Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. An uncontrollable killing intent emanated from him, and the temperature in the entire room seemed to drop by several degrees.

Zhao Qian and the other disciples present turned pale, their bodies trembling like chaff in the wind.

They knew all too well how damaging this incident was to the manor’s reputation.

For the past two days, whenever they walked the streets of Qingzhou Prefecture City, they could feel the strange looks from other Cultivators.

The great Celestial Sword Manor, the hegemon of Qingzhou, had an elite disciple killed right under its nose by some kid who popped out of nowhere. Then, after issuing a kill order of the highest level, the perpetrator simply vanished without a trace.

It was an absolute, utter humiliation!

"Relay my orders! Stop flying around aimlessly on your swords like headless flies!" Jian Wuchen said coldly.

"What can you possibly find by just sweeping the area with Divine Thought? Any decent Concealing Breath Technique can fool that!"

"So starting today, all disciples involved in the search will get on the ground. Form small teams and conduct a dragnet search of all key areas. Search every single inch of land. Even if you have to dig three feet deep, you will find that bastard for me!"

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Jian Wuchen’s tone was resolute and left no room for doubt.

"Yes, sir!" Zhao Qian and the others felt a chill and responded in unison.

They knew the Young Manor Master was truly enraged this time.

This method of searching was time-consuming, exhausting, and incredibly tedious, but it was also, without a doubt, the most effective.

"Also, inform Qingzhou Prefecture to cooperate with us in searching all major routes leading out, especially the small paths to the Southern Wilderness Mountain Range. Don’t let a single one go unchecked!"

"I refuse to believe he can just sprout wings and fly out of Celestial Sword Manor’s encirclement!"

"Yes, sir!"

As if granted amnesty, Zhao Qian quickly led his men out.

Only Jian Wuchen and the ever-silent Elder Jian remained in the room.

"Wuchen," Elder Jian finally spoke, his voice as stiff and formal as ever. "You’ve grown impatient and restless."

Jian Wuchen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger. He bowed to Elder Jian and said, "Your lesson is well-received, Elder. I lost my composure."

He didn’t dare show the slightest disrespect in front of Elder Jian.

Not only was this Elder from the Law Enforcement Hall unfathomably powerful, but his status within the manor was also extremely high. Even his own father treated Elder Jian with great respect.

"As a Venerable one, you should have the composure to remain unfazed even if a great mountain crumbles before you," Elder Jian said lightly. "A mere Little Swordsman who has just entered the Sea Condensation Realm isn’t worth this much of your anger. The more furious you are, the more desperate you seem, and the more you become a laughingstock to outsiders."

Hearing this, a look of shame appeared on Jian Wuchen’s face.

"That boy, Chen Ye, was able to act decisively under the pressure of your Fierce Tiger Sword, kill in a single blow, and then escape with ease. That kind of Heart Nature is truly extraordinary."

"But that’s all it is. He’s nothing more than a cornered rat in our cage right now. What we need to do is tighten the cage and slowly enjoy watching him struggle before he dies."

Elder Jian’s words slowly calmed Jian Wuchen’s agitated heart.

’That’s right. I’m the Hunter, and that Chen Ye is just the prey. Why should I get angry with a man who’s already dead?’

Thinking of this, Jian Wuchen nodded deeply. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder. I understand now."

Meanwhile, at Jian Wuchen’s command, the entire manhunt by Celestial Sword Manor was immediately elevated to a whole new level.

Countless disciples of Celestial Sword Manor descended from the sky in groups of three to five, beginning a sweeping search of the forests, mountains, and villages around Qingzhou Prefecture City.

An unprecedentedly massive manhunt was now underway.

Chen Ye, of course, was oblivious to these events unfolding in the outside world. At this moment, he was trekking through the mountains, carrying a shoulder pole.

The mountain paths here were even more difficult to traverse than before. In many places, there was no path at all, and he could only follow the faint footprints left by others, navigating through dense forests and along cliffs.

Along the way, he also encountered a few witless Demon Ghosts.

These creatures had long occupied the deep mountains and ancient forests, and they were drawn to any living person who passed by.

But for the current Chen Ye, dealing with these low-level Demon Ghosts was effortless. He didn’t even need to draw his sword; his fists and feet were more than enough.

For instance, as Chen Ye was passing a collapsed hill, a zombie suddenly burst out from the earth.

But Chen Ye didn’t even bat an eye. He simply kicked the zombie square in the chest.

BANG! The zombie’s chest caved in, leaving a huge hole. It flew back more than ten meters, snapping several bowl-sized trees before crashing to the ground and turning into a pile of mangled flesh.

Chen Ye then brushed the dirt from his pant leg and continued on his way, as if he had merely kicked a rock out of his path.

As dusk began to fall, Chen Ye finally emerged from the dense forest.

The view ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a vast basin encircled by mountains.

In the center of the basin was a village several times larger than the one where he had stayed the previous night.

The village’s architectural style was peculiar. The houses were built from massive stones and logs, looking both rugged and sturdy, almost as if they were one with the mountainside.

Instead of a rammed-earth wall, the village was enclosed by a tall palisade made of sharpened, giant logs.

Wisps of cooking smoke curled up from the village, and the faint sounds of people talking, chickens clucking, and dogs barking filled the air with a sense of life.

Chen Ye observed the village quietly for a moment before adjusting his clothes and bamboo hat, then picked up his shoulder pole and walked toward it.

Back in the last village, Chen Ye had already made some inquiries. He knew that a group of mountain folk lived deep within these mountains.

These mountain people had their own language, their own heritage, and even their Cultivation Dharma Gates were completely different from those of outside Cultivators.

The Magic Techniques they practiced were exceedingly strange and difficult to deal with. Crucially, deep within these mountains, the power of their Magic Techniques was greatly enhanced.