"Why hesitate?"
"Unless the Great Emperor is in Fengdu and opens a school, preaching like Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva."
"The Bodhisattva preaching is not to teach you real skills. Of course, I think the Great Emperor wouldn't be so idle; he even neglects guiding his own descendants, watching them decline generation after generation, surely he wouldn't enlighten his followers."
"Hmm, after ruling out this possibility, it's clear that the folks from Fengdu don't know it better than I do."
After all, Li Zhiyuan obtained the fullest inheritance from Emperor Fengdu, though what he initially got from Yin Meng's grandfather was... a children's version.
But Li Zhiyuan completed a reverse study on it; the Fengdu Twelve Commandments, each commandment not only corresponds to a magic technique or skill, but also represents a category.
It's just that, thanks to Grandpa's house basement supply, Li Zhiyuan holds an abundance of precious inheritances in his hands.
Within each category, there are specialized inheritances for the youth to understand and learn, allowing Li Zhiyuan to select the best points from any inheritance system.
For example, he uses "Liu's Qi Observation Technique" only for Feng Shui, "Qin's่ Observation Method" just for basic exercises, and the Fengdu Twelve Commandments mainly for dealing with spiritual bodies and... implicating the Great Emperor with karmic consequences.
Zhao Yi joked, "No wonder you are the inheritor of Emperor Fengdu. I think even if the Great Emperor truly decided to cultivate an inheritor personally, that person wouldn't surpass you."
Li Zhiyuan: "In terms of close relation with the Great Emperor, who could compare to you?"
Zhao Yi: "It's not yet a life-or-death situation, no need to give me special attention now?"
Li Zhiyuan: "But time is still insufficient. Even for things I excel in understanding, observing, altering, mastering them discreetly requires a process."
Zhao Yi: "I understand your point. Don't worry, leave it to me."
As he spoke, Zhao Yi spread his ten fingers, pinching downward, a paper with Li Zhiyuan's name and birth details fell from his sleeve, quickly folding itself into a small figure.
Li Zhiyuan: "Kept a record of mine intentionally?"
Previously, Zhao Yi used this skill to fake the death of eight people.
But back then, Zhao Yi borrowed paper and pen from Liang Yan and wrote them on the spot, whereas now this piece, the paper was yellowing, showing that Zhao Yi had prepared it long ago, carrying it all the while.
Zhao Yi: "Your birthday is more important."
Looking at the paper figure, Li Zhiyuan said, "Not enough."
Zhao Yi tore off his outer garment, ripping his white inner lining, letting white fabric pieces fall, merging with the paper figure, his fingers continued pinching swiftly, the paper figure kept enlarging.
Eventually, Zhao Yi clasped hands together, interlocking fingers and pushed forward.
The paper figure's appearance changed to look exactly like Li Zhiyuan.
Nuo Puppetry Technique was learned by Li Zhiyuan with Zhao Yi's help, later the youth kept his promise and compiled it into a book, handing it to Zhao Yi.
This was a complex array, but Zhao Yi now thoroughly understands it.
This feeling made Li Zhiyuan slightly unfamiliar, perhaps too many people around him relied on him, suddenly appearing someone who can manage themselves felt a bit unsettling.
Zhao Yi: "You haven't practiced martial arts, your vital energy is not abundant, and you excel in concealing your aura, crafting you isn't too difficult."
Li Zhiyuan: "Pure puppetry skill, however advanced, is ultimately fake, not vivid, still likely to be seen through."
They don't want us to have a chance to escape, and similarly, I don't wish for them to have a chance to escape either.
If they discover halfway that I'm fake before I've mastered their external formations, this net will tear."
Zhao Yi: "How about this then?"
Fingernails slashed fingertips, blood dripped onto the paper figure.
The blood flow increased rapidly, Zhao Yi seemingly didn't care about his vital essence, saturating the paper figure entirely in red.
He raised ten fingers, one by one sucking on each to staunch the bleeding.
The red infusion on the paper figure made it more vibrant, this was genuine "life energy."
"Wait, there's more."
Zhao Yi tilted his head with a smile; as he spoke, paper figure Li Zhiyuan also spoke, one in Zhao Yi's voice, the other in Li Zhiyuan's voice:
"Li, is this real?"
"Li, is this real?"
Searching for adequacy in disguise, Zhao Yi looked at paper figure Li Zhiyuan and commented: "Li, you went too far."
Paper figure Li Zhiyuan glanced at him lightly, then shifted gaze back, ignoring him.
Without intentional sarcasm, the effect surpassed sarcasm.
At this moment, even Li Zhiyuan himself had to admit: It truly resembles, there's no flaw to be found.
A very down-to-earth puppet, Zhao Yi spared no effort in using the most traditional method for authenticity, that is, a puppet on strings.
Zhao Yi: "In this world, I may not know you best, but I'm definitely the best at mimicking you, so how does it feel?"
Li Zhiyuan: "Feels a bit pitiful."
Zhao Yi: "..."
Li Zhiyuan gathered blood mist in his palm, writing his name on the paper figure, drawing patterns around it, and pressing down firmly with his thumb.
This was sealing his counterfeit self.
Not to make the fake more real, but to make the real self more fake.
After all this, Li Zhiyuan pulled out three sealing talismans, sticking them at his "three lamp positions," thereby feigning his own "fake death."
Zhao Yi took a look outside and asked, "Not informing your subordinates?"
Li Zhiyuan: "I trust them immensely, except for their acting."
