This creation was amazing. Not to mention the intricated details of every piece on it, even the small parts of the armor were handcrafted and made with details and precision in mind. Whoever made this poured his heart and soul into its creation, and didn't spare a dime. But I'm still not in full understanding of how this whole thing is supposed to work.
But with the many research papers strewn all over the place, and details of further improvement in mind, I could probably pick up where the maker of this thing had stopped.
I would have never even dreamed of trying to fix or finish this product if not for the massive amounts of materials that Master Rain left in this place. He had enough materials to create an entire dozen of these puppets, so I could probably get away with trying to repair this without worrying about lacking materials. The only problem is. How am I going to start, after all, I'll need to know the exact process that Master Rain went through and his end goal?
This all can be done later.
I opened the Poison God's book and the latter sucked in everything in the room, including the puppet and its masks. I'll need to find a separate place to work on this later on.
Just as I claimed the rest of Master Rain's belongings, I felt the force of the world pressing on me to leave, it was far more powerful than before, and I feared that I'll be obliterated if I didn't leave soon.
"Shen Bao, your time has come to an end here, you should leave." Zhang Tian's words came to me.
"You said that I needed to take a message for your father," I said.
"Don't worry about that, do you remember the time you took a piece of my divine sense?" Zhang Tian said.
"Ah, yes, I still have it…"
"Then release it once you're out of this Lower Celestial real. That divine sense is linked to me, and the moment you broke the lamp formation, I regained a bit of my power, the divine sense itself had grown stronger and now can travel from your planet to my father."
"Right then. I'll release it once I'm out." I replied.
"Also, one more thing, that piece of Saint Crystal, for me personally, as a prince, I could have many of it if I so wish to, but that doesn't mean it's not of value in my own realm, so beware of the danger you'll face if that piece of Saint Qi were to be seen in your world." Zhang Tian said.
"I'm pretty sure that I'll get hunted if I were to reveal I have something as precious as this, don't worry, I'll keep it hidden," I replied.
"Right then, the Lord of Lords will soon kick you out, you have lasted the most out of everyone so I'm sure he'll reward you handsomely."
"This Lord of Lords, I never knew anything about him, I mean this whole place is a part of his test but who is he?" I asked.
"Even this Prince knows not of that man's origin, but all I know is that he is someone that even my father has to greet personally if he were to come to our Wind Celestial Realm."
"Oh, is that so. Anyway, thank you for the teachings, I'll make sure to practice and grow stronger. I'm sorry I couldn't help release you from this place, I still don't have the strength to do so. At least right now."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure to reward you handsomely once my father comes for me." Zhang Tian said.
Suddenly my vision swam and the Celestial Realm began dissipating. I found myself back at the base of the Lord's Tomb's trial grounds, but there was not a single person around me.
"Did the test finish?" I mumbled.
Suddenly a booming sound echoed in the area. "Cultivator, you have lasted for an entire year inside the Lord's Test."
'a whole year? What the hell? It was only a few days, did I spend that much time in Master Rain's study damn!'
A massive board showed up above me, with it were names written in gold. And the first was surprising, Wu Di, followed by Xiao Lang, and there were a couple of other names I didn't notice.
But, then my name superseded all of them and pushed the rest claiming first place.
"You may take your pick from the treasury of the Lord of Lords. As a person who claimed first place, you may claim three items."
Immediately a door materialized in front of me and I found myself in a massive hall with hundreds of treasure items neatly on display.
Armors, swords, bows, manuals and even flying shuttles. There were so many things that anyone would salivate at the treasures.
I was allowed only three items, it feels rather cumbersome. And I'm at a complete loss at what to choose.
I steadied my mind and calmly looked at the artifacts and treasures.
Protective gear is good and all, but nothing here is comparable to my robe, not that they're low quality, but these items here all require Spiritual Qi to use, and I'm unable to Use Spiritual Qi. So I didn't bother looking a second time.
Flying treasures are the same, with Saint Qi requirement they're useless. Not to mention no weapon here is good enough for me, Creeping Demise is rather adequate and perfect, also I haven't fully unlocked its potential. So there was no need for me to take any weapons.
Sighing I felt depressed.
"You seem hesitant," a person spoke and I almost jumped from fright. Looking back, there was a small kid behind me, he would be easily confused with a cute child that just turned ten if not for its dead eyes and the small seams making its jaw, this was a puppet.
