Tomorrow and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Backbreaking cramming and endless forges persisted, alongside the harsh demands and brutal punishments.

Ji Jue was once worried that he might not endure till tomorrow, or he might falter, but now, he had gradually grown accustomed to this endless torment.

No, it was more apt to say, like a fish in water.

Perhaps Jian Yuan was right when Ji Jue ceased to hide his hatred and malice, even unleashing it willingly, he had truly mastered this craft.

He did not even care whether his hatred was directed at others or himself. If one wanted to forge the true "Heavenly Craft Blade," how could one fear the double-edged sword wounding oneself? On the contrary, the sharper the cold light, the more gratifying it should be!

It mattered not whether Ji Jue was slacking or swimming against the tide in vain.

After the "Secret Ritual" prior to entering the "Melting Furnace," Ji Jue's alchemy lessons began a rapid ascent, as if he was progressing even while eating or sleeping. Sometimes, even a moment of idle thought could spearhead numerous breakthroughs.

And it was not just with "Mutated Transformation," but also with "Modern Alchemy," "Fluid Alchemy," and even the "Solid Alchemy" that he had just begun to explore.

As a result, these days of learned skills smoothly integrated into Ji Jue's gradually organizing system and habits, becoming an inseparable part.

Unavoidable, inescapable, undeniable.

He taught nothing but substance, and he imparted secrets and essence hardly known to other "You Sui Craftsmen."

Just as naturally as reaching for a hammer from the toolbox when needing to nail in carpentry. Even if he could do without the hammer, it would only bring trouble to Ji Jue himself.

In the decades past, countless creations had been forged by the craftsmen under Jian Yuan, just in "Spring City" alone during recent days, likely thousands.

With so much residual ash converging, the essence hidden within these old furnace flames brought forth more than just slight changes to Ji Jue; most importantly, a qualitative transformation of "blessings!"

Under the erosion and intense pressure of the "Secret Ritual," the "Spirit First" blessing underwent an unexpected transformation, vastly strengthening Ji Jue's spirit against the erosion of mutation. Now, he could even intervene in the mutations and evil transformations occurring in the creations within the furnace.

Though slight, at a critical moment, this small difference could determine the success or failure of a creation, lending wings to the tiger that is "Mutated Alchemy," making it even more adept...

"Mutated Alchemy" already advanced rapidly once one grasped its basics; now, it was as if a jet engine had been attached, with terrifying speed even with minimal study.

But what was the cost?

Once Jian Yuan granted Ji Jue access to his library, he began delving into other theories and writings on "Mutated Transformation" — then, he felt increasingly that what he was learning was absolutely sinister.

This was essentially an experimental theory!

Without even a semblance of successful precedent...

After deleting many irrelevant details, he struck directly at the essence.

Removed too were the contents of communicating with higher-level evils; there was no need to offer sacrifices to a master like other craftsmen, begging for blessings. Instead… he took matters into his own hands.

Not just stealing meat from the mouth of evil, but stuffing the evil right into his own mouth!

The price was, without protection, the probability of deviation was exponentially higher than others, and his own mutation possibility increased rapidly.

Including now.

Ji Jue looked down at his hands, where faint grayish-black traces adorned his nails, like silent faces screaming, snarling, or weeping in agony.

Morphing and swirling, formless.

In the reflection of the "Mercury Mirror," he looked almost entirely different from before, not just the crisscrossed ugly scars, but also the muscle necrosis and wrinkles caused by the harsh peeling of the skin.

His once jet-black hair now faintly showed white, so patchy.

And among the falling short hair, his pupils, under the influence of the "Secret Ritual" and mutation, showed a weird shade, different from Jian Yuan's green, but a rare and concealed crimson.

Like coals that never extinguished.

With a sigh, he waved his hand, dissipating the "Mercury Mirror," feeling the throbbing pain from his hands, the "Non-attack Matrix" circulating and dimming spirit light, dusty and weary.

Yet, he stubbornly kept removing the erosions that invaded his hands, again and again, not allowing himself to succumb to the path of mutation.

"Don't worry."

Ji Jue exercised his fingers, whispering silently.

The glory and the crime of "Non-attack," all were his own doing.

Whether the inheritance of "Fluid Alchemy" or many gifts to come, with the many expectations "Saintly Mercury" had placed on him, how could he foolishly denounce his life's persistence over a fleeting dream?

Boom!

A piercing scream suddenly erupted.

The "Melting Furnace" shuttered violently, as if unseen people inside were frantically banging, knocking on the furnace door, screaming, wailing, begging for mercy.

"Is there anyone? Is there anyone? Save me, help..." That mournful voice desperately shouted, "Let me out, please, I beg you, is anyone there? Ahhh..."

