Invitation (Please Follow)

Using the purchase of spirit rice and martial arts manuals as a pretext, Fang Xing and Ding Hongxiu had quite a pleasant conversation.

"So Miss Hongxiu is actually a Cultivator. How disrespectful of me..."

Upon hearing that she was a Cultivator, Fang Xing deliberately put on a solemn expression and bowed first.

"Not at all, not at all. My aptitude is poor—I've only barely reached Qi Refining Second Layer... Grandfather won't even let me leave the market to make a living..."

Ding Hongxiu waved her hand. "He's afraid some martial arts expert will casually kill me..."

"Oh? If an Innate expert fought a Qi Refining cultivator, who would win?" Fang Xing became interested.

"I'm not too sure either, but Grandfather said that if a Qi Refining Early Stage cultivator fails to promptly use a Defense Talisman or magic item, they'd be in great danger if an Innate expert got close..."

Ding Hongxiu said, "Of course, things are much better once they reach Qi Refining Middle Stage. As long as they widen the distance and prepare properly, a Qi Refining Middle Stage Cultivator can easily slaughter Innate Martial Artists... As for those great experts at Qi Refining Late Stage, no Innate peak martial artist can possibly rival them."

"I see..."

Fang Xing nodded. This was the assessment of a Cultivator, so it should have been fairly reasonable.

So Uncut Jade Realm martial artists can threaten Qi Refining Early and Middle Stage cultivators? What if an Uncut Jade Realm martial artist had learned A-Rank Martial Arts?

What about a Courage Realm martial artist?

He felt that once he advanced to the third or fourth realm of martial arts, he would probably gain some sense of security.

"I wonder what major factions there are in this market?"

After thinking it over, Fang Xing felt it would be better to figure that out.

"Within the market, Qingxuan Sect naturally reigns supreme. That sect established Green Forest Market, and a Foundation Establishment Stage elder is always stationed here. More than sixty percent of the market's shops have close ties to them..."

"Besides that, the Zheng Family has produced Ancestor Zheng, who is at the Foundation Establishment Stage. They can be considered second..."

"The Black Tiger Gang was founded by several Rogue Cultivators at Qi Refining Completion. Their leader, Black Tiger Master, is elusive and rarely seen. It is said that he is secretly preparing for Foundation Establishment, making them the market's third-largest faction!"

An aged voice rang out, cutting into Fang Xing and Ding Hongxiu's conversation.

Fang Xing looked over and saw a white-bearded old man in an ill-fitting Daoist robe. It was damaged in many places, yet still carried faint spiritual light.

Even from a slight distance, he could feel a cool sensation.

This was the Cold and Heat Immunity effect naturally carried by the spell robe.

This spell robe must have been used for who knows how many years... It's probably around First-Order Low-Grade...

Fang Xing looked at the Daoist Robe Elder. The old man had dark skin and a lean build, with a large yellow-skinned gourd hanging from his waist. A faint scent of wine drifted from it, but the most striking feature was his bright red, bulbous nose.

Growing spirit rice and learning wine brewing... That really is quite suitable.

Fang Xing's heart stirred. Sensing the old man's somewhat terrifying aura, he knew that the man was not at Qi Refining Early Stage, but a Qi Refining Middle Stage cultivator!

"Grandfather... You're back?"

Ding Hongxiu was delighted to see the Daoist Robe Elder and hurried forward. Then she looked disdainfully at the wine gourd at his waist. "You went off drinking again?"

"My good Hongxiu, you don't understand. The Drunken Immortal Art your grandfather cultivates requires drinking. As they say, 'Drink three stone a day, and become immortal in a hundred days'!"

The Daoist Robe Elder let out a drunken belch, then cupped his hands toward Fang Xing. "This little brother, I am Ding Bushan. I overheard you and Hongxiu talking earlier and couldn't help but add a few words. Please do not take offense."

"Not at all. Sir, your knowledge is extensive. I have truly benefited greatly."

Fang Xing smiled and returned the gesture, then said to Ding Hongxiu, "Pack me thirty jin of Lotus Fragrance Spirit Rice... Give me a discount..."

"Ah, sure! It would normally cost three Spirit Stones. How about I knock off three Spirit Sand for you?"

At the prospect of business, Ding Hongxiu's eyes lit up. After chatting for half the day, she finally did not feel like she had wasted her time.

Fang Xing took out one Low-Grade Spirit Stone and seventeen Spirit Sand from today's stall earnings, counted them out to Ding Hongxiu, slung the basket over his back, waved behind him, and headed out of the market.

Amid the wind, he seemed to faintly hear a conversation between grandfather and granddaughter.

"Grandfather, you're meddling too much..."

"My good granddaughter, do you know what kind of person he is? Anyone who won't even rent a shack in the market is either a desperado or a pauper. Does he look like a pauper to you? Stay away from people like that in the future..."

The voices gradually faded and finally vanished.

Fang Xing only smiled. "Sure enough, the old grow wiser with age. Still, he was only worried about his granddaughter..."

That was only natural. He would not hold a grudge over it.

Upon returning to the temporary camp, everything returned to its proper course.

"At present, the most useful things in this world for me are its environment suited for cultivation, along with its various pills and spirit rice..."

"Or those low-grade talismans and Blood Refined Magic Items..."

Inside the cave, Fang Xing practiced the Great Dragon Stance while letting his thoughts wander.

"In truth, talismans and magic items like these aren't all that useful to me... Once I have money in the future, I can just buy a Laser Gun. It'll be more useful than any Blood Refined Magic Item... Still, I can prepare a few low-grade talismans as trump cards for catching people off guard."

