Starry Sky Professional

Even now, it feels like gaining just a tiny bit of skill improvement from consuming one, becoming utterly useless.

However, Fang Xing maintained an optimistic outlook and planned to have Hua Feiyue acquire more items related to dragons. This should further stimulate the advancement of his Dragon Stake technique and ultimately lead to the understanding of 'Dragon's Aura'!

"It feels like all the top universities are beckoning to me. Maybe I should apply to Blue Star University and also fulfill the original owner's dream of buying a house there!"

Fang Xing was pondering this when suddenly he heard a dog's bark.

"Woof! Woof!"

He looked up to see a tall and attractive woman in sportswear, apparently out for a morning jog.

Beside her was a bully dog.

"We meet again."

Jing Xia was holding the pet dog 'Ginger' and greeted Fang Xing with a smile.

"What a coincidence, do you come here to exercise every day?"

Fang Xing asked with slight surprise.

"Yes, mainly to walk the dog!"

Jing Xia answered earnestly.

'And also to investigate... because it's close to Yucai High School?'

'Having an agent of the Blue Star Federation lurking around daily makes me uneasy...'

Fang Xing complained to himself, then chatted a bit more: "School starts today, I'll head off."

"Alright, good luck, little brother."

Jing Xia cheerfully added, "Don't grow up to be like that group under my command, turning into useless slobs!"

"Useless slobs..."

Fang Xing appeared speechless, waving goodbye but feeling relieved inside: 'It seems... there's no major discovery...'

'Sigh, I just want a quiet life, peacefully waiting for the college entrance exams, why is there always trouble around?'

Xia Long strode into the classroom, his hawk-like eyes sweeping across the room. "Today, we’re doing a baseline assessment. According to your student numbers, come to the training room one by one. I want to see if you have wasted your summer break!"

…

Bai Lang was the first to enter, and nearly came back in tears.

After all, Xia Long’s teaching style was always straightforward and harsh. Then it was Ouyang Qianqian’s turn. When she returned, she was still relatively calm, suggesting she had trained hard over the summer, just managing to pass.

As for Cole? He didn’t return at all; word had it he was sent straight to the medical room...

Fang Xing watched one after another, and when his turn came, he walked into the training room with a calm expression.

Boom!

The moment he entered the training room, a fist loomed towards him.

With one punch, he felt as though the entire world was compressing around him, the terror of impending death made the blood and flesh around him surge, tendons stretching, fingers closing into a fist!

Bow-Step Cannon Fist!

Boom!

Suddenly, a cannon-like echo pierced the void as two fists collided.

Fang Xing abruptly felt as if he punched into soft cotton, his entire body felt hollow, yet there was no rebound force at all.

“Second stage tendon refining, even the main tendons are pulsating like a strong bow... This shows that more than half of the main tendons have been refined...”

“And this Bow-Step Cannon Fist, it seems you have mastered it to perfection...”

“Kid, how did you become so fierce over the summer? What have you been taking?”

Xia Long retracted his fist and looked at Fang Xing with an unusual glint, a slight smile of surprise curling at the corner of his lips.

“Teacher, I trained diligently all summer and was lucky enough to win a lottery, so I used it to buy nutritional supplements to assist my training.”

Fang Xing replied forthrightly.

He had gone to the black market to launder money just to prepare for this.

“Even with nutritional supplements, your progress is astonishingly rapid. The Dragon Stance must have reached an extremely advanced level...”

Xia Long reminisced with a sense of pride: "At the rate you're progressing, as long as you remain persistent, reaching the Jade State by your senior year won't be difficult... Haha, my class has suddenly produced several university seeds. Even the principal will envy me when he learns about it... It's amusing, our principal felt the school's admission rate was too dismal. He spent a significant sum to recruit a new freshman this year, hoping she'd bolster our university numbers. Little did he know, we also have our own university seed in our class!"

"Recruited a university seed? A freshman? Could her last name be Gu?"

Fang Xing reacted with interest.

