Modern Alchemy encompassed a multitude of classifications.

Although its rise was relatively short compared to the histories that spanned thousands of years and the legacies of numerous familial clans, it became mainstream because it was founded on the basis of Ancient Alchemy, paving new pathways and directions. Not only did it standardize measurements, making it easier for successors to enter its halls, but its openness and inclusiveness also far surpassed that of Ancient Alchemy.

Over the course of several hundred years, it had absorbed the essence of Ancient Alchemy. After refining and integrating these elements, it developed over a dozen categories and disciplines based on the four fundamental principles of Ascension, Purification, extraction, and unification.

Life Science was unquestionably one of the main categories. It was intricately linked to the Vortex System and was also inseparable from the popular field of potion studies.

As such a complex and lofty discipline, Ji Jue, an apprentice, naturally dared not claim expertise. In fact, even if he turned to a shortcut like Mechanical Descent to cheat his way through, his current level could only be described as just entering the threshold.

In terms of proficiency, he wasn't quite able to bring the dead back to life, but was exceptionally good at accidentally turning the living into the dead.

This was precisely why the creation of the "Human Skin Mask" tended to be rather horrifying and gruesome.

It was like when you went shopping; you couldn't always expect things to be fast, effective, and cheap as if they were being given away for free.

There were always trade-offs to be made.

Hence, such an awkward situation had arisen.

If he wanted to avoid any losses and maintain a realistic disguise, he would have to perform a live transplantation. With the Bone Knife at hand, this was naturally not an issue.

But was it excusable that the mask, applied in haste due to the limited time, wasn't very firmly attached?

However, it seemed that the person opposite him was not prepared to forgive.

In that case, there was nothing to be done...

Before bending down to pick up the mask, Ji Jue casually stabbed the last Flowing Light Blade into her stomach, and under the effect of "Harmony Light Dust," she immediately found it difficult to move, unable to even make a sound.

Next, the Merciful Bone Knife penetrated, separating body and soul.

Both crashed.

Having already been exposed, Ji Jue simply stopped disguising himself. He took off the two pieces of his face and tossed them aside, then took the ugly visage soaked in solution from a bottle in his bosom and reattached it to his own face.

"The original is still the best!"

His fingers glided over the seams to connect flesh and blood, and then the Ancient's Mouth took effect with the infusion of the spiritual, restoring his original functions by seventy to eighty percent.

As for looking even uglier... it didn't matter!

Ugly was just ugly.

After returning to old Zhang for treatment, he could be reset to factory settings.

Compared to this, his broken legs were more problematic. Without the Mercury Exoskeleton, even walking would be a hassle.

After completing these actions, Ji Jue leisurely proceeded forward, strolling through the precious material storage room, inevitably broadening his horizons.

"To be expected of the Craftsman Grandmaster, awesome.",

Ji Jue sighed with admiration as he inspected the treasures.

There was Ruins Blessed Metal large enough for two people, naturally containing blessings, a stone marrow crystal the size of two of Ji Jue's heads, and a Mutant completely shackled and frozen in a box, unable to escape...

Nearly every shelf and display case held items that were enough to stir his dark thoughts, tempting him to make a couple more ruthless heists, or maybe even become the boss, taking some time to completely loot the place...

Well, assuming he survived long enough to escape.

According to the bald woman, this was merely a level-two storage room; the truly valuable materials were mostly in Jian Yuan's private domain.

Moreover, these were only a small part of the most recently collected and unclassified items...

Could they be any richer?

Caught between gasps of shock and fervent breaths, Ji Jue dared not linger any longer, fearing his own sanity would collapse just from looking further.

However, soon, the most important goal of his mission appeared before his eyes.

And then, he felt... utterly suffocated.

"Holy shit? What is this?"

Ji Jue went dark before his eyes, incredulous.

He finally understood why Lou Feng was so certain his aunt was still alive—the secret spiritual techniques of the Lou Family that originated from Spiritual Shaping had developed a life-saving skill.

At the moment of certain death or extreme danger, the Chosen One would perform the ultimate Spiritual Shaping—"Deadlock." At that point, the Spiritual Crystal would encapsulate the user's body and soul like a coffin, hardening to the extreme, impenetrable.

It was as if donning an armor shell, leaving no opportunity for the opponent to strike.

As to whether she might be dragged away and slowly processed, drilled open, and killed later, well, that was a different matter. At least it bought some time to cling to life, didn't it?

Facing Jian Yuan's attack, Lou Feng's aunt, Lou Yanyue, had executed the most thorough Deadlock transformation at the last moment.

After reaching the Rebirth Rank, Spiritual Shaping had the property of persisting as long as the user lived. As long as Lou Yanyue remained alive, the spiritual would continuously reinforce the Crystal encapsulation outside.

To kill her would require depleting all her spiritual, causing her soul to collapse and disintegrate, essentially eradicating her viability as a material.

Probably, Jian Yuan had planned to keep her, waiting for a chance to teach her the consciousness of being a material.

Unfortunately, he likely wouldn't get the chance.

