Chapter 18: Controlling Puppets

Yan Jin Chang still continues to try tapping the light screen until he clicks on the lower left corner. The new information pops up on the screen, it reads—

[Basic Information of the Task Holder:

Name: Xiao Ming Ran

Gender: Male

World Undergoing Conquest: 1 (currently in conquest, progress 0)……]

Yan Jin Chang cannot continue reading because, upon seeing that names, he almost throws the fragment he’s holding away!

“What does this mean?! Why is Xiao Ming Ran’s name appearing here?!”

In his past life, it was Xiao Ming Ran who brought him to the Xuan Yao Sect, helping him settle in. Later, it was also Xiao Ming Ran and Shan Fang Yi who teamed up to trap him in that blood formation capable of robbing fortunes!

Blood drips from thin thread onto the formation. Clusters of golden light emerge from within, floating through the blood-red formation, which is then casually absorbed by those standing outside the formation.

Yan Jin Chang clearly remembers the intense pain as if every bone and flesh in his body is being sliced by a thousand knives. Hatred rises in his eyes as he glares at the name on the screen. He quickly thinks of something and turns sharply to look at the man who has already fallen into conflict not far away.

The content displayed on the light screen from this black fragment is the same as the man who is wearing brown clothes in front of him. Not long ago, the man opened the map and chased in his direction.

There was a display showing that the man had exchanged energy points for skills that only water spirit root cultivators possess. There was a corresponding display on his side as well. Now, the basic information displayed on this black fragment.

“Does it imply that the same information exists on the man’s bracelet? Could this person be Xiao Ming Ran?”

But Xiao Ming Ran’s face doesn’t look like that at all! And Yan Jin Chang has never seen Xiao Ming Ran wear such coarse clothing before. 

In his memory, Xiao Ming Ran is someone who pays great attention to his appearance. He spends a long time grooming and dressing every day, and he can’t even stand any dirt. He is completely different from the scruffy man before him!

As the other villagers rush over, the man curses under his breath, not caring that his task is not yet completed, he runs away! Seeing him flee, a group of people immediately curses and chases after him.

The man just claimed to be very strong, yet now he cannot even withstand a few beatings from the villagers. He hasn’t shown the powerful spiritual light Yan Jin Chang saw that day.

“So, it really is because that power doesn’t belong to him?”

Yan Jin Chang has doubts, but considering that this person is coming after him. And he currently has no puppets and his spiritual energy is limited, while the man has this tool to aid him. So he likely won’t be able to handle the man.

The man gets chased far away by the villagers, and the villagers gradually leave. Yan Jin Chang finally emerges from his hiding place, brushes off the dust from his clothes, and re-enters the forest.

The quality of the wood here doesn’t allow him to be too picky. He reluctantly selects some materials and returns to the tree where he rested last night. He thinks that after wandering around for such a long time, that boy should have woken up by now. To his surprise, the boy still hasn’t awakened while lying on the tree.

Not only that, the boy’s forehead and face are covered in sweat, and his face is as pale as paper. The wound on his back has even started to bleed again, clearly showing that the wound has opened up without healing.

Yet, even in his unconscious state, the boy still tightly bites his lip, enduring without making a sound. Yan Jin Chang sets down the wood, re-bandages and treats the boy’s wounds.

The herbal paste applied to the wound is very stimulating, yet the boy doesn’t make any sound at all. If it weren’t for his trembling body, Yan Jin Chang would almost think he was a puppet without any sense of pain.

After enduring the pain from the medication, the medicinal effect kicks in. The boy seems to faint from the pain, lying motionless. Yan Jin Chang checks his breathing and finds he’s still alive. He then lays the boy on the side to continue resting, while he begins to carve the wood he just collected just now.

————————

When the boy wakes up, he sees a wooden puppet moving skillfully under the guidance of several thin threads of spiritual energy. The threads are so thin that they seem like they might scatter with just a gust of wind. Barely visible in the sunlight filtering through the leaves.

The person controlling the puppet is currently looking down, focused on the black puppet in his hands. A slight smile appears on his lips as if he is in a good mood. Sunlight shines through the leaves, casting shadows on his face and seemingly lightening the dark curse mark on his pale complexion.

The dark curse mark extends down to the person’s neck. Unable to resist, the boy looks down until he can no longer see past his clothing. He then averts his gaze. Next, he meets a pair of dark eyes. No… upon closer inspection, those eyes should be deep red. It’s just that the angle makes them less noticeable.

“Cough, cough, cough!” The feeling of being caught staring at someone is a bit awkward. 

To cover his embarrassment, the boy coughs a few times and says: “By the way, I don’t even know your name. My name is An Shao. An for quiet, Shao for youth. What about you?”

Yan Jin Chang replies: “Yan Jin Chang.”

Seeing him start to fiddle with the black puppet again, An Shao asks: “Actually, I watched the whole thing yesterday. Your puppet control technique is very skilled. Have you considered joining any major sect?”

Yan Jin Chang pauses for a moment, then quickly shakes his head: “I’m not interested.”