Chapter 232

Those with insufficient skill can’t touch the Star Palace, and those with enough skill dare not. If that’s the case, forget throwing it into the sun; even if you tossed it right in front of another True God’s doorstep, it probably wouldn’t get lost.

After sincerely giving the seniors of the Clearing Bureau a big thumb-up, knowing there was no danger in this aspect, Leon didn’t bring up the issue of divine essence loss anymore. Instead, he glanced at the last ability among the three from Taurus Star Palace: “Rule Bestowal.”

There was no doubt that this thing should be the true form of the Twelve Secret Arts.

The twelve secret arts of the Clearing Bureau were actually twelve corresponding rules. Aries’ “Eradication of Oddities” might possibly be a destruction-related rule, while Taurus’ “Forging Anomalies” was clearly a forging rule, and so on.

And what they called “receiving recognition from the Star Palace to learn the Twelve Secret Arts” simply meant one had to first be granted a rule by the Star Palace before learning the techniques for using the corresponding rule that circulated within the Clearing Bureau.

To put it more simply, the Star Palace’s [Rule Bestowal] was like a car key, qualifying you to start the engine, whereas the Twelve Secret Arts were operation manuals, teaching you how to drive the vehicle. The level of mastery of these secret arts essentially reflected your adaptation to the rule.

Similarly, after getting the key and learning to drive, an average driver might still be practicing how to reverse park without markings, but someone like Director Aquarius, a talent, would likely already be attempting drift turns.

…

“Although your analogy is somewhat strange, it seems you’re not wrong…”

After hearing Leon’s summary and speculation, Director Taurus nodded thoughtfully: “Throughout all these generations, it does seem that there has never been a precedent where two people simultaneously mastered the same secret art. Back when I was chosen by the Star Palace and started studying the secret art early, my practical results could only be described as decent. However, after the previous Director Taurus passed away, my study of the ‘Anomaly Forging’ secret art began to advance rapidly.

Hmm… speaking of which, perhaps the situation really is as you said. The Twelve Secret Arts circulating within the bureau are merely techniques for using the corresponding ‘rule,’ and only those who have received the Star Palace’s bestowment have the qualification to invoke the corresponding power.”

This also implied that as long as I, the director, am alive, others’ grasp of the Taurus secret art will forever remain superficial. It would likely be impossible to cultivate more practitioners of the secret art.

Though she did not voice this thought, Director Taurus regretfully shook her head and looked up at Leon: “It seems you won’t be able to learn my secret art this year… How about you choose another request?”

“Honorable Taurus, I’d still like to give it a try.”

Looking at the prompt that appeared after touching and exchanging words—[Due to understanding the abilities and operational rules of the “Remnant Stellar Compass Pieces – Zodiac – Taurus,” your resistance to this anomalous item has greatly increased, allowing you to shield against deep-level influence]—Leon stubbornly insisted:

“Even though one needs to receive the Star Palace’s rule bestowment to learn the complete secret art, there are others in the bureau besides you who can forge anomalous items.

So I’d still like to give it a shot. Even if I don’t fully master the anomaly-forging secret art, learning some basics would still be worthwhile.”

“Since you insist… Very well.”

Looking at Leon, who seemed somewhat “obstinate,” Director Taurus thought for a moment and then agreed without further persuasion. She gestured for Leon to come closer and spoke gently:

“Leon, I know you don’t just want to learn the basics. You’re hiding something, thinking that maybe you can use this secret to learn the complete Taurus secret art.”

After revealing Leon’s little scheme, seeing his slightly startled expression, Director Taurus smiled kindly:

“Don’t worry, I’m not blaming you.

That’s just how we humans are. Everyone secretly hides things they don’t want to share with others, and I too have things I don’t wish to tell others. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I’m telling you this to remind you that whatever method you plan to use to learn the secret art without the Star Palace’s recognition is equivalent to opposing the Star Palace, and you might face suppression from the Taurus Star Palace.

So I hope you proceed cautiously. If it feels off, stop immediately. Don’t overdo it. If you end up hurting yourself, it wouldn’t be good. With your talent and ability, even without mastering the secret art, your future will definitely not be bad… Come on, once you’re ready, lean your head over.”

