Gongshu Wumao's actions startled both Wang Xiu and Mo Wuwei, and they both looked over.

They saw Gongshu Wumao first approach the processing furnace, caressing its surface with both hands as invisible ripples emanated from his palms. A moment later, the furnace emitted a series of muffled hums.

He then laid down on the ground in an extremely undignified posture, pressing his ear to the processing furnace to carefully sense the movements within. To an ordinary person, those brief tapping sounds were common and short-lived. In his ears, however, they were distinct, layered, and reverberated with a hundred turns and a thousand echoes.

Most Cultivators were accustomed to using their Divine Sense as an extension of their five senses to capture things that normal senses could not perceive. But for a skilled Artificer, Gongshu Wumao trusted his own ears, eyes, and hands far more than his Divine Sense. As he listened to the feedback from the furnace's inner walls, the various structures inside it clearly emerged in his mind.

He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's the same..."

He then ran to the giant charging bays, laid down without hesitation, and crawled inside to study every groove on the ground and every Formation carved upon it.

Watching this, Wang Xiu's mouth twitched. "Martial Uncle, is he always like this?"

Mo Wuwei's cheeks were slightly flushed as she nodded. "My master is always meticulous and unconventional when it comes to his research!"

Wang Xiu gave a thumbs up. "Impressive!"

After a long while, Gongshu Wumao crawled out of the giant charging bay. Without bothering to dust himself off, he walked straight to Wang Xiu, looking at him with a complex gaze. Wang Xiu felt uneasy under his stare. "Martial Uncle? What... what's wrong?"

Gongshu Wumao took a deep breath, his eyes wild. "You... you actually used materials meant for creating Superior Spirit Instruments to make a bunch of... contraptions to drive these low-level Puppets?"

Wang Xiu was startled. "Is there a problem?"

Gongshu Wumao exclaimed loudly, "Of course there is! Do you know how many people in this world want to learn Artificer Techniques but can't even afford the materials? Do you realize how many students in puppetry classes have to share and repeatedly dismantle the same materials? And do you have any idea how many ordinary Puppet materials those resources you used could be traded for, or how many people could afford to learn Artificer Techniques because of it?"

As he spoke, he grew more aggrieved and indignant, on the verge of tears. When Mo Wuwei heard this, she couldn't help but feel her own eyes redden.

Seeing their reactions, Wang Xiu hesitated. "Senior, are you talking about the Manipulation Sect?"

"!!!"

Gongshu Wumao immediately denied it, his eyes brimming with tears. "Of course not! The Manipulation Sect's tradition has lasted for many years. We rely on our craftsmanship for a living; we provide for ourselves and lack for nothing! I'm speaking of the many unfortunate people in this world!"

[Ding!]

[Detected someone bragging nearby. Congratulations, Host, you've gained Mana +666!]

How could he admit to something like that? It was a matter of losing all face!

He was truly triggered by Wang Xiu's excessively lavish methods. From the moment he entered the Netherworld Forest, Gongshu Wumao had understood the purpose of these Puppets. They existed to automate the harvesting of spiritual herbs and resources within the forest. Gongshu Wumao didn't care what was being harvested, but he knew the task itself was not complex. The required level of the Puppets was not high, and the difficulty was minimal. He could think of at least a hundred ways to achieve the same goal.

Despite this, the Puppet Birds Wang Xiu created had astonished him. Their minimalistic internal construction was a revelation, opening up many new avenues of thought. But... this still didn't change the fact that the task itself didn't require highly sophisticated Puppets, let alone so many rare materials.

One had to understand that these materials were more than sufficient even for forging Superior Spirit Instruments, and each component was incredibly valuable. If these materials had fallen into his hands, he would have planned meticulously to ensure every last bit was utilized to its fullest potential. How could anyone be like Wang Xiu? What's the difference between this and just throwing money away? This is pure, unadulterated profligacy!

...

Seeing Gongshu Wumao's frantic and exasperated expression, Wang Xiu's mouth twitched. He turned to Mo Wuwei. "So... he's not talking about your Sect?"

Mo Wuwei nodded repeatedly. "No, he really isn't!"

Wang Xiu sighed. "...Alright, he isn't."

Gongshu Wumao took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Martial Nephew, I know the Divination Sect is rich now, with extensive family wealth, but you can't waste money like this... Being frugal and economical has been a fine tradition of our Sanqing Immortal Sect for many years, has it not? It cannot be abandoned!"

Wang Xiu nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, you're right, Martial Uncle!"

Gongshu Wumao said, "Look at these large-scale charging Puppets you've made. Isn't this too extravagant? How about this? You give these things to me, your Martial Uncle... I'll melt them down, refine them back into raw materials, and then re-craft the Puppets. I guarantee I'll bring out one hundred and twenty percent of their value! I'll even give you a share afterward! How about it?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Wuwei's face flushed scarlet. How could her master utter such shameless words with so much righteousness?

Wang Xiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Martial Uncle, are you trying to coax me like a child?"

At this, Gongshu Wumao's old face flushed red, and he coughed twice. "If that won't work, then... consider it a loan from your Martial Uncle!"

The higher-ups of the Manipulation Sect were currently researching the creation of a new, top-tier Armor Puppet on the same level as Luo Binglan's coffin. They aimed to replenish the foundational strength the Manipulation Sect had lost in a great war long ago. The Sect had been working on this matter for hundreds of years. After all, they understood that without a few truly powerful Puppets to hold the line, the Manipulation Sect could not stand tall. In previous years, even as the research continued, they could still maintain the most basic daily training and living standards for the Sect's disciples. Recently, however, the project had reached a critical juncture.

They had the core components, but they still needed a large quantity of precious materials for several rare accessories. The Manipulation Sect had nearly emptied its entire treasury and was still short. They had to beg everyone they could, borrowing some materials from the other Sects, but it was still not enough.

Now, seeing Wang Xiu misusing so many materials fit for Superior Spirit Instruments so wastefully, Gongshu Wumao simply couldn't hold back any longer.

Wang Xiu pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "To be honest, I have a strong interest in the Artificer Path. If I could choose again... I would very likely join the Manipulation Sect! In fact, I already consider myself half a member of the Sect! If you're short on materials, Martial Uncle, why the need to borrow?"

Upon hearing this, Gongshu Wumao's eyes lit up. Rubbing his hands together, he said, "This... well, taking it for free doesn't seem quite right, does it?"

Wang Xiu laughed. "To be honest, although these materials are of a high grade, I simply sublimated them from low-tier materials through a process of refining. They aren't actually that valuable!"

Hearing this, Gongshu Wumao was stunned. "Refining and... sublimating?"

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.