Chapter Five: Psychic Craftsmanship · [Flame of Forging]

The world fell silent for a moment.

Suddenly, darkness engulfed Song Shi’s vision, as if he had plunged from the sky into the depths of the ocean. Ice-cold waves surged from all directions, gripping the intruder who had mistakenly ventured into this abyss, attempting to trap him forever.

His consciousness detached from reality.

Cold.

Weightless.

It was difficult to discern whether this was a hallucination caused by massive blood loss and shock or the true sensation of sinking into a deep sea.

At this moment, time lost all meaning as a measure.

Song Shi felt himself sinking bit by bit.

It was as if countless hands reached out from behind him, grasping tightly at his clothes, arms, covering his mouth and nose, dragging him deeper into the darkness to merge as one.

When people sleep, there are moments when they suddenly become aware of something, sensing a dissonance within themselves. In the half-dream, half-awake state, they try to open their eyes, but it feels as if their eyelids are sealed with beeswax and shrouded in white gauze, impossible to open.

Even when success seems just one breath away, most ultimately fail to open their eyes, falling back into the dream, losing the chance to break free.

In the pitch-black depths, Song Shi’s slowly sinking face bore that very expression. His eyes were tightly shut, countless pale, cold, invisible hands clinging to his body, tugging at his clothes and arms, covering his mouth and nose.

They pulled him relentlessly downward into the darkness below.

The awakening of psychic powers was never a safe or comfortable experience, especially when triggered by extreme stimuli. History held many tales of those struck by lightning who awakened their psychic powers instead of dying, but far more ended up as nothing but charred remains.

“Move aside.”

In the darkness, a voice seemed to sound.

“Move aside.”

The voice grew louder.

Then, from the boundless darkness, a sudden flash of light burst forth, surging like a tide! In an instant, it swept across all directions, causing the entire abyss to boil!

“—Move aside!”

Song Shi, who had been slowly sinking, abruptly opened his eyes. He raised his right hand sharply, clenching his fingers, and the light that illuminated the darkness around him flared even brighter!

No.

It was not mere light.

At this moment, golden-red flames wildly burned around Song Shi’s body! The light shining in all directions was merely the byproduct of the flames!

The black sea boiled violently, as if enraged by the fire. Terrifying waves suddenly rose, crashing down toward Song Shi from afar!

Facing the overwhelming tidal roar that seemed capable of destroying everything under the heavens,

“This awakening is far more powerful than the last,” Song Shi remarked.

On the sea’s surface,

Song Shi stood, first glancing at the distant waves with a faintly raised brow.

Then, he withdrew his gaze and looked at his right hand.

He stared at the palm, where golden-red flames curled between his fingers.

Looking at the fire, a trace of nostalgia appeared in his eyes, like seeing an old dear friend: “Is my psychic symbol still ‘flame’ this time?”

The deep waves cast a vast shadow. In the few breaths of silence, the light that once illuminated every direction was suppressed again, leaving only a small patch under Song Shi’s feet still bright.

Then,

At the moment the giant wave was about to engulf him, Song Shi finally moved.

He raised his right hand, slowly curling his fingers as if gripping something—as if answering a call, the golden-red flames surged up his forearm, flowing into his cupped palm.

The flames solidified, merging and burning until they gradually took shape.

It was a longsword forged from blazing golden-red fire, burning fiercely and extending straight ahead.

Grasping the fiery sword, Song Shi slashed forward with a single stroke.

Time froze for a moment.

Then, the entire world shattered!

The sea split in two, the colossal wave fragmented, and even the pitch-black sky above bore a streak of golden-red light! In the next second, flames erupted from the scar, burning away the dark sky entirely, revealing the true scene behind!

The quiet night sky was filled with twinkling stars.

Song Shi began to ascend.

His body rose involuntarily, first visibly fast to the naked eye, but within moments, glittering sparks emanated from him, transforming him into a streak of golden-red starlight shooting skyward, leaving the sea completely behind and ascending into the starry sky!

Awakening successful—psychic powers achieved!

Song Shi had once again stepped into the realm of the extraordinary.

