The large lounge was uncommonly lively.

The decor and facilities were too simple compared to the status of the arriving guests, but nothing could dampen their spirits. Laughter filled the air, and conversations were animated.

"The weather's nice, isn't it?" Lou Guan held Ji Jue's 'good tea', glancing around politely but wisely stayed silent.

"Yeah, it really is."

Tong Ting nodded, smacking his lips as the shells of dried fruits piled into a small mountain on the table.

"I must say, these dried fruits are really something." Old Lin from the Desert Market joined in the festivity, unable to stop cracking nuts, "Give me some more."

Lou Guan joined in too, "Give me some, give me some."

"Come on, everyone gets some, everyone gets some!" Tong Ting generously opened his bag, handing out a large handful each: "You didn't come for nothing, nobody left empty-handed!"

Yu Shu, in charge of hospitality, hesitated to speak, not daring to utter a word.

He silently served tea and poured water.

It was because, even though everyone at that moment was smiling brightly, their eyes glimmered with a sinister light, and their grins revealed a ravenous anticipation.

The bloodthirsty audience had already been drawn in!

— Fight, fight!

In just a few minutes, Tong Ting, who hadn't even warmed his seat, had been elected as the referee by everyone...

Now the ether captain had come to visit!

Pounding his chest, he guaranteed an absolutely fair and beautiful judgment!

In fact, whether there would be judges or not was secondary, after all, both sides and their mentors were present, it was impossible for them to fight to the death and refuse to account for it.

But the key was, there had to be some commentary, right? Everyone came to watch the excitement, and if there weren't even any commentary, wouldn't half the fun be lost?

With the ticking of the clock, everyone happily cracked sunflower seeds and chatted, occasionally glancing at the gradually brightening sky outside the window.

Why hasn't it started yet?!

.

.

In another private lounge, it was deathly silent, you could hear a pin drop.

Master Kong gazed expressionlessly at the student in front of him. Lou Feng stood with his hands bound, sweating profusely, not daring to make a sound.

"Speak your mind." Kong Qingyan twirled the emerald ring on her finger, a strand of green light flowing at her fingertip, a subconscious habit. The warmth between teacher and student disappeared from her eyes, leaving only a cold scrutiny: "What are you thinking?"

"Ah... me?" Lou Feng was stunned: "Thinking, thinking what?"

"To gamble your independence as a craftsman and your future in the association for an uncertain project, using yourself as a stake to involve yourself in an inevitably turbulent joint faction.

Victory brings minor gains, defeat makes you prey to others..."

Kong Qingyan asked expressionlessly: "What are you thinking, Lou Feng?"

"I..."

Lou Feng hesitated, his throat tightening. Being stared at by his teacher like this, cold sweat poured down in waves.

"If you want to settle down as a family craftsman and don't plan to achieve anything within the Taiyi Ring, then it's still up to you. The internal rivalry and struggle within the association wouldn't matter to you either, and as your teacher, I wouldn't mind. I wish you a long and prosperous future.

But if you really have some aspirations to walk further down the Embers Road, you must tell me, your teacher, what exactly you're doing—"

Kong Qingyan's eyes grew colder: "Lou Feng, are you really thinking clearly?"

I wasn't, I'm not, it was all my aunt bypassing me and making decisions directly!

At this moment, I should shift the blame.

Rationally, I should take this opportunity to ask the teacher to stop this duel, and at the same time, make a clear line with Ji Jue instead of getting more entangled...

But is it really not, is it really not?

In his silence, Lou Feng suddenly wondered if he hadn't made a choice himself?

He had countless chances to stop Lou Yanyue from acting recklessly. He clearly knew how unreliable his aunt was and how she didn't consider consequences, but he didn't stop her.

Even...

Even when he heard his aunt say 'honorably, settle things with a duel,' he was thrilled and felt a surge of enthusiasm!

"It was my decision, teacher."

Lou Feng lowered his head: "Let's say, I was impulsive, but I... I will take responsibility for the consequences."

"You'll take responsibility? And how will you do that? Do you expect me, as your teacher, to make a clear distinction with you and absolve myself of responsibility?" Kong Qingyan shook her head: "Utterly naive."

Lou Feng instinctively wanted to speak but then heard her sigh softly.

"At last, you're starting to show signs of Ashes."

Lou Feng was dazed, bewildered, unable to comprehend.

"Whether it's rational or not, whether it's foolish or wise, it will be judged afterward. You acted knowing the consequences. As a craftsman, I'm very disappointed, unable to distinguish between advantage and disadvantage.

But in the face of the current gap, you still have the courage to speak up and want to compete with your opponent. As your teacher, I must grant permission; otherwise, where would your ambition to ascend go?"

Kong Qingyan sneered mockingly, "It's just a match. You're still young, capable of winning and losing. I only hope you fall more terribly and win more gloriously, for whether success or failure, it's all a lesson."

Lou Feng remained silent, dazedly watching his teacher. When he noticed the mixed look she gave him, he wanted to speak but couldn't say anything. He only felt his heart pounding uncontrollably, his face flushed.

