High Martial: I Grind Professions

An invisible stream of information flooded his mind. Many functional areas, previously grayed out and locked, now opened up to him, granting him most of their permissions.

The various core resources, information, and services that were once far out of reach now felt as if they were within his grasp.

Without hesitation, Li Wen walked straight through the glowing entrance portal to the Cultivation Technique Inheritance World.

After the sensation of teleportation passed, the scene before him was vastly different from the Skill Inheritance Area and the Archives Area he had visited before.

This was a relatively independent space.

It was still in the style of a tall and magnificent library, with a high, distant dome that radiated a gentle, scholarly light.

Countless ancient bookshelves were arranged within. Displayed upon them were not physical books, but projections of virtual tomes, each emitting its own unique energy fluctuations.

The atmosphere was solemn and quiet.

In the very center of the space, surrounded by all the other bookshelves, stood a particularly special, amethyst-colored shelf.

It was constructed entirely from translucent purple Crystal Stone and emitted a soft, dignified glow.

Unlike the other shelves, which were piled high with books, this one was mostly empty.

At this moment, the library was packed with people.

Nearly all two hundred of the new students were here.

In the distance, Du Yun was holding a tome wreathed in flames, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

A golden tome hovered in front of Ron Zhaka, his fingers constantly tracing patterns in the empty air.

Nangong Xue sat quietly in a corner, staring at a book formed from ice crystals...

Everyone was extremely focused, tirelessly studying the book projections in their hands. Their expressions ranged from ecstatic joy to brows knitted in struggle.

The only sounds in the space were the faint hum of energy flowing from the books and the occasional breath. Everyone kept to themselves in silence, with no communication whatsoever.

Li Wen’s quiet arrival went unnoticed.

’They’re all here to make their choice,’ Li Wen realized.

He didn’t disturb anyone, walking with clear purpose directly to the unique amethyst shelf in the very center.

This shelf had only two tiers.

On the top tier, twelve projections of thick tomes were neatly arranged, each radiating a different light.

Each one emanated a unique and vast aura of Law: roaring thunder, dying stars, sky-scorching flames, the weight of the earth, howling hurricanes, eternal ice... The mere projection of their oppressive might was enough to make a Mid-Level Martial Artist’s heart tremble.

These were undoubtedly the foundational pillars of Firestarter University—the twelve Super Grade Divine-Demon Techniques.

On the bottom tier were twenty-four projections of tomes that were also extraordinary, but a notch less imposing. These corresponded to the twenty-four Upper Grade Divine-Demon Techniques.

Together, these thirty-six inheritances formed the ladder for Firestarter University’s core disciples to ascend to the Divine-Demon realm.

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Wen reached out to the shelf of Super Grade Divine-Demon Techniques. He took down a thick tome whose cover flowed with scorching lightning and bore the faint image of a palace in the Nine Heavens—the *Nine Heavens Divine Body*.

The moment he took it, a flash of light filled the empty space. An identical projection of the *Nine Heavens Divine Body* instantly materialized, hovering silently in its place.

No matter how many people came here at once, or which book they took, the corresponding technique would always be replenished immediately.

This was the wonder of Firestarter University’s core inheritance area, ensuring that everyone had ample opportunity to study these priceless legacies.

With the book in hand, Li Wen casually chose an unoccupied wooden table in a corner and sat down.

He tapped his finger on the virtual cover. Lightning flashed, and the book’s pages turned automatically.

All the Divine-Demon Techniques here were merely summaries. They only provided a general overview of the techniques’ pros, cons, and cultivation requirements; the specific training content was not included.

There were twelve Super Grade Divine-Demon Techniques in total. They were:

*Star Inference Divine Body*: King of the Trapping Domain! Requires a basic Earth Element or Water Element technique as a foundation.

Upon mastery, activating its domain manifests endless star power for trapping, grinding, and suppressing foes. An enemy caught within is like one who has fallen into a stellar mire—impossible to escape, impossible to break free.

