Heart Survey

Chapter 2787 Sorrow for Her
Snow fell on the girl's thin shoulders, adorning her dull, short hair.

The snow, imbued with the will of Shushurou to obstruct, was inherently very heavy. It fell like drifting feathers, yet touched like being struck by a hammer. But Xixiangyi remained motionless, quickly transforming into a snowman.

Shu Xiulang has mastered the path of oblivion, and the entire theater is enveloped by his power.

Foreign eyes, seeing the snow, forget everything else.

No living creature within the mansion may leave the circle.

He went to the "Painted Prison" with Gong Weizhang, and Xi Xiangyi, who stayed behind, was also imprisoned.

The city of Qingrui was bustling with noise, and creatures of all races came and went incessantly. Yet they all seemed oblivious to the knife mark left by Gong Weizhang that cleaved the city, completely forgetting their initial horror... as if it were as commonplace as a roadside ditch.

It was a trace deliberately left by Gong Weizhang, but as the audience forgot about it... it gradually disappeared!
"Knowing everything outside, seeking the truth before one's eyes. Heaven and earth in harmony, I am like a snail on the back..."

The snow swirled, and the frosty wind was not gentle. From now on, there will never be a gentle wind again.

Xi Xiangyi murmured and sang in the snow.

This was a rhyme she had memorized since childhood, but strangely, she couldn't remember who she had learned it from. But at that time, her fate was always with her.

Only today did she realize that they had been relying on each other for many years.

“The bones are woven and the wings are strung with ten thousand strings. The tail pillar supports the heavens and commands the direction.”

Today, the singing voices overlap with the clear voices of children.

For some reason, a scene came to her mind.

It was a snowy season, the wind and snow pushing against the door, the wooden gate opening and closing uncertainly. My brother stood outside, as if waiting or gazing at something, his clothes covered in snow just like today. In the distance, in the snowstorm, there seemed to be a blurry figure, or perhaps just the shadow of a tree… and then it all faded into the distance.

"The Mysterious Puppet merges into form, and the hundred bones originate from the heart. The spiritual pivot stirs, and cannot be separated. Limbs and teeth break through barriers, and all things can invade. The seven pieces are now complete..."

The life-stricken creature in his arms was already so cold, with frost forming on its lifeless remains.

She felt her hands were freezing, as if they had lost their body temperature... She paused: "Once the seven are complete, creation will be as it is for man."

Jiang Wang once found it strange that this brother and sister, Xi Ming, was willing to do anything for Xi Xiangyi, yet Xi Xiangyi seemed quite distant from him.

The actor keeps referring to his sister.

When Xi Xiangyi spoke of Xi Ming, she said, "He was a strange fellow."

Because she is very slow to understand emotions.

She couldn't quite understand the bonds between people, and she didn't understand why Xi Ming was so good to her.

But the cold framework woven from twelve thousand "wing strings" eventually warms with the passage of time. The "Spiritual Pivot," constructed three hundred years ago, has become more weathered and profound with the passage of time.

The mortise and tenon joints of the "mysterious puppet" are perhaps a metaphor for the rough edges that are concealed when loving someone. The marrow that meanders from the "spine spiral" into the soul is, in fact, composed of the same substance as tears…

Holding the broken puppet that claimed to be merely a puppet, she felt that she was the broken one.

From this day forward, there will always be a huge void in her life.

It can never be filled again.

She didn't feel cold; her heart was empty, and her senses were numb. The snow wasn't just piling on her body; she felt as if she were on an endless ice field, with nothing in sight, and her consciousness slowly froze in the snow and ice.

Crackling sound, crackling sound...

At some point, Xi Xiangyi heard a cracking sound. It was like an ice field splitting open, or like the sound of a heart breaking.

The so-called "Seven Original Puppet Components" are the seven most important parts of puppet making, as mentioned in the "Puppet Theory". The "Spiritual Pivot" of the Seven Original Puppet Components is the puppet's power source.

It is usually a scroll-shaped cylinder that rotates at a constant speed. The shaft is engraved with layers of related array patterns to absorb the primordial energy of heaven and earth and digest the energy of the Dao Yuan Stone.

The most basic puppet has three notched cylindrical plates, one embedded in the other, rotating in opposite directions around the "spirit pivot" in a staggered manner. This serves both to protect the "spirit pivot" and to adjust the puppet's movement strategy by regulating the rotation speed, opening, closing, and repositioning of these three plates.

These cylindrical plates can be replaced at any time. Mechanists often adjust the puppet's performance by engraving new patterns on these plates. For example, engraving a set of sword techniques can transform the puppet into a swordsman.

Therefore, these circular plates are also known as "puppet edicts". The more complex the puppet, the more puppet edicts it has.

The shaft opening is where Dao Yuan Stones are deposited. As long as they are replaced regularly, they can provide power for the entire puppet.

After Qian Jinhua, the situation changed again. For puppets at the level of Divine Descent and above, there would be an empty space at the very center of the Spiritual Pivot to house the "Divine Heaven Kingdom".

It is the core of the core, the most crucial part of a puppet.

The cracking sound that Xi Xiangyi heard at this moment came from Xi Ming's spiritual core.

A puppet is completely dead, reduced to cold wood and iron. But there seems to be a faint reaction occurring inside the spirit core.

