It could only be said that whenever anything involved Ji Jue, everyone had better prepare to welcome absurdity at their doorstep.
From an utter nobody to the head artisan of his generation had taken a mere matter of days. And from an Embers novice to a rising talent renowned throughout the Association had taken nothing more than the publication of two papers.
In the midst of all this, Ji Jue had even found time to put the new Haian Industries back on track, securing a solid foothold in the wilderness.
The ferocity of his rise and the speed of his success defied all expectations.
And then... just when everyone assumed he would strike while the iron was hot and forge ahead in triumph, all word of Ji Jue suddenly vanished.
He dove beneath the surface once more.
He disappeared completely from the Association's sight.
Within the Ring of Taiyi, factions keeping watch, standing on guard, or preparing to recruit him were momentarily caught flat-footed. Everyone was holding their abilities ready to cast, only to suddenly lose their target...
It felt as if the killer in a blizzard-isolated manor had revealed his true face, only to abruptly vanish into thin air.
Even as people breathed a sigh of relief, an uneasy prickle crept over them.
They were terrified he might leap out from some random corner at any moment, baring his fangs.
It was downright terrifying!
Meanwhile, Ji Jue had slowed his pace.
No rush.
A sterling résumé wasn't built in a day. Now that he had this year's Gold Ribbon in hand, all he had to do was prepare to vie for next year's. Once he possessed three Gold Ribbons, he could start considering a bid for Master.
After all, that entry ticket had been in his grasp for a long time.
Fluid Alchemy was Ji Jue's ultimate stepping stone.
Along the way, he intended to study and adapt the theories of Fluid Alchemy step by step—disentangling its various fringe aspects and applications, translating them into modern alchemy to serve as stepping stones, elevating his status rank by rank.
By the day he finished reshaping Fluid Alchemy and thoroughly integrated it into modern alchemy, establishing an entirely new school and branch, he would be a Master through and through—even if the Ring of Taiyi refused to acknowledge it.
In fact, he didn't even necessarily have to rely on Fluid Alchemy... In his other hand, besides the tips on Stagnant Rot he had wheedled out of that old geezer Kanemoto for free, he was still holding onto the Nine Forms of Xiang Swords!
In any case, the legacy had been passed down. As for what form it would take in his hands, Ye Xian didn't care in the slightest. Even if Ji Jue wanted to replace the surname Ye with Ji after becoming a Master in the future, it wouldn't bother her.
Of course, Ji Jue could never bring himself to do something so thoroughly ungrateful.
In Ji Jue's eyes, an inheritance as vital as the Nine Forms of Xiang Swords had to be returned to someone of the Ye family in the end.
Yet when he looked around blankly and searched high and low, he realized... who the hell was he supposed to give it back to?
That salted-fish senior sister?!
Damn it. Saddled with such an epic slab of rotten wood, he suddenly experienced the exact horrifying pressure his teacher had borne... Wait, could this have been part of Teacher's calculations all along?
Having thought it through to an impasse, he could only shelve the matter for later.
The pressing priority was to capitalize on his rising momentum, pushing from tier five to tier six, and from tier six to tier seven—breaking through Metamorphosis and stepping into the Regeneration rank!
Yet compared to the former, the latter was hardly any easier.
All the easy spoils Ji Jue could poach had been exhausted; the shortcuts he could take had all been traversed; and every potent booster he could cram into himself was entirely spent.
From here on out, all that awaited him was the sheer cruelty of Embers...
Crucible Blood had been speedrun in a single day thanks to the Tower of Myriad Transformations, and Unquenched Fuel had been brute-forced to completion through sheer, calculated volume. Waiting behind them, Heaven-Endowed Spirit was already sneering.
*Boy, you're in for a world of pain now!*
Embers was generous and boundless in creation, indulging a scoundrel like Ji Jue to thrive like a fish in water, grinding relentlessly to the point of disgust. Yet Embers was also cruel, showing no pity to the mediocre and mundane...
Pardon the digression, but here 'mediocre and mundane' bore two meanings.
One referred to the dullards and fools, mere rubble and dust that could never compare to peerless geniuses and precious jade. The other referred to the Celestial Chosen themselves—humble and insignificant as specks of dust before the lofty, pure grandeur of Sovereign Virtue...
No matter how large an ant grew, it remained an ant. No matter how heavy a speck of dust became, it remained dust.
The Celestial Chosen who set foot upon this path offered themselves as material and sacrifice, casting themselves into the worldly crucible, hoping the furnace of Heaven's Mandate would forge them into something transcendent.
And that meant... not a shred of the suffering owed could ever be avoided.
