Starry Sky Professional

Three days later.

Fang Xing sat cross-legged, his expression impassive.

Over the past three days, he had been quite cooperative, undergoing multiple physical examinations and even tests for the presence of evil god influences.

To be objective, the evil god detection technology here is far more advanced than that of the Eagle Star Prevention Bureau.

They even managed to catch a few students who were secretly followers of the evil gods.

The key thing is... he passed all the tests!

‘Could it be... that my golden finger is truly powerful, not the least bit faulty... has it really purified the pollution, leaving nothing but the purest "alien martial arts"?’

He pondered in silence before sinking into a state of meditation.

Within his mindscape, a brilliant red sun suddenly burst forth!

This is the 'Great Sun Tathagata Mantra'!

Strictly speaking, this 'alien martial art' seems to be a visualization technique, requiring one to visualize the Great Sun internally, thereby influencing one's essence, energy, and spirit...

‘This makes it the easiest to conceal any contamination... but since even the Federation's most advanced technology hasn't found any issues, it should be fine...’

What frustrated Fang Xing somewhat was that he had already entered the path of this technique and couldn't forget it even if he wished to.

On the other hand, thinking of the Great Vajra Prajna Strength that took him ages to even touch upon, one has to acknowledge that there are differences between martial arts.

Compared to the aloof Great Vajra Prajna Strength, the Great Sun Tathagata Mantra is like a bewitching seductress who actively sticks close.

'For now, it seems to have nothing to do with the Void Gate, it's just a very mysterious martial art!'

Fang Xing made a silent judgment in his heart.

About this martial art, the 'Great Sun Tathagata Mantra', he was also unsure why, when he clearly had no special abilities himself, he could still enter the path so quickly.

Currently, it appears to stabilize his mind.

At the very least, the martial will impacts of ordinary Courage Realm martial artists should have no effect on him!

As for anything more advanced... he wouldn't dare ask Xia Long to test it.

What if something went wrong?

A moment later, Fang Xing stood up and exited his cabin.

Xia Long stood outside, smoking a cigarette, his whole demeanor reflecting a certain weariness.

Upon seeing Fang Xing, he immediately extinguished his cigarette, clearly not wanting to set a bad example for the students.

Fang Xing could only respond with silence.

After all, he had already been through so much bloodshed himself...

It seemed Xia Long had witnessed so many deaths and was reminded of his past military experiences, leaving him somewhat despondent.

‘In terms of martial will, this is mental frailty... No wonder he hasn’t formed his Golden Core...’

Seeing Xia Long in this state, Fang Xing finally confirmed that the man was indeed suffering from injuries, preventing him from progressing to form his Martial Golden Core!

Possibly, his mental wounds were even more severe.

“The Blue Star Federation's ‘Source Sea-level’ healing pod really has such miraculous effects?”

Fang Xing secretly decided he needed to get one in the future, as it could mean countless lives saved.

“Teacher!”

He greeted Xia Long.

“Hmm, tidy up; everything's taken care of. We're going home.” Xia Long emphasized the words "going home.”

“Oh? And how about the results?”

Fang Xing asked a pragmatic question.

He knew that he had actually come here to take an exam.

“We’ll determine the results based on the last set of data returned via personal terminals before any issues with the secret realm... No retakes.”

Xia Long handed over a transcript.

Fang Xing opened it and immediately raised an eyebrow: “First place, Gu Jiantong... Second, Liu Wei, and I'm third... Gu Jiantong I get, but what's with Liu Wei?”

“He’s a genius apothecary from Young Lin Star. After entering the secret realm, he concocted a potent poison within the permitted rules using secret materials and his own stockpile... This knocked out many of the examinees...”

Xia Long gave a brief explanation.

In terms of broad-area devastation, a martial artist using their fists couldn’t compete with an apothecary tossing poison gas bombs!

Fang Xing even suspected that Liu Wei had laid the groundwork back on the plaza.

Instead of directly poisoning someone, it involved leaving a distinct mark or unique scent.

Having a basic understanding of pharmacy, he naturally knew that some scents are not only non-toxic but can also benefit martial artists.

However, if they encounter certain other special components, they can transform into deadly toxins!

It's possible that Levi had poisoned the area in the square beforehand and then went on a rampage in the secret realm.

You could say he's making reasonable use of the rules.

Anyway, if you lose, you have to admit defeat, and if you get beaten, you should stand firm.

Fang Xing made a mental note of this person, vowing to give him a good beating if they ever crossed paths again.

"What do you think? Do you feel it's a pity?"

Xia Long observed Fang Xing's expression.

"Not really, it's not like it's the college entrance exam or anything. Third place is good enough," Fang Xing shrugged nonchalantly.

"Of course, the principal would be laughing his head off if he knew... Maybe they'll even award you a grand medal on Apprentice Star, given that our planet hasn't seen such good results in years."

Xia Long was rather sentimental. "Speaking of accolades, your achievements in the secret realm have been tallied; you've earned a total of 3000 contribution points. These can be used to elevate your citizenship level or to purchase rare resources not found in the practitioner market, like the 'Kunpeng Blood'..."

