Huai Shi felt that his good brother was done for.

Since they had acquired that Relic Bone, they had spent almost a day relying on the Map Function to go on a killing spree in the grasslands and had finally reached level ten, one after the other.

They had met the standard requirements for using the Relic Bone.

Considering they would be utterly defenseless during evolution, one person had to stand guard while the other evolved. To ensure safety, Huai Shi let Fu Yi, who was slightly weaker in combat, advance first. She would then protect him after completing her advancement.

Unexpectedly, after Fu Yi took out the thumb-sized Golden Relic Bone and hugged it, she stopped moving.

She froze in place, not speaking or breathing. Huai Shi, in his dog form, couldn't detect a pulse. He could only nuzzle closer to listen for her heartbeat... only to get pricked and grimace in pain.

He didn't hear a heartbeat either.

Instead, he discovered an even worse situation.

—Not only was his good brother done for, but she had also turned to stone.

He bit a stick and knocked on her twice. Hard as a rock!

If her Source Fluctuation hadn't still been very stable, he would have suspected Fu Yi was already dead.

What the hell is going on?

He squatted on the ground, looking confusedly at Fu Yi's 'corpse' in front of him. He lifted his dog paw, hesitating whether he should attempt chest compressions.

But where exactly is a hedgehog's heart?

He began to ponder.

***

With a momentary trance, Fu Yi found herself in a void of darkness.

The brilliant Golden Relic Bone floated before her, emitting dazzling light. It began to merge into her hedgehog body, but then abruptly stopped.

It was as if an exciting CG was playing, but the internet lagged!

Then, a hand reached out from the darkness and gently plucked the Golden Relic Bone away.

The darkness shifted.

Fu Yi felt a blur in front of her eyes, and she started to rise rapidly, breaking through the darkness, even leaving behind the hedgehog body she had just gotten used to, reverting to her original form.

PLOOF. She landed on a soft sofa.

It seemed to be a rather spacious study.

The sunlight outside the window was warm, shining into the room, illuminating the huge dinosaur fossil in the center of the study.

Besides the musty scent of old books, a faint floral fragrance filled the air. Amidst high walls lined with countless books, several lush green plants were scattered about, looking vibrant and full of life.

In Fu Yi's hand, however, there was now a teacup. The fragrant steam curled upwards, blurring her vision.

She blinked, looking around blankly, and then saw the woman sitting in the chair opposite her.

She seemed to be quite old, her hair was salt-and-pepper, but she didn't have the usual gentle warmth of the elderly. Behind her metal glasses, her eyes were sharp and resolute.

She looked out of place in this study.

The old woman carried a faint earthy fragrance. She wore not soft, comfortable silk, but a durable denim jacket, its trouser legs stained with mud. Her leather boots were ancient yet still sturdy.

She wasn't hunched with age; her frame remained broad, her skeleton robust. Her well-defined muscles hadn't slackened with time, exuding an aura of strength and competence.

It was as if a legendary explorer had suddenly appeared before her.

Seeing her, one would instinctively associate her with adventure and exploration.

Noticing Fu Yi's dazed state, the aged Creator paused, then looked down at herself and shook her head with realization. "Sorry, old habits die hard. I should have changed my clothes first..."

"'...So cool,' Fu Yi blurted out. Realizing her gaffe, she coughed awkwardly, set down her teacup, and politely asked, 'Excuse me, are you from the Astronomical Society?'"

"Hmm? Ah, I suppose you could say that..."

The old woman thought for a moment, gave a vague smile, and scrutinized Fu Yi carefully. "No laws within the Soul, no Stigma... Truly rare. I didn't expect to find an ordinary person among the Explorers of the Existence Institute.

'How is it? Have those secrecy fanatics finally learned to loosen their standards?'"

"'To be honest, you may have misunderstood. I actually... snuck in.'"

Although Fu Yi didn't know much about the Astronomical Society, she understood it wasn't wise to be secretive in front of someone powerful enough to pull her out with a wave of their hand. It was better to clarify things and avoid misunderstandings.

"'Is that so? I think I understand,' the old woman said, seeming to recall something. She then squinted. 'Then, you can't represent the Astronomical Society, nor the Dongxia Genealogy, correct?'"

"..." Fu Yi was taken aback, and although she felt something was off, she still nodded honestly.

"Very well."

The old woman snapped her fingers briskly and asked, straight to the point, "According to the internal rules of this Witches' Night, Sublimators are influenced by their respective Genealogies during their Metamorphosis, while Scholars integrate their own field of study during advancement. As an ordinary person, you're an exception to these rules. In this situation, you have two choices."

She paused, then said seriously, "First, you can withdraw from this exploration and safely return to your peaceful life. Leaving danger behind isn't shameful, and being ordinary isn't laughable.

'The Astronomical Society, the great Genealogies, indeed all Sublimators—their very purpose is to protect ordinary people like you and the world you inhabit. You needn't feel ashamed.'"

Fu Yi thought for a moment, then asked directly, "And the second choice?"

