Chapter 186: Puppeteer Master
Seeing the materials meticulously arranged across the table, Su Tianhao couldn't help but smile with quiet satisfaction.
"This is it." He turned to Master Shen Bao. "Prepare the furnace—we're going to heat and purify the materials first."
Master Shen Bao exhaled. "Once we begin, there's no going back."
"Start the furnace already," Su Tianhao said flatly, waving a dismissive hand.
"Tch. Bastard," Master Shen Bao muttered under his breath—too quiet for most ears. But Su Tianhao was not most people. His bloodline-enhanced senses caught every syllable without effort.
He just smiled.
"You'll see."
---
Master Shen Bao completed his final preparations and took his position before the massive black furnace at the center of the forge. Once satisfied, he turned toward Shadowfang's broken shards. Nightiron ore was not so easily melted—it could take several hours of sustained effort and disciplined focus. So it was only logical to start with the core material first, ensure perfection there, then move on.
But before he could begin—
"My weapon, my rules." Su Tianhao's voice cut through the forge air like a blade. "Do the Voidtemper Obsidian first."
"But—"
"Just do it. You'll understand later."
Master Shen Bao's jaw tightened. His aura flared dangerously, heat radiating off him in visible waves. "I have had enough of your nonsense! This old man has tolerated you long enough—your only saving grace is Immortal Wei!" He jabbed a thick finger in Su Tianhao's direction. "Fine. I'll follow your mad instructions. And when it all falls apart, don't come crying to me. Experience is the best teacher!"
Su Tianhao remained completely unfazed.
He stepped forward—calm, unhurried—closing the distance between them until he stood directly before the old craftsman. Their eyes met like a bolt of lightning splitting a clear sky. Master Shen Bao held his ground. So did Su Tianhao.
The height difference was impossible to ignore. Master Shen Bao stood at around five feet six—a solid, furnace-built frame, but modest in stature. Su Tianhao, transformed by weeks of cultivation and the dragon vein awakening, now stood closer to six feet three. The gap between them was as clear as heaven and earth.
Neither backed down.
Then, almost abruptly, Su Tianhao's lips curved into the faintest smile.
"Good," he said simply. "Don't interfere with my side of things and just focus on your work." The smile turned playful. "Who knows—you might even gain something from this."
"Hmph!"
Master Shen Bao snorted, spinning away toward the furnace. He grabbed the Voidtemper Obsidian and crossed the forge floor without another word.
The furnace stood ready—coal and carefully arranged fire wood stacked with practiced precision, waiting only for a single spark. He drew a match from his storage ring and struck it against the rough stone edge of the workbench.
It ignited instantly.
With a clean, practiced motion, he tossed it into the wood.
VROOOM!
The furnace erupted into a roaring blaze, orange and gold light flooding the forge.
"I hope you're mentally prepared," Su Tianhao's voice came from behind. "This could take days. Maybe even a full week."
Master Shen Bao sneered without turning around. "You really do underestimate this old man. Two days at most—maybe less, if everything comes crumbling sooner than expected." He added that last part with pointed mockery.
Silence.
Su Tianhao didn't respond. He simply folded his arms and observed.
Master Shen Bao huffed triumphantly before turning to the furnace that was now burning like a raging inferno.
It was clear the fire wood was not ordinary, but a special kind of spirit wood known as Flameheart Pine.
Flameheart Pine was famous among master craftsmen for its ability to produce an extremely stable, high-temperature flame that could burn for days without weakening. Its dense, crimson-veined wood contained natural fire essence, making it perfect for melting even the most stubborn materials like Nightiron Ore.
Master Shen Bao nodded in satisfaction at the rising heat waves.
His expression turned serious. He extended his spiritual energy outward, using it as a projection to carry the Voidtemper Obsidian. Then, with measured precision, he guided it slowly into the heart of the furnace.
The moment it entered, the flames wrapped around it—as if drawn by an insatiable will to consume.
Su Tianhao watched with narrowed eyes. 'There must be an array beneath the furnace, guiding the flames inward.' His gaze sharpened further. '...And that ability—moving objects with spiritual Qi. That's useful. I'll keep it in mind.'