With long, trembling eyelashes, Xi Xiangyi's fragile yet hopeful gaze fell upon Xi Ming's already shattered spirit pillar. The "Puppet Decree," now still, peeled away layer by layer like flower petals, revealing the core, the square "Divine Heaven Kingdom."

This translucent Divine Kingdom, with its blazing light flowing within, constantly reveals cracks.

The puppet's heartbreak is expressed through the cracking sound of crystals!

But Xi Ming is already dead, and his life force has been exhausted, so this Divine Heaven Kingdom should no longer react.

The snow was so heavy that Xi Xiangyi's gaze sank, and she looked down at her heart—

The cracking sound she heard also came from here.

At that moment, she tugged at the corners of her mouth, a smile that was neither quite a cry nor quite a laugh.

Her tears started flowing again, but she wasn't sure if they were tears!

A childhood he can't recall, blank years, a heart that barely stirs any emotion, Qian Juzi's inexplicable anticipation...

All the inexplicable questions seem to have been answered today.

Xi Xiangyi's hand slowly caressed the Divine Heaven Kingdom of Xi Ming, feeling the roughness of the crystal, like feeling a puppet being sculpted. Then she pressed it against her heart, as if the tighter she pressed, the more she could stop the intense heartache—

dong dong dong!dong dong dong!
She's a puppet too!
Her hypothermia was caused by the cessation of the heart-like spiritual pivot; her frozen consciousness was due to the stillness of the Divine Heaven Kingdom within the spiritual pivot; her bewilderment was because the creator had not presupposed an ultimate meaning for her life, leaving her without a purpose and thus disoriented… All of this can be explained by mechanical arts, but this kind of pain, which exceeds the calculation limits of the Divine Heaven Kingdom, cannot be interpreted by the knowledge of puppets!

She suddenly raised her hand again, her fingers spread open, and there was something in her palm.

Retrieving objects remotely is not a particularly impressive technique.

But what she was holding was her own violently beating heart.

Xi Xiangyi has never opened her heart to see.

This heart looks so much like a heart.

It is so perfect, without the slightest abnormality.

The cracking sound could be clearly heard.

This sound should have been so faint that even a god-level being could not perceive it, but after immense sorrow and profound emptiness, her heart seemed to fall into a vast void, connecting with an infinitely wide world, and she heard more than just the sound she was hearing at that moment.

She heard her own heart, the heart of Xi Ming, and even the heart of the Mo family's divine-level puppets who had also entered the battlefield in this world of Shenxiao... She heard the Great City of the Present World, she heard the Kingdom of Yong...

The entire universe of gods and gods felt her sorrow and were heartbroken for her!

Click, sizzle.

"The benevolent forgive, the wise tolerate."

Kaka...

"The strong do not attack the weak, and the powerful do not insult the vulnerable."

zizi——

"To punish the unjust and punish the guilty, one should not attack."

In the mortal realm and the underworld, in the Palace of Suying, one of the Ten Kings.

The [Non-Aggression] puppet king, nurtured by the divine authority, continues to disintegrate and reassemble.

More than a year has passed, and He has still not been able to truly sit firmly on that divine throne, nor has He truly exercised divine authority for even a moment.

He did indeed ascend to the throne with the permission of all parties, and his ideals conformed to the underworld order established by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

But in all the heavens and myriad worlds, there is no day without war. No one in a family, a surname, a country, a race, or a world would truly regard the concept of "non-aggression" as dogma!

However, it is a matter of applying the law when in use, and discarding it as worthless as worn-out shoes when discarded.

He is the only supreme puppet created by the Mohist school to date, but his birth was more like "corpse refining" than a mechanical device. The final step in his formation came from Qian Jinhua's self-refinement.

It took a prominent teacher and countless resources over the years to produce a puppet at the very bottom of the highest level.

Therefore, although it has made a contribution in opening up the way, the merit is not overwhelming enough. It has not received much support from the mainstream of humanity, and is only partially recognized by the underworld.

At this moment, the [Non-Aggression] puppet king, amidst the continuous disintegration and reconstruction within the palace, suddenly reached out and pressed his hand against his heart. He finally ceased his year-long rambling, instead emitting cracking sounds.

He was heartbroken too.

Crackling sounds, crackling sounds.

In the most secluded building within the city, rows of dusty puppets cracked and sputtered incessantly.

"what happens?"

"……This is!?"

"The Divine Heaven Kingdom!"

"A brand new era, the era of the Mohists... has arrived!"

Liangqi, Mingyi, Luan Gong… all the participants of the Mohist “Shangtong” conference scattered throughout the universe turned their gazes toward this meeting. Some were sad, some were happy, and some wept openly on the spot.

The red-hot iron pool suddenly receded, revealing a body in the very center that looked as if it had been cast in steel.

Shu Weijun, with white hair and a naked body, casually conjured iron into clothing, splashing a few drops of molten iron that ignited like shooting stars. He leaped into the mortal realm, traversing countless worlds and heavens, passing through the Heavenly Gate, and heading towards the Divine Firmament!

Lu Maoguan, a contemporary luminary, ascended the golden summit in hempen clothes and cloth shoes.

The next moment, the sky above Tianjue Peak suddenly cleared, and Jucheng soared into the sky!

