Starry Sky Professional

"Second brother? Fourth brother?"

The burly man’s eyes reddened instantly. His longsword emitted a dragon-like cry, its blade extending several inches with a luminescent aura in the darkness, slicing horizontally!

With a slashing sound, the sword carved a long, bloody wound into the boar demon’s hide.

For humans, such an injury would be fatal beyond question, yet for the boar demon, it was inconsequential. Instead, it provoked the creature's ferocity even further.

Snorting aggressively, it raised its hooves high and slammed them down with force!

A loud crash followed as the ground shook like an earthquake. A circle of earthy-yellow light emerged, swiftly radiating in all directions.

Old Three was caught within the glow, spikes formed of earth sprouting forth from his chest, pinning him lifeless to the ground.

"Old Three?!"

The burly man realized he was in dire straits. Without hesitation, he retrieved a bright yellow talisman from a beast skin pouch on his chest and tore it open with great care.

A golden ring of brilliance formed around him, vaguely resembling a golden bell. Earth spikes struck the bell, producing dull thuds.

After activating the precious 'Golden Bell Talisman,' the burly man wasted no time and turned to flee!

In the darkness, a ball of golden light fled, pursued by the massive, blood-tusked shadow behind it, creating a glaring spectacle.

Once they were gone, the whirring sound of rotor blades suddenly filled the air.

A small, black drone descended, its mechanical claw extended to pick up some small objects off the ground, quickly disappearing into the night.

Temporary Camp.

"Sword aura? That man’s strength is truly at the Jade level, and he possesses talismanic magic? What is this... cultivation? Daoism?"

Fang Xing watched the surveillance video, his expression one of shock, before looking up at the sky.

"It's here."

He maneuvered the drone to land and reached out to grab the assorted items it had collected.

"As expected of a drone from the interstellar era—not only is it affordable, but its range and carrying capacity have been greatly enhanced," he mused.

Fang Xing put on rubber gloves and began sorting through the items.

Among them, the most striking was a few stalks of 'Vermilion Dragon Herb'!

After all, people had risked their lives for it, so it must be something valuable.

"Hmm, there are quite a few extraordinary species around here, and near their nests, there seem to be some peculiar herbs..."

Fang Xing examined the Vermilion Dragon Herb, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully, suddenly struck by a money-making idea.

He could use the drone to harvest various rare herbs!

This method had numerous benefits. First and foremost, it was discreet enough!

Drones appeared as lifeless objects to many wild beasts, making them hard to detect.

With flight capabilities, their swift and stealthy movements ensured a high success rate!

Of course, if a demon beast saw it directly, it would certainly destroy it.

But this brought about another advantage—it was cheap!

Even if a beast did spot it, losing just one drone wasn't much of a setback.

In Maple Leaf City, drones were almost like children's toys, and they were very inexpensive.

"Take a chance, and a bicycle turns into a motorbike," Fang Xing remarked, turning his attention to the other collected items.

There weren't many spoils, aside from a jet-black dagger, which, once unsheathed, glimmered ominously, clearly very sharp.

Additionally, there was a small coin pouch.

It seemed to be crafted from tanned hide, looking quite drab and unremarkable.

Upon opening it, he found three peculiar stones and four crystalline grains no larger than rice.

"This pouch was tied so tightly—its owner clearly feared losing these grains," Fang Xing noted as he examined one of the crystals under the light.

The crystal was as translucent as jade, appearing to hold a wisp of mist within.

Moreover, under the external light, it seemed to be enveloped in a layer of illusory five-colored radiance.

"One glance, and you can tell it's something valuable," Fang Xing concluded.

He placed his belongings carelessly, gazing at the large map displayed on the electronic screen.

Over the past few days of investigation, Fang Xing had gained a rudimentary understanding of the surrounding area.

“There are many supernatural creatures, many fierce beasts... It's a dangerous place.”

“Plus, judging by the route taken by those four people today, the direction of the human settlements should be to the east?”

“I should go back and buy a few more toy drones to explore the east...”

With a thought, Fang Xing set up the automatic cruise and launched the drone once more.

Then, he counted silently to three, and a silvery light enveloped him.

The brilliant light consumed him entirely.

When he regained his senses, he found himself standing in his bedroom.

“It seems I can traverse to the otherworld at will, it only requires a three-second delay, without any other costs...”

“As for the destination of the traversal, it seems to be relative to my current position?”

“Finally, items from this world, even living creatures like white mice, can be brought to the otherworld, and vice versa...”

Fang Xing glanced at his palm, where a small money bag lay quietly.

“It's a valuable item, but I don't dare have it appraised or sell it...”

“Even some of the supplies I've purchased have been odd, and if I start buying in large quantities...”

Although the Federation values privacy and citizens can purchase whatever they wish as long as it's not on the prohibited list,

Fang Xing habitually preferred to hold something back.

“Perhaps I should spend more time outdoors, build an image as an outdoor survival enthusiast?”

