The old man, hearing the crisp words, couldn't fail to discern the profound sorrow and utter helplessness within the young man's heart.
"Alas," the old man sighed, "it's that undying old scoundrel, the Undying God-Emperor, again."
Ming Zhitian said, "I still haven't had the honor of asking your name, elder."
The old man stroked his white beard. "Heh heh heh, this old man's surname is Chang, his given name is Jiang, and he calls himself the Undying One."
Ming Zhitian's mind raced. "The God of Mechanisms, Old Man Chang Jiang?!"
"Oh?" Old Man Chang Jiang regarded the young man before him with appreciation. "Not bad, not bad. You have a quick mind, quite intelligent. You... recognize this old man?"
Ming Zhitian shook his head. "No, I've only heard faint whispers."
Old Man Chang Jiang felt a hint of disappointment. He mused, "This old man's reputation is known far and wide, yet he doesn't recognize me? Well, he's just a young sprout, after all, he hasn't seen much of the world."
Ming Zhitian then asked, "Elder, do you know the Master of Mechanisms, Bai Ju?"
Old Man Chang Jiang pondered for a moment and shook his head. "Hmm... I don't. He might be... my disciple's disciple, perhaps."
Ming Zhitian was astonished. If a disciple's disciple was this formidable, then his master...
Old Man Chang Jiang looked at him curiously. "Could it be that you also research the Way of Mechanisms?"
Ming Zhitian nodded. "I've achieved minor success."
"Oh?" Old Man Chang Jiang's interest was piqued. He lamented, "Heaven has not been unkind to me! After five hundred years, I finally have someone worthy to pass the time with."
Ming Zhitian inquired, "May I ask, elder, to what level has your mechanism art reached?"
Old Man Chang Jiang cast him a puzzled glance. "What level? I'm not sure. I've never calculated it. It should be... geometrical, perhaps?"
Ming Zhitian's left pupil widened significantly. "Geometrical? What kind of concept is that? Is that the peak of mechanism art?"
Old Man Chang Jiang stroked his white beard again. "As the mind perceives, so it becomes. Mechanisms are, in a way, a part of the human body. If utilized fully, everything can become a mechanism."
Ming Zhitian thought of his master, Sheng Ran Yizhou's, "Imperial Artifact Technique." It too adhered to the principle that all things could be controlled.
"Elder, have you heard of the 'Imperial Artifact Technique'?"
Old Man Chang Jiang's brow furrowed, and he grabbed Ming Zhitian. "Who is the Martial Saint to you?!"
Ming Zhitian played coy. "Which Martial Saint?"
Old Man Chang Jiang grew slightly impatient. "Who else could the Martial Saint be in this world? Other than Ran Yizhou, the one who once surpassed all in ancient cultivation, the very first martial cultivator in history, who else could it be?"
Ming Zhitian nodded, then shook his head. "He is my master. It is a pity that all my cultivation is gone. I have no face to meet him in the netherworld."
Old Man Chang Jiang fell into thought, then felt a headache coming on. "Forget it, forget it. Since you've lost your cultivation and I've lost mine, why don't we build some mechanisms and have a fight now to relieve the boredom? How about it?"
Ming Zhitian shook his head. "My cultivation is entirely lost now. There is no spiritual energy within me. How can I construct mechanisms, let alone without materials?"
Old Man Chang Jiang looked at him with disdain. "You rascal, this old man thought his thinking was quite decadent, only to find you are even more so. Who dictated that spiritual energy is necessary to build mechanisms?"
Ming Zhitian blinked slightly. "It isn't?"
His response was a sharp rap on the head. *Bang!*
Old Man Chang Jiang patiently explained. "This old man just said, as the mind perceives, so it becomes. As long as there is perseverance, potential, and will, everything can become a mechanism."
Ming Zhitian rubbed the bump on his forehead, seemingly understanding but not quite. "Oh, oh, this junior has learned a valuable lesson."
Old Man Chang Jiang took out a vast array of mechanism components from his storage pouch. "Choose. Create the strongest mechanism beast you can conceive, and battle this old man. Do you dare?"
Ming Zhitian gazed at the inexhaustible supply of mechanism components before him, capable of summoning wind and rain at will. He was stunned, and a surge of fighting spirit, "Chh," erupted from his deepest core. "Battle!"