Infinite Professions from a Pearl Collector
Chapter 4 - 2: Boat of the Other Shore

Chapter 4: Chapter 2: Boat of the Other Shore

As Chen Ye walked along the town’s muddy streets, he found the sights deeply disturbing.

Women stood by the roadside, their eyes numb, like soulless puppets staring blankly at the passersby.

Judging from their complexions and the occasional glimpses of their bearing, these women had likely once been pampered young ladies from wealthy families.

But now, regardless of whether they were of imperial lineage or noble birth, they all had to submit to this cruel reality.

Especially in a place like Black Water Lake, the fate of women was often even more tragic.

Men could at least enter the water for Pearl Collection. Even though the job could cost them their lives at any moment, it at least allowed them to temporarily fill their stomachs.

But it was different for these women. With their frail constitutions, they simply couldn’t withstand the cold Yin Qi of Black Water Lake and could only survive by doing odd jobs.

But how many jobs could there be in a small town? With too many people and too little work, most women were eventually left with only one option: selling their bodies.

Of course, some women, unwilling to endure such humiliation, chose to end their own lives.

But in this place, not even death was an escape. Their bodies would also be dragged away to be used as fertilizer for flowers.

Chen Ye walked on with his head down. As he passed through the street, the women suddenly seemed to come to life, doing their utmost to display their figures while forcing smiles onto their faces, trying to solicit his business.

"Young master, care for some fun? It’s very cheap!"

"Hey, mister, I’ll be yours for just one steamed bun."

Chen Ye turned a deaf ear to their calls, kept his eyes fixed forward, and quickened his pace to leave the area.

After he left, the women, as if accustomed to it, returned to their spots on both sides of the street and resumed their dazed staring.

Chen Ye was no saint, but he had absolutely no interest in such carnal matters right now.

’Surviving is the most important thing right now. I can’t afford to worry about anything else.’

Soon, he arrived at his new residence.

As a Fourth-level Sinner, the lodging he received was a significant improvement over his previous dilapidated shack. Though still simple, at least the roof didn’t leak, the walls had no large holes, and there was even a relatively decent bed.

Chen Ye closed the door and started a fire to cook.

A small handful of polished rice was cooked into a thin porridge, wheat cakes were toasted golden-brown over the fire, and a few paper-thin slices of cured meat sizzled under the Flame’s heat, releasing an enticing aroma.

Chen Ye wolfed down his food. The moment it hit his stomach, it was digested and absorbed, transforming into precious nutrients that nourished his depleted body.

This was his Cow and Horse Body Talent at work.

This Talent allowed him to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from food; even coarse grains could be converted into Energy to nourish his body.

Chen Ye even suspected that once his Level increased, he might actually be able to survive just by eating grass, like a cow or a horse.

After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Ye began to plan his actions for the next day.

Previously, to avoid danger and unnecessary attention, Chen Ye had always operated in the outer areas of the Pearl Collection zone. Although the Core Area produced the highest quality Spirit Pearls, he had never once gone there.

But now, after seeing that Ninth Grade Spirit Pearl at the docks, the craving in Chen Ye’s heart was irrepressible.

Moreover, he had already attracted the attention and covetous gazes of Zhao Qiu and his men. The priority now was to increase his strength as quickly as possible, not continue to hide his capabilities.

With that in mind, Chen Ye immediately began to prepare what he would need for the next day.

There wasn’t much to prepare, really. Besides the necessary clothing, the only thing of note was a dagger.

Chen Ye had traded two days’ worth of rations for it from a newly arrived Sinner. The dagger was ornate, its hilt even inlaid with many jewels, but Chen Ye had pried them all off.

Other than being uncomfortable to hold and likely to attract attention, the damn things were useless.

In this town, the only things that served as currency were food, supplies, and Gold. Other things, like jewels, were practically worthless.

The material of the dagger itself, however, was excellent, and it was very sharp.

Chen Ye packed it away, then placed a full basin of water behind the door and in front of the window. That way, if anyone tried to sneak in, he would be awakened immediately.

After preparing everything, Chen Ye fell straight to sleep.

His sleep quality was now surprisingly good, likely thanks to his Cow and Horse Body. He didn’t even dream anymore, sleeping soundly until he woke up naturally.

The sky outside was still dark when Chen Ye got up and began to brew ginger soup.

This was an essential item for a Pearl Collector, helping to dispel the cold from the body after being in the water.

Once it was ready, Chen Ye poured it into a wooden bucket, gathered his things, and headed for the docks.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when he reached the docks. Many people were already lined up to receive their day’s supply of Exorcism Talismans and a Spiritual Shovel.

Chen Ye went to collect his share as well and then prepared to board his boat.

Just then, he noticed three men standing on a distant boat—it was Zhao Qiu and the two who had followed him yesterday.

The three of them seemed to be discussing something, glancing in his direction from time to time.

Chen Ye’s heart sank slightly. He immediately lowered his head, boarded his boat, and quickly rowed away from the docks.

