Chapter 82: Master Wang
A hush fell over the gathered crowd. How many could surpass the Ten-Seal Realm? The majority were merely Ten-Seal Cultivators. Those beneath this level would rarely dare to step forward.
“The materials have been distributed. You may begin.”
Wang Jie eyed the battered armor fragments before him. So, he was to repair this? Around him, Puppet Masters had already begun their work—some hammering, others stoking flames, stitching, reinforcing, and employing various techniques to mend the damage.
The Dao of Artifice… he understood little of it.
His only recourse lay in his Two Plots of Farmland, a mysterious space where he could separate materials from Star Artifacts.
With this thought, he grasped the puppet armor plate and, while within the puppet’s protective shell, activated his farmland. The scene around him shifted as the fragment landed in his field. Drawing Starforce from a previous Star Artifact, he imbued the broken piece with its essence, forcibly refining it into a Star Artifact—a method unique to Celestial Refinement Masters. He had gleaned some knowledge of it from Mu Ran, though only the barest fundamentals.
The process was swift.
Within the puppet shell, Wang Jie observed the newly refined Star Artifact. Would this deceive them? The amount of Starforce infused was minuscule, just enough to create the illusion. He knew from his limited knowledge that even a true Celestial Refinement Master could not easily perform such a feat.
His gaze instinctively flicked to Bei Feng, who remained seated, unmoving. His cultivation far exceeded the Ten-Seal Realm, making it clear that none dared question him.
An hour passed.
Jiang You Sheng began inspecting each Puppet Master’s work. The results were… questionable. The armor fragments had been reshaped into all manner of grotesque forms.
As he examined them, he spoke: “Creatures develop unique attributes based on their environment—their sense of smell, aura, and even behavior. For example, the Berserk Clan can identify disciples of Frost Radiance Sect by scent alone. We Seventh Starchain Puppet Masters possess a unique sense as well. No matter how skilled an outsider may be, they cannot replicate the same feeling.”
“Surely, you all have sensed this before.”
Wang Jie listened. A feeling? It was simply Qi—energy perception. The people here lacked the proper terminology for it.
The Death Realm was a terrifying force, one that even behemoths like Armor One Sect feared. When would he next encounter someone from there?
His thoughts were interrupted when his armor fragment was retrieved.
All eyes turned toward Jiang You Sheng, who now examined Wang Jie’s work. Following his gaze, many sneered—the fragment appeared unchanged, still damaged.
Clearly, this man had no talent in Artifice.
He was no Puppet Master.
Even Bei Feng scrutinized Wang Jie and the fragment before him. Could someone from that group truly have made it here? Impossible. A mere Ten-Seal Cultivator reaching this place, even with a spaceship, was akin to a fish crawling onto land and somehow making it to a bustling human city. Absurd.
And yet… this man resided in the same place as him, coincidentally aligned with their mission location.
Jiang You Sheng suddenly spoke, his voice shifting to a tone of solemnity and reverence, completely different from before.
“Master, may I ask your esteemed name?”
Master?
The crowd collectively turned back to the fragment. What part of this screamed mastery?
“A Star Artifact?!”
A shocked cry pierced the silence.
A stunned hush followed. Every gaze locked onto the fragment. No, it couldn’t be…
Even Bei Feng leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. A Star Artifact? But it had been nothing more than an ordinary fragment. If true, this could mean only one thing—
A Celestial Refinement Master.
A Celestial Refinement Master was here.
Wang Jie remained oblivious to the chaos he had stirred. He knew little about Celestial Refinement Masters, but he had no choice—this was his only way to bluff through the trial.
Silence blanketed the hall.
Then, in an unprecedented move, Jiang You Sheng, still within his puppet shell, slowly stood and bowed deeply toward Wang Jie.
“To think that a Celestial Refinement Master would grace us with their presence. I beg forgiveness for my earlier rudeness.”
Though the others did not move, their gazes betrayed their conflicted emotions. Respect. Jealousy. Awe.
Bei Feng, in particular, looked utterly floored. This talkative fool was a Celestial Refinement Master?! If he had known, he would have just knocked him unconscious and dragged him away.
