Starry Sky Professional

The Little Talisman Hall is indeed quite 'little'.

Once you step inside, you're greeted by rows of wooden shelves, each shimmering with various hues of spiritual light, and aside from these, there isn't much empty space.

Under the protection of the shimmering glow, talismans of various colors and patterns are displayed. At the center is a counter, behind which sits a disinterested shop assistant who doesn't even bother to acknowledge Fang Xing's entrance.

'The service industry in this cultivation world really needs improvement... Seems like Qingdan Market was just an exception?' Fang Xing mused silently, then spoke up, "Testing talisman... What’s the price?"

"One spirit stone per talisman." The shop assistant in green didn't even lift his head as he replied.

"Why is it so expensive? Outside stalls offer it for just eight spirit sands... sometimes even six or seven with some haggling." Fang Xing instinctively countered.

"Hmph... Every talisman in our hall is a masterpiece drawn by a master, how could those inferior goods outside compare?" A spark of interest flared in the assistant's eyes as he gestured theatrically and pulled out a talisman. "Look at this talisman paper, this ink... each one is top quality! Do you think the outside ones can match this? Can they? For instance, with this testing talisman, if you end up with a defective one, an error in the result could cost a young genius his future... Not to mention other attack and defense talismans, which could fail at a critical moment—it's a matter of life and death! Do you dare trust the talisman papers drawn by some rogue cultivator at those stalls?"

Despite the poor attitude, Fang Xing found the assistant's argument reasonable and obediently handed over his spirit stones, purchasing a 'testing talisman'.

Thus, his earnings from selling 'Vermilion Dragon Grass' were entirely spent, leaving nothing to take back, all left in the market.

"Alas, truly a case of earning at the market and spending at the market, not a penny to bring home!" Fang Xing sighed as he stepped out of the Little Talisman Hall.

Fortunate enough, today's encounters were quite fruitful, so he no longer lingered, striding away from the marketplace.

Once he left the shantytown, a yellow sparrow immediately flew out of his basket, surveilling the surroundings.

Fang Xing had initially set it up just in case.

But it wasn't long before he could no longer laugh.

In the surveillance image, a sneaky figure clearly appeared, trailing right behind him!

The figure was hunched over, with a tobacco pipe hanging from his waist—it was none other than the elderly vendor from the stall!

“It's just two spirit stones!”

“What happened to trust between people?”

Fang Xing muttered sarcastically, then suddenly sped up.

Using the surveillance above in the sky, it wasn't difficult to shake him off.

Though the old man was just an ordinary martial artist, he was aged and frail, yet it didn't mean he lacked a trick or two, perhaps even some talismans!

‘I'll settle the score with you later…’

Fang Xing's figure accelerated and twisted several times, swiftly vanishing without a trace.

Moments later, the vendor appeared at the spot where Fang Xing had been, staring at the fading footprints on the ground, a trace of regret crossing his face…

Temporary Camp.

This camp had already undergone modifications; the ground buildings had vanished, leaving only a stretch of grass.

Fang Xing arrived at a place, lifted the turf, and an entrance appeared.

Following the path down, he reached a cavern. Ventilation holes had been dug inside, and a smart computer was running, displaying surveillance footage on nine screens around him.

After reviewing the system log, he found nothing unusual except a few wild animals fetching water, and he nodded approvingly.

Silently recalling the day's observations, Fang Xing opened a document to record today's market prices, the geography of the towns, and some of his thoughts and insights…

At the very end, he made a detailed mark of the elderly vendor's appearance.

This grievance, he remembered it clearly!

“Obtained one 'Spirit-Testing Talisman', one bottle of 'Vitality Pills', allowing for a quiet period of cultivation, breaking through to the second realm won't be an issue, hmm…”

Fang Xing placed the pills down, glancing at the 'Spirit-Testing Talisman' in his hand.

The talisman paper shimmered with a bright yellow hue, its surface adorned with intricate symbols that seemed to cloak a hidden radiance, accompanied by a faint scent of ink.

“In the world of cultivators, low-level talismans take effect as soon as they are torn open, so even ordinary people can use some of them...”

“However, slightly more advanced ones, such as the Grade One Mid-tier ‘Golden Bell Barrier Talisman’… apart from cultivators, only innate martial artists can barely use them, requiring the activation with innate true energy…”

“As for even higher-level talismans, unless specially designed to lower the requirements, most of them need a cultivator's magic power to trigger, rendering them unusable for non-cultivators.”

These rules for using talismans were the ‘after-sales service’ Fang Xing had brazenly demanded from the green-clad shop assistant!

After all, having purchased talismans, one must be informed of how to use them, right?

Though slightly embarrassed to be regarded as a country bumpkin, Fang Xing was never one to care about appearance.