"Teacher, I..."

"No need to guarantee anything, no need to promise, a craftsman doesn't rely on words."

Kong Qingyan slowly stood up, finally patting him on the shoulder: "Prepare well, bring out your peak state... However, if you lose, you should be aware of the consequences, right?"

And so, in the deathly silence, Lou Feng started sweating once again.

.

.

Ji Jue's office was equally silent.

After pouring out Ji Jue's junk tea, Ye Xian unscrewed her thermos, took a leisurely sip, and finally looked up at the student standing beside her.

"What are your thoughts?" she suddenly asked.

"Uh, well..."

Ji Jue instinctively tensed up. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "After all, it's not good to refuse a challenge at your doorstep. It's just a matter of profit, large or small. Besides, it's not like we're going to lose, right?"

After speaking, he laughed at himself.

But Ye Xian didn't laugh.

She looked at him.

Until Ji Jue couldn't laugh anymore, gradually becoming shocked, "...No way, right?!"

This time, Ye Xian finally laughed, cold and full of mockery: "So, you haven't understood your opponent by now? You're unaware of your opponent's trump cards, don't know what they are hiding, and have no clue about their ultimate move?"

Ji Jue was silent: "..."

Ye Xian added: "And your opponent thinks about you day and night, doing whatever it takes to gather information on you, analyzing every trace of evidence, and even in the face of acknowledged gaps, they proactively proposed a duel?

And you have to face an opponent who might know you better than you know yourself as a 'craftsman'?"

"..." Ji Jue continued to be silent.

"In such a situation, for a craftsman on the Embers Road, you should know how terrifying it can be, Ji Jue?" Ye Xian squinted her eyes, looking at her startled student, then sighed lightly: "But, it's not bad either."

"Huh?"

Ji Jue was dazed.

"Isn't this kind of thing only natural?"

Ye Xian was indifferent: "It's always the loser who remembers the winner, when has a winner ever worried daily?'

Does that old thing with the Heavenly Furnace care who might resent him? Do Plowsmith and Carrion Eater worry about which master might challenge them someday? Does Jian Yuan still mind something as trivial as you around the clock?

When you are high up, those below will always be scheming to climb up; do you have to scrutinize each one? Is research not advancing? Isn't it annoying enough?

In the profession of craftsmen, it has always been about targeting others. If you become someone others target, it means you're nothing significant, destined to achieve little."

"Then what do you mean, teacher?" Ji Jue tentatively asked.

"It's your own matter, make your own decisions. Fight if you want to; I am your teacher, not your babysitter. Why care so much? As for the joint workshop... heh, you have more ambition than I do, and that's good. Instead of letting you cause havoc outside, better you experience the infighting in the association.

Playing games with fools every day won't improve your skills.

Let it be."

Ye Xian closed the cap of her thermos, slowly stood up, and left with her hands behind her back. Yet, before pulling the door open, she looked back one last time.

The smile remained, chilling to the bone.

"Only, you should know what the consequences are if you lose, right?"

Gulp.

Ji Jue swallowed hard.

Ten minutes later, when Ji Jue and Lou Feng met again, all their smiles had vanished. The warmth was gone, as the bloodthirsty audience cheered and marveled, their gazes crossed, sparking fires.

In that moment, they understood... that everyone gambled more than just their independence as craftsmen, the future direction of their workshop, and their position and standing in the association, but also their own two legs!

As they say, win or die, there is no retreat!

Meanwhile, Ye Xian and Kong Qingyan were already exchanging pleasantries as if there was no one else around.

"Master Kong seems to have some rare leisure time, coming to watch kids fight. Have you realized there's no hope for advancement and plan to indulge in pastimes, enjoying your twilight years?"

"Not at all, unlike Master Ye, I don't have the blessings of having no children, no student mischief that needs cleaning up. Compared to that, it's quite worry-free and relaxed."

"That's normal, the mediocre are aimless, while the competent have worries."

Ye Xian sighed calmly: "Whether students succeed depends on themselves; no amount of relentless guidance from teachers can replace that, though minor troubles are better than incompetence."

"Heh, who knew Master Ye would have a day to talk to me about the bond between master and apprentice?" Master Kong was genuinely impressed: "I've really learned something."

"Whether there's a bond is secondary; if teaching fails, there's no master-student relationship to speak of, let alone anything else?" Ye Xian humbly waved it off: "As respectful of teachers and valuing morals as Master Kong, that's truly admirable, worthy of learning from. Someday I should ask you to teach me how to use a wood-burning stove."

"Honoring one's teacher? Then it's naturally a duty that can't be shirked." Master Kong laughed heartily: "It's just unclear if you have a place to offer it."

"..."

Unknowingly, in a dead silence, no one spoke anymore.

Amidst the light and breezy conversation, only Ji Jue and Lou Feng retreated again and again, dripping with sweat, watching as their two teachers gently yet relentlessly stabbed at each other's hearts. They were already afraid.

Why don't we change the day…

Such words no longer had the courage to be spoken!

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.