Subconsciously reaching out, he retrieved potions from his Storage Space. Su Chen took a rough look.
"There are about ten doses left of each type. They've already been consud by nearly half, and they definitely won't last until the Adjudication Court assessnt begins."
Fortunately, there had been no Gravity Room on the spaceship. The reduced training effectiveness also slowed his absorption of potions considerably. Otherwise, they'd have been emptied long ago.
Entering the Gravity Room, Su Chen trained until the latter half of the night before finally stopping.
Having arrived at Yingfeng today and not resting for a single mont, then training for half the night on top of that, his mind was sowhat fatigued as well.
Lying on the bed, Su Chen rested for a while. As a ntal-Type professional, a small amount of sleep was sufficient.
The next day around seven or eight o'clock, Su Chen awoke in peak spirits. Opening his wristband, he saw quite a few ssages.
Thanks to yesterday's channel through Yang Yan, plus Gu Bing's assistance, he'd added the contact details of Zhang Hengyu and others.
Zhang Hengyu had sent him a ssage, inviting him to dinner tonight. Du Yu had also notified him, briefly summarizing the general situation.
After he'd left with Yang Yan yesterday, the others had each found decent places to stay. Having all co from Nanfeng together, they naturally stuck together.
Having settled in today, they were calling everyone to gather together.
Su Chen deliberated briefly and didn't refuse, replying to both of them that he would attend tonight.
After a quick wash-up, Su Chen left the hotel with great enthusiasm.
The sky was brilliantly clear, sunlight bathing everything. Su Chen couldn't help but glance at the enormous "sun" positioned to the east—so dazzling it forced him to squint.
"I really do miss this kind of sunlight..." After basking in it for a mont, Su Chen felt thoroughly comfortable all over.
Setting everything else aside, at least he wouldn't have to see Nanfeng's "underworld" filter every single day anymore.
The Class Decoding Departnt appeared close from here, but that was under the assumption of traveling by hovercar.
"Guess I'd better call a car..." he muttered. The hotel provided precisely this sort of service. Half an hour's ride cost only fifty gold.
After waiting briefly, a hovercar descended.
"Heading to the Class Decoding Departnt, huh..." The driver was very chatty, striking up conversation the mont Su Chen boarded. "First ti I've ever gotten a ride to that place."
"Appreciate it." Su Chen responded simply.
"Not from Yingfeng, are you?" The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror with mild surprise.
"How can you tell?" Su Chen was sowhat taken aback.
"The accent..." The driver couldn't help grinning, his interest piqued: "Although everyone speaks more or less the sa, regional factors still create slight differences."
"But you really have to listen carefully to catch them. I've just heard so many that my ears reflexively pick up on it."
"Seems like it's almost ti for Yingfeng's major institutions to recruit. Though... you've arrived a bit too early."
"I have so business..." Su Chen responded with a smile. Looking at the traffic flowing around them, a sudden thought struck him: "Are there any requirents for driving a hovercar?"
"You don't know?" The driver was surprised, then answered casually: "Just advance into the ordinary driver profession, get certified by the association, and you're good to go."
"Ordinary driver? A profession?" Su Chen's interest was piqued.
"It's a special profession..." The driver was enthusiastic about chatting too. "An ordinary driver can only operate hovercars. For hover-trains, you need to advance to senior driver. For spaceships, only a special-grade driver will do..."
Nanfeng didn't seem to have this sort of requirent... Su Chen couldn't help but think. "You need to advance into a profession just to drive?"
"You can skip the advancent, but then you can't carry passengers—only drive yourself," the driver explained. "An ordinary driver has an ability that provides enhanced focus and faster reaction tis while driving."
"I hear that senior drivers even gain a certain enhancent effect over the vehicle itself."
Su Chen understood. Every trade and profession had its corresponding professional path, but that didn't an advancent was mandatory to work in the field.
Take cooking, for instance—at its core, it was just making food edible. But advancing into the professional path brought all sorts of special enhancents.
