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    Starry Sky Professional Directory 57

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    “A Martial Artist?”

    A mere moment of distraction, and two brothers were dead.

    Da Hu’s heart pounded, his gaze fixed on the newcomer.

    He saw a young man in silver robes, a sword and a dao in his hands, standing calmly beside the corpses of Er Hu and San Hu, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked at Ding Bushan and his granddaughter.

    “Hongxiu Dao You, long time no see!”

    Fang Xing greeted her.

    “You… who are you?”

    Ding Hongxiu felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen this person before.

    If Fang Xing had shown his true appearance, she would have recognized him instantly.

    However, before making his move, Fang Xing had used a disguise, transforming into the same image he had when he first arrived in Qinglinfang City.

    This was, of course, for safety!

    After all, his later appearance was linked to Chen Yi’s death, and he had brazenly killed people in the city, possibly already a wanted fugitive of the Qingxuan Sect!

    “Back then, we even shared a stall together!”

    Fang Xing said with a smile.

    “It’s you!?” A flash of joy crossed Ding Hongxiu’s face.

    Ding Bushan, while relieved to have survived, felt a pang of shame.

    He had once looked down on him, even comparing him unfavorably to that handsome young master later on, yet in this moment of peril, he was the one who came to their rescue.

    Ding Bushan looked at the corpses of Er Hu and San Hu, his expression turning serious.

    Er Hu was gone, but Da Hu was the most formidable opponent!

    “Such a powerful Martial Artist in the city?”

    Da Hu stared at Fang Xing, his expression growing extremely solemn. “You killed my two sworn brothers, forcing me to find two more. How do you plan to compensate me?”

    Although this Martial Artist’s martial arts were formidable, Da Hu wasn’t particularly afraid.

    After all, he was a body-refining cultivator, with a robust physique, already reaching the point where he didn’t fear ordinary low-grade magical weapons!

    Body-refining cultivators, a relatively small faction among cultivators, require spiritual roots to begin their training. Their cultivation primarily focuses on refining their bodies with spiritual energy, not magic power.

    Da Hu had reached the point where he could contend with late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators using his body-refining cultivation, making him rare in the city.

    Of course, reaching this level didn’t mean his physique could withstand high-grade magical weapons!

    If he could withstand high-grade magical weapons with his bare hands, he would be practically invincible at the Qi Condensation stage!

    In reality, being able to withstand low-grade magical weapons with his bare hands was already quite impressive.

    To forge a body that could withstand magical weapons, one would need to be at least a second-order body-refining cultivator comparable to a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

    Even then, a second-order body-refining cultivator would still have to be wary of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator’s spiritual weapon attacks.

    With Da Hu’s current strength, he could basically ignore low-grade magical weapons. He’d need to be more careful against mid-grade magical weapons wielded by mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivators, avoiding being hit in vital areas.

    Against high-grade magical weapons wielded by late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators, he wouldn’t dare to take a direct hit.

    Of course, an ordinary late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator would die instantly without defense against a high-grade magical weapon attack, but Da Hu could hold out for a few more moments.

    Combined with some body-refining techniques, he had a high chance of winning against an ordinary late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator.

    Now, he was only facing a Martial Artist. Although the opponent seemed powerful, Da Hu still believed in himself.

    Late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators were invincible against Martial Artists!

    Furthermore, he was stronger than an ordinary late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, a body-refining cultivator, so even a blood-refined weapon, its power at most comparable to a low-grade one, could be ignored!

    Ding Bushan clearly saw this as well, hurriedly reminding, “Dao You, be careful, Da Hu, the strongest of the Black Absolution Three Tigers, his body is impervious to low-grade magical weapons!”

    “Heh, you’re saying this now? A little late, don’t you think?”

    Da Hu looked at Fang Xing. “Your strength isn’t bad, you’re quite skilled at surprising cultivators. Why don’t you become my second brother? Those two wastes are dead, and I need to find replacements… If you agree, I might just let these two off today!”

    “Become a robber-cultivator? Impossible…”

    Fang Xing shook his head, refusing. He was here to gain practical experience, not to rob.

    “You’re asking for it… thinking that just because you’re a Martial Artist who has mastered a few mental secret techniques, you can take on cultivators…”

    Da Hu let out a ferocious laugh, black energy swirling around him.

    This was the body-refining technique he cultivated—the *Five Tiger Body Tempering Scripture*. During cultivation, he had to hunt and kill demonic tigers, taking their essence, blood, and souls, and refining them into himself.

    When the technique was pushed to its limit, it could even form ‘Tiger Soul’ to protect his body, purging evil, and providing protection against mental attacks!

    Roar! Roar!

    The black energy gathered, vaguely forming a black tiger, clinging to his body, making his body swell, a black ‘King’ rune appearing on his forehead.

    Furthermore, Da Hu took out a ‘Tranquility Talisman’ and placed it on his body.

    As a body-refining cultivator, he naturally possessed magical power and could use any cultivator’s item without issue.

    Although he claimed not to fear, Da Hu was still somewhat wary of Fang Xing’s technique that had caused him to lose his focus for a moment.

    After fully activating his technique, he also used a talisman to protect his mind.

    At this point, he was confident that even a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator using special magical weapons to attack his spiritual sense wouldn’t be able to harm him!

    “Ready?”

    Fang Xing’s silver robes fluttered, his sword and dao humming suddenly!

    In an instant, Ding Bushan and Ding Hongxiu fell into a state of distraction again.

    But Da Hu only lost his focus for a split second, his eyes quickly regaining their focus.

