"What method?" Feng Jiu asked curiously.

"The hermit has his own clever plan, speaking it out loud would spoil the magic," Lin Fang deliberately teased.

In Dongsheng Shenzhou, the woodcarver Liu Ming was carefully carving the wooden sculpture in his hands, and in just a moment, a majestic divine figure appeared within them.

As a woodcarver famous far and near, Liu Ming’s skills were naturally unparalleled, his divine sculptures imbued with a commanding solemnity that could intimidate any onlooker.

However, no one knew that this seemingly young woodcarver was actually a cultivator.

Liu Ming slowly put down the carving knife, his expression solemn, as if he had completed a journey of a lifetime.

The just-finished divine sculpture seemed to flicker with a transient flowing light, instantly adding an air of mystery to the figure.

It had even developed a spirit essence, such a sculpture for some weaker Incense of Fire Divine Spirits undoubtedly acted as a magical treasure, fostering the soul better, revealing the miraculous nature of Liu Ming’s skills.

Looking at the now completed divine sculpture, a look of joy appeared on Liu Ming’s face; it was his most satisfying work in recent times.

Unfortunately, the path ahead was obscure; this step was all he had, and if he wanted to progress further, he would need guidance from a famed master.

Just then, a faint knock came from the door.

It was deep into the night, and everything outside was pitch-black, save for the slender crescent moon hanging high, its light casting mottled shadows on an old tree in the courtyard.

A wind whistled past, and the old tree rustled, sounding somewhat frightening in the quiet of the night.

Hearing the knock, Liu Ming put down his carving knife and got up to open the door.

Standing outside was a robust man, big and burly with a beard fluttering in the wind, wearing a black robe and an official hat atop his head.

However, what was perhaps the most frightening was that underneath him, where his shadow should have been lit by the moonlight, there was nothing.

He was not human.

"You’ve arrived!" Liu Ming, however, acted very familiarly with this person.

The burly man outside walked into the room, his eyes immediately drawn to the divine figure on the table, remarkably a spitting image of himself, and his face lit up with joy as he said, "It’s undoubtedly your handiwork, this sculpture is a treasure to me."

"What use is that when the road ahead is closed? I have lost my direction," Liu Ming said, dispirited.

There was nothing more painful than seeing a beautiful landscape in the distance but being unable to move towards it.

"That is exactly why I came, Old Liu, your opportunity has arrived!" the burly man exclaimed, laughing as he took the divine statue into his arms.

"What’s the situation?"

Upon hearing this news, Liu Ming could not sit still, knowing well how desperately he wanted to progress further. Even with his great skill, why couldn’t he achieve those legendary feats?

So, upon hearing there was a way for him to glimpse the great path, he became elated.

As for the authenticity of the matter, he was not worried. The man opposite him was his close friend, and their mutual support was the reason they had come this far; certainly, he would not deceive him with false information.

"Heavenly Court is recruiting," the burly man said in a hushed tone.

"Didn’t you tell me that those Heavenly Soldiers and Generals are no different from puppets?"

"This isn’t about Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. Remember the turmoil in Heavenly Court before? Many Treasure Ships were damaged in the storm. You know, Treasure Ships are Divine weapons of the Heavenly Court, and repairing them is not easy. The Heavenly Forge Bureau has also lost many people after the last catastrophe and urgently needs to replenish its staff. This is your chance."

"Because it involves skilled craftsmen, they won’t be processed like ordinary Heavenly Soldiers and Generals through the Immortal Transformation Pond. They will directly belong to the Heavenly Forge Bureau. I know that many skilled craftsmen are waiting for this opportunity."

After hearing the burly man’s words, Liu Ming’s eyes brightened. The opportunity he had been waiting for for many years had finally arrived; the ultimate path lay before him.

He looked down at his hands; his hands finally had a place to be put to use. He must enter the Heavenly Forge Bureau.

"How do I get in?"

"Don’t worry, it’s by recommendation from Divine spirits in various places followed by an assessment at the Heavenly Forge Bureau. If you can succeed, you can stay in Heavenly Court," the burly man explained, with the Divine spirit recommending Liu Ming naturally being himself.

"Thank you," Liu Ming said gratefully.

"We’re brothers, no need for thanks. However, this assessment in Heavenly Court is no small matter. Even with my extensive inquiries, I haven’t gotten much information. You must be very careful."

"I won’t be careless. The great path is before my eyes; how could I shrink back."

After the burly man left, Liu Ming was still brimming with excitement. He paced around his room for a long time, then quickly rushed to an old wooden cabinet.

Opening the cabinet, it was filled with books, all concerning the craft of craftsmanship.

The Craft of Craftsmanship was a lesser path in the Three Realms, with relatively scarce inheritance. Consequently, there were not many skilled individuals, and the books handed down were even rarer. Thus, Liu Ming, even after a long time and much effort, had only managed to collect these books.

Although he did not know what Heavenly Court would assess this time, mastering all this knowledge would definitely not be a bad thing. Starting today, he planned to study relentlessly, forsaking sleep and food.

As he continued browsing through the books, a black ring suddenly rolled out of the bookshelf, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.

Liu Ming picked up the ring and examined it closely but found it to be nondescript and could not discern what material it was made from, nor feel any mysterious aura from it.

"Where did this ring come from? I’ve never noticed it before," Liu Ming muttered to himself, but he soon dismissed it from his mind, as the most important thing for him now was how to pass the selection of Heavenly Court.

The Heavenly Forge Bureau, he had long yearned for it. It was every craftsman’s lifelong pursuit and represented your status as a craftsman in the Three Realms.

Time passed second by second as he studied. Liu Ming, not knowing how much time had passed, suddenly felt an overwhelming sleepiness as if a heavy mountain weighed down on his eyelids, making him want to close them involuntarily.

"This isn’t right, I’m a cultivator; how could I be so sleepy? There’s something wrong!" In a state between sleep and wakefulness, Liu Ming suddenly remembered; he struggled mightily to break free from this endless sleepiness but found that no matter what he did, he could not shake off this pervasive drowsiness.

Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he seemed to have arrived in front of a giant attic. In the center of the attic hung a plaque that seemed to be inscribed with characters, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not make out what they were.