Above Destiny

Chapter 832 Hitting a Child on a Rainy Day
The chickens finished the rice, the dogs finished the noodles, and the lamp burned out the lock.

The unfortunate child cried all his tears, but still couldn't change reality.

An hour later, in a secluded 'classroom' in the oasis, Yan Fei, who was walking like a lost soul, saw Ji Jue again.

Right there in the open space, they were fully focused on stretching and warming up, meticulously moving every joint in their body.

Prepare lessons with all your might!

No, is it really necessary... This kind of spectacle could kill a Superb cultivator.

I am utterly unworthy of such treatment!
Yan Fei's eyes twitched repeatedly, and his vision went dark.

Why is this happening?
For the first time, I met a teacher who could guide me toward my future; for the first time, I found a place where I could thrive and fully express myself. These two things overlapped... (The rest is omitted).

Yan Fei's mind was still completely blank, in a state of utter confusion.

No, I'm going to beat up Mr. Ji?!

Are you serious?

It's sealed shut!
"Mr. Ji, I... I'll double my homework, I'll definitely try my best to finish it!" Yan Fei was still trying to hold onto the last shred of hope, but Ji Jue just smiled helplessly and indulgently when he heard this.

"Would someone really say something like 'double the homework' just to skip class?" He sighed. "This isn't just any ordinary bad student; they need serious correction!"

At this moment, a hundred thousand question marks popped up above the boy's head, vying to answer them.

I simply cannot understand why!
But why would you need a reason if a teacher wants to hit you?

This feeling is so wonderfully indescribable.

The thought that he might one day have this day made Ji Jue's expression extremely serious and solemn. He had to work hard to keep himself from laughing out loud.

"Don't worry, the Spiritual Attack and Defense Class isn't some kind of dragon's den or tiger's lair."

Ji Jue stood still and waved: "To ensure the effectiveness of the education, I will not use the Creation technique, and as for the level, I will suppress it to a level similar to yours."

That sounds nice!

Yan Fei was on the verge of tears.

High-level attacks on low-level opponents, attacks on idiots—is the superior dominance of the Ember faction a joke?

Even if we don't use alchemy to create things and suppress the rank to the same level, is the only difference between master and disciple the hardware?
"How about this, I'll give you an extra perk."

Ji Jue sighed helplessly: "I won't say anything else. If you can force me to use blessing or alchemy, if you can make me take a step back, then you've passed. How about that?"
"No matter what, you should have at least this much confidence, right? If you keep rambling on and on, I'll have Isis talk to you."

"Really? Really?" Yan Fei asked incredulously, her eyes lighting up.

Without alchemy, without taking a step back, without using creation, and without even bestowing blessings... wouldn't I have a little chance?

Ji Jue rolled his eyes: "Of course it's true—"

Before the words were finished, a loud bang erupted.

boom!!!
Yan Fei, standing right next to him, mercilessly threw a punch at Mr. Ji, whom he respected, loved, and admired the most!
Just as Ji Jue was speaking, the ground behind him exploded without warning. The terrifying shockwave propelled the boy, who had been flying through the air, towards him like a cannonball.

In mid-air, he skillfully twisted his waist, swung his arms, clenched his fists to gather strength, and then unleashed a powerful burst of energy.

We were prepared!

He understood better than anyone the terrifying gap between himself and Mr. Ji. Even with all the restrictions imposed by Mr. Ji, his chances of winning were still too low. If he wanted to win, he had to resort to any means necessary!

Just like Ji Jue in the past!
pity……

"You're dreaming too much."

Ji Jue sighed softly, and with a casual reach, he caught the incoming fist in his hand, which made Yan Fei even ecstatic and unable to help but laugh out loud.

There's a chance!

An explosion erupted from Yan Fei's clenched fist, shooting out towards Ji Jue as his five fingers spread open.

The intensification of the Crimson Anvil Matrix, combined with Yan Fei's own abilities, causes anything he touches to explode, even air. As long as it is infused with spiritual energy, it can easily become a bomb.

At this close distance, there's no time to defend, so we have to dodge... dodge... evade?

There was no attempt to dodge.

Ji Jue remained motionless, only lowering his eyes to glance at the grinning Yan Fei. In his hand, the fist was clenched tightly, causing only a slight tremor; the explosion did not occur, and the abortion was stillborn.

Before the spiritual energy could intensify, it was interrupted by a wisp of almost non-existent spiritual energy.

