High Martial: I Grind Professions

Stepping into the grotto, a sense of pure emptiness washed over him.

It was a stark contrast to the vibrant, star-filled scene within the Star Dome Grotto.

The interior of the Cosmic Grotto resembled a frozen, miniature cosmic membrane.

The grotto walls were not rock, but a backdrop of solidified deep space.

Dotted upon it were countless miniature star projections, spinning slowly and flickering in and out of existence. The light was dim, yet exceptionally clear.

Here, the very texture of space became viscous and tangible.

The naked eye could even discern wisps and threads of manifested Law, representing spatial distortion, expansion, and collapse—like the "blood vessels" and "nerves" of the universe.

Underfoot was not solid ground, but a Void Energy Pool shimmering with a faint, silvery light.

Walking upon it was like strolling across a Star Sea. Each step sent out subtle spatial ripples, accompanied by an ethereal hum.

An absolute silence cloaked everything, as if time itself had slowed its pace here.

Besides Li Wen, the grotto was empty.

This was not surprising. On Blue Star, the total number of Marquis Level Gods and Demons was just over two hundred.

The chances of coincidentally running into another Marquis attempting to break through to the King Level were far too low.

Among the current Marquises, a fair number had achieved the Domain Realm with their techniques—over thirty of them.

However, every single one of these thirty-plus individuals was currently stuck at the requirement of reaching the Third Layer of Primordial Spirit.

For other Gods and Demons, advancing the Primordial Spirit could only be achieved through gradual accumulation over time.

They couldn't advance at a frantic pace by raising their Scholar Level, as Li Wen could.

Therefore, among the two hundred-plus Marquises, there wasn't a single other person like Li Wen who had met both conditions and was just one step away from condensing their domain.

Those who had met the conditions had already broken through; those who hadn't were still struggling to accumulate what they needed.

Thus, when news spread that Li Wen, holding his access token, had passed the authentication of the ancient Array at the grotto's entrance and vanished behind the light screen, it immediately caused quite a stir at Kindling University.

"Marquis Changning went in!"

"The Cosmic Grotto... He's finally making a run for the King Level!"

"How long do you guys think Senior Uncle Li Wen will take this time? Last time, with the Star Dome Domain, he set a record of half a month!"

"That's different. The Cosmic Domain is far more complex than the Star Dome Domain; it involves the more fundamental universal Space Law. Since the Galactic Era, the widely acknowledged record is the Mountain Rain King's six months."

"Six months? With Marquis Changning's talent, I think he can do it sooner. I'll guess... four months."

"I think three months is possible!"

"Isn't that an exaggeration? I'll be conservative and say five months."

"Two months! Wanna bet? Marquis Changning has always been good at creating miracles..."

Whether in reality or on the virtual forums, everyone was fervently discussing and speculating.

The record Li Wen had set in the Star Dome Grotto filled them with anticipation, but the difficulty of the Cosmic Domain kept them from being overly optimistic.

The various speculated timelines floated between four and six months, while two months was seen by most as an extremely bold, if not nearly impossible, guess.

Of course, Li Wen, situated in the heart of the Cosmic Grotto, was unaware of the heated discussions outside, nor did he care.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the Void Energy Pool, the strange energy supporting his body like a gentle liquid.

He regulated his breathing a few times, completely smoothing out the faint ripples in his mind from his return to Blue Star, until his consciousness was as clear as a mirror.

The next moment, he didn't hesitate.

'Activate [Absolute Focus].'

The core ability derived from his Scholar Level activated instantly.

LV15 Absolute Focus pushed his mind into an unprecedented state of clarity.

The threads of Space Law, already clearly visible within the grotto, suddenly came alive in his eyes.

They became incredibly vivid, incredibly complex, and yet incredibly... orderly and predictable.

This was no longer simple observation.

Empowered by Absolute Focus, Li Wen felt as if he had transformed into a speck of pure consciousness, actively merging into the frozen cosmic membrane.

What he "saw" were no longer threads, but countless miniature star projections in extremely slow rotation.

He saw how their subtle gravitational interactions pulled at the pulsating "vessels" that represented spatial expansion and compression.

What he "heard" was no longer a hum, but the resonance of instantaneous micro-level structural reorganization of matter and spatial tremors with every ripple in the Void Energy Pool.

What he "felt" was the Space Law that constituted this grotto-heaven, its inner workings like an incomparably precise machine.

Countless fundamental runes flowed in and out of existence, collectively maintaining the stability and mystery of this strange space.

The core of his consciousness—his Primordial Spirit, which flowed with golden light and looked just like a real person—vibrated faintly within his cranium.

It emitted a soft glow, actively responding on a deep level to the Law fluctuations he perceived from the outside world.

Wisps of enlightenment began to quietly gather in his mind, like a trickling stream.

They were no longer just about the thrill of speed, but pointed toward the structure, stability, distortion, and inclusiveness of space itself... and the true meaning of "Yu," the concept that gives birth to all things.