"'That would be to find a Creator to guide your adjustments and arrange the direction for your future evolution...'"

The old woman smiled and pointed at herself. "Like me... Hmm, wait a second. It seems another Creator is also quite interested in you. Too bad, I picked first."

She suddenly waved her hand, as if casting something aside.

Then, she sat down on her sofa, waiting quietly for Fu Yi to make her choice.

"Alright."

Fu Yi accepted this reality quicker than expected and nodded decisively.

The old woman was a bit surprised. "So readily?"

Ah, isn't this what they often say in novels—the cheat being activated? Fu Yi even began to look forward to it. Now I also have a patron... ahem, a grandma.

Was the literature of the Current Circumstances overly developed, or were young girls these days simply this bold?

The old woman herself was stunned for a good while before she shook her head in self-mockery, laughed, and fished in her pocket. She pulled out the Golden Relic Bone and placed it on the table.

"Well, let's get back to business. Your Metamorphosis was stopped by me. The Astronomical Society's automatic distribution principle still has flaws; you aren't suited for the Transformation of Gold."

She pondered, then suddenly asked, "Agate, Amber, and Quartz – which one do you like?"

Fu Yi hesitated, then thought of Huai Shi's Relic Bone and cautiously asked, "Obsidian?"

The old woman shook her head decisively. "Obsidian represents the material; it's the least suitable for you. On the contrary... you seem better suited for another extreme. Yes, Glaze is the one."

She hesitated a moment, reached out her hand, and tapped on the Relic Bone on the table.

Instantly, the dazzling Gold faded, and the Relic Bone transformed until, finally, it seemed as if nothing was there at all.

If not for its faint reflection in the sunlight from the window, Fu Yi would have struggled to confirm anything was there.

"This is the eternal Glaze, the antithesis of the ever-changing Gold."

The old woman explained, "The Golden Relic Bone enhances your Source Substance application. However, you don't have any particular talent or standout performance in that area. It's not nearly as suitable for you as Glaze, which emphasizes qualitative self-transformation."

She fell silent for a moment, then said earnestly, "I must remind you, this Metamorphosis with the Glaze Relic Bone might significantly impact your strength. Even with a Creator adjusting your Metamorphosis and evolution, you'll lag behind others for a considerable time. In the early and mid-stages, it's far too easy to perish or be forced out."

"No worries," Fu Yi waved her hand dismissively. "I have my good brother to carry me."

"Hmm?"

The old woman looked puzzled, squinting as if observing something. Soon, a pleased smile appeared. "Ah, truly good friends. He thinks you're dead and is nudging you with his nose... Ah, he got pricked! HAHAHA! You might want to hurry. He's already pondering how to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions. HAHAHA, a dog giving first aid to a hedgehog... I'm losing it!"

Fu Yi's expression grew increasingly uncomfortable.

Finally, the old woman stopped laughing, wiped tears from her eyes, and asked seriously, "So, are you ready?"

"Yes," Fu Yi nodded, then hesitated before adding, "But I have one more question..."

"Ask."

"Why are you helping me?" Fu Yi asked curiously. "To be honest, I know myself. I'm not particularly valuable or talented. The chance of me becoming a Sublimator isn't high, and I certainly don't have the aptitude to be a Scholar.

'Someone like me... it wouldn't matter if I were just left alone, would it?'"

"To tell you the truth, I was also a bit worried this might be too reckless, but there are two reasons," the old woman responded.

She raised two fingers and said seriously, "First, I have an unrefined theory, and you're the most suitable candidate for it."

"And the second?" Fu Yi prompted.

"The second one..."

The old woman paused, drawing out the suspense. Then, her lips curled into a genuinely proud smile. "Because you said I was cool!"

Then, just as Fu Yi stared in astonishment, this very cool old woman waved her hand.

She sank back into darkness.

Then, she saw the ethereal Glaze erupt in dazzling light, swallowing her whole.

She fell into a Deep Sleep.

She awoke from the dream.

Then, she opened her eyes and saw Huai Shi in front of her, looking very anxious.

"Fu Yi, something terrible has happened!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with panic. "You're shedding your quills!"

"Huh?"

Fu Yi leaped up from the ground. She looked at herself in bewilderment and saw the quills on her body falling off one by one, as effortlessly and painlessly as ripe fruit dropping from a vine.

Immediately, her bones began to change rapidly—multiplying, growing.

Visibly, her body shape began a rapid and subtle transformation. In the blink of an eye, as the Relic Bone vanished, she underwent her Metamorphosis.

In the snap of a finger, the metamorphosis, from the inside out, was complete.

She looked up nervously at Huai Shi. "How do I look now?"

"You..."

Huai Shi stared at Fu Yi, who was now so significantly altered—no, her species had clearly changed from a hedgehog. He pondered carefully for a moment before saying seriously,

"—You've gotten longer."

Before the Husky, reflected in its ice-blue eyes, a lonely, frail, and helpless White Weasel stared back in confusion.