Chosen: Beyond Fate

Chapter 28: Talent and Craftsman

Half an hour later, in the corner of a milk tea shop on the commercial street of Tianmen University, Ji Jue looked at the ice in his cup, which had almost completely melted, then at Wen Wen across from him, who seemed like a ghost ready to ascend.

Ever since she left the office, she looked completely burned out, as if her very soul had been consumed. She walked in a daze, her soul practically drifting all the way to the Empire. In her short life, she had already endured far too much embarrassment for her fragile existence to bear.

Ji Jue gathered his courage and waved his hand in front of her eyes. “S-Mrs. Wen? Are you okay? Don’t scare me like that.”

He wasn’t really worried about her being in danger. Even if Tianmen University blew up, nothing would happen to her. What he was worried about was whether she would lose it and drag him down with her.

“...I want to die so badly.” Wen Wen lay sprawled on the table, finally snapping back to reality. Her voice sounded like a wronged spirit from the underworld, full of sorrow and despair. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you say anything?! Aaaaaah, I want to die! Just let me die already...”

“I didn’t know either!” Ji Jue said innocently, his own head still buzzing. “You suddenly pointed at my professor and said she was an alchemy master. I was just as confused as you were! She’s been mentoring me for two years, and I’ve never once seen her wave her hand and shake the heavens or dim the sun and moon. If I had known, why would I have hidden the truth from you?”

Besides, you didn’t even give me a chance to stop you!

He didn’t say the last part. If Wen Wen got embarrassed and accidentally crushed him to death in a fit of shame, that would really be the end. Even though she definitely wouldn’t do something like that, she had already been so good to him. How could he go and provoke her further?

Wen Wen didn’t actually send him flying along with half of Tianmen University or destroy the dark history she would probably cringe at for the rest of her life. After downing two liters of craft brew in one go, Wen Wen finally caught her breath. She folded her arms, scrutinizing the timid Ji Jue, and after confirming that he truly hadn’t been laughing at her, she ultimately decided not to wipe his memory.

Why is it that every time I run into this bastard, something ridiculous happens? Is it him? Is there something wrong with him? Damn it, I’m still pissed. I want to punch him and knock his head clean off!

She sighed. In a quiet voice, she said, “Good thing I didn’t drag you into the Security Bureau. Otherwise, you’d be a real problem now. I think you’ve used up all your luck in this lifetime right here.”

Ji Jue was still confused. “Huh?”

“That’s Ye Xian[1], you know? She’s the youngest master in the Federation over the past several decades. She achieved a Scarlet rating on the Taiyi Ring[2] at just twenty-four. Rumor has it she’s only one step away from becoming a grandmaster. You get it now?” She shot him a sideways glance and said irritably, “Anyway, you should be happy you managed to win over a big-shot like her.”

“Even if you say that, I still don’t really get it,” Ji Jue replied with a wry smile.

“Lawrence. You remember him, right? If you translated Lawrence’s medical expertise into alchemy, it would probably take him another seventy or eighty years of work just to barely reach the level of Professor Ye left at twenty-four.”

“She’s that strong?!” Ji Jue blurted out.

Who would have thought that Professor Ye, someone so quiet and unassuming in her day-to-day life, was actually, behind the scenes, a top-tier powerhouse that surpassed even Lawrence, just like Wen Wen?!

How terrifying.

Wen Wen rolled her eyes, able to tell what he was thinking.

“Destructive power is a different matter. The Ember Path doesn’t focus on offense. However, people like Professor Ye will always be respected more than someone like me, who just does dirty work wherever they go.”

“I respect you too, Mrs. Wen, I really do!” Ji Jue shouted without a second thought, as if he wanted to tie a headband around his forehead that read LOYAL!

“Alright, stop flattering me. I’ve really embarrassed myself this time. If you truly respect me, just don’t go around telling people about it. Otherwise, I’ll have to kill you and then run off to the Empire to make a living.” Wen Wen sighed before glancing back at him. “Master Ye is a reliable person. Don’t worry.”

