Lan Yingxiang's beautiful eyes flickered a few times, and she asked a few tentative questions.
"Hahaha!!! We'll talk about it later! We'll talk about it later!"
Wu Tao laughed heartily after hearing this, and then replied perfunctorily.
"Your cultivation has already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and you are only one step away from entering the Core Formation stage. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to so easily slay those Pi Hou Yi beasts."
"With such astonishing cultivation, coupled with being an inner disciple of the Taiyi Immortal Sect, I naturally want to befriend you. Helping you a little was merely a convenient act."
Lan Yingxiang said with a smiling gaze, showing no shyness at all.
...
"I understand. Please wait a moment."
Lan Yingxiang waved her hand at the burly man waiting on the spot.
Turning around, Lan Yingxiang said to Wu Tao with a charming smile.
"Brother Wu, aren't you planning to come to my place first? I will definitely repay your life-saving grace handsomely!"
"No need, thank you for your kind offer, Fairy. You've just returned to the city and likely have many matters to attend to. I also plan to look around the city first and will formally visit another day."
Wu Tao smiled slightly, cupped his hands in a salute.
"Since Brother Wu's mind is made up, I won't say more. This jade pendant is my personal belonging. Brother Wu, please keep it safe."
"When the time comes, Brother Wu only needs to possess this token to directly find me at our sect's驻地 without being questioned."
Lan Yingxiang showed a hint of regret, flipped her hand, and a misty green jade pendant suddenly appeared between her fair jade fingers. She flicked her wrist and tossed it towards Wu Tao.
Wu Tao did not refuse, caught the jade pendant, and lowered his head to glance at it.
This jade pendant seemed to be made of ordinary jade, but within its crystalline clarity, there were faint traces of spiritual light. The surface was imprinted with a woman.
The appearance of the woman on it was vaguely similar to Lan Yingxiang herself.
Wu Tao's heart stirred, and after nodding, he put away the jade pendant.
...
For the next period, Lan Yingxiang and her entourage left rapidly in a beast carriage along the street.
Wu Tao watched the retreating beast carriage, his figure flashed, and he immediately turned and strode towards another street.
In the blink of an eye, he too disappeared into the crowd.
When traveling alone, it is best to assume the worst intentions of others; you will generally not suffer any losses.
Although Jinsha City is not particularly large, as a territory controlled by the Puppet Divine Crystal Sect, it naturally has its peculiarities.
Furthermore, situated on the border of Qingzhou and Liangzhou, it attracts a far greater number of cultivators than other cities.
Unlike many cities Wu Tao had previously stayed in, the buildings in this city were simple and ancient. A few large stones pieced together formed a habitable house.
This made him marvel.
As Wu Tao passed by a giant tower, he glanced at a plaque hanging on it and a hint of surprise flashed across his face. He couldn't help but stop.
The plaque clearly displayed the words "Myriad Puppet Tower," in three large characters.
This was Wu Tao's first time seeing such a place. After a moment of contemplation, he walked towards the giant tower's entrance with a trace of curiosity.
Upon entering the giant tower's door, a lavish hall appeared before his eyes. On both sides, over a dozen young female cultivators in yellow palace dresses stood smilingly to greet him.
In the center of the hall, a row of exquisite tables and chairs made of sandalwood were arranged.
A middle-aged man in a red robe was entertaining other guests along with several maids.
Before Wu Tao could get a closer look, the middle-aged man's gaze swept over him, and his heart immediately tightened.
The middle-aged man excused himself from the guests before him and walked directly towards Wu Tao.
"Greetings, fellow Daoist. May I know if there is anything I can do for you?" the middle-aged man asked respectfully as he approached.
This middle-aged man, who appeared to be a shopkeeper, had a cultivation base at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, two minor realms lower than Wu Tao, hence his cautious demeanor.
"What kind of business does this Myriad Puppet Tower conduct? I haven't seen any similar places elsewhere!"
Wu Tao looked at the middle-aged man and asked directly.
"Fellow Daoist must be new to Jinsha City. In Qingzhou, powers like our Myriad Puppet Tower rarely appear in ordinary cities, as this tower specializes in the sale of puppet automaton soldiers and puppet automaton beasts." the middle-aged man replied.
