Infinite Professions-Chapter 110 - 34: The New Calendar

Nine hundred years later.

Xinluo City, White Stone Town.

"I’m going to school!"

"Be careful on the road."

"Today’s the day to choose your graduation spirit beast, right? Keep your eyes sharp and pick a good one!"

"Don’t worry, Dad!"

Amid his parents’ reminders, Li Zhi excitedly left home.

Although it’s just a remote town and not a modern metropolis, the streets are still bustling with traffic, and spirit lights soar through the air as countless Spirit Control Masters travel to and fro.

The roadsides are dotted with shops advertising various slogans and screens broadcasting continuously.

"Wind Spirit Armor, carefully selected, unmatched speed, your best choice for travel, the number one source of speed and excitement!"

"Twin Sand Boar Feed, tasty and healthier, twin-feed to better raise Sand Beasts!"

"Spirit Beast Pharmacy, member day every Wednesday, lower-grade potions at a 40% discount, mid-level potions at a 30% discount, new upper-level Spirit Pill on sale for a limited time for 29,999 low-grade crystal coins, buy quickly!"

"Divine Martial Dragon Tiger Body-Refining Liquid, new formula, more effective, the top choice for Martial Dao body refining, with Divine Martial Dragon Tiger Body-Refining Liquid, no more fear of Martial Dao assessments!"

"White Stone Town Spirit Beast Home grand opening, spirit beast feed, spirit beast potions, Spirit Control Armor, and Martial Arts Techniques, all available. Grand opening discount, all items at 20% off, all at 20% off!"

"The 9th National Spirit Control Tournament finals will grandly open in the Spirit Control City in the Celestial Martial Calendar 899!"

"Latest battle report from the Spirit Control segmented competition, the tenth ranked Lord-level contest sees the challenger, Dragon Tiger Grandmaster Guo Feng, who has recently won nineteen consecutive victories, facing off against arena leader Lin Jinglong and his partner Battle Tyrant Dragon. Can they successfully defend their position? Let’s wait and see!"

"According to the latest report from the Ocean Department, several new islands and three types of new spirit beasts have been discovered in the depths of the West Sea, along with various new spiritual objects."

"Protect nature, care for spirit beasts, everyone’s responsibility!"

"Our city recently cracked an illegal spirit beast trafficking case, dismantling the illegal poaching group and capturing thirteen Evil Dao Spirit Control Masters..."

Seeing the streets full of advertisements and news, Li Zhi shook his head and boarded the bus to school.

Soon, he arrived at White Stone Town Middle School,

Class 105’s classroom was, as usual, noisy.

"You’re here?"

"Yeah!"

Li Zhi found his seat as his close friend Wu Gang came over: "Today’s the day to choose your graduation spirit beast, have you decided what to choose?"

"Nah, it doesn’t really matter what you pick from the regular stuff!"

Hearing this, Li Zhi was about to speak when Zhang Hao from the front seat turned around: "The spirit beasts distributed by the school are always the same, Sand Beast, Pheasant Feather Chicken, Green-headed Duck, plus a Little Dragon Carp. Although they cover land, air, and water, they are all ordinary species and at most elite species, pretty much the same, if you want good stuff, you have to buy it yourself."

"Give me a break!"

Wu Gang directly gave him a disdainful look: "What more do you want from something given for free? An elite species or perhaps a Spirit Lord species? You can’t be too greedy."

"Elite species are already quite good."

Li Zhi agreed, saying, "Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors had to join the army just to have an elite species, and now, when we graduate from junior high school, we’re given an elite species for free, what is there to complain about?"

"Exactly!"

Wu Gang turned back: "Ignore that annoying rich kid, let’s discuss what spirit beast to choose. I prefer the Green-headed Duck, it can evolve into a rideable flying spirit beast at Tier Two, which would make traveling so convenient."

"Pheasant Feather Chicken is also nice!"

A female classmate chimed in: "Although the chance of evolving into a flying spirit beast is lower than the Green-headed Duck, as a fire element spirit beast, its combat power is the strongest, many Spirit Control Masters take it as their main battle spirit beast."

"I think Little Dragon Carp is better, we are in the era of great maritime navigation, the sailing industry is quite prosperous, and sea spirit beasts are highly sought after, choosing Little Dragon Carp is like choosing a good job."

"Then why not choose Sand Beast, the construction industry is also thriving!"

"No way, I don’t want to be a civil dog!"

"Little Dragon Carp is worse than Sand Beast. Sand Beast can advance just by eating, as long as the feed is sufficient, advancing to Tier Three is basically no problem; whereas Little Dragon Carp, just because it has a dragon character, is claimed to have dragon race bloodline, but advancing is extremely difficult!"

"Unless your family has resources to help dragon race spirit beasts advance, otherwise, definitely don’t choose this pitfall."

"Exactly, I’d rather contract an ordinary species of spirit fish than get tangled with this pit."

"Since it’s such a pitfall, why does the school include it as one of the four graduation spirit beasts?"

"That’s the wide net strategy, collecting more fish, selecting the best, after all, it’s said to have dragon race bloodlines, though slow to advance and difficult to nurture, you never know, maybe someone can nurture it well, even one good out of a thousand is still good!"

"..."

Everyone joined in, discussing, soon diverging from the topic.

