Countdown

No wall in the world was entirely airtight. Even less so with someone like Tong the Vegetable operating deep behind enemy lines, relaying firsthand intelligence at every turn. Ji Jue had been captured alive by Kanemoto the previous night. Before dawn broke, an encrypted report had already reached the outpost and was personally delivered into Ye Xian's hands by Lyu Yingyue. Lyu Yingyue had prepared a whole stomachful of comforting words. Unfortunately, none of them were needed. "Oh. I know." Ye Xian stared down into the Crucible, not even bothering to look up as she waved a hand dismissively. "Leave it there." Utterly unmoved, completely without reaction. Her indifference was impossible to fake. If anything, it felt like a rare slip of genuine emotion... leaving Lyu Yingyue briefly stunned, wondering if Yu Hanguang had taken that beating a bit unjustly. "Aren't you worried in the least?" she asked, bewildered. "Even if I were worried or upset, wouldn't you just watch the show?" Ye Xian glanced back impatiently, making the smile at the corner of Lyu Yingyue's lips turn even more wry. "I'm not that kind of person." "He sought his own death; he can bear his own consequences. I'm a teacher, not a babysitter." Ye Xian's voice remained cool. "Besides, if it were anyone else, I might pay a bit of attention. But with Kanemoto, forget it. There's no need for any rescue either." "Are you sure?" Lyu Yingyue pressed. "He infiltrated Kanemoto's workshop all on his own and brought out that Yanyue kid. It's not just Chaocheng and the Lou family—even the Security Bureau has to acknowledge this favor. Now that he's slipped up and fallen into their hands, who knows what kind of torture he's enduring?" "Torture?" Ye Xian sneered. "I'd bet he's having the time of his life. You've looked into my background, haven't you? Wouldn't you know?" Lyu Yingyue gave a faint shrug, wearing an expression that said 'How could I ever do that?' yet somehow also conveyed 'You guessed it—you know me so well.' "You just came to watch the spectacle, didn't you?" Ye Xian rubbed her temples, sighing wearily. "Good thing I severed ties with that sect early on. Otherwise, if I ran into that old fossil Kanemoto, I'd probably have to call him Martial Uncle." Within the Association, Ye Xian's name commanded fierce dread among the high-ranking members, enough to hush the weeping of many a craftsman who had suffered under her. One could say that in the past seventy years, not a single person had risen as swiftly, brutally, and unyieldingly as she had. Regrettably, seventy years ago... there was Kanemoto. He had completed his apprenticeship at twenty-four, attained the rank of master at thirty-one, and founded his own school by forty-five. He had carved a ferocious reputation across the Thousand Islands between the Empire and the Federation; the blades forged by his hands were unrivaled, and many even ranked among the Celestial Craft. For instance, Xiao'an, the blade Wen Wen had snapped in two, was an early work of his. Then, at fifty-six, he crossed over to Stagnant Rot overnight. Today, he commanded the Profound branch, having transformed from a core pillar of the Association into an outright menace. By all reason, even if Embers and the Profound were like fire and water, they came from the same lineage, so one might expect some lingering sentiment and leniency, rather than sheer cruelty. Unfortunately, though they belonged to the same sect, not a shred of sentiment remained. Even after Ye Xian broke away from the sect, that layer of blood-feud could never be wiped clean. Fratricidal strife and internal warfare were never rare. Harmonious affection sounded pleasant enough, but once blood rushed to the head, let alone senior and junior martial brothers—even biological fathers and sons might beat each other's brains out. A clash of egos, a difference in ideology, a contest of supremacy. Back then, Kanemoto fought Ye Xian's master three times over this and lost three times. Yet in all three defeats, he had surrendered not an inch of ideological ground, and on the final occasion, Ye Xian's master had even spared his life out of mercy... A magnanimous person might have turned back from the wrong path. But these were craftsmen, for heaven's sake—where would they get that kind of tolerance? And even if they possessed it, how could a mere defeat or brush with death shake their personal obsession? Anyone who hesitated over external matters could never have reached where they were today. "Anyone else would be one thing, but if he finds out Ji Jue is my student, he'll never let this chance slip by," Ye Xian said, shaking her head. "He'd love nothing more than to use this opportunity to slap my teacher in the face, just to prove his was the righteous path all along." *Back then, you claimed I relied on bizarre tricks and clung to stale rot. Yet today, my disciples span the world, while your proudest pupil rebelled and fled, and even her student has defected to my tutelage. So who was right?* Besides, personal grudges aside, with Ji Jue's talent alone, there was no way Kanemoto would pass up such a flawless piece of raw jade delivered right to his doorstep. As for whether Ji Jue could withstand the corruption of Stagnant Rot and Kanemoto's enticements... What did that have to do with her?! After being tormented by all his nonsense for so long, having Ji Jue as a student was such a "delight" that someone else ought to enjoy the privilege for a while! Besides, didn't she know better than anyone just how much trouble her student was? In certain respects, killing him was easy, but making him bow his head willingly? Even Ye Xian, his legitimate teacher, lacked that ability. If Kanemoto felt his life was too peaceful and wanted to invite trouble upon himself, she could only offer her blessings and understanding. It would also do that bastard Ji Jue some good to suffer a bit. Otherwise, even if he survived this time, he would screw around and get himself killed by someone else sooner or later. "So you're just going to leave him be?" Lyu Yingyue asked, puzzled. "Don't I have my hands full right now?" Ye Xian looked up expressionlessly toward the space above the Crucible, where countless spiritus circuits and layers of blessings flickered like stars. Bathed in the radiant glow, her austere face took on a sharp, piercing brilliance. "I settle my own affairs. "As for my student, once I'm done trading blows with that