……

Shenxiao World, Jinzhou Yuzhou, Shuangyun County Qingrui City, Xifu.

The old house is gone, but the brother and sister still call it home.

Xi Xiangyi holds her own heart.

"what is this?"

Am I... a puppet too?

She was the most brilliant mechanic of her time, and she clearly saw within this perfect heart a part that was almost in harmony with the Dao, and similar to the Ling Shu (Spiritual Pivot).

She once told Xi Ming that she had a premonition that "Shen Tian Fang Guo" was an answer left behind by Qian Juzi.

The riddle has been solved for her today.

The creation of the Divine Heaven Kingdom was not only to resolve the self-perception conflict of the puppets, nor was it merely to unify the puppet decrees and further optimize the Spiritual Pivot.

It was designed to mimic the evolution of a real world, in order to give birth to real living beings!

The creation and use of each [Divine Heaven Kingdom] contributes to the computational power required to design this world, providing it with more possibilities.

However, after so many years of development, the Mohist school has invested the vast majority of its resources in this area, which would have been enough to support a world, yet it has never achieved final success.

It should be known that any cultivator at the Cave Realm level has the ability to create a small world. The resources invested by so many [Divine Heaven Kingdoms] far surpass those of many top-tier cultivators; even if they were simply piled up, they could still create a world.

What it lacks is that step of qualitative change.

Xi Xiangyi created the puppet beast Youxiao, which involved using formations to nurture a tiger-shaped spirit within Youxiao's divine realm, thus achieving the effect of "driving it as if it were alive."

All the puppet beasts in the entire theater are like this, which is why they are so full of life.

But in essence, this is just a shell of a mechanism covering the soul; it does not actually create a puppet beast life.

The true path was created by Rao Xiansun, and was inherited and perfected by Qian Jinhua.

Rational thinking about life is based on the value assigned by emotion. Without emotion as the anchor of thought, reason will only be obscured in the emptiness of the universe.

Just like the heart and spirit of Xi Xiangyi, who had completely abandoned the puppet's will, Rao Xiansun did not leave her any action strategy, nor did he predetermine the meaning of her life. He only gave her unreserved love, allowing her to grow freely.

Isn't this a father's love for his daughter?
The ultimate achievement of mechanical engineering is to imbue things with emotion. The greatest creation in the world is life that possesses emotion.

The sorrow that Xi Xiangyi feels is the very reason her heart beats. The tears she sheds today are the wellspring of her life!
When Qian Jinhua created the Divine Heaven Kingdom, she placed the very first one into her heart's spiritual core. This was the beginning of the Divine Heaven Kingdom, the origin of the Kingdom.

The true "Divine Heaven and Realm" surged forth in her heart. It was not a virtual world that had been deduced, but a spiritual homeland and ultimate sanctuary for all puppets, directly created by her life's emotions.

In that instant, all the divine realms of the universe felt the birth of "home," experiencing a resonance of existential significance. Like scattered stars captured by the gravity of the newly formed Milky Way, like lost travelers hearing the bells of their homeland—they surged towards her!
boom!
The snow fell heavily, then suddenly disappeared.

The restrictions that had shrouded the theater were broken at this moment.

Countless living beings in Qingrui City looked towards the Opera House—the feelings they had been forcibly forgotten were returning.

A girl holding the wreckage.

A vast, empty, solitary circle.

It's like a void in this city, like the city itself is sad.

Xi Xiangyi gathered up the remnants of Xi Ming's life, categorizing each piece of material and neatly placing them in a copper box. He then used a wing string as a strap to tightly carry it on his back.

I carried him on my back as if he had never left.

He pressed his heart back into his body and held the divine kingdom of the playful fate in his hand.

The wing strings binding the copper box are called "Old Bewilderment," a creation she made in the demon realm.

The playwrights hoped she could bring about real world change, praising her as "a truly good name."

"Among the seven original puppets, the most complex is the Wing String."

"The arrangement and combination of twelve thousand wing strings form the basic framework of the puppet. That is the unique ingenuity of each mechanic."

"But among the countless possibilities in life, you chose me."

"You will always be my brother."

"...Sweet dreams."

Xi Xiangyi lifted her boots and stepped into the suspended halo of light.

That was... the battlefield of Shu Xiulang, who was once a great saint of the demon race!

……

Inside the painted prison, the Kui sword was broken.

The Great Thorn Armor [Xi Ming] that Gong Weizhang was wearing had been torn to pieces.

Cave-heaven treasures can interfere in battles at the Dao-transformation level, and can be a decisive factor in clashes between the highest levels. Even if a True Person cannot fully utilize their power, it is like a child wielding a knife—there is still a slight possibility of accidentally injuring an adult.

With the power of the [Painted Prison], Gong Weizhang believed he could hold out against the top experts for a while in this temporary "home field" until reinforcements from the Central Heavenly Realm arrived.

He wasn't arrogantly going head-to-head with a top-tier expert. Taking advantage of the favorable timing and terrain, he fought and retreated, so he wasn't necessarily going to die instantly.

But in a single misstep, he forgot his swordsmanship and lost all knowledge of his supernatural abilities.

Facing the already severely injured Shurou, whose sword and armor were broken, it seemed he wouldn't last a second round.

But as he coughed up blood and flew backward, black energy billowed from his body, which then wove into new armor.