Su Chen asked: "Are the requirents difficult?"
"For an ordinary driver, there's nothing much—as long as..." The driver was all smiles and about to spill the beans when a flash of wariness crossed his eyes. "Little brother, isn't entrapnt enforcent going a bit too far? You people at the Professional Inspection Bureau have stooped lower and lower with your thods."
"Uh..." Su Chen opened his mouth, then fell into silence.
The driver apparently felt he'd been duped. He stopped talking after that, muttering sothing about "the Inspection Bureau having no sha..."
Upon arriving at the Class Decoding Departnt, this ti Su Chen only needed to report his identity code to pass through without obstruction.
"Figures—a governnt man after all." The driver watched Su Chen enter from a distance, letting out a cold snort.
.........
"You're here already today."
Sang Hanhai set down the tal instrunt in his hands upon seeing Su Chen walk in. The surrounding staff mbers all looked over.
There were noticeably more dayti staff mbers. So didn't recognize Su Chen and displayed curious expressions.
After inquiring with colleagues who'd been on last night's shift and learning the general situation, they couldn't help but marvel.
"I just wanted to help you decrypt it as soon as possible," Su Chen's eyes darted around scanning the room.
Sang Hanhai laughed. "You slick-tongued kid. You want to help decrypt it as fast as possible so you can trade for a profession, right?"
"Your keen eyes see through everything, Elder." Su Chen shalessly admitted it.
"What are you looking at? The Saint Word Stone is up there." Seeing Su Chen rotating his head, looking left and right throughout the laboratory, Sang Hanhai pointed toward the instrunt at the center of the room.
"I'm checking whether there are other Saint Word Stones." Su Chen didn't even try to hide it, instead being blunt: "I actually thought your place would have Saint Word Stones scattered about everywhere."
"Haha..." Sang Hanhai laughed twice, shaking his head: "Where would that many Saint Word Stones co from? When the Class Decoding Departnt was first established, it was indeed close to what you're imagining."
"But nowadays, ruins yield less and less—let alone Saint Word Stones. Moreover, I specialize in the comparatively rare Heath script, making them even scarcer."
"Your work coat is over there. Go change into it first." Sang Hanhai directed.
Su Chen changed into the white lab coat. The garnt was far from ordinary—the material was light, soft, and comfortable, capable of automatically adjusting to fit his fra.
"It's actually a tiered item..." Su Chen couldn't help but be surprised, running his hand over the work coat he now wore.
【Class Decoding Departnt Senior Work Coat (1st-Tier): Woven from Cloud-Comfort Fabric. Possesses auxiliary functions including dust prevention, self-cleaning, and auto-fitting.】
The legacy of the Class Decoding Departnt was reflected in every minute detail.
"You actually don't need to be in such a rush. Heavenly-Mandated Class Deciphering is rather special. When you'll resonate with the Saint Word Stone is entirely unpredictable—it usually needs intervals of a few days at minimum." Sang Hanhai studied the symbols on the screen with his head down.
"What exactly is Heavenly-Mandated Class Deciphering?" Su Chen couldn't help but ask.
Sang Hanhai lifted his head to glance at him: "The specifics are difficult to spell out clearly. There aren't enough specins to study. Cases like this are very rare."
The less it can be studied, the better. Su Chen's heart relaxed considerably.
"By the way, what profession are you planning to trade for?" Sang Hanhai asked offhandedly. "Last night I did a simple evaluation. Even if it's rely an auxiliary spatial-type, its value isn't low. Given that you're assisting with the decryption, it would be enough to trade for a 3rd or 4th-tier profession."
"If you're having trouble deciding, you could tell your current professions and I'll give you so reference."
Su Chen's heart stirred. The Gale Hunter's advanced profession was 【Hurricane Warrior】—only a mid-grade 3rd-tier. Su Chen had already eliminated it from consideration.
