High Martial: I Grind Professions

Li Wen’s heart began to race uncontrollably.

’If I could get this kind of access every month during my year at the base, even for just five days each time... it would add up to nearly twenty extra years of arduous training!’ The prospect made his breath catch in his throat.

Just as Li Wen’s mind was reeling from this possibility, Blood Blade’s voice sounded again.

His tone grew more solemn, carrying the clear intent of recruitment.

"Li Wen, seeing your potential, I have to bring up that topic again—becoming an internal member of the Source Net."

Blood Blade slowed his pace, his gaze boring into him. "Right now, you’re just an external member. The resources allocated to you are, ultimately, limited.

If you’re willing to formally join the core of the Source Net and become an internal member, with the talent you’ve displayed today, you will immediately be placed on the most top-tier training program!"

Blood Blade’s voice was laced with temptation. "At that point, resources like the Time Tower will no longer be a luxury you have to count by the day!

As long as you need it, and as long as your body can withstand it, you’ll have unlimited access to the Time Tower!

Forget five days a month—even living and training inside the tower for years on end wouldn’t be out of the question!"

He paused briefly before sweetening the deal. "And it’s not just the Time Tower. There’s the Soul Origin Tower, which refines your Primordial Spirit and will fundamentally transform your Telekinesis.

The Star Marrow Chamber, which uses the Power of Star Origin to temper your physical body and completely transform you. The Myriad Phenomena Mystic Realm, which contains fragments of the primordial Laws from the dawn of the universe—an unparalleled sacred ground for comprehending the Laws...

All of these core, priceless resources will be open to you without reservation!

The Source Net’s immense heritage, the legacy techniques left by countless predecessors, exclusive top-tier mentors...

These are core secrets an external member could never hope to access.

Your rate of growth will be ten, even a hundred times faster than it is now!

The Star Lord realm will be far from your final destination. Even higher realms will be within your grasp!"

Li Wen listened to the grand blueprint Blood Blade painted, and the phrase "unlimited access to the Time Tower" truly made his eyes light up.

For someone like him, desperate to make up for lost time, the temptation was immense.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and asked the question that mattered most to him. "Chief Instructor... what about freedom, after becoming an internal member?

Will I be forced to undertake long-term missions, or be confined to specific regions?"

Hearing this, the fervor on Blood Blade’s face subsided slightly. He shook his head, his tone taking on an air of unquestionable authority.

"Li Wen, the Source Net became one of the four great powers in the universe through a strict organizational structure and a system of absolute loyalty at its core.

Being an internal member means you will be deeply bound to the Source Net. While you enjoy top-tier resources, you must also shoulder the corresponding responsibilities and duties.

Classified legacies, the most critical missions, necessary assignments and training plans... all these require a high degree of compliance from our members.

Personal freedom will, inevitably, be restricted to some extent.

This is an ironclad rule of the Source Net, the very cornerstone that allows this behemoth to function. It cannot be changed for a single individual."

He tried to assuage Li Wen’s concerns. "However, you needn’t worry too much. With the Virtual Cosmos, even if you’re in a distant Star Domain, you can meet and interact with your family and friends anytime. The experience is indistinguishable from the real thing.

The Source Net also has a comprehensive communication and transportation network. As long as you aren’t on a top-secret mission or in a special restricted zone, contacting others and requesting leave isn’t difficult. In a way, isn’t that a form of freedom?"

Li Wen remained silent, his brow slightly furrowed.

He was well aware of the convenience of the Virtual Cosmos, but words like "restricted freedom," "deeply bound," and "subject to deployment" were in fundamental conflict with his original goals: to protect Blue Star and explore the Star Sea on his own terms.

The faces of the three Venerables—Ye Qin, Xingxuan, and Gu He—flashed through his mind, as did the image of his parents back on Blue Star.

Seeing Li Wen still lost in thought, the apprehension in his eyes not fading, Blood Blade understood.

He knew you couldn’t force a commitment like this. Especially with a genius like Li Wen, who was strong-willed and had limitless potential, applying too much pressure would only be counterproductive.

He raised a hand and clapped Li Wen on the shoulder, his tone once again calm, tinged with both understanding and hope.

"It’s alright. This is a major decision, and it certainly requires careful thought. I’ve said my piece, and you don’t need to give me an answer right away.

The Trial Stage lasts for a full year. You can change your mind at any point during that time. Just contact me directly."

He handed Li Wen a special communication imprint. "Remember, the gates of the Source Net are always open to a genius like you."

"Thank you for your understanding, Chief Instructor. I will consider it carefully." Li Wen accepted the contact through his Star Pivot and gave Blood Blade a respectful bow.

As they spoke, the two had arrived at the massive plaza in front of the Time Tower.

The plaza was paved with lustrous white jade. In its center stood the silvery-gray Crystal Tower, hundreds of meters tall.

A dreamlike sheen flowed across the tower’s surface, as if countless fine grains of the sands of time were slowly drifting across it.

People bustled about the plaza—all of them students from the base, each with an extraordinary aura. A good number of them had already reached the Saint Realm.

Some hurried past, while others sat cross-legged, meditating as they waited. The air was thick with faint energy fluctuations and a palpable sense of awe and longing directed at the Time Tower.

When Blood Blade’s figure appeared at the edge of the plaza, it was like a stone dropped into a still lake, instantly causing a small commotion.

"Chief Instructor!"

"Lord Blood Blade!"

"Greetings, Chief Instructor!"