Even several times, if it hadn't been for the Prophet's reminder, he would have already been mercilessly crushed by the running workshop due to walking in the wrong direction...

At the moment, as he progressed, Ji Jue felt his mind continuously buzzing.

It was as if it had been split!

One part belonged to Ji Jue's self-perception, but the other part seemed to have truly become mechanical, transformed into another shape and form.

One part felt his own emotions, but the other part was cold and calm, utterly unchanging, as if mechanical. From the resonance of the Mechanical Descent, Ji Jue felt himself as a component, already involved in the operation of the entire hub, constantly adjusting his own spiritual substance and controlling the Fluid Alchemy to comply with the changes of the hub, hitching a ride closer to the inner side of the hub.

Sometimes close, sometimes far.

Now, he truly became a part of the workshop, experiencing firsthand the operation of the entire Crack Realm and the grand waves that filled the whole workshop.

Vast, deep, yet... so hollow.

Like an empty shell.

Although bustling with complex operations, the inside was utterly empty... Even the Mechanical Descent couldn't instill any spirit, nor sense any recordings or traces.

So bizarre.

Even though those who created it had their own reasoning, why did the workshop itself seem like a vegetative person, merely operating on pre-set basic commands?

Ji Jue received no response.

He was too insignificant.

Even the echo of hollow operations was enough to completely shatter his soul.

Fortunately, he wasn't alone.

There was also the Universal Key left by the professor, and Brother Ball, a professional at prying open doors—after a journey of analysis and exploration, it had completely figured out the structure and changes of the workshop, providing him with critical directions.

The [Central Furnace], [Blessing Room], and [Warehouse] etc., were already marked in Ji Jue's field of vision.

In any workshop, these three places are crucial—the Central Furnace serving as the conventional core of the workshop, providing space for craftsmen to create. All arrangements and furnishings were meant to serve this purpose, as if it was where the soul of the workshop resided.

The Blessing Room was for storing and safeguarding the blessings acquired by craftsmen, indispensable like organs. The Warehouse was much more straightforward, containing all the precious material reserves...

But the problem arose, these were all scattered around the periphery of the core.

So, what was inside the core?

Where was he actually heading?

Ji Jue couldn't help but become lost in thought, if just for a moment. As he crossed through the roaring closure of the fissure, he was thrown into an interlayer filled with countless mechanical gears turning.

It was like stepping inside the workings of machinery—the huge modules rose thunderously beside him, whipping up a hurricane.

"Coming up, take a left."

The Prophet calmly offered guidance, "Don't focus on the details; the essence of 'looking down' is to see the bigger picture—even a momentary lapse is inconsequential.

Fluid Alchemy is like ink splashed in water, extracting marrow from stones. Once the essence is achieved, purification happens on its own. As long as the thought process and overall situation are correct, then the result won't be unexpected.

I think, this time participating in the operation of the hub is also a valuable opportunity for you to refine your Fluid Alchemy."

Throughout the journey, the Prophet was never stingy with guidance, often clarifying Ji Jue's confusion about details with a few words or offering pivotal advice.

Ji Jue couldn't help but sigh, "...Prophet, aren't you acting at all?"

"Where does that come from?"

The Prophet inside the cart seemed to laugh, "I've made a promise, Mr. Ji Jue, to share everything I know without deceit."

She said, "I told you, I am the Prophet, within the Crack Realm, I know everything."

"And then?"

Ji Jue asked bluntly, "Are you Mercury?"

"..."

The Prophet fell silent, trying hard to turn around and glance at Ji Jue's expression with a look that was complex and helpless, roughly translating to—do you want to consider what nonsense you've just said?

"I think I understand what you're worried about, Mr. Ji Jue, please rest assured."

She straightforwardly replied, "I am not."

"Let me be blunt—if I were Mercury, would I really need you if I had some ulterior motive?"

She paused and mocked with a sigh, "Besides, isn't 'Mercury' something that's everywhere around here?"

At that moment, amidst the engine's progress and the central operation's roar, Ji Jue was momentarily stunned.

It was as if he heard a singing voice.

Coming from a distant place, faint yet discernible.

"Thinking of home... home so lovely... skies so clear, breeze so cool, waves of homesickness coming..."

Such a familiar voice, as if he had heard it thousands of times in dreams, yet it was so hollow and hoarse, sending chills down Ji Jue's spine.

When the Crack Realm opened again, he finally saw it, a vision filled with crimson blood.

From the walls, from the ceiling, from the floor, spreading everywhere, staining everything in sight red.

Scattered limbs lay on the ground, the glimmer of blessings and spiritual essence slowly dissipating, rising, yet Ji Jue felt no more heartache.

Only a piercing chill and fear.

Between the palms, torn apart, crushed, in the song, the blood flowed.

And between the ghastly remains of the intruders, stood a five-horned deer-headed eerie figure several meters tall in a pool of blood, softly singing:

"Thinking of home... thinking of home... how are the people of home... always in my thoughts..."

The motorcycle's rumbling came to an abrupt halt.

Ji Jue instinctively wanted to reverse, but it was already too late.

It had turned around...

On the shattered face were twisted features, haphazardly arranged in such disarray, out of place, yet the brows were so familiar, as if carrying an eternal melancholy and loneliness.

From the slanted corners of the forehead, tears slowly fell.

The moment Ji Jue came to his senses, the singing was already close at hand!

He hadn't even seen clearly when the figure had come before him.

Looking down.

Ji Jue held his breath, his pupils slowly dilating.

Just instinctively reaching out, tightly clutching little An, not allowing any movement. Then, with all his might, he maintained the connection and characteristics with the Central Furnace. He just hoped that it would regard them as mere fixtures from the workshop, to be left aside and ignored.

A slender arm emerged sinuously from the tattered long coat.

It brushed across Ji Jue's face.

Slowly, so tenderly.

The fingertips touched the corner of his eye and retracted upon contact.

It seemed puzzled, but soon, it diverted its gaze.

Among the cascading long hair, the tearful eyes closed.

It turned slowly, lifting a breeze, stepping through the blood pool, heading deeper into the darkness ahead, carrying a raspy singing voice that seemed never to cease.

Leaving behind only silence.

And amid the stillness, Ji Jue, nearly out of breath and sweating profusely, without a sound.

Little An's tense body also relaxed, noticing his condition, he pulled out a water bottle and handed it over, finally letting Ji Jue catch his breath.

Still unable to contain the shivers.

"Prophet, what was that exactly?"

"That was Mercury."

The Prophet leaned in the cart, gazing in the direction she had gone, "Named after the cooling of the Melting Furnace, one of the remaining Embers to this day..."

Compared to the saints of the past, like a drop in the ocean.

Insignificant and unreachable.

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