Like a single rat dropping spoiling the whole pot of soup, the mixed nature of the spiritual essence interfered with the original explosive reaction, causing it to degenerate into mediocrity and lose all its vibrancy.

This is not alchemy at all; it is merely a very rudimentary application of spiritual energy.

Immediately afterwards, Yan Fei's vision blurred.

The world spun around.

boom!
It was like wielding a rag, dragging the dazed boy through the air in a perfect semicircle, and then, with a thud, crashing him onto the soft ground.

The power, flowing like water, was so perfectly controlled that it didn't even affect his body. Apart from the intense pain from the impact, it didn't damage his bones or muscles in the slightest.

Instead, it made him bounce up like a rubber man, then land, going back to where he came from, rolling around and finally crashing into the crater he had just blasted himself into.

Ji Jue remained standing still, calmly waving to him.

"The idea is good, but unfortunately, we haven't thought it through enough."

He said, "Again."

Yan Fei got up, covered in dust and panting heavily.

incredible.

But then I saw Mr. Ji's ambiguous smile.

My little tricks were useless against him; he probably saw right through me from the very beginning.

If you want to win, then do it fair and square.

There is at least a glimmer of hope.

He didn't speak, gritted his teeth, and then pulled out two short sticks from behind his back. He dared not be careless or take any chances anymore, as if facing a formidable enemy.

They stood before themselves, truly holding the belief that they would win even if it meant injuring their opponents.

That's good.

Ji Jue nodded, becoming increasingly pleased.

That way I can be even more ruthless... Wait, did my teacher think the same way back then? Oh no, then all that suffering and loss was for nothing?
Just as he was lost in thought, another loud bang erupted, and a scorching gust of wind swept over him.

It caught his eye.

"I have an idea."

Right in Yan Fei's hands, the two meticulously crafted explosive rods collided, sparks flying. The moment they rubbed against each other, the two iron rods, which were imbued with different types of spiritual energy, exploded during the collision.

The sparks that shot out landed on the ground, creating large craters.

Those aren't two sticks.

These are clearly two sections of solid spiritual explosives that can be inexhaustibly used as long as spiritual energy is injected into them!

The brat still had some conscience after all; he deliberately showed off his weapon beforehand, afraid of causing any irreparable damage...

Ha, you don't actually think I would think that, do you?
Ji Jue was amused.

I'm sorry, but once the Spiritual Defense class starts, I lose all compassion!

As a craftsman, I instinctively analyze the creations before me—creations made using fluid alchemy. It's clear that my skills are still somewhat raw, but I've already made adjustments and changes based on the characteristics of the red anvil. I understand how to apply what I've learned and adapt to changing times, which is quite good. At least my mind isn't rigid.

The two short sticks are actually a single pair, made of two completely different alloys, resulting in different qualitative changes. This creates a yin-yang-like opposition between them. When they collide, the other stick temporarily undergoes a different qualitative change. Once the balance at the tips of the sticks is broken, it will trigger an explosion like dynamite.

Therefore, we cannot take it head-on.

However, the downside is that the qualitative change is only temporary. After the explosion is triggered once, it is necessary to have mutual collisions and exchanges again in order to 'enchant'.

It is a creation with both obvious advantages and disadvantages, but it is able to adapt to itself to the greatest extent possible.

As his mind raced, Ji Jue glanced at Yan Fei rushing towards him and couldn't help but laugh. The two short sticks, wreathed in a faint purplish-red light, were already thrusting towards his vitals, one after the other.

They've finally developed some brains and aren't as stupid as before; they know how to use the rules.

You can't take the hit head-on or block it directly, otherwise you'll definitely exceed the limits set by Ji Jue. If you want to dodge, you have to move your feet, and once you move, there's no doubt that you'll lose.

That's a good idea.

That's a very nice idea.

Ji Jue stood still, doing nothing but stomping his feet.

With a muffled thud, gravel flew everywhere, causing Yan Fei's expression to change slightly, but it was too late. Dozens of flying grains of sand had already entangled with Ji Jue's own spiritual energy and slammed into the short stick.

boom!!!
explosion!

Since the explosion cannot be withstood or dodged, why not just detonate it in advance?
In mid-air, Yan Fei, frozen in place, had no time to change his posture or adjust his direction—relying on the blast wave to accelerate was indeed a good method, but similarly, the bullet had already left the barrel, so how could he possibly adjust his direction?

They could only continue wielding their weapons, making the best of a bad situation, and heading towards Ji Jue.

