High Martial: I Grind Professions

It was not a physical energy impact.

Instead, it was a pure force of Primordial Spirit annihilation, acting directly on the very source of matter and energy.

Mixed with the incited Law of spatial disintegration, it was like an invisible, world-ending tide.

It poured down violently toward the hundred-mile-wide region below.

Silent, yet more shocking than any thunderclap!

There were no earth-shattering explosions, no blinding flames.

At the epicenter where the massive finger’s phantom fell, several towering, pitch-black peaks, thousands of meters high...

...along with the incredibly solid ground beneath them, were like sand sculptures dropped into invisible, potent acid.

Or like ice and snow licked by the hottest flames.

In an instant, starting from the most microscopic, particulate level, they silently disintegrated, annihilated, and vanished into nothingness.

Not shattering, not collapsing, but a complete annihilation that left not even a speck of dust behind!

With the point of impact as its center, a perfect, hemispherical crater over a hundred miles in diameter and thousands of meters deep...

...appeared out of thin air on the surface of the Trial Star, as if wiped away by an invisible, divine finger.

The crater walls were as smooth as a mirror, displaying a strange, dark hue—the color of absolute death after all things had returned to ruin.

The terrifying aura of annihilation and the spatial rifts lingering within the crater refused to dissipate for a long time.

They served as a testament to the horrifying attack this place had just endured.

BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!

At almost the same moment the crater formed...

...countless ancient and powerful Array runes across the Trial Star’s surface, and even deep within its core, were fully activated.

Blinding golden light shot into the sky, forming layer upon layer of heavy energy shields that enveloped the entire planet.

They fluctuated violently, desperately resisting the residual force of annihilation and disintegration that was trying to continue eroding the planet’s very essence.

The entire planet let out a hum, as if groaning under an unbearable weight.

...

「Blue Star, Firewood University, Enlightenment Peak.」

Venerables Ye Qin, Gu He, and Xingxuan, who were in the middle of discussing the internal affairs of the Human Race, all snapped their heads up at almost the same time to gaze into the depths of space.

"What... What is this fluctuation?!" Venerable Gu He exclaimed, his face filled with horror.

He felt a tremor originating from the depths of his soul, as if a world-ending catastrophe was imminent.

"Distant... Very distant! But... what a terrifying intent of annihilation! Even space itself is groaning in pain!"

Venerable Xingxuan’s face turned pale. Her Cultivation was relatively the lowest, so she felt it most intensely, her internal energy and blood churning within her.

Venerable Ye Qin stared fixedly in that direction, his eyes first showing shock.

Then, an irrepressible light of ecstasy erupted from them, and his voice trembled with extreme excitement.

"It’s... It’s the direction of the Trial Star! This power... it far surpasses that of a peak Venerable and touches upon the Saint Realm!

It’s Li Wen! It can only be Li Wen! He... He succeeded! That technique, the All Things Return to Ruins Finger... He’s mastered it!"

The three of them instantly understood the source of this fluctuation that had sent shivers down their spines.

Who else could it be but Li Wen, who had just entered the eighth layer of the Primordial Spirit realm, refined Blue Star’s core, and gone to the Trial Star to test his new power?

Besides that terrifying Primordial Spirit Secret Skill, which was rumored to grant Saint Realm combat power upon mastery...

...what else could transmit such a dreadful pressure of annihilation across such a vast distance?

Shock and ecstasy intertwined in the hearts of the three Venerables.

"A month and a half... Just a month and a half!" Venerable Gu He exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table in excitement.

"That’s a Saint Realm Secret Technique that one can only begin to touch upon at the eighth layer of the Primordial Spirit realm! He actually... he really mastered it! This... This is simply..."

"A monster... no, a miracle!" Venerable Xingxuan murmured, her eyes filled with awe and pride. "How fortunate... our Human Race is!"

Venerable Ye Qin took a deep breath, forcibly calming his turbulent emotions, but the bright glint in his eyes grew even more brilliant.

"With Li Wen here, the Human Race has nothing to worry about! His future has likely already surpassed the limits of our imagination."

He paused, looked at the other two, and his tone became solemn.

"Senior Brother Gu He, Junior Sister Xingxuan, there is a matter I believe it is time to put on the agenda."

Gu He and Xingxuan looked at him.

Ye Qin said in a deep voice,

"Li Wen’s power has now stepped into the Saint Realm. He is, without a doubt, Blue Star’s strongest expert and Guardian God.

He has refined Blue Star’s core, and in a sense, is already the master of Blue Star. The three of us, though his seniors, are far inferior to him in both strength and accomplishments.

This position of guarding Blue Star and leading the Human Race... shouldn’t it be handed over to him?"

Venerable Gu He nodded heavily without the slightest hesitation.

"It is only right! I agree! Li Wen is worthy, and he must take on this role!"

Venerable Xingxuan immediately voiced her support as well, "I second that! For Li Wen to lead Blue Star is a blessing for the Human Race. It’s what everyone wishes for!"

Seeing that neither of them had any objections, a look of relief appeared in Venerable Ye Qin’s eyes.

He picked up his communicator and tapped on Li Wen’s contact profile. As expected, it displayed "Out of Service Area."

He put the communicator down. "Good! Then it is settled. When Li Wen returns to Blue Star, the three of us will explain it to him together and ask him to shoulder this responsibility."

...

「Trial Star.」

The light from the massive Defensive Array enveloping the planet gradually subsided.

But the enormous, hundred-mile-wide scar on the planet’s surface was still a shocking sight.

The residual aura of annihilation prevented any living creature from daring to approach.

