Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector

All Martial World Sects within the Great Yong are hereby ordered to register, submit a declaration of allegiance, and have their lands and populations recorded in the Yellow Register for taxation according to the law, all within one month.

The moment this edict was issued, the world was in an uproar!

"How dare they! We people of the Martial World live free, beyond the law, acting on our grudges and repaying our debts as we please. When have we ever been subject to the Court’s control?"

"My Sect was founded eight hundred years ago! Even the founding emperor of the previous dynasty treated us with courtesy. How dare a treacherous general like Chen Ye, who clawed his way up from the mud, presume to order us around?"

"This new emperor wants to make an enemy of the entire Martial World!"

For a time, the major Sects were seething with righteous indignation. They prided themselves on being Renowned and Righteous Sects, with revered status and long, storied histories. Some of their Sects were even older than the Great Yong Dynasty itself.

In their eyes, the Martial World was the Martial World, and the Court was the Court. The two had always kept to themselves, like well water not mixing with river water.

But now, this new emperor actually wanted to bring them, people who lived outside the secular world, under the Court’s harsh laws. This was a blatant trampling of their dignity.

...

「In the Imperial Palace, inside the Imperial Study.」

Meng Yi watched Chen Ye, who was sitting behind his desk reviewing memorials, with a somewhat complicated expression.

Meng Yi was an old man now, but his eyes were brighter than ever.

Especially after Chen Ye ascended the throne, the Meng Family, as his earliest supporters, had naturally seen their fortunes rise with the tide, returning once more to the core of power.

"Your Majesty, is it not a bit hasty to take such a hard line against the various Martial World Sects?" Meng Yi finally couldn’t help but speak up. "These Sects have deep and complicated roots, and they don’t lack for experts. If we force them to unite, I fear it could cause considerable trouble."

Chen Ye put down the Vermilion Brush in his hand, looked up at the old General, and smiled.

"Old General, do you know what these so-called great and renowned sects are in my eyes?"

He stood up, walked over to a map on the side, and began drawing one circle after another on it with his finger.

"These Sects occupy the most fertile lands in the realm and sit on countless riches, yet they don’t pay a single coin in taxes to the Court. They are called Sects, but in reality, they are states within a state."

Chen Ye’s voice grew cold. "They make their own rules and establish their own Punishment Halls. When their disciples break the law, the Court’s laws can’t touch them. They harbor fugitives wanted by the Court, collude with local tyrants, and prey on the common people. Are you telling me, Old General, that you know nothing of these things?"

"The dynasty I intend to build is a powerful one where my commands are law and all lands are unified. How can I allow these tumors to continue to exist?"

Meng Yi fell silent.

Of course, he was well aware of the things Chen Ye spoke of. It was just that these problems were so deeply entrenched that no one had ever dared to address them.

His worry was that Chen Ye, having just ascended the throne, was acting too hastily by moving against these Sects.

As if sensing his concern, Chen Ye smiled. "Rest assured. I even killed that Land Immortal from the Mu Family. If they’re smart, they’ll know what choice to make."

"I’m eager to see which is harder: their bones or my blade."

Sure enough, just as Chen Ye was speaking with Meng Yi, a group of Sect Leaders and Elders from the Martial World Sects had secretly gathered at a hidden mountain villa to discuss their strategy.

They called it a discussion, but in truth, it was just a big gripe session.

Everyone was filled with righteous anger, each speaking with impassioned fervor. But the moment the topic turned to what they should actually do, they all fell silent.

’What could they do?’

’Rebel?’

Even Li Xian’s fifty thousand elite troops from the Capital Camp had been routed in a single day, abandoning their armor and fleeing, their entire army annihilated.

They were just a rabble from the Martial World. Even if they gathered ten thousand men, what could they possibly use to fight an army of hundreds of thousands of battle-hardened soldiers, fierce as wolves and tigers?

’An assassination?’

Even the Mu Family Ancestor, revered as a Land Immortal, had fallen in Chen Ye’s main camp, his neck snapped as easily as if he were a chick.

And as these Martial World experts argued endlessly, a woman in a plain white dress sat in a corner, watching the chaotic scene before her with a face full of worry.

She was none other than Lin Wan’Er, who had once appeared at Cyan Bamboo Mountain alongside Mu Jianqing.

Times had changed. Her once high-spirited Senior Brother Xiao Che had reportedly suffered grievous injuries and was now completely crippled, while the astonishingly brilliant Mu Jianqing had also died at Chen Ye’s hands.

Now, watching these so-called Martial World experts, these Sect Elders, chatter on like bitter old women, she felt an immense sense of melancholy.

Finally, the so-called Martial Arts assembly broke up on a sour note.

After the meeting disbanded, she hurried to catch up with her master.

"Master, what should we do?"