martial uncle of mine, I'll naturally bring him back in passing." Lyu Yingyue fell silent. Such a solemn look... It had been many years since she had seen it on her old friend. "An Ember through and through," she murmured softly. In that moment, she abruptly understood that Kanemoto wasn't the only one harboring fury. Most likely, Ye Xian wanted to seize this chance to show her own teacher a thing or two as well. Poor Ji Jue, however, was probably going to become a pawn caught between the clashes of these two Embers. Ever since entering her tutelage, he had been left to fend for himself like a wild beast, never enjoying a scrap of sect benefits, yet all the debts and blame left by the sect had landed squarely on his head. She couldn't help letting out a heartfelt sigh. "Being your student really is the worst luck in the world." To this, Ye Xian merely withdrew her gaze indifferently. "Right back at you." *** Meanwhile, the argument in the outpost's conference room had also drawn to a close. With the meeting concluded, the attendees dispersed in various directions. "Hmm? Where is Yingyue?" A white-haired woman looked toward the empty seat. "Did she not attend today?" "She was probably sick of the bickering," Tong Ting replied with a faint smile beside her. "It was just the same old arguments rehashed again and again. Director Lyu has grander matters in mind and naturally isn't inclined to squabble with the others, so she had me stand in for her. "On the other hand, that kid A-Shan really earned his uncle some face today. The folks from Chuancheng usually carry themselves with their chins in the air, but today they were struck dumb. Even Madam Lou rarely speaks to me so amiably." Madam Lou glanced at him. "A-Shan certainly deserves credit, but isn't the lion's share owed to Master Ye's prized apprentice? Besides, you lazy bum, you never show your face unless fire is singeing your eyebrows. Why would you care if an old woman speaks nicely to you?" "From childhood, the old man drummed it into my head: take a step back and find open skies; always striving to be first brings no good. When the fire isn't burning our eyebrows, who wouldn't prefer to stay tucked comfortably at home?" Tong Ting sighed ruefully. "The situation now is no longer a matter of gains and losses for a single family or city. Haizhou and the Federation have both been dragged into this. If things go wrong, it'll turn into another struggle between Virtue and Scourge. As a stand-in thrust into the open, I feel like I'm sitting on pins and needles, merely playing the yes-man. By contrast, a heroine like yourself, Madam Lou, often puts me to shame." "Our family lacks a young and capable hand at the helm, so a woman like me has to step forward, acting ruthless just to appear formidable. Compared to the Tong family, it's nothing more than a hollow facade. "Let's leave the flattery aside," Madam Lou sighed faintly, asking gravely, "I only arrived today and remain somewhat unclear on the situation. Since you're here representing Lord Tong, you must give me a straight answer." "Things have come to this; there is little left to say." Tong Ting relayed the words of the elder from his family: "The boundary between Virtue and Scourge brooks no confusion. A battle must be fought. "Doesn't the Lou family's elder hold the exact same view?" Hearing this, Madam Lou's expression remained tranquil, devoid of surprise. If anything, she seemed relieved. It was merely a battle—how big of a deal could it be? At worst, people would die. At most, a few more members of the family would perish. As if any family had never lost anyone. Strife among the Celestial Chosen was relentlessly brutal. A large clan with vast holdings inevitably suffered casualties. Yet now that Haizhou was involved, none of the families had any room to retreat. With their elites fully deployed, what they feared was not a clash, but the absence of one. If this protracted stalemate dragged on indefinitely, how was anyone supposed to carry on living? Besides, what sane person would leave a bomb sitting on their doorstep just for fun? Who knew when Lu Changsheng's mind would snap and he would casually push the detonator for amusement? If the various factions had harbored any doubts about Quancheng before, Lu Changsheng's recent action had thoroughly unified everyone's consensus. Fight. They had to fight! And they had to pin down the Evil Transmutation Cult and beat them to death! No matter how incompetent the Federation might be, they could never let Lu Changsheng slap an enemy base right onto their faces. Yet the crux lay elsewhere... "How is Lord Tao's condition?" Tong Ting fell silent for a moment, letting out a soft sigh. "Vigorous in energy, sharp in mind. When I saw him yesterday, he was even more talkative than usual." Madam Lou said nothing. The two exchanged a glance, both sighing in unison. The various families had all contributed effort to see Lord Tao appointed as the Haizhou Warden. To finally have a warden who didn't scrape the land clean, but instead sought to resolve Haizhou's troubles, felt like an answered prayer. Everyone wished Lord Tao could endure for a long, long time—ideally living a hundred, even a thousand years. Regrettably, from the looks of it, his days were numbered. Ever since suffering severe trauma and the corruption of all Quancheng years ago, Lord Tao had fallen unconscious for years. Even after awakening, he had spent most of his time looking senile and sluggish unless duty demanded otherwise. His mind was like a lamp, his humanity like oil—Lord Tao had long since become a flame without a source. A faint residual flicker could still linger for a while, but the more vigorously and brightly the lamp burned now, the shorter his remaining time became. And at the same time, the closer he drew to Tianyuan... —The more withered, the more powerful! "Prepare yourselves, Madam Lou. Lord Tao is not a man to willingly submit to the yoke of demons." Tong Ting rose slowly, speaking his final words: "After probing each other for so long, it should happen within the next day or two." His footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Madam Lou let out a silent sigh, her eyes downcast for a long time. For some reason, she suddenly recalled that meeting with Lord Tao several years ago. And the final words the old man had spoken to her... —*For the sake of all beneath heaven, what is there to spare of this mortal frame?!*