Urban Invincible Overlord

After a conversation with Qin Yanyang, Yang Fei stepped outside and found Gan Qian waiting for him.

Seeing Yang Fei come out, Gan Qian approached with a smile.

Yang Fei nodded to him and greeted, "Brother Gan, sorry to keep you waiting."

Gan Qian laughed and said, "Not at all, I just arrived a while ago. Daoist Yang, have you really decided to refine those four from the Great Dao Sect and the Flame Moon Sect into puppets? Once a puppet is successfully refined, it's irreversible, and these two will become complete marionettes, unable to recover their consciousness and soul.

Yang Fei nodded and said, "I did originally plan to refine them completely into puppets, but just now my wife advised me otherwise, so I'll let it go."

Upon hearing this, Gan Qian also sighed in relief, nodding as he said, "That's good. The Flame Moon Sect and the Great Dao Sect are two-star sects in the Southern Domain, each with Divinity Transformation experts. Even if those experts don't act, their sects have several Nascent Soul ancestors who frequently move outside. Refining these two into puppets would completely offend the Flame Moon Sect and the Great Dao Sect, making future relations between them difficult to reconcile."

Yang Fei chuckled and said, "I'm not afraid of offending the Flame Moon Sect and the Great Dao Sect, it's just that my wife is right; I'm neither a demon nor a rampant killer, there's no need to create more slaughter."

Gan Qian silently nodded; Lingxiao Sect is also a renowned and upright sect, and as a disciple of Lingxiao Sect, his values are relatively righteous, and he agreed with Yang Fei's words.

"Since Daoist Yang doesn't need the puppetry technique, I shall take my leave. If you need anything in the future, feel free to ask." Gan Qian said.

Yang Fei hurriedly said, "Don't go yet; since you're here, Brother Gan, why not tell me about the puppet refining technique first."

Gan Qian saw his interest in this art and said, "Very well. However, puppetry in the Cultivation World is considered an unorthodox path. Daoist Yang, with your top-grade Spirit Root and excellent talent, it is best not to invest your thoughts in these unorthodox paths, lest it hinders your understanding and cultivation of the Great Dao."

Yang Fei gave him a grateful look and said, "Thank you, Brother Gan, for the reminder. I will distinguish between priorities, rest assured."

Gan Qian said, "Indeed, Daoist Yang has a firm mind and will certainly not go astray."

Immediately, Gan Qian explained the detailed steps of refining puppets to Yang Fei, who listened intently, raising questions wherever he didn't understand, and Gan Qian explained patiently.

By the time night fell and stars and the moon were high, Yang Fei had fully grasped the basic knowledge of puppetry.

"Though puppetry is an unorthodox path, its intricacies are many. To truly master this magic would still consume considerable energy and time," Yang Fei sighed.

Gan Qian nodded and said, "Indeed, among our fellow brothers and sisters, it is only I who has a keen interest in puppetry. From the day I was introduced to it, I have been researching this path for more than fifty-seven years, and only three years ago did I barely step into the threshold of a second-rank Puppet Master."

Yang Fei admired, "Brother Gan has invested much energy into studying puppetry for decades, yet you haven't fallen behind in cultivation. It's truly impressive."

Gan Qian chuckled wryly, "Compared to Brother Yang and Daoist Qin, my talent is not worth mentioning. However, the elders of my sect have often advised me to give up puppetry and focus on the Dao of cultivation. Yet, I am so fascinated by puppetry that I find it difficult to let go, and over the years, I've been unable to concentrate fully on cultivation, which is a disappointment to my sect's expectations."

Yang Fei laughed heartily and said, "In this life, being carefree and at ease is most important. If immortality makes us live like soulless creatures, with no joy and emotions to constrain, that kind of immortality would be utterly uninteresting."

