Star Sky Professional

One incense stick's worth of time later.

"It's on fire!"

"Oh no, where's Aunt Sang?"

Clamor suddenly broke out.

Many people in the shantytown ran out to extinguish the fire.

From a distance, Li Wei watched everything, and seeing the blaze being contained, he let out a sigh of relief: "I prepared in advance, this fire will burn away only that shaman's family..."

"Since it's confirmed to be a stronghold of the magic cult, why not take decisive action?"

Fang Xing said, "That decision isn't bad... A mere small pawn of a masked sect, even if they die, it won't necessarily lead back to you."

"That's exactly it... Moreover, as long as I buy enough time, I can grow strong enough, and then I won't fear the magic cult."

Li Wei was full of confidence one moment, and the next he said: "Senior... can you arrange for me to have that 'True Martial Saint Body' you mentioned?"

"To cultivate a True Martial Saint Body postnatal, you must first practice the Ancient Martial arts, which also requires a large amount of fierce beast meat... Nowadays, they're basically extinct, so give up on that idea."

Fang Xing said, "In fact, there's another path suitable for you... As long as you have the heart, even a common body can be a saint body! Basically, everyone has some ancient bloodline factor within them, with a slight chance of awakening... Though later Xun Heihu achieved the 'True Martial Saint Body,' effectively a significant reversion to his ancestors, so his descendants have a higher chance of awakening..."

"Sounds good... but I... I only have half native bloodline." Li Wei was almost in despair.

"Haha, indeed... Awakening the True Martial Saint Body seems a bit difficult for you, but without a saint body, you'll just cultivate a bit slower, with lesser achievements in the future, nothing major..."

Fang Xing laughed, with a touch of schadenfreude: "And then in the future... you'd likely be easily killed by the sect hierarch of the magic cult! Even if that doesn't happen, anyone holding the True Martial Talisman, inheriting the True Martial lineage, will always be the magic cult's mortal enemy!"

"Sect hierarch of the magic cult..."

Li Wei forced a laugh: "It won't be that bad, I'm just a nobody..."

"Once you get the True Martial Talisman, you won't be a nobody anymore."

Fang Xing said, "Moreover... with the convergence of East and West continents, the world is ascending... It's now an era of great contention, you can't avoid it even if you want to... Not to mention, once that magic cult sect hierarch advances to First Grade... most ordinary people will be done for."

"What does the sect hierarch advancing to First Grade have to do with ordinary people being doomed?"

Li Wei was very puzzled.

There seemed to be no logical connection.

"Your greatest enemy often understands you best... The True Martial lineage and the Panwu magic cult are mortal enemies; previously, the magic cult's actions have already shown me the clue..."

Fang Xing chuckled: "According to my divination and deduction, the First Grade of the magic cult sequence is called 'Apocalyptic Existence,' meaning they've reached the ultimate of this world... Although they can't achieve eternal life, there is a method of longevity; as long as they continue on, they can live for hundreds of thousands of years, participating in the true contest in the golden age!"

"First Grade—Apocalypse, able to live for hundreds of thousands of years?" Li Wei was shocked: "Isn't it said a First Grade expert can live up to five hundred years, and a Super Grade up to a thousand years? How did it suddenly extend to hundreds of thousands?"

"The current world cannot support true longevity, but it can support longevity with a cost, albeit false..." Fang Xing smiled: "The First Grade 'Apocalyptic Existence' of the magic cult means bringing apocalypse to all beings... As long as they constantly destroy beings and absorb a large amount of human vitality, they can extend their lifespan... Of course, this consumes a lot, and ordinary people can't supply a martial expert's Life Essence, so the number needs to be very large... roughly, the entire Daluo Dynasty's population can sustain one 'Apocalyptic Existence' for a hundred thousand years, that should be about right..."

"The entire Daluo Dynasty must have tens of billions of people, right?"

Li Wei was really astounded: "Wait... only a hundred thousand years?"

"Humans are like chives, in a few hundred years or thousands, they can multiply countless times..."

Fang Xing shook his head: "So, they can be periodically bred and harvested... The crux is that this magic cult First Grade profession can be part-timed by martial artists... Once such a scenario unfolds, how many martial masters, desperate to break through but unable, will join them?"

"Nightmare, purgatory..."

Li Wei trembled uncontrollably, thinking of his foster parents and adoptive sister being unknowingly raised and harvested upon adulthood... He got goosebumps all over, absolutely unable to accept it.

"No, even if I have to risk my life, I must stop all this!"

He muttered in a low voice.

"But, you don't have the power... and the appearance of Apocalyptic Existence is the inevitable development of destiny."

Fang Xing sighed.

This is the Panwu's scheme, accumulating vast top martial talents, waiting for the arrival of the golden age!

However, although it's an overt scheme, it's not without a solution.