Zhongshan Yanwen had already donned the Demon-Slaying Armor of Military Drill. This supreme killing technique allowed him to maintain his combat power despite severe injuries and to remain at his peak despite exhaustion.

Back when Gong Xiyan was alive, he offered to teach Zhongshan Yanwen the sword technique on the condition that Zhongshan Weisun pass it on, so that Gong Weizhang could grow quickly, learn from the strengths of many schools, and truly become a role model for the new generation of human prodigies.

Many people and many things seem unremarkable when they are around, but become nothing when they are gone.

Gong Xiyan may not have been a devoted husband, but he certainly did what he could in his roles as a father and a marshal.

He died in battle at the Central Moon Gate battlefield, where Shuro was one of his opponents.

They were already facing each other.

Shu Xiulang thrust his sword straight at her: "You've never worn armor!"

The armor plates on Gong Weizhang's body flew like falling leaves.

His understanding of the Demon-Slaying Armor was rapidly disappearing.

But he remained expressionless, only gripping the broken knife tightly.

The sword energy emanated from his body, its light as bright as a candle, illuminating Hua Gu.

Yesterday's events are gone, and the old killing techniques are forgotten. He grips the broken sword, and now he creates a new swordsmanship—

Life and death are at stake!

His sword is his armor, his defense is his offense.

Chains belonging to the "Drawn Prison" were quickly drawn on Shuro's body, slowing his movements and suppressing his power.

He casually snapped the chain, and despite the oppressive atmosphere of this cave, he met the broken blade with his fist: "Good! This is the strength the Yellow River leader should have!"

In order to quickly resolve the matter of the play's fate, he disregarded the demonic body. He had previously traded injury for life and was somewhat weakened at the moment. However, thanks to his far superior insight, he still handled the situation with ease.

His body was trapped in the painting, his strength was at its peak, and his mind was set on becoming a saint.

"I expect you to work a miracle, to tell me there's no need to struggle anymore, that everything we've done is meaningless. Let me see the torrent of humanity rushing before my eyes!"

Throughout several great eras, countless heroes have emerged from the demon race, yet their situation has become increasingly difficult. Each unparalleled title has only provided the demon race with a few more moments of respite.

It seems to be an inevitable trend... an inevitable trend!
He refused to admit it.

He said there was no need to struggle anymore, but he tore through the confinement of the [Painted Prison] and rampaged through this magical artifact, completely disregarding the dignity of a supreme cultivator and willing to get hurt even when facing a True Immortal cultivator. He didn't care about "a slightly dirty hem of his clothes".

White flames flickered on his fist as he melted iron.

His eyes burned with a red light, stealing Gong Weizhang's memory and causing him to forget everything about the "Painted Prison".

They forcibly seized the "Painted Prison" and crushed his body, attacking from two directions simultaneously, aiming to completely eliminate Gong Weizhang in this single exchange.

The Kui Dao in Gong Weizhang's hand was almost reduced to just the hilt, with only half an inch of the blade remaining.

But his eyes were like clear mirrors, with only the glint of a knife reflected in them.

Shu Xiulang helped him forget the supreme killing techniques of the Great Jing Empire and forcibly made him forget all his means of escape, but he never intended to retreat.

His eyes were only on the knife; when the blade met the enemy, it was a matter of life or death.

"It's not that I, Gong Weizhang, am going to create any kind of miracle."

"A general's duty is to protect the borders and people, safeguard the land and expand the territory."

"This is Shuangyun County, and I am the Embroidered-Robe General of the Hongwu Guard of Jing Kingdom—I am responsible for all the humans here."

His voice was so cold and stern, as if it had never been passionate before.

At that moment, he moved forward, his blade advanced, the bright moon rose in his eyes, and he unleashed the strongest strike of his life—

After forgetting everything, the knife gave him the final answer.

The bright moon shines on my return!
Like a traveler returning home, or a person separated from their loved ones gazing at the moon, their hearts remain unchanged, and their will is never forgotten.

This strike was perfectly aligned with Gong Weizhang's life essence; even Shu Xiulang couldn't make him forget it.

Under the moon, Shuro sighed softly.

Such a stunning flash of light stirred his memories. Didn't he, too, have his own bright moon?
In the end, it was for the sake of the millions of his kinsmen behind him... alas, their paths diverged, their lives separated by death!

He has many ways to avoid this blow, but Gong Weizhang is currently riding high and may have a continuous stream of creative ideas.

He didn't intend to play the trick of constantly forgetting and creating with Gong Weizhang, nor to test the comprehension of a Yellow River leader, thus allowing the other party to buy more time.

He lunged forward, flesh and blood as his weapon. He chose to take the blow head-on, forcefully disrupting Gong Weizhang's momentum, and then shattered the moon with his fingertips!

Fragments of the Kui sword were embedded in Shuro's demonic body, but he paid no attention to them.

Forward, forward, forward, the battle is not yet over!
Gong Weizhang's last blade of light was blasted away, and Shu Xiulang's fist and fingers formed a phoenix eye, aiming at Gong Weizhang's crown chakra, which was called "Phoenix Nodding"!
The phoenix cries in the heavens, its voice clear and melodious.

