Star Sky Professional

"Where... where is this?"

Inside the True Martial Space, Li Wei looked around at the enormous surroundings, the steps in front of him, the throne... A hint of surprise appeared on his face: "I remember... I should be sleeping at home... Is this my dream?"

"Yes... and no."

A deep voice came.

Li Wei looked up and saw an indescribable presence atop the throne.

The glance from the other party made him involuntarily kneel on the ground.

"Lucky one... or rather, the chosen child."

Fang Xing spoke: "You are in the True Martial Space... The Stone Talisman you caught while fishing today is the True Martial Talisman!"

"True Martial Talisman?"

Li Wei's eyes widened: "That treasure only the True Martial Ancestor has in those novels? Isn't that fake?"

Unlike the time during Da Xia when it was hidden.

By the later stages of Zhenwu Mountain, the existence of the True Martial Talisman was no secret.

Naturally, there were many legends, which were then turned into stories by many people.

Perhaps for many martial artists, the existence of the True Martial Talisman added a touch of sanctity to the True Martial Ancestor, much like the 'Imperial Jade Seal'.

"No! It's real... Don't you feel honored? You have acquired this divine artifact, and in the future, your achievements might stand shoulder to shoulder with True Martial Ancestor, Grand Martial Ancestor, and others..."

Fang Xing had a teasing smile at the corner of his mouth, raising a hand.

The stone monument, which had accompanied an unknown number of people, emerged, displaying the functions and effects of the True Martial Space...

Li Wei glanced at it, immediately dumbfounded: "Assist in breakthroughs... Is this real?"

He looked at Fang Xing again, swallowing: "What do I need to pay for obtaining the True Martial Talisman?"

As someone who grew up from the bottom, he knew well that all gifts come at a price!

"Pay? You can do whatever you want, after all, it's not yet the true golden age..."

Fang Xing thought for a moment: "But its previous host was the Sect Leader of the Tortoise Snake Sect—Gui Yannan, so if you wish to use the True Martial Talisman, you must join the Tortoise Snake Sect and inherit its teachings. Are you willing?"

Gui Yannan once protected the True Martial Talisman with his life, and after that explosion, he was destined to die.

Since Fang Xing had agreed to him, he naturally would see things through.

"Of course, I am willing..."

Li Wei immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "I can't even find a martial master willing to teach me... If I join the Tortoise Snake Sect, I can obtain its inheritance, right? And I won't be bound by sect rules, isn't that great..."

"Haha..."

Fang Xing laughed heartily.

If he were the ancestor of the Tortoise Snake Sect, he would be furious, but he wasn't...

"Hmm, you are quite clever."

He casually pointed, and a stream of light entered Li Wei's forehead: "Here is the Xuanwu True Skill and True Martial Visualization Method, along with the 'Seven Absolutes of Tortoise and Snake'!"

Li Wei instantly felt a plethora of cultivation methods and techniques... So happy he almost fainted.

Wasn't it because he couldn't afford it and couldn't join a martial arts hall that he always lingered, only learning some Knight's Way from Kyle?

But Kyle's strength... best left unsaid.

Now, he finally obtained the top inheritance of the True Martial lineage.

"Among these cultivation methods, the Visualization Method and Xuanwu True Skill are the foundation, and the 'Seven Absolutes of Tortoise and Snake' is the secret transmission of the Tortoise Snake Sect, encompassing extraordinary skills such as Tortoise Form Qigong and Snake Jiao Hand, which are for 'use'..."

Fang Xing casually explained, letting Li Wei grasp the essentials, knowing how to cultivate in the future.

"But... does this True Martial Space really help break through bottlenecks?"

Li Wei thought for a moment, setting up the posture to practice the 'Cross Breathing Method'.

Inhale... Exhale...

As he entered the state, he didn't even need Kyle's guidance to catch the constantly overflowing streams of qi within, opening and closing energy points...

Then, locking all his life force, he condensed a 'life seed' in his lower abdomen!

Once this seed forms, the Knight's Way is considered on the right path. Now, he could be called a 'formal knight'.

On the White Eagle Continent, in ancient times, he could be canonized by nobles and granted an estate as his territory.

If donned in custom steam steel armor, he could cut through an army of commoners without any problem!

"I'm so strong!"

Li Wei looked at his body, muscular like a bodybuilder, feeling the powerful strength throughout his limbs and bones, and couldn't help but smile: "I broke through! I became an official knight!"

"Hmm... this White Eagle's Knight's Way indeed holds something... Once breaking through, it's immediately comparable to the hard skills of the lower three grades."

Fang Xing nodded.

...

The next day.

Li Wei got up, stretched his body: "Not a dream... it's real!"

He looked at the True Martial Talisman in his hand, cherished and strung it with a cord, wearing it on his neck.

"Now... with a martial artist's strength, I can at least work as a muscleman or bodyguard... Somehow make a living, earn a few taels of silver monthly... Enough to bring my family to live in Xinfeng City."

