Chapter 26: Birthday

The blade’s light was sharp, chilling, and carried a soul-shattering magical force!

B-rank martial art—Demon Blade!

Fang Xing had no doubt that even a wooden knife in Gu Yun’s hands could shatter stone and split rock!

‘This girl’s insane!’

‘Going all out? You really want to kill me?’

Fortunately, Fang Xing was no longer what he once was.

Facing this slash, he twisted his waist, his feet moving like a roaming dragon, instantly sidestepping several meters out of the blade’s range.

Military Boxing Twelve Forms—Roaming Dragon Step!

Then, he stepped half a pace forward, his fist like a primordial axe splitting heaven and earth, radiating a force capable of shattering mountains and rending the sky!

—Half-Step Crashing Fist!

Gu Yun subtly turned the hilt, her body flowing with the blade.

In an instant, they exchanged several strikes.

Within the arena, shadows darted, blades and fists clashed, and the rushing wind pressed hard against the skin!

Clang!

Suddenly, a sound like a snapped bowstring rang out.

Fang Xing’s fist struck the wooden blade’s face, yet he himself was thrown back several steps.

‘Damn… B-rank martial arts really are something else.’

In his heart, he felt a touch of helplessness.

In terms of realm, he and Gu Yun were both Second Realm Muscle Refinement, effectively even.

But in martial arts, the gap was significant.

Demon Blade was a B-rank martial art, while Military Boxing Twelve Forms was a common C-rank martial art!

‘When realms are equal, martial technique matters a lot.’

‘The Federation’s martial arts are clearly far superior to those of the other world…’

Although he’d scavenged many martial secrets, Fang Xing found none worthy of his attention.

After all, the strongest among them, ‘Primordial Qi Shield,’ was only B-rank—and required the practitioner to be a Primordial Martial Artist, meaning at least Third Realm Jade Essence.

In the Federation, even Second Realm martial artists could learn B-rank martial arts!

Simplifying high-rank martial arts so low-rank practitioners could master them was the Federation’s great innovation!

That’s why Fang Xing looked down on other-world martial arts and wanted to return and learn something powerful.

For example, if he could even begin and master an A-rank martial art, he’d be a Primordial-level force in the other world!

‘You… have mastered Demon Blade to the point of perfect control?’

Fang Xing stared at Gu Yun, his expression grave.

Their realms were nearly identical, but their martial techniques were vastly different!

In terms of proficiency, mastering Demon Blade to this degree must be ‘Expert’ level!

‘This is hilarious—my Military Boxing Twelve Forms is not only lower rank, but also less proficient. This is the real elite candidate who got into university.’

He mentally grumbled, unable to help but marvel at how much effort Gu Renwang had poured into raising his daughter.

‘Kill!’

Gu Yun didn’t answer. Her eyes turned blood-red, and in an instant, she slashed!

Swish!

The blade’s light was breathtakingly beautiful, splitting into seven at once, layers of light sealing off every possible escape route for Fang Xing.

Fang Xing’s expression didn’t change, but secretly, a talisman appeared in his right hand.

—Golden Bell Shield Talisman!

With its Class One Mid-grade defensive power, even a Jade Essence martial artist couldn’t break through in a short time.

And if he added a few offensive talismans, he could instantly make Gu Yun fall right there!

This was Fang Xing’s trump card!

But his eyes flickered, and he forcibly held back, watching as the wooden blade landed on his forehead, stopping less than a finger’s width from his third eye.

Across from him, Gu Yun’s expression was cold as eternal ice, yet her eyes were crystal-clear, pure as glass.

‘Congratulations…’

A faint smile appeared on Fang Xing’s face.

If Gu Yun had pressed on, he would have activated the talisman at the last moment.

But at the critical instant, he chose to trust her once.

The result proved she hadn’t disappointed him.

‘You’ve mastered the demonic nature—you’re ready to begin learning the A-rank martial art “Ghost and God Blade.”’

Fang Xing sighed: ‘And you still have several years to cultivate. If you break through to Jade Essence by senior year, getting into university is guaranteed…’

‘Not several years—I’m entering first year this fall, senior!’

Gu Yun said.

‘What? Your age?’

Fang Xing was slightly startled.

‘Special admission… and it’s only a year or two early anyway. The principal even gave me a scholarship!’ Gu Yun said coldly: ‘I can’t wait any longer—I need to get to the battlefield and avenge my father!’

‘So you’re planning to apply to a military academy or enlist right after graduation…’

Fang Xing sighed, understanding Gu Yun’s intentions.

‘Actually, going to university is just to fulfill my father’s expectations…’ Gu Yun’s eyes softened only when mentioning her father, but the warmth vanished instantly into ice: ‘Enough. Today’s contract is fulfilled. I’ll transfer the payment to your account.’

‘Feels kind of weird, junior…’

After being kicked out of the villa, Fang Xing’s expression turned odd: ‘We’re going to be classmates anyway. You don’t even have to offer me a cup of tea?’

Gu Yun was entering Yucai High School—she’d become his first-year junior.

After all, by this fall, he’d be a second-year student.