Under Shu Xiulang's Phoenix Eye Fist, Gong Weizhang's Demon-Slaying Armor had completely dissipated, and his aura continued to decline, leaving him almost with no choice but to await death.

But Shushurou's fist could no longer fall.

That last inch felt like an insurmountable chasm.

He turned his head indifferently and saw the short-haired girl carrying a copper box flying towards him almost as if floating.

"Are you that little girl from earlier?"

"No, you're not..."

Shushuro's feelings were far less calm than his words suggested.

She still possessed the physical body of a Divine Ascension Realm cultivator, yet the level of power this girl displayed was clearly at its peak. Moreover, it wasn't superficial; it was immense even among the most powerful cultivators. It was as if a Yang God resided within the shell of a Divine Ascension Realm cultivator.

This physical form continues to evolve under the influence of supreme power.

His fist was indeed interfered with; it seemed to be a kind of "mental force," with intention extending outward and words becoming law!
Which master of the Mohist school is this?
Possession? Incarnation? Divine intervention?
Xi Xiangyi quietly felt the extension of her free will; the world was so vast, and she seemed to be omnipotent.

That is the power gathered by all the divine realms and kingdoms in the vast universe... the power of the puppet world.

She called it "puppet power".

With each additional deity in the world, Tianfang Kingdom will grow stronger.

When she looked at Shu Xiulang, her eyes shimmered with a captivating light, like a thousand mortise and tenon joints fitting together, all things coming together in perfect harmony. Everything within her gaze—Shu Xiulang's aura, his physique, his Daoist essence, even the traces of time—transformed into ancient seal script and symbols of weapons, layering and appearing in the depths of her crystal-clear eyes, like a roaring waterfall.

Overview

His blood and spirit are less than seventy percent complete, his vital energy as faint as a lamp in the fog. His body is injured, but his spirit remains hidden like an abyss.

[Distinguishing]

The first is called [Life Ring]:
The blood-red embers in the heart furnace still burn, the accumulated stagnation in the heavenly orifices remains unresolved. An unnatural force, a legacy of fate, frequently disturbs the life force. Just as an old vine entwines an ancient pine, outwardly withered but inwardly resilient.

The second item is the [Weight Scale]:
The strength is shown in three colors.

Seven parts of the crimson flames, along with the power of the Divine Firmament Law, resembled lava rushing into the earth's cavity, resulting in severe depletion.
Two parts of the gray mist, the magic of the Heavenly Demon, condensed into a black tortoise carrying a stone tablet, less than one-tenth of the total;

The golden light occupies one spot, the foundation for sainthood, like stardust hanging in the nine heavens, nothing to worry about.

The third point is [Jia Jian]:
His protective demonic aura was thin and could be broken in two breaths; his flesh and blood were weakening, but the sword's power remained; his demonic bones were decaying, but the puppet's power was not gone; of his 36,000 holes, more than half were blocked... His life hung by a thread, and he could not endure the extreme peak for long.

[Final Judgment]:
He is afflicted with seven injuries and his three vital energies are deficient. Even with the vision of a saint, he cannot control his supreme physique. He can be killed in an instant, and will surely be killed in half an hour.

All the computing power of the Divine Heaven Kingdom was mobilized by Xi Xiangyi. Among the information captured by the puppet power, the intelligence transmitted back from Xi Ming's life-or-death battle was still the most detailed.

He is no longer here, but the divine kingdom he left behind still protects his family.

Xi Xiangyi's gaze gradually softened; a faint creaking sound came from the bronze box behind her, seemingly in sync with her heartbeat. Within the painted prison, the wind suddenly stilled, leaving only her chilling voice—

“I am still me. I am ‘Xi Xiangyi’, you can also call me… ‘Jian’ai’!”

Universal love is the core of the Mohist school of thought.

In the spirit of Mohism, everything that promotes meritocracy, harmony, frugality, simple funerals, and non-aggression begins with universal love!
Therefore, Xi Xiangyi is the most outstanding creation of the Mohist school. She is a puppet created by Rao Xiansun three hundred years ago by gambling his entire life. She truly has emotions and the potential for growth. She has come step by step from wandering to where she is today, and she has an infinitely broad future... She is the beginning of a new era for the Mohist school!
After the death of Mo Zu, all the great masters of the Mo family could only place their hopes on the future.

And Xi Xiangyi is the clearest stroke for the future!
This is a brand new era, and what Shushulang sees is the end of the demon race.

Of all the answers, "Xi Xiangyi" is "Xi Xiangyi," the cruelest answer for the demon race.

The torrent of humanity was indeed surging before Shuro's eyes.

But it's not just about Gong Weizhang's prodigious talent and unwavering fighting spirit. It's also about Xi Xiangyi representing a new chapter in the puppet genre!
He could almost see the torrent of puppets sweeping away everything in the allied war with overwhelming force.

Faced with an absolute disparity in strength, all tactics become meaningless.

The Allied Forces of the Heavens fought relentlessly, employing every means at their disposal, finally dragging the Divine Firmament War into its second round. However, this back-and-forth struggle lasted only a little over a year, and while the Allied Forces were still trying to increase their war potential… the scales of war had already tipped!

As a high-ranking member of the demon race, Shu Xiulang deeply understood that none of the demon race's contingency plans to date could compare to the significance of Xi Xiangyi, this puppet master. This was because she represented a completely new form of warfare.

