"At least the requirement of having assumed two top-level professions is something I satisfy..." Ming Lin was also pondering. "Still have to take passive beatings, at least tens of thousands of times, and without defending."
The profession requirements Su Chen provided were the standard ones that had been corrected by his panel. If followed step-by-step, there wouldn't be any hidden dangers.
"No wonder you asked me about the Core of the Forging-Life Mineral Vein last time..." Ming Lin finally understood, but then he revealed a puzzled expression. "When you asked me, it was over two months ago. How come you only got the complete profession now?"
"Can the Class Decoding Department actually leak profession information bit by bit?"
"Waitâ" Ming Lin was startled. "Don't tell me you're assisting a Class Decoder in decoding it?"
"I guess you could say that." Su Chen gave a vague answer.
"You actually have this side hustle." Ming Lin couldn't help but say, "If you ask me, although the Class Decoding Department holds a revered status, it's not as good as genuine, tangible power. Don't waste your time."
He assumed Su Chen was methodically learning the ancient language and decoding it step-by-step.
"I know." Su Chen brushed it off and brought the topic back. "After assuming it, roughly how much food can be stored, and are there any other requirements?"
"There aren't really any requirements, except that you can't use compressed nutritional fluids as a quick reserve."
Ming Lin explained carefully, "The most I've eaten at one time was about half a ton of mutated beast meat of the same tier. The nutrients converted from that can essentially bring me straight from a weakened state back to my peak."
"However, the reserves can only last for ten days. Once the time is up, they will be self-digested."
Su Chen thought to himself. The ability Ming Lin obtained was actually incomplete.
Because in his description of completing the requirements, the food he needed to consume totally excluded the two major categories: living organisms and rotting matter. This was due to the panel's self-correction.
Missing two major categories, the ability gained upon assuming the profession was undoubtedly heavily discounted.
"By the way, where did you get this Core of the Forging-Life Mineral Vein?" Ming Lin also inquired.
"I exchanged for it internally within the Adjudication Court. It cost 120,000 contribution points, but for now, there seems to be only this one." Su Chen shrugged. "You'll have to figure out a way yourself."
"120,000 contribution points..." Upon learning the price, Ming Lin's expression grew even more excited. "Excellent. The rarer the requirement, the higher the strength."
"It seems I've taken advantage of you this time."
"We each got what we needed." Su Chen didn't mind. The strength of the Armored Bone Adept indeed wasn't low, and combined with his own professional abilities, it would be elevated to an even higher level.
Ming Lin could clearly only enjoy the baseline strength. Su Chen then asked, "Where did you get the Abyssal Stomach? Does the Adjudication Court have any?"
"The Adjudication Court doesn't have any. It can only be born within the body of a 4th-tier mutant beast called the Tiger Glutton, with only a 1% chance. Furthermore, if it isn't extracted and cryogenically stored within ten minutes of the beast's death, it will shrivel up."
Ming Lin shook his head but chuckled. "However, since this is one of the requirements for assuming the Glutton profession, I've managed to acquire a few over the years to sell to the other party after making a trade."
"The strength of the profession you gave me is probably quite high. I'll give you one for free; I'll send it over in a couple of days."
"Thanks then." Su Chen naturally wouldn't refuse.
Ming Lin was a fairly generous guy. Unfortunately, after assuming a profession, its abilities could not be adjusted. Otherwise, he wouldn't mind revealing a few of the corrected requirements for the Glutton profession to him.
Ming Lin left in high spirits, while Su Chen researched how to complete the requirements as quickly as possible. The overall difficulty of the Glutton wasn't high; it was just about eating.
Furthermore, the most unacceptable requirement had already been erased. What remained was the so-called consumption beyond one's limits.
He went to the potion room, took out a few vials of nutrient fluid, and poured them down his throat. The feeling of fullness stretched his stomach to the point where he almost dry-heaved, but the requirement didn't react at all.
"It seems I can't cheat using this kind of compressed potion. I can only eat normal ingredients. I'll probably have to eat an massive amount every day. It seems the Gu family started off selling meat."
Su Chen sent a message to Gu Bing. The other party quickly responded, readily accepting his request and promising to arrange it immediately.
Early the next morning, a cargo-type hovercar parked at the door of Su Chen's residence.
"...Selected from the captive breeding grounds outside the city, slaughtered, and transported here in less than twelve hours... so fresh the meat tendons are still twitching..."
Gu Bing hopped out of the hovercar and opened the doors. Inside were massive chunks of packaged meat in various colors, some even emitting a strange glow.
"Hmm, handling this beast meat will probably require a high-level chef, right?" Su Chen swept his gaze over them; they were all meat from 3rd-tier mutated beasts.
Gu Bing replied, "I can handle it."
"You?" Su Chen was surprised. Gu Bing smiled, "I moonlight as a high-level chef."
