High Martial: I Grind Professions

Chapter 503: Chapter 316: Breakthrough, Primordial Spirit Star Lord

HUMMM! The long blade let out a clear, sonorous hum, its form instantly blurring.

It seemed to exist between the real and the illusory, at one moment as solid as divine dark-gold iron, the next as ethereal as a flowing ribbon of light.

As Li Wen directed it with his mind, the long blade transformed into a streak of light too fast for the naked eye to follow, zipping back and forth across the cultivation chamber.

The interior of the Soul Origin Tower was a self-contained space, far larger than it appeared from the outside, with an exceptionally stable spatial structure.

This made it the perfect place for a test.

Li Wen unleashed his blade techniques to his heart’s content, manifesting all sorts of Blade Intents fueled by his Wish Power.

Unlike the raw, fierce power he wielded when holding the blade physically, the light of the blade controlled by Wish Power was far more ethereal and unpredictable.

Its trajectory completely defied logic. One moment, it would tear through space, leaving a temporary black scar; the next, it would phase through solid obstacles like a fleeting illusion.

Yet its power wasn’t diminished in the slightest. In fact, thanks to its ability to shift between real and illusory states, its attacks were even more insidious and deadly, making it a cut above its physical counterpart.

Wherever the blade’s light passed, space only rippled faintly, revealing that the spatial structure of this place was indeed far superior to that of the outside world.

After a thoroughly satisfying practice session, Li Wen’s thoughts shifted, and the long blade, Ghost Shadow, vanished as if it had never been there.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

However, cultivation time in the Soul Origin Tower was exceedingly precious; every minute was worth a fortune.

Simply testing his strength here wasn’t the best use of his time.

’Consolidating my realm is the priority.’ Li Wen suppressed the urge to experiment further and sat down cross-legged once more.

He activated his Cultivation Technique, guiding the newly formed Wish Power to circulate around the manifestation of his Primordial Spirit, solidifying the realm he had just entered.

The holy halo behind the head of his colossal Primordial Spirit manifestation spun slowly, constantly absorbing and refining the pure spiritual energy of the Soul Origin Tower, firmly cementing his fledgling Star Lord realm.

His final eight hours of allotted time slipped away in this state of deep consolidation.

When the soft glow in the cultivation chamber signaled that his time was up...

Li Wen’s aura had become completely contained and harmonious, with no trace of the fluctuations from his recent breakthrough.

He rose calmly and pushed the door open.

When Li Wen emerged from the ancient gates of the Soul Origin Tower, the square was still bustling with people coming and going.

He had concealed all signs of his breakthrough. With his aura steady and contained, he looked no different on the surface than when he had first entered.

Only a few particularly perceptive students subconsciously gave him a second glance as he passed.

They vaguely felt that the legendary figure’s aura had become even more inscrutable.

It was as if he were shrouded in a new layer of profound mystery, and though they whispered amongst themselves, they couldn’t quite put their finger on what had changed.

”Just now... did you feel like Li Wen seemed...”

”Huh? Not really. He’s as unfathomable as ever. But... maybe he feels a bit more... profound? Must be my imagination.”

...

The evening sun cast long shadows across the training base’s buildings.

The Trial Takers from Li Wen’s cohort had all gathered in the Central Square.

Lorne Meck, Pato Ironscale, Keynes Radiance, and the other geniuses from various races and factions were all there.

Their faces held the complex emotions that came with the end of their year-long trial.

Some looked forward with anticipation, others with apprehension, and still others with the melancholy of impending departure.

When Li Wen’s figure materialized at the edge of the square, seemingly coalescing from the light itself, the somewhat noisy plaza instantly grew much quieter.

All eyes focused on him, a mixture of awe, admiration, and even faint, imperceptible traces of jealousy.

Many subconsciously inclined their heads in a small nod, a silent gesture of respect for the undisputed legend, the number one figure of the base.

The crowd naturally parted to form a path wherever he walked.

”Li Wen, over here!” Lorne Meck called out, waving with a genuine smile.

Li Wen gave a slight nod and walked over to stand calmly beside Lorne.

His very presence made him the unspoken center of the entire assembly.

Hovering half a meter above the ground, the base’s head instructor, Blood Blade, swept his stern gaze over the crowd, letting it rest on Li Wen for an extra moment.