Xi Xiangyi's puppet power had already filled the [Painted Prison], and Shu Xiulang clearly sensed that there was still a continuous stream of power converging towards her.

Over the years, the Mohists have been engaged in trade throughout the world, amassing wealth on a massive scale, and have secretly created countless divine kingdoms.

"Such a vibrant person, yet she's just a puppet!" Shu Xiulang said with a sigh, subtly using the power of forgetting to influence Xi Xiangyi, trying to make her forget the entanglements of humanity: "Your life has been manipulated, your love and hate have all been designed, don't you feel sad?"

"Perhaps I should be sad, but I don't think so."

Xi Xiangyi tightened her grip on the copper box behind her: "When I realized that I was also a puppet, I wasn't so at a loss. I just felt that I was closer to my brother. We are siblings without blood ties, but also the closest family in the world."

She raised her hand and looked at Shuro from afar: "We were created by the same person and exist because of the same ideal. There is no closer relationship in the world than this."

"I am familiar with the teachings of the Mohists, and I respect their spirit." Shu Xiulang was unusually serious. Even his attempt to seize the [Painted Prison] was stopped by Xi Xiangyi's puppet power, so he simply gave up.

"The principle of universal love is that people love all things, nurture all things, and embrace all things."

He looked at Xi Xiangyi and said, "Aren't all the myriad races in the heavens and among all things? Since you are such a great creator, you should have great character. Love each other universally and benefit each other. The peace of all the heavens and myriad worlds should be created by you."

The Mohist concept of universal love originates from the will of Heaven, leading to the idea that Heaven loves, nurtures, and embraces all things. This conversely, it posits that humans should also love, nurture, and embrace all things.

Love knows no distinction of rank, nor does it discriminate between those who are close and those who are distant.

Here lies equality, here dwells ultimate bliss.

The basis for the cooperation between Amitabha Buddha and the Mohists lies in this.

The rise of the Puppet Lord of Non-Aggression is precisely to provide the most solid support for Universal Love. The potential he cultivates within his divine office is the very sustenance for the Puppet World.

Just as the puppet ruler of "Non-Aggression" is committed to "non-aggression," shouldn't this puppet named "Universal Love" take "universal love" as its mission?

The fact that Xi Ming and Xi Xiangyi opened a "theater" in the neutral city of Qingrui to sell puppets is exactly in line with the concept of "universal love".
This may be the only chance for the demon race.

But the only response to Shu Xiulang was the wind tunnel that suddenly became clear in the palm of Xi Xiangyi's hand—

It was a dark, swirling cavern, bottomless, as if connected to another time and space.

The distant shriek pierced through our ears in an instant.

What emerges from this wind tunnel is the most fundamental wind between heaven and earth.

Ming Shu Feng, Jing Feng, Chang He Feng, Bu Zhou Feng...

The Eight Winds Divine Power emerged from the wind tunnel and immediately manifested as eight roaring wind dragons that roamed the heavens.

They represent the origin of all wind forces in the myriad realms, and also the eight directions in a spatial sense.

This is the "work of nature"!
The natural forces truly driven by human power.

"I can't think of so many great things."

Xi Xiangyi said, "I only know that my brother died for me. You killed him, so I will kill you."

The play once said... "You will live to be a thousand years old."

He is right.

The puppet can continuously replace its parts, and in theory, it is immortal.

But he died.

The drama that survived is worth remembering forever.

The howling of the eight winds was not enough to express her hatred.

The wind dragon coiled, tore, and pounced, continuously crashing into Shu Xiulang.

He, who had been so domineering just moments before, was now being knocked off balance and staggered.

"I know I was wrong!"

Shu Xiulang shouted, "I shouldn't have acted rashly and violated your virtue of universal love. I am willing to atone with my death, and I only hope that the Puppet King will remember the spirit of Mohism and extend love to all beings!"

He indeed abandoned his defense, and in an instant, he was riddled with holes, his blood staining the sky.

How could you possibly understand me?

Xi Xiangyi pressed down with her other hand, and she had already reconstructed the space inside the painting.

Kingfishers, squirrels, terracotta figures, peacocks... Under the influence of puppet power, the puppet beasts that once lived in the theater were reassembled.

They were faster than lightning and sharper than swords, pouncing on Shu Xiulang and gnawing at his flesh to avenge the destruction of his home.

"You think I'm a puppet like [Non-Aggression], pre-determined to have a puppet's purpose and bound by the order of the underworld."

Do you understand what life is?

"The one who created me did not impose any rules on me, and the one who accompanies me only gives me freedom. I am born without constraints, so I can travel without limits."

"I have a real life only because I have received true love."

"Every living person has their own selfish desires."

"I will always hate you. And I will never treat humans and demons equally."

In the beginning of life, there is neither love nor hate, neither good nor evil. As we grow and experience life, we branch out, flourishing wherever the rain and dew are most abundant.

She had been a human for a long time before she realized she was a puppet.

Mozi advocated "universal love," the essence of which is "love for the benefit of the people." His aim was to "promote great benefit to the world and eliminate harm to the world."

This "common people" refers to people of different social classes, not pigs, dogs, cattle, or horses.

They are equal in a human sense, but not beyond race.

This "great scourge of the world" refers to anything that is harmful to the current world order, including demons, monsters, asuras, and sea creatures!