*Kunpeng Divine Body*: The body of extreme speed and spatial manipulation!

Its speed surpasses all twelve Divine-Demon Bodies. At mastery, one can briefly transform into a Peng to soar through the Nine Heavens, or a Kun to roam the vast seas. Spatial transposition becomes like an instinct. However, its direct offensive capabilities are relatively lacking.

*Return to Ruins Divine Body*: Ultimate softness and cold, erosion and assimilation! Requires a basic Water Element technique as a foundation. Attacks are relentless, containing powerful corrosive, freezing, and dissolving forces. Within its domain, it’s like falling into the cold abyss of the ruins, where both Spiritual Power and spirit are worn away.

*Earth God Body*: Absolute defense and suppression! Requires a basic Earth Element technique as a foundation. It integrates the Law of Earth into one’s body, granting unparalleled Defense Power. When its domain is deployed, it can manifest the phantom of a colossal mountain to suppress all. However, it is slow.

*Nine Heavens Divine Body*, *Primordial Chaos Indestructible Body*, *True Phoenix Nirvana Body*, *Heavenly Demon Indestructible Body*, *Cyan Lotus Creation Body*, *Heaven-Sundering Divine Body*, *Great Sun Radiant-Glass Divine Body*...

Li Wen read through the core descriptions and requirements of all twelve Super Grade Divine-Demon Techniques, and he was deeply shaken.

Each one pointed toward a great Dao, possessing world-destroying might.

Soon, he narrowed his options down to three Super Grade Divine-Demon Bodies that were compatible with his *Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill* as a foundational technique:

*Nine Heavens Divine Body*:

Advantages: Speed that surpasses all twelve techniques (no less than the Kunpeng Divine Body), and arguably the greatest explosive power! Upon mastery, one can execute the Supreme Divine Skill ’Body Transformation into Nine Heavens’, which temporarily turns the physical body into lightning, granting immunity to most physical attacks and the ability to teleport vast distances in an instant.

When its domain is deployed, it can influence celestial phenomena, summoning wind, rain, and vast thunderstorms. It boasts a wide area of effect and unparalleled destructive power. It is balanced in both offense and defense, with unmatched mobility.

Disadvantages: The most difficult to cultivate!

The cultivation process is exceptionally perilous, as it requires one to draw upon the power of natural lightning to temper the body.

It demands that the Cultivator achieve an extremely high level of focus and possess exceptionally precise control, meticulously guiding the berserk power of lightning to reconstruct their physical structure. The slightest misstep will result in charred bones and damaged meridians.

Furthermore, during each tempering session, the lightning’s assault on the divine soul is incredibly violent. This requires the Cultivator’s will to be as resilient as divine iron, capable of maintaining mental clarity amidst a storm of destruction, so as not to be assimilated or obliterated by the lightning’s will.

*Heaven-Sundering Divine Body*:

Advantages: A Divine-Demon Body that takes offense and defense to the extreme. It inherits the unparalleled sharpness of the Golden Fiend, granting it immense attack power that is further enhanced when paired with the traits of the *Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill*. Its Defense Power is equally astonishing; upon mastery, the physical body becomes comparable to Divine Weapon Profound Crystal—unyielding and immortal. Its head-on combat prowess is extremely potent.

Disadvantages: It places high demands on the traits of the Golden Fiend. Although Li Wen’s Cultivation Technique is compatible, this Divine-Demon Body emphasizes extreme, unyielding power, making it relatively weaker in flexibility and speed—far inferior to the Nine Heavens Divine Body. Its cultivation is also painful, though less perilous than that of the Nine Heavens Divine Body. It lacks area-of-effect attacks and special mobility options.

*Great Sun Radiant-Glass Divine Body*:

...

Comparing the three Super Grade Divine-Demon Bodies compatible with his foundational technique, the *Heaven-Sundering Battle Body* was straightforward, with excellent offense and defense. The *Great Sun Radiant-Glass Divine Body* was tremendously powerful but had an attribute mismatch and obvious weaknesses.