Then, I tried my best to hide my smile.

We won! ...or so?

In that instant, what he saw was Ji Jue's calm expression, still undisturbed, but with a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Are you playing the victim here?

Kid, you're eight hundred years too early!

Just as he had predicted, in the instant they were within arm's reach, the two short sticks in Yan Fei's hands suddenly grew in size!

Just like a baton being launched, the hidden internal structure unfolds instantly, with two short sticks about the length of a forearm extending to the size of a longsword.

What's even more terrifying is the power that erupts from it.

Within the short stick's handle, mercury spurted and flowed, bursting forth like a hydraulic rod extending and rising layer by layer, penetrating the mechanism, filling the hub, and causing deformation.

This was an explosion confined within two short sticks, acting on mercury and causing the two short sticks to expand dramatically in size. Moreover, the internal reaction triggered a chain reaction of explosions!
In the blink of an eye, three explosions expanded not only the size of the stick, but also the power transformed from the explosions, turning an ordinary, sturdy stick into an impact drill capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

Without any aftershocks or losses, all the power was converted into a physical impact, and the two short sticks were already slashing straight down at Ji Jue's body!

Seeing that Ji Jue didn't even try to stop her, Yan Fei was filled with genuine elation!
We won! We really won!
This time I...

Bang!
Those outside the arena turned away in sympathy.

I can't bear to look anymore.
.
The world spun and turned dark.

Yan Fei stared blankly, her bloodshot eyes wide, blinking in vain: Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?!

Wait a minute, my trump card... how come it's...?

He clutched his throbbing head, unable to recall what had just happened in the blink of an eye. Ji Jue beckoned, and the house cat, who had been squatting beside him filming the whole thing, ran up and raised the screen.

Slow down.

Captured by an ultra-high-speed camera, the change that just happened was replayed in hundreds of times slower speed...

Faced with the short stick coming at him, Ji Jue neither blocked nor ran away.

He simply reached out his hand.

Instead, he turned slightly towards Yan Fei, dodging the trajectory of the short stick's downward strike, and flicked his finger, striking Yan Fei's wrist.

With a tiny, insignificant touch, the fingertip pierced between the nerves and fascia, causing the tightly clenched fingers to loosen for a moment. The short stick in his hand, which had been like an angry dragon bursting forth, suddenly went out of control, flew out of his hand, and swirled and whistled through the air before landing in Ji Jue's outstretched palm.

It was as if it had been handed to him on its own initiative, so easily.

Hold on tight.

Instead, he aimed at the short stick that Yan Fei was holding in his other hand and chopped it down!
With a loud crash, the short stick flew out of his hand and smashed into the soil. Yan Fei, who was lunging forward, had lost control of his hands and was wide open, sending the whole cabbage flying towards Ji Jue.

For a brief moment, Ji Jue glanced down at the short stick in his hand, as if letting out a silent sigh. He couldn't use this thing; what if it broke the livestock of his workshop?
So, he turned to the side and slightly nudged his shoulder.

Yan Fei was sent flying backwards!

Go back to where you came from!

"The weapon is powerful, but unfortunately, you are weak. Power that cannot be controlled or mastered is not true power. Remember this, and don't blow your brain out by blowing things up all day long."

Also, the performance was too goal-oriented and overdone. Remember, overdoing it will only lead to less effective results.

Just as Yan Fei was drenched in sweat, Ji Jue lowered his head and began to examine the short stick in his hand, finally arriving at the answer he had been searching for all along...

From the very beginning, Yan Fei deliberately showed off its functions, not to warn himself to be careful.

Instead, it's Ji Jue's favorite part: the darkness under the lamp.

What he wanted to hide was the true use of these two weapons.

Unfortunately, the brief demonstration could not answer Ji Jue's questions, nor could it deceive the craftsmen's instincts—there was an undeniable error in the functionality of this pair of weapons!

There's only one question—why a short stick?

Aren't there countless more suitable forms than this?

"You guessed it from the very beginning?" Yan Fei was sweating profusely.

"If it's just about triggering an explosion, wouldn't powdered consumables be more convenient? In a confined space, a dust explosion should be more effective than one triggered by a short stick."

Ji Jue calmly commented: "The day before yesterday, I added an application of vaporization alchemy—using spiritual matter to overdraft and catalyze substances, thereby achieving the effect of micro-reproduction of substances in a short period of time. After the effect ends, the material properties deplete and it annihilates on its own—the paper is in the workshop's system. You can check it out yourself later."

