Infinite Professions

Chapter 179 - 89: Preparation

Shen Hex left the Poison Dragon Pond Marketplace, swiftly traveling on his escape light.

The disaster of Demon Heaven, the tribulation of Taiyuan!

Is it true or false?

Naturally, it is true.

Considering the current signs, there is almost no possibility of fabrication.

But what Xuanji Zi said may not be entirely true, or perhaps he withheld some crucial details.

For example, those so-called Seven Taiyuan Cultivators, what exactly are they practicing to break the Demon Heaven Array, and how confident are they in doing it?

And the various sects and factions of the overseas cultivation realm, is the Demon Dao really serving as the tiger’s accomplice, causing chaos, and is the Righteous Dao truly united in strength to resist the demon tribulation?

What about those old demons of Divinity Transformation and the various sects of the Righteous Dao, might they have their own secretive plans?

Xuanji Zi did not mention these things, perhaps because he doesn’t know, or it might be inconvenient for him to disclose them to Shen Hex.

In any case, the Demon Heaven Tribulation is undoubtedly certain.

As for Shen Hex, he is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, although his combat power can rival the Core Formation stage, he still cannot stand on the stage, unable to influence the grand trend of this demon tribulation.

Fortunately, he still has time, several hundred or even up to a thousand years, before the Demon Heaven Array reaches its final juncture.

He intends to use this time to fully enhance his strength and see if there is a way to break the situation.

Therefore...

"Sweep away demon cultivators, gather resources!"

Shen Hex’s eyes sharpened, as he immediately drove his escape light towards a marketplace that had become a gathering place for demon cultivators.

There are many ways to enhance one’s strength, but all of them require the support of resources.

Shen Hex is no exception; he needs a vast array of resources to comprehensively enhance his strength.

Initially, he planned to proceed slowly, engaging in both overt and covert exchanges with the Four Righteous and Demonic Sects, gradually expanding his influence within the Inland Cultivation Realm, and then extending it to the Overseas Cultivation Realm, steadily advancing.

But now he has changed his mind.

The world is in chaos, demon cultivators run rampant, and with the situation developing as it is, he has nothing to lose.

Kill!!!

Loot!!!

Eradicate demons and defend the Dao, plunder the rich to aid the poor!

In terms of not worrying about consequences, plundering is indeed the fastest way to develop.

...

In this manner, several days later.

In a hidden location shrouded by arrays, Xuanji Zi was applying a technique to adjust his breathing and recover from the injuries he had previously sustained.

"Uncle Master!"

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed, and the words of a disciple were heard from outside.

Xuanji Zi opened his eyes, waved his sleeve to open the door: "What is it?"

"Reporting to Uncle Master!"

Two disciples entered: "Recently, multiple marketplaces where demon cultivators gathered, and the Spirit Land of the Netherworld Yellow Springs Sect were attacked, resulting in countless casualties among the demon cultivators, and the Netherworld Yellow Springs Sect suffered significant losses as well."

"Oh?"

Xuanji Zi’s eyes sharpened: "Who is responsible for this?"

"Rumor has it that it’s a Core Formation Cultivator returning from overseas."

One of the disciples hesitated and said, "But for the most part, it seems like it was the work of Elder Li, with few overseas individuals involved."

"Brother Li?"

Xuanji Zi murmured, then shook his head with a wry smile: "This Brother’s actions are truly swift and decisive. What about that Netherworld Demon, any reaction, still besieging the Xuanshao Sect?"

"Still besieging!"

The disciple said solemnly: "However, there are rumors that the Netherworld Demon has secretly left Xuanxiao Mountain, preparing to hunt down the righteous cultivators returning from overseas. Additionally, Core Formation Demons have appeared in various places in the inland, seemingly awaiting the return of overseas demon cultivators."

"Overseas demon cultivators?"

Xuanji Zi’s eyes sharpened: "Has the war finally spread to this place? It seems the overseas situation is even worse."

As an Overseas Cultivator, he deeply understands that the situation in the Inland Cultivation Realm is merely a microcosm of the Overseas Cultivation Realm, with the degree of chaos far less severe.

As the situation deteriorates, and the flames of war constantly expand, this Inland Cultivation Realm will become a major battlefield for the Righteous and Demonic Dao, just like the Overseas Cultivation Realm. The return of righteous and demonic cultivators from overseas will escalate the intensity of the war, with Core Formation and even Nascent Soul battles likely to occur.

In the end, even the Venerables of Divinity Transformation might intervene, for this inland area is an Ancient Central Hub, the Land of the Highest Virtue, entangled with too many karmic forces, hiding too many great secrets, and no one can ensure it won’t affect this Demon Heaven Tribulation.

Therefore...

"Maintain contact with the sect, and as soon as reinforcements arrive, go to support immediately. Other matters can wait until my injuries have healed!"

Xuanji Zi gave his instructions, then closed his eyes again, continuing to recuperate.

"Yes!"

The two disciples dared not say more, agreed with a nod, and retreated outside the room.

...

In this manner, half a month passed.

Dongting Lake, Fish Dragon Island.

A golden light descended, revealing Shen Hex’s figure, along with the Roc under him.

"Master!"

A few disciples immediately stepped forward to greet him.

Shen Hex also dismounted and inquired of them, "How have things been in my absence?"

"Reporting to Master!"

A disciple responded, "We followed your spirit letter instructions and paused the plans to leave the island and enter the world, and we have recalled the disciples who were outside. Most have returned, with only a few remaining outside without a reply."

"Is that so?"

Shen Hex murmured, "What about Yuxiu and Long Yu?"

"Junior Sister Zhong is among them; Senior Brother Long Yu has not returned."

"Then let’s leave it at that."

