[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starlight-professional":3,"chapter-starlight-professional-starlight-professional-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starlight Professional",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2308711,4512,"Chapter 51: Boldly","starlight-professional-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>In the cultivation world, anything is possible… even a low-grade cultivator soaring to the heavens, forging a Golden Core or even a Nascent Soul, and thereafter roaming free, ascending to immortality—such legends are not unheard of!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing stared at Chen Yi, his mind swirling with countless thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never expected this old man, on the brink of death, would finally stumble upon such a stroke of fortune!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Chen Yi and Fu Qing had turned against each other over this very fortune, it made perfect sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet on the surface, he showed not the faintest trace: “Thank me? Then do you have a gift?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yi froze, clearly thrown off by Fang Xing’s bluntness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he was no ordinary man; after a brief pause, he let out a faint smile: “Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing saw Chen Yi slap his waist—suddenly, a brilliant light appeared in the parlor, revealing a long sword!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade measured three feet three inches, entirely black, slightly wider than the former “Danqing Sword,” with double-edged sharpness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely gazing at it, Fang Xing felt his eyes grow painfully sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A storage pouch—you actually have a storage pouch? And… is this a ‘Blood-Refined Artifact’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing was genuinely surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This storage pouch, of course, was not the one from the auction, but still no trivial item.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the lowest-grade storage pouch was worth several thousand Spirit Stones!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this clearly Blood-Refined longsword? At least a hundred Spirit Stones!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This sword is named ‘Mo Wen.’ I present it to you, fellow cultivator.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yi smiled carefree and handed Mo Wen to Fang Xing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine sword!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing took it, feeling its weight at roughly sixteen catties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swords are meant to be light and nimble—this one might seem heavy to some martial artists, but for him, it was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally a fine sword. Since ancient times, fine swords are given to heroes. Please accept it… and in the future, look after Feiyue a little more…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yi sighed. For a moment, Fang Xing felt a flicker of sincerity in the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the mortal world, one is bound by circumstance? Is it even more so in the cultivation world?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh. In the end, isn’t it just that he can’t bear to give up immortality?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—why did he deliberately come here to chat with me? Was it truly just to thank me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing’s expression remained unchanged, but his mind grew suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, if not for fear that the laser gun’s power might draw the attention of the Qingxuan Sect’s enforcers and Foundation Establishment cultivators—making later explanations difficult—he’d have just shot Chen Yi right between the eyes, to make him understand the era when Foundation Establishment cultivators could ignore martial artists had already passed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a storage pouch worth thousands of Spirit Stones was more than enough reason for murder and robbery in any marketplace!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it—I’m a good youth of the interstellar age. Killing for greed isn’t my style…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most importantly, I’m gold and jade; he’s rubble. Why bother touching him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing had planned to serve tea and see him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, an alarm sounded from within his robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yi’s face showed confusion as he watched Fang Xing put on a pair of glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are mere mundane mechanisms. My fellow cultivator, forgive the vulgarity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing lied with perfect seriousness—and immediately saw the video feeds from his numerous puppets!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Chen Yi had walked here, his movements had been full of subtle tricks!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had powder leaked from his soles, but he’d secretly formed a certain hand seal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These alone hadn’t triggered the alarm—but the several spies trailing Chen Yi had set off Fang Xing’s alert system at once!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This man is utterly corrupt… he came here to chatter nonsense, all to divert the danger onto me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, Fang Xing understood everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what secrets or hidden motives he carried, this act was using Fang Xing as a shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, he reached into his robe and pulled out the silver-white laser gun: “These mundane mechanisms… actually possess considerable ingenuity…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh! That’s somewhat interesting!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yi sneered slightly, lips curling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this martial artist had noticed—so what? He had already reached Foundation Establishment’s late stage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the peak of primordial martial artists could match only a mid-stage cultivator; late-stage cultivators were invincible among martial artists!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This boy seemed to have some background and decent strength—perfect for drawing pursuit and absorbing some of the heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he hadn’t expected was that this boy might have already seen through the deception? When had he been exposed? Or had the boy never trusted him from the start?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how he struggled, the outcome would be the same!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This “mechanism” emitted no trace of spiritual energy—it was clearly made by mortals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mere mortal contraption dares to assassinate a cultivator?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t even pierce the “Qing Yuan Shield” automatically activated by his high-grade cultivation robe!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A white beam flashed, instantly striking Chen Yi’s face!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His robe glowed, its “Qing Yuan Shield” activating passively—but too late!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Yi’s headless corpse collapsed to the ground, his robe shimmering with spiritual light, revealing a pale green energy shield enveloping the corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, it had no effect whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, without its master’s spiritual power to sustain it, the “Qing Yuan Shield” vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. No matter your elaborate schemes—I have one response: flip the board!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter what you plan—kill you, and it’s over. Who says I’m not just a brute martial artist?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for secrets, treasures?