Abundant Martial Arts Virtue
Chapter 439 - 392: Decisions from All Sides!

Chapter 439: Chapter 392: Decisions from All Sides!

Artifact display room.

An unusual atmosphere quietly arose.

The master mother gently leaned into Wu Xiaode’s embrace, caressing his earlobe with her hand.

"Arian, we can’t go on like this," she said.

She issued a muffled coo, all nasal, sounding like nothing more than a hum.

"Why?" Wu Xiaode embraced her waist tightly.

"The Family Head must be almost done talking," the master mother said as she wriggled in his arms.

——Just like life, with its ups and downs.

Wu Xiaode became extremely alert.

This woman carried a curse known as "End," and she was not easy to handle.

Fortunately, he was currently cloaked in the guise of the "Dark Demon King" thanks to a Demon Art, making him immune to all magic under the Law.

Moreover, shrouded in the nearby mist, Audrey and Little Bone were both ready for combat.

——Otherwise, he would never let her get so close!

"Qiong, this is for you, but don’t look at it now. Have a look once you’re outside," Wu Xiaode said.

He put two small booklets into her pocket.

"What is it?" she asked, lifting her head and looking at him with eyes clear as the moon enshrouded in mist.

"Human Puppet Forging Skill — The Family Head actually just has the first part, but on your side, I’ve also taken out the second part," Wu Xiaode said.

The master mother was shocked and said hastily, "You deceived the Family Head? If the Council realizes, he will come and kill you right away."

"Stay calm. The part I gave him is already enough to create complete human puppets — and he can’t tell at all that there is actually a high-level Human Puppet Forging Method behind it — which is what I’ve given you in the second booklet," Wu Xiaode said.

The master mother was stunned.

That’s fantastic.

Arian had grown marvelously!

Both the Family Head and the Council members had the complete Human Puppet Forging Skill.

But it was the method for low-level human puppets.

The higher-level was actually in Arian’s hands, under his sole control!

It was a wise move!

"Since the Family Head will finish soon, you should leave here first. I need to pick things out quickly so I can be ready to face him," Wu Xiaode said.

"Alright, I’ll go out first to avoid him discovering our scheme," the master mother said.

She gave Wu Xiaode a deep look and then turned to leave the artifact display room.

Click.

The door closed.

"You just let her go like that?" Little Bone asked.

"If we are to truly turn against each other, many things must be prepared in advance. Little Wu is giving her time to arrange everything," Audrey said with an approving tone.

"But will she really side with us?" Little Bone asked.

"No," Wu Xiaode said.

Audrey said, "Getting this scarf is already worth the ticket price. Next, how far she can go will depend on Little Wu’s skills."

Everyone looked at Wu Xiaode.

Wu Xiaode sighed and turned his head towards the depths of the display room.

There, Xiao Baihong turned his head back, grinned at Wu Xiaode, then his figure flashed as he leaped back, landing in front of him.

"How is it?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"I can tell there are two things here that are quite suitable for you right now," Xiao Baihong said.

He pointed into the display room.

Following his direction, Wu Xiaode immediately saw the large mural in the depths of the room.

"Little Bone?" Wu Xiaode called out.

"Wait a sec — my Bone Phone 1 is glitching — I’m restarting it," Little Bone said, clearly annoyed.

It was obvious that he knew time was of the essence.

But a malfunctioning phone was beyond his control.

"You Dragon Clan guys can glitch too?" Audrey asked curiously.

"Big sister, this ability of mine is still in its most primitive state; it needs to evolve so it won’t glitch as much," Little Bone said.

"What will it be like after it evolves?" Wu Xiaode also asked, curious.

"Bone Phone 2," Little Bone said.

"...That’s refreshingly straightforward."

During their conversation, the phone finished restarting.

The Book of the Dead immediately opened, revealing lines of ice crystal text:

"Data sharing with Bone Phone has been achieved."

"Current photograph subject: Flesh and Blood Mural."

"—A masterpiece by Siang, the head of the Shangmo family."

"Countless shattered bone fragments hidden in this mural speak of the dark side of this ancient family."

"Presenting this painting to the Destruction Council would undoubtedly prompt them to investigate the reasons for the untimely deaths of many outstanding Shangmo family members over the centuries."

Everyone read in silence.

"The Family Head is called Siang? A ruthless one indeed," Little Bone said.

"As long as you submit this, that Family Head will be too busy to bother you," Xiao Baihong said.

"What do you think, Little Wu?" Audrey asked.

"...It would only solve a problem temporarily, and control would be in others’ hands. To be honest, I don’t trust the Destruction Council at all," Wu Xiaode said, shaking his head.

He looked at Xiao Baihong and asked, "This can be useful, it might solve my immediate problem — what’s the other thing you mentioned?"

"That thing over there."

Xiao Baihong pointed towards the silver candlestick at the end of the long table in the display room.

On the candlestick was an unlit candle, about one-third the length of a finger.

Click!

The sound of a photograph being taken echoed.

Hidden in the mist, Little Bone held up Bone Phone 1 and took a picture.

The Book of the Dead immediately displayed a prompt rune:

"Holy Spirit Burning Body Candle."

"Miracle."

"Using it can summon a Holy Spirit, which will grant you some modest help according to the current circumstances."

Some modest help...

At this moment, everyone fell silent, waiting for him to make the final decision.

