After hurriedly washing his face, he headed out to Professor Ye's workshop.

Even before the little bull-horse's throttle had roared to life, it had already halted, its two large headlights gazing at him resentfully.

Lately, it hadn't been called "my little darling" or "my treasure." Spending every day in the basement, it seemed to carry a scent of other cars when it appeared. Now that it barely got to drive, and the drive was over before it even started, it had an indifferent look all over its face...

So, love ends, doesn't it?

Ji Jue slapped its hood to indicate that it shouldn't make such a fuss just because it wasn't upgraded with that new nitrogen light just the day before.

Uploading all night online, who knows what it's watching. If I don't keep tabs on it, it might just go looking for a car matchmaking service online!

I'll just cut the garage's internet cable.

After he pushed open the door and climbed the stairs, he saw Ye Chun lazily sipping milk tea in the kitchen, soaking up the sun, looking every bit like a pet kept for amusement.

Every time after a paper was watered down, she appeared like this…

Ji Jue gave her a look, asking what was up?

Ye Chun returned the glance, not in the least amused, "You're in trouble! Quickly hand over the steamed rice noodle roll you're carrying; I'll wind my aunt up for your sake!"

Unfortunately, aside from being idiots to each other, they really couldn't connect. After a long stare, they understood nothing.

It wasn't until a helpless sigh drifted from the study.

"Have you two stared enough?"

There were footsteps.

The visitor was escorted out of the study; she seemed aged but didn't show it, her smile warm, always exuding the charm of an elder.

"Ji Jue?" She curiously looked at him.

Ji Jue immediately forgot about his childish staring contest with Ye Chun about who would look away and lose first, stood up straight, and nodded respectfully, "Hello."

"It's been such a long time, yet this is the first meeting."

The visitor smiled and extended her hand, introducing herself, "Lv Yingyue."

"Uh..."

Ji Jue paused, surprised to suddenly encounter the head of the Security Bureau in his teacher's study, currently the acting guardian responsible for all abnormal occurrences in Hai Province. He hastily extended his hand, "Greetings, Guardian."

"Just temp acting."

Lv Yingyue laughed and shook her head, looked him over, and nodded, "Indeed a talented young man. Secretary Tong and Xiaowen were a bit too conservative in their descriptions of you."

"Too kind, too kind," Ji Jue humbly bowed his head, smiling shyly while sneakily gauging his teacher's mood, totally unable to figure out what this big shot was really after.

"Well then, I won't disturb you anymore." She turned to say goodbye.

Unfortunately, without waiting for a polite "Take care," Professor Ye still bore her perennial cold expression. "There was no need to disturb in the first place."

"That's not okay."

Lv Yingyue laughed again, "It's all about having friends when outside. A friend like you, it's better to rely on more."

After saying this, she nodded and left.

"This is…" Ji Jue asked.

"Nothing but a messy affair, but it does involve you a bit."

Professor Ye looked at him deeply, as if feeling helpless about the nature of her own travel-blasting toad—how could a day without supervision and even limping cause such a mess?

"Me?"

Ji Jue was confused, trying to remember, then suddenly realized, "Yesterday's first..."

Professor Ye raised her hand to stop him.

Let's not spew these nonsensical matters in front of Ye Chun.

"The old master has passed, and the trouble in Spring City has calmed down, but troubles in Hai Province are on the rise. Lv Yingyue is holding on to the acting guardian position and won't let go, so Cliff City can't avoid the coming storm."

She turned and walked into the study with her hands behind her back, "The Security Bureau can catch wind of it, but probably doesn't know who's behind it. Whether or not they can find out, it's all troublesome.

You've done well, with everything happening, the fewer troubles, the better. That sort of lets Lv Yingyue owe me one again."

Ji Jue bowed his head, relieved to find he hadn't caused any real trouble, and humbly said, "It's all thanks to the teacher's instructions."

"..."

Ye Xian gave him a look, her expression growing numb—did I really teach him that!

Just thinking about having a talent like Ji Jue in the future and how dim her reputation in the educational field would become made her stomach start to hurt...

To have grabbed this guy for Embers, it seems Embers is somewhat tired of having good days.

Dealing with this damned good-for-nothing more was only going to upset her mood, she didn't bother with any further preamble, directly asking, "How's your health?"

"Uh, it's mostly alright, but the aftereffects are a bit troublesome; I still have some issues using my strength when running."

The overspending in Spring City had been too severe.

Moreover, with both Summoning and Transformation stages advancing, the body kept changing, and the damage caused by injuries had actually sped up the whole process, so it wasn't quite back to a fully recovered state yet.

Summoning Stage is about completing and enhancing abilities, and with the onset of the Transformation Stage, the Chosen Ones' souls and bodies will undergo yet another evolution, inching closer to the Superior state.

This stage varies individually, with both body and soul undergoing transformations at different paces.

Clearly, Non-attack leaned more toward the enhancement of the soul. As a result of the soul's Transformation and enhancement, it absorbed too much spiritual essence, causing the body to weaken somewhat.

