Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

The room’s decor was simple: a large, square table, a few grandmaster chairs, and a portrait of the founding master of the Peach Garden Lineage hanging on the wall opposite the door.

This middle-aged man’s name was Guan Sihai, and he was the Class Leader of the Qingchun Troupe.

He looked Chen Ye up and down, his expression serious as he began his interrogation. "Do you have any family? What’s your name, and where are you from?"

Chen Ye held nothing back, recounting in full detail the life story of the body’s previous owner.

After listening, a flicker of joy, almost imperceptible, flashed through Guan Sihai’s eyes.

No father, no mother, no family to speak of, not even a proper background.

This was exactly the kind of prospect Opera Troupes loved most. Unattached, easy to control, and if he made a name for himself, there would be no troublesome relatives showing up to demand a share of his earnings.

But his expression remained impassive. With a stern face, he said in a deep voice, "In the Peach Garden Lineage, the rules are absolute. We train through the dead of winter and the height of summer. Beatings and scoldings are a part of daily life. And if you join my troupe, you must sign a contract. Once you do, it will be difficult to leave. Have you thought this through?"

"I have," Chen Ye replied without the slightest hesitation.

’After all, surviving is the most important thing right now.’

’Besides, in this world, an Opera Troupe that performed for ghosts and gods was a path to the Extraordinary.’

Seeing him agree so readily, Guan Sihai grew even more satisfied, and the stern look on his face softened.

"Good. Since your mind is made up, go ahead and kowtow to the founding master."

Chen Ye did as he was told, kneeling on a prayer cushion and performing three resounding kowtows to the portrait.

With that, the ceremony was complete.

"Uncle Fu," Guan Sihai called out the door, "take him for a bath and get him a change of clean clothes."

A skinny old retainer entered at the call and led Chen Ye to the rear courtyard.

After Chen Ye had gone, Guan Sihai picked up his teacup, gently blowing away the steam as his mind began to scheme.

’This kid’s looks and build are top-notch. As long as his voice isn’t terrible, with a bit of training, he’s sure to become a pillar of the troupe—the Qingchun Troupe’s money tree!’

The more Guan Sihai thought about it, the happier he became.

Before long, Uncle Fu returned with Chen Ye, who had changed his clothes.

Guan Sihai was about to say something, but the words caught in his throat.

The boy before him bore no resemblance to the wretched little beggar from before.

The coarse, washed-out tunic he wore, far from looking shabby, actually accentuated his straight posture and clean-cut air.

His face, now free of grime, was extraordinarily handsome. His phoenix eyes held a natural Spiritual Qi in their gaze, and his entire being was like an uncut jade, radiating a gentle luster.

"Excellent, just excellent!" The more Guan Sihai looked, the more he liked what he saw. He slapped his thigh, unable to hide the broad smile on his face.

First, he had Uncle Fu fetch a bowl of steaming meat porridge and two steamed buns from the kitchen for Chen Ye.

Chen Ye was truly starving. He picked up the bowl and began to wolf down the food.

After he devoured the meal in a flash, Guan Sihai personally led him into the courtyard and announced loudly to the boys and girls practicing there.

"Everyone, stop for a moment! This is your new junior brother, Chen Ye. From now on, I want you all to look after him. No bullying, you hear me?"

The courtyard instantly fell silent as all eyes focused on Chen Ye.

The young boys and girls were stunned by his appearance. The cheeks of a few of the bolder girls flushed pink.

The moment Guan Sihai left, the group of youngsters immediately swarmed Chen Ye, surrounding him completely.

"So you’re Chen Ye? You’re really handsome."

"Where are you from?"

Amidst the chirping chorus of questions, the burliest, most dark-skinned boy pushed his way through and asked in a booming voice, "How come you look like a girl?"

Chen Ye’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.

But he could sense no malice in the dark-skinned boy’s eyes, only simple, honest bluntness.

"I’m Tie Dan," the dark-skinned boy said, patting his sturdy chest. "If anyone gives you trouble, you tell me!"

Chen Ye smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

「That afternoon, Chen Ye began his training with the others.」

Leg stretches, backbends, vocal exercises...

These fundamental exercises, tedious and painful for most, Chen Ye performed with meticulous dedication.

Soon, a faint light flashed before his eyes.

[Initiating Profession...]

[Profession Acquired]

[Name: Chen Ye]

[Profession: Cao Tai Longtao Level 1 (The lowest rank in Liyuan, yet the foundation of the grandest stage. Every expression holds a charm, every note can move ghosts and gods. This is the beginning of the Opera Dao, and the path to divinity.)]

[Talent: Innate Actor—Possesses a superhuman comprehension of the operatic arts. Can effortlessly grasp the essence of vocal techniques, physical performance, and artistic charm, and make them your own.]

’It worked!’

Chen Ye felt a wave of relief. He had been worried that this Actor Profession wouldn’t activate his status panel, but it seemed he had been overthinking things.

Empowered by his Professional Talent, Chen Ye took to opera like a fish to water.

Whether it was the posture for a certain aria or the cadence of a spoken line, the instructor often only needed to demonstrate once for Chen Ye to replicate it almost perfectly, sometimes with even more flair.

Such astonishing progress convinced Guan Sihai that he had truly found a once-in-a-generation genius, and he spent his days grinning from ear to ear.

