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    Starry Sky Professional Directory 25

    Read Advanced Chapters on Patreon: patreon.com/fantasystories797

    Chapter 25: Invitation (Seeking More Readers)

    June 29, 2024

    Chapter 25: Invitation (Seeking More Readers)

    Using the purchase of Spirit Rice and martial arts manuals as a pretext, Fang Xing and Ding Hongxiu chatted merrily.

    “So, Miss Hongxiu is actually a cultivator? I am truly honored…”

    Hearing about her cultivator identity, Fang Xing pretended to be serious, bowing respectfully.

    “Oh, please, my aptitude is quite low, only at the second level of Qi Condensation… My grandfather won’t even let me leave the city to make a living…”

    Ding Hongxiu waved her hand: “He’s afraid some martial arts expert will casually kill me…”

    “Oh? I wonder how a fight between an innate expert and a Qi Condensation cultivator would turn out?” Fang Xing became interested.

    “I’m not quite sure either, but my grandfather said that if it’s a Qi Condensation beginner cultivator, and they don’t use defensive talismans or artifacts in time, and are approached by an innate expert, then it’s very dangerous…”

    Ding Hongxiu said: “Of course, this situation is much better by the mid-Qi Condensation stage. Once they create distance and are prepared, mid-Qi Condensation cultivators can easily slaughter innate martial artists… Those high-level late-Qi Condensation cultivators are even beyond the reach of any peak innate martial artists.”

    “I see…”

    Fang Xing nodded; this was the assessment of a cultivator, and it should be quite reasonable.

    ‘So, Jadeite Level martial artists can pose a threat to early and mid-Qi Condensation cultivators? What about Jadeite Level martial artists who have learned A-class martial arts?’

    ‘What about Brave Warrior Realm martial artists?’

    He felt that once he advanced to the third or fourth realm of martial arts in the future, he would probably feel safer.

    “I wonder what major forces are in this market?”

    After some thought, Fang Xing felt it was better to figure this out.

    “In this market, the Qingxuan Sect naturally reigns supreme. This sect is the founder of Qinglinfang City, and there is always a Foundation Establishment stage elder stationed there. More than 60% of the shops in the market are closely related to them…”

    “Besides them, the Zheng family has a Foundation Establishment stage ancestor, Zheng Family Patriarch, making them the second…”

    “The Black Tiger Gang is formed by several Qi Condensation perfection-stage independent cultivators. Their leader, ‘Black Tiger Venerable,’ is elusive. It is said that he is secretly preparing for Foundation Establishment, making them the third largest force in the market!”

    An old voice suddenly cut into Fang Xing and Ding Hongxiu’s conversation.

    Fang Xing looked over and saw an old man with a white beard, wearing a somewhat ill-fitting Taoist robe. It was worn and had many defects, yet it still emanated a faint spiritual glow.

    Getting a little closer, one could feel a cool sensation.

    This was the ‘immunity to heat and cold’ effect of the robe itself.

    ‘This robe must have been worn for countless years…probably a low-grade first-order item…’

    Fang Xing looked at the old man in the robe. The old man had dark skin, a lean build, and a large yellow gourd at his waist, subtly emitting a fragrant aroma of alcohol. The most striking feature was his bright red, wine-stained nose.

    ‘Cultivating Spirit Rice and brewing alcohol… a perfect combination.’

    Fang Xing was moved, sensing the terrifying aura of the old man and realizing that he was not at the early Qi Condensation stage, but rather the middle Qi Condensation stage!

    “Grandpa… you’re back?”

    Seeing the old man in the robe, Ding Hongxiu was overjoyed and rushed forward, then looked at the gourd at his waist with disgust: “You went drinking again?”

    “My dear Hongxiu, you don’t understand. The ‘Drunken Immortal Scripture’ I cultivate requires drinking. As the saying goes, ‘Drink three stones a day, become an immortal in a hundred days!'”

    The old man in the robe belched, then bowed to Fang Xing: “Little brother, I’m Ding Busan. I overheard your conversation with Hongxiu earlier and couldn’t help but butt in. Please forgive me.”

    “Not at all, old sir. Your knowledge is vast; I’ve truly benefited greatly.”

    Fang Xing smiled and bowed, then said to Ding Hongxiu: “Wrap me up thirty jin of fragrant Spirit Rice… give me a discount…”

    “Okay! It’s usually three spirit stones, but how about three spirit sands for you?”

    Hearing that a customer had arrived, Ding Hongxiu’s eyes lit up, feeling that her long chat had finally paid off.

    Fang Xing took out a low-grade spirit stone and seventeen spirit sands from his day’s earnings, counted them out for Ding Hongxiu, shouldered his basket, and waved goodbye as he walked out of the market.

    In the wind, the faint voices of the grandfather and granddaughter could be heard.

    “Grandpa, you meddled too much…”

    “My dear granddaughter, do you know what kind of person this is? Those who don’t even rent a shack in the market are either outlaws or paupers. Does he look like a pauper to you? In the future, stay away from this kind of person…”

    The voices gradually faded and eventually disappeared.

    Fang Xing just chuckled: “Old people are indeed wise, but they’re also worried about their granddaughter…”

    This is human nature, and he wouldn’t hold a grudge.

    Back at his temporary camp, everything returned to normal.

    “In this world, the most useful things for me are the suitable environment for cultivation, and various pills and Spirit Rice…”

    “Or those low-level talismans and blood-refined artifacts…”

    In the cave, Fang Xing practiced the Great Dragon Stake while lost in thought.