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing wasn’t the least tempted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he sat atop a mountain of treasures—he had no interest in this trifling scrap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the scene just now, he felt a pang of reflection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Generally, cultivation robes are standard equipment, especially for mid-stage cultivators and above… they’re like the protective suits of the Blue Planet Federation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most robes come with a passive defensive spell—so wearing one greatly increases safety. Had I used a sword instead, even if Chen Yi hadn’t reacted, the shield would’ve blocked it. No wonder late-stage cultivators look down on martial artists—once they lose the advantage of sudden close-range strikes, martial artists can hardly threaten cultivators…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the laser beam’s speed is incomparable—it pierced Chen Yi’s brain before his robe’s defense could activate. Hence, the robe remained perfectly intact, undamaged at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Fang Xing thought, his hands moved swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After donning gloves, he stripped off Chen Yi’s robe, then expertly looted the corpse, pulling from his waist a dull, unremarkable storage pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also found: a pair of spirit boots, made from some unknown beast’s hide, shimmering with spirit patterns—clearly no ordinary item!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having looted everything, Fang Xing’s expression turned grave as he stared at a large hole in the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the aftermath of the laser gun’s shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This old bastard—dying just to give me trouble!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rushed to the basement, ordered most puppets to relocate to the temporary camp, then tore open several “Fireball Talismans,” reducing all interstellar-era items to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High in the sky, several yellow birds accelerated, catching up to a spirit bird—like hawks hunting prey, they tore it apart instantly…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having finished, Fang Xing slung his pack and walked calmly out of his home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his hand, he carried the “Mo Wen Sword” Chen Yi had just given him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had not yet refined this Blood-Refined Artifact, its raw sharpness alone made it a rare and formidable weapon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guided by surveillance, Fang Xing walked straight to a middle-aged man leaning against the wall, looking like a thug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s face changed; he reached into his robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of dark light; a sword’s hum rang out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man froze. His motion of activating a talisman slowed, even as a faint tenderness flickered in his eyes—perhaps recalling something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he looked down—and saw the sword tip buried in his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mo Wen was razor-sharp, yet Fang Xing’s thrust pierced exactly as intended—not an inch more, not an inch less—his control over force was exquisite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After killing one spy, Fang Xing didn’t pause—he surged toward another location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, a cultivator carrying a shoulder pole, resembling a peddler, turned pale. A flash of spiritual light revealed his hidden cultivation robe, and a vast yellowish earthy barrier erupted, forming a spherical shield around his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed, my attack was still too slow—slower than the laser…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing sighed, his blade trembling rapidly as he stabbed three times into the yellow shield in quick succession!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cultivator’s robe was clearly low-grade; the yellow shield paled in comparison to Chen Yi’s Qing Yuan Shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where Mo Wen struck, the yellow glow rippled like water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had this cultivator ever seen such an art—so exquisitely precise, yet brutally savage? His hand trembled as he reached for his artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, Fang Xing flicked his finger against the blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the sword’s chime, the cultivator’s expression grew dazed, a tear slipping from his corner eye, his flying dagger falling to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he snapped back to his senses, the light barrier had shattered—a sword tip had already pierced his throat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He collapsed to the ground, his gaze still distant, as if recalling his first love…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his final flicker of vision, he saw a figure bend down, pick up his artifact, and walk away without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eliminating the tail, Fang Xing did not pause—he arrived at Pavilion Yi-66.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Feiyue opened the door, saw Fang Xing, and her eyes shimmered as she giggled softly: “Do you need me to accompany you in practicing the ‘Seven Emotions Scripture’ again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough… I have serious business!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing coughed, slipped inside the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the interior furnishings, nodding silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With surveillance in place, this woman had not yet betrayed him—she was barely trustworthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What serious business?” Hua Feiyue’s expression turned grave; she sensed a killing intent radiating from this young master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Yi just came to me, telling me to look after you—but in truth, he’s trying to divert blame onto me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing sneered: “I’ve already killed him. I’m leaving the marketplace soon. You should hide for now—and spread a piece of news.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What news?” Hua Feiyue’s face filled with shock and confusion—she couldn’t fathom how things had escalated so suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A great opportunity has emerged within the Five Scorpion Valley! Chen Yi and the Black Tiger Gang have clashed over it—now it’s a fight to the death…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing sneered, preparing to make a massive move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Hua Feiyue and others had been kept in the dark about the Five Scorpion Valley affair; he himself had only guessed, deducing that a major cultivation opportunity had surfaced there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The likelihood was only four or five percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t matter—if Chen Yi wanted to frame him, he’d fabricate a lie instead!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d turn a secret known only to Chen Yi and the Black Tiger Gang into something everyone knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what schemes Chen Yi or any hidden hand behind him had planned, he’d blow the matter wide open—ideally, take it straight to the Qingxuan Sect!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you have any cultivators you can trust?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Feiyue hesitated, then gritted her teeth: “There’s a free cultivator named Han Qingyun, at Foundation Establishment Stage Two. He saw this place doing well and wanted to work with me… I’ve dealt with him before—he’s mostly reliable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go spread this news—emphasize the Five Scorpion Valley and the feud between Chen Yi and the Black Tiger Gang. After that, we’ll lie low. Don’t come looking for me during this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he didn’t know Chen Yi’s true intentions, the auction had clearly been meant to draw in major powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Xing would give it a push—and pour oil on the fire!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he knew the cultivators in the marketplace better than anyone—they were a pack of greedy hyenas!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they caught a whiff of blood, they’d swarm without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Soon, the marketplace will descend into chaos…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘For many small fry, chaos is the only chance they’ll ever get…’\u003C\u002Fp>",2033,"2026-06-20T11:03:20.053Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","31a09c6a364a5fff511cf78f84bdec2336180aac18f720c9fbdbe6b72f175546","starlight-professional-chapter-52","starlight-professional-chapter-50",726,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarlight-professional-cover.jpg"]