It wasn't that strange for a meat seller to moonlight as a chef. Su Chen added, "However, for the next thirty days, I might need continuous delivery and processing."
"That's even betterâ" Gu Bing's eyes lit up slightly. After speaking, she seemed a bit light and fluttery. "I don't have any missions recently anyway."
"Alright." Su Chen naturally wouldn't stop her. Just like how being beaten up by Bai Fengxi was far more pleasing than being beaten up by Bu Siqi.
A senior-sister-branded cook was naturally much more pleasing to the eye than a chef with a large head and thick neck.
The excitement in Gu Bing's eyes flashed and disappeared. She immediately entered work mode, hauling down the packaged chunks of meat one by one.
Following this, Su Chen's schedule became regular again. He would train to his absolute limit, and then gorge himself on massive amounts of meat.
The only downside was that being unable to use highly compressed nutrient fluids somewhat extended his recovery time, but it wasn't a big deal.
"Divine Son, we've investigated clearly."
In a hidden location within Yingfeng, a Believer of the Faceless Ghost knelt on the ground, respectfully reporting to the grayish-white pillar in the center.
"That shell of yours is currently in a high-level laboratory within the Adjudication Court. They seem to be researching your shell."
"It's good that it hasn't been destroyed." The voice within the grayish-white crystal softened considerably. "A shell I meticulously designed isn't something a few natives can comprehend through research."
"I want to retrieve it. Is there any way?"
The believer kneeling on the ground replied, "Although that laboratory isn't located in the core area of the Adjudication Court, it's still considered internal territory. It probably won't be that easy to retrieve it."
"But if you give the order, we are willing to charge forward for you."
"If sending you to your deaths could bring the item back, I really wouldn't mind." The Divine Son's tone was indifferent. "What's the highest level of force you can mobilize right now?"
"A Priest is only a 4th-tier professional, but by borrowing the power of our Lord, they can resist a 5th-tier."
"Not even enough to fill the gaps between their teeth." The Divine Son's tone remained cold. "Summon a High Priest and bring the Evil God statue."
"Yes." The believers first acknowledged the order, then added, "With such a huge commotion, I'm afraid we won't be able to hide it from the other Evil Gods."
"Damn it!" The grayish-white crystal fell silent for a moment before emitting a voice filled with resentment: "Teng Liangâ"
"Don't summon the High Priest. Try contacting those researchers first and see if my mental subdivision can be snuck inside. Contact the other Evil God Cultists in Yingfeng City and see if they can be utilized."
"Yes." The believers acknowledged once again.
In the gravity room, Su Chen withdrew his stance and stood still. The surface of his skin fluctuated continuously, as if countless tiny organisms were swimming beneath it. Undulating patterns spread from his chest to his limbs, each tremor causing the muscle fibers to produce visible ripples.
Crackling sounds akin to cracking ice emanated from his joints. The popping sounds emerging from within his body gradually grew denser, transforming from dull thuds to crisp rings that erupted sequentially along his spine.
Finally, his body violently shuddered, letting out a muffled boom. Fine dust on the ground was kicked up, spreading outwards.
ăCrouching Tiger Body Forging Method upgraded to Master level. Obtained ability - Tiger Bone: Slightly increases skeletal toughness.ă
â
"The effects of a D-rank physical forging method are indeed stronger than an E-rank..." Su Chen felt the changes in his body and glanced at the panel.
ăAzure Thunder Sovereign: 31%ă
ăMystic Holy Hand: 40%ă
ăD-rank Profound Ice Soul-Cleansing Meditation Method â Skilled: 60%ă
Just as he walked out of the gravity room, an aroma wafted over his face. Su Chen walked up the stairs.
In the kitchen on the first floor, Gu Bing was busy. The crimson flames spewing from the compression furnace were powered by the energy core of some fire-element mutated beast, producing an extremely high temperature.
The crimson flames twisted like a living creature, precisely guided by her into a ring shape that completely enveloped the hanging chunks of meat. The dripping grease sparked continuous golden bursts of fire.
Upon reaching a certain point, the flames instantly turned from crimson to deep blue. The high heat rapidly formed a crispy, charred crust on the surface of the meat, while the inside retained a tantalizing pink hue.
The flames contracted into a thin line, and the perfectly roasted meat was slowly raised, its surface gleaming with an oily luster. Amidst the rising steam wafted the rich aroma of spices.
"Finished training? You're early today." Gu Bing noticed the movement behind her and turned her head. There was some black soot on her nose.
"Mm." Su Chen gave a simple response. Gu Bing had already skillfully taken out the prepared food from the nearby incubator.
Su Chen stood on no ceremony, sitting down and beginning to feast ravenously.
