Such marks were often left by artifact or pill refining grandmasters on their more satisfactory works, or on pieces with special commemorative meaning.
However, they had never seen this particular mark before.
It had to be said that the two of them were very knowledgeable. They were familiar with every artifact refining grandmaster within a radius of several hundred thousand li.
Since that artifact refining grandmaster had his own mark, logically, even if he no longer refined artifacts, what about in the past?
There should be some spirit artifacts or magical treasures he refined circulating outside. How come they had never seen any?
Also, Shuang Chongshan's expression the moment he entered the shop, due to his haste, was not well-controlled and was seen by the two of them.
With their rich experience in killing over the years, they clearly saw a trace of terror in the other's eyes.
They were all too familiar with this kind of terror. It was something that a living being could only emit when faced with an uncontrollable danger.
They were confident they had not been mistaken. It was definitely not the after-fear or surprise of a magical treasure almost being sold.
"What kind of secret does this puppet involve to make this person so terrified? That man is already a Pseudo-Core Realm cultivator. One can imagine what could frighten him!"
Thus, the two cultivators, Ma and Gao, tacitly came to a guess. Later, they even asked if such a puppet could be ordered.
But Shuang Chongshan's reasons, however sufficient, were not beyond their expectations. He definitely couldn't order a puppet for them, and he couldn't name the grandmaster who made it.
When everything aligned with their suspicions, the two were certain that the puppet held an unspeakable secret.
Although they couldn't be sure, just the suspicion was enough to make them pay attention. These desperados were most interested in unexpected windfalls.
Often, such reactions represented a huge fortune.
Next, the two cultivators, Ma and Gao, continuously lowered the other party's guard and slowly got closer to them. All of this was second nature to them.
At the same time, they began to secretly inquire about the meaning of the small mark they had seen.
After spending a considerable amount of spirit stones, they finally got an important clue four years later.
They learned some news at an auction house. The mark was likely an insignia left by the Duye Clan on some of their mid-to-high-level puppets.
The clerk told them that the auction house had once auctioned a Duye Clan puppet that had such a mark on it.
And the branch of the Duye Clan that specialized in puppet mechanism arts had disappeared without a trace for many years.
It was said that because their inheritance included a top-tier artifact refining art called the "Divine Puppet Art," they were coveted, and everyone in that branch was slaughtered. There had been no news of them since.
After getting this information, the two cultivators, Ma and Gao, were ecstatic, feeling they had stumbled upon a fat sheep this time.
To ensure the information they obtained remained a secret, they changed their appearance before each inquiry.
This was to prevent anyone from suspecting them if the matter was ever leaked in the future.
They even took the risk of luring out the auction house clerk who gave them the information and killing him.
After that, they spent more than ten years interacting with Shuang Chongshan and his family, never showing any flaws.
And in those dozen or so years, they finally managed to track down another matter.
They finally saw Shuang Lianzhou fighting someone on one occasion, and that time, Shuang Lianzhou was not using the "Crystal Snow Jade Spider" puppet they had seen before.
It was a "Three-legged Green Luan," and from his control over it, it was clear that it was his natal magical treasure.
They clearly remembered Shuang Chongshan saying that the "Crystal Snow Jade Spider" puppet was bought for his son to use as his natal magical treasure.
"They have more than one mid-level puppet, yet he said that man treasures his lifespan and no longer refines for others!"
The two cultivators, Ma and Gao, sneered inwardly. It was clear that they had refined these puppets themselves.
And it wasn't until after the incident that Shuang Lianzhou realized his impulsive decision had been a fatal mistake that nearly brought ruin to his family and invited a catastrophe.
He had been exceptionally excited after successfully refining the "Crystal Snow Jade Spider." It was his first time refining a mid-level puppet.
But if he were to use it himself, this puppet wasn't what he wanted. However, for his Qi Condensation stage wife, her cultivation wasn't yet sufficient, but it would be an excellent choice for her in the future.
So, in his excitement, and thinking that this treasure could be gifted to his wife later, he went against Shuang Chongshan's wishes.
He secretly carved a tiny mark in a hidden spot on one of the "Crystal Snow Jade Spider's" legs.
This was a proof in the Duye Clan that one could officially refine mid-level puppets, a mark that only those who reached this level had the right to leave.
Shuang Chongshan had warned him many times before not to carve the family mark on any puppet in the future.
But at that time, Shuang Lianzhou was not only excited, but the teachings he had received since childhood were also deeply ingrained in his mind.
In his lineage, clan members took pride in who could carve the family mark on a puppet in the shortest amount of time.
Under the strain of his over-consumed Divine Sense, his consciousness had become somewhat blurred. This inherited concept, ingrained in his blood since childhood, combined with the thought of gifting this treasure to his wife, led him to subconsciously carve the mark.
But afterward, he actually forgot about it.
In his haste at the time, Shuang Chongshan couldn't inspect the puppet as carefully as the cultivator Ma, who was looking to buy it.
With a quick scan of his Divine Sense, Shuang Chongshan confirmed it was his son's creation and put it away.
Later, when he took the "Crystal Snow Jade Spider" to question Shuang Lianzhou, Shuang Lianzhou still didn't remember that he had carved the family mark on it.
Although the puppet his son refined was of decent quality, to Shuang Chongshan, it was still very crude.
