Infinite Professions-Chapter 89 - 19: Strength

The night is over, Dongfang Bai.

The darkness gradually dissipates, dawn arrives, morning light bathes the earth, revealing a bloody scene.

The land is ravaged, corpses lie everywhere.

The city is in ruins, grief fills the air.

Shen Hex stands with his hands behind his back, looking at the scene before him, remaining silent.

"Teacher!"

"Sovereign!"

Zhang Xuanming, Chen Luojun, and the high-ranking officials of the Martial Country approach, and they too remain silent.

The atmosphere is heavy, the hearts are oppressed.

After a long time, a voice breaks the silence.

"Take care of the aftermath, go ahead."

"Yes!!!"

With that single command from Shen Hex, everyone disperses.

Then, he turns around and heads deep into the Forbidden Palace.

Some things inevitably lead to bloodshed, to sacrifice.

Today is no exception.

Shen Hex had long known that Shentu Yu would set this up, laying traps for him at both Rage Sea Tide and the Martial Country.

Yet he walked into the trap.

Because he had no choice.

On the surface, it seems that all of this is due to the Martial Country’s expansion, wantonly invading other countries’ interests, eventually causing a backlash. If he could just restrain himself a bit, be less aggressive, and not drive the kingdoms to the brink, this calamity could be avoided.

But that’s just the surface; the real root cause is the change and progression of an era.

This era is about to pass; those old relics of Spirit Control City, including the Nine Great Celestial Destiny Spirit Masters of the past generations, are nearing the end of their lives. Their downfall symbolizes the end of an old era and the arrival of a new one.

But would they willingly accept such an ending?

They would not, especially upon seeing Shen Hex’s ambition and threat.

At first, they sent Nangong Tianming to stand in Shentu Yu’s way, protecting the Martial Country for over eighty years. Indeed, this was an attempt to show goodwill to Shen Hex, hoping to resolve tensions peacefully, to eliminate Shen Hex as a hidden threat.

But as time went on, Shen Hex traveled across the continent, constantly gathering spirit beasts to enhance his power, and was unwilling to formally negotiate with them. They finally realized that their efforts could not extinguish Shen Hex’s ambition.

So they withdrew Nangong Tianming and tacitly allowed Shentu Yu’s actions.

In the grand scheme of things, the Martial Country’s expansion and the panic of various nations were secondary.

The crux was Spirit Control City, the nearly-end-of-life Celestial Destiny Spirit Masters; they intended to eliminate Shen Hex as a threat before their end.

Therefore, whether or not the Martial Country expanded, today’s events were unavoidable, at most expressed differently.

What, make an appearance to negotiate in Spirit Control City, pretend to resolve tensions while secretly developing?

Don’t take others for fools!

To believe that he could use a few words to deceive Spirit Control City into trusting he had no ambition, and the dying Celestial Destiny Emperor Spirits would think he posed no threat and just die quietly?

Don’t be absurd. They would absolutely use every method to impose restrictions on Shen Hex, ensuring that after their deaths, he could not become a threat, a hidden danger.

With Shen Hex’s personality, why would he let others hold his life and destiny?

Even if Spirit Control City were trustworthy, Shen Hex would not take that risk.

So, he used another method. By entering the trap and then breaking it fiercely, first subduing the Golden-Winged Roc, then with the power of the "Five Emperors," killed Shentu Yu, finally using the Emperor of Ten Thousand Beasts’ "Emperor Evolution" talent, consuming professional experience to evolve the Golden-Winged Roc to the Golden-Winged Roc King, traversing space, rushing to the battlefield at the last moment, saving Wudu.

This sequence of events was perilous and risky, like walking a tightrope; one wrong step could lead to utter destruction and eternal damnation.

Even now, despite not having erred, Wudu was attacked, with significant casualties.

But it was inevitable.

Reality is cold, iron walls are cruel, and in this world, one must fight; not fighting means death.

Even now, he has only secured a little, achieved a minor victory, with many threats looming, poised to take his life.

He cannot stop, nor can he retreat.

...

In the Forbidden Palace, inside a secret chamber.

Shen Hex sits cross-legged, opening his professional panel.

