Chapter 639: Powerful Puppet

The refining process continued. Several months later, inside the fissure in the cliff wall beneath the deep pit, Wang Lin inhaled, sucking all the vast expanse of Primordial Spirit Qi diffused before him directly into his mouth.

It was as if he was swallowing clouds and spitting fog. Once the Primordial Spirit Qi vanished completely, a gaunt figure was revealed before him. A chilling, bone-piercing coldness emanated from this figure, spreading throughout the surroundings.

The figure's skin was pale, as if devoid of blood. In fact, this was true; all its blood had already been transformed and fused into its muscles and bones.

Wang Lin's expression was grim as he sighed.

"It failed again!"

In the first step of Body Refining, Wang Lin had failed countless times over the past few months. Fortunately, the Jade Slip mentioned that even if this first step failed, the subject being refined would not dissipate.

Staring at the Puppet before him, Wang Lin frowned. According to the Jade Slip, various Materials needed to be added during the refinement process, allowing them to merge into the Physical Body to complete this first step.

"The four grades are Gold, Silver, Copper, and Iron. Currently, it hasn't even reached the level of an Iron Immortal Guard." After a moment of thought, Wang Lin slapped his Storage Pouch, and a large number of low-grade Magic Treasures immediately flew out.

These Magic Treasures were things Wang Lin no longer needed but felt it would be a pity to discard.

"I don't have the Materials, but I do have Magic Treasures. Refining these Magic Treasures into liquid and fusing them with this Puppet should have some effect…" Wang Lin's eyes flashed. He immediately formed a hand Seal with his right hand and shot out a flame, surrounding the Magic Treasures.

The flame burned, causing several of the Magic Treasures to melt. Eventually, almost all the Magic Treasures melted into liquid, forming a fist-sized molten sphere emitting a dark, black glow.

After a brief contemplation, Wang Lin sent his Divine Sense into his Storage Pouch to search. Immediately, more Magic Treasures flew out and merged into the small sphere. This time could be considered a major cleanup of Wang Lin's Storage Pouch.

Over these eight hundred-plus years, the contents of Wang Lin's Storage Pouch had become extremely cluttered. He had used the vast majority of the items only a few times and never again, as many Magic Treasures had lost their sharpness in his eyes due to his rising cultivation.

Now, these Magic Treasures flew out one by one, thrown into the small sphere by Wang Lin. Just then, a blue rose suddenly appeared in Wang Lin's hand.

Looking at the rose, a fiery red figure seemed to flash before Wang Lin's eyes. He hesitated briefly, put the rose away, and threw other Magic Treasures into the small sphere instead.

This process lasted for several days. The major cleanup of the Storage Pouch resulted in large quantities of low-grade, mid-grade, and even high-grade Magic Treasures being refined into liquid by him.

As a result, the molten sphere floating before him became multicolored, shimmering with crystalline light.

Wang Lin moved his right hand, grabbed the liquid solution, slapped it, and pressed it directly onto the Puppet's body. A new round of refinement began.

Two months flashed by. On this day, a yellow light emanated from the Puppet's body, instantly illuminating the fissure.

Wang Lin opened his eyes from his cross-legged position, his expression showing a hint of fatigue. He looked at the yellow light on the Puppet's body, disappointment flashing in his eyes.

"Only Copper-grade strength… Fine, it should just barely suffice."

Although the first step of the Immortal Guard was complete, the second step—grinding the Primordial Spirit—would cause the entire sacrificial refinement to fail immediately if there was even a single mistake. Furthermore, if it failed, this Physical Body could not be taken through Possession, meaning a different Primordial Spirit could not be fused and refined into it.

Wang Lin took a deep breath, a rare trace of hesitation appearing in his eyes. He looked up at the area outside the fissure. For the past half year, the suction force outside had been constant, and subtly growing stronger.

Wang Lin gritted his teeth and slapped his Storage Pouch. Immediately, the Revered Soul Banner flew out. When he shook it, a massive head instantly appeared within the banner fabric.

This head was illusory and faint, swaying within the banner fabric. It was entirely blackish-green, bald, and resembled a malevolent ghost. Especially its gaze—though illusory, it seemed substantial, emitting a chilling light.

Inside the Revered Soul Banner, it stared intently at Wang Lin, letting out a low roar.

The vast majority of Souls within the Revered Soul Banner kept far away from the head, seemingly afraid to approach, allowing this head to occupy its own Domain within the Revered Soul Banner.

Only the Qilin was different. Since it had swallowed a large amount of Immortal Feed, a series of strange changes had occurred within its body. Seeing the head roar now, it immediately let out a low growl.

The head's gaze suddenly met the Qilin's. Neither backed down, and fierce light flashed within their low growls.

This head was none other than the Heavenly Ghost!

Wang Lin's eyes were like torches as he stared at the Heavenly Ghost. He raised his right hand and grabbed toward the Revered Soul Banner, instantly pulling the Heavenly Ghost out forcibly. The Heavenly Ghost was a creature of immense malevolence. If it hadn't been captured by Wang Lin when it was at its weakest, unable to recover fully back then, it would be extraordinary once it reached the Peak.

The Heavenly Ghost roared in Wang Lin's hand, opening its large mouth, ready to swallow Wang Lin. Wang Lin's eyes flashed, and he let out a cold snort. The imprint he had left inside the Heavenly Ghost immediately vibrated, causing the Heavenly Ghost to instantly begin dissolving.

The Heavenly Ghost was forced to retreat, staring at Wang Lin and continuously emitting low growls.

