Infinite Professions-Chapter 74 - 4: The Reason

Several days later, the Earth Kingdom.

In the royal palace, within the chamber.

Two people stood side by side, watching the image projected by a spirit crystal in front of them.

"Earth Monarch!"

"Vajra Battle Ape!"

"Wind Thunder Winged Tiger!"

The primordial spirit image was of the great battle in the Wind Thunder Mountain Range a few days ago.

Yinn Nianyun’s beautiful eyes flickered, her expression shifting uncertainly, as she looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure, her emotions mixed: "He... has changed!"

Hex Yanfeng glanced at her, then nodded in agreement: "Indeed, he has changed!"

"..."

Yinn Nianyun fell silent, saying nothing more.

Hex Yanfeng turned his gaze back, looking at the image emitted by the primordial spirit crystal stone: "I’ve heard he hides his identity, taking the name Li Qingshan, secretly managing that Sand Beast Valley in the Wind Thunder Mountain Range, leveraging power to annex various factions. In just over twenty years, he has established a royal foundation."

After speaking, he turned his gaze to Yinn Nianyun: "This is not like him before!"

Yinn Nianyun nodded, looking again at the primordial spirit image: "Twenty years, from his initial situation, he could develop like this, even cultivating three great Monarchs. It seems the rumors are true, he indeed obtained the legacy of an Emperor-level Spirit Master."

"The legacy of an Emperor-level Spirit Master?"

Hex Yanfeng narrowed his eyes, watching the three great Monarchs in the image, and the subsequent display of the Ten Thousand Spirits Armor: "Which Emperor-level Spirit Master, whether it’s his use of spirit control secret techniques, or the spirit beast combat skills those spirit beasts used, or this Spirit Control Armor, all are unheard of.

An Emperor-level Spirit Master cannot be obscure, unless from outside the continent, in the deep sea, but such existences are too few, nearly extinct. How could he obtain such a legacy?

This is all abnormal, every facet, all abnormal!"

Hex Yanfeng narrowed his eyes, a gleam of change flickering within: "Is he really the Taiyi we know?"

"..."

Yinn Nianyun could only remain silent upon hearing this, and after a long time, she looked up tentatively at him: "What do you plan to do?"

"I plan to do nothing."

Hex Yanfeng gave her a gentle smile: "We are not enemies with him. He might resent me, but I won’t hate him for it, nor will I use the kingdom’s power to trouble him."

Hearing his words, Yinn Nianyun also smiled, resting her head gently on his shoulder: "Thank you!"

"Is there a need to say such things between us?"

Hex Yanfeng shook his head, wrapping his arm around her waist, then turned to look at the final segment of the primordial spirit image: "I won’t be his enemy, but I cannot guarantee others won’t do so. His actions back then were... truly too aggressive.

If he had just disappeared, then it would be fine, but now he’s back on the scene, although his methods have changed a bit, he is still himself. Judging from the performance in Sand Beast Valley, his essence has not changed.

The major Royal families, and the enemies he made in the Holy City back then, do not wish to see him regain power.

And his threat, far surpasses that of the past. Even without the Ancient Dragon King, he can still defeat Dongfang Bai and the Earth Dragon Beast with a single strike, not even the Earth Guardian can withstand his attacks.

Moreover, the development of Sand Beast Valley also showcases his ability to manage. He is no longer the impulsive and reckless Hero of Destiny from those days. He understands patience, he understands development, and he possesses strong and unknown power.

Those few major Royal Families and the enemies he made will not allow him to grow and become powerful."

Hex Yanfeng turned his gaze solemnly towards Yinn Nianyun: "Perhaps you could write him a letter, advising him to leave the Wind Thunder Mountain Range. Those few great Monarchs and even the Emperor will soon trouble him."

Yinn Nianyun shook her head, smiling bitterly, not responding to this suggestion, but instead changing the topic: "Yanfeng, if you were him, under the same conditions, would you choose to battle Dongfang Bai?"

"This..."

The question plunged Hex Yanfeng into silence, and after a long time, he shook his head and said: "No, I would temporarily retreat, even accept the Wind Thunder Kingdom’s appointment, lurking under their command, perhaps even using their power to develop my own strength, until I become an Emperor-level Spirit Master.

Even if this battle could not be avoided, I wouldn’t be so overt. I could easily hide my true identity, acting under the guise of a regular Monarch or an unparalleled genius, so that even if I defeated Dongfang Bai, it would only attract the Dongfang Clan, not provoke other enemies."

