Chapter Twenty: The Life of a Puppet

Just as Qin Jing had suspected, Jenny was highly skeptical of his prowess as a "summoner." In the world of myth, Jessica was a prodigy in cultivation, but precisely because of her natural talent, her mind was overly simple and unversed in worldly matters. In contrast, Jenny was far more calculating: how could a freshly awakened Earth possibly harbor such powerful beings? And what gave a mere summoner the ability to call forth someone as strong as Jessica to Earth?

To Jenny, this seemed more like a method for summoning spiritual entities. For reasons unknown, Qin Jing was able to transport physical objects during the process as well. It was precisely for this reason that Jenny decided to continue trading: even though she knew "Qin Jing was weak," she genuinely needed these goods from Earth.

Of course, this information was quite useful to her.

"One spiritual power cultivation manual, plus a magic lock of extraordinary level nine, and three alchemical puppets of level nine strength as a bonus, in exchange for the ten items you've displayed," Jenny said directly. She felt as though she was being rather opportunistic; after all, what she offered were "merely" items of extraordinary level nine, but what she stood to gain were exceedingly rare goods in the world of myth—and all at once, ten of them.

If the deal could go through, it would be well worth it. Qin Jing, however, had already agreed to the trade in his heart: a few ordinary second-hand items in exchange for such supernatural objects—by any measure, it was a huge gain.

But just as with his trade with Jessica, Qin Jing could not agree immediately. The only reason the other party was willing to pay such a high price was for the "cross-time-and-space delivery"; both sides understood that the items themselves were not valuable—the true worth lay in the means by which they were delivered.

Although Qin Jing, with the help of the GDP, did not have to pay any price, Jenny Tio had no way of knowing this.

"Impossible! A single platinum necklace in exchange for everything you have? The magic lock and the alchemical puppets are mere bonuses, hardly worth anything."

"Ridiculous! These alchemical puppets were crafted by Master Mario himself. They possess intelligence nearly equal to that of a human, and you say they are worthless? In my eyes, the least valuable among these three items is the cultivation manual."

"Of course, that simply reflects our different needs. I need the cultivation manual, while you need the fine things from Earth, do you not?"

"Exactly. So I have what you want, and I want your ten items. No room for negotiation."

"In that case, let us call off the trade."

"In that case, I'll add some magic stones—the universal currency of the mythic world, which appeared alongside the revival of spiritual energy. On Earth at this stage, they should be extremely precious."

"......"

Unlike their first transaction, this deal now involved genuine negotiation. Jenny, believing she had figured out Qin Jing's background, became quite aggressive.

Yet Qin Jing did not yield in the slightest, using "refusal to trade" as his trump card, threatening to cancel the deal at any moment. For Jenny, who was determined to make this exchange, such a tactic was intolerable, and thus her bottom line kept dropping.

In the end, Qin Jing traded five second-hand luxury items and received a cultivation manual, one magic lock, three alchemical puppets, and one hundred magic stones.

It is worth noting that an unexpected incident occurred during the trade.

The cultivation manual was delivered as a jade slip, which Jenny handed to Qin Jing directly, explaining how to use it. The magic lock was similar. However, when it came to delivering the alchemical puppets, something unexpected happened.

The three alchemical puppets looked identical to ordinary humans, though their expressions were somewhat blank. Jenny summoned them directly, but when they appeared, their bodies were enveloped in a film of light—this was a restriction imposed by the GDP.

At the same time, the magic mirror displayed the following information:

Alchemical Life Form:
Year of Manufacture: Year 2018, Mythic World Calendar, December
Usage Time: 0
Materials: Unknown
Craftsmanship: Unknown
General Description: Crafted by Master Mario of the Tio family, he transformed puppets into living beings.
Earthly Description: Outwardly obedient to Qin Jing’s commands, but in fact carrying the Tio family’s mission: to monitor Qin Jing’s every move. If necessary, they can unleash extraordinary level nine powers to control him.
Usage Instructions: Whoever holds the puppet’s core rune is the true master of the alchemical life form.

"They’re actually living beings!"

Qin Jing was shocked. The terror of the mythic world was revealed in just a single puppet, and all three puppets had been sent to monitor him.

In that instant, two options flashed through Qin Jing’s mind. First, pretend not to know, accept a certain amount of risk, and rely on the GDP’s restrictions. Once the GDP had grown strong enough, he could try to seize the "core rune" and become the true master of the puppets.

This plan had its risks, but if successful, he could send false information to the Tio family and seize the initiative.

However, Qin Jing’s face quickly darkened as he frowned at Jenny and said, "What is the meaning of this? I sense the aura of living beings from these three alchemical puppets. They are not mere puppets—they might even be alive!"

The second plan: lay everything bare.

Qin Jing never considered himself the favored protagonist of fate, able to swallow only the sugar coating of the enemy’s honeyed bullets and spit the bullets back at them. Admittedly, that was the most profitable option, but it was not suitable for him. If, by any chance, the puppets had other hidden mechanisms, or if even after the GDP’s growth he could not find the "core rune," he would have placed a long-term risk right at his side—which would have been sheer idiocy.

Jenny’s gaze flickered with surprise for the first time. On the surface, the puppets were extraordinary level nine "items," but in truth, Master Mario had poured immense effort into their creation. To see through Mario’s craftsmanship would require at least the power or cultivation of a mythic being.

"It seems Qin Jing may not excel in power, but his insight and realm are certainly not low," Jenny thought.

Having made this judgment, Jenny immediately activated her backup plan. She let out a coquettish laugh, lowered her head, and leaned close to Qin Jing, intentionally speaking in a flirtatious tone, "So sorry, my dear Summoner. These three puppets were originally for family use; it was a spur-of-the-moment decision on my part to offer them in trade. I will erase their living consciousness, and I will also give you their core control runes. With a single thought, you can destroy them."

Jenny’s explosive figure was on full display right before his eyes. This fairy from the mythic world was dressed entirely differently from Earth’s women, in a style reminiscent of a female mage from an online game, but even more extravagant. Her ample bosom was barely wrapped in a pitifully scant scrap of cloth, which did little to conceal her fair, delicate skin, creating a powerful visual impact.

Moreover, Jenny was a first-rate beauty. If Jessica could not be measured by Earthly standards, then neither could Jenny, but by Earth's standards she would easily be rated a 99—an absolute stunner.

Faced with such a woman, Qin Jing was surprised to discover that the listlessness brought on by Jessica’s presence instantly vanished. A tent sprang up at once, brimming with vitality and energy, fully loaded and ready to burst.

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Thanks to the veteran reader Bloodless Bloodleaf for the 1000-point reward.