"At present, those are the only things in this world that help me much..."

"Cultivate properly. Once I reach Tendon Refinement completion, I'll immediately buy an Innate Pill!"

Fang Xing had already inquired thoroughly about the Innate Pill. Azure Pill Workshop sold them, but the price was anything but pretty—it required a full fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

In terms of value, that was comparable to a Low-Grade Magic Item.

It was said that this was because refining Innate Pills required spirit herbs normally used in Qi Refining pills.

Furthermore, few cultivators were willing to buy Innate Pills as rewards for their subordinate strongmen, so the market was too small.

But for Fang Xing...

"Fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones won't be difficult... As long as I have continued Drone support, I can slowly gather spirit herbs and turn them into money. I'll get them eventually."

Before he knew it, time had reached July.

Chuying Star.

Happy Home District.

Feeling the somewhat scorching temperature outside, along with the chirping of cicadas and birds, Fang Xing was filled with emotion.

"Come to think of it, 'my' birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"

The birthday of Biochemical Human Fang Xing was naturally based on the date he left the Incubation Pod: July 17.

Therefore, though he had wanted to keep cultivating in the Other World until school began, he still had to return now to handle a few matters, lest people think he had gone missing and create unnecessary complications.

Fang Xing glanced at the Attribute Panel:

Name: Fang Xing

Age: 16

Profession: Martial Artist

Second Realm: Bone and Tendon (Tendon Refinement: 16/100)

Military Body Boxing Twelve Forms: 44/100 (Proficient)

Great Dragon Stance: 6/200 (Mastery)

Gate of Heavens (Charging)

"Ever since I started eating spirit rice, my Tendon Refinement progress has basically been around one point per day. Though it's much slower than pills, it feels very stable. There's no sign at all of unstable Qi-Blood. Step by step, it feels solid..."

"At this rate, I should be able to raise my Tendon Refinement progress past halfway before school starts... That's already rapid enough. Advancing too quickly without a teacher's guidance wouldn't be good either..."

Thinking of an expert teacher's guidance, Fang Xing sighed.

Losing Xia Long Teacher's guidance during the holiday was indeed troublesome.

Not to mention anything else, after breaking through to the Second Realm, he did not even know whom to learn advanced Martial Arts from.

"Should I call Xia Long Teacher? Or... hire a private instructor? But I don't have money..."

"Some online videos can serve as references, but if I truly trusted them completely, I wouldn't even know how I died..."

"Martial arts still need to be taught face-to-face, through personal instruction and demonstration, for it to be most reliable..."

After all, everyone's physical condition differed, so instruction had to be tailored to the individual.

Not to mention things as mysterious and intangible as Martial Will, which could not be conveyed over the internet at all.

He opened his phone and replied to several text messages. Then his gaze shifted and settled on Liu Wei's number, and he fell silent for a moment.

Over the past few years, Fang Xing's birthday celebrations had always included that scoundrel of a friend.

But now...

"Ah... The past cannot be reclaimed."

Fang Xing sighed. Then he saw a message, and his eyes suddenly narrowed.

After pondering for a moment, he called back.

Whoosh!

A 3D projection appeared. Gu Yun, still in the form of a little girl, looked far colder than before. She glanced around. "So this is the kind of place you live in..."

"Miss Gu..."

Fang Xing nodded in greeting, then realized that his choice of words was somewhat inappropriate, probably influenced by the speaking style of the Other World.

"Miss is such an ancient form of address. You can call me Ms. Gu..."

Gu Yun said bluntly, "I need a sparring partner. Star Dollars are negotiable. Are you coming?"

"I'm in!"

Glory River Mansion.

Training Ground.

Gu Yun stood with a cold little face, dressed in Practice Clothes and still holding that Wooden Blade.

No!

In Fang Xing's eyes, after her father Gu Renwang had died in battle, this little girl's personality had changed greatly.

Judging by her temperament now, she was practically a block of ice!

"This time, I want you to go all out. Put on your Protective Suit."

Gu Yun held her blade horizontally and said coldly, "If I injure you, I'll compensate your medical expenses."

"I didn't bring my Nano Suit..."

Fang Xing smiled. "But I'm confident..."

He had left both the Nano Suit and Electric Baton in the Other World and had no plans to bring them back.

The only things he wanted to bring back were items from the Other World.

He was now considering how to go to the Black Market and get some money.

Spirit rice and talismans from the Other World... They're completely out of place among Chuying Star's specialties, so they wouldn't be easy to sell even on the Black Market... But there's also gold and silver there!

By the Interstellar Age, gold was no longer considered a precious metal. Its price had dropped considerably, though it was still fairly valuable.

Yet in Green Forest Market, gold was a material for artifact forging. It took tens of thousands of jin to extract only a few liang of Gold Essence.

Raw gold itself was not particularly expensive. A single Spirit Sand could buy quite a lot of it.

After discovering a metal shared by both worlds, Fang Xing immediately began considering arbitrage.

One sale is enough, as long as I have enough money to spend...

At the very least, I need to buy a real weapon for self-defense...

My current strength is still too weak. If I encounter a well-prepared Qi Refining Middle Stage cultivator, or a great expert at Qi Refining Late Stage, I'll be in extreme danger.

And I'm improving too quickly. I need an excuse, I need to make money, even launder money... Only then can I openly use it, buy Nutrient Fluid, and invest in myself...

"You dare let your mind wander while sparring with me?"

Suddenly, a sharp shout interrupted Fang Xing's thoughts.

Whoosh!

A dazzling blade light descended directly toward the top of his head!