Every skipped lesson had to be attended; every bitter drop had to be swallowed.
Whatever fate decreed, no amount of delay could escape it.
And Ji Jue's triad of Metamorphosis was undeniably the epitome of Embers' core and marrow.
[Crucible Blood] lay in conviction and sincerity. It could be achieved only through determination found in one in ten thousand, attained only by an artisan who grew fiercer with every setback and stood unbroken through a hundred defeats. Accelerated by the Tower of Myriad Transformations, Ji Jue had checked it off.
It elevated the baseline, granted control over the heat, and transformed the artisan's own blood into material.
[Unquenched Fuel] lay in breadth and scale, in interfering with the mundane world and changing it. It could hardly be accomplished without pioneer talent who cleared thistles and thorns to forge entirely new circumstances from nothing. Ji Jue had ridden the tide of Haizhou's unification and the surge of the ocean, serving as a pawn across the river and a mascot along the way, borrowing momentum to see it through.
While further raising the baseline, it enhanced control and precision, comprehensively strengthening flesh and soul, vastly expanding load capacity. Once fuel and fire were self-sustaining, even the artisan's body rivaled standard material, workable at will.
As for [Heaven-Endowed Spirit]... it lay in focus and mastery.
The first two tested a Celestial Chosen's obsession and sincerity, influence and results. The last one looked at nothing else—only an artisan's most fundamental ability and attainments.
To fulfill it, there were no flashy tricks; it looked strictly at results and ceilings.
Producing scrap or mundane items was utterly useless, accomplishing nothing but wasting time.
What Embers demanded was an achievement comparable to a Heavenly Work!
Put simply, just forge a Heavenly Work!
If one wasn't enough, forge several. So long as the achievement was great enough, the blessing would be completed rapidly. Unlike the long accumulation and conversion of the former two, this was a qualitative leap ignited once accumulation reached its zenith.
It could be accomplished overnight—or even in a single instant.
Well, provided one could actually forge a Heavenly Work...
Then the question arose: if I could forge a Heavenly Work, how could I still be stuck at the Metamorphosis rank? Yet to break through Metamorphosis, I have to forge a Heavenly Work...
Thus, a single stubborn thread became blocked at both ends: a total catch-22.
Of course, failing to forge a Heavenly Work wasn't a dead end. As long as one proposed an epoch-making theory, produced a mind-bogglingly impressive result, or discovered a brand-new field, Embers would acknowledge it just the same.
Alas, over thousands of years, artisans had already competed over every single scrap of territory.
There was nothing for it; the first-mover advantage in academia was far too overwhelming.
In the early days—not even mentioning ancient alchemy, but during the nascent stages of modern alchemy—it had been a golden age where everyone rushed to stake their claims. Proposing a hypothesis based on current developments and validating it, or making a breakthrough in some discipline, even if difficult, was far easier than it was now.
At the top of a hundred-foot pole, taking another step was all the harder.
When you were already standing on the shoulders of giants, where else was there left to put your feet?
Consequently, the choices left for Ji Jue were few.
While his situation was infinitely better than those who had no clue where to start or which direction to look, the only directions he could find were paths that would make even Ye Xian's blood pressure spike...
For instance, the Doomsday Express in Ji Jue's pocket.
The crystallization of Celestial Rail engineering, one of the few operational Celestial Rail trains surviving in the world today, sat right before his eyes. Though it had barely escaped being scrapped, if Ji Jue could restore it completely to its prime, Embers would certainly shower him with rewards...
Yet compared to that degree of difficulty, he might as well just try forging a damn Heavenly Work himself!
Given the scale of the Doomsday Express in its complete state, from the engine to auxiliary components to the carriage, it was likely composed of multiple compound Heavenly Works. Never mind the technical know-how; he couldn't even source the materials!
They were practically extinct.
Ji Jue had spent months studying the Myriad Phenomena Engine, patching it here and there without daring to make any major repairs. His techniques fell short, and materials were nowhere to be found. Was he supposed to manifest them in his dreams?
Thus, only one path remained for Ji Jue.
—The Nine Forms of Xiang Swords.
And then, he ground to a halt—stuck so hard he felt half-dead and agonizingly helpless.
Beginning Pan Ying had been smooth and swift. Although the later stages demanded enormous amounts of time for tempering and whetting, that slow grind could not be skirted; even if Ji Jue did nothing else but grind away, at his current skill level it would take at least seven years to finish.
As for the study of Chunjun, before he even crossed the threshold, he hit a wall.
He couldn't even get through the front door.