‘Thinking about it, only two years left until the college entrance exam… terrifying.’

Fang Xing glanced at his own martial realm and sneered.

He’d gone from being far behind to just slightly inferior to her.

Previously, he’d needed Gu Yun to turn down her gravity suit to hold back; today, she fought full-out—and he’d lost by a hair.

In a few months, he’d surpass her—and leave her far behind.

‘Though… surpassing a girl younger than me isn’t exactly something to brag about…’

‘Still, I need to learn an A-rank martial art soon…’

Fang Xing sighed.

Then he recalled the information he’d gathered.

‘The school teaches few A-rank martial arts—only three are widespread. The first is “Ghost and God Blade,” said to leave no ghost or god alive with one slash—but it’s extremely difficult, best learned after mastering “Demon Blade.”’

‘The other two are “Crazy Eighteen Strikes” and “Mad Demon Staff Method!”’

‘Just the names are creepy—and they’re just as terrifying. To resist the spiritual pollution of alien demon servants before the Third Realm, you must be mad to survive!’

‘Or rather… if I go mad first, you can’t make me mad. The creator of these arts was truly a logic genius!’

‘Of these, the one best suited for me is “Crazy Eighteen Strikes”—it’s the next step after Military Boxing Twelve Forms, both are fist-and-foot styles.’

‘If you don’t want that, there’s also the blade and staff methods…’

‘I won’t do it. I want to learn sword! One sword, flying immortal, white robes fluttering—that’s the true sword immortal style. Wielding blades or staffs is too bloody, brutal, and lacks elegance—it ruins the vibe…’

Honestly, if he had a choice, Fang Xing wouldn’t pick any of these three.

But… the school’s options were limited—only these three A-rank martial arts.

Of course, outside the school, many martial artists used sword arts—but Fang Xing couldn’t afford a private tutor.

Besides… their teaching might not even be better than the school’s.

‘Though Xia Long might not match top martial artists, at least his baseline is solid…’

‘Looks like I’ll be learning “Crazy Eighteen Strikes” next semester… My image… my style…’

Thinking of it, Fang Xing felt heartbroken.

Ding!

As he mourned, his phone rang again.

He pulled it out and saw a message—his expression turned silent.

…

The next day.

July 17.

Sunset, twilight, the afterglow like blood.

A barbecue stall.

Fang Xing sat at the stall, several drinks before him.

Hmm—the Federation strictly regulated alcoholic drinks; minors were forbidden to drink, and shops wouldn’t sell alcohol.

So he could only drink juice and soda.

‘Angry and cold—minors can’t gamble or go to red-light districts…’

With a hint of resentment, Fang Xing took a hard bite out of the grilled meat before him.

Undoubtedly, in today’s era, every shop owner has a unique specialty—this grilled meat is tender with a satisfying chew, generously seasoned with multiple spices, and each bite releases a burst of juicy flavor that nearly overflows.

The best part is the low price; no wonder former broke students like Fang Xing and Liu Wei would sneak here for a treat.

But for Fang Xing today, while the grilling technique and spices are decent, the quality of the meat itself is disappointing.

Although this shop uses high-grade meat, how could it possibly compare to the pure, naturally grown, spirit-nourished rare beasts and exotic creatures from the other world?

“Hmm, maybe I should buy some grilled meat spices… then in the other world, I can roast some demonic beast meat and give it a try…”

“Occasionally, demonic beast meat is sold in the marketplace; lately, due to increased demonic beast activity, prices have dropped significantly…”

According to information gathered from Ding Hongxiu, demonic beast meat greatly replenishes qi and blood—its effects are even better than low-grade spiritual rice!

Unfortunately, acquiring it depends entirely on luck and cannot be guaranteed, yet it remains a favorite among top martial artists and body cultivators.

Excellent!

Among cultivators, besides spellcasters, there are also niche body cultivators who are said to possess astonishing physical strength—when refined to advanced levels, they can literally catch weapons with bare hands and resist low-tier spells without injury!

“Too bad… the prerequisite for becoming a body cultivator is still having a spiritual root—without one, you can’t even sense or absorb heavenly qi to refine your body…”

“Everything ultimately hinges on this dead end of the spiritual root—if not for it, the efficiency of utilizing resources from the other world could easily increase tenfold or even a hundredfold!”

Fang Xing took another sip of his drink and sighed silently in his heart.

Soon, a figure sat down across from him and unceremoniously picked up the cup and drained it: “Fang Xing… happy birthday!”

It was Liu Wei!

“You came?”

Fang Xing also lifted his cup and took a small sip.

Though it was just a beverage, it somehow carried a faint intoxicating sensation.

The Liu Wei sitting across from him now seemed like an entirely different person.

Though his face remained the same, his aura was completely transformed—his clothes were stretched taut by bulging muscles, resembling a bodybuilder.

“I came…” Liu Wei didn’t know what to say and fell silent.

“You shouldn’t have… never mind.” Fang Xing dismissed his earlier remark and abandoned the wuxia tone: “We’re classmates—you came to wish me a happy birthday, and I’m genuinely glad.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Wei’s lips seemed to twitch slightly, then quickly returned to stillness.