Infinite Professions

His faith, his influence, cannot expand outward.

Although the world is vast, a single prefecture could be a country, combined with his Professional Power, even if confined in Jinyang, can develop considerably. But if forever trapped here, and the others unite the southern states and then turn back to attack him, he won’t be able to hold out alone.

After all, deities wage war relying first on Divine Power and second on authority.

Although Divine Power is significant, the limits of heaven and earth mean that even the strongest is merely Third Grade.

If the opposite party successfully unites the south, combines the power of several Third-Rank Great Gods to attack him alone, even with home advantage and Professional Talent, it would be hard for him to resist.

Not to mention the opponent has a Hidden Dragon, able to conjure Supreme Dragon Qi, suppressing all laws. If they unify the south, that Dragon Qi’s power can suppress Third Grade without difficulty.

Can Shen Hex reach Third Grade?

No!

Although he previously wiped out Qingping Temple and Donglian Temple, obtaining a batch of True Dao Scripture, allowing his cultivation to advance, at most, he would reach Fourth Grade like the previous Jinyang City God, Zhou Qian.

To achieve Third Grade, he must gather a part of the Three Caves True Scripture, totaling twelve True Dao Scriptures.

He doesn’t have this condition, if always trapped in Jinyang, he will inevitably be destroyed by them.

He must fight out!

How to fight?

Now surrounded on three sides, Weishui River, Jinling, Guobei, each has Third Grade Ghost Gods stationed.

With his current strength, he can only sit and defend, hard to advance.

In such a situation, how can the stalemate be broken?

Shen Hex remained silent, only gazing at the sky, applying Qi Observation Divine Techniques.

Once the divine techniques were activated, he first looked to the north, peering at Jizhou’s atmosphere.

Jizhou, the center of the world, is where the Emperor resides.

Shen Hex looked around and saw a pillar reaching the sky, standing in the center of Jizhou, shaking the ten directions of the Northern Lands.

The pillar appeared dark black in color, with a dragon coiled above and river waters surging below, precisely manifesting the Xiao-Chen Dynasty’s fate.

The Xiao-Chen Dynasty, defines itself as Water Virtue, and reveres the color dark black, hence the Dragon Qi Celestial Pillar is of such appearance.

Such Dragon Qi, draws strength from the Nine States, transforms into a pillar reaching the heavens, during its peak it can suppress the world, not to mention Third Grade, even Second Grade, and First Grade Heavenly Gods could barely withstand its power, with an Emperor’s decree, it can suppress all laws, gods, ghosts, and demons.

But unfortunately, it’s past its prime.

Shen Hex fixed his eyes and saw the pillar standing firm, however its foundation was full of cracks, with numerous black air clinging like ants, gnawing at its base.

It is the Karmic Force formed by the anger of the masses!

In this world, sentient beings, with extraordinary Divine Souls, possess powerful beliefs, which, if righteous, form belief incense and Human Path Merits; if wrong, turn into resentment and malice, creating mass Karmic Force.

So, water can carry a boat, but also capsize it.

With the dynasty’s poor governance, public grievances surged, naturally creating Karmic Force that destroys its foundation.

Now, the Xiao Chen Court is in such a situation, under the backlash of Karmic Force, the foundation of the Celestial Pillar has already cracked.

This Celestial Pillar no longer holds its former glory, even Third Grade fails to suppress, let alone First and Second Grade.

Not only that...

Shen Hex fixed his eyes further and saw fierce battles inside the pillar, speckles of red energy transformed into a three-claw crimson python with a single horn and a black dragon with two horns and four claws fighting each other, sparks flew from their clashes causing the True Dragon Celestial Pillar to shake.

"Huo Ming!?"

Shen Hex’s eyes sharpened, recognizing the crimson python’s essence.

The Xiao Chen Imperial Family, taking water as Virtue, revering the color dark black.

According to the principle of the Five Elements, should take Fire Virtue to replace it.

The Huo Family is named for Fire Virtue, and Huo Ming is the son of Fire Virtue, hence named ’Ming’.

Water and fire are incompatible, the flood dragons fiercely battling.

Though the Black Dragon’s fate is greater, displaying two horns and four claws, due to the entanglement of Karmic Force, its foundation shaken, scales cracked, flesh rotting, and now merely a spent force.

On the other hand, looking at the Crimson Python, though having only a single horn and three claws, its body is intact, newly born, and accompanied by golden light, making the red energy even fiercer, which instead presses down the Black Dragon’s dark aura.

This is... Merits!

The merit of eliminating the Five Traitors!

The Xiao Chen Court, using the Five Traitors as scapegoats, aiming to dissolve Karmic Force, achieving Hidden Dragon’s Restoration Ascension.

But the Hidden Dragon’s momentum was suppressed, and these scapegoats were snatched by others, Huo Ming eliminated the Five Traitors, seizing this merit, winning the hearts of the people, boosting fate, achieving great momentum.

The Xiao Chen Imperial Family, self-inflicted bitter fruit!

With this development, over time, the Xiao Chen Dynasty’s fate in the north will be completely eroded by the Huo Family and various forces.

In that moment...

Shen Hex shifted his gaze, looking around.

He saw outside Jizhou, across the whole land, dragons and serpents arising, some raising their heads spitting tongues, others coiling their bodies in hibernation.

The most prosperous among them is Yangzhou, with its capital Jinling, where a black flood dragon coils, with a single horn on its head and three claws on each of its feet.