As for Ji Jue, he began to doubt his existence.

"Aunt?"

Ji Jue leaned in, eyes wide, gazing at the fragmented silhouette sealed inside the Spiritual Crystal, "Are you telling me this is your aunt?!"

Within the frozen lock of the Spiritual Crystal, that body still bore the gruesome wounds, with legs severed at the base and only one arm remaining.

Even her face was slashed by the edge of a knife, her eyes shattered, her once beautiful features now ugly and fierce, no better than the ghastly appearance Ji Jue had now.

But the problem was, she, she... she seemed to be underage no matter how he looked at her!!!!

"Sixteen? No, fourteen... thirteen..."

Ji Jue narrowed his eyes and leaned closer, nearly triggering an alarm, repeatedly judging—she was damn well only fourteen at most! It couldn't be higher!

A fourteen-year-old Rebirth?!

It couldn't be some kind of divine power cultivated wrong, reverting to youth, could it?

Ji Jue gasped in shock, then again, breath after breath, wishing he could suck dry Jian Yuan's central air conditioning.

They really were a major family with deep foundations, but their familial hierarchy was damn confusing!

Lou Feng's grandfather, truly vigorous in his old age... birthing a daughter who was freakishly younger than his grandson?

No wonder Lou Feng had such a complex look on his face every time he mentioned his aunt, with her being younger than him by seven or eight years, and yet, already a core combatant of the Tide City Security Bureau, a master among masters. If Ji Jue had an aunt like that, no wonder he'd feel living was worse than dying!

There was no time for lengthy sighs and reflections.

Time waits for no one.

Ji Jue's movements were swift, his hands stroking the shelves, feeling the embedded Spiritual Circuits, carefully reading and analyzing, Dissociation Technique flashing by...

Through the outer spiritual structure, the Non-attack Spiritual Hand intruded with precision, destructing the critical recognition sequences and associated modules.

There were still five minutes left before the alert self-check was triggered.

He took out the "Aunt Detector" that Lou Feng had made from his pocket and pressed it directly onto Lou Yanyue's Spiritual Crystal. Instantly, the two Spiritually Shaped crystals collided with each other, becoming one in a faint resonance.

Spirit was inherently a carrier of information, not to mention that the Lou Family had their own unique methods of communication.

To not drag Ji Jue down or cause chaos, Lou Feng's Spiritual Crystal contained not only his unique Spiritual Fluctuation for identification but also the Deadlock unlocking program and relevant situation explanations, as well as Ji Jue's identity.

In a brief silence, Ji Jue suddenly saw the fragmented figure within the Spiritual Crystal twitch momentarily.

It was waking from a long dream.

Absorbing the messages from her great-nephew, she quickly grasped reality.

As the Deadlock slowly crumbled, the vibrating Spirit stirred the air, producing a hoarse, indistinct voice.

"...Ji Jue?"

A vague Spiritual Hand caressed over the face in exploration, and soon it was clear: "That kid Afeng has become quite impressive... Are you his friend?"

"Yeah, very good friends, the kind who entrust each other with their lives and backs!" Ji Jue answered resolutely: "Don't let my age fool you, he always calls me big brother Ji when he sees me, insisted on getting an autograph, went back and offered it in an incense burner, bowed to it morning and night, hasn't stopped for two years, you didn't know?"

A hint of a light laugh emerged in the blurred voice.

"That's not how he described you."

"Just being tsundere, can't just listen to what he says, the body is always honest!"

"Indeed."

Lou Yanyue in Deadlock contemplated for a moment then agreed: "Of all the younger family members, he's the one who cried the longest after getting punched."

"Your family culture is also quite interesting."

Ji Jue wiped sweat from his brow, and during the small talk, his hands never stopped moving—sneaking into a craftsman's workshop and internally modifying the permissions and rules set by him was still too difficult for Ji Jue.

He could only roughly destroy key parts using the Dissociation Technique, futilely stalling for time.

His actions continued.

He ran to and fro, meticulously installing the various bombs hidden under his black robe in their designated places.

"How are you feeling? Are you ready?"

Ji Jue asked at last, "We're running out of time."

Within the gradually dissolving Deadlock, the last layer preserved her frozen body, the Crystal sustaining life. Ji Jue lifted it and felt it soft and light.

Not as heavy as he had imagined.

"How much longer?"

Lou Yanyue hurried to recover her strength.

"5..."

Ji Jue glanced at his watch, not waiting for Lou Yanyue's response, then added: "4..."

"Hey, you kid!"

Lou Yanyue couldn't help but laugh again.

And with the countdown ending instantaneously... unprecedented chain explosions erupted from the corridors, floors, and ceilings of the first floor, the blaze swallowing everything.

Boom!!

Amidst the intense shaking and chaos, Ji Jue stuffed her into a box, hoisted it onto his back, and ran headlong.

He merged into the panicked crowd outside.

Three minutes later, more explosions arose from the entrance, and amidst the roar, trucks waiting for loading lit up and crashed through doors, uno uno uno manned.

They rushed forward, one after the other.

Disappearing in all directions.

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