Chapter 2616: Both Equally Infuriating
This process didn't last long before Master Cong declared the hour hand polished. The moment he stopped, the resonance of time power also vanished. The hour hand in his hand still carried some special time rays, and sure enough, as described on the Message Collection Terminal, after polishing, the hour hand emitted a peculiar luster that ordinary clocks wouldn't produce. It could be distinguished from common instruments at a glance.
The female player stepped forward, took the hour hand from the other apprentices, examined it carefully for a moment, then handed it back to Master Cong. "The hour hand is polished. There are still four more hands. Once completed, they can be set into the dial."
"The dial polished last time looked rather ordinary. Teacher, have you considered making a new one?"
Master Cong glanced at her and simply refused. "No need."
Undoubtedly, the female player must have also noticed the unusual nature of this hour hand, which was why she urged Master Cong to remake the dial, thereby increasing the chances of the clock becoming a time item.
Of course, after Master Cong refused, she didn't say anything more and retreated back into the group of apprentices.
Master Cong didn't care about other matters. He told those present that today's lesson was over.
Most of the apprentices wore similar expressions—utter helplessness. Although they hadn't learned anything, this had been the case for so long that their anger and confusion had gradually turned into resignation due to Master Cong's indifference. What else could they do? He was making the clock right in front of them. So many eyes had watched clearly. Aside from highly concentrated mental focus and striving for perfection, there were no other techniques.
The apprentices left the room one after another. Xu Huo stayed behind and, while Master Cong was organizing his tools, walked over and said, "Can I take a look at this hour hand?"
Master Cong didn't turn around but gestured for him to go ahead.
Xu Huo took out the smooth, rounded hour hand and gently tapped it with the back of his index finger. Through the hand, the surrounding time power resonated once again. The time power he triggered was very limited and shouldn't have caused a large-scale resonance of time rays on its own, but through this hour hand, it did. This indicated that the hour hand itself had already become a medium for time items, though it hadn't naturally formed into an item, nor had it been artificially processed with a clear direction of use. Ordinary players couldn't use it to achieve any specific effect.
Meeting Master Cong's gaze, he smiled and said, "A bit carried away. It shouldn't have damaged the hour hand."
"I'm a bit curious. Did you feel any time power while polishing the hour hand?"
"This hour hand can already serve as a medium for manipulating time power. Seeing someone actually fix time power into a tool is truly astonishing."
Master Cong finally turned to face him. "You speak very directly."
Xu Huo said, "I don't think this is something worth beating around the bush about."
"I don't know about this 'time power' you're talking about," Master Cong said. "I'm just a clockmaker."
"To me, every clock I make is no different. It's you who unilaterally distinguish them."
"What's all this about time and space? Before a clock is made, aren't its materials already within time and space?"
Xu Huo paused, holding the hour hand. As a Temporal and Spatial Evolver, in his perception, everything in the world was indeed within time and space. Every object was permeated by space power and traversed by time. But this was a passive state—the result of time and space being omnipresent. Simply put, it wasn't that these objects connected to time and space, but that time and space indiscriminately covered them.
But hearing Master Cong's words now, it seemed as if they could indeed intercommunicate with time and space, as if they themselves were components of time and space.
"That's true in theory," Xu Huo said. "But under normal circumstances, no one can make them actively resonate with time and space power."
Master Cong shook his head, took the hour hand from him, and caressed it lovingly. "Objects have their own souls. They can feel human emotions, take various shapes in human hands. What's so difficult about sensing other things?"
"This has nothing to do with me."
He didn't believe he had endowed the clock with special attributes. Rather, the clock itself could connect with the time and space power others spoke of. It just happened to be discovered in his hands. There was no need for others to go to great lengths to learn from him or have him make better clocks. He had no experience to teach.
Xu Huo nodded slightly and then said, "Since that's the case, people also live within time and space. They should, like objects, inherently possess the ability to resonate with time and space. So how can you say that the special attributes of the clock have nothing to do with you?"
The old man looked up at him, and after a moment, actually laughed. "I've said this to many people. Only you think people and objects are the same."
Xu Huo smiled too.
"It's a pity you're not here to learn the craft," Master Cong said seriously. "With the right mindset, even without great talent, one can still gain something. With a wrong mindset, even the best talent is useless. They're all people chasing shortcuts, thinking they're clever and unwilling to do solid work."
"Perseverance is also a talent quality that's one in ten thousand," Xu Huo said. "Not everyone can be as focused as you."
Master Cong was silent for a moment and didn't refute this. "That is indeed a talent. I shouldn't overlook its role in learning a craft."
He gestured for Xu Huo to sit down. "I saw that stubborn old man. He's making an item for you? If you want something like a clock polished, I can help."
Xu Huo didn't stand on ceremony and frankly told him that he had given Master Xi a Subclass Stone, hoping to craft a high-quality A-grade item. Material wasn't an issue—he could supplement it anytime. He hadn't decided on the specific item yet. Master Xi was still evaluating the materials to determine the best effect.
"It's expected to be an attack-type item."
Master Cong nodded. "I can help with the polishing. That stubborn old man has top-notch skills, but he's too impatient and not meticulous enough. The things he makes aren't aesthetically pleasing enough."
"How dare you speak ill of me behind my back!" Master Xi appeared at the doorway, shocked and angry. "I thought you were just a bit dim-witted, but I didn't expect your mouth to be dishonest too!"
Master Xi's skills were unquestionable, but anyone brought before Master Cong could be confidently judged as "impatient and not meticulous enough."
"I'm only telling the truth," Master Cong said, still the same. "You're old now. Don't get too worked up, or you might get sick. Unlike me, I may not have many talented apprentices, but I'm not short of them. Your apprentices either quit after being scolded by you or betrayed your teachings. And you like to spend money recklessly. If you get sick, you won't even have anyone to take care of you or any money."
Xu Huo finally understood. Whether they liked to talk or not, both were equally infuriating when they spoke.