Chapter 64: Light and Shadow
Chapter 64: Light and Shadow
“How about becoming my last disciple?”
These words made everyone present speechless.
Fan Wen, the top Puppeteer master of Dawn Cliff, a 7th-grade Puppeteer, took the initiative to accept a disciple?
Beside them, Chen Deng felt a complicated mix of emotions in his heart. He was a descendant of the puppet family “Threaded Doll” Chen Clan. Though not the most talented, when he apprenticed under Fan Wen, he had undergone nine tests, going through countless hardships.
How could this boy in front of him make Fan Wen open his doors so easily?
He felt a slight imbalance in his heart, but he also understood. The “Five-Tone Viscera” and the “Human Cannon” both showed ingenious creativity. It was enough to see this young man was brilliant, with countless strategies hidden in his chest.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
Li Yi smiled bitterly. This sentence caused the quiet hall to erupt in an uproar.
Good heavens, Master Puppeteer Fan Wen personally offered to take a disciple, and this person actually refused?
Was he foolish or arrogant? Were there really such idiots in this world?
“Master Fan, you might be disappointed. My talent is mediocre, I am not suited to be a Puppeteer.” Li Yi smiled bitterly and explained softly, “My mana control is utterly terrible!”
As he spoke, he raised his index finger. A flame of mana flickered at his fingertip.
They saw this mana flame, as if convulsing, growing large and small, twitching and rolling. After a few breaths, it went pop and burst apart.
Seeing this, some people around felt schadenfreude, some felt pity, but most experienced a feeling that “Heaven is fair,” and their hearts felt much more balanced.
“Mana control? That’s not a problem! Just the solutions I know number more than ten!” Upon hearing this, Fan Wen’s eyes instead filled with even more appreciation. He smiled and said, “Moreover, I saw your hands are as steady as mountains! This is a talent that cannot be exchanged!”
“More importantly,” he glanced at Chen Deng, clearly with an intent to warn and instruct, “a mind that knows how to study and delve is something that no treasure, no miraculous pill, can ever exchange for! Your inspiration is definitely not casually plucked. Even if others saw the ‘Master of Melody’ with their own eyes, they would at most sigh a couple of times. But you, you can transform it into Armed Equipment and puppets! This is what a Puppeteer needs most—thought.”
The crowd did not expect Fan Wen’s evaluation to be so high. Their expressions all changed dramatically.
They were expecting Li Yi to take the graceful way out. Unexpectedly, his reply once again shocked everyone.
“Still can’t,” Li Yi showed an apologetic expression and said with a bitter smile, “I am Master Wu Yi’s disciple. Though not an official disciple, I cannot disrespect my teacher and change masters casually.”
“I see…” Fan Wen felt somewhat disappointed.
“However,” Li Yi changed the subject. He also knew it was beneficial to leave a path open, “Master Wu Yi and I have a one-year agreement. There are still three months left now. If after three months I still cannot draw magic runes, I will be expelled from his tutelage. At that time, I wonder if…”
“My promise is never taken back!” Fan Wen waved a hand. Though his clothes were tattered, he actually had an aura of rugged heroism, “Whenever you figure it out, go to the Thousand Threads Pavilion. The position of my ‘second disciple’ is always reserved for you!”
“Thank you, Master Fan Wen!” Li Yi bowed in thanks. Being valued by someone, to be honest, he couldn’t help but feel moved in his heart.
“Your design drafts, are they still around?” Fan Wen dressed untidily but was definitely not a careless person. Naturally, he did not forget the “Five-Tone Viscera.”
“They are, right here!” Those drafts happened to be held by Zhao Qin. She quickly and respectfully handed them over.
“You can give this draft to me, right?” Fan Wen took it, glanced over it a few times, rolled it up, and put it away.
“Of course!” Li Yi nodded quickly, then slightly leaned his head forward, “But… when you receive something from someone, shouldn’t there be a return gift?”
“You little rascal, you know how to bargain? Go ahead, what have you got your eye on? Magic Crystals, or Meditation Art?” Fan Wen chuckled with surprise. He was appreciating this kid more and more, wishing he could just grab him by force and drag him back to the Thousand Threads Pavilion.
“Neither,” Li Yi shook his head, leaning forward, “Master Fan Wen, your eye technique is pretty good…”
“Eye technique? You little scoundrel, you’ve made a good calculation!” Upon hearing this, Fan Wen was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, “Fine, I’ll give it to you as the return gift!”
He waved his hand. A bamboo scroll tumbled a few times and landed in Li Yi’s hand.