    “Roar!”

    The black tiger energy surrounding him let out a roar, and he launched his attack first.

    Two pitch-black magical energy palms, one after the other, enveloped Fang Xing.

    “The mental influence of the Exquisite Emotion Sword and Ghost God Dao is not very effective on him anymore?”

    Fang Xing remained calm, his sword and dao crossing, the sharpness of the “Invincible Slash” and “One Sword Breaks the Law” perfectly complementing each other, the light of his sword and dao slashing at the two magical energy hands, shredding them to pieces.

    “Indeed… A-class martial arts mainly protect one’s mental state, plus my limited skill… it’s only natural that it’s difficult to affect this level of cultivator.”

    “This cultivator’s tiger roar should also have a soul-shaking effect, and it doesn’t work on me, proving my point!”

    After shattering the two magical energy hands, he moved in a flash, like a dragon winding its way through clouds, closing the distance to within seven feet of Da Hu!

    A martial artist, within three steps, can defeat anyone.

    Seven feet was practically instantaneous movement for Fang Xing at this point.

    The next moment, his sword and dao sang in unison!

    The light of his sword and dao flashed, forming a dual killing strike like a dragon and a tiger, shredding the tiger-shaped black energy.

    The Tiger Soul in the air let out a whimper and instantly dissipated.

    Swish swish!

    The sword and dao crossed, leaving white marks on Da Hu’s sturdy arms.

    Da Hu let out a ferocious laugh, his large hand reaching out to grasp the blade!

    Fang Xing frowned, the Ink Pattern Sword already fell upon Da Hu’s throat, leaving a trace of blood.

    Crack!

    He retreated like a white cloud, looking at his hands.

    The Ink Pattern Sword was undamaged, its tip still carrying a trace of blood.

    But the hundred-refined steel dao, casually purchased from the city, was already broken in two!

    “To be able to injure me with a low-grade magical weapon, you can be proud!”

    Da Hu wiped the blood from his neck, threw the broken blade into his mouth, chewing it like beans.

    Chewing metal raw!

    If this were seen by ordinary martial artists, they would question their own eyes, thinking they had seen a martial arts myth!

    After experiencing Fang Xing’s swordsmanship, the ferocious grin on Da Hu’s face deepened.

    He had confirmed that while the Martial Artist’s strength was impressive, he couldn’t pose a life-threatening danger to him.

    Especially for a body-refining cultivator, the inability of the enemy to break through his defenses was proof of his advantage!

    “I gave you a chance, and you didn’t take it. Now die!”

    Da Hu put on a pair of magical weapon-level gauntlets, a type of magical weapon suitable for body-refining martial artists, and also quite expensive in the city.

    He roared, his body like a huge black tiger, pouncing towards Fang Xing!

    Fang Xing sighed, discarding his steel dao, the Ink Pattern Sword transforming into a torrential downpour of sword strikes.

    The Exquisite Emotion Sword was inherently a very complex sword technique, and in his hands, it was incredibly nimble.

    The two exchanged blows several times, the sword and gauntlets never once colliding, making Da Hu so frustrated he almost vomited blood.

    “You martial artist, you only know how to dodge?”

    He roared, taking out a small black banner from his bosom.

    This banner was completely black, but it had a snow-white skull embroidered on it, lifelike, and seemingly with ghost fire in its white eye sockets…

    “Demonic magical weapon?”

    Ding Bushan, witnessing this from the side, was already thinking of dragging Ding Hongxiu and running for their lives.

    “You really can’t take defeat, can you? Fine…”

    Fang Xing glanced at his status bar:

    【Exquisite Emotion Sword: 96/100 (入门/Entry Level)】

    “I’m using you to practice my swordsmanship anyway, it’s good to gain some proficiency…”

    He produced a silver firearm, aiming it at Da Hu’s head.

    *Swish!*

    A silver-white laser flashed, and Da Hu’s headless body collapsed on the ground.

    “No matter how high your cultivation, one shot’s all it takes!”

    Fang Xing blew on the barrel of his gun, putting the laser pistol away, and turning to Ding Bushan and his granddaughter.

    “Such a powerful magical weapon!”

    Ding Bushan’s pupils constricted. ‘This power is not inferior to a Heavenly Thunder Talisman, yet there is no trace of magical power fluctuation… Da Hu’s death was not unjust!’

    Any magical weapon in use has magical power fluctuations, and cultivators have sharp senses. They might not be able to dodge the laser, but they could dodge the gun barrel!

    After all, even the best laser guns require someone to operate them.

    If it were a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, their spiritual sense could easily lock onto Fang Xing, avoiding the gun barrel before he could fire!

    However, the leader of the Black Absolution Three Tigers was clearly careless, or perhaps he trusted his physique too much, resulting in a headshot, deader than dead.

    Ding Bushan’s heart trembled. He bowed deeply with his daughter. “This old man and my granddaughter thank Dao You for saving our lives!”

    “Well, it was just a matter of convenience…”

    Fang Xing had come out to find a cultivator to ask about the city and to practice combat.

    Since he had encountered acquaintances, he naturally didn’t mind lending a hand.

    “By the way, I’ve been cultivating outside. I wonder how Qinglinfang City is doing now?”

    He looked at Ding Bushan, his gaze sharp.

    “Qinglinfang City… it’s chaotic recently. Because of the emergence of that secret realm, the Qingxuan Sect’s law enforcement team’s strength has declined, and there are many more robber-cultivators… sigh…”

    Ding Bushan’s face was full of bitterness. As a proper spiritual farmer, he despised those robber-cultivators with no skills.

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