But this had no effect on Ji Jue. With the aid of Fluid Alchemy and Mercury, he was now able to maintain the support of the powered exoskeleton around the clock.

Even running a full marathon felt no different from sitting on a sofa.

After getting used to it, it was quite refreshing.

The heavy physical work that previously troubled him due to stamina issues now seemed negligible with the assistance of Mercury.

Even the walking stick he was carrying was not just for show.

It was made of Golden Iron Quality and Supreme Resilience, two completely different blessings from Mercury. With these in hand, he didn't even need a toolbox anymore.

Now, Ye Xian could sense the subtle spiritual fluctuations emanating from Ji Jue. Silky strands of Mercury flowed under the jacket and clothing.

The complex structure made up of thousands of threads could transform into a supporting exoskeleton or other tools at any moment, seamlessly integrated under the same will by the two distinct blessings.

What seemed like two clumsy semi-finished products, difficult to control, transformed whimsically in Ji Jue's hands, as if by miracle.

"Governance Axis?"

She inquired knowingly, "Have you mastered it so quickly?"

"For now, I've just gotten a grip on it, but there's still a lot of potential to delve deeper."

Even now, Ji Jue dared not claim complete control over this blessing. Like Heavenly Skill and Spirit First, it merely provided a new direction and possibility—the specifics of its application entirely depended on himself.

The higher the potential, the lower the limits.

For any Chosen One, its existence was an essential pivot and node.

Like Ji Jue's previous two blessings, it too offered no combat or defense capabilities. However, due to its unique nature, it caused Ji Jue to undergo a complete transformation.

The effect of the Governance Axis was simple, just as its literal interpretation suggested, turning oneself into the core within the control domain.

It could enhance one's control power, including over oneself, although the range of enhancement was still limited. It couldn't achieve the terrifying control power of Heavenly Origin Blessings like "Golden Rules," "Life and Death," and "Cloud Flipping and Rain Covering," nor could it interfere with anything not belonging to oneself.

The only influence it could exert was within its own domain.

It emphasized not 'governance' but 'axis'!

The effect was simple, tightly linking oneself and everything associated with oneself as an indivisible whole. Through this, within the scope of the whole, it facilitated the free flow of spiritual essence, blessings, and even Matrix effects!

Regardless of whether the subjects were alive or dead, intact or damaged.

In other words...

Ji Jue could manifest all his passive effects, like Non-attack's barehanded refinement, Heavenly Skill's precise control, and the intelligence boost from Spirit First, on any object under his control.

Just like now.

When Ji Jue extended his hand towards the ancient clock in the corner.

Mechanical Descent, activate.

Instantly, a sharp friction sound emerged from within the clock; countless gears ground and rotated, levers moved, and the casing split and reassembled.

The upright clock suddenly fell sideways, and before hitting the ground, limbs resembling those of a beast stretched out from the split casing and supported it.

The metal casing collapsed, covered, and wrapped around the precise skeleton. The originally heavy pendulum slithered out like a long tail.

The meticulously crafted stained glass transformed into complex patterns, covering its body.

The brass cheetah raised its head, opened its mouth, and sharp teeth emerged.

In just a flicker, the heavy clock had transformed into a brass cheetah roaming inside the room, vivid and lifelike, sitting next to Ji Jue and enjoying his caresses, contentedly squinting its gemstone eyes.

The gemstone eyes reflected the outside sunlight, casting a brilliant light.

From inanimate to animate.

From Ji Jue's hands.

This was Mechanical Descent's second qualitative change after receiving the triple blessings during the Summoning Stage!

He no longer relied on emergency protocols; relying solely on his abilities and Alchemy, he was able to achieve all this, and it only consumed a bit more spiritual essence than usual.

Even though he had anticipated this, Ye Xian couldn't help but fall silent upon witnessing it all anew.

He took off his glasses with a silent, light sigh.

As his teacher, how could she not understand what had happened, she even knew clearer than Ji Jue.

The blessings and their interactions with each other caused phenomena of mutual interference and influence. While there were incompatible existences like Spirit First and Material Primacy, Golden Stone Quality, and Supreme Resilience, there were also combinations that complemented each other and even caused transformations.

For instance, the notoriety of the crowd's infamous trio "Blood Drink," "Fierce Battle," and "Breaking" — the three blessings combined together meant the lower the health, the stronger the destructive power, and the stronger the destruction, the more blood drained... Those who used it praised it, and those who were beaten cursed it.

Taking it a step further, paired with other blessings, it could form chained effects: Frenzy Hunting, Blood-locking Frenzy, relentless assault. Encountering just one could overwhelm from head to toes, whether human or ghost, everyone deserves a slap.

The judgment of the Matrix standards, high or low, depended on the types of blessings it targeted and locked, and even the number of blessing chains formed.

Like her "Mo Ye," which only has two blessing chains, maximally enhancing separation and expulsion effects, was considered mediocre.

"Gan Jiang" was the same.

Well, quite ordinary, as long as you maintain the current perspective and view them separately…

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