BTTH: Death Letter From The Future

"I'm sorry, I've never heard of it."

"Junior Chen Guan."

"Mm, I've been observing your performance closely. Very good. Even in my era, there were very few in the younger generation who could compare to you. What's even rarer is that your soul perception far exceeds that of your peers. You're a promising talent."

"Senior flatters me."

Chen Guan blushed slightly at the praise. He had confidence in his abilities, but he wasn't arrogant enough to think he was the best.

Not to mention, there were special constitutions like the Three-Flower Eyes of the Green Snake and the Poison Body of Calamity that couldn't be judged by normal standards. As for him, he was still within the realm of the ordinary.

"Hehe, Chen lad, have you ever heard of puppet masters or puppet techniques?"

"To be honest, Senior, I've never heard of puppet masters. In today's Dou Qi Continent, the only special profession that still thrives is the alchemist. Others, like the weapon refiners and spirit wine brewers, have almost lost their heritage. As for puppet techniques, there are remnants. I know some large factions still retain methods to refine Sky Demon Puppets."

Chen Guan wasn't sure if there was a connection between the Sky Puppet Sect and the Sky Demon Puppets, so he mentioned it deliberately.

He hadn't received any warning from the letter and felt a bit more trust toward the old man after interacting with him. Besides, this elder seemed quite formidable. If he had any ill intentions, could Chen Guan even resist?

He didn't have any extraordinary abilities, just a bit more talent than the average person.

Upon hearing that only the alchemist profession still flourished, Shu Tianhe felt a bit disappointed, but then he sneered with disdain.

"Sky Demon Puppets? Merely some side path tricks. They can't be called true puppet techniques. In fact, our Sky Puppet Sect possesses many side techniques far more powerful than those Sky Demon Puppets, but they still didn't qualify as mainstream. Our path as puppet masters is honorable and upright. Even alchemists were courteous to us back in the day. After all, no matter how deep their connections ran, they couldn't always be relied upon. But carrying a puppet refined by our Sky Puppet Sect always gave a sense of absolute security."

Shu Tianhe, now in a talkative mood, began to extol the art of the puppet master as if it were all-powerful.

"Have you ever seen such a chatty expert?" Chen Guan's view of the old man quietly shifted.

But, to be fair, it sounded quite appealing. According to the elder, some high-level puppets could even be refined to resemble ordinary people. They could talk, act independently, and possess exceptional combat strength. Full of spiritual energy, they were like clones, indistinguishable from the real thing.

If someone were to talk about this on the current Dou Qi Continent, no one would believe it. It was beyond comprehension.

"Incredible craftsmanship! I assume such puppets aren't something an ordinary puppet master could create. Senior, back then..."

"Cough, cough. You give me too much credit. Although I possessed a Heaven-tier soul back then, I still couldn't refine such a divine puppet. Even gathering the required ninth-grade materials was nearly impossible. According to our Sky Puppet Sect's records, only the first sect leader ever managed to refine one. After that sect leader passed away, outsiders mistook the divine puppet for the sect leader until over a thousand years later when they discovered the truth. But by then, our new generation sect leader had already risen."

"Unfortunately, no inheritance is eternal. During an expansion by the imperial clan, our Sky Puppet Sect bore the brunt of the attack. Many puppet masters were killed or injured. The sect leader had no choice but to disperse the inheritance. As for the method to refine the divine puppet, only the sect leader knew it. Now that I'm gone, and most others are likely dead too, the true inheritance of the puppet master will never be reunited."

Shu Tianhe sighed with regret, though his sadness wasn't too deep. After all, with such a long life, he had come to terms with many things.

"Still, even if you only grasp a portion of the puppet master's essence, it will benefit you for life. Chen lad, are you willing to join my Sky Puppet Sect and carry on the puppet master's legacy on my behalf?"

Finally, they got to the main point. Only a fool would say no in this situation, and Chen Guan didn't have the luxury to refuse either.

Without hesitation, he knelt and bowed, making his answer clear through his actions.

"Disciple Chen Guan greets his teacher."

Grabbing onto a powerful figure wasn't important. Chen Guan just couldn't bear the thought of leaving the old man, no, the old soul, to continue suffering alone at the bottom of this dark, timeless lake.

But fate had other plans. Just as the old saying goes, "The tree wishes to stay still, but the wind won't stop. The son wishes to serve, but the parents are no longer there." Chen Guan's filial intentions were bound to be in vain.