Li Wen stood in the air at the edge of the massive crater, looking down at his masterpiece with eyes full of satisfaction and awe.

The power of the All Things Return to Ruins Finger far exceeded his expectations.

This single finger attack had already reached the destructive level of an ordinary Saint Realm expert.

Moreover, it was a dual-destructive blow of Primordial Spirit and space, which was extremely difficult to defend against.

’The power of the Saint Realm is this incredible...’ Li Wen murmured to himself, an infinite yearning for even greater power welling up in his heart.

’I’ve only just entered this realm, and a single finger can cause such destruction. What about the realms above the Saint Realm?’

The terrifying image of "destroying a star with a single thought" couldn’t help but surface in his mind. What kind of magnificent power would that be?

This thought, like a blazing fire, ignited a strong yearning in his heart for higher realms.

The test was complete; his objective was achieved.

Li Wen didn’t linger. After one last look at the enormous scar of ruin, his figure flickered.

He tore through space once more, traveling toward his azure home planet.

...

「Blue Star, Outside the Atmosphere.」

Li Wen’s figure shot through the ionosphere like a meteor, entering the familiar range of gravity.

The signal on his communicator was instantly restored.

Almost in the same second the signal returned, a rapid beeping sound rang out—BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!—an incoming communication request from Venerable Ye Qin.

Li Wen raised an eyebrow slightly and accepted the call. "Senior Brother Ye?"

Venerable Ye Qin’s voice, filled with excitement and a hint of urgency, immediately came from the other end.

"Junior Brother Li! You’re finally back! Just now... that was... did you succeed?"

Although he already knew the answer in his heart, he still needed confirmation.

Li Wen smiled calmly. "Mm, I was lucky enough to master the first level of the All Things Return to Ruins Finger. The power is acceptable."

Ye Qin seemed to suck in a sharp breath on the other end, and his voice immediately grew more fervent.

"Excellent! Come to the back of Enlightenment Peak immediately. The three of us have an important matter to discuss with you!"

Although Li Wen was a bit puzzled as to what matter could be so urgent, out of respect for the three seniors, he didn’t ask any further. "Alright, I’ll be right there."

Before his words had even faded, the space before him tore open again, and he stepped through.

In the next moment, his figure had already appeared on the familiar platform at the back of Enlightenment Peak at Firewood University.

Almost as soon as he appeared, three streaks of light sped over. It was Venerables Ye Qin, Gu He, and Xingxuan, who had been waiting for him.

All three of them had expressions of unconcealed excitement and a certain solemnity.

"Congratulations on your great success, Junior Brother Li!" the three of them congratulated him almost in unison, their eyes filled with relief and admiration.

Li Wen cupped his hands in a return salute. "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brothers, Senior Sister. May I ask why you’ve summoned me so urgently?"

Venerable Ye Qin took a step forward, his expression incomparably serious, even carrying a hint of entrusting something important.

"Junior Brother Li, the three of us have just discussed this. Your strength has now reached the Saint Realm, you have refined Blue Star’s core, and you have purged the world of evil. Your accomplishments are unmatched in this era.

You are the undisputed Guardian God and strongest expert of Blue Star. The peace and hope the Human Race enjoys today is largely thanks to you! Therefore..."

He paused, glanced at Gu He and Xingxuan, and after receiving affirmative nods, he said solemnly,

"The three of us have unanimously decided that the burden of guarding Blue Star and leading the Human Race forward should be shouldered by you!

From now on, you will be the true leader of the Human Race on Blue Star! The Fire Hall and the Human Council will both look to you for guidance!

The three of us, and all of humanity, will support you with all our might!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the air itself seemed to grow still.

However, to the surprise of Ye Qin and the others, Li Wen’s face showed no excitement, joy, or the solemn expression of one accepting a heavy responsibility.

Faced with the earnest gazes of the three seniors and their expectation that he would accept the burden of leadership, Li Wen remained silent for a moment.

There was no excitement or hesitation in his eyes, only a clarity that seemed to pierce through the matter at hand and gaze toward the even more distant starry sky.

He bowed slightly, his tone gentle yet unshakeably firm.

"Senior Brother Ye, Senior Brother Gu He, Senior Sister Xingxuan. I am deeply grateful for your trust and high regard, and I understand the immense weight this position carries."

He paused, his voice clear and earnest.

"Guarding Blue Star and protecting the Human Race is my duty. I would not hesitate even if it meant being ground to dust.

However, the position of leader requires coordinating the overall situation and harmonizing all parties, which consumes an extraordinary amount of effort and time."

Li Wen paused again before continuing,

"My aptitude and my ambition lie in exploring the ultimate principles of the Laws of Heaven and Earth and ascending to the peaks of higher realms.

Only by constantly improving myself can I face the unpredictable, powerful enemies of the future and protect the very foundation of our existence.

If I were to be tied down by mundane and complex affairs, my energy would be divided. I fear that not only would it be of no benefit to the Human Race, it would actually slow my own pace of Cultivation."

His gaze swept over the three Venerables, full of sincerity.

"It is not that I am shirking my responsibility, but rather that I recognize my strengths lie in the advancement of power, not in the strategies of governance.

When it comes to the governance of Blue Star and the daily development of the Human Race, you three, with your vast experience and fair judgment, are the true pillars of stability.

I am willing to be Blue Star’s sharpest sword and its strongest shield, but not... the one who wields the scepter of authority. I ask for your understanding in this."

Faced with Li Wen’s righteous and eloquent refusal, Venerables Ye Qin, Gu He, and Xingxuan were speechless for a moment.