It couldn't be transferred. It couldn't be unbound. And if you unbound a Soul Pet, it would simply turn to ash?

The female cultivators were dumbfounded. The male cultivators, who had been sharpening their swords and preparing to shower them with affection, were equally dumbfounded.

Doesn't this mean I have to borrow and repay the money myself to get a Soul Pet? a suitor for the woman with the melon-seed-shaped face thought, completely at a loss. But borrowing money means mining! How damn exhausting would that be?

"What should we do?" he asked aloud.

The woman huffed, deliberately raising her voice for all to hear. "It's no big deal. We can just forget about it. It's only a Soul Pet, what's so great about it?"

"That's right!"

"Forget it, let's go!"

"Who cares?"

A few of the female cultivators turned and started walking toward the door.

Just then...

"Meeewl—"

A soft, impossibly sweet sound suddenly rang out, like an invisible hook that snagged their hearts, souls, and bodies.

That sound... It's so cute!

They couldn't help but turn their heads. They saw Xiao Qingyu's little tiger, which had just rolled over onto its back on the table. It was stretching lazily, its four fluffy paws flailing in the air. The sight was so adorable it was unreal.

"Aaaah! How can it possibly be so cute?"

One of the women who had been about to leave completely lost her composure at the sight. It felt as though her heart was melting. She let out a shriek and immediately joined the queue to borrow money.

Seeing this, the woman with the melon-seed-shaped face stared in shock. "Xiao Yun, you too?"

"I'm sorry, Sister Lan," the "defector" said with an apologetic expression. "This Soul Pet is just too cute... and it's only mining. At most, it'll be a month's work... I can endure it!"

Before she had even finished speaking, several other women who had planned to leave silently broke away and queued up behind her. Once someone took the lead, their already wavering resolve crumbled completely.

Are you kidding me? Who could say no to such an adorable pet? We already hardened our hearts and said no once. Do we really have to do it again? Are we completely heartless?

Two, then three... more and more joined the line.

In the end, only the woman called Sister Lan was left. However, she couldn't hold out for long. The thought of all her friends having their own devastatingly cute Soul Pet while she was the only one without was unbearable. For girls who went everywhere in groups—even to the bathroom—being left out was the worst possible fate.

Besides, the Soul Pet really was that adorable!

If I could cuddle one to sleep at night, I wouldn't trade it for the chance to become an immortal! It's just mining, right? I'll do it!

Gritting her teeth, she resolutely joined the army of borrowers.

---

From the shadows, Wang Xiu observed everything with a satisfied smile.

That's more like it. They're disciples of an Immortal Sect, after all. Even with a few character flaws, their foundations can't be that rotten. The fact that they can be moved by something so pure means there's hope for them yet!

---

Leaving the Spirit Stone Mine, Wang Xiu headed back toward his residence.

Suddenly, the Xuan Light Mirror in his hand lit up. It was a message from Xiao Qingyu.

"Oh, right, about that reward I mentioned," she wrote. "The Immortal Sect has prepared it. Someone will be delivering it to you soon!"

A reward?

Wang Xiu paused, then recalled the incident. Previously, Venerable Yu Jiao and a group of Demon Cultivators had joined forces to attack Limitless City. Because he had relayed intelligence in advance, the city had been successfully defended without a single casualty. Xiao Qingyu had told him back then that the Immortal Sect would prepare a reward for him. But he had been back for so many days that he'd nearly forgotten about it.

I wonder what it could be?

Not long after, Wang Xiu arrived outside his courtyard, where he was surprised to find someone waiting at the gate. It was a woman dressed in red, with a monocle over her left eye. She had brought a small stool from somewhere and was sitting at the entrance, engrossed in tinkering with a puppet that was about half her height.

Wang Xiu had never seen a female cultivator so unconcerned with her appearance. She wore no makeup, and her hair was somewhat disheveled. She had even cut the lower half of her dress off, turning it into a short skirt that reached her knees, exposing her snow-white legs as if she didn't care at all about the stares of others. Despite her unkempt look, her features were delicate and perfect, and her skin was almost unnaturally fair, as if carved from snow.

As Wang Xiu approached, she was using a carving knife to adjust the details of the puppet, completely absorbed in her work. Not wanting to disturb her, Wang Xiu chose to stand aside and watch quietly.

