"What is Tong Mingshan doing?"

The Grand Sect Leader Yan of the Hundred Refinement Sect voiced this question, though it was unclear who he was asking.

Anyone could see that Tong Mingshan was attempting to remelt the nine divided pieces of refining materials into one. His actions were completely baffling.

Dividing into nine parts to craft the Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart was entirely understandable.

Discarding eight to focus solely on one, aiming to craft the True Exquisite Heart with one orifice, was also reasonable.

But now, picking up the nine half-refined chunks to remelt them into one—what was the point of this?

Only a quarter of the competition time remained, and playing around with new tricks now was even crazier than what Li Hongjiu had done.

Not only the Grand Sect Leader Yan but also the murmurs rising from the audience carried bewilderment, with many guessing that Tong Mingshan might have made a fundamental error during the refining process—perhaps ruining the materials and having to start over.

No one could think of any other reason.

The Hundred Refinement Sect's group remained silent, seemingly agreeing with this notion.

This gave Shi Chun's group confirmation through their reaction, leaving them sighing internally. Still, they weren't too surprised—after all, their Sect Master was not particularly skilled, and being outmatched in such a high-stakes competition was hardly surprising.

The intermittent jeers and ridicule interspersed among various sects did not cause much commotion. After all, Tong Mingshan had earned his spot in the competition and obtained four Divine Fires—how many sects present could exceed him in accomplishments? Few had the qualifications to mock him extensively; doing so endlessly would only be laughing at themselves.

Moreover, Tong Mingshan was not the audience's main focus at the moment. Someone had already successfully forged the True Exquisite Heart—that was where everyone's attention lay. Tong Mingshan's situation was akin to a page in a book that, though filled with content, proved dull and was swiftly turned.

Yet Situ Gu, who occasionally glanced at Tong Mingshan, found himself intrigued; the speed at which Tong Mingshan's two Divine Fires were refining and merging the materials seemed unusually fast—not like the typical power of two Divine Fires. Was it possible he'd misjudged?

Just as Situ Gu realized this, the nine pieces of material had already been melded into one.

Soon after, a ruby-red apparatus swiftly cooled and solidified into the shape of a heart.

Palming it single-handedly, Tong Mingshan remained firmly motionless, eyes closed, standing still. Black-and-white Flame Energy pulsed and swirled in his grasp, suppressing the apparatus as it descended until the firelight was practically extinguished.

If not for the faint flicker of firelight in the narrow gap between the base of the apparatus and his palm, one might have assumed Tong Mingshan had stopped refining altogether.

This unconventional refining method once again drew Situ Gu's heightened attention.

"Senior Brother Zuo!"

A faint cheer arose from the Refining Heaven Sect's disciples.

Zuo Zisheng had completed his refining, holding the cooled and shaped result as he strode to the central judgment area.

After verification by representatives of the Ten Great Sects, Zuo Zisheng's Eight-Orifice Exquisite Heart passed inspection successfully.

However, just as Zuo Zisheng stepped down with heavy emotions to return to his sect, an uproar broke out again.

"It's really the True Exquisite Heart!"

"Has one orifice been completed already?"

Zuo Zisheng froze and turned back to look, only to see the apparatus refined by Luo Shengsheng radiating a faint, hazy glow—quite striking.

Crucially, Luo Shengsheng was withdrawing the refining flames, glancing at the incense burner for remaining time, then casting a quick look at Li Hongjiu before adjusting the fire once more to resume refining another piece of material.

For those familiar with Luo Shengsheng, the moment the flames shifted, many in Daming Pavilion noticed his subtly changed expression—though it had been hard to discern due to the fiery radiance earlier.

The Pavilion Master and senior leadership of Daming Pavilion exchanged looks, all showing concern. They recognized that Luo Shengsheng had expended significant energy crafting the True Exquisite Heart; whether he could handle refining a second orifice remained uncertain.

"One orifice already achieved—he's attempting to refine the second?"

Exclamations of astonishment echoed continuously.

Li Hongjiu merely opened his eyes briefly for a glance before shutting them again, showing no further reaction.

Tong Mingshan remained completely unfazed by the commotion. His intent was contained in his heart, his focus centered in his palm—thought and action aligned, sparking a wondrous, intricate design within the iron mass.

The prior constant adjustments had not been in vain; his meticulous observations of the inner workings of an actual heart were now methodically replicated within the iron mass's structure.

With hands-on coordination, he achieved reverse synchronization: the speed of observation could adapt to the progress of construction; conversely, progress in construction could also dictate observation speed. No longer was one side forcing the other—his refinements flowed smoothly and organically.

Thus, almost as soon as his Inner Observation Power detected a detail, the Two-flavor True Fire refined it seamlessly.

With such a promising start, an imperceptible, faint curve graced his lips—a genuine sense of satisfaction.

Yet equally present was the feeling of immense difficulty.

Though a heart is small, it appeared before his mind's eye as lofty as a towering mountain range or as overwhelming as a vast demon cave. Its rhythmic pulse, the blood surging through its orifices, vivid yet ghastly—its visceral nature seemed as gruesome as a Demon Eye, emanating menace. All this accompanied by flickering phantasmal flames only added to the chaos, as though he held divine weapons and commanded an army, storming into battle.

Externally, this may have looked like a mere competition, but internally, it resembled an enormous undertaking.

To Tong Mingshan, it seemed he had become enchanted—a stubborn, indomitable force.

Meanwhile, within the competition grounds, following Zuo Zisheng, others also gradually ceased their refining, recognizing the time left insufficient to further refine another orifice. They submitted their completed works for judgment and left quietly after receiving affirmations.

Soon enough, figures such as Xu Mang from Jingyang Palace, Huang Chunzhu from Fuming Valley, and Yuan Yao of Shudao Mountain concluded their respective Seven-Orifice Exquisite Hearts, submitted their results, and departed.

