The moment Qichen responded, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared in front of them. He had a slightly better-than-average appearance, with waist-length black hair that gleamed under the light. His back was ramrod straight like a spear, and his hands were placed calmly behind him, giving off an aura of quiet power and unwavering discipline.
Qichen blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected the puppet to look so human-like—so lifelike.
"Xiao Yu, is this really a puppet?" Qichen asked silently, his thoughts directed inward.
"Yes, Master," Xiao Yu responded promptly. "It's a puppet with its own consciousness. However, it is one hundred percent loyal to you."
Qichen nodded thoughtfully, absorbing that information.
The moment the puppet laid eyes on Qichen, he immediately dropped to one knee and offered a respectful salute. His posture, which had been firm and rigid like a spear, bent toward Qichen with deference.
"Master!" the man said, cupping his hands. His voice held the unshakable steadiness of a mountain—firm, loyal, and deeply respectful.
"Get up," Qichen replied with a smile.
"What is your name?" he asked. While the puppet was autonomous and clearly intelligent, Qichen still needed something to call him.
"Master, I do not have a name," the puppet replied solemnly. "You may bestow one upon me."
Qichen nodded and pondered for a moment. "From now on, you'll be called Tian Hao. You can remain here within the Pagoda. When I need your assistance, I'll call for you."
"Yes, Master," Tian Hao replied without hesitation. His gaze then shifted to the beautiful woman standing beside Qichen.
Suddenly, his pupils constricted. He could not see through her at all. It was as if her presence transcended his comprehension, as though he were facing a being far beyond his qualifications.
"Master… this woman is…?" Tian Hao asked, his tone cautious and awed.
"This is…" Qichen hesitated. He knew she was the spirit of the Pagoda, but he couldn't just blurt that out. Weapon spirits had thoughts, feelings… they deserved respect and names, just like people.
As if reading his mind, the woman smiled knowingly. "Master, you can give me a name too."
"You don't already have one?" Qichen asked, clearly surprised. He had assumed that a powerful spirit like hers would have a name already.
The Pagoda spirit slowly shook her head.
Qichen sighed, a slight headache forming. "How many people do I need to name?" he muttered to himself. First the system, then Tian Hao, and now her. Would this become a regular thing?
After a few seconds of thought, he looked at her. "Alright. From now on, you will be called Ta Ying. What do you think?"
Ta Ying blushed faintly and nodded. "I think it fits me well, Master."
"Good." Qichen let out a sigh of relief. He finally got over that hurdle "This is Ta Ying," he said, turning to Tian Hao. "She's the weapon spirit of the Pagoda we're currently in."
Tian Hao gave a respectful nod of understanding.
"I'll be going out now. I'll be back soon," Qichen said. As the words left his mouth, he disappeared from the Pagoda's internal world.
---
Outside the Pagoda
A dazzling figure in white suddenly materialized in the forest outside. Qichen looked around cautiously. When he saw that no one was nearby, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"Good thing nobody saw me," he murmured. Then he extended his hand.
A beautiful, three-story white pagoda floated into view, slowly hovering toward him.
Qichen scratched his head. "How am I supposed to carry this around?"
The idea of walking around with a literal building was awkward, if not absurd. But just as he was worrying, the white Pagoda glowed softly and vanished—fading seamlessly into his chest like it was never there.
Qichen blinked. "It can do that too?" A smile formed on his lips. "Convenient."
Having settled everything, he adjusted his robes and began walking toward the nearby campsite.
As he approached, the sound of conversation reached his ears.
"Did you hear? A bunch of rare herbs were found deeper inside the mountain range. But a demonic beast is guarding the place!" someone exclaimed.
Qichen paused to listen more closely.
"Yeah," another voice chimed in. "No one dares go near it. They say it's a middle-stage Innate Realm beast."
"Apparently, several cultivators are already staking claims, hoping to snatch the herb garden for themselves."
Qichen's interest was piqued. A garden of herbs? What if he transplanted them into the Pagoda?
The idea struck him with a spark of inspiration. Even though he wasn't an alchemist, that didn't mean he couldn't learn. Having access to such a resource could be invaluable in the long run.
