Smiles Never Disappear

From within that pitch-black iron mace, the auras of blessings were already laying themselves bare... They were none other than Ascension's Spirit-Source Circulation and Embers' Matter-Spirit Excitation! Originally, they had assumed Ji Jue exchanged for those specific blessings out of calculated malice aimed squarely at Andrei in second place. Never had they imagined that Ji Jue was such a generous soul. He didn't target individuals. He targeted everyone equally! To begin with, the technique Ye Xian had developed using the matrices of Ganjiang and Moxie was already absurdly terrifying. For Ji Jue to reproduce its core essence theoretically by relying on Non-Offensive's versatility was outrageous enough. Yet no one could have dreamed... Even stripped of his matrices and innate abilities, Ji Jue could still recreate this technique, if only by a fraction! His mirror image could even achieve Dissociation Art by wielding a specialized tool! He used Spirit-Source Circulation to elevate the mass and control of his own spiritus, then used Embers' Matter-Spirit Excitation to intensify the conflict between matter and spiritus, converting the oscillations to drive this destructive force straight into the core! The two complemented each other. The moment the mace landed its blow, vast spiritus vibrations penetrated Surtr's body without leaving a single gap untouched. Striking at the vulnerable and pressing through the void, thrusting straight into the heart, it demolished the construct entirely from the inside out like a controlled demolition! No, even that alone was not enough. Spirit-Source Circulation and Matter-Spirit Excitation were merely tools to achieve the effect. There was ultimately an upper limit to the spiritus vibrations that could be transmitted into a target's interior. Therefore, rather than sheer destructive power, it demanded absolute precision and insight! Surtr was alive! Constructs changed, spiritus circulated, and blessings interfered with and overlapped one another. Even if theoretically exploitable weak points existed, they would manifest for only an instant before vanishing the next. Thus, what was required beforehand was absolute insight and mastery over the enemy's internal construct, maintaining coolheaded calculation and analysis through chaotic combat—and even observing and feeling! Ultimately, amidst the fierce flow of spiritus, he locked onto one of its few inherent fixed patterns! Thereby creating an absolute opening, and in that crucial instant... A single lethal strike! That was why the interference and disruption of Ex-Wife and Stepmother had been necessary, along with the relentless verbal harassment to bait the enemy into continuous, ferocious assaults to extract more intelligence. He had even gone so far as to completely abandon his vital armor as bait! In that split second, both sides had been pushed to a precipice of no return... and just moments before his own body was reduced to cinders by the purgatory, the outcome was decided! Everything had gone according to plan, all under Ji Jue's observation. Every strategy the mirror image executed now had been predetermined long before the battle even began. In the judgment of the two presiding proctors, compared to this terrifying control that accounted for every possible variable, even the brilliant recreation of Dissociation Art paled in comparison. Before it had even begun, everything was already over. Now, amid the rapidly cooling ruins of the stronghold, Ji Jue's mirror image advanced step by step. Though already shattered and battered from the burning and destruction, it seemed to move with fluid ease beneath the repairs and sustenance of liquid mercury. Every stride was identical in span. A pitch-black shadow fell across Frederick's face. In the final instant, the Son of the North Wind looked up without fear, glaring fixedly at his opponent as if carving that face into his memory. No words, no mockery, not even a trace of emotion. Though it was nothing more than an unthinking simulated mirror image, that calm expression—still as stagnant water—made one wonder if this was his true nature beneath the disguise. "Played for a fool..." He sighed softly, his expression twitching into a self-deprecating smile. *Compared to an antisocial weirdo like Andrei who just can't be bothered to speak, you're clearly the one who's more like a stone!* Watching the slowly rising mace, Frederick closed his eyes and proudly threw back his head. *Crack!* The sound of shattering rang out. In that instant, amid the despair and agony of defeat, an inexplicable sense of relief rose in the heart of the Son of the North Wind, followed by a faint, grim smile. *Look on the bright side, Frey.* *At least it wasn't Ex-Wife...* *As long as it's not Ex-Wife!* Unfortunately, he had celebrated a bit too soon. Not long after, he watched the playback of the recorded events, seeing his own mirror image suffer a crushing defeat at Ji Jue's hands. It had happened even faster than he imagined. Even after ultimately transforming into Surtr, Lord of Incineration, he still couldn't reverse the tide. From start to finish, Ji Jue hadn't even activated the workshop's assistance. Through firsthand control and observation, he completed his analysis faster than his mirror image—seizing the decisive opportunity the very moment Frederick transformed into Surtr. Another casual, effortless strike. Before the flames could even burn, they were dispersed. All that remained was the mirror image lying on the ground, clinging to a thread of life after suffering severe backlash and heavy burns. "Actually, strictly speaking, this isn't Dissociation Art. Its fatal flaw is a total lack of precision. Without Non-Offensive and Masterwork Nature, Dissociation Art simply cannot function." Ji Jue calmly explained this to the defeated enemy before him, completely unbothered by the leak of intelligence. Or rather, it was entirely deliberate. He wanted