It was like a famous chef seeing a dish his apprentice made, which the apprentice thought was good, but in the chef's eyes, the color, aroma, and taste were all lacking. Of course, he would only comment a little and not taste it carefully. Plus, Shuang Chongshan had always warned his son about the family mark, so he didn't seriously think Shuang Lianzhou would go against his wishes.
The matter of the family mark was thus overlooked from the very beginning.
Later, after they explained the situation to Ming Ling, Shuang Lianzhou gave the "Crystal Snow Jade Spider" to his wife in advance, letting her perform the blood refinement ritual.
With that, Shuang Chongshan certainly wouldn't go probing his daughter-in-law's natal magical treasure for no reason...
And so the days passed until yesterday, when they faced a life-and-death calamity.
Cultivators walk a path against the heavens, so having offspring is not easy under the laws of the Heavenly Dao.
It wasn't until nearly thirty years after Shuang Lianzhou and Ming Ling became Dao Companions that Ming Ling finally became pregnant. This finally gave the two cultivators, Ma and Gao, the opportunity to make their move.
They knew they were no match for Shuang Chongshan. What's more, although they had never seen Shuang Chongshan's natal magical treasure, even a fool could guess what it was.
Thus, they were even more hesitant to act. They hadn't expected that although Shuang Chongshan had a puppet, he didn't have a natal one. However, this wasn't too far from their guess.
They had been on good terms with Shuang Chongshan for a long time and had finally gained his trust.
But the Shuang father and son had no appetite for food and drink. They were exceptionally cautious. Even the tea they drank daily had to be brewed by their own hands.
So, in their ten-plus years, they never found a single opportunity to poison their food or drink.
After learning that Ming Ling was pregnant, the two cultivators, Ma and Gao, had been planning. When Ming Ling was about to give birth, they finally decided they couldn't wait any longer.
So, they used the excuse that they were going on a long journey and might not be back for a year or two, and wanted to congratulate Shuang Chongshan in advance.
The two men even prepared a lavish gift, which Shuang Chongshan couldn't refuse. He had no choice but to host a banquet for them.
Despite all his precautions, he couldn't guard against a hidden hand. Under a well-laid plan.
Although Shuang Chongshan was still vigilant, he couldn't refuse a cup of wine offered in a toast and was poisoned with "East-Flowing Water."
Even a Golden Core cultivator would have trouble detecting this poison, let alone Shuang Chongshan.
By the time he realized something was wrong, the two cultivators, Ma and Gao, had already revealed their ferocious true colors, demanding that Shuang Chongshan hand over the "Divine Puppet Art."
Only then did Shuang Chongshan realize that these two had known his true identity all along. For so many years, they had just been acting out a grand play.
Furious, he attacked recklessly.
His attack gave the two cultivators a huge scare, and they inwardly rejoiced that they hadn't acted rashly before.
With Shuang Chongshan controlling the giant red tiger and Shuang Lianzhou assisting him, they fought so fiercely that the two men were drenched in sweat, constantly dodging their sharp attacks.
But it didn't last long. The poison in Shuang Chongshan soon worsened, and his combat power plummeted. The situation was instantly reversed, and Shuang Chongshan could only fight while retreating.
Seeing that there was no hope of escape, Shuang Chongshan used all his remaining strength to trap the two men, trying to let Shuang Lianzhou and Ming Ling escape first.
Li Yan naturally knew what happened next.
After finishing his story, Shuang Chongshan performed a grand bow.
"Senior, could you please let Lianzhou and his wife go? To you, they are completely insignificant."
"I will take you to retrieve the 'Divine Puppet Art' manual now. I have hidden it in a certain place. If Senior fears that this little old man is lying, you can perform a soul-search now for verification. I only hope that you will not make things difficult for them afterward."
"After all, Ming Ling is also a human cultivator and a junior. It is better to demolish a bridge than to break up a marriage. This is a common saying among your human race!"
With that, Shuang Chongshan prostrated himself on the ground.
Li Yan remained silent for a moment, making it impossible for others to know what he was thinking. On the side, Shuang Lianzhou's fists were clenched tightly.
Ming Ling sensed the abnormal spirit power in her husband. The sorrow in her eyes deepened, and she held onto him tightly.
With tears streaming down her face, Ming Ling also knelt with a thud.
"Senior, for the sake of this little woman also being human, please don't…"
Just then, Li Yan suddenly raised his hand.
Shuang Chongshan, kneeling on the ground, sensed the movement. He let out a long sigh inwardly and closed his eyes.
But Shuang Lianzhou had already broken free from his wife's grasp, taking a step forward with bloodshot eyes.
He couldn't just watch his family member be soul-searched. That was the most extreme torture in the world. But just as he took a step, Li Yan's gaze swept over him.
With just one glance, Shuang Lianzhou felt himself pinned to the spot by an irresistible force.
This force instantly shattered the courage he had just mustered. He felt as insignificant as an ant before the other man.
And the hand that Li Yan had raised generated a force that lifted Shuang Chongshan up.
Shuang Chongshan, with his eyes closed, felt even greater fear, knowing that in the next moment, the man's large hand would cover his head. He had seen his own elders perform soul-searches on others before.
"When did I ever say I wanted your inheritance art?"
Li Yan spoke softly. His words made Shuang Chongshan's body tremble violently. His eyelids fluttered a few times before snapping open.
Then, what met his sight was the green-robed youth who had already withdrawn his hand and placed it behind his back, looking at him calmly, his gaze as placid as water, without a single ripple!