“The ‘Spirit Measuring Talisman’ is a more common talisman, effective upon tearing it open… It's used to check for spiritual roots, and if they exist, the talisman will emit light, with its color and brightness indicating one's potential for cultivation…”

“Many martial artists endure hardships clearing lands not just for accumulating spiritual sand or purchasing pills to break through their martial arts limits, but more so to place their hopes of cultivation on the next generation…”

“But this body's genes are a blend of the finest from the Blue Star Federation, coupled with the fortune of having crossed worlds. Surely, I have spiritual roots, perhaps varying only in quality… I must be able to cultivate! Otherwise, why would the Gate of All Realms seize this world? I am destined to cultivate…”

Fang Xing silently encouraged himself.

Not to mention, flying with the sword and achieving immortality has been a dream for so many since childhood.

If one could cultivate, who would toil laboriously in martial arts?

With a hint of anticipation, he tore open the ‘Spirit Measuring Talisman’!

A beam of light fell upon him, only to dim thereafter.

A minute passed by...

Two minutes…

Five minutes…

Nothing happened at all.

“Could the Spirit Measuring Talisman be faulty?”

Fang Xing scratched his head. "Sigh... Cultivating immortality is good, but the formation of combat prowess takes far too long. A single retreat can take years, even decades, of bitter cultivation, and it might take centuries just to advance one layer of skills. How can it compare to the rapid progress of martial arts?"

"What kind of lousy immortal technique is this? It dares to disturb my martial spirit? Get out of here!!!"

After venting his frustration, Fang Xing calmed himself down. "Train in martial arts, train in martial arts! One day, the mere path of immortals... will be shattered by my martial way!"

A few days later, Fang Xing assumed the stance of the Dragon Pillar, his consciousness silently gathering around his attribute panel:

【Name: Fang Xing】

【Age: 16】

【Profession: Martial Artist】

【First Realm: Skin and Flesh】

【Twelve Forms of Military Fist: 33/100】

【Dragon Pillar: 3/200】

【The Gateway to All Heavens】

"Mastering the Dragon Pillar makes further progress increasingly difficult... Without additional support, it might take roughly a year to elevate to the fourth stage and give birth to the 'Dragon's Intent'!"

"However, my martial realm is advancing swiftly now..."

With the mastery-level Dragon Pillar and the support of Qi and Blood Pills, Fang Xing's progress in cultivating his body can be described as advancing a thousand miles in a day.

At this moment, he's already on the verge of breaking through!

He opened his eyes and silently consumed a Qi and Blood Pill.

A surge of heat arose, but the pill, which usually greatly increased his vigor and skill proficiency, this time felt noticeably inadequate.

“It's the bottleneck between the First and Second Realm!”

Fang Xing suddenly realized, uncorking the bottle and pouring the medicinal pills into his mouth one by one.

With a loud rush!

He felt as if a blazing fire was ignited in his lower abdomen. Within his body, the flow of blood rumbled like a great river.

Fang Xing's skin and muscles felt as though they were 'melting,' as a powerful surge of heat enveloped his tendons and bones, finally beginning their refinement with a resounding explosion!

On the status panel, the section representing martial arts realms suddenly blurred, then new information emerged:

【Second Realm: Tendons and Bones】

“I've broken through... to the Second Realm of Martial Arts!”

Fang Xing clenched his fist, sensing the immense power surging forth from his tendons and bones, and a slight smile crept onto his lips.

“As a Second Realm martial artist, I can now learn B-level and even A-level martial skills. Still, the martial arts techniques of this world are too crude, far inferior to the advanced systems honed through the blood battles of the Federation... Once I master an A-level martial skill, I feel like I could challenge innate martial artists without external aid in the Second Realm!”

“It's just a pity it's still vacation...”

Due to the vacation, without guidance from a master, Fang Xing didn't know if refining the muscles was like refining the skin, with different grades like cowhide, copper skin, or jade skin.

It was even less possible for him to be taught A-level martial arts like the 'Ghost God Blade.'

“If I pursue immortal cultivation, in this world, can I really receive training akin to the Federation's?”

“Not to mention, in martial arts one could eventually pilot mechas, whose destructive power is awe-inspiring, capable of shattering stars with a single blow... ordinary cultivators would find it unimaginable.”

“The Vital Energy Pills are nearly depleted from breaking through the bottleneck. Next, I should properly adapt to the new realm, then head to the market again...”

Fang Xing glanced at his body.

His previously slender physique had become significantly more robust, and after taking off his shirt, his muscles were clearly defined.

Not only that, he seemed to have grown taller as well.

“Lean in clothes, muscular without... if I had this build in my past life, women would probably be chasing after me!”

Fang Xing ran a hand over his muscular physique, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Sadly, the days of his previous life were forever gone.

(End of Chapter)