Under the same night sky, with the sound of the tides, the craftsman in a long robe knocked on the door of another workshop.

"Ah, what a beautiful moonlight."

Jiang Tongguang grinned and looked at the solemn-faced man with a beard: "Director Gustav, sorry to bother you."

Gustav's face remained impassive, even reluctant to smile, "Director Jiang, visiting late at night, what's the matter?"

Jiang Tongguang raised his hand and shook the bottle in his hand: "My homemade whiskey is out of the cellar recently. Although it was only aged for five years, it tastes pretty good. Would you like to have some?"

"..."

The two of them stared at each other silently for a long time. In the end, Gustav sighed silently and stepped aside: "Please come in."

The living room of the workshop was still chaotic, with manuscripts and materials discarded everywhere, hardly any place to stand. As fellow craftsmen, they were used to it. Jiang Tongguang couldn't be bothered to distinguish which manuscripts were important and which weren't, so he simply sat himself on Gustav's desk.

After all, out of all these documents, the official papers are the least important.

With a casual wave, the physical properties of the air changed, fused and condensed, forming two beakers, which landed in Jiang Tongguang's hands, clinking together.

"Want some ice?"

Jiang Tongguang poured the clear liquor into the glass and swirled it, the enticing sweet aroma rising from the amber-colored liquor, intoxicating.

"I can't hold my liquor, I'll pass."

Gustav picked up his mug of his perennial pure water.

"Then both glasses are mine."

Jiang Tongguang chuckled, downed one glass first, and then teased: "Keeping your nerves too tight isn't good, you should relax a bit."

"I remember we discussed personality last month and got nowhere." Gustav said straightforwardly, "If you have something, just say it outright. Don't waste our time."

"I get it, I get it, efficiency above all."

Jiang Tongguang set down his glass, sat cross-legged on his desk, and said seriously: "Good news, according to the rotation rules of the eight directors, this time's craftsman exam will be your turn again to host, proctor, and evaluate."

"And the bad news?" Gustav asked.

"The bad news is, everyone's worried you'll be overwhelmed, so they sent me to assist you." Jiang Tongguang shrugged: "Of course, with someone like me who's lazy, don't expect much enthusiasm. I'm just here in name. If you have any grand plans, give me a heads-up so I can stay out of the way and not mess things up for you."

According to the association's rules, the craftsman exam is held every three years, usually hosted in rotation by the eight directors. And this is also one of the rights of holding the director position.

Even if one took the opportunity to promote their own confidants, as long as it's not too excessive and can be reasonably explained, everyone generally turns a blind eye to it.

If it were any other director suddenly interfering in the exam, the host would likely be furious.

But Jiang Tongguang was an exception.

In the fiercely competitive association, Jiang Tongguang's existence was completely an oddity, even more so than Gustav, the radical.

To this day, his workshop still only had himself, no students, no friends. He neither sought power nor profit, did not form factions, and did not involve himself in conflicts.

He was friendly, never put on airs, and was magnanimous even when occasionally offended by someone without foresight, only giving light punishments.

In the council, he was a professional mediator, resolving conflicts and maintaining balance, often saying "doesn't matter," "it's all fine," or "do as you see fit."

At this moment, hearing this, Gustav instantly understood and sneered: "They even sent you to play 'good cop,' how much does Delong distrust me?"

"Isn't this to prevent you from being ruthless again?"

Jiang Tongguang shook his head and sighed, downing another glass and clicking his tongue: "Last time you hosted the exam, the council suffered quite a bit… Several projects from the Federation and Empire almost stopped.

The previous councilman had already been bald and almost lost all his remaining hair then. Delong, who's about to retire, doesn't want his last years to be ruined."

"Don't worry, I won't be so 'unreasonable' again."

Gustav's tone was sarcastic: "This time, as long as their juniors and confidants aren't too disgraceful, I won't embarrass everyone."

"Doesn't concern me, don't hurt me by mistake, old friend."

Jiang Tongguang poured himself another glass: "As long as you don't drive a busload of examinees to a deserted island, each with a gun, and tell them only one survives to become a craftsman… I'm fine with it."

"If that could truly be done, we might find a few real gems."

Gustav snorted: "Rest assured, Jiang, I'm no social Darwinist, nor a murderous maniac by nature who enjoys making trouble.

I just want to return the exam to its original form.

The exam hall is an exam hall, not a place for directors to play power games — look at these 'excellent apprentices' who signed up. Their talents are overflowing, my workshop can hardly contain it!"

Saying this, he waved and tossed a stack of application forms onto the table.

The oddities among them made Jiang Tongguang widen his eyes.

Clearly over the age limit, yet still claiming 'I'm eighteen this year,' the 'old folks,' the black-skinned transgender from the Empire whose title is so long it doesn't fit the gender column, the 'child prodigy' from the Federation who's been publishing dozens of papers annually since seven years old…

In addition, there were more apprentices recommended by various workshops, each related to some master or craftsman, each with thick recommendation letters, praised to the skies, promising future Grandmasters in Modern Alchemy, revolutionizing the field, making it seem like if they don't pass the exam, it's the director who's blind.

But in reality?

How many true talents are among them, and how much genuine trash?

Jiang Tongguang clicked his tongue in awe.

In the past, whenever it was his turn, he always found an excuse and handed it to the next director. He never dealt with such an exaggerated scene.

Though, it had been expected…

"What's your plan?"

"Do as it should be done."

Gustav waved indifferently, tossing the stack of applications and recommendation letters into the pile of old papers, "Too many parrots, memorizing everything perfectly, speaking eloquently and dominating debates, but utterly useless when it comes to practical work.

We already have too many critics. The association doesn't need more loud mouths."

He said, "I want to restart the Tower of Transformation!"

"Hiss—"

Jiang Tongguang gasped, then poured himself another glass to calm his nerves: "With almost a thousand applicants this year, this consumption...

Delong would rather you take them on a deserted island for games!"

"Being the councilman is never easy. A headache or stomachache, he has to choose one. You can't have it all."

Gustav sneered: "Even pure gold needs refining. Without squeezing out some water, how can anyone know how much sponge is beneath the floral façade?"

"To be fair, true."

Jiang Tongguang drank his whiskey ton by ton, almost finishing the bottle.

By rights, as the council-appointed assistant, he should persuade Gustav not to be so radical, to go easy on the budget, and negotiate things.

But suddenly, he didn't feel like wasting his breath.

Anyway, persuasion would be futile.

Besides, what's a budget compared to fun?

He raised his glass, bid Gustav goodbye, and left the workshop, stepping into the moonlight, humming a tune.

Not far away, beneath the cliffs, the ocean surged, the tides never ceasing.

Under the stars, on the Endless Sea between the Empire and the Federation, this was the headquarters of the Taiyi Ring, the most extraordinary existence among the Thousand Islands, a worldly miracle founded and built by craftsmen.

The emerald of the sea, the pearl of the furnace.

— Tianshu Island.

In the night sound of the waves, everything was silent, the association's area in the distance peacefully asleep.

Still and peaceful.

Jiang Tongguang whistled, full of anticipation.

Foreseeably...

It's going to get lively soon!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.