My Professions Have Too Much Personality

"Not at all," Qin Tianlin explained. "He’s still at the top of Tier Five; the rankings haven’t updated. He probably knows it’s pointless to just edge out a few of the lowest-ranked Tier Sixes."

He added, "The top spot of Tier Six is far beyond his reach."

"Mm," Qin Yun said with a nod. The two of them gradually walked away.

......

At the same time, Su Chen took a Flying Device back to the Floating Island. The first thing he did was inform Song Yang and the others that they could come and continue helping him forge weapons the next day.

After getting their confirmation, he shut himself inside the Nether Tower.

All around him was silent darkness. Su Chen carefully took the Fog Ashes out of his Storage Space.

He hadn’t had a chance to observe it carefully before. Now, on closer inspection, he saw that the object looked like a piece of charcoal. A supremely dense gas seemed to flow faintly across its surface, enveloping something unseen within.

"Fog Ashes... Fog Ashes..." Su Chen murmured. Thanks to Qing Cang’s explanation, he already knew just how extraordinary this item was.

But he still had no idea how to actually purify it. He couldn’t help but call up his panel and mutter, ’The panel can even extract and tame Deceitful God’s Power, yet it’s showing no reaction to these Fog Ashes...’

’Or is it because Deceitful God’s Power is strongly linked to professions and is considered a resource, while this thing is entangled with Nether Fog, making it different?’

’Or is it because this thing hasn’t actively tried to erode me?’

Su Chen mulled it over for a long time before sighing helplessly. This thing had latched onto Flame Fire, and even an Ancient King was powerless to do anything about it.

The Fog Ashes in his hand was just a faint trace, but he was also nowhere near the level of an Ancient King.

’Oh, Great Venerable, you want this, and I want to give it to you, but I don’t know how to purify it...’

In the past, Su Chen had muttered similar things many times, but the Great Venerable had always been cold and aloof, never responding.

But this time was different. Words actually appeared on the panel—

[Sensing the Host is at a loss regarding the purification of the Fog Ashes, the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator has decided to offer some assistance. He can help you enter the Fog Ashes.]

’Huh? It actually responded?’ Su Chen was quite surprised, but also secretly exasperated. ’This Great Venerable is so pragmatic. He sure reacts quickly when it’s something he wants.’

’Help me enter the Fog Ashes? Will that purify it? Or does it mean if I can withstand the erosion, it’ll count as purified?’

He pondered this but didn’t rush to try and enter the Fog Ashes. ’This stuff is probably dangerous. Easy to get in, but not necessarily easy to get out.’

[Sensing the Host’s concern, the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator is contemplating. He can pull the Host out when the Host can no longer endure.]

’This guy... is he really that desperate?’

Su Chen complained inwardly, though he was also quite surprised. ’He can even pull me out?’

’In that case, maybe it’s worth a try.’

Su Chen took a deep breath, adjusted his condition, and tried to call upon the Great Venerable. A crimson light suddenly flashed between his eyebrows, and a red flame blossomed in his palm.

The Fog Ashes trembled violently, as if provoked. It then exploded with a ROAR, engulfing Su Chen’s entire body like a black tide.

In an instant, he felt the world spin, and his vision swam.

A crisp, childish voice suddenly called out by his ear, "Brother Su Chen?"

Su Chen turned his head in a daze. It was Xiao Gezi, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. She looked young and innocent. The surroundings were vaguely familiar—dim lights, drafts coming from all directions... it was his predecessor’s shabby home in Nanfeng City.

He was stunned for a moment. Just as he was about to reply, the scene before him suddenly shattered.

He was back in the Nether Tower. The black tide had receded from his body, returning to his hand and reforming into the small, charcoal-like ball.

Su Chen looked at the text on the panel—

[The Great Venerable discovered the Host had entered a Mind Illusion Realm and decided to pull the Host out.]

’A Mind Illusion Realm?’ Su Chen frowned, lost in thought. ’So it’s something like the erosion from Deceitful God’s Power?’

He had never personally experienced what the erosion from Deceitful God’s Power was like, but he’d heard others talk about it. It supposedly creates an illusion realm that endlessly repeats scenarios involving people close to you, not stopping until your power is completely drained. It was said to be pure torture.

’But the Great Venerable pulled me out immediately. Why? Did he think I couldn’t handle it?’