The *Nine Heavens Divine Body*, however, integrated speed, power, mobility, area-of-effect damage, and special evasive abilities. It offered the greatest potential and almost perfectly aligned with Li Wen’s philosophy of pursuing ultimate destructive power combined with a flexible fighting style.

The only—and most terrifying—obstacle was its hellish cultivation process and the brutal test it posed to one’s mental fortitude.

And this was precisely where Li Wen’s greatest confidence lay, for he possessed [Absolute Focus lv9] and a second-layer Primordial Spirit.

’I shouldn’t rush the decision,’ Li Wen told himself, suppressing his excitement and personal bias.

The Headmaster had also emphasized that the choice required extreme caution.

He couldn’t just look at the Super Grade techniques. He needed to understand the Upper Grade options as well to make a comprehensive comparison.

’Perhaps there’s another option that’s more suitable for me, one that comes at a lower cost?’

He put down the tome for the *Nine Heavens Divine Body* and walked over to the area where the Upper Grade Divine-Demon Techniques were displayed.

There were twenty-four tomes here in total.

Li Wen quickly skimmed through them, filtering out the five Upper Grade Divine-Demon Bodies that could be cultivated with the *Splitting Blade Golden Killing Skill* as a foundation:

*Golden Gang Battle Body*: Emphasizes defense and strength, forms a protective Golden Gang. Great power but average speed.

*Profound Edge Battle Body*: Externalizes sharp qi, increases attack speed. Can condense the edge of a weapon to enhance attacks, but has weak defense.

*Flowing Shadow Body*: A speed-type Divine-Demon Body. Its Body Technique is like a flowing phantom of light. Strong evasion, high assassination capability, but slightly weaker in direct assaults.

*Breaking Army Tyrant Body*: Emphasizes head-on explosive power and impact force. Suitable for assaults, but lacks flexibility and long-range methods.

*Geng Metal Destruction Body*: A well-rounded, balanced type. It comprehensively enhances basic Metal Element abilities, having no obvious weaknesses but also no prominent strengths.

After browsing through these Upper Grade Divine-Demon Bodies and sensing the power they held and the requirements they demanded, the gap was obvious. They couldn’t compare to the soul-shaking feeling from the three Super Grade techniques, which felt like a direct path to the Great Dao.

While these five techniques might specialize in one area, in terms of the depth and breadth of their potential—their future prospects—the difference between them and the *Nine Heavens Divine Body* was like that of the heavens and the earth.

Those disadvantages, such as insufficient speed, lack of mobility, mediocre power, and a single development path, were almost unacceptable compromises in Li Wen’s view.

’As expected... the gap between Super Grade and Upper Grade is just too vast.’ Li Wen’s understanding became clearer.

Time slipped by quietly as he remained immersed in his research, contemplation, and repeated comparisons.

By the time Li Wen had finally committed the core information of all twelve Super Grade and twenty-four Upper Grade Divine-Demon Techniques to memory, it was late at night.

The once-packed hall now held only a few scattered people.

...

「Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was June 25th.」

The chirping of cicadas in Bluestone County had long been replaced by the howling wind in the vast mountain forests of the Firestarter Ancestral Range.

For the past dozen or so days, Li Wen’s life had followed a disciplined and compact schedule.

Apart from his daily, unshakable three-hour routine of saber practice and Body Refining, he poured all his mental energy into the vast sea of books.

After a preliminary review of the core information on the thirty-six captivating Divine-Demon Techniques in the Fire World’s inheritance area, Li Wen dove headfirst into an even vaster, more profound ocean starting from the very next day. This was the sea of experience forged from the cultivation insights, profound analyses, and countless lessons of blood and tears left behind by his predecessors.

This was precisely the deeper meaning behind Firestarter University generously giving new students a month to make their choice.