Without hesitation, Qichen trailed after the group of cultivators, blending in silently. From their conversation, he learned that he'd been inside the Boundless Pagoda for a totaal of three days already.
Three days?
He was stunned. He hadn't realized that much time had passed. Most of it must have been spent resting or cultivating.
After a lengthy trek, they finally arrived at their destination.
A crowd of cultivators stood in tense silence around the mouth of a cave. Their eyes were wary, darting at each other with suspicion. Nobody dared step forward, but no one wanted to leave either.
"Ling Quantian!" someone suddenly shouted, breaking the silence. "Do you really think your Ling Mercenary Group is untouchable? You've been blocking this cave for too long! Do you think we won't fight back?"
The man's challenge was aimed at a young cultivator with an average appearance but a haughty air. He stood tall and proud, his followers dressed in matching uniforms beside him.
Qichen moved to a better vantage point to observe the situation.
"Hmph," Ling Quantian sneered. "Do you really dare challenge us? My older brother is inside right now, dealing with the beast. Once he returns with its head and the herbs, then you can try your luck."
The cultivator who had spoken fell silent. He glanced at his allies, but they quickly averted their eyes, unwilling to support him now that it mattered.
Ling Quantian scoffed. "Hmph! Cowards."
Laughter erupted from the Ling Mercenaries, each one raising his chin arrogantly.
"Truly domineering, aren't you?" a mocking voice rang out from the back.
The crowd parted slowly, heads turning to see who had dared interrupt.
Ling Quantian frowned. Who would dare oppose them so openly? Are they reallh courting death?
A group of ten cultivators emerged, all wearing coordinated outfits bearing the symbol of a wolf's head on their left shoulders.
"It's the Wolf Mercenary Group!" someone whispered in shock. "I didn't expect them to return so soon. Weren't they on a mission?"
"There's something you don't know," another whispered excitedly. "The Ling and Wolf Mercenaries are long-time rivals. This could get interesting fast!" His eyes sparkled a little in anticipation of the upcoming fight.
The previously confrontational cultivator smiled wickedly and slipped out of the way, letting the two rival groups face off.
"Lang Feng," Ling Quantian growled, recognizing the leader of the new arrivals. "Don't get cocky. Just because my brother isn't here doesn't mean you can talk down to me."
But as he spoke, his grip on his spear trembled slightly.
Lang Feng noticed the tremble and laughed. "Hahaha! Your brother went in alone to fight a middle-stage Innate Realm beast? What a joke. Even I wouldn't take that risk. What makes him think he's so special?"
"You—!" Ling Quantian's face twisted with fury.
Lang Feng's expression turned cold. "Even I would hesitate to face such a beast alone. What makes your brother think he can handle it solo?"
"Hmph! You don't know," Ling Quantian sneered, puffing up with pride. "My brother recently acquired a yellow-tier medium-grade spiritual weapon. With that, he's more than a match!"
The crowd buzzed with noise at this revelation.
Lang Feng frowned, caught off guard. "That's impossible. How could he get his hands on such a weapon?"
"That's not for a lowlife like you to know," Ling Quantian said, his voice dripping with arrogance. His fellow mercenaries mirrored his disdain.
Lang Feng's frown deepened. Something felt off. Despite their rivalry, he'd never seen the Ling group this confident.
"Look! It's Ling Hui!" someone shouted.
All eyes turned toward the cave entrance.
A man slowly walked out with staggered steps. He wore the same uniform as Ling Quantian, but with golden embroidery—marking him as someone of higher rank.
Blood trailed from the corner of his mouth, and his robes were torn in several places. He clutched a beautiful sword tightly, his grip stubborn despite his weakened state.
"Brother!" Ling Quantian's pride dissolved into panic as he dashed forward to support him. The other Ling mercenaries rushed forward as well.
Lang Feng's laughter echoed through the mountains. "Hahaha! So much for your mighty spiritual weapon. Your brother couldn't even defeat the beast!"
"You—!" Ling Quantian's face turned red with shame and fury. Just moments ago, he had been boasting in front of everyone, and now reality had struck him with a slap.