Though he knew the theory backward and forward, far too much of it was obscure and unfathomable. Having barely swallowed the basics without properly digesting them, the moment he put hands to work, everything went wrong.
*Crack!*
In Ji Jue's hand, the crooked, translucent blade shattered silently the moment it left the furnace, collapsing into powder that rained down, releasing a cloud of dispersed essences.
Failure!
"Isis—Batch Seven, Test Blank No. 211 failed. Unknown cause; suspected insufficient transmutation."
After tossing aside the fracture-ridden hilt, Ji Jue reached back into the furnace, gripping the second prototype amid the scorching embers, and drew it out.
Before it even cleared the opening, it shattered inside the furnace.
The resonance of Deus Ex Machina was completely blank, offering not the slightest feedback.
"Test Piece No. 212 failed. Cause unknown." Ji Jue sighed. "Based on differential tests and error tracking, purification issues can be temporarily ruled out."
Then came the third...
When Ji Jue gingerly pulled out this blade blank, he found to his surprise that the blade remained intact. But in the next second, he saw countless hairline fractures spread across the spine—cracks that had appeared who knew when.
It had already cracked before leaving the furnace.
"Conflict in material properties; error in material ratio."
Ji Jue sighed. Under his Dissociation Art, it dissolved into ash and smoke.
A mosquito was still meat, however small.
He reached out once more... only for a piercing shriek to erupt from inside the furnace. Wailing and howling like madness incarnate, a bloodshot, mutilated blade writhed, opening a maw as if ready to devour anyone in sight.
Right, this one was a real heavyweight freak.
*Smack!*
Ji Jue crushed it completely.
Failure, failure, failure, failure, failure...
Batch Seven: thirty prototypes in a single firing, thirty different approaches, and every single one had failed... not one came remotely close to success.
Although expecting to forge Chunjun with ordinary materials was unrealistic—these were merely trial runs and proof-of-concept mock-ups prior to crafting—over 240 consecutive failures still broke Ji Jue's composure.
Was his talent really that terrible?
Chunjun: one of the Nine Forms of Xiang Swords.
According to the Hanxiang Chapter: "Its luster blooms like a lotus newly emerged. Look upon its pattern, brilliant as constellations in motion; look upon its radiance, surging like water overflowing a pool; look upon its fractural cleave, craggy as jagged boulders; look upon its temper, dazzling as melting ice..."
In plain terms: blindingly awesome PLUS, an epic-tier +18 piece of gear, unbelievably overpowered.
Combining the essences of two Sovereign Virtues—Ascension and Aether—its spiritual permutations ranked supreme among the Nine Forms.
The Treatise on Swords recorded: "To hold it purifies the spirit, freezing flying arrows, stilling errant thoughts, leaving the mind like tranquil water. It senses life and death, discerns transformations, averts mortal doom, dispels disaster and calamity, wanders freely between yin and yang, yielding infinite wonders..."
Translated into human speech: carrying this sword accelerated one's perception while maintaining a permanent sage-like clarity, rendering one immune to the corruptions and enticements of the Heart Pivot, preserving reason, sharpening intuition, and heightening awareness to receive instinctive warnings or sense killing intent, avoiding ambushes and traps.
As for 'wandering freely between yin and yang,' it referred to instantly converting one's physical form into spiritus, or even concealing one's existence, shedding target locks, and fading into nothingness...
And the 'infinite wonders' part was even more absurd. According to the records of the Treatise on Swords, some claimed that in a dire crisis, Chunjun transformed into a white steed and carried its wielder across the sea; others claimed that before a natural catastrophe struck, Chunjun chimed through the night, prompting the wielder to sense impending doom and relocate his entire family in time; and yet others claimed that an artisan who lived a lonely life woke one day to find Chunjun had turned into a lovely maiden to keep him company, after which they lived happily ever after, and so forth...
Every time Ji Jue read that passage, he couldn't help sneering three times.
Nothing more than the dying hallucinations of a swordsmith!
It wasn't just the records in the Treatise on Swords; even the key stages and procedures in the Hanxiang Chapter contained countless contradictions beyond the basics.
It was as if every individual forged it differently.
Absolute nonsense!
Yet if it were pure nonsense, he could have just dismissed it as rubbish. The trouble was, he had witnessed a real-life example with his own eyes...
When Ji Jue had been utterly stumped and went to his teacher for answers, Ye Xian had simply pulled out Guigong and set it on the table.
That was the ultimate proof.
Guigong's sentience had been woven and forged using portions of Chunjun's esoteric legacy!
Its reputation as the pinnacle of spiritual variation among the Nine Forms was no empty boast.