Upon hearing this, Shen Hex didn’t say much else. "I will be in retreat for a period; you all manage the island’s affairs on your own."

"Yes!"

...

After bidding farewell to the disciples, Shen Hex returned to Fish Dragon Lake and sat in the Earth Vein Spirit Array where the Spiritual Qi was most concentrated.

A fortnight ago, upon learning of the Demon Heaven matter, he sent a spirit letter back to Fish Dragon Island, instructing all disciples to close the mountain and seal the gates, and called back those outside to avoid being affected by the demonic tribulation.

Despite his swift action, he couldn’t handle the situation perfectly. Some members were still left outside, and there was no news of them, unknown if they fell into trouble.

Zhong Yuxiu was one of them; however, Shen Hex wasn’t worried about her. Her own strength aside, the protection of Long Yu, whom he sent, could retreat unscathed even under Core Formation power, and defeat weaker ones handily.

After all, this dead fish is a dragon breed, having practiced the Fish Dragon Nine Transformations with real dragon blood condensed, though still a Foundation Establishment Spirit Beast, yet it does not fear the average Core Formation cultivator.

Plus, with Shen Hex’s tutelage and cultivation over the years, the investment of various resources, and the learning of combat skills, unless met with a righteous Core Formation cultivator like Xuanji Zi, hardly anyone could detain it.

Given their strength, even if those two were still outside, Shen Hex wasn’t excessively worried.

But worried he was, in current circumstances, he couldn’t easily go out to search for them.

The greater picture comes first!

In the Earth Vein Spirit Array, Shen Hex sat cross-legged and poured out a pile of storage pouches from his sleeve.

In the past half month, he swept through, killing many demon cultivators from the inland as well as a few overseas returned demons, and assaulted several Netherworld Yellow Springs Sect spirit lands.

Such a sweep yielded fruitful results; these storage pouches are testament.

Shen Hex opened each one, sorted, and quickly got results.

Several top-grade spirit stones, thousands of middle-grade spirit stones, millions of lower-grade spirit stones.

Twenty-eight bottles of Tier Five pills, two hundred fifty-five bottles of Tier Four pills, countless Tier Three and below pills; talismans were similarly abundant.

Five demonic inner cores, more than ten Tier Five Spiritual Objects, hundreds of Tier Four Spiritual Objects, over a thousand Tier Three Spiritual Objects, disregarding those below Tier Three.

A Tier Five Spiritual Artifact known as the Wooden Dragon Stake, a fragment of a Tier Seven Magical Treasure, though nearly destroyed by his Geng Metal Thunder Sound, its material quality allowed re-forging into other dharma artifacts.

Additionally, there were two Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts, eight Tier Four Spiritual Artifacts, and hundreds of haphazard dharma artifacts.

Finally, various miscellaneous items, along with many demonic materials he had little use for.

This is the result of half a month of plundering, where the core formation demon cultivators like Xin Chenzi and Ding Weiyin from overseas, and the Netherworld Yellow Springs Sect’s spirit land marketplaces contributed the most.

This was all influenced by the demonic tribulation, with demon cultivators converting resources into strength as much as possible.

Without the Demon Heaven Tribulation’s impact, his harvest might have been multiplied several times over.

The profit from such plundering is evident, no wonder so many engage in demonic tribulation cultivation; it’s such a lucrative business, who wouldn’t want to do it?

Regrettably, it’s only temporary, not sustainable.

Draining a pond to fish is not the righteous way.

Not advisable!

Luckily, Shen Hex never intended to make it his main career, just seized the opportunity for a big catch, afterward returning to farming, improving his productivity and competitiveness.

But this venture filled his pots to the brim.

Shen Hex systematically organized these items, especially categorizing and checking the properties of pills.

After completing this, Shen Hex took out several cultivation technique jade scrolls, preparing to study those demonic path techniques.

First was the "Self Transformed Sovereignty and Root of All Methods"

This method can elevate spiritual consciousness and divine thought, entering the Free Heaven Realm to directly see the root of Heaven and Earth, the source of the Dao, akin to exchanging life for enlightenment, enlightenment for cultivation, to achieve rapid improvement.

Aside from life essence consumption and the threat of "Self Transformed Sovereignty," this dharma gate has virtually no drawbacks; it enhances enlightenment rather than fundamentals, you could use it to cultivate true righteous Dao immortal techniques and Buddhist techniques if you wish.

Shen Hex first scanned through the jade scrolls collected from several places, confirmed there were no issues afterward, he did not immediately cultivate this demon skill but instead sunk his mind, returning to the real world.

Reality world, Special Bureau Base, in a high-tier life support pod.

Shen Hex opened his eyes, then adjusted the settings.

"Monitoring system activated!"

"Body contamination level 0%!"

"Mental contamination level 0%!"

"Anomalous energy fluctuation 0%!"

"..."

The high-tier life support pod is a special item used by combat agencies like the Special Bureau, maxed out in technological content, infused with professional power, serving to assist cultivation, heal the body, and purify the mind.

After all, departments like the Special Bureau frequently deal with Evil Gods, each more bizarre than the last, carrying terrifying contamination that can easily lead to mental or physical decay, even causing "conceptual" distortion.

To prevent such occurrences, the Empire implemented many measures, this life support pod with purification effects is one such, able to neutralize the Evil God’s power on the body to a certain extent; if unable to neutralize, it can still monitor and report.

Though Shen Hex doesn’t believe the Free Celestial Demon could cross Zhuang Zhou’s Dream of the Butterfly and the myriad worlds to affect him, just in case, better safe than sorry, he still activated the purification and monitoring systems of the high-tier life support pod.

Upon finishing all this, he sank his mind back into the dream.