High Martial: I Grind Professions

Chapter 417: Chapter 257: Questioning the Heart for the Dao

Once he reached the Ninth Layer of Primordial Spirit, with a Holy Realm Primordial Secret Skill like the All Things Return to Ruins Finger, his power would truly reach the Peak of the Saint Realm.

At that point, the Demon Race would no longer be a threat.

He would even have the power to invade the Demon Realm on his own initiative and eliminate the threat for good.

However, this wasn’t the source of the deepest anticipation and trepidation in his heart.

His fingertips traced the edge of the panel unconsciously.

A barely perceptible tension was hidden deep in his gaze—the second job.

It was his greatest hope as of late, and the key to whether he could reach an even higher realm in the future.

In his past life, in the game, being ”the first player to raise any class to Lv. 20” was the only way to unlock a second job.

But what about now? This was a real, tangible world.

’In theory, as the only player, that ”first” title has to be mine.’

’But will reality follow the game’s rules? It’s better to be safe than sorry.’

’Worrying is useless.’ Li Wen let out a soft breath, and the turbulence in his eyes instantly subsided, becoming deep and calm once more.

The anxiety had come on quickly, but it vanished even faster.

With a thought, the panel silently vanished.

’I’ll find out when the time comes.’

He pushed open his bedroom door, and the familiar, homey scent of food wafted toward him.

It was the millet porridge his mother had simmered, along with a few refreshing side dishes.

Although his physical body no longer required sustenance, for the past two months, sitting with his parents at the dinner table and sharing in that simple, heartfelt warmth had become his daily ritual.

”Ah Wen, you’re up? Come on, the porridge is still warm.”

Li Wen’s mother, Wang Juan, called out with a smile, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes filled with contentment and peace.

Li Wen’s father, Li Hong, also put down his holographic player, his face bearing an unprecedentedly relaxed smile.

The news headline on the screen was still about Li Wen’s heroic deeds from two months ago: purging the Demon Race, slaying the Wujing Demon Saint, and the grand spectacle of the Human Race’s migration and rebuilding efforts.

”Dad, Mom, morning.” Li Wen walked over, sat down, and picked up his bowl, feeling the warmth seep through its sides.

The atmosphere at the table was warm and cozy.

Li Wen’s father remarked with feeling as he ate his porridge,

”I heard from Old Chen a couple of days ago that the reconstruction in Bluestone County is just about finished. The streets and houses are all repaired, and they even built a new park and planted a lot of trees.”

”That’s right,” his mother chimed in, her eyes filled with nostalgia,

”We did live there for most of our lives, after all. It’s great here in Changning, but a part of my heart is always thinking about going back for a look.

I wonder if that old locust tree next to our old house is still there...”

His father looked at him. ”Ah Wen, are you free today? Why don’t we... go back to Bluestone County and take a look?”

Li Wen saw the eager anticipation in his parents’ eyes, and a wave of tenderness washed over him.

He nodded without the slightest hesitation. ”Alright. We’ll go take a look after breakfast.”

After breakfast, the family of three stepped out of their home.

The sun was shining brightly on the tidy streets of Changning City. The air was fresh, with the distinct crispness of a winter day.

His parents were ordinary people. Their mortal bodies were too frail to withstand the turbulence of a spatial tear.

Besides, Li Wen understood that his parents wanted to enjoy the scenery along the way.

With a subtle thought, an invisible domain, gentle yet resilient, quietly expanded around them.

It was like a transparent bubble, gently enveloping his parents.

”Dad, Mom, let’s take it slow and enjoy the view.”

As Li Wen spoke, he gently lifted his parents off the ground, not teleporting them instantly.

Instead, they began to fly toward Bluestone County at a leisurely pace.

Flying several hundred meters in the air, the view opened up dramatically.

The land below was like a vibrant, slowly unfurling scroll.

The land once ravaged by the Demon Race and covered in scars was now blanketed in vast stretches of new green.

Although the harsh winter had stripped many trees down to their sturdy branches, the hardy winter wheat and evergreen plants still dotted the fields with verdant color.

New highways wound like jade ribbons, connecting revitalized towns.

On the outskirts of some towns, residential areas were under construction. The dense scaffolding, far from being an eyesore, radiated an aura of hope.

Further in the distance were the high walls that had once served as the fortresses of the Human Race. Now, most of the energy turrets on them had been retracted.

In their place were fluttering colored flags and soft music drifting from loudspeakers.

The streets teemed with pedestrians.

Children chased each other playfully in the new public squares, their bright laughter seeming to pierce the clouds and reach the heavens.

In the marketplaces, the calls of vendors and the sounds of haggling mingled together, creating a boisterous and lively atmosphere.

In the fields, the faint figures of farmers could be seen at work.

Even though it was the off-season, the furrows were neatly plotted, promising a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

There were no alarms, no smoke of gunpowder, no faces etched with fear.

Every scene was a silent testament to the hard-won peace and tranquility.

His parents stood at the edge of the domain, gazing down at the world below, their faces beaming with excitement and relief.

His mother couldn’t help but point out familiar landmarks, whispering to her husband.