"Oh?"

Fang Xing looked it up and realized that 3000 contribution points were indeed substantial.

Such contributions were very useful; they could even convert into corresponding military ranks if he joined the army in the future.

If used to directly elevate his citizenship level, he could potentially rise to a Level 3 citizen.

"By the way, what about the others?"

Fang Xing asked.

As expected, a complicated look appeared on Xia Long's face: "Gu Jiantong was credited as the top contributor, while Qi Lingzhen and Zhong Yuxiu earned commendations similar to yours... I know you were actually the main force against the evil god's followers. What do you think about that?"

"I don't have any particular feelings about it. At least the sect's retaliation will be shared among others too, which is rather nice."

Fang Xing was quite indifferent.

He was well aware that the young bishop was only a part of a consciousness avatar.

The real masterminds were still lurking underwater.

Xia Long found himself at a loss for words. Earlier, he had been racking his brains, trying to find a way to comfort Fang Xing. But now, he found himself utterly speechless.

Initially, he had planned to show Fang Xing the harsh reality of society, imparting wisdom he had gathered over a lifetime of experiences.

But then, thinking about Fang Xing’s identity as a bio-engineered human and his previous performance, Xia Long realized there was no need to say anything at all.

In the end, all he could manage was a simple:

“Ah... let's head back.”

...

Several hours later.

On the planet Starling Nest.

Stepping off the Bieluo starship and onto the solid ground of his home planet, Fang Xing was flooded with a sense of safety.

‘As expected... with my current abilities, it’s best to remain on a small planet and be a big fish in a small pond...’

‘Intergalactic warfare is not my thing...’

He arrived at the gates of Yucai High School with Xia Long.

BANG! BANG!

One after another, ceremonial cannons erupted into the sky, showering colorful streamers.

In front of the school gates, holographic projections materialized, forming a brilliant line of text mid-air: "Heartfelt congratulations to Fang Xing of Class 2-2 for achieving third place in the Hundred Stars Joint Exam!"

“Haha!”

A silhouette jumped out; it was Principal Lu Guangming.

His face shone with glee, his bald head even seemed to radiate brilliance as he exclaimed with vigor, "Young Fang, you’ve brought great honor to our school. We’re awarding you five million Star dollars!"

“Thank you, Principal. It’s what I should do.”

At the mention of money, Fang Xing’s eyes instantly lit up.

“Haha, you’re as adorable as ever, Young Fang...”

Lu Guangming chuckled heartily, “Now with this prize money, any plans for the summer break?”

The Hundred Stars Joint Exam is the final exam for second-year students, marking the start of the summer vacation thereafter.

In reality, Fang Xing's classmates, like Bailang and Ouyang Qianqian, had already gone home for vacation.

"I'm planning... to take a spontaneous trip, to truly explore this fledgling Eagle Star," Fang Xing declared, his eyes glinting.

Such an impulsive journey would conveniently help him conceal his secret of traversing worlds. After all, during the recent Hundred-Star Joint Exam, he had become quite the sensation, and there was a real chance he could become a household name.

In such a case, having a swarm of paparazzi outside his home would be even more troublesome than the Surveillance Bureau's monitoring.

Still, on the surface, he needed an excuse: "After this summer break, I'll be an adult and will have to face the college entrance exams..."

"Yes, that makes sense." Lu Guangming and Xia Long both nodded in agreement.

According to the Blue Star Federation, one becomes an adult at eighteen, and after reaching adulthood, they must contend with the issue of federal military service.

For Blue Star citizens, both death and military service are inescapable!

Whether one is a cyborg or a natural human, there's no avoiding it. Among them, cyborgs, burdened with loans, have even fewer choices.

The only way to defy this fate is through the college entrance exam!

However, for Fang Xing, the college entrance exams were no longer a major concern. "It's good to get out and about... it can help avoid some troubles. Besides, next semester, some university professors might come looking for you to discuss early admission. Just remember one principle: don't trust anyone who contacts you outside of school," Lu Guangming advised.

"Advance entry into a university, is it?" Fang Xing showed an interested expression. "Are there any top-tier universities involved?"

"You're dreaming. Getting into a first-rate university would be a big deal." Lu Guangming shook his head. "Aside from that, you'll soon be quite wealthy. Those high-ranking officials from the Federation, even the giant corporations, might send people to invest in you. Handle that yourself."

Third place in the Hundred-Star Joint Exam!

While this result might not be much on Youling Star, it's quite conspicuous on Fledgling Eagle Star.

If they dig deeper and discover Fang Xing's cyborg background, he'd be considered an exceptional genius!

That's something of definite value.

Emerging from humble beginnings can often be an advantage in itself.

After all, investors are fond of a good story. Many people are intrigued to see whether someone like Fang Xing, growing up in an environment as challenging as Youling Star, could rise to become a martial sage or a martial god, given the right resources like those from Gu Jiantong.

Even if hundreds of such genius investments fail, the success of just one martial sage would be well worth it!

]

(End of Chapter)