"In such a harvest, the stronger the martial artist, the more they can prolong apocalypse... For ordinary people, quantity must compensate for quality... It's detrimental for both martial artists and ordinary people."

Fang Xing sighed again: "Even so, no matter how small or insignificant a life is, it is always one's own... one's life should be in one's own hands."

"Hmm?" Li Wei's eyes lit up: "Senior, do you have a plan?"

"Stopping Apocalyptic Existence is unlikely, but you can feed them shit..." Fang Xing smiled meaningfully: "I have here a 'Life Defeat Poison Body Scripture,' regardless of aptitude, anyone can cultivate it, entry is extremely simple, and it only has one layer... Once mastered, it has no other effect but when encountering techniques that absorb essence or inner strength like those of the demon path, it will automatically activate, converting one's Life Essence into Poison Element, or disappearing entirely..."

If everyone practiced this martial arts, it would be hilarious encountering reapers.

Even if they consumed, they'd only be consuming poison, even mixed with shit poison!

Apocalyptic Existence: 'Not only are you feeding me shit, but you're poisoning the shit too?'

Fang Xing found the thought of the psychological torment amusing.

Of course, this method only slightly alleviates the issue.

People must save themselves, only then will help from the heavens come.

"In the future world, most genius martial artists will definitely cultivate this 'Life Defeat Poison Body Scripture,' but for ordinary people, it's hard to say... there's always those who seek ease and comfort."

"Apocalyptic Existence may even keep it banned, with some practicing in secret..."

Though just a leaf, Fang Xing has already sensed the autumn.

Continuing this way will only reduce the number of existences surviving to the end of the Golden Age.

Consider it a countermeasure against Panwu.

As for more, it can't be done.

"Demon Sect, Demon Sect..."

Li Wei sighed: "After going back, look for a job in Xinfeng City, and then start practicing martial arts!"

"Hmm, good luck... I'm rooting for you."

Fang Xing expressed cautious support.

…

Just as Li Wei began a grueling life as a working man in Xinfeng City, striving to earn money and train in martial arts.

A huge icebreaker was sailing in the Extreme North.

Whoosh!

The cold wind howled, the sea was a vast frost-white, occasionally showing massive ice floes and icebergs...

"Captain..."

A crew member walked over, handing a steaming cup of coffee. His facial features were distinct: a genuine White Eagle man. "I don't know what those senators have got in their heads, even funding us to explore the Extreme North... And the generous merchants, if 'The Great Adventurer Smith' were alive, he'd be thrilled."

After all, a purely scientific research ship can't bring much profit.

The captain was an old man with a thick beard. He puffed on his pipe and said leisurely, "This is quite normal because of the discovery in the Far East... It proves my previous explorations were too superficial, likely missing many major geographical findings... That's why someone funded this scientific expedition."

"But I don't think any life can survive in the Extreme North, unless it's those frost giant bears?"

The crew member took a sip of hot coffee, joking.

Crash!

At this moment, a massive icefield ahead suddenly broke apart, colossal icebergs rolled into the ocean, stirring up a gigantic tsunami.

Bang!

The coffee cup crashed onto the deck, shattering instantly.

"Prepare to evade!"

The captain shouted, grabbing the wheel firmly.

"Oh, my God..."

"Help..."

The whole research ship erupted into chaos, then... everyone started to hustle, or pray.

Luckily, this experienced old captain managed to steer clear of most of the deadly icebergs.

Minor damage from occasional ice chunks hitting the hull was utterly ignored.

Crash!

The research ship navigated through a newly formed ice canyon, a large crack just appeared.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

But then a female scientist, staring at a nearby ice wall, exclaimed, "Oh my... what is that?"

The bosun looked over and was equally astonished.

Within that massive ice, there was a human figure!

Sealed in ice for who knows how many years, seemingly only revealed due to the recent massive glacier cleavage.

"Is this... a prehistoric human?"

"No, look at his clothes, distinct Far East style, not something you'd find here unless there's a large Far Eastern city nearby..."

"I think this is a mighty martial artist from the Far East, a Heavenly Knight... The knights love to use extreme environments to train and challenge their limits."

"Perhaps this ascetic chose to cultivate in the Extreme North, and then accidentally fell into the abyssal ice... being frozen until now?"

The female scientist's eyes gleamed, "Can we chisel him out... I want to take him back to White Eagle for exhibition..."

"That's unlikely..."

The bosun shrugged, indicating helplessness.

The ship continued to move forward, while the female scientist picked up a telescope, trying to observe the ice-encased martial artist closely.

As they gradually approached, the figure's features became vividly lifelike.

Pristine and square, carrying a special aura, just like a god stepping out from a painting...

Suddenly!

Those eyes opened, revealing abyss-like dark pupils!