"Huh? Who?"

Ji Jue blinked his eyes, taking a while to realize whom she was referring to, then slapped his chest, assuring her earnestly, "Don't worry, my word is my bond. A missing arm or leg, that's simply unavoidable, but as long as the money is in the account, there's absolutely no reneging on the deal!"

"There's no need to be nervous. In the explorations of the Crack Realm, if you really come to a moment where you have to take drastic measures, don't hesitate. He's just a pampered young master; whether he's dead or alive doesn't matter. I'm just reminding you that corpses are quite useful too, so don't waste them."

Professor Ye shook her head, lamenting, "Compared to that, it's your talent in kidnapping, extortion, and scraping the barrel that really opens my eyes as your teacher. The Embers Path might have delayed you somewhat."

That's not to say there was any dissatisfaction with Ji Jue. After all, in earlier years when faced with a sticky situation, Ye Xian herself was much more quick and decisive, and she didn't mince words either. If someone was foolish enough to offend them, chances to even leave a complete corpse to be thrown into the furnace for blessings were few and far between.

Besides, wasn't it her instruction to give Kong Qingyan a few slaps to the head?

But Ji Jue's style was truly too bizarre, with each step falling outside of expectations.

After a trip out, matrices were secured, blessings acquired, and even the damned collection of Mercury was almost completely plundered. Were you out exploring and archaeologizing, or were you in demolition and clearance?

Was it some kind of Crack Realm Black Friday sale, carting goods back in a tricycle cart?

She felt she needed some time to accept this, to ponder carefully: Did she make a mistake in her cultivation direction? Maybe her student's talent in murder and arson was far superior to that of being a craftsman...

However, then she heard Ji Jue's grunting voice.

"And then there's... Fluid Alchemy."

Ji Jue rubbed his hands together, shyly confessing, "I kind of... learned the whole thing by accident."

"..."

Professor Ye fell silent again, looking at him for a long time, seemingly doubting her ears, "Did you just say... what?"

"Fluid Alchemy, the specialty of Mercury. The ultimate resonance of Classical Alchemy, the pinnacle of Purification, the Transformation Skill, I've learned it." Ji Jue declared with unabashed honesty, devoid of secrecy, "Although I'm limited by my personal abilities and currently my application of it is quite constrained. However, the core concepts, foundational theories, and advanced content, I plan to get that all documented in the next few days."

With that said, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a bottle of transmuted Mercury he had been practicing with these past days, and squeezed out a little metallic bull and horse onto the table.

The tiny tricycle came alive, wiggling back and forth with a puttering sound. This was the perfect validation. Beyond dispute. From the distinct Spiritual Circuit arrangement and construction characteristic of the classical period, one could distinctly discern that unique aura. Accurate at first glance, the true lineage of Mercury!

"..."

From the prolonged silence, she took a deep breath, seemingly finally accepting this bizarre reality, removed her glasses, and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Deep breath.

"Is there anything else I don't know about?"

Professor Ye sighed lightly, replacing her glasses, "Just say it all at once, don't be afraid, I can handle it."

"There might be... a bit more?"

Ji Jue hesitated a moment, then replied, "Mainly, it was coming across the history of the Mo Zhe during the collapse of the Heavenly Pillar four hundred years ago, then getting a little lucky and learning Fluid Alchemy. After that, I'm not sure how, but it seems like I blew up Mercury's workshop, and the Crack Realm is gone too... Mercury's remains were also burned to ash.

In between, it seems I also got my hands on a sword, called... what was it… Edge of Transformation? But then it disappeared."

"Oh, and there's this..."

As he spoke, he reached into another pocket, pulling out a metallic little bird curled up and fast asleep, and gently placed it on the table. The bird felt his fingers and nuzzled them without opening its eyes before continuing its slumber.

Amid this chaotic report, Ye Xian, who had picked up on several key terms, hadn't yet processed it all when her gaze was drawn to the bird balled up on the table, asking subconsciously, "What... is this?"

"Um, it seems to be Mercury's final creation?"

Ji Jue was also unsure, "Well, sort of... probably about right..."

Considering the capacity of his teacher's cardiovascular endurance, he ultimately didn't dare to bring up that it might very well be Mercury's beloved offspring.

But seeing the frequency of color changes on Professor Ye's face, he regretted not buying a couple of packs of heart-saving pills on the way.

Should he have prefaced it more, to give his teacher some buffering time?

He rummaged in his pocket for the Ghost Work Ball, which had somehow found its way to the very bottom, "Bro Ball, want to add anything?"

Bro Ball was silent, with no reaction at all, not even a faint stir.

Bro! You are actually my bro!

I'm begging you, don't freaking speak.

Bro Ball trembled, too scared to make a sound.

It felt just like a tranquil afternoon in a harmonious gaming group when suddenly, a newbie pops in and posts dozens of screenshots – just got into the game, did a single draw and got a bunch of cards, not sure if they're any good, can a pro take a look for me?

Enough, that's quite enough.

Many pros aren't as good as you are!

Stop freaking showing off!

If you keep showing off like this...

Snap!

The Ghost Work Ball dropped out of nowhere into Professor Ye's hands, and internal reports emerged, reading data, everything from when Ji Jue entered the Crack Realm to when the first clang of the Edge of Transformation was heard.

Amidst the long silence, Ye Xian remained silent for a long time, finally sighing,

"It truly is... beyond expectation."

She had expected him to send back a postcard from his travels at best. Little did she think he'd repatriate the whole tourist spot. From the stone lions at the entrance to the dogs kept in the scenic area, nothing was missing!

He was like the Crack Realm demolition king.

