On his way to school, James was still thinking about the problem of obtaining a powerful weapon.
His path in martial arts had only just begun. He hadn't even completed tempering the first realm — Flesh and Skin. Right now, he was just a tiny shrimp in a vast ocean.
Recklessly traveling to another world could be extremely dangerous.
But humanity's greatest strength had always been its use of tools—its ability to leverage external power!
> "A laser gun… If only I had a military-grade one, that would be perfect."
A military model laser gun wouldn't have the "non-human-targeting" restriction and was practically a miniature killing machine.
> "Can't buy that in normal shops, though. Maybe on the black market…"
James kicked a pebble.
Splash, splash, splash—!
The stone skipped over the river, bouncing ten times before sinking.
Inside the Blue Star Federation, humanity was far from united. Internal conflict had existed since ancient times.
Even worse, those terrifying Outer Gods held dominion over Imaginary Space, allowing them to deploy their vassals—and even more dangerous, their offspring—directly into human territories.
The physical destruction they caused was secondary—the real danger was the spread of faith… the rise of hidden cultists.
> "Cultists… and rebels… they're the Federation's biggest internal threat."
"I heard there's a black market outside Maple Leaf City—supposedly, they sell everything there… even heretical items."
"But that's too deep for me. I'm a good student."
"Besides, I don't have the money…"
The thought of his wallet balance instantly cooled all adventurous impulses.
> "Next step: study hard, work hard, and save money. If I can't afford a laser gun, even an electric baton will do…"
---
Three days later.
[Name: James]
[Age: 16]
[Profession: Martial Artist]
[First Realm: Flesh and Skin (Refinement: 22/100)]
[Twelve Forms of Military Fist: 57/100 (Beginner)]
[Great Dragon Stance: 68/100 (Beginner)]
[Gate of All Heavens: 5/100 (Locating…)]
---
At school, after finishing his Great Dragon Stance practice, James stared at his stats in silence.
> "Three days of hard training, and the fastest growth is still in the Gate of All Heavens? Unbelievable…"
"Meanwhile, my martial cultivation—the most important part—only increased by one point. At this rate, it'll take 231 days just to complete Flesh Refinement and move on to Meat Refinement. Both have to reach perfection before I can attempt a breakthrough to the Second Realm—Tendons and Bones!"
> "A full year for Flesh Refinement… and Meat Refinement will be even harder. Not to mention, the progress rate will slow—four days for one point, maybe five later…"
"At this pace, dreaming of reaching the Third Realm before graduation really is just a dream."
James pursed his lips.
Of course, he knew it wasn't so simple—special nutrient serums and training equipment could greatly speed up progress.
But those things were beyond his reach.
> "My only real option… is the Great Dragon Stance!"
"Right now, I'm still at the beginner level—its refinement efficiency is low. But once I advance… the improvement will be night and day."
"Pity it's so slow to progress. The martial path really is harsh…"
He sighed inwardly.
---
> "Hey, James—time for work! Today we're heading to the rich district! Ever heard of Glorious River Manor?"
Noah came over grinning mischievously, eyes darting.
> "Oh? That famous luxury community? It's full of billionaires…"
James's lips curved slightly.
> "Wait, someone from our school lives there, right…?"
Noah's face flushed. He glanced around and muttered, "Cut the crap—are you coming or not?"
> "Of course I'm coming!" James nodded. "I need the money. But listen—no Second-Realm jobs."
> "Obviously! Second-Realm martial artists wouldn't even look at us," Noah said matter-of-factly.
In the Federation's modern world, pure manual labor jobs were nearly extinct.
The work James and Noah had found wasn't ordinary—it was as human sparring dummies!
For martial artists, hitting lifeless training posts couldn't compare to sparring with real, moving targets.
Some "Natural" students even hired live partners to help with combat practice.
> "The human body is the most intricate mechanism. Specialized training robots exist, but for First-Realm martial artists, they're far too expensive. Hiring a person is just more cost-effective."
As they traveled toward Glorious River Manor, James thought quietly.
When they stepped off the hover train, the view ahead stunned him.
Verdant mountains, winding streams, scattered villas nestled in harmony with nature—an elegant blend of ancient and modern beauty.
The streets were spotless, the few pedestrians neatly dressed and poised.
Compared to the Yucai High district, this was the difference between a farm chicken and a phoenix.