Shu Tianhe laughed heartily, "Hahaha, stand up. I have no regrets now that I've taken on an apprentice before my soul completely dissipates. It's just a pity that I'm not a good teacher, so I can't personally guide you. All I can leave you with is some of my experiences from life and a few items of little value."

As if afraid Chen Guan might change his mind, Shu Tianhe swiftly pointed at Chen Guan's forehead, transmitting all the inheritance into his mind.

Then, the ring on Shu Tianhe's skeletal hand fell off and landed in front of Chen Guan.

After finishing this, Shu Tianhe's already translucent soul became even more faint, barely maintaining its form.

A massive influx of information surged into Chen Guan's mind: how to refine various puppets, insights from experience, and even a method for cultivating the soul.

Its value was immeasurable, but at the moment, Chen Guan had no interest in examining it closely.

Holding the dark blue storage ring, one small bottle made of a special material stood out. Inside, more than ten pale yellow dust particles constantly floated and danced.

In today's Dou Qi Continent, this item's rarity surpassed that of an ordinary eighth-grade pill.

"Teacher, this must be Spirit-Bearing Dust, right? It's quite beneficial to the soul. Teacher, you..."

"It's useless. Spirit-Bearing Dust isn't a cure-all. It's true that it can help preserve and restore the soul, but its main function is to nurture the soul, enhancing its spiritual energy, best used when one is about to touch the threshold of the Spirit Realm. There's no harm in using it early, though."

"I already had a Heaven-tier soul when I was younger. It has limited effects on me now. Thanks to the Sky Puppet Sect's formula, I was able to recruit an eighth-grade alchemist as a guest and used a lot of Spirit-Bearing Dust back then. I even used some after I died, but the effect diminished over time until it became useless. You should keep it. It will help you reach the Spirit Realm faster. Our puppet master path requires as much from the soul as alchemy does."

Chen Guan felt a bit reluctant. This outcome was troubling.

He had just become the elder's apprentice, and now the teacher was about to vanish without any warning. If at first, he had been seeking a powerful ally, now he genuinely respected and wanted to help Shu Tianhe.

"A drop of water's grace should be repaid with a spring. This teacher had been nothing but good to him."

"Teacher, I once read in a book that there was an alchemist whose body was destroyed, and their soul was in a similar state to yours. But they managed to recover slowly by absorbing Dou Qi. Perhaps you could absorb mine. After we leave here, I can find materials to restore your soul."

"My good disciple, your sentiment alone makes me happy. But that method won't work for me. My soul should have dissipated long ago. Over the years, I've used every means available to extend my time, but my soul is already fragile, like porcelain weathered over countless years. One touch, and it will shatter. There's no saving it."

"You don't need to grieve for me. I've already lived a fulfilling life. Even my last regret has been resolved. Heaven has treated me well."

"While I can still hold on for a few more days, start learning the puppet techniques now. I can guide you, and you'll reach the fourth tier of a puppet master more quickly. Only then can you leave this place."

Chen Guan looked up, puzzled.

Shu Tianhe awkwardly smiled and explained, "Back when my soul was still strong, I was proud. I left a seal outside as a trial for my future disciple. At the time, I firmly believed that if someone couldn't reach the fourth tier as a puppet master, they didn't deserve to be my Sky Puppet Sect's heir. I never imagined that so many years would pass, and only you and that little snake would find this place."

Shu Tianhe was embarrassed. From one perspective, it seemed like he had unintentionally put his own disciple in a bind.

The imprint remained, but he no longer had the strength to remove it. That was quite awkward.

"Can't you forcefully break it? I saw there are still some puppets in your ring, teacher."

"Cough, cough. The entire stone chamber is reinforced with Sky Iron mixed with Copper Essence. Without Dou Ancestor-level strength, breaking it by force is nearly impossible. The remaining puppets, at best, can match a three-star Dou Huang. So, that path is not an option. Unless you can quickly break through to Dou Ancestor, this is the only way."

Chen Guan opened his mouth but had nothing to say to his rather unconventional teacher.

It turned out that all the arrangements were left for him to deal with alone, and his initial sadness was mostly washed away by this realization.

"Teacher, you're really something..."

"Cough, cough. Focus on cultivating, Chen lad. I have faith in you. With your soul strength and the help of Spirit-Bearing Dust, reaching the fourth tier as a puppet master won't be hard. You'll get there soon."

(End of Chapter)