“…”

Director Taurus truly… It feels like everyone is her child in her eyes, always enveloped by a sense of inclusiveness…

Looking at the old lady in front of him who didn’t care about his hidden thoughts and instead patiently waited for him to prepare, Leon felt a slight flush on his face. He mumbled a response and leaned over awkwardly.

“I’ll begin now.”

After calling out to Leon, Director Taurus’s slightly aged fingers glowed with a deep brown light, slowly pressing toward Leon’s forehead.

Then, as if being illuminated by a flashlight, Leon’s forehead faintly lit up, and the deep brown light gradually dispersed upon contact. Like sweet dew nourishing the soil, it seeped into Leon’s brain in sparkling points.

…

“Our Taurus lineage’s Anomaly Forging Secret Art, frankly speaking, isn’t that difficult. In fact, it’s somewhat similar to metalworking.”

Accompanied by a slow narration, a stooped old man suddenly appeared in Leon’s mind, pointing at a furnace heated red-hot and cheerfully explaining to the group of “apprentices” behind him:

“Find suitable anomalies or materials, heat them up like iron ore, using your strength to ‘heat’ it until it loses its stable form and rules. Once that happens, the preparation is complete.

The next steps are similar too. Forging iron requires hammering to shape, removing impurities, and enhancing strength. Forging anomalous items is the same.

Use your willpower and brain to wield the hammer, shaping the form and rules of the anomalous item in the direction you desire. Then carefully comb through it, removing unnecessary chaotic rules, distributing the limited strength appropriately… Do you understand?”

“We understand!”

When the apprentices looked puzzled, a square-headed young man stood up confidently and summarized: “It’s about heating it up vigorously first! After heating, hammer it hard! Once it’s hammered properly, the anomalous item is forged.”

“That’s right! That simple!”

The hunched old man laughed heartily at the words, inhaling deeply through his broken front tooth, and happily waved his hand, conjuring dozens of monstrous creatures each averaging three stories tall, their nostrils spewing fierce blood flames.

“Here! These are the offspring of the Blood Flame Demon God. I grabbed them from his lair last month when I chased him into the Abyss. Each of you take one back to burn! Once you’ve burned them down, come back to me to learn the next steps!”

“…”

Watching the apprentices trembling nervously as they began “burning,” yet being chased around by the materials, even getting scorched by blood flames, Leon couldn’t help but sigh.

The teaching methods of the Clearing Bureau predecessors were truly rough… Speaking of which, was this the way Director Taurus taught me the secret art? So this was the process of learning the secret art by a certain Director Taurus?

The memory continued, and under Leon’s curious observation, several unfortunate secret art apprentices endured countless hardships, being hunted by various “materials,” crying and shouting to quit.

？？？？？

Seeing the square-headed youth reluctantly sitting on the position of Bureau Director, and a random extra who had been trampled by the materials countless times but somehow became the Director Taurus, Leon was left stunned after viewing the entire teaching memory.

Isn’t something wrong with this plot development?

Shouldn’t the most excellent apprentice successfully gain recognition from the previous Director Taurus and the Taurus Star Palace, inheriting the directorship? How did he end up becoming the Bureau Director? What about the Taurus secret art?

“It’s because he was too outstanding.”

After waking up from the memories of the third-generation Director Taurus and raising his question, Director Taurus smiled and countered: “The square-headed youth you saw should be the third-generation Bureau Director of the Clearing Bureau. Since he was already so excellent, why should he inherit the Taurus secret art and become a director? Wouldn’t it be better to directly become the Bureau Director of the Clearing Bureau?”

“…”

No issues there. Speaking of which, the most talented person should indeed directly become the Bureau Director… But it’s a bit disappointing…

Sighing, Leon wanted to ask a few more questions but noticed Director Taurus smiling and saying: “Let’s leave that aside. How about you? How’s your secret art coming along? How much have you mastered?”

“As for me…”

Hearing Director Taurus’s question, Leon checked his badge interface and uncertainly replied:

“Even though it’s not the complete version, I guess I’ve entered the door?”

