My Professions Have Too Much Personality - Chapter 310 - 188: Bronze Sect, Touching the Life Fire

’This group must have their own methods…’

The thought had barely formed when ripples spread across Qing Cang’s palm. A transparent, mechanical bottle, formed from countless interlocking, precision gears, quietly materialized. Inside, an ochre-colored mist churned endlessly.

Three fine streams of mist separated from the main body, coiling around the trio’s bodies. They made a soft rustling, like shifting sand, and quickly solidified into earthen-yellow patterns on the surface of their clothes.

“This Spiritual essence was born on Red Thunder Star, so it has a natural affinity for the star’s aura. This is just a little disguise,” Qing Cang explained, quite considerately.

“I see…” Chong Jingtian said with dawning realization, feeling even more helpless.

“Lin Yue, you go first,” Qing Cang said. “Based on their account, this half of the Spiritual essence will likely only grant its approval. It shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

’Trouble? What does he mean by that?’ Su Chen’s heart stirred.

“Yes,” Lin Yue said, already unable to wait, and strode into the mist.

Just as when Hongxuan had entered, ripples soon appeared, coalescing into two small, scarlet dragons.

“To be favored by two Spiritual Dragons… very good.” Qing Cang nodded in satisfaction. His gaze swept over Chong Jingtian and the others. He was about to explain, but he found their reactions were all calm.

He immediately sensed something was wrong. ’Logically, even if these people have seen someone being favored by one Spiritual Dragon, they should still have thoughts like, “There can be two dragons?”’

’But their reactions are so calm now… could it be…’

“Oh, right, I forgot to ask earlier. How many Spiritual Dragons approved of Su Chen and the other person who was recognized by the Spiritual essence?” Qing Cang asked casually, as if the thought had just occurred to him.

“It was the same as now. Two of them…” Chong Jingtian had already prepared his answer and even feigned timely confusion. “Do these little dragons appear in other numbers?”

“Two? How could it be two…?” Qing Cang looked at Su Chen with shock and doubt, his voice rising a few notches.

Chong Jingtian cursed inwardly. ’Damn it, did I say too much?’

’I should have said one.’ But that felt too low, and he was afraid Su Chen wouldn’t be taken seriously, so he’d picked the same number as Hongxuan.

’Two Spiritual Dragons… that shouldn’t be possible.’ Wan Chen’s brow furrowed slightly. Lan Hao, who was poised and ready, couldn’t help but look over as well.

Su Chen’s heart tightened. Qing Cang was sizing him up, seemingly pondering why this situation would occur.

“Then there’s only one possibility…” he said, musing. “He must be highly compatible with the Great Venerable Red Flame Thunder Resonator to have earned the favor of two Spiritual Dragons with just an Ink Jade Talent.”

“A pity…” He shook his head. ’No matter how compatible, it’s useless. Only one person can take the Morning Star Tier profession, and the Ink Jade Talent is still a bit too low.’

’So that’s how it is.’ Wan Chen looked away. ’Even if he’s compatible with the profession, being favored by just two Spirit Dragons doesn’t make him a threat.’

Lan Hao was already staring intently at the scarlet mist.

’It seems we’re in the clear…’ Chong Jingtian’s tense nerves relaxed. Seeing Qing Cang’s pleasant attitude, he couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Qing Cang explained, “No matter how many people are approved, only one can take the profession. High compatibility can’t make up for the gap in Talent.”

Then, he showed some interest in the person who had died. “What Talent did the other approved person have?”

“Also Double Ink Jade,” Chong Jingtian said without batting an eye.

“Is that so.” Qing Cang immediately lost interest in asking more, merely remarking, “Your planet has quite a few talented individuals.”

At this point, Lin Yue had emerged from the mist, clearly disappointed. Being favored by only two Spiritual Dragons made it very difficult to become the chosen one.

Chong Jingtian came back to his senses, sighing internally. ’It was also a case of Two Dragon Shadows Appearing, but when Hongxuan walked out back then, he was so full of vigor.’

“This Spiritual essence… it’s incomplete,” Lin Yue said, quite resentful. “Once it’s whole again, I want to try one more time.”

“Of course.” Qing Cang nodded and then called Lan Hao forward. The result was identical to Lin Yue’s: Two Dragon Shadows Appeared.

“There’s still hope…” Lan Hao, however, wasn’t disappointed. On the contrary, he seemed relieved.

“And what are their Talents…?” Chong Jingtian asked tentatively.

“Lin Yue’s is better, Double Scarlet. Lan Hao’s is a bit worse; only his physical body has the Scarlet Talent.” Qing Cang maintained his consistently gentle demeanor.

“As for Wan Chen…” He watched Wan Chen, who had already stepped into the scarlet mist. As the mist swirled, three Spiritual Dragons materialized. Only then did he continue, “His physical Talent is Profound Purple.”