He reaffirmed his paramount rule for future actions—a principle stating that items from the otherworld must never be sold under his known identity!

“Looks like... I can’t avoid the black market.”

Fang Xing sighed.

...

Oak Park.

The green vegetation stretched as far as the eye could see, with sprawling lawns and colorful flowers blooming at the edge flower beds.

It was evening, and the lights were dim.

The path paved with various colored pebbles was sparsely populated, with benches stylized as different small animals every few meters.

Due to its serene environment and beautiful scenery, it has always been a favorite rendezvous spot for lovers in Maple Leaf City.

Liu Wei held a bouquet of flowers in his hands, nervously waiting, when suddenly a soft, gentle voice reached his ears: "Ah Wei, I've arrived..."

"Lian... Lianyi."

Startled, Liu Wei seemed as if he wanted to hide the flowers behind his back, but felt it might be too obvious. He was at a loss, resulting in palpable embarrassment.

"What, um, did you call me here for?" Bai Lianyi wasn't wearing her usual training attire; instead, she was dressed in a simple white dress that enhanced her gentle demeanor.

"I... I..."

After what seemed like a great deal of mental preparation, Liu Wei finally spoke: "I've thought it through, I don't like Ouyang Qianqian; actually, I like you..."

With a smile tinged with melancholy, Bai Lianyi shook her finger to stop Liu Wei: "That's not possible..."

"Why? Is it because of what happened at the Huanghai Jiang Mansion? I know, I understand... I'm not a fool… I just... don't mind..."

Liu Wei's face turned red, as if even the pimples on his face seemed to tremble.

"What's there to mind? I just have a wealthy boyfriend," Bai Lianyi replied candidly. "I'm no fool; it's not like those unpleasant girls have said."

Liu Wei was rendered speechless.

This indeed was what he had discovered from his investigation.

Bai Lianyi wasn't as unworthy as some classmates suggested, but there were other matters...

Such as, the wealthy boyfriend in question was a bit older…

'It's like, in Western culture, having a sugar daddy isn't a big deal, especially for academic pursuits—it's even somewhat inspiring...'

A thought inexplicably popped into Liu Wei's mind, and he pledged: "I swear, I'll treat you well, and I'll get into a university, I..."

But as he spoke, he suddenly stammered because, truly, the young man had nothing to offer—he was even in debt.

All he could promise was a future and hope! □ But these pale in comparison to the present! □ This is the harsh reality of youthful and heart-wrenching first love!

"Hmm..."

Twisting her fingers, Bai Lianyi said, "I'll cheer you on, and also for Ah Xing..."

"Ah Xing?"

Liu Wei felt an inexplicable sensation: "Why mention him?"

"Because…" The girl's eyes seemed to shine with admiration, "Ah Xing is truly amazing… He's already mastered the second stage of the Dragon Pillar technique. His chances of getting into a university are really high."

"I…"

Liu Wei suddenly fell silent, feeling as though he was nothing but a defeated creature.

Compared to the present, he couldn't outshine that person.

Compared to the future, he couldn't surpass Ah Xing.

Despite not minding anymore, even appreciating the girl in front of him and wanting to offer her some assurance, why did things turn out this way?

In a single instant, he felt his heart turn to ashes, unsure of what he said as he staggered away.

……

The night wind was cold and the silence overwhelming.

Atop the park's streetlights, the security camera made clicking sounds, as if short-circuiting.

A shadow suddenly appeared behind Bai Lianyi, seemingly having observed everything that happened.

"Well then, I've successfully stirred the dissatisfaction in his heart… Now's the time for you to approach him, compare him to Fang Xing, and offer him investment. He's sure to accept it."

Bai Lianyi's voice was cold and clear, reminiscent of a snow lotus on Tianshan.

"Yes, this way, we'll have a new ally. Having witnessed the greatness, he will surely agree."

The shadow's voice was deep and resonant, "But more than that, I'm more interested in his classmate."

Bai Lianyi's beautiful brows furrowed slightly, "Xia Long seems more focused on Fang Xing, and he's been keeping a low profile lately, not even taking part-time jobs. I've thrown several hooks through Liu Wei, but he hasn't bitten. It's strange, could he have been scared off by the last envoy's arrival?"

"It's possible… The spiritual shock brought by the envoy can even subtly and profoundly change a person."

The shadow paused in thought before continuing, "If that's the case, then he's useless, without value… The talents we need must at least pass the college entrance exam to pose even the slightest chance of joining the federated upper ranks!"

"But such things may take a long, long time…"

Bai Lianyi sighed.

Nowadays, the federal people's average lifespan is quite long, all the more so the higher up you go.

Martial arts serve as the most economical evolution path, yet even after reaching the four realms, it can significantly extend one's lifespan.

Self-evolution, genetic surgery, potions, powers—various life-extending methods result in extremely prolonged governance by the federal elite.

"Hehe… To those great beings, time is entirely inconsequential!"

The voice of the shadow grew steadily fainter, until it disappeared without a trace…

(End of Chapter)