As for hitting difficulties: hitting difficulties was normal. Just keep working at it and figure it out yourself.
The problem was right here, and answers had already been produced before—more than once.
If you couldn't even pass this hurdle, you still dreamed of learning pure spiritus refinement?
Keep dreaming.
If the fault didn't lie with the Treatise on Xiang Swords, then it had to be his own problem... But why?! I—I'm Embers' hand-picked Chosen...
Squatting on the floor, Ji Jue looked at the shards scattered everywhere, beginning to wilt.
Was he truly not cut out for this line of work?
That couldn't be right!
Having completely lost his cool, an exasperated Ji Jue paced in circles around the debris until he specifically placed a call to check in on Young Master Lou's study progress. Only amidst an endless torrent of Chaocheng 'refined greetings' did he manage to claw back some self-confidence.
He began summarizing and analyzing.
"Chunjun, oh Chunjun..."
Ji Jue propped his chin on his hand, glancing helplessly at the shards before him.
Wasting away like this wasn't sustainable. Even if a blind cat might eventually stumble upon a dead mouse, didn't prototypes consume materials and money?
No matter how much he pinched pennies, each blade blank cost upwards of sixty thousand. Every time one shattered, Ji Jue's heart shattered with it, broken to the point where it couldn't be glued back together.
It wasn't the heat, the materials were fine, and his operations were textbook. That meant the problem lay in Ji Jue's own understanding and consciousness.
Yet he possessed the blessing of Ascension, and his Dissociation Art had dismantled plenty of related objects. The only missing piece was Aether... Aether...
Ji Jue gritted his teeth, unable to keep his thoughts from drifting back to that day...
Back then, Aether hadn't shown up either, had it?!
I can understand why Heart Pivot didn't come—after all, my heart is pure, entirely free of foul thoughts. I can understand why Mirror didn't come either—after all, I'm upright and open, treating people with utter sincerity, never sneaky or deceitful...
So why the hell didn't you show up, Aether?!
It couldn't be that I'm just not gossipy enough, could it?
Working behind closed doors was ultimately pointless. After seven consecutive failed batches, brute-forcing every permutation was out of the question. At a time like this, he ought to consult a professional.
"Update memo, schedule."
Ji Jue looked up and said, "Remind me to call Tong the Vegetable tomorrow. Ask if anyone's home in the afternoon. It's been a while since I've seen the Old Grandpa; I'd like to pay a visit."
"Understood."
Isis's voice came through. "Schedule updated. There is one additional reminder—sleep protection and nightmare analysis will begin later tonight."
"..."
Ji Jue blinked, hesitating. "Tonight already?"
"No time like the present, sir."
Isis opened the furnace doors for him once more. "Rest assured, this place is completely isolated from the outside world. I will monitor your condition with the utmost care."
"...That's exactly what I'm worried about, okay?!"
"Would I ever bring you harm?" Isis consoled. "If you are afraid of the dark, I can even tell you a few lively and engaging bedtime stories."
"You know bedtime stories?"
Ji Jue was stunned, instant curiosity piqued.
"Naturally. As your workshop spirit, I must be prepared in every aspect at all times."
Isis answered impassively, "Which do you prefer: *The Conjuring*, *Ju-On: The Grudge*, or *The Ring*? If you prefer Federation classics, there is also *A Wicked Ghost*..."
"Forget it!"
Alas, it was already too late.
Accompanied by the heavy slam of the furnace doors, spine-chilling background music echoed around him. In the darkness within the furnace, a vividly atmospheric storytelling session had begun.
Rolling his eyes, Ji Jue slipped into deep slumber before he even realized it.
Once again, he plunged into boundless darkness...
The nightmare persisted.
Not until early dawn the following morning did he open his eyes amid the hallucinatory flames.
He shot upright.
"Isis."
"Present."
Flickering starlight rose. "Sleep monitoring went completely normally, sir. Under conditions of absolute isolation from external spiritus, no spiritus fluctuations were detected whatsoever."
"I know."
Ji Jue rubbed his face, expressionless.
If there was anything in this world capable of bypassing Isis's surveillance, the Myriad Phenomena Engine's lockdown, the defenses of his own workshop, breaking through the Association's technical constraints to slip into a furnace completely isolated from the outside world without leaving the slightest sign... then Ji Jue might as well wash up and lie down in a coffin!
Why even bother struggling?
They could toy with you like a plaything; you'd just have to wait for death.
Yet if the cause didn't come from the outside, then it could only be... Ji Jue's own problem.
"Damn it..."
Ji Jue froze, then blurted out in sudden realization, "Am I sick?!"
Chapter 395