The very instant Li Wen had appeared, this battle-hardened Tier Five Star Lord and lethal Centurion had felt an almost imperceptible ripple in his sharp, hawk-like gaze.

He clearly sensed something different about Li Wen.

It was a deeper, more contained quality—a subtle resonance that touched upon the very essence of the Star Lord realm.

Although Li Wen concealed it perfectly, leaking almost no energy, such a subtle change in his fundamental life essence could not escape the intuition of a peer of the same realm.

’Could it be...?’ Blood Blade’s thoughts raced, but his expression remained as stern and authoritative as ever, betraying nothing.

”Silence!” Blood Blade’s deep, penetrating voice rang out, quelling all chatter.

”Today is your last day at Elite Training Base Number Seven. When the sun rises tomorrow, you will all set out on your own paths.”

He began by briefly recapping the year-long trial, acknowledging everyone’s hard work and growth.

Then, with a wave of his hand, a massive holographic screen materialized before the crowd, clearly displaying the final rankings of all the Trial Takers.

At the very top, shining with a golden light, was the undisputed name: Li Wen.

In second place was Keynes Radiance of the Holy Radiance Race.

But when the third-place name appeared—Lorne Meck—a ripple of stifled gasps and whispers spread through the square.

Pato Ironscale’s face turned foul as he stared intently at the name, his eyes filled with bitter resentment.

Some of the other students, who were close to Lorne in strength or even believed themselves to be slightly superior, also wore looks of disbelief and indignation.

”Congratulations, Lorne,” Li Wen said, turning to his companion with a warm smile.

”Ha! With a monster like you holding down the top spot, my third place is nothing to write home about.”

Lorne Meck was being self-deprecating, but he couldn’t hide the joy and relief in his eyes.

This ranking was more than enough for him to report back to his family, especially since he had surpassed that silver-armored man from the Monroe family.

Blood Blade offered a few more words of encouragement, emphasizing the follow-up support channels the Source Net provided for all who qualified, before finally announcing, ”The trial is over! Dismissed!”

The crowd began to disperse.

Li Wen was about to leave with the crowd when a clear voice suddenly sounded directly in his mind:

”Li Wen, stay behind.”

It was a telepathic message from Instructor Blood Blade.

Li Wen paused and turned around.

Instructor Blood Blade had already flown over to a secluded colonnade at the side of the square.

With a slight flicker, Li Wen appeared before him as if he had teleported.

Without another word, Blood Blade raised his hand and erected a faint red Primordial Power barrier, completely isolating the two of them from the outside world.

The moment the barrier was in place, Blood Blade’s sharp eyes, which seemed capable of seeing into a person’s soul, locked onto Li Wen.

For the first time, an unconcealed smile of shock and profound admiration spread across his face.

”Congratulations! I never imagined you would actually shatter the shackles of your Primordial Spirit and step into the Star Lord realm on the very last day! Your talent and aptitude are truly... exceptionally rare!”

His voice was filled with sincere admiration.

”I was just fortunate to have a moment of insight, and I must thank the base for providing the Soul Origin Tower,” Li Wen replied humbly, though he thought to himself, ’I knew it. I couldn’t hide it from a Tier Five Star Lord.’

”Don’t be so modest. An achievement like this can hardly be called ’fortunate’,” Blood Blade said, waving his hand dismissively as his eyes gleamed. He then extended the invitation he had been so eager to make once more,

”Li Wen, now that your Primordial Spirit has reached the Star Lord realm, your future is even more limitless. But if you wish to travel farther and climb higher in this vast universe, a top-tier platform and resources are essential.

The Source Net’s internal training program is your true stage! There, you will receive...”

Before Blood Blade could finish, Li Wen calmly cut him off. ”Head Instructor, I’ll join.”

”...unlimited access to the Soul Origin Tower, a quota for the Star Marrow Chamber, opportunities to study in the Myriad Manifestations Mystic Realm, and even a chance to come into contact with the Source Net’s true core legacies... Wait, what did you say?”

Blood Blade had been in the middle of painting a grand picture of the prospects within the Source Net, trying to persuade the newly ascended genius, when Li Wen’s calm but exceptionally clear two words—”I’ll join”—cut him off, leaving his prepared speech caught in his throat.