Li Wen flew on in silence, taking it all in.

His powerful Primordial Spirit perception swept over the land like a spring breeze, capturing countless subtle sounds.

The carefree laughter of children, the soft whispers of lovers nestled together.

The contented sighs of the elderly basking in the sun, the hum of machinery starting up again in factories...

To his ears, these ordinary sounds of life were more beautiful than any celestial melody.

An immense sense of satisfaction and relief filled his heart like a warm current.

All the bloody battles of the past, the life-or-death breakthroughs, the painstaking efforts—in this moment, it all felt rewarded.

Wasn’t this lively, peaceful, and harmonious mortal world precisely what he had fought to protect?

They had arrived at Bluestone County.

The domain descended slowly, landing beside a newly paved main road on the outskirts of the town without alarming anyone.

The Bluestone County before him was no longer the half-destroyed, lifeless town he remembered from the war.

New buildings had sprung up. Though not tall, they were neatly arranged, their exterior walls painted in bright colors.

The wide streets were clean and tidy, lined with hardy pines and cypresses. Though still young, they already exuded a vibrant vitality.

The rubble-strewn ruins were gone, replaced by well-planned residential areas, shops, and community centers.

A small, elegant park sat in the town center. Although the man-made lake hadn’t fully thawed, the rockeries and pavilions were already taking shape.

What excited his parents most was that the area where their old home had been was also meticulously restored.

Though a few new townhouses now stood on the original site, the layout of the street was still faintly recognizable.

To their great surprise, not far from where their old home used to be, the weather-beaten old locust tree had miraculously survived.

Although some scorched marks remained on its main trunk, its gnarled branches reached for the sky, looking exceptionally resilient in the winter sun.

”Look! The old locust tree! It’s still here!” His mother hurried over, her hand trembling as she caressed the rough bark.

”Yes, it’s still here!” His father circled the old tree twice.

Their arrival soon drew the attention of nearby residents.

When someone recognized Li Wen—the man who was now the Guardian God of their world, the pillar supporting the Human Race—a wave of excitement and awe rippled through the crowd.

But perhaps it was the influence of Li Wen’s peaceful aura, or perhaps it was because the people of Bluestone County cherished this hard-won tranquility. The onlookers didn’t swarm forward and cause a commotion.

They simply stopped in their tracks from a distance, a spontaneous gesture.

With genuine smiles of reverence and gratitude, they silently paid their respects to Li Wen’s family with their gaze.

Some of the elderly wiped away tears, while the young people stood up straighter.

Children stared with wide, curious eyes, their parents’ hands resting gently on their shoulders.

Li Wen didn’t deliberately release his aura, simply offering a slight nod in acknowledgment of the benevolent gazes around him.

He accompanied his parents on a stroll through the revitalized town.

They walked along newly paved bluestone paths, looking at the shops on either side adorned with ”Grand Opening” banners.

They listened to the leisurely chatter and laughter from the teahouses and watched the elderly practicing Tai Chi and neighbors playing chess in the park.

Every face shone with a long-lost radiance, a renewed confidence in life.

The shadow of fear and despair that had once loomed over them was completely gone.

Standing under the old locust tree, gazing at the prosperous, peaceful new face of Bluestone, and feeling the atmosphere of peace that pervaded the entire planet, Li Wen’s heart grew completely serene.

All the sacrifices, all the effort, all the struggle—at this moment, it all transformed into the deepest, most profound sense of fulfillment.

The evening glow stretched their three shadows long across the ground.

His parents were utterly content, not a trace of regret left in their eyes.

Li Wen knew it was time to go.

He gently put his arms around his parents’ shoulders, and the invisible domain expanded once more.

”Dad, Mom, we’re going home.” His voice was gentle yet firm.

Watched by countless pairs of reverent eyes, the three of them slowly ascended into the air.

Bathed in the golden sunset, they flew back toward Changning City.

The peaceful silhouette of Bluestone County gradually faded into the twilight behind them, but it was forever etched into Li Wen’s heart.

This tranquil, everyday world was the source of his strength. It would be the beacon he would forever guard on the journey ahead.

The last wisp of anxiety in his heart—about whether he would unlock his ”second job”—also completely dissipated amidst this peace and tranquility.

’What’s meant to be will be.’

’All I have to do is wait.’

...

The family of three returned to Changning City, the warm atmosphere still lingering in the air.

The joy and emotion from their visit to the revitalized Bluestone County still lingered on his parents’ faces.

Li Wen saw his parents back to the main house, watching them discuss the changes to their hometown with contented smiles.

The sense of peace born from being their protector deepened within him.

Without another word, he turned and walked into his study.

The heavy wooden door closed softly, shutting out the sounds of the outside world.

The study was immaculate, and sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting soft patches of light on the floor.

Li Wen didn’t walk to his desk, nor did he touch the stacks of precious ancient tomes or experimental equipment.

He simply walked to the center of the study and calmly sat down cross-legged.

He closed his eyes, his breathing long and steady.

Yet deep within his sea of consciousness, a cataclysmic change was taking place.