Saina was chopping pork ribs with that new cleaver. Every stroke was clean and decisive, the broken bone surfaces so neat they looked sawn through.
Talia's gaze fell on the cleaver, and her steps slowed.
She walked over to Saina's side and stared at the dark pattern along the blade's spine for five seconds.
"Can I take a look?"
Saina hesitated, then handed her the knife.
Talia turned the cleaver over and lightly scratched the back of the blade with her fingernail. Ether flowed in, and the luminous film of the resilience circuit emerged—stable, even, and decaying at an extremely slow rate.
Her expression changed.
"This is a second-tier resilience circuit."
"Yeah." Su Li leaned against the woodshed doorframe with his arms crossed.
"You used second-tier techniques to make a kitchen cleaver."
"It's a tool." Su Li shrugged. "As long as it works."
Talia stared at him for three seconds, her lips pressed into a thin line. She set the cleaver back on the chopping block and pulled a thick volume from her sleeve.
"This is a compilation of second-tier circuits. Finish it within three days."
Su Li took the book and weighed it in his hand.
"Is there a reward?"
Talia raised her hand and smacked the back of Su Li's head.
It was not hard, but the slap rang out crisply.
"Finish it first, then talk to me about rewards."
In the courtyard, Violet was talking to Elonore. She held her apprentice's hand, brimming with pride as she prepared to take her back to the merchant association to celebrate her passing the second-tier assessment.
Saina poked her head out from the kitchen.
"She's peeling garlic tonight."
Violet froze. "But she's my—"
"Three heads of garlic. She can leave after she's peeled them."
Violet turned to Elonore, waiting for