novelbin Chapter 1478 749: Under the Curtain_3
Chapter 1478 749: Under the Curtain_3
Fluid, solid, and gas.
Fluid Alchemy utilizes Spiritual Ascension, stabilizing Materiality through the enhancement of spiritual essence; solid alchemy uses Material Spirit to fix changes in spiritual essence by stabilizing materiality; and Gas Alchemy breaks the barrier between Material Spirit, constructing a bridge to enable arbitrary transformations, extracting materiality to enhance spirituality and vice versa.
Individually, each of the three is considered a secret among craftsmen. Combined, they form an unequivocal anomaly.
The Three Phases Flow—straightforward reinforces, reversed drains!
Whether diminishing to serve the excessive or reducing the surplus to fill the lacking, is often just a thought away, with hardly any flaw other than a certain loss of moral restraint.
Yet, aren't both just natural changes?
The ideology of Wulou Temple is that all things are impermanent, merely flowing between formation, dwelling, destruction, and void endlessly.
A precious herb seeking maturity might drain the earth's power within a hundred steps, withering countless weeds; similarly, the fall of a giant whale can nurture countless fish deep in the sea.
The flow of spirituality and materiality in this world is an ever-occurring phenomenon, isn't it? Using human morality to distinguish good from bad is indeed narrow-minded and arrogant.
Isn't everything happening now a part of nature?
Even the Disaster Beast tide driven by the malevolent winds... isn't it a part of the world's cycle?
In a daze, Ji Jue gains a new layer of enlightenment and perception, making the curtains' operations increasingly smooth, breaking through a barrier like flowing clouds and water.
As if naturally perfected.
"Look, Isis."
Ji Jue smiles, watching the life and death flow within the curtains, suddenly enlightened: "All things are ready within me."
"So they should be, sir."
The Spirit of Workshop remains indifferent, without a ripple.
No matter how many sea locusts from sky and ocean flood into the curtain, their sheer numbers have no effect, unable to bring any change.
Purely by magnitude, to shake the mist of the curtain requires ten times the present number, surpassing the curtain's processing capacity.
If unable to completely destroy the curtain from outside, all sea locusts charging in are mere material to be processed.
Even their souls and lives will become part of the curtains, fueling its consumption and operations, in turn supplementing Ji Jue's collection and reserve.
"I think you should pay some attention, sir."
The Spirit of Workshop quietly observes, reminding: "The workshop's material store has limited space; an excess of such scraps only occupies space."
"Then initially process them in Punabantu's smelter, send the materials to the branches in New Spring, Luo City, and Central Earth as production materials."
Ji Jue waves his hand, "They brought their own provisions across miles, where's the logic in complaining about having too many materials or being too stocked?"
Such scavengers see everything as treasure, reluctant to discard anything.
Even a grain of rice falling to the ground must be picked up and washed, and every living thing surely has its use, however worthless—it could at least be a battery!
Besides...
"I'll show you something good."
Ji Jue enthusiastically points at a freshly invading sea locust within the curtain.
The hissing sea locust wriggles its massive body, riding the wind and waves; it has grown into a full-fledged giant sea locust even more exaggerated than its kin, as large as a fully loaded heavy truck.
With such weight, it can no longer soar, its wings completely regressed, replaced by several legs and webbed feet resembling a lizard's.
Now riding the wind and waves, emerging from the sea, climbing onto the Deserted Reef of Luo Island, searching for any sign of flesh.
Pouncing toward the faintly lit shabby shed not far away.
Yet during the gallop, its body gradually stiffens, glossing with iron light, staggering forward step by step, nearly unsteady, climbing again.
Gradually, as scales and shells shed continuously, layers of metallic brilliance emerge from mutant flesh... until finally, it stands frozen.
The light in the hut flickers for a moment.
"What's happening outside?" a trembling voice asks, "What's that?"
"Don't be afraid, I'll check it."
The faint sound of a gun cocking resonates, a corner of the curtain rises, and a fisherman inside gingerly peeks an eye out, warily scanning the outside.
Only a layer of pale mist, nothing visible.
A hiss faintly audible, soon completely fading.
Like eerie wind sounds.
"Sudden foggy weather on the sea, Luo Island is now fully locked down, residents please stay home, avoid going out. In case of unexpected situations, promptly call the help hotline..."
An old TV repeatedly broadcasts an announcement from Luo City's government building, and by the entrance, two crates of emergency supplies distributed some days ago sit on the floor.
Items about to expire like compressed biscuits and long-stored bottled water, along with several boards of common medicines, squeezed in with a stack of Coastal Industry's recruitment notices.
"It's nothing, don't be alarmed."
After watching cautiously for a while, the fisherman lowers the curtain and, after unloading, places the gun within reach, turning back with a faintly disdainful smile: "Day in and day out, what could happen? Don't panic, let's eat first."
"Okay."
The frightened woman extracts a sheet from the recruitment notice, tosses it into the stove as kindling, and bows her head, gazing at the flame gradually rising, slightly lost in thought: "The Coast... I heard the payment's decent..."
Waiting for dinner, the fisherman considers briefly and nods: "Might try it a day, heard signing for a longer term earns you a house, even small is better than this beaten-down place."
"But don't they have enough people, will they even consider us?" his wife frets.
"Didn't they say training's available?"
The fisherman smiles, "Must try, relying only on weather isn't a solution. Now there's not much tax to pay, selling the boat might save some money."
As he embraces his wife in front of the stove, grinning playfully: "If that fails, we'll sell fried rice outside the Coast... Your fried rice's so good, sure to earn a lot."
"Then who'll do the dishes?"
"Buy a dishwasher when we have money!"
"Get out!"
...
Amidst the trivial whispers, the stove's flame leaps exuberantly.
As the two lean on each other, even the cold wind creeping through gaps loses its chill.
And right outside the hut in the fog, in territory ten meters away, the broken carcasses of sea locusts rapidly decompose, dissipate, and evaporate.
As if never have existed.
Amidst the shattered remains, a monstrous creature like wrought steel tightly pins down what's once its kind, its open maw clamped onto its throat.
Crunch!
Another newly emerged onto the Coast, the creature is torn in half, spasming before growing still.
Only the splattering blood trickles down the metallic monster's face, drips onto the ground.
In the dead silence, the mechanical sea locust lifts its head, surveying its surroundings.
After a long while, suddenly raises its head fiercely, savagely roaring.
"—Meow!"