"Fragments of Puppetry Arts Secrets!"

  Leo's heart raced with excitement as he recalled the puppet substitute that had saved Big Forehead Freak from death. If he could learn to refine such a puppet, it would be like having an extra life in times of danger.

  He eagerly flipped open the manual. Indeed, it contained the method for refining this type of puppet substitute. It was called a "Puppet Doll." But as he read further, a wry smile twisted his lips.

  The conditions for refining a "Puppet Doll" were extremely strict. At minimum, it required thousand-year-old "Azure Cloud Wood" as the main material, along with dozens of extremely rare spiritual items such as Star Sand and Illusion Heart Grass. Some of these he had seen mentioned in Moonwatch Immortal City, but over a dozen others he had never even heard of. Additionally, it required True Samadhi Fire or an equivalent level of spiritual fire to refine.

  Leo was speechless. Having lived in Moonwatch Immortal City for over half a year, he had learned much about the cultivation world; he was no longer completely ignorant. True Samadhi Fire was a divine ability only possessed by Golden Core Masters. For a mere Qi Refining cultivator like him, even approaching such fire would reduce him to ashes, not a trace left.

  It seemed Big Forehead Freak must have had some incredible stroke of luck to acquire a "Puppet Doll." What absurd fortune, to obtain a treasure that even Golden Core Masters dreamed of!

  It was such a pity that such a precious treasure had been used up by Big Forehead Freak just like that. But thinking from his perspective, it was actually quite understandable—if you can't even save your own life, would you rather let your enemy have it?

  Leo laughed bitterly at himself. He continued flipping through the pages, and then his face lit up with joy.

  "Puppet Shadow Art!"

  According to what was recorded in the secrets, the Puppet Shadow Art could also be cultivated by Qi Refining cultivators. It allowed one to condense a shadow doppelg?nger using spiritual power. Once trained to a minor level of success, the shadow double could even possess a certain degree of offensive power, realistic enough to confuse an enemy and draw their attention. However, the manual stated that cultivating the Puppet Shadow Art to even minor success would take at least four years. This meant Big Forehead Freak probably hadn't possessed this secret art for very long.

  It wouldn't boost his strength immediately, but this "Fragments of Puppetry Arts Secrets" clearly had great origins and would likely prove very useful in the future. Leo memorized the incantations of the "Puppet Shadow Art" by heart, then carefully and reverently stored the manual away.

  Next, Leo took out the True Explanation of Spirit Insects. Big Forehead Freak's control over his Shadow Ants was something Leo couldn't hope to match with his own current skills.

  Opening the True Explanation, Leo couldn't help but snort in frustration. According to this manual, there were many methods of insect control, all far more advanced than what the black-robed old man had taught him. That old miser had guarded against him even when teaching him things, thinking about it made Leo's teeth itch with anger.

  The art of controlling insects, especially commanding a swarm in combat, was a profound discipline. Spirit insects had extremely low spiritual awareness; they lacked the intelligence of ordinary demon beasts. It was very difficult for them to execute their master's commands without flaw. With too few low-grade insects, it was hard to pose a threat to other cultivators.

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  But once numbers were sufficient, and the insects could obey commands, they became terrifyingly effective. Therefore, among the multitude of loose cultivators, insect cultivators were extremely rare. However, once one succeeded in mastering the art, they became one of the most troublesome opponents in any conflict.

  According to the manual, whether one was an insect cultivator or a beast tamer, having strong spiritual sense was crucial. For an insect cultivator commanding a swarm, the demands on spiritual sense were particularly high. Leo couldn't help but smile ruefully. Techniques for cultivating spiritual sense were rare to begin with, highly coveted and difficult to obtain in Moonwatch Immortal City. Moreover, during the early Qi Refining stage, having slightly stronger spiritual sense, aside from being useful for insect cultivation, offered no direct advantage in combat. Only upon reaching Foundation Establishment, or perhaps the Golden Core path, would the role of spiritual sense become increasingly important.

  But that was all in the future. His aptitude was already mediocre. What he needed to do now was focus all his efforts on joining an immortal sect and preparing for Foundation Establishment. Only after successfully forming his Foundation and gaining sufficient lifespan could he consider these matters.

  Therefore, after much deliberation, Leo temporarily set aside the idea of cultivating his spiritual sense. However, he made a mental note to keep it in mind for later.

  Another raising method described in the True Explanation of Spirit Insects was called the "Blood Insect Art." This involved feeding the spirit insects with one's own essence blood. After consuming the essence blood, the insects would become imbued with the cultivator's aura. Over time, not only would the insects become more ferocious, but they would also gradually develop a spiritual connection with their master. Leo thought of Big Forehead Freak's head ants. Compared to the other Shadow Ants, they possessed an extra measure of bloodthirsty energy. Using head ants to control the rest of the swarm was indeed a good approach.

  Back in Asgard, Vesper had mentioned letting him raise head ants, but her cultivation was low, and her knowledge of the detailed methods was mere hearsay. Leo had tried a few times before but failed, eventually giving up. That's why, during his life-or-death struggle with the burly man Zoth, although he also possessed a considerable number of Shadow Ants, he couldn't command them to besiege and kill a strong enemy like Big Forehead Freak could. He could only use them for unexpected ambushes.

  However, the Blood Insect Art also had its drawbacks. Losing too much of one's own essence blood would affect one's cultivation. After pondering for a while, Leo decided to temporarily shelve this method as well. Beast tamers and insect cultivators who poured large amounts of energy and resources into their spirit beasts and insects inevitably slowed their own cultivation progress.

  "For now, I'll refine those head ants I got from Big Forehead Freak. I won't be able to control them as deftly as he did, but they'll still be a considerable help." Leo thought to himself.

  Apart from insect raising methods, the True Explanation of Spirit Insects also contained various records and anecdotes from the world of spirit insects. Additionally, there was a ranking list of spirit insects in the cultivation world.

  Ranked number one was the Nether Phantom Butterfly. It could devour all kinds of Nether souls, and it was said to be capable of disturbing a person's spirit, inducing inner demons. Truly, its power was overwhelming. However, according to the records, the Nether Phantom Butterfly had been virtually extinct for thousands of years, with no documented sightings in recent millennia.

  Ranked second was the Six-Winged Golden Cicada. Its speed was incredible, beyond compare. Most cultivators had only heard its name; some had glimpsed its shadow, but very few had ever actually seen one. It was lethally poisonous. There were no records of anyone surviving its venom—perhaps all such people were dead.

  Leo read on with great interest. This True Explanation of Spirit Insects was far more detailed than any manual he had bought in Moonwatch Immortal City. It contained not only raising techniques for common spirit insects in the cultivation world but also a wealth of anecdotes and observations from insect cultivators. As for this ranking list, many of the insects listed hadn't appeared for thousands of years, making comparisons difficult. It was hard to know what was true and what was false, but it was worth a read nonetheless

  After putting away this manual on spirit insects, Leo took out Big Forehead Freak's black gourd. This gourd was carved from a type of black jade, of better quality than the one he had before, and more suitable for nurturing Shadow Ants. Leo, without the slightest hesitation, claimed it for his own use.