The cries and shouts abruptly ceased, replaced by mad laughter and even hysterical curses and wailing.

Thick blood incessantly streamed from behind the furnace door, surging and then dissipating without a trace.

Within the "Flame Light," the hissing and roaring gradually faded.

In the end, with the opening of the furnace door, the final choking sound disappeared without a trace.

Accompanied by Ji Jue's beckoning, a piercing whistling sound burst through the air.

Suddenly, a dagger flew out from within the furnace and landed in his hand, buzzing ominously. Where the shrill whistling passed, all metals actually started vibrating.

Eardrums ached painfully.

Viscous, crimson blood slowly dripped from the edge of the dagger's blade, endlessly, yet it vanished without a trace.

"Is it finished?" Jian Yuan suddenly appeared behind him, looking down: "There seems to be some improvement, though."

"Merely a piece of junk." Ji Jue, holding it in his hand and waving it twice, then looked back at Jian Yuan and glanced at the dagger in his hand with regret, shaking his head. "Too focused on sharpness and destruction, it would probably shatter and disperse before injuring anyone, utterly useless."

"Isn't that also dependent on the target?"

Jian Yuan reached out, gripped the blade tightly, and carelessly dragged it across his own hand, creating a cut and watching as his blood hardened and even animated like a monster burrowing towards the palm of his hand.

Regrettably, after the cut, under the backlash of the Matrix and Qi, the dagger shattered. The mutated blood, as if encountering an even more terrifying creature, quickly dissipated.

In the end, the wound healed as if it had never existed.

"Indeed, it's still lacking."

Jian Yuan threw the fragments aside, turned back, and looked towards the empty Melting Furnace: "Is there anything left inside?"

"Um..." Ji Jue pondered for a moment and shrugged slightly: "Just some trivial little thing. Is the Craftsman Grandmaster interested?"

"After wasting so much material, you should at least let me see where it went," Jian Yuan mockingly smiled: "Of course, if you're planning a surprise for me, I can pretend to be unaware."

Ji Jue casually gestured with his hand, and from among the ashes and debris within the furnace, a strand of crimson light emerged, rose, and fell into Jian Yuan's hand.

"Is this... a Blessed Creation?"

Jian Yuan's eyebrows slightly raised, instinctively appraising and identifying it, but found no flaws in Ji Jue's craftsmanship at current levels.

Even the internal structure was more intricate than that of a usual craftsman and even included encryption. Unwilling to suppress others with the stature of a Craftsman Grandmaster, he could only discern during that instant the blessings derived from the Heart Core based on the materials Ji Jue had extracted.

In his palm lay a crimson skull.

Only as big as a fist, sculpted as if from blood jade with smooth natural lines, every catalyzed mutant and Mutated Transformation sealed within, with no signs of losing control or indications to the contrary.

Perfect.

"What trick have you played this time?"

Having matched wits and tactics with Ji Jue for so long, he had grown accustomed to Ji Jue's occasional resistance and unannounced attacks, entirely unconcerned, even seemingly enjoying it.

Voluntarily infusing his Own Spirit into it to activate the creation.

"Craftsman Grandmaster, those are your words, but this is my proud creation." Ji Jue smiled slightly and suddenly asked: "Just wondering, you wouldn't be upset if it turned out poorly, right?"

"Everyone deserves a chance to make mistakes."

Jian Yuan looked at him deeply, about to say something, but just as he spoke, the skull in his hand opened its mouth and spoke: "Ha, then you're really in for it big time!"

"..."

In the brief silence that followed, Jian Yuan's brows furrowed as if he understood something.

But Ji Jue still smiled, suddenly asking: "By the way, what's your view on your Spring City Alliance?"

Jian Yuan raised an eyebrow and directly said, "It's just cooperation, what else could I think?"

But as soon as he finished speaking, the skull in his hand burst out laughing: "Please don't misunderstand, what I meant was, everyone present is rubbish."

Thus, Jian Yuan's expression became even more meaningful.

"...Interesting."

With just two sentences, he had completely decrypted the locked Spirit inside and grasped the inner situation, the Heart Core's blessing of "Two Heart Secrets."

After undergoing Mutated Transformation, the power of the blessing lost total control, persistently reading the user's spiritual essence. If any statement made out loud deviated from their inner thoughts, it would involuntarily speak the user's internal words.

No, now it seemed to even add extra details.

"Just for this?"

Jian Yuan held up the skull, curiously inquiring.

"Not at all." Ji Jue waved with a smile, but right after speaking, he realized that his own Spirit Essence had somehow also been drawn by Jian Yuan into the skull.

Then, the skull grinned:

"Hehe, you're doomed."

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