Gan Qian's eyes sparkled, feeling a kindred spirit, and he laughed, "Exactly, in my view, cultivating immortality is to pursue freedom and not be bound by anything. Yet nowadays, the people of our Cultivation World, in pursuit of the Great Dao, have to learn to sever all emotions from the day they leave home. Even when joining a sect for cultivation, after reaching a certain Realm, the relationship with the sect is more of mutual cooperation, more like a transaction, devoid of heartfelt emotions. The Great Dao is ruthless."

"If people have no emotions, can they still be considered human?" Yang Fei asked.

Gan Qian agreed deeply, nodding, "Indeed, so I often ponder whether our pursuit of immortality is right or wrong."

Yang Fei pondered in silence.

Gan Qian was also silent.

After a long time, Gan Qian wryly smiled and said, "Sorry to have made you laugh, Daoist Yang. I, Gan Qian, can never become a true Immortal in this life. For me, cultivating immortality is to cultivate freedom, and raising one's Realm is merely to enhance my abilities, to be able to say no to more power and injustice."

Yang Fei solemnly expressed his respect, clasping his fists sincerely, "Well said, Brother Gan. In cultivating immortality, achieving immortality is undoubtedly good, but as long as we haven't completely severed our emotions and relations, as long as we have feelings, we are flesh-and-blood people. We must not lose our human nature, thus our cultivation is to be with a clear conscience, and to be able to say no to power and injustice once strong."

Gan Qian looked at Yang Fei with fervent eyes, and after a long time, he couldn't help but remind, "Daoist Yang, in the Cultivation World, it's survival of the fittest, power is ubiquitous. For Earth's cultivators wanting to protect this land completely from being invaded by the Cultivation World, it's as difficult as ascending to heaven."

Yang Fei nodded, "I know. My wife reminded me of this just now."

Gan Qian said, "In that case, you must plan ahead."

Yang Fei said, "Indeed, that's why I can't refine these people from the Great Dao Sect and the Flame Moon Sect into puppets. Offending these two sects to the death, I would have to solely rely on collaboration with Lingxiao Sect in the Southern Domain, and if Lingxiao Sect were to turn hostile then, I would have no retreat."

Gan Qian smiled awkwardly.

"Brother Gan, do you think Lingxiao Sect would agree if I propose to collaborate with them?" Yang Fei asked.

Gan Qian remained silent for a long time, finally sighing and shaking his head, "In the eyes of Lingxiao Sect's high-ups, Earth does not qualify to cooperate with Lingxiao Sect. The only way for Earth to coexist peacefully with Lingxiao Sect is to submit to the Southern Domain's various forces."

Yang Fei silently clenched his fists.

Why?

He was unwilling, and even more defiant.

But he knew very well that Gan Qian was speaking the truth.

To the major sects and aristocratic families of the Southern Domain, Earth is too weak, it has no qualifications to talk about cooperation, only submission.

But once submitted, would Earth's cultivators still have any future?

All of Earth's cultivation resources would be seized by various forces from the Southern Domain, and the resources left for Earth's cultivators would be pitifully small.

After chatting with Gan Qian for a long time, Gan Qian finally bid farewell and left.

Yang Fei sat alone on the grass outside the house, pondering the path ahead.

If possible, he wanted to stay peacefully on Earth, going nowhere, steadily growing, leading those suitable for cultivation on Earth into a Cultivation Civilization, and opening a new era for Earth.

But the large Cultivation World of the Southern Domain would not let Earth remain peaceful.

After an unknown amount of time, he took out the Soul Binding Rope.

With a thought, his Divine Sense probed the situation inside the Soul Binding Rope.

Inside, there were seven Primordial Spirit Consciousnesses.

Sun Lei's was the weakest, almost collapsing and dissipating.

The Primordial Spirit Souls of Chai Xun, Xiang Yuncong, and the other four Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Flame Moon Sect and Great Dao Sect were also inside, their spirits much weakened after such prolonged torment.

"I'll ask you one last time: Are you willing to submit and swear allegiance?" Yang Fei communicated with the Divine Soul Consciousness of the seven, asking them.