Chapter 29: Phantom Shadow Recruitment, A Weakling Through and Through

Bu Yao had been cultivating gu worms within Xue Huaiyuan’s body in a desperate bid to escape the Puppet Shadow organization. Just as Li Yan was about to speak to him, he was stunned to see the spirit of Xue Huaiyuan manifest before them. Bu Yao was equally shocked.

The spirit drifted toward Bu Yao, reaching out as if to touch him, though his hand passed through empty air. With eyes brimming with tears, he said, "My dear brother, it was only after hearing your words that I realized you had been secretly in love with me all these years. I was blind to your heart, always seeing you only as my younger brother. I failed you when I distanced myself after marrying Qin Lian. I do not blame you for using my body to practice your gu and control me; consider it a repayment of the kindness you showed me. My time has come, and it is time to say goodbye. Having you as a brother in this life was truly worth it."

With those final words, Xue Huaiyuan’s spirit dissipated into nothingness. Bu Yao wailed, lunging into the empty air, only to grasp at shadows. He collapsed to the ground, staring blankly ahead, tears streaming down his face in silence. He remained catatonic for a long time.

Watching this, Li Yan sat down beside him and gently patted his shoulder. "Do not be sad. For him, this is a form of liberation."

Bu Yao did not reply. After sitting with him for a while, Li Yan noticed the crying had ceased and turned to look at him. To his horror, blood was pouring from Bu Yao's seven orifices. His eyes were vacant, and he soon collapsed to the ground in agony. For a split second, Li Yan regretted saving him, thinking he was merely reaping what he had sown. But then, he reconsidered—death was too easy; the man deserved to face the full weight of the law. Thus, Li Yan decided to infiltrate the Puppet Shadow on his own to find an antidote. Little did he know that shortly after he departed, Bu Yao would regain consciousness and vanish from the Xue residence.

Li Yan soon arrived at the outskirts of the Puppet Shadow headquarters. He crouched in hiding for a long time, uncertain of how to gain entry. Just then, a man emerged from the facility carrying a stack of papers, seemingly intent on distributing them. Li Yan stepped out and staged an accidental collision, causing the papers to scatter across the ground.

"I am so sorry! I’ve made a mess of your papers. Let me help you pick them up," Li Yan said with an apologetic smile. The man merely glanced at him with suspicion, seemingly confused as to why anyone would be in this area. As Li Yan gathered the papers, he took a surreptitious look at the content. It was indeed a recruitment flyer for the Puppet Shadow.

Li Yan’s smile widened as he asked, "What kind of place is the Puppet Shadow? I find this quite interesting." He watched the man’s reaction closely, noting how the man swallowed nervously, casting a fearful glance at his surroundings before speaking. He seemed unable to voice his true thoughts, eventually stammering, "It’s... it’s quite good here. They even pay you to learn."

Li Yan immediately understood: this place was dangerous, and the man was likely under constant surveillance. "If I wanted to sign up, where should I go?" Li Yan asked. The man pointed to a nearby booth. Li Yan went there and successfully registered. Fearing he might not be accepted, he demonstrated his own rudimentary knowledge of puppetry. The recruiter was impressed and told him to wait for news.

Soon, Li Yan received word that he had been accepted. He returned to the Puppet Shadow and was brought directly before the master—Bu Yao’s teacher. Li Yan formally took him as his master. By night, he began sneaking around to search for the antidote. His movements were cautious, yet he was discovered and quickly surrounded.

Li Yan attempted to unleash his energy to fight his way out, but to his dismay, he found himself unable to summon his power. He was rendered as weak as a fledgling. Captured and brought before the Puppet Shadow master, he was forced to his knees. The master looked down at him with a cruel smile. "You have quite the nerve, stealing on your very first day?"

Just as the master spoke, Bu Yao appeared. He smiled at the master and said, "Master, this is the Li Yan I told you about. His body is the most suitable vessel for gu cultivation and puppetry. I have verified that he possesses an unknown energy and can channel eerie power. His birth chart is also yin-aligned. He is perfect. We can drain his energy and turn him into a puppet for gu rearing."

The master laughed with delight, praising Bu Yao for his work. Li Yan was driven to fury by these words. "You heartless wretch! My greatest mistake was not killing you while you were unconscious!"

But his rage was futile; he was pinned down, unable to move. Enraged by the outburst, Bu Yao struck Li Yan across the face repeatedly until he screamed in pain. Afterward, Bu Yao dragged Li Yan to the basement, pried his mouth open, and forced a swarm of insects down his throat. Despite Li Yan’s desperate gagging and nausea, the insects remained, beginning to feed on him from within.

Bu Yao bound Li Yan to a cross and produced a sphere. "Wait here for your death," he said. "If you must blame someone, blame yourself for being too kind."

Li Yan’s face flushed with burning indignation. "You traitor! I should have killed you when I had the chance!"

After Bu Yao departed, Li Yan remained in a state of boiling anger, but it was useless. He tried to calm his mind to harness his energy, but he found it completely inaccessible. The gu worms inside him gnawed away, causing him excruciating pain. Just as Li Yan fell into the depths of despair, the Cat God suddenly appeared, forcing Bu Yao and the Puppet Shadow master into the basement ahead of him. The two men were disheveled and battered, having clearly just engaged in a fierce battle with the Cat God.