“This technique is called ‘Dawnlight Eyes’! When cultivating, you not only need to wash your eyes with the first light of dawn every day, you also need the cooperation of thirty-six secret medicines!” Fan Wen chuckled, tempting him, “Without the secret medicines, the cultivation effect is half the result for twice the effort! These secret medicines, coincidentally, I have quite a few prepared in my Thousand Threads Pavilion… Kid, not considering it?”
“Master Fan Wen, I’m not a casual person…” Li Yi’s face showed shyness. In his heart, he added, When I get casual, I’m not human.
…
Just after returning to the Meditation Chamber, a knocking sound thudded at the door. Not surprisingly, it was Zhao Xu.
“I’m here to fulfill the agreement,” he looked grateful, grabbing Li Yi’s hand and not letting go, forcing something into his grasp, “This is yours now! Inside, there are three thousand White Crystals, the design sketch for the ‘Snake-Hair Hunter Type II,’ and—the Reverse Halberd.”
“A Sumeru Ring?” Li Yi lowered his head, looking at the ring, his eyes astonished, “This is not part of our agreement!”
Forget about the puppet Reverse Halberd, just this Sumeru Ring with a ten-meter square storage space was worth more than three thousand White Crystals! Moreover, Zhao Xu’s words implied he didn’t even want the sketch for the “Snake-Hair Hunter Type II” anymore!
“Now, I’m already Master Ironface’s last disciple. These things are actually quite meaningless to me…” Zhao Xu saw Li Yi’s doubt, “To be honest, the help you gave me is ten times more valuable than these material possessions I’m giving you! Actually, I got the better deal.”
“Well then, thank you.” Finding it hard to refuse such kindness, Li Yi also stopped being polite and put the Sumeru Ring on his finger.
“The spiritual imprint on this ring has already been erased by me. You just need to add your own spiritual imprint.” Zhao Xu demonstrated. He actually had another Sumeru Ring, likely bestowed by Ironface.
The two chatted for a while longer, having a pleasant conversation before Zhao Xu left.
After a while, another person came to visit. Outside the door, it was actually the little fatty Yuan Ang.
His eyes were sharp, and he immediately spotted the storage ring on Li Yi’s hand. Involuntarily, his eyes dimmed a little, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
“Big Brother Li Yi, I came to thank you.” Yuan Ang said, his face involuntarily turning red, “I know, with my talent, how could I possibly catch Master Lu Yin’s eye? I only could because I participated in making the ‘Five-Tone Viscera’… Being able to become Master Lu Yin’s disciple, to put it bluntly, it’s all thanks to you, Big Brother Li Yi.”
“Not at all, you yourself are a Puppeteer with good potential.” Hearing these words, Li Yi felt even more favorable towards the little fatty.
“But, I’m only an Outer Manor Disciple now, penniless and with nothing to repay you with.” Yuan Ang’s face grew redder and redder, “I can only give you a promise. No matter when, as long as you need me, I will brave any danger without batting an eye.”
As he spoke, his emotions became somewhat stirred up.
After seeing Yuan Ang off, Li Yi sat quietly alone and couldn’t help but smile.
This little fatty really was someone it was hard to dislike.
Hardworking, diligent, complaint-free, and he knew how to be grateful.
Quite the opposite of another fatty.
Suddenly, Li Yi thought of Wang Sheng.
Lately, the business of “Ordinary Man’s Demon Cultivation Journey” was booming more and more, and it was becoming harder and harder to see him.
He wasn’t afraid that Wang Sheng would embezzle his gold coins. On the surface, he was fat, lazy, and stingy, but after spending some time together, he discovered Wang Sheng had standards and pride in his heart, and his standards were quite high.
They hadn’t interacted much, but he felt that inside this fatty’s heart lay a sleeping lion, definitely not as incompetent as he seemed on the surface. Moreover, he had participated in the “Blood-Stained Trial.” From what Li Yi knew, that was something only the Manor’s elite talents were allowed to join!
Just as he was thinking, the Voice-Transmission Array lit up.
“Wang Sheng, I was just thinking of looking for you!” Li Yi activated the array and said with a laugh.
“Is that Boss Li Yi?” The voice that responded was timid.
“Little Stone?” Li Yi said.
Little Stone was a helper hired by the fatty. Li Yi had only met him a few times, his impression not deep. He just felt he was a steady and reliable little guy.
A Voice-Transmission Array was also set up at the Land of Light and Shadow to deal with sudden situations.
“Boss, the Land of Light and Shadow, it’s been smashed up!”
A voice tinged with sobs came through.
“What? I’m coming right away!” Li Yi frowned and said coldly.