Contrary to her appearance, her movements were meticulous and careful. She switched between the three to five carving knives in her hand with a fluid grace, moving so fast at times that her hands left afterimages. Her space ring seemed to contain an endless supply of materials. Mortise-and-tenon joints, gears... one exquisite component after another was born in her hands, then seamlessly assembled and embedded. Every part fit together perfectly, without the slightest disharmony. This was incredibly satisfying for the perfectionist in Wang Xiu.

She augmented the mechanical parts with a series of tiny yet intricate formations and small but valuable energy crystal cores. Gradually, a canine-shaped puppet began to take form.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Finally, the puppet in the woman's hands was complete. With a gentle tap from her, the wooden puppet's eyes glowed with light. It immediately dropped to the ground and began bounding about like a lively dog, moving with incredible speed. With a powerful leap, it landed on a large boulder nearby, instantly crushing it to pieces.

This puppet... has the strength of a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, at least, Wang Xiu judged.

The young woman stretched her body and yawned. Finally noticing Wang Xiu, she blushed slightly. "Who... are you?"

Wang Xiu smiled and clasped his hands in a polite greeting. "Wang Xiu of the Divination Sect. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sister Mo."

The young woman froze. "You... know me?"

"The chief disciple of the Manipulation Sect, the closed-door disciple of Chief Gongshu, and the Manipulation Sect's number one beauty," Wang Xiu said with a smile. "Of course this junior brother has heard of you."

Mo Wuwei. Chief disciple of the Manipulation Sect, at the Golden Core Stage. It was said that the Manipulation Sect's Chief had spotted her from afar at a recruitment assembly and instantly decided she was the perfect heir to his art of puppetry. Risking a brawl with the other sect chiefs, he had forcibly snatched her away and brought her back to the Manipulation Sect for intensive training. She did not disappoint. At a young age, she surpassed all the other disciples by reaching the fourth level of the Dragon Capture and Phoenix Control Scripture.

The reason she was called the number one beauty of the Manipulation Sect was not only because she was indeed good-looking, but also because... she was the only female disciple in the entire Manipulation Sect.

---

Hearing Wang Xiu's words, a blush crept onto Mo Wuwei's cheeks.

"Greetings, Junior Brother Wang Xiu," she said, standing to return the bow. "I'm sorry, I was too absorbed just now and kept you waiting."

"You're too kind, Sister," Wang Xiu replied with a smile. "It was my honor to witness your craftsmanship firsthand."

Mo Wuwei's face turned even redder. She seems a bit socially anxious and blushes easily. At Wang Xiu's praise, she became tongue-tied. "Th-That's right! My master... asked me to give you something!"

As she spoke, she flipped her palm over. A dark purple wristband appeared in her hand. Wang Xiu took it, feeling its cool, heavy weight. The wristband was covered in dense, intricate runes. A circular plate in the center was engraved with the Five Elements and the eight trigrams, with a Kylin pattern at its very heart. It had a mysterious air about it.

"What is this?" Wang Xiu asked, puzzled.

"Mo Yu Qilin Armor!" Mo Wuwei said.

"Armor?" Wang Xiu repeated, looking at the wristband in his hand. "This is a piece of armor? How do you wear it?"

Mo Wuwei nodded. She glanced at Wang Xiu and said nervously, "First, you do this... then you do that... and after that... it's ready!"

It was clear she rarely interacted with people. She gestured wildly for some time but failed to explain anything.

Wang Xiu sighed. "...Sister, could you perhaps demonstrate for me? I don't quite understand your explanation."

"I'm sorry!" Mo Wuwei's face flushed red again.

After a moment's thought, she stepped forward, took the wristband, and personally slid it onto Wang Xiu's right wrist. Then, she pressed her finger on the Kylin pattern in the center and rotated the Five Elements ring.

K-TCHAK!

In an instant, the wristband flashed with light. Large plates of ink jade extended out from it, transforming into shoulder guards, a chest plate, a face guard, and elbow guards, covering Wang Xiu's entire body without leaving a single spot exposed.

Wang Xiu stared, looking down at his armored hands.

Whoa, am I some kind of armored warrior?

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