"Yes, you know that little girl Gu Yun? Her father was a martyr. Many schools extended offers to her, and our principal went all out to invite her with full scholarships, personal cultivation resources, and countless promises. Yet, the talent right here in our school turned out to be the better investment."

Xia Long chuckled heartily: "Don't worry, with your progress, you'll easily secure this year's scholarship. It won't be just any scholarship either; you can apply for the special prize scholarship."

"I owe it all to your guidance, sir,"

Fang Xing responded humbly, grateful for the support Xia Long had given him, acknowledging that this seemingly small favor would be remembered.

"Now that you're in your second year, the pace of martial arts progression varies greatly among students, so I can't teach everyone individually. Come here every day after your martial arts class for a ten-minute personal instruction session from me..."

Xia Long laid out the teaching schedule.

Those still wandering in the first stage could be taught collectively.

But Liu Wei, Bai Lianyi, and Fang Xing, who had broken into the second stage of martial arts, deserved extra attention.

They wouldn't gain much from attending classes with those still in the first stage anyway.

"You're now in the second stage and can learn an A-level martial art. Additionally, you must practice the 'Subduing Tiger Stance.' This stance, much like the Great Dragon Stance, is better suited for fortifying your muscles and bones..."

Xia Long mused: "With your solid foundation, you'll progress swiftly in the Subduing Tiger Stance... Don't neglect the Great Dragon Stance either. The Great Dragon and Subduing Tiger are the foundation of our Blue Star Federation's martial way, honed and perfected by the 'All-Knowing Brain'. These basic stances are the bedrock upon which lofty achievements are built. If you could master them both to the fourth stage and even integrate them into the 'Dragon-Tiger Intent', your future would be truly limitless..."

"Just how limitless?"

Fang Xing's curiosity was piqued.

"Well, let me explain... In the Federation's martial path, the first stage is flesh and skin, the second stage muscles and bones, and the third stage is Jade. Jade is still foundational, requiring refinement. Only upon reaching the fourth stage, Guts, does one become a true 'professional'! Here, you officially step through the gateway of martial arts!"

Xia Long smiled faintly, dismissing many innate talents from other worlds as mere specks of dust.

"The fifth martial stage, known as 'Outside View', signifies the achievement of a personal intent, a nascent domain capable of manifesting forces like wind, fire, thunder, and lightning into tangible abilities... Only at this point does martial art transcend its boundaries, entering an entirely new realm!"

The martial intent remains ethereal, existing only in the heart of one's adversaries.

Yet those at the Outside View stage can truly unleash elements like fire and lightning with a wave of their hand, illustrating the profound impact of spirit on matter!

"Next is the sixth stage of martial arts – the Golden Core! Forming the Martial Dao Golden Core requires harmonizing the Dragon and Tiger Yin and Yang. The most orthodox and promising path is mastering both the Great Dragon Stance and the Subduing Tiger Stance, merging them into Dragon-Tiger Intent, and thus forging a 'Dragon-Tiger Golden Core'!"

...

"Skin, muscles, jade, courage, external appearance, Golden Core..." Fang Xing felt the secrets of the Federation's martial arts revealing themselves to him for the first time. "The Omniscient Brain is truly formidable. It laid the foundation for the Martial Arts Golden Core right from the stages of skin and muscles, didn't it?"

]

48. Subduing the Tiger

A series of lightning bolts snaked through the air, making the surroundings feel like an electrified purgatory.

Fang Xing immediately felt as though a light current was running through his body, causing his hair to stand on end.

To better blend into his historical surroundings, he had started growing out his hair, which now amusingly stood on end, making him look like a hedgehog.

"A nascent domain... External Scene Realm!"

Fang Xing understood instantly, "No wonder..."

In the Federation, career martial artists held significant status, and one qualified as a 'professional' upon reaching the Fourth Realm of Martial Arts.

Amazingly, Xia Long was a Fifth Realm expert, explaining his typical arrogance and ability to vacation on other planets during the summer break.

"An inner vision that manifests externally and allows the mind to influence matter—this is known as the 'External Scene'!"