Then the class bell rang, everyone still a bit excited and restless until an elder walked into the classroom.

"Of the whole grade, your class is the nosiest, not graduated yet, trying to turn the world upside down?"

Hearing the elder’s scolding, everyone quickly closed their mouths, sitting upright.

"That’s better!"

The elder’s face revealed a slight, nearly imperceptible smile before picking up the textbook again: "Now I will give you your last history lesson, which is also a summary of all history lessons. Does anyone know what calendar we currently use?"

"Li Zhi, you answer!"

"Yes!"

Li Zhi stood up: "We are currently using the Celestial Martial Calendar!"

"Why is it the Celestial Martial Calendar?"

"It’s to commemorate the establishment of the Celestial Destiny Spirit Master and Martial Country, hence it’s called the Celestial Martial Calendar."

"And what calendar was used before the Celestial Martial Calendar?"

"It was the Spirit Calendar, used from the appearance of Spirit Control Masters until the unification of the Spirit Control Continent by humans, covering thirteen thousand two hundred and forty-two years. After the Martial Ancestor defeated the Pseudo-Celestial Mandate and led Martial Country to unify the Spirit Control Continent, it was replaced by the Celestial Martial Calendar, which has been in use for nine hundred and ninety-eight years now!"

"Correct!"

Seeing Li Zhi answer fluently, the elder nodded with satisfaction and then began narrating that well-known history.

"In the 13220th year of the Spirit Calendar, the Earth, Sky, and Water Three Kingdoms of the Spirit Control Continent, along with the old aristocratic forces, formed an alliance and encircled Martial Country from three sides. That so-called Spirit Control City even deceitfully created the nine Pseudo-Celestial Mandates."

"Our ancestor of Martial Country, with a single blade, went into the enemy camp alone, confronting the nine Pseudo-Celestial Mandates and seventeen Emperor Spirits head-on..."

"Ultimately, with the Martial Ancestor’s wisdom and the efforts of our people of Martial Country, the Power of Destiny returned to the Orthodox Dao. The Martial Ancestor single-handedly suppressed the nine false mandates and seventeen Evil Spirits, and even advanced toward that so-called Spirit Control City to suppress the Dark Demon King Beast it released."

"From then on, the Spirit Control Continent was unified, entering the era of the Celestial Martial Era!"

Though it was a familiar old history, the elder’s eloquent narration kept everyone engrossed.

"Now, over nine hundred years have passed. The Martial Ancestor has passed away, but neither destiny nor darkness has disappeared. Our Human Race and all creatures on the Spirit Control Continent still bear the burden of darkness and destiny as we continue forward."

"If we err in our ways and stray onto the wrong path, the power of darkness will surge, and then the Spirit Control Continent, and even the entire world, will fall into darkness and despair."

"Furthermore, those old nobles who fled overseas, and some ambitious individuals unwilling to remain quiet, are also eyeing the Spirit Control Continent and our Martial Country."

"Students, you are the new rising sun, the future hope of the country. You must inherit the Martial Ancestor’s legacy, defend Martial Country, defend the Spirit Control Continent, and protect our world."

The elder’s stirring words fired up the young audience, filling them with longing.

Then he lowered his gaze: "Now you are about to graduate, leave the middle school gates, and step into higher realms. So, I want to ask you about your ideals and plans for the future?"

"Me, me, me!"

After hearing this, everyone eagerly raised their hands.

"Alright, alright!"

The elder nodded and looked at Li Zhi: "Li Zhi, you go first!"

"Yes!"

Li Zhi stood up: "I want to become the champion of the Spirit Control Championship, even the most outstanding Spirit Control Master on the entire Spirit Control Continent."

"Hmm!"

"Whoa!"

His grand ambition drew inevitable gasps from those around him.

Only the elder smiled: "I believe in Li Zhi’s courage, and I am certain his presence will be seen in the Spirit Control Championship in the future. Now, let us hear from the next student. What are your aspirations?"

"I want to become the king of the Sand Beasts!"

"I will become an Emperor-level Spirit Master!"

"I want to raise a Dragon Beast, ride it to explore the seas, and become the Sailing King of the Spirit Control Continent!"

"Tone it down, you Second-Rate Ape!"

"..."

After a round of sharing, the classroom atmosphere grew even more heated.

Li Zhi raised his hand again, looking eagerly at the elder.

"Li Zhi."

The elder did not disappoint him: "Do you have something else you’d like to say?"

"Yes!"

Li Zhi stood up, a spark in his eyes: "Teacher, I want to know if the legend of the nine Celestial Destiny Sacred Beasts is true. If I become the champion of the Spirit Control Championship, is there really hope to contract those nine Celestial Destiny Sacred Beasts?"

"The nine Celestial Destiny Sacred Beasts, huh?"

The elder murmured with a mysterious smile appearing on his face, then answered: "That’s a question even I cannot answer, but Li Zhi, you can find the answer yourself. On the day you become the champion of the Spirit Control Championship, you should know."

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi was not disappointed, but merely cast his gaze outside: "The Spirit Control Championship, I surely will!"

"..."

"Alright, next, it’s time to select your graduation Spirit Beasts. Please gather on the playground to choose your graduation Spirit Beasts. I hope you all make good use of the knowledge from the "Beast Taming Scripture"; there might be some unexpected surprises!"