Xi Xiangyi could certainly deceive Shu Xiulang into dying like that, and then say there was no such thing as universal love for all heavens. But as a disciple of the Mohist school, she could not treat the spirit of the Mohist school lightly.

Rat Xiulang's demonic body was already mangled and bloody. He suddenly tore it off, as if ripping off an outer garment. The puppet beasts that had been attacking him, the eight wind dragons, all forgot about him in that instant, and were thrown away along with this "outer garment"!

Xi Xiangyi not only possesses unparalleled power, but also enjoys the support of all the gods and kingdoms in the world, and her will remains constant.

Knowing he was powerless to defeat her, Shurou tried to sway her mind and change her beliefs, but he almost got lost in the endless puppet world and nearly forgot himself!
But at this point, there was no other choice.

"Universal love" has reached its peak, and the scene of puppets filling the sky will come sooner or later.

Destroying the newly born puppet king here will at least slow its pace, giving the demon race a few more moments to catch its breath... and perhaps then it can find a new life.

At this moment, Xi Xiangyi's hatred for him became his only chance.

The most rational choice for Xi Xiangyi would be to leave Shenxiao immediately at the moment of ascension and return to the mortal world, so that the descent of the puppet world would be unstoppable.

"We've come this far, we've reached this point!" Like a shooting star streaking across the moon, Shu Xiulang charged towards Xi Xiangyi: "Then let me measure just how much hatred you have!"

The wind tunnel in Xi Xiangyi's palm suddenly disappeared; she clasped her hands together and then abruptly pulled them apart—

Twelve thousand wing strings named "Old Bewilderment" intertwined in front of her to form an impenetrable net, and any gaps were repeatedly blocked by the wing strings.

Shushulang's path is to forget.

All the memories that were meant to be enjoyed have been forever engraved in the Divine Heaven Kingdom, and can be sealed and accessed at any time.

What Xi Xiangyi cherishes most is precisely her "past regrets"!
I have no way to sever my longing for my loved ones, nor can I quell my lingering resentment.

Following the most perfect killing strategy devised by the Divine Heaven Kingdom, Xi Xiangyi did not give Shu Xiulang a chance to get close. Just like when she was making puppets, she methodically severed Shu Xiulang's life force.

Shu Xiulang charged nine times, but could not get close. Meanwhile, the puppet beasts and wind dragons had once again been taken over by the puppet power and were pouncing on him again.

No chance at all.

The play suits him just as he suits his destiny.

Shu Xiulang suddenly turned around!
In the gaps between the interlacing wings, his figure flashed and advanced, lunging at Gong Weizhang, who had retreated to a corner to recuperate from his injuries: "Then at least let me kill one of the Yellow River leaders, so that this journey won't be nothing but regret!"

"Old Bewilderment" suddenly descended like a spider's web, pulling Gong Weizhang back again and again. The puppet power surged before him, transforming into a thousand-foot-tall steel behemoth, its serrated blade piercing through space itself.

good chance!
Shu Xiulang dodged and returned.

Gong Weizhang stepped forward and stood in front of Xi Xiangyi. Xi Xiangyi, grateful for the kindness shown to him, spared no effort to help Gong Weizhang. This was a testament to the beauty of human nature, and also an opportunity he saw.

In order to protect Gong Weizhang, Xi Xiangyi's power was mobilized.

The omnipresent puppet power showed noticeable variations in thickness. The impenetrable net of strings was also stretched, creating holes.

Rat Xiulang transformed into a streak of light, making a stunning attack. He formed a sword with his fingers, executing an assassination, his finger etched into the very top of the head!
clang!
First, the bronze and wooden bells were struck, and suddenly they rang out with a startling sound.

Then, with unstoppable momentum, he pointed his sword and pierced the skull.

The sensation at his fingertips told him—

He seized the last opportunity and, with this finger-sword strike, completed the destruction of the puppet body of Universal Love. After all, this was only a puppet body in the process of sublimation, far from reaching the pinnacle of physical body.

But the next moment, his vision blurred.

Within the painted prison, two actors surprisingly appeared.

The short-haired girl carrying a copper box on her back was looking at him from both the left and right sides.

Soon there were three, four, five...

More and more plays are suitable.

All the actors spoke at the same time: "My consciousness is immortal and eternal, existing alongside the Puppet World."

"I can enter any puppet body at any time. I can also create a new puppet body at any time."

Xi Xiangyi has no weaknesses!

So-called opportunity is, in fact, a design.

The taste of despair is now being chewed by Shushulang.

From the perspective of his race, he already foresaw the inevitable defeat of the demon race. As for his own internal conflict, he saw no hope in this battle.

Xi Xiangyi's rise to prominence was not due to her being a newcomer. The experience accumulated by the Mohist school over several great eras was readily available in the Puppet World... She made no mistakes in battle.

He then withdrew his finger sword from between the eyebrows of the puppet in front of him, slightly turned his body, and once again assumed an attacking stance.

"Gong Weizhang! Young Commander Hongwu! Do you know what you have saved?"

He asked with a bitter smile, "Do you know what it means to attain enlightenment through universal love?"

Did the Mohists support the State of Jing?

"If you're smart, you should understand that the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or structure) has changed from this day forward!"