On the other hand, the 【Mystic Scholar's】 advanced profession, 【Mystic Weaver】, remained an upper-grade 3rd-tier. He could proceed step by step.
He also had a unit of 【Low-Tier Evil God Power】 on hand, but if he could save himself trouble and effort, all the better.
"If it's compatible with the Gale Hunter, it should definitely also be compatible with the Wind and Thunder Adept. Might as well have this expert help think it through..." Su Chen's mind stirred. Xia Hanshi had also ntioned this matter—upon returning, he'd help him find soone to study it.
Professional path compatibility and class transitions were a complex discipline in their own right.
"My current profession is the upper-grade 2nd-tier Gale Hunter..." Su Chen said. "It emphasizes speed and power... along with wind elents..."
"I know this profession..." Sang Hanhai didn't even lift his head. "It's a profession with broad requirents and high adaptability. Many lower-tier cities have it."
"Hurricane Warrior is only mid-grade 3rd-tier. For you, that's indeed not quite sufficient... hmm..." He deliberated briefly: "There are two options—Keen Wind Golden Blade, and Gale and Swift Thunder Adept. Both are upper-grade 3rd-tier..."
"The forr pairs with tal elents focusing on sustained damage output. The latter pairs with lightning elents and is renowned for its explosive power. Both are excellent."
Sang Hanhai quickly presented two choices, then imdiately added: "However, since you're transitioning from Gale Hunter, your 1st-tier profession should be Gale Walker. The tricky part is that you have no affinity for tal or lightning elents."
"To transition, you'd first need to integrate their respective 1st-tier professions and develop them to 100%."
This was Su Chen's first ti learning about the complications of class transitions. He couldn't help asking several follow-up questions.
Sang Hanhai was exasperated: "Do the lower-tier cities no longer teach this kind of knowledge?"
Su Chen's expression faltered slightly. All told, he'd only spent a little over a month at the academy. Whether they taught it or not, he honestly had no idea.
Sang Hanhai didn't press further, but explained: "The lower the tier, the simpler the integration. The higher the tier, the more troubleso."
"For example, the Gale Hunter is purely wind elental—it can't even satisfy the basic advancent requirents of those two professions, let alone talk of advancing."
"This is also the advantage of top-tier professions. So upper-grade 2nd-tier professions naturally possess dual elents, making integration simple."
"In that case..." Su Chen couldn't help asking: "Is there such a thing as a top-grade 3rd-tier?"
The mont these words left his mouth, the other staff mbers in the lab couldn't help looking over, displaying indescribable expressions.
"Haha..." Sang Hanhai chuckled and shook his head. "You'd best not even think about it. At the top-grade 3rd-tier level, the requirents are no longer sothing you can et through sheer effort. So even require specific training from childhood—not a single step can be wrong."
Su Chen grinned and didn't press further.
Sang Hanhai then added: "However, both professions I ntioned exist within the Adjudication Court. You're Xia Hanshi's student, a double Red Gold—becoming an Inner Court Seed shouldn't be difficult. You'll get one choice selection opportunity. No need to waste it here."
"You can also save that opportunity. If you feel deficient in so area later on, it won't be too late to use it then."
"I've heard that your Class Decoding Departnt has a profession called 【Saint】?" Su Chen inquired tentatively.
Sang Hanhai's hands froze. His brow furrowed as he lifted his head to look at Su Chen. "Did Xia Hanshi put you up to this?"
"Don't even think about this profession. It's been sealed and cannot be advanced into." Sang Hanhai spoke with absolute finality, then shifted to grumbling: "That old bastard Xia Hanshi—his scheming heart never dies."
Sang Hanhai appeared quite annoyed. Su Chen wanted to ask more but couldn't, hastily smoothing things over: "It wasn't Teacher who told to ask. I rely heard him ntion it once and felt curious."
"Sigh... sigh..."
Su Chen's expression shifted. "I feel the Saint Word Stone calling to again."
Sang Hanhai couldn't help but laugh. "Enough—your acting is too crude."
