—— Ascension!

Inexplicably, such a thought appeared in Ji Jue's consciousness.

Stone to Gold, granting inanimate objects spiritual essence, bestowing ordinary things with miracles, making the mundane shed its old form—that was the first step of Alchemy.

And then came extraction. Thus, all techniques and theories intertwined, overlapped, collided with one another, intensified, and brilliant flashes of genius-like Spirit Light emerged, flickering, evolving autonomously, spreading...

Immediately after, Purification—

Countless scattered and expanding theories and wild thoughts suddenly vibrated, intersecting with each other, cutting away the superfluous, eliminating fallacies, erasing faults.

Ultimately, Unity!

When each of those spontaneously manifesting flashes, inspirations, and many theories linked together, a vast path emerged from within Ji Jue's consciousness.

Twelve Great Sin Emblems, three categories of sixteen Dyeing Skills, thirty-one types of spiritual constructs, seventy-seven varieties of lethal entity transformations and their true essence...

From a lofty perspective, the exposition was exquisitely profound and perilous, the straightforward guidance directed the way, meticulously listing all obstacles and uncertainties. He needed only to methodically advance... The marvels of the Mutant were at his fingertips, the depths of the Mutant were within easy reach!

The Path to Heaven was right before his eyes!

"Forward."

A voice beside his ear said, "You only need to move forward."

But Ji Jue stood motionless.

He even hesitated to lift his head to look.

He struggled, wanting to turn back.

Yet he could not move.

Regaining his senses, he found himself already swallowed by blood water, wails like the tide covering everything.

The twisted world operated before his eyes, warped stars traveled across the firmament, illuminating the night's fissures and the shattered earth.

He seemed to become a deity, overlooking from above the sky, where everything was changing at an incredibly rapid rate, rotating, but ultimately, all returned to a cycle of despair.

Once thrived, then extinct, once revived, then declined.

The glory faded, leaving the world full of scars; transformative upheaval brought forth ruins; grand vows poisoned the world; shattered dreams left only emptiness.

The myriad aspects of the mortal world surged into his consciousness like a tide. He had no time to record and reflect, only to witness everything in a daze until at last, belatedly, enlightenment arrived.

Bitter hatred ascended from the blood, grievances purified from tears, the so-called love and beautiful dreams incinerated in the fire, leaving only despair and nothingness to transform with each other. The chaos of the world and its ruin unified into a chaotic sea.

Over and over, Destruction; over and over, rebirth.

At the end of the path of Transformation, what remained was only this futile and ugly cycle.

In the end, everything converged together.

When Ji Jue lowered his head, he saw the pair of hands transformed from despair and curses into stark black.

Thick blood dripped from the fingertips.

Unceasing, an endless flow!

All evils were of this heart's making, all suffering was wrought by these hands, the evils of the world committed by these ten fingers... This was the sin of Non-attack!

In that moment of realization, Ji Jue heard once more the wails that had replayed countless times in the four hundred years of reincarnation.

Non-attack's riot, fury, futile struggles, but ultimately, again in the illusory light of tears, it quieted down.

"The world is made by man, Ji Jue, and so is Hell."

An indifferent voice came from afar: "But where is your Hell?"

Thus, everything gradually became clear.

Ji Jue lifted his head and once again saw the burning red sky, beneath his feet the pitch black earth, the ashes raining between worlds, and the sound of the wind from afar carried illusion-like wails and moans.

So familiar.

From the flames and fire, those departed souls laughed, danced, tore at each other, massacred, and tormented without end, an eternal suffering.

Flame Light ignited from the end of Hell, lighting up Ji Jue's eyes, filling all his consciousness and soul.

"Isn't this everything that made you, Ji Jue?" a mocking voice sounded: "But if this world is Hell, then what are you?"

Hell laughed loudly in his ear, inspiring and telling him:

From the beginning to the end, you've been in Hell!

So, you shouldn't be silent, you shouldn't endure, you shouldn't stay put...

Hate, burn, destroy!

There was a moment when Ji Jue couldn't wait to immerse himself in it, to embrace this rightful Heavenly Destiny.

But amidst inexplicable hesitation, he couldn't help but look back.

Even though it was empty behind him, a void...

Only from a distant place, a song could be heard.

So vague, yet it couldn't be drowned out by the wails and cries, persistently continuing, as if echoing into eternity.

Like the stars that rise at the end of the night.

Shining brightly.

It was her watching him.

Thus, Ji Jue suddenly smiled.

"Don't worry."

He lifted his hand, wiped away his tears, and smiled at her: "I am fine."

And like that, he rose from the ground once more.

Turning his back on the so-called Hell and the Truth of the world, he strode towards that void, without further hesitation.

Even if it was in vain, even if it was meaningless.

No matter how lofty the Path to Heaven behind him was, no matter how many times it repeated, it didn't matter.

—The place he wanted to go wasn't here!

It was as if an angry roar erupted from above the heavens; endless azure flames burst forth, surging, to block his path.

But then, the brilliant stars shone again, moving, converging, until at last, the Heavenly Furnace overturned, and countless sparks cascaded down like a waterfall, sprinkling upon the world.

The two forces collided in one place, then faded into the Invisible.

Amidst the chaotic waves, a streak of silver light suddenly cut across, like a sharp blade, severing everything!

In that instant, Ji Jue opened his eyes.

The remnant light in the furnace silently dissipated.

Everything came to an abrupt halt.

In the silence, the falling ash scattered down, like snow, alighting upon Ji Jue's shoulders.

His hand hung futilely in the air.

As if just a bit more, and he could grasp that hand again... But after the dream's bubble burst, only the void remained in the palm of his hand.

"What a long-lost beautiful dream."

Ji Jue sighed lightly, his eyes downcast, gazing at the last wisp of ash in his palm.

"Thank you, Jian Yuan."

He turned his head, sincerely expressing his gratitude: "May I ask, how should I repay you?"

He appeared to be smiling, yet it was devoid of warmth.

In the silence, his eyes held only deep darkness, like an abyss.

"Congratulations, Ji Jue!"

Jian Yuan smiled, so relieved: "You have learned the first lesson of controlling Mutated transformations, to dominate the Mutant — resentment and malice... no, I should say, you finally no longer need to disguise yourself."

Just like that, he patted the rebellious apprentice's shoulder, telling him:

"Tomorrow, we continue."

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