Although he didn’t know what Zhao Qiu and his men were discussing, he knew that trouble had arrived.

By the time Chen Ye reached the Core Area of the Pearl Collection waters, the sun was already high in the sky. A few boats were moored here, but no one was in the water.

The people were still waiting for the right moment.

Only when the sun was at its peak would the lake’s Yin Qi be weakened to its lowest point.

Chen Ye was no exception. He found a relatively remote corner to moor his boat, took out a piece of cured meat from his bag, and began to eat it slowly.

The cured meat was as hard and dry as wood and didn’t taste very good, but Chen Ye ate it with great concentration, chewing each piece thoroughly before swallowing to ensure not a single bit of nutrient was wasted.

Finally.

The sun reached its zenith, its rays shining directly down onto the lake’s surface.

Without hesitation, Chen Ye stripped off his outer clothes, hung the Exorcism Talisman around his neck, and plunged headfirst into the water with a powerful dive.

The water in the Core Area was much colder and more suffused with Yin than the outer regions, but perhaps because he had eaten his fill and slept well the day before, Chen Ye found his qi and blood circulating far more smoothly than usual.

After quickly diving to the bottom, Chen Ye began to search for a target.

His Spirit Clam Sensing ability allowed him to clearly feel the unique fluctuations of the Spirit Clams.

Soon, he stopped before a thick patch of silt and began to clear away the mud and sand with his shovel.

A moment later, the Spirit Clam beneath was finally revealed.

This Spirit Clam was the size of a round table and was extremely well hidden, buried deep within the silt, making it very difficult to detect.

If Chen Ye didn’t possess a Perception Skill, he would never have found it.

Time was short, so Chen Ye immediately began to pry at the Spirit Clam’s shell.

This Spirit Clam was clearly much tougher than any Chen Ye had encountered before. It took a great deal of effort just to pry open a small crack, from which a sliver of pink fluorescence shone through.

Chen Ye’s heart leaped with joy. He put more force into his hands and finally broke the clam’s shell open.

Inside, a Spirit Pearl the size of a ping-pong ball lay quietly, emitting an alluring luster.

Chen Ye didn’t hesitate. Just as he reached out to grab it, a strong sense of crisis suddenly washed over him.

Without a second thought, Chen Ye forcefully engaged his core, abruptly shifting his entire body half a foot to the side in the water!

PFFT!

A black shadow grazed his arm, drawing a trail of blood beads.

He focused his eyes and saw a strange, foot-long fish staring at him menacingly. The fish was pitch-black, with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and eyes filled with viciousness.

Instead of panicking, Chen Ye instantly calmed down.

As the strange fish lunged again, he advanced instead of retreating, his Spiritual Shovel accurately striking the fish on its head!

"BANG!"

The faint Spiritual Energy attached to the Spiritual Shovel had a natural restraining effect on this kind of aquatic monster. The strange fish let out a silent cry of pain, its body stiffened, and it was sent flying, tumbling several times in the water before fleeing in panic.

Having dealt with the attacker, Chen Ye felt a tightness in his chest. The air in his lungs was nearly gone.

He didn’t dare delay any longer. He snatched the Ninth Grade Spirit Pearl from the clam’s flesh, kicked his legs powerfully, and desperately swam toward the surface.

As he struggled to ascend, a line of small text that only he could see quietly appeared before his eyes.

[Boat of the Other Shore has detected absorbable Spiritual Charm. Devour?]

’It worked!’

A wave of ecstasy washed over Chen Ye. The Spirit Pearl was indeed the key to activating the Boat of the Other Shore!

"SPLASH!"

He finally broke through the surface, gasping for fresh air as he scrambled onto his small boat.

After downing two large bowls of ginger soup and changing into a set of dry clothes, Chen Ye finally felt like he was alive again. He collapsed into the boat’s cabin and glanced at the water in the distance. The silhouette of Zhao Qiu’s boat was still within his line of sight.

’I can’t wait!’

’If those three discover I found a Ninth Grade Spirit Pearl, the consequences will be unimaginable.’

He looked at the pink Ninth Grade Spirit Pearl and, without the slightest hesitation, focused his thoughts.

"Devour!"

In an instant, the Ninth Grade Spirit Pearl seemed to melt, transforming into a stream of light that seeped into Chen Ye’s palm.

[Boat of the Other Shore unlocked]

Along with this notification, a brilliant light flared before Chen Ye’s eyes, and then a small boat appeared in his Sea of Consciousness.

Looking at the thing before him—which was less a boat and more a canoe—Chen Ye was a little stunned.

’This is the Boat of the Other Shore?’

’The name sounds so grand and majestic, so why does the real thing look like this piece of junk?’

Just as he was complaining inwardly, the bow of the dilapidated little boat suddenly lit up with a faint glow. The entire boat then jolted violently, and Chen Ye felt his consciousness being yanked up by an invisible force and thrown into a bizarre, kaleidoscopic vortex...