Li Taiyi (Shen Hex)

Profession: Emperor of Ten Thousand Beasts

Professional Rank: Tier Four Level Ten.

Professional Talent: Emperor Evolution, King of All Spirits, Spirit Beast Breeding Grandmaster, Emperor Spirit Beast Feed.

Professional Skills: Yuan-Devouring Skill, Xingyi Fist, Feed Production, Potion Making, Great Appetite, Spirit Fusion Secret Technique...

Professional Items: Emperor’s Ten Thousand Spirits Armor, Emperor Spirit Beast Feed, Spirit Beast Enhancement Potion, Spirit Beast Emperor Potion.

Common Skills: Omitted.

...

Over eighty years, this professional panel hasn’t changed much, just a rank up from Tier Four Level One to Tier Four Level Ten.

But it’s only that the professional panel has minimally changed; the overall strength has terrifyingly improved.

Eighty years ago, when he left the Wind Thunder Mountain Range, Shen Hex’s Spirit Control Martial Dao was only at Tier Four Cultivation, with his strongest spirit beast being just the three Monarchs. Even with the Ten Thousand Spirits Armor and other professional powers, he could only deal with Tier Five Monarch Spirit, absolutely no match for a Tier Six Emperor Spirit.

But now, through over eighty years of accumulation, his Spirit Control Rank has reached Lord-level, traveling the continent to collect various exotic beasts, using the Emperor of Ten Thousand Beasts’ professional talent "Emperor Evolution" to advance them.

As of today, counting the newly subdued Golden-Winged Roc King, he has five Emperor Species, dozens of King Species, and hundreds of Spirit Lord Species. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

With these Contracted Spirit Beasts added to the Emperor’s Ten Thousand Spirits Armor of the Emperor of Ten Thousand Beasts, his comprehensive combat power now allows him to crush Spirit Masters like Shentu Yu, these inferior Emperor-level Spirit Masters.

And when facing those old relics of Spirit Control City, the previous generation of Nine Great Celestial Destiny Spirit Masters, he can ensure unbeaten in single combat and escape in group battles.

This is the increase in strength!

But it’s still not enough.

Though with the Golden-Winged Roc King and Emperor’s Ten Thousand Spirits Armor, he can traverse the continent, coming and going freely, when forces of destiny and darkness don’t show up, no one can capture him, but still, it’s only that no one can capture him.

Being Tier Five against Tier Six, he can’t defeat Spirit Control City’s old relics, even defeating one is one, but can’t defeat a group, nor can he ensure Martial Country’s safety.

Moreover, as a hundred years pass, the darkness stirs, destiny will reappear, threatening him and Martial Country. If Spirit Control City rallies the new-born Celestial Destiny Spirit Masters, treating him as the Dark Demon King Beast, he might not withstand it.

Thus, his strength is insufficient.

Insufficient strength, then improve!

The fastest way to enhance strength is undoubtedly advancement; now, the Emperor of Ten Thousand Beasts’ professional experience is full, ready for advancement. Once promoted to Tier Five, with professional power and his spirit beasts, handling Spirit Control City and major kingdoms should not be a problem.

But before that, Shen Hex needs to do one thing: raise his Martial Arts Cultivation to Tier Five.

Indeed, Tier Five. Although eighty years have passed, his Martial Arts Cultivation didn’t break through; it remains at Martial Arts Fourth Rank, True Yuan refined, Martial Dao Foundation Establishment.

There’s no way around it; his Martial Arts Talent was mediocre. Previously, advancement depended on twenty years’ accumulation of the Martial Dynasty and spirit beast evolution through potions. Reaching Tier Four, the Martial Dynasty’s accumulation was nearly exhausted, and though spirit beast evolution still worked, progress was slow.

So, over eighty years, he hasn’t broken through the Tier Four bottleneck, his Martial Arts Cultivation stayed at Tier Four, Xingyi Fist Skill remained in the "Dragon-Slaying Tiger-Subduing" Great Success stage, not reaching perfection and advancing to Xingyi Divine Martial.

But that was the past; now, he will break through this bottleneck, surpass this obstacle, and condense a Martial Arts Golden Core!