    “Actually, these talismans and artifacts are not very useful to me… After all, when I have the money, I can directly buy a laser gun, which is better than any blood-refined artifact… A few low-level talismans might be good to have as a surprise tactic.”

    “In this world, these are the most helpful things for me…”

    “Cultivate well, and once I reach the perfect Bone Tempering Realm, immediately buy the ‘Innate Pill’!”

    Fang Xing had already found out about the ‘Innate Pill’; it was sold at Qingdan Pavilion, but the price was not pretty—a full fifty low-grade spirit stones!

    In terms of value, it was comparable to a low-grade artifact.

    It was said that this was because refining the ‘Innate Pill’ required the consumption of some spirit herbs used in Qi Condensation pills. And few cultivators were willing to buy ‘Innate Pill’ rewards for their subordinates, leading to a small market.

    But for Fang Xing,

    “Fifty low-grade spirit stones are not difficult… As long as I have continued drone support, I can slowly harvest spirit herbs and convert them into cash.”

    Time unknowingly flew to July.

    Aquila Star.

    Happy Home Community.

    Feeling the slightly hot temperature outside and the chirping of cicadas and birds, Fang Xing felt quite emotional.

    “I guess ‘my’ birthday is coming soon?”

    The bio-engineered Fang Xing’s birthday is naturally calculated from the time he was taken out of the cultivation chamber—July 17th.

    Therefore, although he wanted to continue cultivating in the other world until school started, he had to return to take care of some matters, lest people think he was missing and cause unnecessary trouble.

    Fang Xing glanced at his attribute panel:

    【Name: Fang Xing】
    【Age: 16】
    【Profession: Martial Artist】
    【Second Realm: Bone Tempering (Refine Muscle: 16/100)】
    【Twelve Styles of Military Fist: 44/100 (Proficient)】
    【Great Dragon Stake: 6/200 (Mastery)】
    【Gate of All Heavens (Charging)】

    “Since consuming Spirit Rice, the progress of refining muscles is roughly one point per day. Although it’s much slower than pills, it feels very stable, without any Qi and Blood stagnation. It’s a steady, step-by-step progress…”

    “At this rate, I should be able to improve my muscle refinement progress by more than half before school starts…this is already quite rapid. Improving too quickly without a teacher’s guidance is not a good thing…”

    Thinking of guidance from a master, Fang Xing sighed.

    Losing Xia Long’s guidance during the holidays was indeed troublesome.

    Not to mention, he didn’t know who to learn advanced martial arts from after breaking through to the second realm.

    “Should I call Teacher Xia Long? Or…hire a private tutor? But I don’t have any money…”

    “Online videos are okay as references, but blindly believing them is a recipe for disaster…”

    “Martial arts instruction needs to be face-to-face, it’s much more reliable…”

    After all, everyone’s physique is different, and personalized instruction is necessary.

    Not to mention the esoteric aspects of martial arts will, which the internet couldn’t convey.

    He opened his phone, replied to a few messages, and his gaze fell on Liu Wei’s number, remaining silent for a moment.

    For the past few years, Fang Xing’s birthdays always included this frenemy.

    Now…

    “Alas…the past is gone.”

    Fang Xing sighed, then saw a message, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

    After a moment of thought, he called back.

    Whoosh!

    A 3D projection appeared. Gu Yun, still looking like a little girl, had a much colder expression, looking around: “So you live in this kind of environment…”

    “Miss Gu…”

    Fang Xing nodded in greeting, then realized his wording was inappropriate, likely influenced by the other world’s language style.

    “Miss, that’s an old-fashioned term, you can call me Ms. Gu…”

    Gu Yun said impassively: “I need a sparring partner, the Star Coins are negotiable, are you in?”

    “Yes!”

    Glorious Jiang Mansion.

    Training ground.

    Gu Yun, with a cold face, wearing training clothes, still holding her wooden sword.

    No!

    In Fang Xing’s view, after her father, Gu Renwang, died in battle, this little girl’s personality had changed a lot.

    Her aura now was like ice!

    “This time, I want you to give it your all, wear protective gear.”

    Gu Yun stood with her sword drawn, coldly saying: “If I hurt you, I will pay for your medical expenses.”

    “I didn’t bring my nano-suit…”

    Fang Xing smiled: “But I’m confident…”

    He had left his nano-suit and stun baton in the other world and had no intention of bringing them back.

    He only wanted to bring back certain things from the other world.

    He was now planning how to go to the black market to make some money.

    ‘The Spirit Rice and talismans from the other world…are incompatible with Aquila Star’s products, even the black market is not easy to sell them… But there’s gold and silver!’

    In the star age, gold is not a precious metal, the price has dropped a lot, but it is still relatively valuable.

    In Qinglinfang City, gold is a material for refining tools, requiring thousands and tens of thousands of catties to extract a few ounces of ‘gold essence’.

    The raw material gold isn’t very expensive; a spirit sand can buy a lot.

    After discovering the same metals in both worlds, Fang Xing immediately had the idea of reselling.

    ‘One deal is enough to cover my expenses…’

    ‘At least, I need to buy real self-defense weapons…’

    ‘My current strength is too weak. If I encounter a well-prepared mid-Qi Condensation cultivator or a high-level late-Qi Condensation cultivator, I will be in great danger.’

    ‘And I’m progressing rapidly, I need an excuse, I need to make money, even launder money…to openly use it, invest in myself and buy nutrient solutions…’

    “Sparring with me, and you dare to daydream?”

    Suddenly, a clear shout interrupted Fang Xing’s thoughts.

    Swish!

    Brilliant sword light fell directly on his head!
    (End of Chapter)

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