his opponents walking on eggshells, facing him like a mortal dread, living every waking moment beneath the shadow of being struck down in an instant... "So, while I applied the theories and formulas of Dissociation Art during observation, analysis, and calculation, I had no way to completely collapse and pulverize an opponent's spiritus circuits at the moment of destruction. "Left with no choice, I had to pivot. "Since the goal is to make the opponent's spiritus construct collapse entirely—if I can't destroy it outright, then thoroughly scrambling the original structure and reassembling it into an opposing, chaotic structure to trigger massive short circuits and conflicts simultaneously achieves the exact same result, doesn't it?" Just like that, so casually, he treated the realization of a seemingly absurd theoretical fantasy as the most natural thing in the world! "Come to think of it, I really have to thank the Association for this opportunity. Rebuilding what I've learned from scratch allowed me to develop this further... "So, let's treat this as my graduation project—" Ji Jue finally raised the mace in his hand. Under the flowing gleam of spiritus, the inscription on its body lit up, revealing the name its artisan had bestowed upon it. Just like its core nature of wrecking a target's spiritus construct to spark chaos and conflict, the name vividly and straightforwardly captured its effect. —[Kunjinkao]! *Crack!* The mirror image shattered into pieces. From the encroaching darkness came a final murmur. "Come to think of it, would 'Tangtangtang' have sounded better?" Meanwhile, in a chilling draft that felt as if it blew straight from the underworld, every last trace of a smile vanished completely from the faces of Frederick, the spectating contestants, and even the presiding judges. At the thought that they might die to some bizarre monstrosity named 'Kunjinkao,' none of them knew whether swapping it for Ex-Wife would have been better. At the very least, that would have retained a shred of tragic heroism! "He really is Ye Xian's student after all." Jiang Tongguang's face twitched. At a complete loss for words, he turned to Gustav. "I feel like we could call the exam right here." From the moment that absurd piece of work named Kunjinkao appeared in Ji Jue's hands, the suspense was entirely gone. It was merely a matter of how long the others could hold out. If veteran artisans or masters were in their place, confident in their attainments with constructs solid as mountains, they naturally wouldn't fear a mere Dissociation Art or some Kunjinkao from Ji Jue. But for these contestants, it was an overwhelming dimensional strike. To this, Gustav remained aloof. Or rather, characteristically merciless. "The exam isn't over yet." Even if the final result was a crushing defeat, that too was part of the examination. It was pain and setback that an artisan had to endure. Once they stepped outside, would they never lose again? If they sank into despair and couldn't climb back up, it only proved they were never cut out for this from the start. Better to learn now than suffer a lifetime of torment without release. Gustav flicked his fingers, continuing to operate the simulation inside the Tower of Myriad Transformations, advancing it forward. Yet in that instant, his expression shifted drastically. The Tower of Myriad Transformations had no response to his commands or controls! No, rather, the sky-piercing tower violently shook, running wildly out of his control, utterly ignoring his orders and inputs! Countless streaks of light rose from the ground, surging upward along the fractured body of the tower. In mere moments, the massive amount of spiritus drawn sounded crisis alarms across all of Tianshu Island. Yet before the alarms could fully blare, they were abruptly disarmed. The earth trembled violently as spiritus surged. Like a pillar of light, the tower's spire extended endlessly upward, piercing through layers of white clouds and the edge of the firmament, reaching into lofty heights invisible to the naked eye. Shattering limitations and regulations in an instant, Celestial Craft: Myriad Transformations unleashed its complete form! "What's going on?!" Jiang Tongguang stared in shock, eyes wide. "Old Gu, what are you doing?! This level of consumption... that old fossil Delong is going to come storming over here any second!" "...Relax, he won't." After his initial shock, Gustav's expression twitched into what looked like a bitter smile. Jiang Tongguang was stunned. "This isn't just using a little extra spiritus, man! Even turning your phone off won't save you now!" "No, I mean coming after me won't do any good." For the first time ever, Gustav wore the remarkably candid expression Jiang Tongguang knew all too well. He spread his hands slightly, smiling as if completely detached from the world. Or translated: *I've given up. Suit yourselves.* "Two minutes ago, Myriad Transformations stopped responding to my commands," Gustav said. "My administrative authority was revoked. Someone has taken over Myriad Transformations." "What the hell?" Jiang Tongguang's mind raced, his expression turning solemn. If this was internal strife within the Association, why would the other directors act so aggressively and insanely? It was far too crude and utterly pointless! Even if they sacrificed the Association's credibility and standing, killed all the examinees, and threw dirt all over Gustav, they would only make themselves enemies of the entire world. Besides, no other director's authority could override Gustav's. Directors stood on equal footing. In the entire Association—no, in the entire world—aside from Delong, who had not yet stepped down, the only one possessing higher authority would be... In that instant, stunned comprehension tore from his throat: "...A Grandmaster?!" Amidst floating light and churning hues, an intricate emblem materialized before the two of them. —The Contemporary Grandmaster: Tianlu!