Xia Long smiled faintly and glanced at the time. "You haven't told me which A-rank martial art you plan to master. The school offers only three choices: Ghost God Blade, Frenzied Eighteen Strikes, and Mad Demon Staff Techniques... Given your proficiency in the Twelve Forms of Army Boxing, I suggest the Frenzied Eighteen Strikes. These two martial arts share the same lineage—the 'Military Path of Lethal Fist'—and would allow seamless progression to more advanced techniques if you join the army."

"I choose the Ghost God Blade," Fang Xing responded firmly.

"Huh? Did you not hear what I said?"

Xia Long frowned, and an imposing atmosphere enveloped the scene.

Even martial artists at the Gallant Realm would feel suppressed in this budding domain. Despite Xia Long's restraint, Fang Xing found it hard to breathe and felt an involuntary push to submit.

'So this is the nascent domain? Truly domineering!'

Despite these thoughts, Fang Xing held his ground. "I choose the Ghost God Blade!"

"Why?"

Xia Long showed a trace of curiosity.

"Because I've already grasped its fundamentals," Fang Xing relaxed, the pressure dissipating as he exhaled deeply.

"What?"

Xia Long's eyes widened in disbelief.

"While working various jobs, I met Gu Yun and received some pointers. Then, observing underground fights at the black market, I repeatedly explored the essence of the 'Ghost God Blade.' It seems I have a knack for this martial art. I quickly picked up meditation techniques and hypnosis, allowing me to successfully enter its domain... If you don't believe me, I can demonstrate."

Fang Xing had a solid explanation ready. Even if it was discovered later that he had visited the black market, he could openly clarify that it was to observe the Ghost God Blade.

“Show it to me then!”

Xia Long’s face was exceedingly stern. He stood still, yet a broadsword automatically flew off the wall and into Fang Xing’s hands.

As soon as Fang Xing gripped the sword, his expression shifted, the blade erupting with a layer of brilliant light.

“Enough, no need to continue. You rascal... you rascal...”

Pointing at Fang Xing, Xia Long’s lips curled into an ever-widening smile, eventually giving way to wild laughter. “Hahaha... What a wonderful surprise you’ve given me, Xia! At the Year-End Examination, you must show those students at Sanyo and Phoenix High Schools what you’re made of, and earn a prestigious ranking for our Young Eagle Star!”

“Yes, Teacher!”

Fang Xing solemnly agreed, understanding that the better his performance, the more Xia Long would benefit. Thus, repaying previous investments wasn’t just a deed of loyalty but of necessity.

...

“Now that you’ve taken the first step with the Ghost God Blade, today, let’s primarily focus on learning the ‘Subduing Tiger Stance’!”

Xia Long pressed a button, and a life-sized 3D projection of a massive black tiger materialized in the classroom.

Though aware it was merely a hologram, the black tiger’s demeanor, stride, and even its aura exuded an inherent majesty, sending chills down one’s spine.

“The Subduing Tiger Stance requires observing the form of the tiger, leading to divine understanding...”

Xia Long began his explanation of the Subduing Tiger Stance: “The stance is static, but the spirit thrives within. Only by ingraining the tiger’s form deep into one’s essence can one truly achieve mastery. This ‘Black Nightmare Tiger’ projection has been uniquely crafted to perfectly simulate the demeanor of that legendary tiger beast!”

“Originally, the Subduing Tiger Stance was just a common blood energy practice on Blue Star. But with the onset of the interstellar era, many tiger beasts were discovered on other planets. Among them, the ‘Black Nightmare Tiger’ was determined to be the most suitable cosmic creature for meditation! In ancient times, martial artists would have been lucky to have just a few images to meditate upon; nothing compares to this immersive experience... Also, remember, this special projection is the most accurate within the school. Video images online might be inaccurate or even harmful. So if you wish to observe, it must be done here!”

Having explained, Xia Long transformed his hands into claws, lunging forward.

Roar!

Suddenly, Fang Xing felt as if a ferocious tiger was launching towards him, as if Xia Long had metamorphosed from man into a tiger demon!

