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Chapter 98: Adulthood
Chapter 98: Adulthood
By the riverbank, a temporary camp had been set up in an underground room. Fang Xing meticulously sorted and stored the bird meat and feathers he had carefully cut. The second-tier demon pill was a valuable item, but of little use to him, and he couldn't find an alchemist to refine it into a foundation-building pill. So, it remained a collectible, one precious enough to be stored in his storage bag.
Having a storage bag made moving much more convenient for Fang Xing, although he was cautious not to use it on Blue Star Federation due to its sensitivity. The two bags he had were also small in capacity, so he couldn't fit all the second-tier demon beast meat inside. They served as helpful tools for transporting items nonetheless.
"This place could be turned into a permanent camp," Fang Xing mused as he surveyed the campsite after storing his spoils. He was quite satisfied with the setup. Unlike the bustling market, this place lacked spiritual energy and thus, didn't attract any demonic beasts.
Back at Qinglin Market, his brief absence had sparked a chaotic free-for-all among the demonic beasts, all vying for the flesh and blood of the second-tier demon beast. Even on the third day, a new second-tier demon beast appeared, seemingly coveting the territory of the Golden-Feathered Vulture. This made Fang Xing realize he couldn't linger in the market any longer, prompting his return to the place of his initial arrival.
"Even though I can now slay a second-tier demon beast with a single strike, I'm sure I wouldn't fare well if I were to be clawed at by an upper-tier second-tier demon beast... If I were then surrounded or encountered a more cautious flying demon beast that didn't land, things could get troublesome," he acknowledged, reflecting on his recent battle and gaining a clear understanding of his strengths.
Through this encounter, he had also developed a vague comparison between the immortal cultivation system of this world and the martial arts system of the Blue Star Federation.
"Cultivation levels are one thing, but battle prowess is another," he thought to himself. "In terms of levels alone, the Blue Star Federation's martial arts at the second level of 'Muscles and Bones' is comparable to the post-natal warriors of this world, perhaps even more refined."
"And the third level, 'Pristine Jade', is akin to the pre-natal warriors of this world! It can also be likened to the early Qi Refining cultivators..."
Although cultivators looked down on pre-natal martial artists, they acknowledged that these warriors possessed the strength to threaten early Qi Refining cultivators.
"As for the fourth level, 'Courage and Boldness', in terms of cultivation alone, it should be somewhere between the late Qi Condensation stage and the peak of Qi Condensation. The fifth level, 'External Sight', may even be comparable to Foundation Establishment. And the sixth level, the 'Heavenly Pill of Martial Arts', is similar to the Golden Core cultivators of this world. At least, their lifespans seem comparable..."
Both the Blue Star's martial artists at the Golden Core level and the Golden Core cultivators of this world seemed to have lifespans of around four to five hundred years.
However, as Fang Xing had not reached those levels himself, his speculations might not be entirely accurate.
"Of course, when it comes to battle prowess, things become a bit uneven," he continued his train of thought. "At the very least, a second-level martial artist from the Federation can learn A-rank martial arts and, with it, challenge pre-natal warriors!"
"And a third-level 'Pristine Jade' practitioner, upon mastering an S-rank martial art, could directly slay a mid or late Qi Refining cultivator with a slight mishap... They might even pose a slight threat to Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"As for me, a fourth-level martial artist, I'm considered an outlier. After all, it's rare for someone to cultivate these martial arts to such a high level at the 'Courage and Boldness' stage... So, with my skills, I might even be able to challenge some weak External Sight practitioners on Blue Star. Once I master the Dragon Elephant Art and reach the Grand Master level, I'll be at least equivalent to a second-tier body-refining cultivator."
"As for the physical weakness of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators in this world, they'd be dead if I got close to them! Even physically powerful second-tier demon beasts would be in danger if they weren't careful around me..."