"The Puppet's Physical Body strength is insufficient, and the Primordial Spirit will have difficulty surviving the second step of refinement. But if I add this Heavenly Ghost to it, taking its malevolent Qi and seizing its illusory body, then if it still fails, this Immortal Guard isn't worth refining!" Wang Lin acted decisively, grabbing the Heavenly Ghost and pressing it directly into the center of the Puppet's brow.

"Since I am refining it, I must refine a supreme-grade Puppet. If it only reaches the Great Perfection of the Ascendant Late Stage, how can I justify using these Magic Treasures and the Heavenly Ghost!" A cold light appeared in Wang Lin's eyes. He formed a hand Seal with his left hand, touched his brow, and as he pulled away, he drew out wisps of lightning. This lightning also contained fire Qi, which Wang Lin flicked, sending all of it into the Puppet's body.

"Refine!"

The Heavenly Ghost was extremely fierce and naturally unwilling to be Sealed inside the Puppet to aid Wang Lin's refinement. As it roared and tried to rush out, a whip instantly appeared in Wang Lin's right hand, and he lashed it forward.

With a cracking sound, the Heavenly Ghost immediately let out a miserable shriek. It cried out internally; this whip was exactly what restrained it.

If it weren't for the fact that Wang Lin's imprint on the Loose Devil Soul was deepening, and he intended to nurture it as his Second Primordial Spirit, throwing in the Loose Devil Soul would have been suitable. However, the Loose Devil Soul was troublesome to control, making the Heavenly Ghost less effort.

Several months passed in a flash. Under Wang Lin's continuous refinement, the Heavenly Ghost within the Puppet fused with and devoured Du Jian's Primordial Spirit, and was subsequently ground away. However, due to the Heavenly Ghost's strength, even when ground away, all its essence remained intimately connected.

And this point was the most crucial requirement for the second step mentioned in the Jade Slip. Failures in the second step almost entirely stemmed from the Primordial Spirit. It wasn't a lack of Primordial Spirit, but the unbearable pain experienced during the grinding process, which would lead to death if the subject relaxed even slightly.

Even if the subject didn't relax and persisted until the end, they might still fail because they couldn't achieve the level of intimate connection—the state where the spirit is absent from the body, yet present within the intent.

Only those who held a powerful obsession in their hearts, comparable to the obsession of a Renegade Cultivator, could achieve this. This is also why Cultivators who possess their own Dao Conviction have a high success rate when refining Immortal Guards.

After more than half a year, Wang Lin successfully refined his first Immortal Guard Puppet. Although the success rate for refining Immortal Guards is extremely low, capturing the Heavenly Ghost and fusing it with the Primordial Spirit for refinement meant the success was not mere luck.

Even Wang Lin, unless he used the Loose Devil Soul, would not be able to sacrificially refine a second Immortal Guard.

A hint of excitement appeared on Wang Lin's face. He took a deep breath, calming his mind, and stared at the gaunt Puppet before him, which faintly emitted a yellow glow. A connection allowing effortless control resonated within his consciousness.

Immortal Emperor Qing Lin would absolutely not allow betrayal in the refinement of an Immortal Guard. Naturally, there were countless methods of control built into the process. Wang Lin refined it using Primordial Spirit Qi, and over time, his control over this Puppet reached its Peak.

Although the Heavenly Ghost was unruly, it was subdued by Divine Ability during the refinement and merged into the Puppet's Physical Body.

Wang Lin squeezed out a drop of fresh blood, flicked it onto the center of the Puppet's brow. The blood emitted a red glow and merged into it. Abruptly, the Puppet opened its eyes.

These were hollow eyes, yet they held a hint of sharpness.

"The Yin and Yang Illusory/Real Realm!" Wang Lin swept his Divine Sense over the Puppet and immediately sensed an aura on the same level as Situ Nan back then. Although it wasn't as strong as Situ Nan, it wasn't much weaker.

Wang Lin let out a hearty laugh. He was deeply impressed by Immortal Emperor Qing Lin; this person's ingenuity was superb, having actually created such a method for refining Magic Treasures.

"Although this Immortal Guard cannot use many Divine Abilities because its Primordial Spirit is fused into its flesh and blood, making it inferior to a true Yin and Yang Illusory/Real Cultivator, the few Divine Abilities listed on the Jade Slip are specifically prepared for Immortal Guards!" Wang Lin's eyes flashed.

"In addition, I prepared a grand gift for this Immortal Guard!" Wang Lin slapped his right hand onto his brow. Immediately, streams of gray Qi suddenly appeared, transforming into a million strands of Slaughter Qi, which instantly drilled into the Puppet's body.

The Puppet's eyes immediately emitted a killing intent. After flickering a few times, the intent was gradually concealed, but its gaze became even sharper.

Having finished this, Wang Lin slapped his Storage Pouch, and the Jade Slip immediately flew out. He flicked it, and the Jade Slip instantly stuck to the Puppet's brow. Amidst flashes of light, runes seemed to flicker in the Puppet Immortal Guard's eyes.

After a long time, the Jade Slip fell and returned to Wang Lin's side.

"Conceal!" Wang Lin said flatly.

The Immortal Guard's body flickered, immediately turning into nothingness and merging behind Wang Lin. Since there was no light here, naturally, no shadow could be seen, but Wang Lin knew that the Immortal Guard was hidden within his own figure.

"With the Immortal Guard's Divine Ability, I have a sixty percent chance of leaving this place. Although this place is a dead end, it is precisely because it is a dead end that it is safe!"

Contemplation appeared in Wang Lin's eyes. Moments later, he slapped his Storage Pouch, and a greatsword flew out. This sword was massive, like a door plank!

"Jufu… my first sword! What secret do you truly hold…" Wang Lin gently stroked the sword body, calming his mind and slowly integrating his consciousness into it.