Chapter 41: No Matter the Height of One's Martial Arts
Chapter 41: No Matter the Height of One's Martial Arts
"As expected of the Blood Cage Arena, the energy here is immense..."
"I must take my revenge, and these 200,000 credits will get me detailed intelligence on my enemy. It's a necessary expense! Additionally, I can also sign up for some private lessons..."
Fang Xing closed his eyes, his mind slowly turning over the possibilities.
Money wasn't a big issue; even with the additional cost, it would only amount to 300,000 credits.
He had sold gold on the black market before, which had attracted Lance's attention. This amount was well within his means.
And why was it only thirty thousand?
Naturally, because he only intended to buy one lesson!
"Information on the Extreme Emotion Sword is readily available online. Moreover, I only need to gain an insight into the state of mind of the 'Extreme Emotion Sword' once to get a grasp of it... After that, I can completely rely on my attribute panel to improve!"
"Strictly speaking, it's like getting it for free!"
"Learning another sword technique will mainly help me disguise myself... and it's pretty cool to be proficient in both the sword and the knife."
...
Night fell.
Donning a mask, Fang Xing once again made his way to the Blood Cage Arena.
Ever since the last time he was attacked, he had found that the shuttle bus service provided by the arena was the safest option.
"Welcome!"
Zhang Jiarui greeted him, dressed in a tailored suit with a bright red bow tie at her collar. She placed her hands on her abdomen and bowed slightly.
"Hello. I'm here to make a transaction..." Fang Xing said in a low voice.
"Please follow me," Zhang Jiarui replied.
She led Fang Xing to an office and opened the door to reveal a surprisingly spacious room with only a solitary desk inside.
"The money has been transferred to the arena's account," Fang Xing stated.
"Okay, here's the intelligence." Zhang Jiarui's fingers tapped in the air a few times, sending a message to Fang Xing's Black Market Communicator.
At the top was a three-dimensional personal image.
"Lance Note, 37 years old, a cyborg from Three Leaves City. Graduated from Three Leaves High School and later served in the military, where he awakened his superpower... Retired at 34 years old..."
"A Jade Realm warrior, with an awakened superpower suspected to be 'Communicate with Small Animals', able to control small animals but unable to bend larger ones to his will... Favorite areas of activity: Black Market of Maple Leaf City, Blood Dance Bar..."
Fang Xing scanned the information and found it to be very detailed.
This was quite impressive; knowing these details was akin to knowing a person's weaknesses! Even with his current abilities, he felt confident that he could deliberately set traps to finish off Lance!
Of course, doing so would be quite dangerous, so Fang Xing decided to bide his time and make his move only when he was fully prepared.
"Thank you." He sincerely expressed his gratitude to Zhang Jiarui, as such detailed intelligence was not something that an ordinary organization could obtain.
"After all, you are my customer... Now, about the private coaching?" Zhang Jiarui asked with a smile.
"Yes, let's start with one lesson," Fang Xing nodded in agreement, watching as Zhang Jiarui left the room.
Before long, the office door opened again, and a female warrior walked in.
She had a sturdy build and dark skin. At first glance, she didn't seem remarkable, but upon closer inspection, one could sense the latent danger she exuded, like a panther lurking in the grass, ready to pounce on its prey at any moment!
"My surname is Ping, you can call me Coach Ping... You want to learn the 'Extreme Emotion Sword'? How much do you know about this A-level martial art?" Coach Ping asked.
Fang Xing shared his understanding of the sword technique.
After listening, Coach Ping furrowed her brows, "That's all public knowledge... You don't have any foundation at all. In that case, I suggest we use ten lessons to solidify your basics, and then move on to advanced training... It's estimated that it will take around fifty lessons to achieve a basic level of proficiency..."
Fang Xing's face darkened at the suggestion, "That... I haven't decided yet if I want to cultivate the 'Extreme Emotion Sword', so I plan to purchase a trial lesson first... Can Coach Ping briefly explain the key points of the 'Extreme Emotion Sword' and demonstrate its sword intent?"
One lesson cost 100,000 credits, so fifty lessons would amount to 5,000,000 credits!
He would have to be crazy to spend that much money.
The reason he was buying this trial lesson was to gain a general understanding and then work through the hurdles on his own.
Of course, the most crucial part was to experience the state of mind of the 'Extreme Emotion Sword'.
"That can be arranged... The essence of the 'Extreme Emotion Sword' lies in the extremes of emotion, the sincerity of intent, the unity of heart and mind, and the harmony of emotion and body... In your case..."
Coach Ping looked at Fang Xing, a slight sneer flashing across her mind before she continued her explanation.
This A-level martial art was profound and extensive, and Fang Xing felt that he wouldn't have been able to understand it without the guidance of a master.
Listening to the private lesson, he felt enlightened, and couldn't help but marvel at the adage, "You get what you pay for."
"Alright, finally, I'll demonstrate the state of mind of the 'Extreme Emotion Sword'."
"To cultivate the 'Extreme Emotion Sword', you need to delve into the depths of your heart and retrieve the most profound and memorable emotion... The more intense the emotion, the stronger the simulated state of mind."
Coach Ping reached for her waist, and with a flash of white light, a dragon-like sword cry reverberated.
Tucked at her waist was a soft sword.
The sword light flickered, as if imbued with strong emotional infectiousness.
Fang Xing felt a little dazed, and before he knew it, he felt a glistening tear welling up in the corner of his eye, "Emotion is indeed a complex matter..."
Coach Ping had already sheathed her sword, "Today's lesson is over. Remember to pay the tuition in full next time."