Fang Xing was self-aware and understood that humans' advantage over demon beasts lay in their ability to utilize tools. That was why, when facing the demonic bird, he had no qualms about using the Green Rainbow Sword to ensure a clean and swift victory. And should he encounter a formidable foe, he would not hesitate to employ the Spear Fighting Technique.
"If we're talking purely about battle prowess, there's no comparison... If we brought Zhong Yuxiu here, equipped her with a military mecha, she'd be able to wreak havoc even on Foundation Establishment cultivators... But she's only at the third level of 'Pristine Jade' herself."
"From the looks of it, the martial arts of the Blue Star Federation seem even more formidable than the immortal cultivation of this world. At the very least, it offers higher bursts of power and faster progress!"
Fang Xing began to contemplate how he could combine the strengths of both worlds to make up for their weaknesses. Or, in other words, how he could draw on the experience of immortal cultivation civilization to forge his unique path of 'Immortal Martial Arts'.
"However... My knowledge is still too limited," he admitted. "Qinglin Market is a remote and impoverished place, and the cultivators there may not be representative of all cultivators."
"Perhaps there are truly powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators out there who can easily slay second-tier demon beasts... If they wield powerful magical treasures, they might even rival some low-tier mecha!"
Among cultivators, there were indeed methods that enabled lower-level cultivators to unleash the power of higher-level cultivators. The most common of these were talismans!
If a Qi Refining cultivator used a second-tier talisman, they could temporarily unleash the power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Talismans were just one example; artifacts and array formations served the same purpose, if not more effectively.
Array formations, in particular, were the epitome of collective power and the art of overcoming weakness with numbers!
In Fang Xing's opinion, array formations were the most potent means of enhancing individual combat strength among the hundred arts of cultivation. They held the potential to rival some of the low-tier mecha of the Federation.
For instance, a Qi Refining cultivator at the peak of their power, skilled in array formations, could manipulate a second-tier array formation to potentially trap someone like Zhong Yuxiu in her mecha.
After all, Zhong Yuxiu's current strength was insufficient to support a powerful mecha.
However, if she were to become a Star River Fleet Commander and pilot a warship, it would take at least a third-tier or even fourth-tier array formation to stop her.
...
Time flew by, and a month passed in a blur.
In the vast wilderness of the Great Wilderness, within a dense forest—
Boom! Boom!
Terrifying collision sounds reverberated, causing the ground to tremble and trees to topple.
Countless birds took to the sky, startled by the disturbance, and nearby small animals scattered in all directions as if fleeing from a calamity.
Bang!
A dark shadow charged forward and collided heavily with Fang Xing, sending him flying like a projectile.
Fang Xing's body flew backward as if he had been hit head-on by a speeding locomotive. He crashed through three thick ancient trees before finally coming to a stop.
He patted his undamaged chest and turned to face the Tier 2 demon beast, a three-meter-tall wild boar with a body entirely engulfed in crimson flames, and said with a smile, "That was exhilarating... Let's go again!"
"You're not playing fair, using your magic!" The wild boar snorted, spraying flames from its nostrils.
Fang Xing dashed past the boar, grabbing its hoof as he passed by. With a mighty heave, he lifted the massive beast as if he were lifting a feather, and threw it toward the small mountain beside them.
Boom!
The wild boar demon beast crashed into the mountain, creating a massive dent and sending rocks flying in all directions, all the while squealing in agony.
"As expected of a Tier 2 demon beast, even if it has just advanced, its hide and flesh are exceptionally tough," Fang Xing remarked as he stretched his shoulders and neck, giving a thumbs-up.
Over this period, he had dedicated himself to martial arts training, and he was getting tired of eating demon bird meat. Additionally, some martial arts required real combat to improve, so he had ventured out in search of battle.
Using a drone, he had managed to avoid some dangers and located this newly advanced Tier 2 demon beast, a perfect match for his current abilities.
Without needing to rely on the Green Rainbow Sword, he could face this beast head-on, relying solely on his physical defense and immense strength.