Ji Jue nodded. That kind of thing was only natural. He had spent far more time with Professor Ye than he had with Wen Wen.

To be honest, Professor Ye wasn’t the kind of saintly teacher who, like in stories, wouldn’t even harm an ant or would shield moths from a lamp. On the contrary, from the very first day Ji Jue met her, he had already felt that unmasked indifference, strictness, arrogance, and an absolute lack of empathy. In her world, there simply wasn’t any air reserved for idiots to breathe. And unfortunately, in her eyes, most people were idiots. freёwebnoѵel.com

As for Ji Jue? He was one of those idiots who was trying his best to become a little less idiotic. As the only student in her elective course who stubbornly persisted and barely scraped a passing grade, he had experienced her harshness firsthand.

For Ji Jue, all of that was actually almost entirely a good thing. A teacher who would pinch their nose and still go through his entire shitty draft, fixing everything and providing detailed revision notes, references, and directions for improvement was a teacher worthy of being enshrined and worshiped in a temple no matter how strict, bad-tempered, disdainful, or demanding they were.

As long as he could keep up, she would explain everything she knew without holding anything back. If he had talent, she would not hesitate to make use of it, and she wouldn't care how small or big it is.

Otherwise, how could Ji Jue compete for one of the very limited spots for Level Two Engineers at Tianmen University against those so-called geniuses with power, influence, status, and absurd amounts of money backing them?

To put it bluntly, without Professor Ye’s recommendation letter, he wouldn’t even have a chance, even if he sold himself out. And as for the cost of being called a “workaholic,” a “workhorse,” and being collectively ostracized and mocked by his so-called classmates? Ji Jue honestly didn’t care, nor did he have the time to care. He was already immersed in the ocean of knowledge.

Go play somewhere else, thanks.

Clink!

Their brief conversation ended. A crystalline bloom appeared in the beer glass beside Wen Wen before quickly dissipating.

“Alright, I’ll head out first.” Wen Wen stood up. “Since you’ve latched onto a big-shot, hold onto her tightly. When you become a grandmaster someday, don’t forget me.”

“Why the rush?” Ji Jue asked in surprise. “Where are you going?”

“Recently the weather has been humid, and I’ve been feeling a bit overheated.” Wen Wen turned her head away, hiding the expression she could no longer suppress. She struggled to keep her composure and dignity. “I’ll go find a few stubborn wanted criminals and have a little talk with them about life and ideals.”

She’d tell them that their great-grandmother misses them in the netherworld, and send them off to have a little chat with her.

With that, she strode off with high spirits. Turning embarrassment into motivation, she went off to add a few more anonymous graves to the outskirts of Cliff City.

***

Half an hour later, Ji Jue, who had lingered in the milk tea shop until he drank every last drop from his cup, finally shuffled his way back to the office with small, reluctant steps. He steeled himself, pushed the door open, and forced out an enthusiastic, bright, and innocent smile, like a Samoyed covered in kiss marks.

“Professor, I’m back.”

“Mm.” Behind the desk, the professor, who was brewing her second cup of strong tea, glanced at him and gestured for him to sit down. Before he could even organize his thoughts, she asked, “Last month, the one summoned as a Chosen One... that was you?”

“Huh?” Ji Jue froze. His first instinct was to lie, but after hesitating for a moment, he nodded. “If there wasn’t anyone else... then yeah.”

This time, it was the professor who fell silent. She lowered her head and watched the tea leaves rise and fall in the boiling water. She kept watching until everything settled, as if she were deep in thought, or perhaps just spacing out.

After a long while, she let out a sigh. “You really... surprised me.”

“Huh?” Ji Jue looked confused.

“I had originally planned to have you do a couple more years of grunt work, and once you started your master’s degree, we would see how things go and consider whether to guide you onto the Ember Path. But now it seems there’s no need to go through all that trouble.”

Professor Ye adjusted her glasses and said solemnly, “Before anything else, I need to tell you this: no matter where you go, everyone will want to recruit a Chosen One who can trigger the descent of nine Supreme Benevolences like you did. There’s no need to tie yourself down to me. I know Ms. Wen might have told you that I’m very capable and quite famous, but in reality, compared to the true behemoths, I’m nothing more than a marginal researcher. I can’t offer you anything beyond training you to be a craftsman, and I can’t even fully equip your matrix.