"Are you the treasury's spirit? Or guardian?" I asked.
"Something like that," the puppet replied.
"Right. Well, sadly, nothing here seems to be of interest, I mean, they're good and all, but nothing is really of value to me here."
"I see, but I cannot allow this, as a winner of the Lord's test, you have to leave satisfied. Then how about you follow me." The puppet said.
Another door opened up and from the door, I found myself in a small garden.
The puppet pulled a green jade and waved it in front of him.
Suddenly, a three-story pagoda flew down from the sky and positioned itself neatly on the ground. The pagoda's door opened up revealing its inside.
I was amazed at how this thing was able to fly, not to mention the moment I set foot on it, I was able to understand that this thing was made using space law. Though it looked small, it had a huge interior.
Inside the pagoda were a few rather interesting items.
There were many other treasures there, including an Alchemy Cauldron, a few spiritual fruits that exuded massive amounts of spiritual Qi. There were also some small trinkets, like earrings and a necklace, they seem to be protective treasures. And finally, the most impressive was a piece of Saint Qi crystal. This one however was far smaller than the one inside the Samurai Puppet I had, but nevertheless, it was worth a lot for any cultivator from the planet I'm on.
"Would the treasures here satisfy you?" the kid said.
I looked around and smiled, "Yes, I'll be taking some. The Spiritual Fruit and the Saint Qi crystal."
The kid nodded and waved a hand, causing the two items to float in front of me.
I pocketed them, then waited.
"Then what abut the last item? Would you like the cauldron? I can sense Alchemical remains on you, so you must be a professional alchemist, would you like to take it, it's a ten Thousand Demon Cauldron, it's ranked among the best five hundred cauldrons of the world." The puppet said.
"Oh, no, I can make better with time. I'm more interested in this," I said as I pointed at the ground.
"Euh? The wooden floor?" the puppet didn't understand.
"No, the pagoda itself, I want it," I said grinning.
"…"
"…"
"Could you take something else?"
"Nope. I want the pagoda."
"It's not among the treasures…"
"You clearly said that I'm the winner of this Lord's Test and I can choose three items, I choose the pagoda."
"You're pretty greedy, I can even give you two more items, just choose something else other than the pagoda." The puppet said.
'He is willing to compromise so this actually means that I really have the right to take the pagoda, I was only testing the waters, but damn if I didn't try it I would have missed out.'
"No, I want the pagoda, and if you're not willing to give it, then I'm not even taking the other treasures, this place's owner is really stingy, I mean I spent an entire year where many couldn't and I don't even get to take this little pagoda. Such shame," I said shrugging and turning to leave, even if I had absolutely no idea how to leave.
"Wait! The lord left me with direct instructions…I can't disobey him." the puppet became annoyed, then threw me the jade.
I swiped the jade from the air with my grin full-on display, I won big time.
"So how does this work?" I said as I waved the jade-like the puppet did.
"You're a being of flesh and blood, unlike me, you can take ownership of the pagoda the moment you drop a drop of blood on it."
"Right, then" I bit the tip of my finger, -and that hurt like a motherfucker, how do cultivators even bite at the tip of their tongues is beyond me.-
Then poured the slightly murky, drop of blood on the token.
My blood had yet to become fully red, though my outer appearance was that of a middle-aged man, my blood was still infested with the Bone and Body Grinding poison, another reminder of my impending mortality at the hands of this poison.
Once the blood drop fell on the jade, the jade shone brightly then it shattered, turning to dust.
I immediately felt a connection with the pagoda and myself.
"You obtained the rewards, please leave." The puppet said.
"Euh, you haven't taken the rest of the treasures from the pagoda. I'll wait for you to empty it." I said.
"Oh, no, that's the thing, the pagoda itself was a hidden treasure, the Lord had instructed me if one were to take the pagoda, they will take all that was within it…"
"Oh…you mean."
"Yes, you are entitled to everything, if you had asked for the pagoda first, you would have taken the pagoda and get your pick from two more items from the earlier room."
"Oh, it doesn't really matter," I said as I was ecstatic with joy, "Nothing there was interesting. Thanks!"
A portal opened up and this time it led out of the Lord's Tomb and under the red skies of the Demon lands. I came out a rich man!