"No, Elder Sang... I truly have a feeling..." Su Chen's brows were tightly knit as he approached the Saint Word Stone, murmuring softly: "...2nd-tier... is it?"
His expression grew animated as he turned around. "Elder Sang, it's 2nd-tier! 2nd-tier... the ntal-Type profession required is 2nd-tier!"
Sang Hanhai's face stiffened slightly as he studied Su Chen with suspicion. The other staff mbers exchanged glances of bewildernt.
They'd worked here for a long ti and had never witnessed anything like this. When had Elder Sang ever decrypted anything without going sleepless, pouring his heart and soul into it?
Was this truly a Heavenly-Mandated Class Decoder? This outrageously powerful?
"2nd-tier—you're not trying to pull one over on , are you?" Sang Hanhai rose to his feet and walked to the Saint Word Stone.
"How could I possibly..." Su Chen wore a solemn expression. Sang Hanhai proceeded with verification.
Drawing the target before firing the arrow made the process far simpler. In just over thirty minutes, Sang Hanhai verified the result, staring at Su Chen as though he'd seen a ghost: "It really is 2nd-tier. This..."
"What's wrong?" Seeing his brows tightly furrowed, Su Chen couldn't help feeling a pang of guilt.
"The last Heavenly-Mandated Class Decoder I encountered was rather different from you," Sang Hanhai observed.
"How so?" Su Chen's heart skipped a beat.
Sang Hanhai deliberated for a very long ti before saying: "I've forgotten."
Su Chen was speechless. The other staff mbers, their faces full of anticipation, also lowered their heads.
Sang Hanhai explained helplessly: "That was decades ago. I was still an apprentice back then."
"Still, deciphering it sooner isn't a bad thing."
Su Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Having revealed one data point—"2nd-tier"—he said no more, simply chatting with Sang Hanhai to build rapport.
They even had lunch together, and Su Chen didn't leave until mid-afternoon.
Learning that Su Chen had a dinner engagent that evening, Sang Hanhai specifically sent soone to drop him off at the location.
"Gale and Swift Thunder Adept..."
Sitting in the back seat, Su Chen mulled it over. His 【Wind and Thunder Adept】 prerequisite profession should be highly compatible with it.
"I can only obtain it after entering the Adjudication Court, so there's no rush. My developnt progress is barely at the halfway mark anyway."
The gathering venue wasn't nearby. Called Baisheng Tower, it looked reasonably luxurious from the outside, with a steady flow of people.
Su Chen saw the driver off, glanced at his virtual screen, and muttered: "Room 1406..."
Led by a waiter, he arrived at the private room. Quite a few people were already there—Du Yu and the others, plus students from Nanfeng Academy.
The conversation noticeably quieted upon his arrival.
"Brother Su, you're finally here! Sit, sit..." Du Yu rose and greeted him warmly.
Seated in the main position was Zhang Yunqing, wearing a pair of silver earrings, dressed sharply and efficiently.
She was the organizer of this gathering as well. Seeing Su Chen made her sowhat uncomfortable, but she still stood to offer her seat.
Su Chen waved it off and casually sat down beside Du Yu, quietly listening to the group's discussion.
"...The Engraving Division's standards have risen considerably this year. The completion rate for basic-level engraving within thirty minutes needs to be above 90%. I feel like it's going to be tough..."
"Tell about it... The Crafting Departnt is the sa. The material properties knowledge requirent needs to be above 70% comprehension. The difficulty's gone up significantly."
"These past few years, recruitnt standards at Yingfeng's major institutions keep rising. It's probably because more and more people from lower-tier cities keep coming..."
The group sighed and groaned. Being able to reach Yingfeng didn't an being able to stay in Yingfeng.
To prevent lower-tier cities from wasting excessive resources, all of Yingfeng's major institutions scheduled their recruitnt within the sa month.
Having arrived early, they could at least gather intelligence in advance, but the mood wasn't exactly jubilant.