“Those old men from the Security Bureau, the grandmasters of the Taiyi Ring, the leaders of the Wasteland Assembly, even the Radiant Church, Worldspan Industries, and Hope Hospital would all offer you astronomical prices. In four or five years, you might become another Su Biluo, or another Wen Wen...”

“Please don’t say that, Professor!” Ji Jue shook his head, panicked. “I haven’t even passed the Level Two Engineer exam yet! Where would I go?!”

It wasn’t that he was trying to pledge loyalty or cling to a backer. After learning Professor Ye’s identity, Ji Jue had never even considered any other option.

Setting aside places like the Security Bureau, which Wen Wen herself called a swamp of filth, the other organizations were probably powerful, impressive, and overwhelming beyond measure. So what? When he’d had nothing, when he had been unknown and insignificant, did any of them ever spare him a glance? Wasn’t the person who reached out and pulled him up, when he was nothing but a poor student who could only grind, right here in front of him?

Ji Jue scratched his head, a little embarrassed. “I think I like it here. At least... if I were to call someone else my teacher, I don’t think I’d be able to say it sincerely.”

Professor Ye said nothing. She just sipped her tea, showing no particular fondness, nor a change in attitude. When she exhaled, it almost sounded like a sigh. “That’s exactly the problem.”

Ji Jue blinked, confused.

“When a cheap wrench breaks, you won’t feel bad about it. Ji Jue, sometimes it’s easier to use leftover materials.” The slightly aged alchemy master rubbed her brow and said slowly, “I thought you were just an average talented kid who could do better with some effort. Handling you would have been no burden at all. No matter how things turned out, you would at least be better than before. But after realizing I had misjudged you, I’ve started to regret it... It’s been many years since I’ve come across truly fine, natural talent.”

She was like an old craftsman examining raw materials. If she was working with just a rough stone, she could carve freely. If it were ruined, chipped, or shattered, so be it. It could simply be discarded. Even if it turned into something, at best it would be a trinket or decoration. It would not be truly remarkable, so there was nothing worth regretting.

However, if someone wrapped a rough stone in red silk and carefully placed it in her hands before telling her that within lay a piece of flawless and breathtaking jade, and asked her to carve it... What craftsman could avoid hesitation? ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

“Don’t worry. I’m just reflecting on myself. I haven’t fallen to the point of handing my projects over to someone else.” Just as Ji Jue started feeling uneasy, Ye Xian set down her teacup and stood up. “The twelve Supreme Benevolences each have their own flaws. The Ember Path, in particular, is the most troublesome. Whether stepping into it’s a good idea or not... it’s hard to say. But since fate has put you right under my nose from the very beginning, then let’s see whether you’ve got what it takes to become a divine craftsman!”

For a brief moment, Ji Jue stiffened, and a chill ran down his spine. All this time, he had believed he was already used to Professor Ye’s strictness and criticism, and that he could handle any difficult task step by step. The brave Ji Jue was not afraid of challenges. Only now did he realize that behind those thick lenses, the gaze turned toward him was sharper than any chisel or blade, and telling him that the real refinement had only just begun.

1. “叶” (leaf) is listed 257th in the Song dynasty classic text Hundred Family Surnames, and is the 43rd most common surname in China, while “限” (limit, boundary) adds a sense of restraint or hidden edge. To me, the name feels refined and slightly aloof. “限” can hint at limits being tested or surpassed, which fits the image of someone deeply skilled in a craft that pushes boundaries. ☜

2. 太一, also written as “Taiyi” or “Tai Yi,” is a core concept in ancient Chinese philosophy, astronomy, and religion. It symbolizes the supreme, the origin of the universe, or the absolute “Dao.” It blends elements of star worship, the mythology of the Heavenly Sovereign, and philosophical ideas about primordial chaos. During the Han dynasty, it was often used as an honorific title for the highest celestial deity. ☜