——Would he choose to hold on to evidence of the Family Head murdering, or to summon the Holy Spirit in hopes of receiving some help?

Wu Xiaode looked at the descriptions of the two items and fell into silence.

...

Thud.

The moment the door to the display room closed, all expression vanished from the master mother’s face.

She stepped on the lavish carpet, descended the long staircase, and walked toward the other end of the passage.

The collection display room was located at the highest point of the entire castle, like a lighthouse standing alone.

Now she was slowly leaving it.

She walked for a while.

Ahead.

At the end of the steep stairs stood a man, towering like an iron tower.

The Family Head of the Shangmo family.

The Matriarch’s eyes flickered as she calmly said, "Back already? This time, you must have gained quite a lot."

"Not bad, but the items I wanted, the Council said it would take a few days to prepare," said Family Head Siang.

"You didn’t give them the Forging Method ahead of time, did you?" the Matriarch asked.

"How could I?" Siang chuckled lightly.

"Then that’s fine—congratulations, your status and power are both set to advance further," the Matriarch said with a smile.

Siang’s gaze lingered on the long staircase as he said indifferently, "I always feel that young Arian has become much more cunning. I suspect he has gained something else, so now I’m prepared to kill him, imprison his soul, and obtain everything from him—"

"You don’t have any objections, do you?"

The Matriarch smiled, "Family affairs are entirely up to the Family Head to decide, what objections could I have?"

"I see you seem quite cozy with him," Siang remarked.

"Every time I come out, isn’t it to help you with your business?" The Matriarch chuckled, approached him with a sway in her step, and holding his hand she said:

"Their family’s curse was also done at your request; it was only because you asked that I got close to his father—you must not think of me as an unfaithful woman."

Satisfaction flashed in Siang’s eyes.

This woman, although a bit scheming, was ultimately a valuable ally.

Now, with the Human Puppet Forging Skill, he was in high favor in the Council and ready to make his move, needing her and the support of the Prison Flame family behind her.

She had always done well.

Forget it.

She doesn’t need to be killed for now.

It’s time to kill Arian and figure out the details about the Human Emperor’s Secret Realm.

"You go back and rest. After I kill that kid, I’ll bring his skull back for you to play with," Siang said.

"Then I must thank the Family Head. I want his finger bones too," the Matriarch said.

"Why the finger bones?"

"To make a little itch-scratching gadget."

"...No need, I’ll help you with that tonight," said Siang, pinching her cheek until a slight crackling of bone was heard, and she coquettishly muttered "Stop it" before he smilingly let go.

He passed by her and started ascending the stairs.

She stood still, took out a pristine handkerchief, and wiped the blood streaming from her nose.

Dammit.

This man was too terrifying; she was no match for him.

The woman turned around and silently continued walking forward until she passed a corner and suddenly slapped the wall, entering a secret chamber.

Having set up a barrier with a wave of her hand, she pulled out the two pamphlets Arian had given to her and started to read them eagerly.

There was no mistake; the first one was definitely about the Human Puppet Forging Skill, very complete.

—If it hadn’t been pointed out to her, she would never have known that it was actually just the low-level Human Puppet Forging Skill.

She eagerly flipped through the second pamphlet.

The forging method inside was indeed more advanced!

Arian hadn’t lied to her!

The woman held her breath, as the contrast between her previous experience in the young man’s arms and Siang’s recent brutality came to mind.

Now all she had to do was wait for the outcome.

If, in the end, Arian lost despite using her help—

The woman sighed and shook her head.

There was no helping it; she could only get involved so deeply. Otherwise, if Siang were to find out, all her years of efforts in the Shangmo family would come to nothing.

She must not enter the battle herself!

She continued to flip through the pamphlet, quickly reaching the last page.

There was only one line of small text on this page:

"Above is the Intermediate Human Puppets Forging Method. For the stronger High-level Human Puppets Forging Method and Divine-level Human Puppets Forging Method, please see the next Chapter."

The woman was stunned.

—This was only the mere Intermediate Human Puppets Forging Method.

He had completely dismantled the whole Human Puppet Forging Skill!

—And he played a beautiful game of Chapter break!

The woman felt something stirring in her heart, growing wildly like a weed, and she reveled in it, unable to resist.

Arian, you are truly remarkable.

All of you is mine—be it the Divine-level Human Puppet Forging Skill or the Human Emperor’s Inheritance.

If she could get her hands on these two things—

All she would need to do is flee back to the Prison Flame family, and it would be a significant accomplishment!

No one would be able to blame her!

The woman abruptly stood up, her eyes sharpening like blades—

In that moment, she made her final decision.

"The End unfolds—"

"Bloodline Wailing Spell, Puppet Refinement!"

Her hands became a blur, her mouth rapidly chanting.

Elsewhere.

The Family Head had just stepped onto the last stair.

—When hunting, being too eager can spoil the perfection of the process.

Slaying and flaying is a meticulous task.

Today, he was in a good mood; everything needed to proceed slower, for his enjoyment.

He reached the last step and arrived at the entrance to the collection display room.

The next second.

The Void suddenly opened.

A figure stood at the door.

"Abner? You’re not dead?" Siang said in surprise.

No, this is not right!

This is not what she told him!

Siang’s expression darkened in an instant.

Abner’s eyes turned to blood red, his body surrounded by layers of blood light.

"The Shangmo family has been in decline for too long; today, I will kill you and lead the family to a more glorious future," Abner roared.

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