Lin Wan’Er’s master was an old nun. She paused, turned to look at her beloved disciple, and after a long moment, she sighed.

"What else can we do? He who understands the times is a wise man. Prepare the ink and brush. It’s time to write our surrender."

...

It wasn’t just them. Even the Sects that had been the most vocal at the meeting secretly prepared their declarations of surrender after returning home.

Thus, within a month, declarations of surrender from the major Sects flew into the Capital City like snowflakes.

Chen Ye was not surprised by this and immediately issued another decree.

He would personally grant an audience in the Imperial Palace to all the Sect Leaders who had come to submit.

Naturally, Lin Wan’Er also set out for the Capital City with her master.

To her surprise, despite having just gone through a war that changed the dynasty, the Capital City showed no signs of depression. In fact, it was more prosperous and orderly than before.

The streets were bustling with carriages and people, a very lively scene.

At the city gates, they, the Martial World People, were required to surrender their weapons. Then, they were led by designated officials to a specific guesthouse to await an audience with His Majesty.

On this day, a decree came from the Imperial Palace, summoning the Sect Leaders of every sect for an audience.

As Lin Wan’Er followed the crowd across the White Jade Square leading to Taihe Hall, she was utterly and profoundly shaken.

On both sides of the square, thousands of Imperial Guard soldiers clad in Black Armor stood in formation.

They were like silent statues, completely motionless, but the overwhelming Evil Qi they collectively exuded was so immense it made it difficult for all the self-proclaimed experts from the Martial World to even breathe.

In that instant, any clever little schemes they might have had were crushed to dust.

Upon entering the great hall, no one dared to even lift their heads. With a collective THUD, they all fell to their knees in unison, crying out, "Long live Your Majesty!"

Lin Wan’Er was also kneeling among the crowd, but she couldn’t resist raising her eyelids for a quick glance at the high Throne.

That single glance sent a violent tremor through her Heart Spirit.

The man on the Throne had a build as imposing as a mountain. Merely by sitting there quietly, he radiated a supreme majesty, as if he looked down upon all living things and held the universe in his grasp.

Lin Wan’Er hastily lowered her head, her heart pounding like a drum, not daring to look again.

Just then, they heard Chen Ye speak. "I am greatly pleased that you all understand the greater good."

The crowd trembled, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

"However, I also know that some among you are still not convinced in your hearts." Chen Ye’s tone shifted. "Wang Xing."

"This general is here!"

Wang Xing strode forward. With a wave of his hand, several Imperial Guard soldiers immediately walked up, carrying a huge tray.

The red cloth on the tray was yanked away, revealing neat rows of human heads, their eyes wide with indignation in death.

"The remnants of the Mu Family harbored ill intentions and plotted rebellion. They have all been executed." Chen Ye’s voice remained flat. "I hope this is the last time."

No one dared to speak. Some of the more timid ones were so scared they were shaking uncontrollably.

"We... we are willing to cooperate unconditionally with the Court! We will hand over all our Sect’s lands, purge our ranks, and pay our back taxes!"

"I am willing too!"

"Me too!"

Not a single person dared to harbor any dissent any longer. They all scrambled over each other to pledge their loyalty, terrified that if they were a moment too late, their own heads would appear on the next tray.

Chen Ye nodded in satisfaction.

After the dejected Martial World People left the hall, a long-unheard voice rang out in Chen Ye’s mind.

[National Guardian Dragon General Professional Level has been raised to Level 5. Max Level reached. Do you wish to change Profession?]

’It’s finally here!’

Chen Ye joyfully selected "Yes."

The screen of light before him flickered and finally displayed a line of text.

[Profession promoted to the Ultimate Profession—Divine-Seeing Grandmaster!]

[Divine-Seeing Grandmaster: Attain the Dao through martial arts, become Immortal. Body as Divine Weapon, Will is Heaven’s Will. The Peak of Martial Dao. One man is an army, one man is a nation.]

[Talent: Martial Dao Celestial Heart—With heaven and earth as the furnace and all creation as the material, use the heart as the catalyst to refine the Martial Dao Myriad Techniques, shatter all shackles, and advance with unstoppable valor.]

An unprecedented feeling of power surged through his entire body. Chen Ye slowly clenched his fists, sensing the seemingly endless strength within him.

At that very moment, the Boat of the Other Shore in his Sea of Consciousness began to radiate a brilliant light.

’I can leave now.’

But Chen Ye did not choose to return. His gains in this world had not yet reached their limit, and it would be a true pity to leave just like that.

Although the Great Yong and the Great Liang were already under his rule, there were still vast territories outside waiting for him to conquer.

For example, the Grassland to the north, the barbarians to the west, the islands to the south...

’I should at least become the master of the entire world before thinking about going back!’