Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

"That’s a rather vicious bit of Magic from the unorthodox schools. It has quite a few restrictions, so I’m surprised someone actually used it on you."

As she spoke, Su Yuan stroked her chin and began her analysis. "First, they have to know your real name. Nicknames and aliases won’t work. Second, they need one of your personal belongings as a medium. Hair, fingernails, or something stained with your blood works best."

"And finally, the caster’s Cultivation can’t be shallow. They must be an old fiend who has mastered this art, at the very least."

Su Yuan’s analysis matched Chen Ye’s own suspicions perfectly, so he began to run through a list of his enemies in his mind.

Plenty of people knew his real name, but the circle grew much smaller outside of Yu Huo County.

’As for a personal belonging...’

Chen Ye’s brow furrowed.

He was always cautious; things like his hair or blood would never fall into someone else’s hands so easily.

Since arriving in this world, he had made two real enemies: White Bone Mountain and the Puppet Sect.

The Puppet Sect’s lineage was all but extinct. While some remnants might still exist, they would surely lie low for a long time after the battle at the Black Buddha Temple.

That left only White Bone Mountain...

Su Yuan seemed to have guessed the same thing. "Those people from White Bone Mountain are petty and vindictive, seeking revenge for the slightest offense. It would make perfect sense if they were behind this."

Then, she gave Chen Ye a peculiar look. "But what I’m more curious about is how you survived it. You have to understand, once you answer the Name-Calling Soul Summoning Technique, not even an Immortal could save you! And even if you don’t answer, that Demon Sound boring into your brain isn’t something an ordinary person can withstand. If a normal Cultivator were tormented like that for a whole night, even if they didn’t die, their Divine Spirit would be so damaged they’d become a drooling idiot."

Of course, Chen Ye wasn’t about to tell her about Visualizing Sun and Moon. He just said vaguely, "My Spiritual Power is naturally a bit stronger than an average person’s, and my willpower is pretty solid. I just toughed it out."

"Toughed it out?" Su Yuan’s face was a mask of disbelief. Her bright, darting eyes seemed to peer right through him.

She knew perfectly well that willpower alone was useless against an attack that directly targeted the Divine Spirit.

’So this guy definitely has other secrets.’

But she didn’t press him for details.

Everyone had their secrets—she had more than her fair share—so if Chen Ye didn’t want to talk, she couldn’t be bothered to dig for the truth.

"Fine, if you say you’re that amazing, then you’re that amazing." Su Yuan pouted, then pulled a few tiny black insects, each smaller than a sesame seed, from her sleeve.

"These are my Sentinel Gu. I’ll place them around the room. If any malicious Energy or living creature approaches, they’ll alert me immediately." As she spoke, she casually flicked the tiny insects away.

As if they had minds of their own, the tiny insects flew silently to various corners of the hallway, disappearing into cracks in the walls and doorframes.

"Thanks," Chen Ye said.

"Don’t mention it. We’re friends, aren’t we?" Su Yuan waved her hand with a grin, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The corner of Chen Ye’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t pursue the topic.

"So, now that we suspect it’s someone from White Bone Mountain, what’s the plan? Are you going to hunt them down?" Su Yuan rubbed her hands together, her face alight with eager excitement.

"No need." Chen Ye shook his head. "It’s just a guess for now; we have no proof. Besides, Qingzhou Prefecture City is huge. Trying to find one person would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s better to just wait and see."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "If it really is someone from White Bone Mountain, they won’t give up after one failed attempt. They’ll definitely try again. All we have to do is stay vigilant and lie in wait. They’re sure to deliver themselves right to our doorstep."

"And when they do, we’ll settle all our scores at once—both new and old."

"Alright, your call." Su Yuan shrugged and then yawned, saying she was going to catch up on her sleep before heading out.

Chen Ye, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm his turbulent Heart Spirit.

He didn’t begin his Cultivation immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes and replayed the perilous battle for his Divine Spirit over and over in his mind.

Visualizing the Great Sun, Fiery Sun Breaks Evil.

Visualizing the Bright Moon, Moonlight Purification.

Sun and Moon Shining Together, Yin and Yang Complement Each Other.

The sensation was seared deep into his soul. He could feel that his Divine Spirit, tempered by this life-or-death struggle, had become several times tougher and more refined than before.

’Perhaps I should thank the person who tried to curse me,’ Chen Ye thought mockingly.

If his opponent hadn’t forced his hand, he never would have had the fortuitous opportunity to comprehend this Divine Spirit Cultivation Technique, Visualizing Sun and Moon.

...

In a remote courtyard in Qingzhou Prefecture City, a single, ghastly green oil lamp burned within the deepest secret chamber.

Its dim light cast the entire chamber in a pall of eerie Ghost Qi.

The chamber walls were hung with the desiccated skeletons of humans and Demon Beasts, while a complex Array was inscribed on the floor in what looked like fresh blood.

At the center of the Array sat a withered, black-robed old man, his legs crossed beneath him.

His hair and beard were white, and his face was a web of wrinkles like cracked bark. His eyes, deeply sunken in their sockets, glimmered with a faint green light. He looked less like a living person and more like a zombie that had clawed its way out of a grave.

Before him rested a small doll fashioned from straw.

The name "Chen Ye" was written in Cinnabar on the doll’s chest. A single strand of jet-black hair was pinned to its head with a steel needle.

This old man was none other than Li Gu, an Elder of White Bone Mountain.