Wang Jie spoke calmly, “No need for formalities.”
A Star Artifact—an item imbued with Starforce, either naturally formed or refined by those who could wield it. Only those capable of becoming one with the stars or a select few—the Celestial Refinement Masters—could bestow Starforce upon ordinary objects.
And now, he was being mistaken for one.
But there was a problem—he had never cultivated Starforce at all. How could he be a Celestial Refinement Master?
Jiang You Sheng’s admiration deepened. “It is a great honor to encounter a Celestial Refinement Master here. Master, please rest at your leisure. If you have any requests, Puppeteer Tower will see them fulfilled.”
“And regarding this trial?”
“Master, you may observe, or leave as you wish. The choice is yours.”
Without hesitation, Wang Jie turned and walked away—lest he say something to expose himself.
Once he departed, whispers broke out among the Puppet Masters, their voices filled with admiration and reverence.
Bei Feng stared at Wang Jie’s retreating figure. A Celestial Refinement Master?
That ruled out any connection to the group he was wary of. If they had a Celestial Refinement Master among them, Yan Fu Yu would have immediately escorted them back to the sect. There was no way they would allow such a rare talent to wander into the Ninth Starchain, marching toward death.
After all, even Frost Radiance Sect had no Celestial Refinement Master.
From then on, Jiang You Sheng seemed distracted, merely going through the motions of assessing the remaining works before taking his leave.
On Green Square Star, numerous cities housed branches of the Puppeteer Tower, where they scouted for promising Puppet Masters. Under normal circumstances, no one from the Eighth Starchain should have even been here.
A Ten-Seal Cultivator making it this far? Nearly impossible.
But all of that paled in comparison to the arrival of a Celestial Refinement Master.
The Puppeteer Tower sprawled across an immense area, its courtyards scattered like islands within a vast sea. It was clear that the Puppet Masters valued their privacy as much as they did their craft.
At this moment, Wang Jie resided within one of the larger courtyards within the Puppeteer Tower. After securing his chambers, he began to replay everything that had transpired thus far.
The situation had become apparent—these Puppet Masters had mistaken him for a Celestial Refinement Master, treating him with utmost reverence. If that were the case, then he had no choice but to play the role to perfection. The more convincing, the better. However, there was a significant hurdle—Celestial Refinement Masters cultivated Star Force, whereas he practiced Lock Force. How was he supposed to explain that discrepancy?
Furthermore, did a Celestial Refinement Master solely imbue objects with Star Force, or did they possess other abilities? If they had more skills, how would he handle it? He regretted not gathering more information from Mu Ran when he had the chance.
Despite the swirling uncertainties, the only viable course of action was to adapt as the situation unfolded. Escape was currently out of the question. All Puppet Masters, including Bei Feng, were confined within Puppeteer Tower. Given such constraints, he could only take things one step at a time.
Not long after he settled in, Jiang You Sheng paid him a visit.
Controlling his Puppet, Wang Jie met with Jiang You Sheng. Surprisingly, Jiang You Sheng did not communicate through a Puppet, but came in person. A rare sign of profound respect.
“Master, I trust you are comfortable here? If there is anything you require, please do not hesitate to ask. The Puppeteer Tower shall see it done.” Jiang You Sheng spoke with refined courtesy. He carried a scholarly air about him, a stark contrast to what Wang Jie had imagined a Puppet Master to be.
From within the Puppet, Wang Jie’s voice echoed, “Tower Master, you are too kind. May I ask the purpose of your visit?”
Jiang You Sheng quickly responded, “I would not dare call it an order, but I do wish to request your aid. Of course, if Master does not have the time, it is of no consequence.”
“Please, speak freely,” Wang Jie replied. Given the circumstances, there was no room for refusal.
Jiang You Sheng took a moment to study the Puppet before him. It was crude, lacking the refinement of a Celestial Refinement Master’s work. Yet perhaps that was precisely why Celestial Refinement Masters remained so elusive. Their secrecy was unparalleled.
“Master, have you heard of the Thunder Well?”
“I have not.”
Jiang You Sheng proceeded with an explanation.