"Puppet automaton soldiers, puppet automaton beasts?"
Wu Tao's expression shifted upon hearing this.
"Indeed. These guests here are purchasing some puppet automaton soldiers and puppet automaton beasts. If fellow Daoist is also interested, you can observe with them."
The middle-aged man said with a slight smile.
"Since I am here, I will take a look."
Wu Tao narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and slowly nodded.
"Very well, please follow me, fellow Daoist."
The middle-aged man immediately beckoned to a maid nearby, instructing her to attend to the remaining guests, and then led Wu Tao to the second floor.
The arrangement on the second floor was completely different from the first.
On the outside of the second floor, two rows of tall soldiers clad in armor stood guard. They stood motionlessly, each exuding a not-weak spiritual energy.
However, these two rows of tall soldiers clad in armor were all puppets.
Wu Tao carefully observed these tall soldiers clad in armor and suddenly asked with some interest, "These puppet soldiers seem to be of high grade. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators probably couldn't handle them, right?"
Sensing the immense spiritual energy within the puppet soldiers, Wu Tao couldn't help but pay attention!
"Heh heh, fellow Daoist is also interested in these puppet soldiers! They are indeed very different from ordinary puppets; they are higher-grade puppets."
"If fellow Daoist desires them and has sufficient spirit stones, it's not impossible to discuss."
The middle-aged man's eyes flickered as he chuckled in response.
"Oh, I am indeed somewhat interested, but we can discuss this later."
Wu Tao glanced at the two rows of tall puppet soldiers clad in armor again, then withdrew his gaze and said calmly.
"Alright, please come in, fellow Daoist." The middle-aged man was slightly taken aback for a moment, then replied with a smile.
Then, he took a few steps to the door of the second floor and placed an iron token in his hand against the door.
With a "creak," the door opened on its own.
The middle-aged man stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation to Wu Tao.
Wu Tao walked through the doorway.
An old man with a pale complexion and long, disheveled white hair sat on a long bench.
He held an ancient scroll and was reading.
The old man had no spiritual energy fluctuations, seeming either like a mortal without any spiritual energy or a high-level cultivator whose spiritual energy was unfathomably deep and perfectly concealed.
Wu Tao was initially taken aback, then his heart tightened.
"Junior, greets senior!"
Wu Tao stepped forward without hesitation and bowed deeply to the old man, his face respectful.
The old man heard this, calmly closed the scroll, and looked at them.
The middle-aged man who had accompanied Wu Tao quickly stepped forward and whispered a few words in his ear.
The old man listened, stared at Wu Tao expressionlessly for a moment, and then spoke, "I am an elder of the Myriad Puppet Tower, named Tian Yuanji. May I know the young friend's name!"
"Wu Tao!"
Wu Tao had no intention of hiding his true identity and immediately revealed his real name.
"Oh, it's young friend Wu. Please sit!"
The old man gestured for Wu Tao to sit down.
"Young friend Wu, is this your first time visiting our tower?" the old man asked directly after Wu Tao was seated.
"Heh heh! Elder Tian has keen eyes. Junior is indeed visiting your establishment for the first time."
Wu Tao's eyes flashed with surprise, but he admitted it.
"Whether it's your first time or not is irrelevant. As long as young friend has sincerity, you will surely leave our tower with a full harvest!"
Elder Tian said confidently.
"Haha! I hope your tower's goods are truly as good."
Hearing Elder Tian's boastful tone, Wu Tao said with a hint of doubt.
"Hmph! Please rest assured, young friend. Our tower's reputation in Jinsha City is absolutely top-notch."
"If our tower cannot satisfy brother, then there's no need to look anywhere else!"
Elder Tian, seeing Wu Tao's slight disbelief, became annoyed and his tone became even more imposing.
"Young friend Wu, what kind of puppets are you looking for? I have over thirty varieties of puppets here."
"However, only four or five types are suitable for cultivators in the late Foundation Establishment stage, and their prices are shockingly high, not something that can be obtained with a mere few hundred spirit stones," Elder Tian said to Wu Tao with a half-smile.
Wu Tao smiled upon hearing this.
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