"Exactly!"

Yinn Nianyun nodded, looking at the now-ended primordial spirit image: "But he chose to be so overt, revealing his identity in public, defeating Dongfang Bai step by step. Why is that?"

"This..."

Hex Yanfeng furrowed his brow, hesitating for a long while before saying: "Because he is Li Taiyi."

"No!"

Yinn Nianyun shook her head, saying gravely: "If he were the Li Taiyi we knew, he wouldn’t have done it this way from the start, nor would he have arranged everything step by step."

"Arranged everything?"

Hex Yanfeng’s gaze sharpened, looking at her with astonishment: "It was all his arrangement?"

"What else?"

Yinn Nianyun gave a bitter smile: "If he didn’t want to expose his identity, there were many ways, like you said, he could pretend to comply, join the Wind Thunder Kingdom, or change his appearance, defeat Dongfang Bai as Li Qingshan, these could all avoid exposure.

But he didn’t do that, instead he openly declared his identity, arranging this beast duel, confronting Dongfang Bai time and again, first showcasing the three King Species spirit beasts, then defeating Dongfang Bai and the Earth Dragon Beast with that unknown power.

From this, you can see, his target wasn’t just Dongfang Bai, or rather, it wasn’t only Dongfang Bai. Otherwise, with his power, he could have struck like thunder, slaying Dongfang Bai with one blow, without needing so many rounds."

Yinn Nianyun took a deep breath, summarizing: "This was all his arrangement, he wants to showcase his strength through Dongfang Bai."

"This..."

Hex Yanfeng furrowed his brow: "Why does he want to do this?"

"Intimidation!"

Yinn Nianyun’s words sank: "He wants to use this strength, this potential, to intimidate those Royal families and the Emperor-level Spirit Masters behind them, to win time and space for the development of his Sand Beast Valley."

"Intimidation?"

Hex Yanfeng was puzzled: "Even if he defeated Dongfang Bai, he’s still just a Spirit-level Spirit Master, even if his combat strength is comparable to a Monarch, he can’t defeat those few major families, let alone the Emperor-level Spirit Masters backing them. What does he have to intimidate them with?"

Yinn Nianyun shook her head: "Why are Lord-level Spirit Masters called Monarchs?"

"This..."

Hex Yanfeng furrowed his brow: "Because a Lord-level Spirit Master already has the power to establish a kingdom, even the Three Great Kingdoms of Earth, Sky, and Water must acknowledge it, because if a Monarch sheds their identity... Are you saying!?"

Midway through speaking, he suddenly realized, looking at Yinn Nianyun with shock.

"Exactly!"

Yinn Nianyun nodded: "Through the battle with Dongfang Bai, he demonstrated his strength, fully reaching a Tier Five Monarch. If those families want revenge, want to destroy his Sand Beast Valley, they must bear the retaliation of a Tier Five Monarch dividing himself into parts, fighting to the bitter end.

That’s the first deterrent. The second deterrent is his growth potential. Defeating Dongfang Bai and the Earth Dragon Beast head-on, he will inevitably become an Emperor-level Spirit Master in the future, one capable of defeating the Celestial Destiny Emperor. In the absence of a guaranteed lethal strike, who dares to be at odds with such a person to the bitter end?"

"This..."

Hex Yanfeng’s gaze sharpened: "Are you saying those few great royal families, even the Emperor-level Spirit Masters backing them, will be intimidated by him like this?"

"Merely this, perhaps not!"

Yinn Nianyun shook her head: "But he’s done something else."

"What thing?"

Hex Yanfeng asked tensely.

"Dongfang Bai!"

Yinn Nianyun’s eyes were deep: "Why didn’t he kill Dongfang Bai? Is it really because he recalls past ties, or fears the Dongfang Clan’s revenge?"

"..."

Hex Yanfeng fell into silence.

Yinn Nianyun took a deep breath and continued: "No, he didn’t kill Dongfang Bai to tell the world that he has changed, he’s no longer so aggressive, no longer reckless, no longer stubbornly traditional. He has learned to consider consequences, can negotiate, can compromise.

This way, it gives those people an illusion, an illusion they can sit down and talk with him, even handshake and reconcile.

But, will he really reconcile with those people?"

Yinn Nianyun turned to look at the shocked Hex Yanfeng, speaking in a tone she had never used before: "He’s changed, becoming so unfamiliar, so terrifying. Is he really the Li Taiyi we knew?"

"..."

For a moment, within the chamber, there was a deathly silence.