Just then, Master Shen Bao's aura shifted. It became hotter, fiercer, more volatile—pressing against the forge air like a gathering storm.
Before Su Tianhao could fully process the change, wisps of deep fiery-red energy began pouring from the old craftsman's hands and flowing directly into the flames.
The moment it made contact—
ROOOAR!
The fire surged to life with a sound like a living thing awakening. In that instant, it no longer looked like something burning. It felt controlled. Purposeful. Alive.
"Advanced Fire Force!" Su Tianhao's eyes went wide.
Elemental force was the defining milestone that separated the cultivated strength from true power—the breakthrough threshold every Peak-stage Martial Soul Realm expert had to cross before they could step into the Martial Master Realm. But comprehending elemental force did not mean complete elemental mastery. It granted the ability to wield elemental Qi that reflected the nature and qualities of a chosen element—and the stronger that force, the more powerful the resulting Qi, until the practitioner could conjure the element itself from nothing.
There were four main levels of elemental force, each corresponding to a stage of cultivation within the Martial Master Realm. Early-stage Martial Masters typically comprehended low-level elemental force. Middle-stage, intermediate. Late-stage, advanced. Only Peak-stage Martial Masters normally reached peak-level elemental force.
Master Shen Bao stood at the 1st level Martial Master Realm.
Yet the force he wielded was advanced.
Su Tianhao couldn't contain his shock. "You... how do you cultivate?"
"Hmph!" Master Shen Bao snorted with a smug smile, his voice carrying obvious pride. "Now you can see this old man's greatness!"
"I don't understand—with your comprehension of advanced fire force, you could have reached the late-stage of Martial Master Realm easily. How are you still in the early-stage?"
Master Shen Bao shrugged without breaking his focus on the furnace. "I've been too busy with my craft to bother with cultivation. I only paid attention to fire force because it helped me advance my work."
"..."
"Speechless, I see." His smile widened. "Now if you'll excuse this old man and his foggy bones—I have work to do."
Su Tianhao watched quietly as the deep red fire Qi continued flowing into the flames, giving Master Shen Bao complete command over every tongue and wave within the furnace.
'Impressive,' Su Tianhao thought, brows drawing together. 'But not enough. At this level, he can only bring out what low-quality materials are said to be capable of. His technique has its ceiling. Only by offering my guidance can I elevate low-quality inferiority to peak-quality standard.'
Under ordinary circumstances, with his level of expertise, Su Tianhao could have attempted the upgrade himself. But the law of the craft was absolute—one had to reach Martial Core Realm before they could become a true Weapon Craftsman. Even the Eternal Heavenforge Genesis could not bypass that. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a way to participate.
"I'm about to activate my technique," Su Tianhao said calmly, positioning himself directly behind Master Shen Bao. "Follow my lead. Don't resist me."
"Understood."
Master Shen Bao gave a single approving nod, his full focus remaining on the flames.
Su Tianhao's hands moved—complex seals forming between his fingers with blinding speed, too fast for the eye to follow. Strange incantations left his lips in a low, precise murmur.
"Veyr'kahl... Thren'sol... Mor'sei..."
Whoosh!
His spiritual energy surged. Without warning, he placed both hands flat against Master Shen Bao's back and let his energy flow inward.
Master Shen Bao's body reacted immediately—instinct driving his defenses to rise against the foreign intrusion. Su Tianhao's calm voice sounded at once, telling him to relax.
Master Shen Bao exhaled slowly and stood down, returning his attention to the Voidtemper Obsidian as it glowed deeper within the furnace's heart.
Su Tianhao guided his energy carefully through the profound pathways outlined in the Eternal Heavenforge Genesis. The moment he felt himself connecting to Master Shen Bao's meridians, he closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.
In the next heartbeat, the old craftsman's entire inner structure appeared in his mind's eye—vivid, detailed, mapped with perfect clarity.
"It's time."
His golden eyes snapped open.
Two sparks of yellow ember ignited within their golden depths—beautiful, mystical, almost otherworldly. Unfortunately, neither Su Tianhao nor Master Shen Bao could see it.
But in that moment, Su Tianhao had taken complete control.
