It started instantly, with no wind-up.
Zero-frame opening, no windup whatsoever.
Straight to the heart, deafeningly direct—impossible to evade, impossible to defend against.
And so, beneath Jianyuan's gradually complicated gaze, an awkward silence suddenly descended.
"..."
Ji Jue's smile twitched. "An accident. It was all an accident, Grand Artisan."
Skeleton translated, "Well, there we have it. Happy now? Everyone's embarrassed."
"Heh heh."
Jianyuan merely smiled faintly.
Skeleton laughed as well, though the meaning behind it seemed rather different.
"Sometimes, it can be a good thing."
He said, "Very good. You've started learning how to make use of an Artisan's curiosity."
"Even so, there is something else I'm rather curious about."
Ji Jue sighed softly. At last, the diagram revealed the dagger; he no longer bothered to conceal it. "Grand Artisan, you went to all the trouble of coming to Quancheng, mingling with that lot, and even found the time to spend so long tossing around a small fry like me. What exactly are you after?"
"If that were all, why go to such great lengths?"
Jianyuan smiled disdainfully and lifted the Skeleton in his hand. "It is nothing more than another step toward exhausting the Path of Embers Zhi Fu. What is so remarkable about that?"
In the silence, Skeleton said nothing.
The Spirit Essence Circuit within it showed no sign of stirring, much less any guard or concealment. It disdained lies and pretense even more.
Ji Jue remained silent as well. After a long while, he let out a silent sigh.
"Why go this far?"
"Why not?"
Jianyuan bared his teeth in mockery. "Whether in the Association or Deepdark, whether Embers or Zhi Fu... from the flame-thieves of ancient times to Alchemists, and then to today's Artisans, they have merely changed their names. Is there truly any difference?
"No.