Countless stars shimmered across the vast expanse of the sky; each represented a psychic.

For a fleeting moment, Song Shi instinctively scanned the horizon, seeking the star that represented him—not the current self, but the Song Shi of his previous life as a freelance bounty hunter.

But three vertical curtains blocked his view.

Psychics of the First Ring were forbidden to trespass into the domain of the Fourth Ring.

So, Song Shi withdrew his gaze.

“No matter how many times I see it, I still marvel at it,” he whispered softly.

Surrounded by a sea of stars, countless lights flickered and stretched forward, the path’s end invisible.

From the First Ring, Awakening, to the Sixth Ring, the Divine Throne, these symbolized the path forward for psychics, also serving as a measure of their power.

Though the depth of progress could be unified, the directions taken differed.

Before Song Shi, the sea of stars began to shift.

Countless stars moved, converged, and reformed until, centered on Song Shi, six paths extended—each composed of innumerable stars, their varied lights blending to form a scene of indescribable splendor.

Balance, Origin, Transcendence, Revelation, Consensus, Truth.

These were the six great psychic paths.

Throughout history, countless psychics had walked these paths.

They embarked on their journeys, studied, and practiced these paths.

They drew power from their chosen path, and at life’s end, departed the mortal world to ascend into this starry realm, becoming a star on their path, propelling it ever forward.

This was the meaning of “path,” the destiny of psychics.

A psychic could choose only one path.

Each had differing affinities for the various paths.

Since ancient times, many powerful psychics had said that these paths were not merely classifications of “supernatural powers,” but rather represented deep pursuits, principles, and meanings.

Even without delving deeply, the differences between paths were obvious.

Consensus emphasized the power of personal will to affect reality, altering others’ memories, and using mental energy to influence the physical world; Transcendence was the endless pursuit of greater strength, speed, sharper mind—evolving beyond the constraints of the human body.

Origin commanded the primordial forces of the world—whether elemental powers of earth, wind, water, and fire, or energies born of civilization’s progress like electricity and nuclear power; Revelation was a group of mystics, often cryptic, but few dared to ignore their words.

Song Shi surveyed his surroundings.

Of the six paths extending beneath him, some shone brightly, others dimmed.

“Hah, looks like I’m not cut out for ‘Consensus’ in this life,” Song Shi chuckled dryly.

He gazed toward the path at two o’clock—it was very dim, cautioning him that this road would be difficult.

Meanwhile, Transcendence, Origin, and Balance shone brightly; Revelation and Truth appeared faint.

Just like in his past life.

But there was no time for nostalgia.

Song Shi felt a strong sensation of detachment.

A newly awakened First Ring psychic could not linger here too long; staying would result in being forcibly ejected and needing several days’ rest to recover.

He closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he stepped forward without hesitation.

He stepped onto the path called Origin.

The instant his foot landed, the other five paths vanished at once, replaced by the rapidly expanding Origin path unfolding before him.

Then, three glowing orbs suddenly appeared in the void ahead.

This was the key to Song Shi’s awakening.

For those stepping onto a path for the first time, the path bestowed a gift!

In long winters, gathered around fires to hear fairy tales, wizards possessed great magical power, able to cast mighty spells. The former was the foundation for unleashing spells; the latter, the shape forged by magical power.

For psychics, their spells were their psychic techniques!

A psychic technique was a gift allowing direct use without learning or training, bestowed by the path to the newly awakened.

The detachment feeling around him intensified as the three orbs flickered, urging Song Shi to choose quickly.

“Fire Summon,” “Elemental Resistance: Fire,” “Mental Fortitude.”

In an instant, Song Shi recognized the meaning of the three orbs.

Fire Summon allowed conjuring a flame with no fuel, using psychic power alone; Elemental Resistance: Fire reduced damage from fire—choosing this meant that even burning skin with a lighter for several seconds caused only mild pain; Mental Fortitude kept one alert, lessening fatigue from prolonged work.

No, not enough.

Song Shi knew the principles behind these psychic techniques, and their prerequisites were low—he could master them quickly if he wished. But these abilities offered little immediate help for his