The furnace fire roared, reflecting both the anticipation on my face and the turmoil within my heart. Elder Wu’s teachings still echoed in my ears, and Meng Li’s encouragement reverberated in my mind; I had poured every shred of hope I possessed into this attempt at crafting. This time, I was incredibly cautious, following Elder Wu’s instructions to the letter, afraid of making even the slightest mistake. As time ticked away, second by second, my heart pounded faster and faster, as if it were about to burst from my chest.
"Bang!"
With a loud crack, the furnace fire flared violently before suddenly extinguishing, and a pungent, burnt odor permeated the room. I stared blankly at the artifact cauldron, feeling as though every ounce of strength had been drained from my body, and I slumped helplessly to the floor.
Chapter 46