"The demon race is indeed your enemy, but now the outcome is decided, and the fate of Shenxiao is clear—if Kou is gone, who will be your enemy?"

This was the heaviest sword strike from Shurou the Rat.

This is the most pressing issue!
Because it truly exists, it cannot be avoided.

The Mohist school completed the final step of creating the ultimate puppet, truly revolutionizing the era and rewriting the way war is fought. The Divine Firmament War is no longer in doubt; it can be declared over as soon as the second round begins.

But... what happens after that?

How should the major powers position themselves, and how will the Mohist school demonstrate its existence?

If this issue is not considered, Gong Weizhang is not a qualified commander of the Jing state. If this issue is considered, then the rift will inevitably exist.

For a rising power capable of shaking its hegemony, the hegemonic state has only two choices—to take it under its control or to let it vanish into thin air!
If nothing unexpected happens...

The support from Jing Kingdom will arrive soon.

The situation on the battlefield is constantly changing, and the relationship between the enemy and ourselves is constantly shifting.

Shu Xiulang has already made his stance clear: he can cooperate with Gong Weizhang to stall Xi Xiangyi until the trial in Jing Kingdom arrives!
Gong Weizhang simply shook his head, stepped back, and even dropped the knife hilt he had been gripping tightly, to show his determination that he would never make a move against Xi Xiangyi.

"Even if there is a 100% certainty of victory, it is not real until victory is achieved. This is the way of a general."

"This is the battlefield of Shenxiao. We fight side by side, united in our hatred of the enemy. To destroy the mutual trust between nations on this racial battlefield is to sow the seeds of humanity's destruction. I will never do such a thing first. This is the way of humanity."

He retreated continuously, but his will continued to rise: "Although the Puppet Lord is strong, he is not necessarily invincible. Although the Puppet World is vast, it is not necessarily superior to all others. I have the confidence to face it, I have the confidence to compete—this is the way of my Gong Weizhang."

Shu Xiulang pointed his sword at the spot, then suddenly burst into laughter and then wept!
He burst into tears.

Faced with such a human race, he truly saw no hope for the demon race.

Qiu Yurong worked so hard and dedicated everything to the demon race, but her future still shattered like the broken moon!

Sacrificing to demons to refine life into death.

The puppet is made to live from the dead.

Different methods, different directions, all for the advancement of the race.

Qiu Yurong died and fell into the Moon Gate, while Xi Xiangyi was born and opened the Puppet Path.

Perhaps we lost from the very beginning.

Struggling in dire straits can never catch up with moving forward with hope.

The demon race is constantly depleting what they have, while the human race is constantly forging ahead into the future.

What should we do?

How can we possibly defeat such a human race?!
Shu Xiulang lowered his eyes, and black mist gradually rose from his body: "You are great, you are noble, you are benevolent, you sacrifice your lives for righteousness."

“We are dark, we are despicable, we are cruel, and I am just a part of the viciousness.”

"But I emerged from the mire of suffering in the hope that there would be no more such suffering in the world."

"How can the people living in prison not become twisted?"

"How can you teach a life that can only drink muddy water and eat iron pellets to love?"

"The demon race could have had a proper discussion about morality, but despair swallowed up those beautiful possibilities."

"I, Shu Xiulang, will definitely break these shackles!"

His broken demonic body had withered, and he was as shriveled as a dried loofah.

How beautiful she once was, how ugly she is now.

He transformed himself into a demon-slaying sacrifice!

At this moment, countless scenes from the past surged before my eyes.

The clearest memories are always of those years of humiliation.

He wanted to forget it all.

His entire life was a journey of self-redemption.

But he never forgot.

But if we kill those evil demons, will the tragedy be averted?
Are those twisted villains born that way, or do they become that way under desperate circumstances?
He wanted to change that world. A world without hope, a world that could only breed evil.

His humiliation and his ideals coexisted. His filth and his purity were one and the same.

Finally, he raised his withered hands to the sky—his final offering.

"Let us be forgotten by this world forever!"

The Heavenly Decree of Demon Sacrifice: Eternal Oblivion over the River of Oblivion!

At this moment, he sacrificed everything, drawing upon the power of the Divine Firmament world and opening the path to oblivion. He would banish the Painted Prison to the depths of the Divine Firmament, so that all the heavens and myriad worlds would forever forget everything within it.

Forgetting for ten years is simply a matter of time. Forgetting for one year is simply a matter of time.

Consider it a final gasp. Perhaps, in the final struggle, there will be others to follow.

We can only hope for the future!
As Shushulang grew weaker and his vision blurred, he had already sacrificed everything he had.

In the final moments of his life, he saw a sliver of light piercing the dome of the sky, so dazzling and brilliant... just like the future he had been longing for.

It sounded like I was hearing a nursery rhyme from the demon race—

"Let there be no joy, let there be no sorrow. Let winter pass, let spring return..."

Finally, there was a withered corpse, which fell down laughing.

And that sliver of sunlight, just as it took on a concrete form... transformed into a long sword called "Cold Moon Cuts Autumn".

With her long, flowing robes billowing like clouds, Princess Tang Wenxue of the Great Jing Empire descended with her sword drawn.

In order to intervene in the battlefield in time, she directly broke through the [Painted Prison]!
(End of this chapter)