But the good times didn’t last. That evening, someone spread rumors about Chen Ye’s past.

"I heard he escaped from a brothel."

"For real? That kind of place is so filthy..."

"No wonder he’s so good-looking. So that’s what he did."

The whispers spread among the apprentices. Some began to look at him with strange expressions, a mixture of distance and disdain.

Some even taunted him to his face, calling out, "Hey, brothel boy."

Chen Ye said nothing in response, acting as if he hadn’t heard.

It wasn’t until bedtime, as everyone lay on the large, cold, communal sleeping platform, that things came to a head. A chubby boy rolled over and intentionally shouted in Chen Ye’s direction, "Hey, brothel boy! Move over, you’re crowding me!"

The words had barely left his mouth when a hand shot out and clamped around his neck like an iron pincer.

Chen Ye had sat up at some point, his face devoid of expression as he stared at the boy, the pressure from his hand steadily increasing.

Although the Cao Tai Longtao Profession mainly enhanced his ability to learn opera, it had also granted his once-frail body a measure of strength.

The chubby boy’s face instantly turned crimson. Gurgling sounds escaped his throat as he clawed desperately at Chen Ye’s hand, but he couldn’t budge it in the slightest.

Everyone else was scared stiff.

They had never seen this side of Chen Ye.

His handsome face showed no trace of anger, only a deathly, unnerving calm that chilled them to the bone.

"You... you’re crazy! Let go! You’re going to kill him!"

Tie Dan, who was sleeping at the other end, snapped to his senses. He lunged forward and used all his strength to pry Chen Ye’s arm away.

The chubby boy collapsed onto the platform, clutching his throat and coughing violently, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Tie Dan roared at Chen Ye. "Any longer and you would have actually killed him!"

But Chen Ye didn’t even glance at him. He simply swept his icy gaze over the other boys on the sleeping platform.

Everyone his eyes fell upon felt a shiver run through them and instinctively looked away.

That one look made Tie Dan’s own skin crawl. He had never seen such profound indifference in a boy’s eyes, devoid of any fear or hesitation.

The only sounds in the room were the chubby boy’s sobs and coughs.

Without a word, Chen Ye lay back down, pulled the covers over himself, and closed his eyes.

No one dared to provoke him again.

’This communal platform might be cold and hard, but compared to sleeping in the snow, it’s paradise,’ Chen Ye thought, perfectly content.

’As for what just happened, he never intended to actually kill the boy. He just needed to establish his dominance.’

’He knew that in a place like this, showing any weakness meant you’d never have a moment’s peace.’

’That’s why he had to use the most direct, most ruthless method possible to make them all fear him in one go.’

「The next day, the snow stopped.」

Everyone resumed their training as usual. The chubby boy, however, trembled whenever he saw Chen Ye and kept his distance.

Guan Sihai had sharp eyes. He noticed the distinct, bluish-purple fingerprints on the chubby boy’s neck, and after a few discreet inquiries, he learned what had happened the previous night.

A thought flickered in his mind, but he merely glanced at Chen Ye, said nothing, and pretended he knew nothing about it.

’If the boy can handle his own problems, it saves me the trouble. All the better.’

In the days that followed, Chen Ye’s life fell into a steady routine.

His talent was so astounding that in just two short months, his skill in the operatic fundamentals of singing, recitation, acting, and acrobatics had already surpassed many senior apprentices who had been studying for two or three years.

Guan Sihai grew fonder of him by the day, treating him like a priceless treasure. He wouldn’t dream of hitting him and couldn’t even bring himself to say a harsh word. He even started bringing back snacks from town to give him special treats.

The other apprentices, of course, received no such treatment.

Especially Tie Dan. Though good-natured, he was a dull student and loved to slack off. Every few days, Guan Sihai would have him bent over a long bench for a paddling.

WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

In the courtyard, Guan Sihai wielded a bamboo paddle, mercilessly striking the rears of Tie Dan and a few other apprentices who had messed up.

Meanwhile, Chen Ye sat on the nearby steps, leisurely eating the osmanthus cake Guan Sihai had brought him, watching with a faint smile.

Not far away, a few of the girls who were practicing kept stealing glances at him.

After two months of proper nourishment, Chen Ye’s frame had filled out. He was no longer so scrawny.

The light in his eyes was brighter, and his every movement carried an indescribable, dashing air that drew the girls’ attention.

After practice ended for the day, it was Chen Ye’s turn to fetch water.

There was an old well just outside the alley, where both the local residents and the Opera Troupe drew their water.

It was a rule in the Opera Troupe: apprentices fetched water in turns, boys and girls alike.

Chen Ye and a girl named Chunyan walked out together, carrying buckets.

The water Chunyan fetched was for the girls; the water he fetched was for the boys. The division was clear, so no one was taking advantage of anyone else.

On the way, Chunyan was like a cheerful lark, chirping away nonstop. She was clearly delighted to be out with Chen Ye.

For the most part, Chen Ye just listened with a smile, offering a brief reply now and then.

When they reached the well, the area was deserted except for a large, leafless locust tree standing silently nearby.

Chen Ye hung a bucket on the well rope and prepared to lower it.

Suddenly, a premonitionless chill shot out from the mouth of the well, racing up his spine and straight to the top of his skull.

In that instant, every hair on Chen Ye’s body stood on end. He froze, his gaze turning sharp.

’This well... something’s wrong with it!’