"Brother, breakfast is ready."

His little sister came over to call Li Wei for breakfast.

Poor families can't afford much for breakfast either; it's a pot of nearly bottomless clear broth, barely enough to quench thirst.

"Dad, Mom... Does the person teaching me Martial Arts, Kyle, know about it?"

"I broke through in cultivation last night, and now I can truly be considered a Martial Artist."

Li Wei promptly spoke up, "Once I find a good job, we can move the family to Xinfeng City... we'll no longer have to stay in this slum."

He's truly had enough of the environment here, not only is it severely polluted and cramped, but the key issue is frequently paying protection money to gangs!

"A Martial Artist?!"

Li's father and mother exchanged glances, both somewhat pleasantly surprised, "Really? That's wonderful..."

After the surprise, Li's mother sighed again, "But renting a place in Xinfeng City isn't cheap... we won't waste money on that, it's not easy for you to earn money, better to save it for your marriage..."

After speaking, she clasped her hands together, "Truly, it's the grace of the Youlian Bodhisattva... we'll have to properly thank Aunt Sang someday, and make a votive offering for you."

"What Youlian Bodhisattva? A votive offering?" Li Wei felt a twinge of vigilance.

This slum is a mix of good and bad, not just gangs but also various cult teachings.

Not to mention, after bordering the White Eagle Continent, many strange missionaries traveled great distances to come here.

They, of course, couldn't gain acceptance from the Daluo Dynasty without official permission, making it difficult to preach in Xinfeng City, but in this slum where constables and government officials rarely come, it became their haven.

To be honest, Li Wei had even tagged along for a meal, had a few bowls of slightly spoiled rice porridge, the cost being listening to the preacher ramble on without much comprehension, basically declaring everyone sinners or something...

Li Wei directly considered it a joke, what sin had he committed? Even if he had, it wasn't for outsiders to judge.

"Aunt Sang... that's Sang Aunt, her talismanic water is quite effective, the kid next door, Xiaohu, had a persistent high fever, and one talisman cured him..."

Li's mother said, "I've also attended her sermons and prayed for your fortune, which led to your breakthrough to Martial Artist. It proves she's favored; returning the favor is only right."

"Oh."

Li Wei quickly finished the broth, "I'm heading out..."

...

An hour later.

At Sang Aunt's house.

Bang!

The shack was kicked open, revealing a pitch-black altar table, with an odd, entirely black statue of a Bodhisattva on top.

A scent burner with a missing ear sat at the front, though it had many incense sticks inserted.

"Who?"

A middle-aged woman with a painted cloth wrapped around her head and a large black mole on her left cheek saw a masked person rushing in and screamed immediately.

With her scream, two muscular big men lunged also; whether they were lovers or protectors was unknown.

Whoosh!

The sound of rushing wind arose!

Li Wei swung a thick wooden stick in his hand, smashing it hard on one of the man's heads.

Having become an official Knight, combined with wielding a weapon, he unleashed astonishing power.

The man's eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Li Wei twisted the stick in his hand, thrusting it into another big man's chest, employing force, sending him flying and crashing to the ground, struggling to get up for a while.

"Murder!"

Sang Aunt shouted, but after seeing Li Wei's eyes, she swallowed her words, "Mercy, hero, all the money is under the statue in the box..."

'As expected, a money scam!'

Li Wei became resolute.

He couldn't bear seeing his mother being deceived; once he left the house and saw the opportunity, he masked himself to beat them up.

Never thought, within moments, Sang Aunt would reveal her true colors when pressed.

"Hehe!"

At this moment, a voice that only he could hear whispered in his ear, "Boy... you're in big trouble."

"Big trouble? What do you mean?"

Li Wei felt a shock in his heart.

"Knock that witch out and search her, you'll understand."

Fang Xing said only this much.

Li Wei's eyes hardened immediately, and with a harsh thwack, he struck the side of Sang Aunt's neck with the stick.

Sang Aunt immediately fainted.

In this slum, even if you killed someone in broad daylight, there probably wouldn't be any government officials coming to investigate.

Nonetheless, Li Wei seized the time to find a sachet on Sang Aunt, containing over a dozen pieces of silver and a note.

The note was folded very neatly, and a line of small characters was written in graceful small script, "Ninth Grade, Ghost Seeker, can see in the night, observe the darkness, perceive the truth beneath the surface of the mundane… What is this?"

"This is a special Profession."

Fang Xing sighed, "Young man… have you heard of... the Demon Cult?"

"The first rebel of the Daluo?" Li Wei's first reaction was this.

"Yes, this Ninth Grade Ghost Seeker is the advancement system of the Demon Cult..." Fang Xing laughed, "It seems this so-called Youlian Bodhisattva should be an alias of the Demon Cult, and Sang Aunt is a small pawn under this alias, recently rewarded, barely a formal member, though not yet promoted… Congratulations, your first offense after becoming a Martial Artist is against the Demon Cult, surprised? Unexpected?"