Starry Sky Professional Directory 39
“Leaving this place?”
Fang Xing was slightly surprised. “Madam, do you have enough travel money?”
Qinglinfang City was established by the Qingxuan Sect to cultivate the Wildlands, its location deep within the desolate wilderness, surrounded by dangers on all sides. Besides the Qingxuan Sect’s own flying boat merchant fleet, which comes at intervals, there’s simply no other way to leave.
It’s relatively easy for independent cultivators to come to Qinglinfang City, but leaving requires an extremely expensive boat ticket.
“Selling our belongings, we can manage to scrape enough together.”
Shen Yuxin replied calmly, but her tone was firm, clearly indicating she’d already made up her mind. Now that the Azure Mountain Five Virtues were destined to fall apart, and had greatly offended the Black Tiger Gang, they wouldn’t dare venture outside the city in the future. Staying would be tantamount to walking into a death trap!
The only way out was to leave!
“Here’s a spirit stone, consider it a parting gift. Please don’t think it’s too little…”
Fang Xing thought for a moment, producing a low-grade spirit stone.
“This… how can I accept this?”
Shen Yuxin’s eyes reddened, her voice choked with emotion. “Years of sworn brotherhood, not as good as a neighbor I’ve only known for a few days, heh, what loyalty…”
However, she was also shrewd. After thanking him, she led Fang Xing to the back room. “My husband’s and my belongings are all here. If Brother Fang sees anything you like, feel free to take it…”
Fang Xing had given a generous gift precisely for this reason.
He glanced around. Meng Yi and his wife’s ‘belongings’ weren’t much: a few weapons, five martial arts manuals, and some miscellaneous items like pills, talismans, and herbs.
“Eh? There’s actually ‘Illusion Heart Orchid’?”
Fang Xing pointed to a freshly picked orchid, his voice surprised.
“This was obtained by my husband and me at great risk. If Brother Fang wants it, ten spirit stones…” Shen Yuxin replied. If she had those ten spirit stones, along with their savings, it would be enough to buy two boat tickets.
She and her son weren’t afraid of the Black Tiger Gang within the city, but one couldn’t guard against thieves forever.
The sooner they left, the better.
“Ten spirit stones? That’s not expensive… I just happen to need a Cultivation Pill for my martial arts cultivation…”
Fang Xing sighed, taking out ten spirit stones and taking the Illusion Heart Orchid.
A low-grade spirit stone was only about the size of a fingernail; a small pouch could hold many.
But ten spirit stones were quite rare among independent cultivators.
Even Shen Yuxin couldn’t help but look at Fang Xing a few more times, but she didn’t say anything, readily completing the transaction.
“Got it!”
Leaving Shen Yuxin’s house, Fang Xing had a slight smile playing on his lips.
It seemed redundant to buy another Illusion Heart Orchid, as he already had one, but the situation was quite different.
At least, the origin of the Illusion Heart Orchid in his possession was now ‘legitimate’. He hadn’t snatched it from the Black Tiger Gang, but bought it. Even if the Black Tiger Gang was arrogant and overbearing, they wouldn’t dare to trouble him over this.
As for the Illusion Heart Orchid, who would know how many Shen Yuxin had sold him?
Once the mother and son left, it would become a case of no witnesses.
…
Qing Dan Pharmacy.
“Welcome, guest…”
A smiling attendant greeted him, but Fang Xing ignored her. “Is Miss Xiao Rui here?”
“Xiao Rui, I’ll go get her…” The attendant’s smile faltered slightly.
A moment later, Xiao Rui came before Fang Xing. “Guest, are you the one who was inquiring about the Cultivation Pill last time?”
Her memory was good; she actually remembered Fang Xing.
“Yes, do you have any in stock?”
Fang Xing asked.
“I’m very sorry, the Cultivation Pill is still out of stock…” Xiao Rui gave an apologetic smile.
“Oh? But I recently acquired an ‘Illusion Heart Orchid’. What if I commissioned you to refine it?” He said again.
“Guest, you’re truly fortunate to have obtained an Illusion Heart Orchid!” Xiao Rui was slightly surprised, then smiled. “If you commission us to refine it, that’s certainly no problem… The guest provides the ‘Illusion Heart Orchid’, and the shop will provide the auxiliary materials. If successful, you’ll receive half the pills. If it fails, you won’t need to pay extra spirit stones.”
Fang Xing frowned slightly, feeling this shop was a bit shady.
But there was no choice; other private alchemists were even shadier, and their skills weren’t that great.
“Please rest assured, guest, our alchemist’s success rate in refining Cultivation Pills is over 70%…”
Seeming to notice Fang Xing’s hesitation, Xiao Rui immediately said.
“Fine, let’s do it this way…”
Fang Xing took out an Illusion Heart Orchid to give it a try.
After all, he still had another one, so he wasn’t too worried.
Even if this shop cheated him, it would at least allow him to see the true nature of these shops’ credibility.
Anyway, there would always be a reckoning someday!
…
After strolling through the market, Fang Xing returned to his shed.
Just as he was about to open the door, he froze. At Shen’s widow’s door, there were quite a few people.
These people were all fierce-looking, with tiger heads embroidered on their chests, clearly members of the Black Tiger Gang.
“Where did the woman and child living here go?”
The leader barked, glaring at Fang Xing.
