Absolute Death Game
Chapter 60 The Temptation of Four Advanced Professions (Revised)

Meditation is a very affordable skill, costing only 20 Contribution Points, and Rune Crafting isn't much more at just 10 Contribution Points. Xiao Buli earned enough Contribution Points to learn these two spells in just two days.

However, while researching the skills available for exchange, Xiao Buli discovered a spell that looked somewhat familiar to him.

Ten Thousand Swords Art (5 seconds casting—guidance required): Use spiritual power to conjure 45 (Spiritual Power x3) Shadow Transformation Flying Swords to attack enemies within a fixed range, each flying sword dealing 10% of the base weapon damage, consuming 30 Spiritual Power Value.

Exchange requirements: 120 Contribution Points, Taoist Heart LV1, Sword Control Heart Method LV3.

Although the requirement for Taoist Heart was only LV1, the spell was marked as non-exchangeable. Xiao Buli read further and realized there was another prerequisite skill required.

Xiao Buli then asked Xuanxu Zi, "Master, how can I learn the Sword Control Heart Method?"

Xuanxu Zi said, "The Sword Control Heart Method is an exclusive skill of the Sword Control Master. Unless you change your profession to a Sword Control Master, you cannot learn it."

"Sword Control Master? What kind of profession is that? Could it be an advanced profession of the Taoist?"

Xuanxu Zi smiled and nodded. "Exactly, that's correct."

"But what are the conditions for advancing to a Sword Control Master, and are there other professions that can be advanced as well?"

"The requirements to advance to a Sword Control Master are extremely high. As for other professions—well, since you wish to know, I might as well tell you. The Taoist is a very common base profession available for conversion in many places, but the advanced professions that Taoists from different sects can become are each unique.

There are only four advanced professions available in Mystic Hollow Palace, and the requirements for each are not what one would call easy. The four professions are Cursed Swordsman, Sword Control Master, Immortal Skill Master, and God Descending Envoy. As for the abilities and advancement requirements of these four professions, you just need to look at the painting behind me."

Xiao Buli looked behind Xuanxu Zi and saw indeed a landscape painting on the screen. It bore four lines of verse.

In the left hand the Pure Yang Sword, in the right the thunder's light.

With a gesture summon storm and rain, with a wave the sun shines bright.

Ride the wind across all seas, sword control roams through desolate sights.

At a flick shock heaven and earth, with a turn set yin and yang right.

Though the poem wasn't particularly good, its tone was extremely arrogant. Who had written it, Xiao Buli didn't know. Xuanxu Zi casually pointed at it, and the lines of the poem separated, with golden text emerging beneath each line.

Xiao Buli looked closely and saw written:

The Cursed Swordsman, so-called 'In the left hand the Pure Yang Sword, in the right the thunder's light.' A miraculous profession that fuses swordsmanship with magic, achieving unity of sword and spell, its power far greater.

Those who master it to its utmost depths can move freely among myriads of people, slaying enemies as easily as mowing grass, beheading generals as simple as reaching into a bag, known as the 'Limitless Sword Saint.'

The Immortal Skill Master, so-called 'With a gesture summon storm and rain, with a wave the sun shines bright.' A miraculous profession capable of commanding the forces of nature.

Once mastered to the utmost depths, one can call the wind and summon rain, bring forth lightning and thunder, even revive the dead and mend bones back to flesh, almost indistinguishable from an Immortal, known as the 'Loose Immortal.'

The Sword Control Master, so-called 'Ride the wind across all seas, sword control roams through desolate sights.' A miraculous profession that seeks enlightenment through swordsmanship.

Once mastered to the utmost depths, one can ride the wind with sword flight, travel thousands of miles in a day, slay an enemy from a thousand miles away, take a person's head in the blink of an eye, known as the 'Sword Immortal.'

The God Descending Envoy, so-called 'At a flick shock heaven and earth, with a turn set yin and yang right.' A miraculous profession that communicates with Ancient Gods, summoning them to temporarily gain a portion of their power. Once mastered to the utmost depths, one can turn heaven and earth upside down, reverse the Qiankun, known as the 'Closest to God.'

Xiao Buli gazed longingly, thinking to himself, my goodness, that's incredible. If I could possess any one of these four abilities, whether in virtual reality or in the wide world, I would have so much freedom. And what could even this so-called Qilin Studio do to control me then!?

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Upon this realization, he subconsciously asked, "However, I wonder how one can advance in these four professions, and what are the requirements?"

With a smile and not a word, Xuanxu Zi pointed casually, and instantly, rows of silver text appeared on the screen behind him.

