Meanwhile, the ringing of the sword gradually grew clearer. Its echoes lingered without end. With every faint chime, everyone felt their scalp prickle, as though the blade of some absolute law had been laid across their necks.

Then, without warning, the Celestial Circuit shifted, and the furnace shuddered.

Amid the ringing of steel, a crack appeared. It was like a vicious beast bound by iron laws making one final desperate struggle. Violent spirit matter burst through the breach as a piercing shriek rang out.

A scorching jet shot past Ji Jue and struck one of the apprentices. Flames engulfed him instantly, charring large patches of skin. As he screamed, the node he had been maintaining collapsed, and one spirit circuit after another broke apart and vanished, but they reformed in midair and reconnected almost immediately.

Cracks split across Zhou Zhong’s...