"The Crafting Departnt?" Su Chen's interest was piqued upon hearing this. "Is that where weapons are forged?"
The speaker was a student from Nanfeng Academy—Jiang Xi. Although two years Su Chen's senior, seeing the other's gaze turn toward him still made him sowhat flustered, along with a tiny trace of feeling honored.
"Yes, yes... It falls under the Resources Division. Its primary function is researching and forging weapons," he explained.
"Can they upgrade weapons? For instance, elevating a 1st-tier weapon to 2nd-tier?" Su Chen asked. As his tiers rose, the Secret Artifacts he currently wielded would inevitably fail to keep pace with his growth trajectory.
But he couldn't swap out the Secret Artifacts he'd already bonded with—he could only find ways to upgrade them.
"Upgrade?" The student hesitated, then said awkwardly: "I haven't gotten in yet, so there are things I don't know either."
"Then I wish you success in being selected." Su Chen raised his glass in a toast. The other fumbled to raise his own glass and drained it in one gulp.
"Brother Su, how co you're staying so far away? All the way up in the north district?" Du Yu exclaid in surprise.
He'd asked about Su Chen's lodging, hoping to deepen their friendship, but the two were so far apart that just making a one-way trip would take the better part of a day.
"It's close to the Class Decoding Departnt..." Su Chen replied casually.
"The... Class... Decoding... Departnt?" Du Yu's expression shifted dramatically. He couldn't help but say: "You can get in and out of the Class Decoding Departnt?"
The dinner-table discussion gradually died down as everyone's gazes turned toward him. Even after only one day, the group had already developed a general understanding of Yingfeng.
They naturally knew of the transcendent entity that was the Class Decoding Departnt—the source of virtually all professions in Yingfeng.
Zhang Yunqing couldn't help but look over as well, her eyes rippling with indescribable waves.
The Class Decoding Departnt... Su Chen had rely followed Yang Yan to deliver the Saint Word Stone. How had it beco "getting in and out of the Class Decoding Departnt"?
Su Chen only then realized the misunderstanding and explained: "I'm just helping out temporarily. I'm not an official mber."
"Temporarily is more than enough." Du Yu was deeply envious. The expressions around the table were complex—bitter and hard to voice, yet no one dared show it openly.
"Sister Yunqing, is it true there's an Ink Jade talent holder in this year's Adjudication Court assessnt?" soone asked.
All eyes turned to Zhang Yunqing. She nodded with slight hesitation: "Correct. This person's identity is confidential. I don't know much, but such a person does indeed exist. They've already been taken under the wing of the Fourth Chief Inquisitor."
Zhang Yunqing then said gently: "Regardless, I wish everyone success in remaining in Yingfeng."
Everyone raised their glasses. Amid the clinking collisions, only anticipation remained.
After several rounds of drinks, Du Yu murmured quietly: "Old Su, I heard that Jiang He has co here too."
"Jiang He?" Su Chen was taken aback, looking over instinctively. If Du Yu hadn't ntioned her, he'd nearly forgotten the woman entirely.
"Yeah. My cousin told . She arrived even earlier than us. The Jiang family has so influence in Yingfeng as well." Du Yu explained.
Su Chen was mildly surprised, thinking of Jiang Rong—the Research Departnt head with a remarkably low profile back in Nanfeng. He couldn't help but sigh: "Truly an old fox..."
But he didn't dwell on it. With their fill of food and drink, everyone departed separately.
Su Chen was about to leave as well, but Zhang Yunqing called out to stop him.
"Wait a mont..." Zhang Yunqing stood in crystal-heeled shoes that brought her just to Su Chen's chin level. Her expression was awkward—she simply couldn't bring herself to utter the words "Martial Uncle."
"Soone's looking for you. Gu Bing contacted to get your location. They'll be here shortly."
"Who?" Su Chen couldn't help being curious, but Zhang Yunqing had no answer either.