Standing to the side, Gu Bing reported, "We've already connected with the Supervision Department. As one of their meat suppliers, they will purchase a fixed quota of various tiers of beast meat from us worth 50 million every month. It's about the same for the other two families."
"Mm." Su Chen felt the meat juices bursting in his mouth and said, "Prepare another ten days' worth of food."
"Only ten days left..." Gu Bing couldn't help but feel disappointed. She smoothed her hair. "I understand."
Soon after, she asked with some hesitation, "The end of the month is the Yuanqing Festival. If you don't have any plans, my grandfather has arranged a family banquet."
"Yuanqing Festival..." Su Chen paused for a moment before shaking his head. "No need."
He didn't give a reason. Gu Bing pursed her lips. "I will relay that to my grandfather."
After finishing his meal, Su Chen returned to the gravity room and called up a new D-rank physical forging method. Its name was [Thunder Aura Body Forging Method].
The body forging and meditation methods he selected were all ones that could be practiced autonomously without relying on external forces, saving him trouble.
"...When inhaling, draw lightning energy into the muscles; when exhaling, let it burst forth from all pores across the body. The thunder veins scorch the body..."
Adopting the proper stance, wisps of electric arcs danced around him as Su Chen gradually immersed himself within.
A few days later, Su Chen received unexpected news.
"The people from Yuandu were attacked?" He frowned, looking at Ming Lin, who had just arrived.
"Yeah..." Ming Lin sighed. "Word is that just after crossing the White Sea and landing to rest, they were ambushed."
"Evil God Cultists?" Su Chen asked.
"Noâ" Ming Lin shook his head. "Supposedly it was a group of Holy Church rebels."
"Rebels?" Su Chen was surprised. Only after Ming Lin's explanation did he understand.
It was actually an old matter. The rise of the four major cities was inevitably accompanied by extreme violence and bloodshed.
Some of the losers were integrated and became cities governed under their banners, while others were utterly annihilated. The survivors harbored an intense hatred for the four cities, constantly causing trouble and even collaborating with Evil God cults.
There were rebels on Yingfeng's side as well. Some were remnants implicated with the Evil Gods, while others were gatherings of oppressed refugees from certain cities.
Being in the heart of Yingfeng and rarely ever leaving the Adjudication Court, Su Chen naturally found it difficult to come into contact with these factions and wasn't very familiar with them.
"It's not a big problem though. They were just small fry; it only delayed them for a while."
At this point, Ming Lin couldn't help but click his tongue. "The delegation from Yuandu this time is quite large. Three of the Twelve Archbishops have come, and they're even being led by a Holy Envoy."
Su Chen raised an eyebrow. He wasn't completely ignorant about Yuandu.
The Twelve Archbishops were at the same level as Chief Inquisitorsâ6th-tier professionals.
Excluding those needed to guard their home base and those out on patrol, three was an extremely considerable number.
A Holy Envoy was on the same level as Chong Jingtianâa 7th-tier professional, serving as the shot-caller.
"What exactly are they here for?" Su Chen grew suspicious. "Such a massive force is nothing to scoff at."
"Who knows? They claim it's for 'exchange and learning,' but who would believe that? Regardless, they won't be able to flip the heavens here in Yingfeng." Ming Lin also shook his head. "Whatever, let's not talk about them."
"I came today primarily to deliver the [Abyssal Stomach]." He bent down and lifted the matte metal box, gently pressing the latch with his fingertip. The lid popped open.
In the center of the black cushioning lay a biological stomach that emitted a faint golden luster.
The surface of the sac was covered in fine, scale-like patterns. Translucent, tube-like structures were faintly visible within, shimmering with a halo of light as the angle of illumination shifted.
"Thanks," Su Chen said. Ming Lin waved his hand and promptly left.
Closing the box, Su Chen tossed it into his storage space and glanced at his panel. "Almost there..."
A few more days passed. On this day, rather than gorging himself after training to his absolute limit, Su Chen ate his fill as soon as Gu Bing finished cooking.
"Senior Sister, sorry for the trouble these past few days. Starting tomorrow, you won't need to come to my house to cook every day." Having eaten until he was wiped clean, Su Chen let out a burp.
"Alright." Gu Bing's pretty eyes dimmed.
Su Chen had already turned around and walked into the gravity room.
"Almost there." Su Chen opened the panel. [Glutton] was ready, and he placed the Abyssal Stomach on his chest.
The moment the assumption began, the stomach was dissolved by an invisible force, gradually turning into a flow of black-gold light. The instant it touched Su Chen's body, he felt a warm current rapidly seep in.
Like a living thing, this warm current surged directly towards his stomach, forming a warm vortex of energy there.
The initial comfort was like soaking in warm water, almost making him sigh in satisfaction.
But the warmth soon turned into searing heat. His stomach felt as though it had been set ablaze, and the intense colic involuntarily made him hunch over.