Li Wen became completely immersed, like a starving traveler pouncing on a feast of knowledge.

Time lost all meaning in the grotto. Only the pulse of the Law and the trajectory of his conscious exploration silently intertwined, collided, and created new sparks.

The light of Absolute Focus shone steadily and persistently in the depths of his eyes, illuminating the starting point on the path to the King Level.

...

Days passed quietly amidst the endless silence and profound energy flows of the Cosmic Grotto.

In the blink of an eye, a month had already passed since Li Wen set foot in this sacred place where the Human Race broke through to the King Level.

Deep within the grotto, Li Wen sat cross-legged.

His body was enveloped in spatial energy so dense it was almost liquid. This energy swirled slowly like a nebula, reflecting his serene face.

After a month of uninterrupted, focused comprehension, aided by LV15 [Absolute Focus], he had pushed his understanding of the *Cosmic True Explanation* and the Space Law to a critical point.

The thin veil separating the Star Dome Domain from the Cosmic Domain was now clearly visible. All that remained was the final step, the moment of piercing through the paper window.

"Hooo..."

With a long, deep breath, his Spiritual Power, long since restored to its peak, was mobilized once more.

A silver light flashed and vanished in the depths of Li Wen's closed eyes.

Without a hint of hesitation, he silently chanted in his mind, 'Activate [Absolute Focus]!'

VMM!

In an instant, all external sounds and disturbances faded away, and the sea of his consciousness became crystal clear.

Like the most precise instrument, all of his computational power and Perception Power were compressed and focused to their absolute limit.

They focused on the "Cosmic" prototype within his body—perfected, yet still a hair's breadth from completion.

His consciousness sank into the core of his Dantian.

At this moment, the internal structure of his Star Dome Domain, once like a brilliant Star River, was undergoing a cataclysmic transformation.

Countless fine points of light representing spatial nodes and energy pathways were undergoing an exquisitely precise rearrangement under the guidance of Li Wen's powerful will and his true understanding of space.

It was no longer a mere arrangement of stars and a channeling of energy, but an evolution toward constructing a complete, stable "miniature spatial framework" with its own powerful internal rules.

Li Wen's consciousness was like the most nimble artisan and the strictest architect.

Empowered by [Absolute Focus], he meticulously integrated the vast enlightenment he had accumulated over the past month.

The core points of light representing spatial anchors were endowed with greater resilience and stability.

They were no longer floating stars, but solid cornerstones like those of the universe itself.

They formed a tighter, unshakable spatial grid structure between them.

The stabilization of each node made the entire domain's foundation even more solid.

The energy pathways connecting the nodes were rewoven. They were no longer simple energy flows, but simulated the optimal paths for energy transmission under the Space Law.

The energy flowing within them moved faster, more efficiently, and with less loss. It also possessed stronger directive and binding properties.

In the instant the energy flowed, it was as if countless invisible spatial channels were being created and annihilated within the pathways.

The edges of the domain were no longer a hazy halo of energy, but began to solidify and turn inward under the control of his will.

It formed a tough, invisible barrier with extremely strong properties of spatial repulsion and compression.

This barrier could both weaken and repel all external attacks and interference on a spatial level.

It could also subtly compress the space within the domain, increasing energy density and its binding force on enemies.

The entire construction process of the domain constantly resonated with the origin of the Space Law that was omnipresent in the Cosmic Grotto.

Every fluctuation of the Law was keenly captured by Li Wen, transformed into fine Law runes, and branded onto the key nodes and pathways of the domain's architecture.

These runes were like genetic code in a bloodline, bestowing upon the Cosmic Domain a power that truly belonged to "space."

It was no longer a simple aggregate of energy, but the prototype of a "small world" that contained the rules of space.

"VMMMM—!"

When the last critical spatial node was fully solidified, when the final energy pathway simulating a spatial channel completed its circuit...

When the last Law rune containing the true meaning of spatial repulsion was integrated into the domain's barrier...

A silent yet immensely powerful vibration erupted from the core of Li Wen's Dantian!

The Cosmic Domain was complete!

In an instant, a spherical spatial domain centered on Li Wen suddenly formed—one that was invisible to the naked eye but clearly perceptible to Spiritual Power.

Its area of coverage was several times larger than the Star Dome Domain!

Within the domain, space was as stable as a mountain.

It was more than ten times more stable than the Star Dome Domain!

Ordinary fluctuations of power and energy impacts would be easily absorbed and dispersed by the spatial structure itself, making it difficult to cause any major stir.

An enemy's movements and attacks would feel sluggish, as if bogged down in a mire, as if space itself were suppressing them from all directions.

His control over energy was as natural as moving his own limbs. The free-roaming energy of heaven and earth within the domain was no longer merely being drawn in.

Instead, it was as if it had become the domain's subjects, completely subservient to the absolute command of Li Wen's will.