Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

"The Cold-faced Sword? Is that Elder Jian, the one who’s been in the Core Formation Realm for years?"

"Who else could it be? With him around, I’d like to see who dares act out of line here!"

"The Core Formation Realm... now that’s a truly major figure. I never thought Celestial Sword Manor would place so much importance on this auction."

Hearing the chatter, Chen Ye felt a chill.

’A Core Formation Realm expert!’

No wonder Celestial Sword Manor called the shots in Qingzhou Prefecture. With a master of that caliber standing guard, it was true no one would dare step out of line.

Just then, a commotion erupted in the crowd. The people parted on their own, clearing a wide path down the middle.

"They’re here! It’s the people from Celestial Sword Manor!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and every head whipped in the same direction.

Chen Ye looked up as well.

In the distant sky, a few small white dots appeared, growing larger by the second.

A moment later, the clear, ringing hum of several swords echoed through the heavens.

Then, over a dozen streaks of Sword Light shot across the sky. As they arrived before the pavilion, the lights came to a halt, revealing the Cultivators who rode them.

These people were all dressed in uniform white robes, with longswords strapped to their backs. They were clearly disciples of Celestial Sword Manor.

Leading them were two figures, one old and one young.

The old man had a white beard and hair, his face rigid and emotionless. But when Chen Ye looked at him with the Asura’s Eye, it was like staring into a bottomless vortex of Energy. The sharp, pure Sword Intent was so intense it made his eyes ache.

’This must be the Cold-faced Sword, Elder Jian, that they were talking about.’

Beside the elder stood a young man who looked to be in his early twenties.

He had sharp brows and bright eyes, a handsome and distinguished air. His white robes were immaculate, and he held a longsword as translucent as jade. Merely by standing there, he naturally became the center of attention.

And while the Energy fluctuations emanating from him weren’t as profound as the elder’s, they were still terrifyingly powerful. They far surpassed the Sea Condensation Realm—he was an expert of the Inner Realm!

"It’s the Young Manor Master of Celestial Sword Manor, Jian Wuchen!" someone in the crowd cried out, having recognized him.

"Such a powerful aura! He looks younger than I am, but he’s already in the Inner Realm. Truly incredible."

"So this is the strength of Qingzhou’s number one genius? It’s infuriating to even compare yourself to him!"

The surrounding chatter was filled with envy and jealousy. Chen Ye’s gaze also landed on the man named Jian Wuchen, and he began to size him up.

’This guy is definitely strong. Stronger than anyone my age I’ve ever met.’

’Neither Cong Bo nor Tao Yong would probably last more than a few exchanges against this guy.’

’So this is the kind of genius a Major Sect can build with limitless resources?’

Chen Ye felt no jealousy, only a deeper understanding of how cruel this world could be.

’Often, your background and resources are more important than your Talent.’

Just then, the group from Celestial Sword Manor landed in the open space before the pavilion. Elder Jian and Jian Wuchen took the lead, striding directly toward the entrance with their disciples in tow.

The surrounding Cultivators quickly made way, not daring to obstruct their path.

Just as they were about to enter, the Young Manor Master, Jian Wuchen, suddenly stopped. He turned, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like a sharp blade, and then spoke slowly.

"Today, my Celestial Sword Manor is hosting an auction here, and we welcome our fellow cultivators. But let me be blunt: if anyone dares to cause trouble in Qingzhou Prefecture City, don’t blame the swords of Celestial Sword Manor for being blind to who you are."

As his words fell, a piercing Sword Intent erupted from him, sending a bone-deep chill through every Cultivator present.

It was both a warning and a show of force.

With a cold snort, he turned and walked into the pavilion.

Only when the last member of Celestial Sword Manor had disappeared inside did the oppressive atmosphere over the square finally begin to fade.

"Such an arrogant brat!"

"Sigh... but he has the power to back it up."

"Come on, let’s go. We should head inside, too. Even if we can’t afford to buy anything, we can at least get a good spot to watch the show."

The crowd began to stir again, surging toward the first and second floors of the pavilion to claim good spots for viewing the auction.

"Shouldn’t we go in, too?" Su Yuan asked, tugging on Chen Ye’s sleeve, eager to join them.

But Chen Ye shook his head.

"I’m not going in."

"Why not?" Su Yuan looked at him, confused.

Chen Ye didn’t answer. He just gazed at the magnificent pavilion, his expression growing profound. Then he turned and started walking toward the chaotic market stalls on the outskirts of the square.

"Hey, where are you going?" Su Yuan hurried to catch up.

"To make money." Chen Ye’s answer was simple and direct.

After seeing the grand display from Celestial Sword Manor and witnessing the bearing of truly powerful experts, his desire to grow stronger burned more intensely than ever before.

And to become stronger, he needed resources.

To get resources, he needed money.

And right now, he was far too poor.

"Make money? How?"

Su Yuan trailed after Chen Ye, peppering him with questions like a curious child.

To her, the idea of making money was a distant concept.

Back in her Sect, all her food, clothing, and daily needs were provided for her. She never lacked for Cultivation Resources and had never once had to worry about money.

"Don’t you have a lot of money?" She remembered the bag of gold Chen Ye had taken from Cong Bo in Yu Huo County.

"Not enough," Chen Ye said without looking back.

That amount of money might be a fortune to an ordinary person, but to a Cultivator, it was next to nothing.

Buying a few decent medicinal herbs would use up most of it.

And the little bit of broken silver he had left on him wasn’t even enough for the entrance fee to the main pavilion, let alone to participate in the auction.

Su Yuan murmured an "oh," seeming to understand. She watched Chen Ye’s back, her bright eyes darting about, her mind clearly at work.

Then she hurried after him.

Chen Ye was a little surprised. "Aren’t you going to watch the show?"

Su Yuan chuckled. "I thought about it, and you have a point. Watching the show is just watching other people’s excitement. It’s better to use this opportunity to make some money ourselves."

Chen Ye was taken aback for a moment, then he just smiled. Without another word, he continued toward the market stalls.