High Martial: I Grind Professions

In the months since he’d transmigrated, he had yet to take a single step beyond the safe zone’s barriers. He was filled with curiosity about the outside world.

Besides, thanks to the large-scale clearing operations the government organized every year before Tomb-Sweeping Day, the area surrounding the county was at its safest. There was no need to be overly concerned about security.

After leaving Hongyi Building, he rode in a chauffeured car provided by the Fire Hall for its A-rank contracted members, heading to the gathering point.

"To the Welcoming House on East Street," Li Wen said to the driver after getting in.

A sleek, subtly luxurious black hover-limousine soon departed from the gates of Bluestone Third Middle School.

...

At that moment, the atmosphere in the lobby of the Welcoming House on East Street was rather tense.

Dozens of members of the Li family had gathered there, preparing to head to their ancestral grounds on the outskirts of the city to pay their respects after lunch.

Li Wen’s parents had arrived early and were sitting at a table in the corner.

Although they were dressed much more decently than before, they still seemed subtly out of place in the relatively opulent surroundings.

The center of attention in the lobby was undoubtedly the table of relatives fawning over one family in particular—Li Fude’s.

Li Fude’s family ran a mid-sized materials supply business, making them a prominent and wealthy family among their relatives.

Everyone naturally showered them with flattery, and the conversation soon turned to Li Fude’s son, Li Changjie, a senior at the city’s First Middle School.

"Changjie will pass the Martial Arts Exam this year for sure, right? I hear the resources at the city’s First Middle School are top-notch."

"That’s right! I could always tell Changjie had a special kind of drive. He’ll break through to the Martial Artist realm any day now, won’t he? He’s a shoo-in for a top martial arts university, at the very least!"

"You’re a lucky man, Fude! Your son really makes you proud!"

Li Fude and his wife were beaming, basking in everyone’s envy.

Li Changjie himself had yet to arrive, but the praise being heaped upon him had already filled the air.

Just then, an older relative sitting next to Li Wen’s parents seemed to recall something and turned to Li Wen’s father:

"Li Hong, I hear your Xiaowen is also taking his exams this year? He’s at... the county’s Third Middle School, right? How is he preparing?"

Li Wen’s father, Li Hong, gave a polite smile and nodded. "Yes, he’s taking them this year. The boy is working very hard on his own. As his parents, there isn’t much we can do to help."

Someone nearby immediately chimed in, their tone tinged with casual condescension:

"Oh, the county’s Third Middle School... I hear Third Middle School has really gone downhill the last couple of years. But Li Changjie, he’s a different story. A top student at the city’s First Middle School—his future is boundless!

Li Hong, I’m not trying to be harsh, but if your Xiaowen can get into even a regular martial arts academy, you’ll be thanking your lucky stars. Don’t put too much pressure on the kid. He can’t be compared to a genius like Changjie."

Li Wen’s mother opened her mouth to say something, but Li Hong stopped her with an almost imperceptible glance.

They might not have high standing, but they knew better than to argue. They understood that no one would believe any explanation they offered right now, so it was best to just let them talk.

Still, this deliberate flattery of one at the expense of another left a bad taste in the couple’s mouths.

Just then, a small commotion arose at the hotel entrance.

A hover car with aggressive lines and an understated paint job that gleamed with a unique metallic sheen pulled up to the entrance. Subtly displayed on its side was a small, interwoven flame insignia—the public emblem of the Fire Hall.

The door opened, and a tall Li Changjie stepped out of the passenger seat. He was dressed in expensive clothes, his expression faintly arrogant.

"It’s Changjie!"

"Whoa! A Fire Hall car! Changjie gets to ride in a Fire Hall car?!"

"I told you Changjie was going places! Even the Fire Hall holds him in high regard!"

"That kid is so handsome and talented—truly one in a million!"

Cries of admiration instantly enveloped Li Changjie as he strode into the lobby.

He clearly enjoyed being the center of attention. Chin held high, he nodded to his parents and relatives. His gaze swept over Li Wen’s parents in the corner, carrying a faint air of superiority, before he quickly looked away.

Mere seconds after Li Changjie had stepped out, another hover car pulled up silently behind the first, this one with a more composed and understated presence.

This car also bore the Fire Hall insignia, but its design was far more prestigious and imposing. The body was longer, its lines more high-tech, and it rode lower to the ground. Its silently humming anti-gravity engine emitted a faint blue glow. This was clearly a much higher-class, exclusive vehicle.

Anyone familiar with the Fire Hall’s hierarchy would immediately understand the difference. The car Li Changjie arrived in was more like a standard-issue utility or logistics vehicle from a branch hall. The one behind it, however, was a custom model reserved exclusively for high-ranking contracted members.

The rear door swung open automatically, and Li Wen stepped out unhurriedly, dressed in a simple athletic sweatsuit.

His expression was calm and focused, as if he were still pondering some aspect of his training, completely oblivious to the curious stares a second Fire Hall vehicle was drawing.

Li Changjie glanced back just in time to see the other Fire Hall car behind his—one that was obviously more luxurious and of a higher class.

A flicker of shock and intense envy flashed across his eyes, but he quickly composed himself and strode toward the crowd, pretending he hadn’t seen a thing.

And so, a peculiar scene unfolded.

Li Changjie, who had entered first, strode in with his head held high and was immediately swarmed by a crowd of enthusiastic relatives fawning over him, their words of praise unending.

Meanwhile, Li Wen, who entered just a few steps behind him, went completely unnoticed. The only exception was his distant younger cousin, Li Yue. From where she sat at a table near Li Wen’s family, her vantage point allowed her to catch a glimpse of both Li Wen and the insanely cool car he’d arrived in.