"I'll follow along and learn a bit..."

He got down on all fours, beginning to mimic Xia Long's movements, also observing the Black Nightmare Tiger carefully, imprinting its demeanor deep in his mind.

The "Subduing Tiger Stance," much like the "Great Dragon Stance," is merely a C-rank martial art, not too challenging for beginners.

Therefore, by the time school ended, Fang Xing glanced at his attributes panel and saw it nonchalantly displaying a health bar:

【Subduing Tiger Stance: 1/100】

"With the foundation from the Great Dragon Stance, my initial progress in the Subduing Tiger Stance should be rapid… Besides, I have other resources."

Not to mention, the area around Qinglin Market is rife with demon tigers; Fang Xing has even tasted tiger demon meat, and at home, he has the tiger bones gifted by the late Meng Yi!

"Soaking these demon tiger bones in wine should be effective... Moreover, I could visit Qingdan Market to see if there are 'Tiger Bone Pills' or similar elixirs for bone refinement…"

"Speaking of tiger beasts, even Blue Star might not compare to other worlds… If I could find a descendant with a sliver of blood from a third-order demon tiger—similar to the 'Dragon Blood Pill'—and refine it into a unique elixir, it would clearly benefit my understanding of the 'Tiger Intent'!"

"Mastering the intent of both dragon and tiger will undoubtedly grant me a golden core seed, perhaps even adding points for college admission!"

"Indeed, in martial arts, my Blue Star seeks to overpower the otherworldly immortal path!"

Fang Xing always believed in aligning interests with position.

Now, with no spiritual roots and unable to cultivate immortality, he's staunchly in the martial arts camp!

As for future matters? They can wait for the future to decide!

If the benefits are significant enough, swallowing one's pride is a trivial matter.

A slight turn and he's adaptable!

Exiting the school, along the riverbank road, Fang Xing looked at his reflection in the water, silently giving himself a thumbs-up.

Just then, Liu Wei also stepped out. Upon seeing each other, they exchanged a calm nod and went their separate ways.

Under the setting sun, their shadows stretched infinitely.

Happiness Residential Complex.

"It's rare that school's started; let's take a night off."

Fang Xing ordered some takeout for himself, put on his holographic glasses, and immersed himself in a game.

While eating, he remembered something important and sent a congratulatory message to Gu Yun.

After all, it was her first day of high school. If Xia Long hadn't mentioned it earlier, he might have forgotten about it entirely.

After Fang Xing finished his meal, Gu Yun's reply came.

"Hmm? She's actually calling back? I'll answer it!"

Fang Xing donned his holographic glasses, and a tea room appeared before him.

Wearing a school uniform with her hair in twin buns, Gu Yun was slowly brewing tea.

When she saw Fang Xing enter, her face showed no expression, just a nod: "Thank you, senior."

"Mm, now that you're a freshman, feel free to ask me if there's anything you don't understand. I'm pretty familiar with Yucai High School; I can even tell you which lunch lady's health meals are the best...although, honestly, none of them are that great."

Fang Xing sat down and took a sip of tea.

This virtual tea had a pleasant aroma.

"I heard today that several outstanding students emerged from the sophomore class, the kind who can make it to college..." Gu Yun got straight to the point: "One of them...is you?"

"Didn't expect the news to spread so quickly," Fang Xing said, slightly surprised.

"The principal is really going all out for the graduation rates." Gu Yun looked at Fang Xing, a hint of challenge in her eyes: "Looks like you made significant progress this summer. Perfect... I want to test myself. Let's spar some time!"

"Sure, sure..."

Fang Xing waved his hand, a bit helpless, knowing that Gu Yun had a purpose for contacting him.

"Besides, I've applied to the principal for an off-campus internship opportunity. If your skills impress me, I can recommend you to join..."

Gu Yun mentioned something that raised Fang Xing's eyebrows: "Oh? Is this some kind of prize for a contest?"

"If you believe it is, then it can be!"

]

(End of Chapter)