"Of course, I also admit that I'm craving some braised pork," Fang Xing added.
The wild boar, its body scorched and charred, struggled to its feet, feeling helpless against this formidable opponent. No matter how it charged and attacked with its innate fire abilities, Fang Xing remained unfazed. On the other hand, the boar found itself injured after just a few attacks from Fang Xing.
It snorted again, this time releasing a cloud of black smoke that quickly enveloped the surrounding area as it prepared to make its escape.
Demon beasts were intelligent; when faced with an opponent they couldn't defeat, they knew better than to persist.
"Trying to run? What a waste of a good sparring partner," Fang Xing sighed. He patted his waist storage bag, and the Green Rainbow Sword appeared in his palm, glowing with a vibrant green light.
In an instant, he was beside the wild boar, and the sword transformed into a fierce and piercing green light that abruptly expanded!
The sword light danced like a dragon, gracefully bending and folding, and then it struck the boar's neck, slashing deeply. A massive pig head flew into the air, blood gushing out.
"Tonight, we feast on pig blood and intestines... We'll also have a pork stew. These pork legs look good; I'll marinate them first..." Fang Xing began butchering the Tier 2 demon beast, a pleased expression on his face.
"With my current strength, can I directly crush a lower-grade Tier 2 demon beast?" he wondered aloud.
He knew his own capabilities best.
Previously, when he had slain the Golden-Feathered Vulture, it had been a combination of luck and taking it by surprise. If the vulture had been serious from the start, he would have had no choice but to flee for his life.
But this Tier 2 demon boar was different; he had truly defeated it in a fair fight, with no tricks or luck involved. Even if they were to fight ten more times, the outcome would always be the same.
"My strength has indeed improved..." Fang Xing glanced at his attribute panel and noticed a change in his martial arts realm:
[Name: Fang Xing
Age: 18
Occupation: Martial Artist
Fourth Realm: Courage (57/200)
...]
"The cultivation of the Courage Realm should be related to the Niwan Palace... This data indicates that my Niwan Palace seems to be filled with about a quarter of my spiritual power..." Based on the attribute panel, Fang Xing made an educated guess about the cultivation of his Niwan Palace.
For a martial artist in the Courage Realm, the most important aspect was their martial will! Each time they mastered a martial art and reached the Grand Master level, gaining insight into its essence, they would greatly enhance their Niwan Palace and spiritual power, bringing numerous benefits!
"But... I turned 18 without even realizing it..." Fang Xing sighed as he looked at his age, feeling a sense of emotion. According to the laws of the Blue Star Federation, he was now legally an adult.
"If I hadn't crossed over, the original Fang Xing would have likely failed the college entrance exam... At 18, after finishing high school, he would probably have been drafted into the army as cannon fodder for the most dangerous missions."
"Those from natural human families could pull some strings and choose technical or logistical roles, or even join the space forces... But as a cyborg, I would have had no choice but to join the front-line cannon fodder!
The cyborgs, burdened with loans, had no say in their military assignments. More often than not, they would end up in the secret domain forces, directly facing the minions of the extradimensional evil gods, fighting hand-to-hand with blades. On the other hand, natural humans had it a little better; aside from logistical roles, they were often assigned to the space forces, serving in space fortresses or the galaxy fleet. They might go years without encountering a major battle, and even if they did fight, most of the time, they would be safely operating from a screen, minimizing their risk.
Of course, these space forces were either undefeated or suffered catastrophic losses when they failed.
Furthermore, some natural humans chose to join the secret domain cannon fodder forces to temper their martial arts or for other reasons, willingly engaging in deadly battles with the minions of the extradimensional evil gods.
As Fang Xing indulged in his thoughts, his expression suddenly changed as he looked toward his storage bag. He extended his spiritual power, and among the miscellaneous items, he noticed a Black Iron Token emitting a faint glow.
(End of Chapter)
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