The skull was yellowish, as though it had endured countless years of wind and frost. A layer of viscous glaze clung to its surface, while golden flames quietly burned within it.
The golden flames created the illusion of order and chaos existing side by side, making it impossible to look away.
The flames seeped from the skull and dripped into Lu Ban's hand. They were not scorching, giving off only a sense of warmth. As they flowed over his fingertips, they slipped past like fine grains of sand.
Lu Ban did not hesitate. Instead, he crushed them directly.
The flames, like dust, swiftly covered Lu Ban's body and spread across his gradually melting flesh. In an instant, Lu Ban became a man of fire.
The flames brought excruciating pain, yet they did not spread outward. They simply burned calmly upon Lu Ban's body.
Amid the blazing flames, countless layers of overlapping, illusory whispers rang in Lu Ban's ears.
"We made the wrong choice once. We can't choose wrongly again. I'd rather choose nothing than make the wrong choice."
"Only by going out can we see more. We've been trapped in this wasteland for too long, and we've all lost our longing for the real world."
"But you don't know what else this world holds. I don't think the other city-states will agree. We're no longer what we used to be."
"Many city-states are watching us covetously. We shouldn't tell them this information."
"The torrential rain is coming. As we stand on the eve of change, certain vile people are also stirring restlessly. They're desperate."
"Once everyone turns their eyes toward the future, we'll be able to control the present."
As these whispers echoed, Lu Ban also saw some hazy, indistinct scenes.
Before a colossal building filled with classical beauty, a