【After receiving the memories bestowed by Director Taurus, you successfully obtained the method to practice the Taurus secret art “Anomaly Forging.” Through observing in the memory space, you gained a large amount of precious experience, activating the Silver Rank Badge “Secret Art Inheritor (Taurus)”]

【Secret Art Inheritor (Taurus): An inheritor of the Taurus secret art of the Clearing Bureau, possessing the technique to use the corresponding rule, but since the corresponding rule has already been occupied by the Taurus Star Palace, it is almost unusable by non-grantees, thus considered a “useless skill”】

【Wearing Effect: Despite lacking support from the corresponding rule, having witnessed the entire process of the third-generation Bureau Director and the third-generation Director Taurus learning the Taurus secret art, you have gained the qualification to use a degraded version of the Taurus secret art, enabling you to utilize the characteristics of abnormal materials in your possession to forge anomalous items far below your own taint value】

【Advancement Route: Upon the death of the current Director Taurus, if you can successfully obtain control of the “Remnant Stellar Compass Pieces – Zodiac – Taurus,” this badge will automatically ascend to the Gold Rank Badge “Director Taurus”】

【Hidden Feature (No Need to Wear): Due to the ability to shield part of the influence of the Taurus Star Palace, you can forcibly steal a small amount of related rules under the suppression of the Taurus Star Palace during the forging of anomalous items, enhancing the effect of the anomaly-forging secret art】

In addition to the 【Secret Art Inheritor (Taurus)】, after observing the process of learning the Taurus secret art, due to some kind of association, the Water Bottle secret art also provided a badge.

【After accepting the “Truth Balance” weights and observing the method of learning the Clearing Bureau secret art, you comprehended the learning method of the secret art “Abnormal Creation,” activating the Silver Rank Badge “Secret Art Inheritor (Water Bottle)”]

【Secret Art Inheritor (Water Bottle): …】

【Wearing Effect: Even without the support of the corresponding rule… under appropriate material conditions, create anomalous items far below your own taint value】

【Advancement Route: …】

【Hidden Feature (No Need to Wear): None】

…

So… Just by watching the memories of the previous Directors Taurus and without any practice, do I really think I’ve entered the door?

Seeing Leon’s somewhat “wandering” gaze (checking the badge interface), Director Taurus couldn’t help but frown slightly, worried that he might have the problem of being overconfident without real skills. After pondering for a moment, she took out a blood-red bird egg and handed it over.

“This is the egg of the Hell Desire Flesh Bird. When forging physical enhancement-type anomalous items, adding one of these will significantly improve the user’s perception of their body, preventing loss of control due to sudden increases in physical attributes.”

After explaining the origin of the egg, intending to give Leon a small taste of humility and prevent him from being all talk, Director Taurus made a request:

“If I remember correctly, the first lesson of the anomaly-forging secret art should be melting the material, making it lose its stable form and rules, preparing it for subsequent forging.

Since you claim to have entered the door, why not ‘melt’ this egg of desire and let me see how well you’ve grasped it.”

Is this… testing me?

After hearing Director Taurus’ words, although Leon hadn’t fully understood the operation method of the Taurus secret art, looking at the two newly acquired silver badges, he nodded, wearing both new badges and accepting this “pop quiz.”

‘Forging anomalies is about heating it up vigorously first! After heating, hammer it hard! Once it’s hammered properly, the anomalous item is forged.’

Recalling the confident summary of the square-headed director in his mind, Leon took a deep breath, mobilizing all his “taint values,” first boiling the egg thoroughly, then smashing it heavily, following the techniques of those apprentices.

Even because of concerns about insufficient force, during the final “reduction” stage, he added a little trick from the Water Bottle secret art, picking out the thickest rule in this 【Desire Flesh Egg】and enlarging it like changing the font size of a title—making it bold! Blackened! Enlarged! Highlighting prominence! Done! Seeing the originally exceptionally hard bird egg gradually soften and slacken, carrying a peculiar feeling unique to anomalous items, Leon couldn’t help but nod satisfactorily and poked his first piece of work.

【Name: Keen Egg (Flesh, Corruption)】

【Appearance: An oval object with a blackish-red hue, slightly relaxed, unappealing, but exuding a heavy aura of evil】

【Ability: Flesh Keenness, Demon Aura】

【Cost: Minimal loss of stamina】

【File: Special anomalous item created by Secret Art Inheritor Leon Lane, combining two secret arts of the Clearing Bureau and his own demon-filled will, making the selected male appear more evil and slightly sensitizing his left testicle】

【Evaluation: The least valuable demon creation ever, and there’s none lower】

【Taint Value: 0.1】

“…”

What the hell??? Could the item Director Taurus took out earlier not actually be a bird egg, but rather a bird “egg”?