Cursed Swordsman: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV3, spiritual power 20, any swordsmanship skill LV10, possession of the title Swordsmanship Master.

Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Curse Sword Unity.

Profession Introduction: The Cursed Swordsman is an all-rounder who studies both curse magic and swordsmanship. After prolonged cultivation, they have mastered the magical ability to integrate swordsmanship and curse magic into one. Spell skills can be enhanced up to LV5, and spell skills can be fused with swordsmanship skills to create unique skills exclusive to the Cursed Swordsman.

Immortal Skill Master: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV5, spiritual power 30.

Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Taoist Magic of Nature.

Profession Introduction: Immortal Skill Masters are those who, after long-term dedication to the Tao, have achieved a level of understanding allowing them to control and utilize the forces of nature. Spell skills can be enhanced up to LV10, increasing spell power by twenty percent and halving the required experience points for leveling up spell skills.

Sword Control Master: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV1, one-handed sword specialization LV10, any three sword technique skills LV10, possession of the title Sword Control Grandmaster.

Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Sword Control Heart Method.

Profession Introduction: Sword Control Masters are swordsmanship masters who have comprehended the Tao through their sword arts. Because of their extreme passion for swordsmanship and basic understanding of the Taoist Heart, they have mastered the magical ability to control flying swords with their spiritual power for attack and defense.

However, this specialization leads to a weaker ability to learn ordinary spells, with spell skills only able to be heightened to LV1. They can learn and use Sword Control spells.

God Descending Master: Advancement requirements, Taoist Heart LV10.

Upon advancing, one can learn the core skill: Power of Descending God.

Profession Introduction: God Descending Masters are the purest of hearts in the world, possessing the magical ability to communicate with ancient divine spirits, and can even temporarily borrow a part of their power. Most of the time, they are indistinguishable from regular Taoists, but once in a God Descending state, they possess the power to destroy heavens and earth.

Xiao Buli couldn't help but frown; while the advancement requirements for these four professions were different, none seemed easy to him, especially the last one, the God Descending Master. It might appear the simplest with only needing Taoist Heart LV10, but in reality, it was the most difficult. He didn't even know how to level up the Taoist Heart skill yet.

When he previously asked Xuanxu Zi, Xuanxu Zi told him that the skill Taoist Heart could only be comprehended by oneself and could not be learned through cultivation or teaching. Whether one's skill level could be elevated was entirely down to personal fate and not to be forced.

It was as good as not saying anything. From the advancement conditions of these professions, it was evident that improving Taoist Heart was increasingly challenging at each level, and it wasn't a skill that could be mastered simply through effort. In comparison, sword technique skills were much easier to learn; with enough time and experience, one could eventually achieve them.

Emotionally, Xiao Buli preferred to advance as an Immortal Skill Master. Commanding the wind and summoning rain, animating the dead—these were undoubtedly more practical than Sword Flight, which was merely equivalent to a free flight mount. However, Xiao Buli didn't feel that he had the patience to slowly unravel the mysteries of the Taoist Heart skill.

After all, this world was too dangerous; advancing a day sooner meant gaining greater power a day earlier, being in control of one's destiny a day earlier. If he was given the chance to advance to Sword Control Master or Cursed Swordsman now, Xiao Buli felt it would be hard to resist such temptation.

Thus, he immediately passed over the option of becoming a God Descending Master, and similarly, had half-passed the option of Immortal Skill Master. For the time being, his attention was still focused on the professions of Cursed Swordsman and Sword Control Master. The Cursed Swordsman gave him a vibe similar to the Demon Sword Master in fantasy games, yet different.

As for the Sword Control Master, he had already glimpsed a bit of its prowess from Mystic Hollow Palace's senior brother and realized it was a very powerful ranged and melee physical DPS profession.

It seemed that after going out, the main focus should be on cultivating swordsmanship. As for which profession to transition into, that would depend on which conditions he met first.

If there was an opportunity to advance into an Immortal Skill Master, that would naturally be best, but if the Taoist Heart level was truly insurmountable, then Sword Control Master and Cursed Swordsman were also acceptable choices.

Xiao Buli thought to himself.

In the following days, Xiao Buli refrained from experimenting with spells. Considering that there were cameras everywhere in the studio except for the bathroom, he wasn't sure where he could safely practice spells. He also didn't have talisman paper; although he could ask Qin Shimoon to purchase some, there was a risk of arousing suspicion.

Therefore, he decided to suppress the urge and simply wait until the end of the month to experiment at home.

After completing several more tasks for his sect, the day to set off for Nine Dragons City finally arrived, with just one day left in his one-month period as a beginner.

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