Su Chen rubbed his chin. ’I’m a bit confused. If he won’t even let me try, how am I supposed to purify this thing?’

’Unless...’ An idea flickered in Su Chen’s mind. He suddenly recalled what Qing Cang had said—that this thing manifests differently depending on its target.

He immediately made another tentative attempt to enter the Fog Ashes.

Just like before, the Fog Ashes exploded and enveloped his entire body. This time, however, was different. He felt a sudden, piercing pain all over.

A profound, blazing light of fire and thunder burst from between his eyebrows, and the Fog Ashes swiftly recoiled.

[The Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator detects that the Fog Ashes is releasing pure Erosion Power and is currently resisting it.]

’Pure Erosion Power... so it’s a brute-force attack meant to corrupt me directly?’

Su Chen clicked his tongue. But this confirmed one thing for him: the Fog Ashes definitely had different forms of manifestation.

’Perhaps one of these manifestations will give me a chance to purify it.’

Having finally figured out a possible path forward, Su Chen felt his resolve harden. He tried again and again, experiencing several different forms of erosion. The illusion-type manifestations alone occurred more than three times.

Until this time...

The Fog Ashes enveloped him again. But this time, there was no piercing pain, nor did any strange illusion appear. There was only an incredibly profound darkness, from which faint wisps of fog began to rise.

A gray-white ground spread out from under his feet, eventually forming a landscape that resembled the Nether Realm.

This unprecedented manifestation put Su Chen on high alert.

Within the gray-white mist, wisps of a deep, dark fog drifted and converged, finally solidifying into a figure.

Su Chen’s eyelid twitched. Black Tuo!

That was right. The figure before him was none other than the Deceitful God, Black Tuo. He had seen this being’s form more than once—both in the Delirious Words Trial and as a Divine Statue—and was now completely familiar with its appearance.

It sat cross-legged in the void, its head bowed slightly, with black markings on its crown converging to form the shape of a vertical pupil.

’Was this thing created by Black Tuo?’

Su Chen studied it cautiously. He saw the cross-legged Black Tuo raise its head, but it lacked its usual oppressive aura. It slowly lowered its legs, stood up on two feet like a man, and stared with deep, empty eyes.

’What is this?’

Su Chen froze. He suddenly felt a chill run through him, a bone-piercing cold that shot up his spine.

The standing Black Tuo shot forward like a gale. Before Su Chen could react, its body suddenly burst apart, transforming into a churning black mist.

A sinister cold instantly enveloped Su Chen’s limbs. The mist coiled and tore at him like a living creature, its edges twisting erratically. At one moment it would coalesce into the shape of a claw, the next it would dissipate into thin wisps of smoke.

Its surface shimmered with a dark luster, while unseen currents seemed to churn within.

’What the hell...’ Su Chen growled. Arcs of lightning erupted around him, and with a series of CRACKS, he forcibly blasted away the fog and shot backward in retreat.

’It wants to fight me?’

He was completely taken aback. ’But... based on the strength the Fog Ashes has displayed so far, this manifested Black Tuo shouldn’t be this weak. It seems to be at the same Tier as me.’

During that brief contact, Su Chen had already sensed that this Black Tuo’s power felt wrong. He speculated with suspicion, ’Could this be another form of manifestation? It realized its other methods couldn’t touch me, so now it’s trying to crush me in a fight between equals?’

He couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. After so many failed attempts, he finally had a situation he could actually try to overcome.

Su Chen took a deep breath, his expression hardening. "So, you’re Black Tuo, huh? Let’s see just how strong you really are."

......

The black tide receded like water, flowing back into his palm.

Su Chen was silent, a muscle in his cheek twitching. He could feel a dull ache in his chest, and his heart was hammering. Wisps of mist still steamed from his body, as if he were still in the throes of battle.

’Just how many professions does that Black Tuo have?’

His expression shifted as he muttered to himself. He had only lasted about ten minutes. The sheer variety of abilities had been dazzling, and then the Great Venerable had yanked him out.

’As expected of a Great Deceitful God.’ Although theoretically on the same Life Level as an Ancient King, it was far too ancient. Who knew how many professions it had corrupted over the eons.

He stared at the Fog Ashes, which had once again become a small ball of charcoal.

"But..." Su Chen’s eyes glinted as he murmured, "...it’s not like there’s no chance."