recognized him. He quickly rose, bowed respectfully, and said with composed dignity, "Disciple Wang Xiu greets Master Uncle Gongshu and Senior Sister Mo! It is a great honor to have you grace our sect today. Our humble abode is truly brightened by your presence. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Gongshu Wumao was disgruntled that Wang Xiu had managed to utterly captivate his precious disciple after just one meeting, so he intended to give him a hard time. Thus, he remained silent, ignoring the frantic looks Mo Wuwei was shooting him. He simply kept his hands clasped behind his back, scrutinizing Wang Xiu from head to toe, feigning an aloof and profound demeanor.

After a long moment, he finally let out a huff. "As a disciple of the Divination Sect, have you not learned a single thing about fortune-telling? Can't you deduce my purpose for coming here?"

After studying him for a moment, Wang Xiu replied with the utmost sincerity, "This disciple's skills are shallow! I can only tell that Master Uncle is glowing with health, a man of outstanding talent with a noble bearing, and your fortunes are at their absolute peak... It is a sign of darkness turning to light! Perhaps you've had some setbacks in the past, but from now on, your path will surely be smooth. All your wishes will come true, and you will find success in everything you do!"

Hearing this, Mo Wuwei nervously held her breath. How could Junior Brother Wang Xiu tell such blatant lies? Does he think Master is a fool? It's over, it's over! Master is definitely going to be furious now!

Contrary to her fears, when Gongshu Wumao heard Wang Xiu's words, a look of surprise appeared on his face. "Junior Nephew Wang Xiu truly lives up to being Junior Sister Luo's Closed-door Disciple!" he said, delighted. "Your ability to read people is so accurate! The future of the Divination Sect is bright indeed, hahaha..."

Mo Wuwei: "???"

Wang Xiu also laughed heartily. "Master Uncle, you flatter me. I've only just begun my studies and still have much to learn from you!"

Gongshu Wumao chuckled. "Hahaha, well said, well said!"

With just a few sentences, the atmosphere, which had been frozen solid, seemed to thaw and become amicable in an instant.

Mo Wuwei stared, dumbfounded. Junior Brother Wang Xiu... he's amazing!

***

As Wang Xiu and Gongshu Wumao's conversation grew more familiar, Mo Wuwei found herself left out. The young woman sat on a nearby patch of grass, watching the two of them with a look of deep melancholy. Even the surrounding Human Souls gave them a wide berth.

After some time, she could no longer hold it in. "Junior Brother Wang Xiu!" she called out.

Wang Xiu looked over. "What is it, Senior Sister?"

As their eyes met, the courage Mo Wuwei had just mustered vanished completely. Her mind went blank, and she forgot what she had wanted to say. After stammering for a long moment, she finally blurted out, her face bright red, "Can we... see your bird?"

Wang Xiu: "???"

"COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!" Gongshu Wumao's composure shattered in an instant as he burst into a violent coughing fit, emphasizing, "The Puppet Birds! The PUPPET BIRDS!!!"

Mo Wuwei realized her blunder, her heart pounding even faster. With her head bowed and her face scarlet, she mumbled, "Right, it's... the Puppet Birds!"

Wang Xiu breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and said, "I didn't realize you two were so well-informed... Yes, in my spare time, I've been studying the Artificer Path and have crafted a few little things. They're nothing noteworthy, so I hadn't planned on publicizing them!"

Gongshu Wumao hastily interjected, "Ah, Junior Nephew Wang Xiu, you mustn't be so modest. The Artificer Path is profound and obscure, vastly different from the conventional paths of cultivation... it requires extremely high aptitude and insight. Since ancient times, very few have been able to enter this path. The fact that you have started on it is a testament to your outstanding talent. Since fate has brought us together today, why not let your Master Uncle take a look? I'm not one to brag, but while my Cultivation Level may be inferior to your master's, when it comes to the Artificer Path, I dare say that if I claim to be second in all of Nanzhou, no one would dare claim to be first! I should be able to offer you some valuable advice!"

[DING!]

[System Notification: Bluff detected nearby. Congratulations, Host, for gaining Mana +666!]

Hearing Gongshu Wumao's words, Wang Xiu wore a peculiar expression. He bowed and said, "In that case, I shall trouble Master Uncle!"

Gongshu Wumao clapped him on the shoulder. "Haha, it's no trouble at all!"

***

The three of them immediately took to the air. Before long, they arrived near the Netherworld Forest.

Wang Xiu formed a hand seal, temporarily deactivating the surrounding Four Symbols Guardian Array and the Green Lotus Sky-covering Array.

The next moment, the full vista of the Netherworld Forest appeared before Gongshu Wumao and Mo Wuwei. In an instant, both of them were utterly stunned.

At first glance, they saw a vast, dark forest teeming with countless Puppet Birds zipping through the air. Their eyes glowed with red light as they diligently carried out their tasks. There were thousands of them, yet they moved in perfect order, cooperating with one another as if they were not mere puppets but intelligent, living beings. Furthermore, in the clearings within the forest, around a hundred gigantic steel contraptions were arranged in neat rows. They all radiated various strange lights, indicating they were inscribed with a multitude of complex spiritual arrays.

Most critically, with all their experience, neither Gongshu Wumao nor Mo Wuwei could recognize what kind of puppets these were. They weren't recorded in any ancient texts, and they had never seen anything like them before. Could it be... that Wang Xiu invented them himself?

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