Restoration Ascension Hidden Dragon—Xiao Ye!

Though Jinyang was greatly defeated in those days, supported by the Weishui River Dragon Monarch and other deities, this child quickly rose again, not only capturing Jinhua but also developing in all directions. Today, he possesses land in the two states; if not for his existence as a variable, he could completely rival Huo Ming in the North and South, creating a scenario of two dragons contending.

Even so, his aura is that of a flood dragon, displaying formidable strength.

"The Xiao-Chen Dynasty has been in power for just over two hundred years, yet logically, it shouldn’t have reached this point."

"But this fate lacked innate advantages. When the founder of the Xiao-Chen Dynasty struggled for the dragon’s throne and succeeded, ascending to the Celestial Realm, he directly took away a large amount of dragon qi."

"This is the norm in dragon struggles; the dragon qi is most abundant at the founding of a nation. Even a First Grade Heavenly God descending to the mortal realm must avoid its edge, not daring to directly face the founding ancestor, the True Dragon Venerable."

"But after the founding ancestor’s death, he seized the dragon qi to ascend to the Upper Realm, achieving his own venerable position, causing the dragon qi in the lower realm to be incomplete and innately lacking."

"Even so, barely enough power remains to suppress even Third Grade and as potent as Second Grade deities, thus there’s still enough fate to keep the world suppressed, ensuring the dragon and serpent do not rise, nor does dust and smoke stir."

"But as time progresses, various disturbances impact it, combined with the backlash from public grievances, this dragon qi continually diminishes, leaving cracks in the Celestial Pillar, making it difficult to suppress even Third Grade deities. Nowadays, there are those scheming for power and attempting rebellion."

"While the Huo Family, although four generations of three dukes strong, are not devoted to the Xiao-Chen family. They are rather an ancient noble family with a long heritage and deep ties to the deity of Qingzhou; they harbor ambitions for dragon struggles, which is why the Xiao-Chen royal family has long been wary and reprimanding them. Previously, they even used the Five Traitors as tools to cut their wings."

"But in the end, they failed to gain any advantage, resulting in the current situation..."

Shen Hex murmured to himself, and his gaze shifted again, looking towards the Underworld.

There is also phenomena in the Underworld.

In the north, black qi billows ominously, dark as night, forming a ghostly realm facing the newly established Northern Pass by Jinyang.

This is the land of Guobei, the Lanruo Old Demon.

And behind Guobei, golden light shines brightly, forming a divine domain together with Jinyang, surrounding the land of Guobei and the Lanruo Ghost Realm.

This is Yangzhou’s capital, Jinling Divine Realm.

Third-Rank Great God, Jinling City God.

Though he hadn’t met me directly, he had reached an agreement with the Weishui River Dragon Monarch, barricading me from passage in or out.

Beyond the North, looking further south, and to the east and west sides, a river like a dragon connects Jinhua and its surrounding areas, firmly locking down Jinyang.

This is the Weishui River Dragon Monarch!

The Weishui River stretches far, renowned across the land, connecting various southern states; its power and authority need no further explanation.

Now, with the power of Xiao Chen’s Hidden Dragon, its fate is even greater, its phenomena even stronger, ranking the top among the Third Grades, reckless confrontation will surely lead to disastrous injury.

Breaking through here is not feasible.

"You should squeeze the softer fruit."

Shen Hex’s gaze shifted again, returning to the land of Guobei, gazing upon the Lanruo Ghost Realm.

This is the weakest among the three sides.

Even so, it is ruled by a Third Grade Ghost King.

Can it be shaken?

Shen Hex didn’t speak, only silently gazed at the professional panel.

Shen Hex:

Occupation: God of All Things.

Divine Dao Rank: Fifth-Grade Jinyang Prefecture City God—Punishment and Reward Department, People Ascending Fortune Prestige Spirit Lord.

Professional Rank: Tier Five Level Seven.

Professional Talent: All-Purpose Incense, Earth Golden Body, Earth Yellow Turban, Ziwei Emperor’s Sacrifice, All-Purpose Divine Arrival.

Professional Skills: Dream-Entering Technique, Fertile Land Technique, Divine Striking Art, Spirit Capturing Technique, General Summoning Technique, Mountain Shifting and Mountain Suppressing Skill, Celestial Punishment Order, Five Thunders True Method, Great Sun Lotus Fire...

General Skills: Omitted.

Professional Items: All-Purpose Divine Arrival Map.

...

Decades have passed, and while Jinyang has developed vigorously, its population increased nearly tenfold, and incense offering has grown massively. But due to the strength of the God of All Things occupation, the rank experience is not yet full.

Without complete experience, advancement is impossible.

However, inability to advance in profession does not mean cultivation cannot be raised.

With decades of foundational accumulation and the Taiyuan Body’s achievements in Daoist True Scripture, Shen Hex is confident in elevating his divine dao cultivation to the Fourth Grade, reaching the extreme realm.

With the power of a Fourth-Rank True God, can he suppress a Third Grade Ghost King?

It is challenging, given the opponent’s advantage in home ground and favorable conditions.

But what if it’s not just the force of Fourth Grade?

Five Thunders True Method, Great Sun Lotus Fire.

Ziwei’s Imperial Mandate, All-Purpose Divine Venerable.

With decades of cultivation accumulation, decades of professional management, can the Lanruo Old Demon withstand?