He didn't have to wait long. A black hovercar descended from the sky and landed by the roadside. A young man stepped out, head still bowed as he swiped through a virtual screen, wearing fatigue on his face.
Sothing must have happened—he seed to mutter a few curses before finally closing the virtual screen.
Looking up, he quickly locked onto Su Chen. A trace of excitent finally broke across his face. "Junior Brother!"
He called out.
Su Chen understood imdiately—one of Old Xia's students.
"Junior Brother..." The newcor walked up, sizing Su Chen up and down before remarking: "Teacher described you perfectly—the most handso one in the crowd, that's him."
Old Xia would say sothing like that? Su Chen's mind conjured up the image of that grim, hawk-eyed old man. Didn't seem likely.
"Senior Brother Bu Siqi—just as Teacher said, a man of striking appearance." Su Chen responded in kind.
Xia Hanshi had told him soone would look after him upon arrival. This must be the person.
Old Xia had quite a few students—he didn't exclusively recruit those of high talent, but also took in so with more modest gifts.
Bu Siqi couldn't help grinning and explained:
"I miscalculated the timing. Thought you wouldn't arrive for another couple of days. Fortunately you didn't end up sleeping in the streets—otherwise when Teacher gets back, he'd definitely chop to pieces."
"Teacher couldn't bear to do that." Su Chen smiled as well.
With a foundation of trust between them, it didn't take long before they were chatting like old friends.
Zhang Yunqing, anwhile, had seen off the last person and said her goodbyes to them both.
"Junior Brother, where are you staying? I'll drive you there." Bu Siqi asked.
"Moyun Viewing Courtyard..." Su Chen gave the location. Bu Siqi blinked. "The one in the north district? How'd you end up staying there?"
"It's convenient for visiting the Class Decoding Departnt..." Su Chen had to explain once more.
"The Class Decoding Departnt?" Bu Siqi's eyes imdiately grew deep and searching. Only after a long pause did he say: "Impressive, Junior Brother."
"Just temporary help."
He started the hovercar and rged into the upper traffic lane. Hearing this, he laughed despite himself: "How many people wish they could help but never get the chance?"
The two chatted casually. Su Chen gradually learned more about his new companion. Bu Siqi possessed only Brilliant Silver talent. However, he was the son of Xia Hanshi's old friend. His father had already passed away.
"The assessnt is roughly twenty-so days away. With your talent, becoming an Inner Court Seed shouldn't be a problem." Bu Siqi turned to business. "But there are things you need to watch out for."
"The Fourth Chief Inquisitor—Wei Yinshuo. That Zhou Xian was his grand-disciple. He'd been funneling considerable benefits this way every year. Lately, he's been extrely displeased with Teacher."
The Fourth Chief Inquisitor... Wei Yinshuo... Su Chen frowned. The guy who'd taken in the Ink Jade talent holder?
"This year, he's also the lead examiner. He may try to trip you up."
Su Chen shook his head: "Zhou Xian colluded with the Evil God Cults. Why would he hold a grudge against Teacher?"
"Precisely because Zhou Xian colluded with the Evil God Cults—it implicated him to so degree. Add on so prior grievances, and naturally the resentnt falls on Teacher's head." Bu Siqi said helplessly.
Seeing Su Chen fall silent, Bu Siqi added: "There's no need to worry too much. As long as Teacher makes it back before the assessnt, Wei Yinshuo can only swallow his frustration."
"He took on a student with Ink Jade talent?" Su Chen asked.
Bu Siqi's expression shifted through several changes. After a long while, a bitter smile erged: "Indeed. Who knows where that old bastard found such extraordinary luck. Ink Jade talent..."
Seeing Su Chen sink into silence, Bu Siqi wanted to offer words of comfort—sothing about character, hard work, and the like.
But for so reason, the words died on his lips, his enthusiasm deflated.
That old bastard had a successor now, but as for their Teacher...
He glanced at Su Chen. Double Red Gold—a notch below Ink Jade, yet not entirely without hope of catching up.
(End of Chapter)
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