High Martial: I Grind Professions

More importantly, since Ancestral Master Chang Jia's departure, Blue Star had been completely cut off from the rest of the universe. Even its nominal Sovereign Country, the Lain Empire, had long since forgotten the existence of this fringe planet.

To think that someone he was meeting in person for the very first time could so accurately state his home galaxy, spiral arm, and even its specific name. This information gap put Li Wen on immediate alert.

'Her intelligence network is simply unbelievable!'

"It seems... you truly don't know." Gazing at Li Wen's completely genuine expression of shock, the astonishment in Isabel's eyes slowly faded, replaced by dawning comprehension and a complex, hard-to-describe emotion.

She gently set down her cup, but her next words were like a giant boulder cast into the deep sea, sending even greater waves crashing through Li Wen's mind.

Her crystalline voice clearly uttered a name that was incredibly familiar to Li Wen:

"In that case, the name 'Chang Jia'... surely you've heard of it?"

"Ancestral Master Chang Jia?!" Li Wen shot to his feet, his pupils constricting violently as his aura wavered for an instant.

He was now one hundred percent certain about the woman before him, Isabel—or rather, the Moon Spirit Race she represented.

They not only knew of Blue Star's existence but also shared an incredibly profound connection with Ancestral Master Chang Jia.

The air in the living room seemed to freeze.

Isabel looked at the agitated Li Wen, her own expression regaining its composure. In a reminiscent tone, she slowly began to recount a long-buried piece of history:

"Senior Chang Jia is the great benefactor of my Moon Spirit Race. A hundred thousand years ago, our people suffered a cataclysm that brought us to the brink of extinction. It was Senior Chang Jia, who happened to be wandering the universe and passing by our home,

who righteously intervened and drove back our powerful foe. It is only thanks to him that my people were able to survive to this day, gradually recovering our strength while living in seclusion in a corner of the universe. We owe him a debt as great as life itself."

She paused, her azure eyes looking directly at Li Wen. "To repay this immeasurable kindness, the leader of our race at the time, who was also my ancestor,

gifted him a specially-made token when he departed. Engraved upon it was a single character: 'Recommend.'

And they established a clan law: Should any member of the Moon Spirit Race ever see this token reappear, and if its bearer is confirmed to be a descendant from Senior Chang Jia's home world, then..."

Isabel's voice was clear and solemn:

"...then the current 'Moon Oracle' of my race, which is to say, me, will fulfill our ancestor's promise and marry the person who holds this token.

Furthermore, the Moon Spirit Race will pledge its full power to become the token bearer's staunchest backer and ally."

...

...

Li Wen stood rooted to the spot, stunned for several long seconds.

The sheer amount of information was overwhelming, crashing against his understanding like a tidal wave.

'The Moon Spirit Race... Ancestral Master Chang Jia's kindness... a vow to repay the debt... a marriage contract... the might of an entire race...'

Countless thoughts churned in his mind, finally settling on the memory of Ancestral Master Chang Jia's face when he had explained the ancient "Recommend" token—the memory of his profound and slightly mischievous smile.

'The Ancestral Master said it was "a good thing"... and told me to keep it safe...'

'So that's what this was all about.' A wave of realization washed over Li Wen, and he finally understood the meaning behind the Ancestral Master's expression.

'This wasn't a recommendation at all. It was clearly a... marriage contract, spanning an immense gulf of time and space!'

He took a deep breath, forcing down the storm of emotions raging within him, and focused his mind on his storage space.

The next moment, a simple, ancient token appeared in his palm. It was made of a material that was neither metal nor wood, and it felt warm and smooth to the touch.

In the center of the token, the ancient character for "Recommend" seemed to hold the power of a contract, looking exceptionally clear in the soft light of the living room.

When Li Wen took out the token, Isabel's gaze instantly fell upon it.

After confirming its authenticity, a faint, girlish blush quietly spread across her exquisitely beautiful face, even more noticeable than before.

She stood up abruptly, looking somewhat flustered. Averting her gaze from Li Wen's eyes, she spoke, her voice clear but with a barely perceptible tremor:

"Since the token is in your hands, the pact is now in effect. If you... if you wish to fulfill it, then... then come find me."

Before her voice had even faded, she turned, the hem of her moon-white dress tracing an elegant arc. Her figure, like a sliver of moonlight, hastily departed from the living room.

She left behind only a faint, cool fragrance and Li Wen, who remained standing in place, token in hand, a complex expression on his face.

Silence descended upon the living room as the smart system quietly retracted the hover chair.

Li Wen stared down at the token in his palm. Images of Ancestral Master Chang Jia's smile, Isabel's breathtaking beauty, and her final, shy demeanor swirled and intertwined in his mind.

...

Just as a flustered Isabel was hastily leaving Li Wen's villa, deep within another block of identical villas, inside one of them...

...in the deepest cultivation chamber.

A man was levitating several feet off the ground, seated cross-legged in mid-air.

He had a slender build and a face so handsome it was almost otherworldly, yet it held the pallor of someone who had long avoided the sun.

At this moment, he was radiating the unique energy fluctuations of a Tier One Star Lord.

Wisps of dark purple energy, like living vipers, coiled and pulsed silently around his body.

With each pulse, the temperature of the already frigid air in the chamber plummeted further.

This was Saphis Yingge, one of the most brilliant young talents of his generation on Alka Star, hailing from the illustrious Yingge Clan.

At a mere one hundred years old, he had already ascended to the Star Lord realm, and his arrogance knew no bounds.

In his eyes, anywhere beyond the capital star was nothing but uncivilized wilderness.

And even on the capital star, very few were worthy of his notice.

"BEEP—BEEP—"

An abrupt, piercing chime—a communication request—shattered the silence of the cultivation chamber.