Master Shen Bao's energy flow. His meridians. His very neurones. All of it—under Su Tianhao's command. He could do anything from here: guide the energy, redirect it, or cause devastating damage—shatter the dantian, trigger Qi deviation, fracture meridians beyond repair.
The perfect Puppeteer Master.
The Marionette Sovereign Art was one of the methods bound to the First Stage of the Eternal Heavenforge Genesis—the Heavenly Creation Art. As its name implied, it granted full control over a person's body and Qi. It was a forbidden craftsmanship technique, once used by the Abyssal Puppet Sect to create powerful human puppets, living weapons, and sinister artifacts.
Its only limitation: the target had to be dead for the technique to reach its absolute potential. It controlled body and Qi—not the soul. A living target retained free will, and resisting meant risking damage to their own foundation, but they could still live. However, once that target became a corpse, the technique became absolute.
'Luckily I'm not one of those sinister bastards from the Abyssal Puppet Sect,' Su Tianhao thought, something between dry amusement and genuine relief passing through his mind. 'I just need to offer guidance and get this done.'
If Master Shen Bao had offered this opening to someone with ill intentions, today might have been his last. By allowing Su Tianhao in, he had surrendered his final window of resistance. Struggling now could damage his foundation, regress his cultivation, or cripple him entirely.
And he could feel it.
Cold sweat broke across Master Shen Bao's broad forehead as the full weight of what he had permitted settled over him. He forced himself to stay still. Perfectly, carefully still. He could only imagine what kind of terrifying backlash a struggle would bring.
'Heavens—what have I gotten myself into!' he cried inwardly, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Relax."
Su Tianhao's voice came quiet and even from behind him—calm and unhurried, carrying none of the sharpness it had held. "It's a delicate process, but I need you to concentrate. I won't let anything bad happen to you."
The reassurance, somehow, made it worse. Master Shen Bao's panic spiked. His control over the flames wavered for a dangerous instant.
Then—
A vivid purple light bloomed through the forge, flooding every corner in its ethereal radiance.
The effect was immediate. The anxiety drained from Master Shen Bao like water from an uncorked vessel. His perception sharpened. His mind went crystal clear. His confidence returned—full and steady, as though it had never left.
He swallowed hard. "...What is happening?"
"Have you heard of the Ethereal Mind Crystal?" Su Tianhao asked quietly.
"Of course this old man has heard of it—that priceless treasure that walked out from the Island of Illustrious Death!"
"Good. Then I don't need to explain." Su Tianhao set the crystal carefully on the floor beside him. "You have nothing to fear. Focus on your work."
Master Shen Bao exhaled—long and slow. When his eyes opened again, something had settled in them. A quiet, hard-edged resolve that hadn't been there before.
"I'll start guiding you now."
Su Tianhao began.
He moved through Master Shen Bao's energy with the careful, deliberate precision of the Marionette Sovereign Art—threading through pathways, aligning flows, until he reached the deep reservoir of advanced fire force and took hold of it completely. No resistance. No friction.
What came out of it was something neither of them had ever produced before.
The fire Qi that flowed into the furnace was dense, refined, and purer than anything Master Shen Bao had ever achieved alone. It moved with a precision that felt less like force and more like intention—every flame bending exactly where it needed to go.
"This—" Master Shen Bao breathed, barely above a whisper. "It feels like I've comprehended Peak-level fire force."
"It might not be so far from the truth," Su Tianhao said.
'The puppet always becomes stronger under a worthy puppeteer,' he thought, something between satisfaction and a wry smile passing through him.
Master Shen Bao was naturally oblivious to that thought. He almost asked—but stopped himself. Now wasn't the time. And deep down, he already knew Su Tianhao wouldn't tell him even if he did.
The fire roared with renewed intensity under Su Tianhao's guidance—hotter, denser, purer, more controlled than any flame the forge had ever produced. Within minutes, the Voidtemper Obsidian was already showing the first signs of yielding—its pitch-black surface beginning to glow at the edges.
Master Shen Bao's eyes reflected the fire, wide and unblinking.
'What kind of sorcery is this!' he cried inwardly.