The Thunder Well was a peculiar phenomenon within the Ninth Star Chain, a celestial abyss where rampant lightning storms distorted space, sinking it into a well-like formation. The deeper one ventured, the fiercer the lightning grew. Jiang You Sheng had mentioned the Thunder Well because it was home to Thunder Pattern Gold.
The moment he uttered those words, he stopped, assuming Wang Jie was already aware of its significance.
However, Wang Jie had never heard of it before.
“I have come to request Master’s assistance in imbuing materials with Star Force, strengthening them against the ravages of the Thunder Well. With such enhancements, I will be able to delve deeper and extract the Thunder Pattern Gold.”
Wang Jie sighed in relief. So that was the extent of the request. Given the build-up, he had momentarily feared that they wanted him to accompany them into the Thunder Well itself.
“Very well.”
Jiang You Sheng was visibly surprised at how readily Wang Jie agreed. “Master, you accept?”
“Mm,” Wang Jie affirmed. “You may send the materials over. However—”
“Master need not worry,” Jiang You Sheng interrupted. “Your efforts shall not go unrewarded. Name your price.”
“You decide. However, I require Star Stones.”
Jiang You Sheng raised an eyebrow, not because the price was steep, but because it was surprisingly low.
Typically, the cost of Celestial Refinement was determined by the amount of Star Force imbued, with well-established rates. However, payments were rarely made with Star Stones, as they were considered a lesser currency among powerful cultivators. Above Star Stones were Galaxy Stones and Starsea Stones.
For cultivators, Star Stones were too basic. The more valuable Starsea Stones were worth ten thousand Star Stones each. Furthermore, exchanging Starsea Stones for Star Stones often yielded even greater returns. This meant that if a Celestial Refinement Master accepted Starsea Stones, they stood to gain more.
Yet, Wang Jie only asked for Star Stones.
“I shall prepare them immediately. Master, please wait.” With that, Jiang You Sheng departed.
Only then did Wang Jie allow himself to relax. He had no idea what the market rate for Celestial Refinement was, but he required Star Stones specifically. Their inner reserves of Star Force were essential—he needed to extract and transfer that power into the materials, for he had no Star Force of his own. The Star Force he had used earlier had merely come from a previously refined Star Artifact.
As for Starsea Stones and Galaxy Stones, he had no interest in them.
Surely, Jiang You Sheng must have realized that Wang Jie was not actually cultivating Star Force. And yet, he had not pressed the matter.
Perhaps he simply wished to confirm whether Wang Jie could truly perform Celestial Refinement.
Jiang You Sheng acted swiftly. By the following day, he had already delivered the materials meant to withstand the lightning, along with a vast quantity of Star Stones.
Wang Jie wasted no time in beginning the refinement process.
He had no idea how other Celestial Refinement Masters carried out their craft. He only knew that his own method was astoundingly fast. He tossed the Star Stones into his makeshift field, drew forth their Star Force, and infused it into the materials—efficient, effective, and effortless.
Of course, he couldn’t afford to let Jiang You Sheng notice the unnatural speed at which he worked. Just as he had done with the armor fragment, he had to restrain himself. If he infused too much Star Force too quickly, it would appear utterly bizarre. No Celestial Refinement Master could possibly work that fast.
To further conceal his methods, he requested an assistant—someone to bring him meals and handle errands. Naturally, his true intent was to subtly gather information about Celestial Refinement Masters.
His new assistant, Jiang Cai, soon arrived.
“Jiang Cai.”
“Yes, Master? What are your orders?” The man bowed with deep respect.
Wang Jie observed him for a moment. “I have noticed you glancing toward the courtyard multiple times. What is it? Are you interested in Celestial Refinement techniques?”
Jiang Cai paled in fear. “Master, please forgive me! I would never dare covet the secrets of Celestial Refinement!”
Wang Jie let out a small chuckle. “No need to be so tense. Speak freely. How much do you know about Celestial Refinement?”
Jiang Cai hesitated before replying, “The Path of Forging is divided into Smith Refinement and Celestial Refinement. Unlike Smith Refinement, Celestial Refinement has no fixed inheritance, nor does it follow any formal cultivation method. It is said that those who possess such talent are chosen by the heavens…”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation