Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 36 Painting the Skin and Bones, An External Incarnation

Night once again enveloped Changning County, with only the distant sound of a watchman striking a bamboo clapper occasionally breaking the tranquility.

Inside the paper-making shop, Gu Yan looked at the Blood River Heart on the worktable.

Because it was no longer nourished by the earth's veins, the Blood River Heart beat much slower, but each beat exuded a bloodthirsty aura that made one's heart tremble.

If this thing falls into the hands of evil cultivators, it is an invaluable tonic; if it falls into the hands of righteous cultivators, it is a demonic object that must be destroyed.

But in the hands of Gu Yan, a master paper craftsman, this is the best engine.

"Transforming reality and illusion, imbuing paper with spirit. Since my physical body is of mediocre quality, I will create a perfect shell for myself."

A mad yet rational light flashed in Gu Yan's eyes.

Instead of using ordinary bamboo strips, he took out an ebony cane.

That was a century-old piece of ebony, the best vessel for the spirit.

"Click, click."

The hard, iron-like ebony was sliced ​​open like tofu in Gu Yan's hands, and carved into pieces of pitch-black human bones.

Next, he took out the scraps of the snow silk paper, mixed them with the lizard demon skin he had peeled off earlier, and began the most crucial step of smearing the meat.

Gu Yan took this step very slowly.

He wasn't just pasting paper; he was using the property of "transformation between the real and the virtual" to gradually infuse his spiritual power into the pulp, simulating the pathways of the human body's meridians.

One hour later.

A male body, eight feet tall with a stern face, lay on the worktable.

Although it's still made of paper, the texture of the skin, the lines of the muscles, and even the curvature of the nails are indistinguishable from those of a real person.

But in the end, it's still just an empty shell.

"Heart comes."

Gu Yan grabbed the restless Blood River Heart with one hand and, without the slightest hesitation, pressed it directly into the body's chest.

"Sizzle!"

A sickening corrosive sound rang out.

The Blood River Heart frantically released its malevolent energy, trying to break free of the paper cage.

"town."

Gu Yan remained expressionless as golden light shone brightly from his fingertips, activating his master-level spirit-enhancing talent.

He did not forcibly suppress the evil aura, but instead used an extremely ingenious method to guide the red energy to flow throughout the paper figure's entire body, making it its blood and its power source.

The paper figure's originally pale skin was now flushed with a healthy rosy hue.

last step.

Gu Yan closed his eyes, separated a wisp of his divine consciousness, and suddenly drilled into the space between the eyebrows of this body.

"Buzz!"

On the worktable, the paper figure that had been keeping its eyes closed suddenly opened them.

Those were indifferent eyes devoid of any emotion, with a faint stream of blood flowing deep within the pupils, but it was instantly concealed by the chilling sword intent.

Gu Yan's true form exhaled a long breath of turbid air, his face somewhat pale, but his eyes were filled with excitement.

He looked at the "himself" sitting up in front of him, and the feeling was strange, as if he had an extra hand and an extra pair of eyes.

"From this day forward, you shall be the Blood Swordsman."

Gu Yan spoke to his clone.

The clone nodded expressionlessly and picked up an iron sword that Gu Yan had already prepared from the worktable.

Although it was just ordinary iron, under the infusion of the blood river's murderous aura, the sword turned dark red, exuding a fierce and ruthless aura that could kill without mercy.

[Create a special puppet: Bloodfiend Spirit Body (external avatar).]

[Rank: ??? (Depending on the remaining energy of the Blood River Heart; Current combat strength: Great Perfection of Qi Refining, Half-step Foundation Establishment).]

[Characteristics: Immune to pain, immune to illusions, and capable of instantly regenerating severed limbs (paper repair) as long as the heart remains intact.]

"Perfecting Qi Refining..."

Gu Yan was very satisfied with this.

In Changning County, apart from that seriously injured Foundation Establishment elder, this clone can basically roam freely.

"Now that we have a knife, we should go cut the grass."

Gu Yan walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.

Although the Foundation Establishment elder escaped using Blood Escape, the paper doll Chunhua that Gu Yan sold him contained a hidden tracking device.

Although the other party may have destroyed the paper figure, that unique aura of bad luck will not dissipate in a short time.

"Go ahead and clean up the hidden dangers. While you're at it, see if you can squeeze any more money out of that old man."

Gu Yan sat back in the rocking chair and picked up his teacup.

The clone known as "Blood Swordsman" flickered and transformed into a red afterimage, disappearing into the night outside the window.

……

Thirty li outside the city lies the withered pine hill.

This is a mass grave, filled with an extremely gloomy atmosphere, so much so that even stray dogs don't want to come here.

In a secluded, abandoned tomb, the old man in gray robes sat cross-legged, his face ashen.

There was a horrifying bloody hole in his chest, a wound pierced by the Demon-Slaying Crossbow, which was still oozing black blood.

"Damn it... damn the Demon Suppression Division... damn mortals..."

The old man gritted his teeth, his breath weak, as he circulated his remaining magic to heal his injuries while cursing wildly in his mind.

He, a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, actually capsized in a ditch.

Not only was the formation broken and my junior disciple missing, but even the sect's most precious treasure, the Heart of the Blood River, could no longer be sensed.

When I go back this time, forget about the reward; I'll probably have my soul extracted and my spirit refined by the sect leader.

"We must find the person who took the Heart of the Blood River! Only by making amends can we survive."

A glint of malice flashed in the old man's eyes.

Just then, the sound of the wind outside the tomb suddenly stopped.

An undisguised killing intent locked onto the area as if it were a tangible presence.

"Who?!"

The old man suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed the broken cane beside him, and frantically scanned the outside of the cave with his divine sense.

Under the moonlight, a young man dressed in black with a cold and stern face slowly walked over.

He dragged a dark red longsword in his hand, the tip of which carved a deep groove in the ground, making a grating scraping sound.

"It's you?!"

The old man's pupils contracted.

He didn't recognize the face, but he recognized the aura.

The bloodthirsty aura swirling around the sword was clearly from the Blood River Sect's cultivation technique!

Its energy is even purer than what he cultivated!

"You're an enforcement officer sent by the sect?!"

The old man's voice trembled, and he subconsciously shrank back.

In the Blood River Sect, there is only one consequence for failing a mission: being expelled from the sect by the Enforcement Enforcement Officer.

At this moment, Gu Yan's main body, who was far away in the paper-making shop, heard these words through the vision of his clone and almost spat out his tea.

This old man has quite a vivid imagination.

Since they've offered us the script, we might as well give it a try.

The young man in black stopped and stared coldly at the old man, his voice hoarse and devoid of any emotion:

"Mission failed, sacred relic lost. Martial Uncle, it's time for you to go."

That address of "Uncle-Master" sent the old man's soul tumbling out of his body.

"No! Don't kill me! I know where the sacred artifact is! I have clues! Give me a chance!"

The old man screamed in terror, frantically pulling a storage bag from his robes, hoping to use it to save his life:

"This contains my life savings! And a cultivation manual for the Foundation Establishment stage! You can have it all! Just let me go, and I'll immediately leave Zhao and never come back!"

The young man in black looked at the storage bag, a barely perceptible glint of greed flashing in his eyes, but his face remained as cold as ice.

"It's too late."

Before the words were finished, a red light suddenly appeared.

That was a sword strike of pure, unadulterated speed, devoid of any frills, only swiftness and ruthlessness.

The old man was already at his limit, and was further terrified by the identity of the law enforcer, so he didn't even put up a decent resistance.

"Pfft."

A pale head shot into the sky, its face filled with extreme fear and regret.

The young man in black skillfully caught the falling storage bag, then casually stabbed the old man's corpse with his sword to make sure he was dead before turning and leaving.

The night wind blew, and the withered pine hill returned to its deathly silence.

No one expected that a Foundation Establishment cultivator would die so ignominiously at the hands of a paper doll.

In the paper shop.

Gu Yan put down his teacup, a satisfied smile curving his lips.

"Foundation Building Insights, obtained."

"The last debt in Changning County has been settled."