She was actually a little short on money, hence her willingness to take on this private coaching request.
And the glimpse of the sword's intent was the bait to lure him in.
In her opinion, it was impossible to master an A-level martial art with just a trial lesson.
And in the end, he still had to start practicing from scratch.
"Thank you, Coach!"
Fang Xing committed the feeling he had just experienced to memory; at least now he had a direction to work with.
As for paying for a bunch of classes?
That was out of the question, not in this lifetime.
Although this wasn't exactly a free trial, with the direction he now had, along with some minor tricks from the Cultivation World and the assistance of his attribute panel, he might just be able to pull it off!
There was no need to spend money on subsequent lessons.
Exiting the office, Fang Xing checked the time and immediately made his way to the pawn shop and the weapons store.
"It's rare that I'm here, so I'll sell the gold as quickly as possible, then buy the 'Swift Dragon-class Ray Gun' I've been eyeing, and finally take the Combat Arena shuttle bus home, killing two birds with one stone!"
There was no shortage of gold in Qinglinfang City, and Fang Xing had brought another batch this time.
Together with what he had left over, he could barely scrape together two million credits.
More importantly, he wouldn't have to launder the money; he could directly purchase the weapon and then take it back, saving a large sum.
...
"As expected, the black market doesn't want me to take a single credit home... But skipping the money laundering step and spending freely sure feels good... Somehow feels like I've gained something."
Blissful Home Residence.
"A ray gun..."
In his room, Fang Xing fiddled with the gun in his hand.
This 'Swift Dragon-class Ray Gun' was sourced from the black market, its body exuding a silvery-white metallic sheen, and it felt substantial in his grip.
More importantly... it could be used against people!
"The speed of a ray gun is close to the speed of light, and its destructive power can pierce through nano-protective clothing..."
Fang Xing struck a few standard gun-aiming poses, "This should be enough for taking revenge; anyway, that Lance won't be able to block it..."
"I don't have much to do here for now, so I'll keep the gun here, and after taking my revenge, I'll bring it to the other world..."
Even though the pawnshop owner had assured him that there were no hidden tricks with the gun, Fang Xing didn't believe it for a second.
Without the manufacturer's hidden mechanisms, there might still be the black market's!
Therefore, he intended to use the gun to take his revenge and then discard it in the other world.
By doing so, he would feel more secure in Qinglinfang City, even if he couldn't exactly rest easy.
At the very least, he could ambush and kill Qi Refining Realm cultivators, not to mention those at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm!
As for whether he could withstand those at the Qi Refining Realm? Fang Xing didn't know and didn't want to find out, as he felt his situation would be quite dangerous if it came to that.
...
Several days later.
Black Market.
Blood Dance Bar.
'Corpse Eater' Lance, drunk, staggered out of the bar, still holding a bottle of alcohol.
Ever since retiring from the interstellar battlefield, he had come to rely on liquor and even stimulants to soothe his soul.
In fact, that period of his memory had become his taboo, something he forced himself to forget, never wanting to recall.
He turned into an abandoned street and skillfully opened a manhole cover, climbing down into the sewer.
The sewer was narrow, confined, and dimly lit, with a putrid stench hanging in the air.
For some reason, Lance felt extremely comfortable in this environment.
"Squeak! Squeak!"
Just then, two rats scurried over, squeaking as they approached.
"Gurgle..."
Lance raised the bottle to his lips and took another hearty swig, his steps unsteady as he swayed drunkenly, a drunkard in the truest sense.
"Ugh..."
The next moment, he clutched his mouth as if about to vomit, steadying himself against the nearby wall.
Suddenly!
Lance's legs burst into action, his body resembling a hunting cheetah as he pounced towards something in the darkness.
His hands formed claws, tearing through the gust of wind, and his startling killing intent was none other than an A-rank martial art - the 'Mad Eagle Style' from the 'Madness Eighteen Strikes'!
'Hmph... If I were just a drunkard, I would've been done for in the black market long ago!'
A hint of pride flashed in Lance's eyes. Ever since the two rats had alerted him to the presence of an ambush, he had deliberately acted like a drunkard about to vomit to lower his assailant's guard.
And now, he struck with sudden ferocity!
Even as he lunged forward, his entire body was already enveloped by a nano-protective suit, his defense impenetrable.
The next instant, he laid eyes on the ambusher lurking in the darkness.
Although the person wore a mask, something about their build and eyes felt familiar, and he immediately locked onto his target, "You again, you fat sheep who got away last time? Today, I'll show you what it means to be a battle-hardened elite who's survived countless wars!"
How could someone at the Meridian Opening Realm, let alone a mere Muscle Tempering Realm cultivator, possibly be his match, a Jade Realm warrior who could wield an A-rank martial art?
Lance could already envision his assailant's death.
But in mid-air, he suddenly noticed that the attacker's right hand was tucked into his clothes, a mocking glint in his eyes.
In that instant, the battle-hardened veteran felt a twinge of alarm, "You don't fight with honor..."
"Goodbye!"
Fang Xing pulled the trigger, and a white ray of light flashed by.
The ray instantly struck Lance, melting through his nano-protective suit's defense and reducing his head to nothingness.
Bang!
The headless corpse collapsed to the ground, causing nearby rats to scurry away in a panic, squealing in fear.
"No matter the height of one's martial arts, a single bullet is all it takes!"
Fang Xing blew on the ray gun's muzzle, a sense of emotion washing over him, "My vengeance is complete, and now I depart..."
(End of Chapter)
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