Besides that, the collapse of the Heavenly Pillar, the afterglow of the Empire, the past of the Mo Zhe, Mercury's workshop, the explosion of the Crack Realm, and even... the Edge of Transformation!

With such bountiful gains and explosive experience, even Ye Xian, who had visited so many Crack Realms and Time Ruins in her earlier years, had never seen such an exaggerated display.

Oddly unbelievable.

But when it gets this absurd, it begins to seem almost real.

Just...

Completely disregarding the teacher's safety education and doing everything that should and shouldn't be done, even daring to fiddle around with something as lethal as the edge of transformation... and after touching it, not only did he not get incinerated, but he was also able to bounce back intact, as if nothing had happened, and went to boast to the teacher about his brush with death.

Really...

She chuckled softly, helplessly shaking her head.

"...Ji Jue."

Professor Ye removed her glasses.

She neatly folded the frames and placed them on the table, "Looks like you've reaped quite a harvest, congratulations to you."

"Oh no, no, it's all thanks to your excellent cultivation!"

Before Ji Jue could finish his modest response, he saw Ye Chun, who had been feigning death on the sofa, suddenly jump up as if his ass was on fire, slapping his forehead, "I... I just remembered, I didn't hang the socks! Oh my, how could I forget..."

Muttering under his breath, he slipped away like a slick eel!

This gave Ji Jue an instinctive sense of foreboding.

"Speaking of cultivation..."

Professor Ye, who had been staring out the window in a trance, finally turned around, and in the sunlight, a rusty glint shone in her pair of pitch-black pupils.

Suddenly, she smiled warmly.

"Come to think of it, as a teacher, aside from the basics of modern alchemy, I realize I have neglected to teach you the vital spiritual attack and defense. I've been quite remiss, which is not good."

She said, "Since I'm free today, let me give you some guidance."

What to do with a child who doesn't listen and loves to touch electric doors?

Don't worry, just give them a beating.

She believed that after a good bout of tough love, any bad habit could be corrected. If one session wasn't enough, then several more would suffice.

As for the slight displeasure caused by her student's abrupt exposure...

Such a trifle, what of it? It was a mere drizzle... she certainly didn't care.

Out of his daze, Ji Jue hardly had time to react when suddenly, the chair beneath him vanished without a trace.

Not just the chair, the entire living room disappeared in an instant.

In a moment of bewilderment, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar space, where revolving walls slid backward inch by inch, and light after light came on in the echoing space, illuminating patches of floor appearing and piecing together from the darkness.

Electric sparks flickered briefly in the air before the accumulated dust disappeared in an instant.

Ceiling, walls, floors – everything seemed to come to life, constantly changing, and within a few snaps of the fingers, it transformed into a vast space big enough for a horse race.

Is this... underground?

Ji Jue subconsciously touched the floor, but sparks seemed to dance beneath his fingertips.

The grand mechanism constructing all this showed no resonance or call to Mechanical Descent; instead, it disdainfully shifted away a bit—little brother, who are you trying to impress? Back off a little; don't get blood on me, it's tough to clean!

Ah, this...

Are the local gangs this unfriendly?

Turning around, he saw Professor Ye's figure not far away.

Her hands clasped behind her back as always.

But that eternally aloof face now bore a subtle smile that made Ji Jue's hair stand on end, with three parts calm, three parts helpless, three parts indulgent, and ninety-one parts anticipation that you wouldn't die too quickly—over the years, such a composite smile he'd only seen when Lu Ma asked Lu Feng to bring in the rolling pin, broom, and mop from the kitchen.

By then, he knew someone was in for a beating.

And who was the unfortunate soul?

Oh, it's me... well, no big deal then.

No, wait, there's trouble!

Ji Jue was already breaking out in sweat, while Professor Ye simply pulled a pair of strange handcuffs out of the air, fastening them all onto her right hand. Then, turning the knob to the max, invisible shackles appeared out of thin air, tightly binding her body.

"Don't worry, to ensure the educational outcome, I'll suppress my abilities and spiritual level to the initial stage of the Summoning Stage.

Consider it a sort of baseline assessment test.

You don't need to hold back; perform as you wish."

Faced with such good news, Ji Jue hesitated to speak, unable to be moved.

When you realize Tyson is the referee, you better pray that the person walking up to you isn't Tai Luo.

Keep in mind, for a sect like Embers that relies purely on skill and experience, a veteran can beat a greenhorn without them making a peep.

It's like everyone playing the same game, with some starting in jail, others freely roaming around school, and some taking flight with the ladies. Yet others, even if they effortlessly ace the season with a hundred stars, still get beaten by a pro player. And those who struggle and fight their way to the top in the professional realm are only just qualified to get a ticket to the strongest...

There's always a higher mountain.

To the Embers sect, even being just a bit better can leave an insurmountable shadow of terror in the opponent's heart.

Since Ji Jue started out, excluding those proxy plays on high-tier accounts with the edge of transformation, the highest-end game he had played was when he had merely played the tambourine on the sidelines while Wen Wen thrashed Lawrence.

Now he's going to play a teaching game with Professor Ye?

Me?

Are you serious?

Yet amidst the shock and dread, he felt an unprecedented curiosity and excitement, drawing a deep breath as if possessed.

No more hesitation.

He said, "Then please enlighten me."

Seeing him shed his useless worries so quickly, Professor Ye's eyebrows rose slightly. Just as she was about to nod and say something... the sound of rushing wind filled the air!

Ji Jue lunged forward, quick as lightning!

In just a moment, he crossed a distance of over ten meters, closing the gap in an instant.

—Without any hesitation, an ambush!

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