“Shen’s widow, her husband died, and she’s reportedly taking her child to leave Qinglinfang City…”
Fang Xing trembled, acting as if he was very afraid, and directly sold out Shen Yuxin.
“Gone, she’s smart. Let’s go!”
This group of Black Tiger Gang members seemed to have already questioned other neighbors; now that they were certain, they left disgruntled.
“Sure enough, one should kill anyone in a gang, it’s basically foolproof…”
Fang Xing closed the door, shaking his head.
With his current insufficient strength, he naturally needed to endure. When he could eventually crush this place, he could do as he pleased. That was his Martial Dao!
Although Xia Long had also talked about the spirit of the Martial Dao, about the weak punching towards the stronger and such, Fang Xing wasn’t very interested.
His Martial Dao was simply to grow stronger, protect himself, and then, when he had the means to protect himself, do what he could.
“Practice, practice!”
Fang Xing cooked a large pot of Spirit Rice, and began practicing the Great Dragon Stake.
In the middle of the night, a knock suddenly came.
“Hmm? Who is it again?”
He was a little impatient. Peeking through the crack in the door, he was startled.
After thinking for a moment, he still opened the door.
A woman with peach-blossom cheeks, willow eyebrows, and alluring eyes walked in.
She carried an air of mature womanhood, like a plump and sweet peach, the second of the Azure Mountain Five Virtues—Hua Feiyue.
“Miss Hua… no, Daoist Hua, we meet again.”
Fang Xing only had one previous encounter with Hua Feiyue, so he was very indifferent. “What can I do for you?”
“Little Brother Fang, I just came to see my fifth sister, but she’s already gone. She’s really a smart one…”
Hua Feiyue’s breathing was slightly unsteady, her injuries clearly not fully healed.
“Sister Shen didn’t say much, only that Brother Meng had an accident while collecting herbs. She’s a widow with a child, I wonder how the Azure Mountain Five Virtues will make arrangements…”
Fang Xing rambled on, recounting Shen Yuxin’s actions today.
“Leaving, huh? Good… Azure Mountain Five Virtues, this name will no longer exist in Qinglinfang City!”
Hua Feiyue gave a bitter smile, then looked at Fang Xing with bright eyes. “Little Brother Fang is upright and brave, sister greatly admires you. If you have free time in the future, you can visit number sixty-six in the Yi Block…”
She gracefully bowed and left.
Fang Xing’s expression became somewhat strange. “This woman couldn’t possibly have taken a liking to me after only two meetings… Does she secretly have contact with Shen Yuxin, coming to test me? Or… is she really planning to retire, no longer doing this bloody work? But martial artists in this city, if they don’t do this, how do they survive?”
Herb collectors were already dangerous, and now, with rampant beast tides, the situation was ten times harder!
For martial artists without savings, it was even more so.
‘I heard many attractive female martial artists, in addition to their daily work, have to do…semi-private work to make ends meet…’
Fang Xing stroked his chin, lost in thought.
…
Three days later.
“This is the ‘Cultivation Pill’?”
Fang Xing picked up a jade bottle and poured out a pill.
The pill was emerald green, but with a strange, pungent smell.
He waited two days before going to Qing Dan Pharmacy. Luckily, they hadn’t broken their word, telling him the alchemy was successful, resulting in a total of four bottles of pills.
According to the original agreement, he received two bottles.
“Actually… who knows what the alchemist’s true success rate is? But they delivered the pills, which is already decent enough credit, can’t expect too much… Who makes the bottom lines of people in this world so flexible?”
Fang Xing shook his head, preparing to try the hard-earned ‘Cultivation Pill’.
He sat cross-legged, his mind calm as still water, and tried to enter a meditative state.
Then, he silently visualized the realm of ‘sword in hand, ghosts and gods leave no trace’.
In an instant, the originally clear lake of his mind was filled with ripples, the clear water turning black, countless thoughts forming into faces of joy, anger, sorrow, and joy…
‘Just meditation is this troublesome… if it were a true inner demon, how terrifying would it be?’
Fang Xing sighed inwardly. His hands moved quickly as he swallowed a ‘Cultivation Pill’.
As the pungent taste spread in his mouth, he suddenly felt his mind clear.
The many distracting thoughts that had appeared were instantly suppressed.
Even… he felt he could ‘inwardly see’ every part of his body, his meridians, bones, organs… even the most minute details!
‘Could this be the cultivators’ ‘spiritual sense’?’
In this state of ‘absolute control’, Fang Xing successfully calmed his mind, overcoming the first hurdle of mastering the ‘Ghost God Sword’, and then began to hypnotize himself, making his spirit gradually ‘ghost-like and god-like’!
This hypnosis wasn’t simple hypnosis, but a true change in his spiritual essence.
It even brought out the immense potential hidden deep within his body!
“Sword in hand, slaughter ghosts, kill gods, fight ghosts and gods… just a thought!”
Fang Xing’s thoughts moved, a hundred-refined steel sword appeared in his hand. He suddenly leaped up and slashed a sword: “Slaughter ghosts!”
Swish!
Like electricity from an empty room!
A bright sword glow suddenly appeared in the void!
“True Qi emitted, transforming into a sword glow!”
Fang Xing sheathed his sword, his eyes gleaming slightly. “This is not me achieving the Innate Realm, but finally mastering the ‘Ghost God Sword’, possessing the power of the Innate Realm!”
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