’Profound Purple…’ Su Chen’s heart skipped a beat. ’I wonder if he was born with it or if it was a Postnatal improvement.’

Chong Jingtian and the other two were speechless. ’Profound Purple…’

But seeing that the scene only resulted in Three Dragon Shadows and didn’t trigger the same anomaly as Su Chen had last time, Chong Jingtian realized that Su Chen’s previous experience was truly extraordinary.

Lan Hao snorted coldly, and Lin Yue also turned away.

Wan Chen walked out with an invigorated expression and scanned the area. Qing Cang looked pleased, and the three locals seemed a bit shocked, which was normal.

He noted Lan Hao and Lin Yue’s displeasure, but what surprised him a little was Su Chen, who remained perfectly calm.

’Is this guy… paralyzed in the face or something?’ Wan Chen wondered suspiciously.

“In that case, I’ll hold on to this Stone Slab for now.” Without waiting for Chong Jingtian’s response, Qing Cang tossed out a squarish block of silver metal. It hovered in mid-air as its four corners shot out, each grooved tooth flowing with an ethereal blue light.

They flew into the mist along precise geometric trajectories. The air stirred, and the void itself trembled.

Before the solemn gazes of Chong Jingtian and his companions, the mist began to shrink. Then they saw it wasn’t shrinking—the edges rippled with the characteristic distortion of folding space. It gradually condensed into a palm-sized scarlet crystal and fell into Qing Cang’s hand.

’So this is the Royal Court’s technology…’ Su Chen watched, a strange light glinting in his eyes.

“Where is the relic? Please point the way,” Qing Cang asked directly.

“After the relic was discovered, it was sealed by our four cities in a joint effort. Opening it also requires the cooperation of all four cities,” Chong Jingtian explained.

Qing Cang was unconcerned. “Just tell us the location.”

“Could we go with you? That way, we can also gather the other three cities to discuss the plan you’ve proposed,” Chong Jingtian asked again.

“Hmm…” Qing Cang thought for a moment, then nodded. “That’s not a problem. We can go together.”

After leaving, Chong Jingtian and the others hurried off to prepare. Qing Cang had only given them three days.

Su Chen, however, was growing anxious, afraid that Chief Judge You Shan wouldn’t return in time.

Fortunately, You Shan returned to the Judicial Court the very next day. She had barely taken a sip of water before Su Chen found her.

“You want to see your own Life Fire?” She still carried the vast, cold air of the wilds, and her skin had a cool pallor. “You’re still young. Why do you want to see that thing?”

“They say the Nether Fog is harmful…” Su Chen fabricated a reason, saying he just wanted to estimate how much of his lifespan had been cut down by the Nether Fog.

But the shock to You Shan was considerable. The people from the Royal Court, the dangers of the Nether Fog… it was all so overwhelming that it took her a long moment to process everything. She nodded in a daze.

“I understand. Inform the Professional Analysis Department and have them carve the Spirit-Stabilizing Talisman Array you need…”

“It’s already prepared,” Su Chen said.

She followed Su Chen to his residence. A room on the second floor had been cleared out and was now covered in countless, densely packed symbols that flickered with a fluorescent glow.

You Shan finally snapped out of it, suppressing her other emotions. “After you touch your Life Fire, it’s hard not to dwell on it day and night. Are you sure about this?”

’Knowing the limit of your lifespan in advance is not a good thing.’

Only after Su Chen repeatedly assured her did she allow him to enter the center of the Talisman Array. She would use her Spiritual Power to guide the process. The basic principle was to pull out one’s Spirit Body or Spirit Core to simulate a near-death state, thereby allowing one to touch their Life Fire.

The Talisman Array’s purpose was to stabilize the physical body and prevent any real accidents.

As her powerful Spiritual Power surged forth, the Chief Judge couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise right from the start, “You’ve already condensed a Spirit Core?”

“I was lucky enough to condense it,” Su Chen replied.

You Shan’s heart filled with a thousand emotions. Meanwhile, Su Chen’s consciousness, now attached to his extracted Spirit Core, looked down at his own body sitting cross-legged in the center of the Talisman Array and felt a faint chill.

This wasn’t just his Spiritual Power emanating outward; his consciousness—or his Soul, one might say—had truly been pulled out. This feeling of being untethered gave rise to an instinctual panic.

“Get ready,” You Shan said in a low voice. Her immense Spiritual Power swirled around Su Chen’s Spirit Core, weaving itself into fine, silvery threads.

And through these silvery threads, Su Chen saw it. A formless, grayish-white flame flickered faintly on the surface of his body, looking as if it could be extinguished at any moment.

years!

That was the lifespan he had left, assuming no illness, no disaster, no worries, and no hardships.