For these individuals, attention came only from their fellow sect members; broader audiences cared little, their true focus reserved for those involved in apparent top-tier rivalries.

As the competition time ticked away, unease built among the sect members supporting the apparent top contenders, who seemed locked in an extraordinary struggle.

Refining Heaven Sect, the top Artifact Refining Sect, observed with cold detachment. Luo Shengsheng's one orifice of the True Exquisite Heart was already complete, shattering their fleeting remnants of hope.

With only a fifth of the allotted time remaining, yet another wave of astonished cries erupted.

"The second orifice is complete!"

"My god, is he aiming for a third orifice?"

"The second orifice seems to have been refined faster than the first."

"Of course—it's easier once you've done it once!"

The glow from Luo Shengsheng's refined second orifice faded after he withdrew the Divine Fire, only for him to immediately refocus the flames on forging the third orifice.

"Look at Li Hongjiu!"

A sudden shout startled even Luo Shengsheng, who glanced over to where Li Hongjiu's apparatus was emitting faint light from within.

A surge of apprehension struck Luo Shengsheng, yet as a resolute figure from Daming Pavilion, he quickly discarded distracting thoughts, closed his eyes, and poured all his effort into refining his third orifice.

Over at Yanbao Sect, Sect Master Qu Wuming clenched his fists tightly, his partly open mouth and widened eyes fixed on the 'wayward disciple' he so often chastised.

To his amazement—and that of all present—the light within the heart-shaped apparatus held by Li Hongjiu grew increasingly defined, its irregular outline suddenly tracing out bold strokes of intricate detail.

As the glow took shape, it began to fade, while the targeted region of the heart cooled rapidly into a darker hue.

Yet other parts of the molten iron seemed to continue pulsing and writhing.

Li Hongjiu's Flower Picking Finger gestures in mid-air showed no signs of stopping, his intricate motions bewildering to all who watched.

At Yanbao Sect, the disciples had barely withheld an outcry of surprise before an entirely new glow began emerging from a distinct region within Li Hongjiu's apparatus—a nascent outline of yet another orifice.

Familiar with Li Hongjiu's "Model Fusion Technique," the attendees instantly recognized it wasn't the result of normal refining but something unmatched in speed.

"Silence, no shouting!"

Elder Li Qianqiu turned briskly to reprimand the disciples of Yanbao Sect, suppressing cheers in fear of distracting Li Hongjiu.

But while he managed to rein in his own sect, he couldn't control the chatter of others. Cries of "Second Orifice!" continued rippling through the crowd.

Though Luo Shengsheng had also refined a second orifice, the difference in temporal intervals between their discoveries was too stark to ignore.

The astonishment only continued mounting: immediately after Li Hongjiu's second orifice cooled, the heart-shaped apparatus began pulsing anew, this time revealing another glowing section—the third orifice.

"Third Orifice!"

An electric wave of awe swept through the audience, every observer stirred by the unprecedented spectacle before them.

Situ Gu of Refining Heaven Sect looked visibly moved.

Halfway up the mountainside, Young Master Nan had already stood up, wagging his head in amazement. Though an outsider to artifact refining, the sheer level of discussion surrounding him explained its significance—and the steadfast skill being displayed rocked the foundations of the Artifact Refining World.

Within the summit pavilion, where Mulan Jin's gaze remained locked on the mirrored display showcasing Li Hongjiu, she murmured softly to herself, "No wonder Qu Wuming's sentiments toward him swing between deep admiration and fierce resentment. Such a monstrous genius—yet for Yanbao Sect, is he a blessing or a curse?"

Luo Shengsheng found himself equally shaken, opening his eyes to watch incredulously as the outlines of Li Hongjiu's third orifice slowly gathered clear definition. He was truly astonished.

Nevertheless, he glanced at the incense burner, noting the dwindling time, and his pride refused to let him retreat easily. Ignoring Li Hongjiu's subtle upward tilt of provocation, Luo Shengsheng closed his eyes once more, gathering his full concentration to refine his work.

"Damned bald head…" Li Hongjiu muttered under his breath, his lips curling into a faint smile of irritation while inwardly lamenting.

He'd poured his soul into crafting three orifices at once, betting that would suffice to discourage Luo Shengsheng into conceding. Yet to his dismay, the bald-headed master's pace remained relentless, proving the formidable might of ten Divine Fires. Stubborn beyond reason, Luo Shengsheng refused to back down, seemingly determined to carry on. Ridiculous—couldn't he just surrender?

With exhaustion gnawing at him, Li Hongjiu truly wanted to let it end—there wasn't much left in his reserves. His mind felt nearly drained to emptiness; he feared that continuing the struggle might lead to collapse.

But he had no choice; Luo Shengsheng was still intent on competing. Li Hongjiu's three orifices on display were far from secure—forcing him to grit his teeth and press onward.

Calculating that crafting two additional orifices would likely leave Luo Shengsheng unable to catch up regardless of effort, he figured his opponent's refusal to concede would still leave him with victory.

Reflecting on the ordeal ahead, he bit back the sense of dread creeping up his spine, inhaled deeply, shut his eyes, and resumed his intricate Flower Picking Finger gestures.

Yet just as he began, a sudden cry pierced the air: "Look at Tong Mingshan!"

The focus that had previously been fixed on Li Hongjiu shifted abruptly toward Tong Mingshan at the heart of the field, bringing about a deafening silence within Qi Yun Valley.

What's happening? Li Hongjiu's eyelids twitched slightly. Noise he could endure, but this stark, eerie quiet—what did it signify? The sensation of being universally abandoned was unsettling, despite being intangible. Unable to suppress his unease, he cautiously opened his eyes once again.

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