The short stick has too many design flaws; there are far more suitable designs. If your colleagues are more experienced, they would probably be able to spot your attempt to hide something at a glance.

If it were me, I wouldn't hide it; I'd display it as a deterrent, and then prepare another trap.

He paused for a moment, gripped the short stick in his hand, and casually swung it twice, producing a chilling whistling sound as a gust of wind shot through the air.

It is even better than Yan Fei's catalysis.

His eyes twitched violently.

"Verification is too easy. Remember to add a self-destruct setting to these two weapons to prevent the risk of them being used by others. It's not troublesome, just a quick thing to do. When we run out of ammunition and supplies, we can throw them out as explosives."

He casually commented, raising an eyebrow, and finally a smile appeared on his face. "Putting everything else aside, at least your physics is pretty good. Do you have a name?"

"Explode...explode the guide rod."

"Okay."

Ji Jue nodded, tossed the two broken sticks back to him, and told him, "Your self-control is still a bit lacking, but at this level, you can begin further training."

"Really?" Yan Fei was stunned, then overjoyed.

"Before that, focus on perfecting your creation. Treat it like an exam." Ji Jue pointed to the near-collapsed creation in his hand: "I've told you all the flaws. Have you figured out how to improve it?"

"Actually, I do have an idea," Yan Fei hesitated for a moment, "but we don't have enough materials."

"If you need anything, go to Isis and apply."

Ji Jue waved his hand dismissively, simply telling him, "If the finished product is still substandard, you know what the consequences will be, right?"

Yan Fei instantly snapped out of his ecstasy and nodded vigorously.

Ji Jue then smiled.

"very good."

He waved his hand: "Continue."

"what?!"

Yan Fei was completely stunned, her eyes wide as she looked at the eager expression in front of her, and then she couldn't help but twitch.

What's so funny!

Did I say get out of class was over?
continue!

Ji Jue still has some sense of shame after all.

This means that the beating wasn't in vain; at least a lesson and guidance were given, and the child at least learned why they were punished.

There's no way around it; people can't teach you everything, but when it comes to practical skills, you can teach someone in just one go.

If you don't want to read the textbook, the teacher still has the Spiritual Attack and Defense class to remind you of the importance of spirituality. In a short 45-minute class, Ji Jue corrected all of Yan Fei's bad habits that he had developed over the past few days, and incidentally left behind a very beautiful shadow.

Make sure he never makes the same mistake again.

The results were outstanding.

Unfortunately, the only downside is that it's quite demanding on students.

After class, Yan Fei was bruised and swollen, lying on the ground, unable to get up, just like Ji Jue had been when he overestimated himself.

However, a stroke of luck amidst misfortune...

—Yan Chang's old wheelchair is finally in use!
Watching the student with the crooked mouth and drool being taken away in a wheelchair, Ji Jue, who remained in the same spot, slowly let out a breath, feeling refreshed!

Yes, yes, yes, that's exactly how it should be!

We really need to take this spiritual defense and attack course!
It's on every month, every week, every day!
It's a pity there aren't enough students to fight for me. I should take advantage of the current hype surrounding the open-source Triad Alchemy to recruit more workers to relieve my stress.
If this gets out... I don't know how many people will be moved to tears and overwhelmed with gratitude!
After all, it's a master's personal guidance, and it's a high-level spiritual attack and defense exercise. It's free, no cards required, just a pure enjoyment of the experience, and they even offer some pointers.

In other workshops, apprentices would have to sell hooks for several months before they could get such a good opportunity from the master craftsman.
Compared to such a precious gain, a mere beating is nothing. Even if Ji Jue really doesn't hold back, as long as he leaves the person being beaten alive each time, it's considered that he's doing good deeds.

Unfortunately, good materials are rare, and beautiful jade is nowhere to be found.

There are always too few things that suit one's taste; one can only leave it to fate.

He sighed, stopping himself from thinking about it, and instead looked up at the opponent's "reverse scale" on the sidelines.

"Thank you for waiting."

"What are you saying?"

Ni Lin smiled slightly, about to speak, when he heard Ji Jue's voice.

"No, I mean, I'm done warming up."

Ji Jue slowly said, "Inayat, besides educating the students, my main purpose in coming here is to find you—"

In the moment of stunned disbelief, the craftsman of the embers raised his hand, offering an expectant invitation:
Want to play a round?

(End of this chapter)