"G-Grandpa, you promised!" Wang Hao screamed, kneeling on the ground in sadness. Chen Xue was in a similar state, looking at the village head in tears. However, in response to their tears, the two old men only grew resolute.
"Hao'er! Chen'er! What did I remind you?" Suddenly, Krune shouted, causing the two kids to flinch in response.
Instinctively, they thumped their fists, shouting, "Only calculated righteousness is the truth of peace!"
"Good." Krune nodded, saying gently, "Next, the two of us would be doing something that would make the two of you Imperial Meisters."
Seeing them beginning to tear up once again, Krune said, "Remember everything that I have taught you. And now, recall them as you see me in action. This would be the first and probably the last time you see two Imperial Arms be created before your eyes."
Krune then erected a small glass barrier, one that reached their height. It prevented them from rushing in during the important process, possibly ruining everything.
Even though he had instructed them repeatedly, they were still kids. They wouldn't be able to stomach what happened next.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtSighing, Krune asked the village head, "Are you scared?"
"No, I'm excited, actually." The village head laughed in response. Though, after a couple of seconds had passed, he asked hesitantly…
"It won't be painful, right?"
"I'll give you an anesthetic. You won't feel a thing," Krune replied as he took a large bag of powder from nearby. It was what he had been making, using the bones of all the Yin Beasts that he had in possession till now.
After that, he took out a large metal tub and poured half the contents of the powder into it, dropping a stone in its center that automatically caught fire. The fire constantly changed color as the stone vanished, causing the powder to glow bright red.
Subtle heat was released from it, but there weren't any flames. Krune smiled, dropping a Yin Beast's claws atop it, watching it mystically melt and condense into a small puddle in the center.
Krune then dropped in a droplet of his blood, touching the puddle with his index finger, casually making circles using it. This was a type of flame that was ineffective on humans but casually melted the Yin Beasts.
As the preparation process and the strict conditions were hard to achieve, it couldn't be used against the mobile Yin Beasts.
Krune continued to add in the claws of the Yin Beasts that he had just harvested, watching the puddle in the center continue to increase in size. Soon after, when he noticed the powder change color to emerald, Krune took out an apparatus from a nearby glass container.
It seemed like a Yin Beast at first glance but had been created by the combination of organs from many Yin Beasts.
Krune brought it over the flame, watching the entire apparatus float in the air and begin to move as if it were alive. Nevertheless, it slowly began to shrink in size as the organs forming it continued to melt until the entirety shrunk into the puddle.
At present, the puddle almost filled the tub as Krune continued to add in many items, just like concocting a pill. As it continued to take time, even though they watched with bated breath, the children were unable to endure, falling asleep after some time.
Half a day later, the two of them woke up when they were urged by the village head, gazing at the tub where the mysterious pool in the center had shrunk inside to resemble a tiny cup.
Krune then dropped the Nightmare Core that he had preserved for Chen Xue, watching the cup swallow it, immediately looking like it was about to explode.
Immediately, Krune used his hands to knead them like dough, feeling the hardness in the center continuing to shrink in size, understanding that it would soon be about time.
He then looked at the village head, having already fed him the anesthetic beforehand. "When I give the signal, chop off your legs and put them in the tub."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Are my legs alone sufficient?" The village head said in worry, gazing at Krune who seemed to have aged even further within a day. "I feel like you won't even last long enough to complete the first refinement."
After a moment of thought, he said, "Use my entire body, alive. That way, you'll be able to use my remaining lifespan to support yourself. Surely there must be a way for you to use it, right?"
Seeing the confident look on the other party's face, Krune laughed wryly in response. "As expected, you managed to read my face."
"Of course, I've known you since young." The village head laughed and stood before the tub, sending a final gaze at Chen Xue as he told her, "Treat grandpa well. I'll be in your hands, forever."
"Grandpa!" Chen Xue shouted, instinctively wishing to rush in and prevent his death. However, the glass wall blocked her, preventing her from disrupting the process. Even though she was able to climb over it, she was unable to do so, unwilling to disrupt their work.
It was especially so since she watched Krune age rapidly right before her eyes. Any interruption from her side would halt the process, causing their sacrifice to be in vain. This was the rational thought process that Krune had instilled in both of them.
Upon seeing their reactions, Krune smirked in pride, facing the ceiling once as he looked at the village head, asking him, "I've taught them well, didn't I?"
"Is this the right time to be boasting about it?" The village head gazed at him incredulously, flabbergasted.
"Of course," Krune replied. "If not now, when else would I get such a chance?"
"Hahaha, you destroyed the solemn atmosphere." The village head laughed and slowly climbed into the tub, watching his figure beginning to melt rapidly.
Upon seeing Krune's face that was aging even faster, he sighed in worry, saying, "Persevere, old friend!"
"Ugh!" Krune grunted as he was unable to close in on the fire, for it was now capable of burning humans as well.. He quickly took in the prepared tools, beginning to constantly shape the spherical mass that formed in the center, one that resembled clay after the entirety of the village head melted into it.