At the gated entrance stood two uniformed guards—tall, upright, radiating quiet strength.
James could tell at a glance—they'd at least mastered the beginner level of the Great Dragon Stance and were likely mid-realm martial artists.
> "So this is the rich district, huh? Even the security guards are Third-Realm martial artists…"
He couldn't help but mutter internally.
Beside him, Noah was already grinning, stepping forward:
> "Hey, seniors—Mr. Wang, have a smoke!"
They'd worked here before, so the guards knew them. Both had graduated from Yucai High and were hardened veterans who'd survived the battlefield.
Without such toughness, they wouldn't have gotten this job.
Mr. Wang, the sturdier of the two, waved his hand with mock sternness:
> "Noah, even if we know each other, procedures are procedures. Register first, then we'll call the resident for confirmation."
> "Of course, of course…"
Noah nodded quickly, signaling James to sign in.
As James turned his body to block the surveillance camera, he saw Noah discreetly slip a pack of cigarettes into Mr. Wang's pocket.
> "That handwork… smoother than his military fist techniques," James thought.
But he knew the saying: better bribe the gatekeeper than the king himself.
He just sighed internally—"Galaxy brand? Those cost over a thousand a pack… highway robbery."
Mr. Wang pocketed the gift and smiled.
> "Alright, got the call. We'll take you there. Rules are rules."
He motioned to a lev-car nearby.
> "Hop in."
It was standard protocol—to prevent visitors from wandering and disturbing other residents.
James and Noah climbed aboard, and the magnetic car lifted smoothly into the air, gliding toward a villa.
The seats were soft leather—utterly stable, no vibration at all.
Noah looked around, pretending this was his first time, making James chuckle. He knew what his friend was really doing—scanning for his white moonlight, Angela Ouyang.
Angela Ouyang was Noah's classmate—well-developed, fair-skinned, big-eyed.
Most importantly—she was a Natural.
Though there was no law forbidding relationships between Naturals and Bio-Humans, the vast gap in resources, class, and social standing was enough to crush most teenage dreams.
That was why Noah kept his feelings hidden. Aside from James, no one knew about his crush on Angela.
At that moment, another hover car passed them in the air.
Inside sat a single young girl.
> "Huh?"
Noah's eyes widened, but he quickly shut his mouth.
> "We're here,"
Mr. Wang said as he stopped the car and let them out before a villa gate, then drove away.
Only then did Noah whisper,
> "James… was that Lily White just now?"
> "Not sure—didn't get a clear look," James replied.
It had been a fleeting glimpse, but he was about seventy or eighty percent certain.
> "Lily White's a Bio-Human like us. How could she afford a place like this? She's one of the top students, but she usually avoids people like us… could the rumors be true?"
Noah's eyes darted mischievously.
James sighed inwardly. Lily was indeed beautiful—delicate, gentle, with the charm of a girl-next-door.
Even more stunning than Angela Ouyang. Many admired her at school, and her solitary nature had sparked all kinds of gossip.
> "I heard… four hundred per session…"
Noah muttered under his breath.
> "Cough—don't spread rumors. And don't even think about it here."
James tilted his chin toward the villa gate.
> "They've got surveillance. Don't get yourself in trouble."
> "Sigh…"
Noah sighed. "Too bad… I'm broke."
James glanced at him sideways. He knew Noah actually had more savings—and was far stingier.
> "What about your Angela Ouyang, huh? Is your White Moonlight not enough for you?"
Before he could tease him aloud, the villa gate opened automatically, and a girl's voice called out:
> "You're here? Come to the training yard."
James followed the voice through a small garden to an open practice ground.
Around it stood rows of wooden posts and racks holding various weapons.
A strong medicinal scent hung in the air—the training posts were clearly soaked in special solutions that aided recovery and boosted blood circulation.
There, beside the posts, stood a young girl.
She wore her hair in a bun, looked about thirteen or fourteen, her face still soft with youth. Her features were delicate, her expression bright and confident. Dressed in a training uniform, she held a wooden sword in her hand.
The blade was dark red, its grain clear, the surface gleaming faintly with oil from long use.
> "My name's Emma Gu," she said. "I'm the one who hired you."
Emma swung her wooden sword lightly and pointed toward a weapon rack.
> "You know what to do. Grab two sticks. We'll spar."
> "Uh… little sister, that's not really appropriate. What if we accidentally hurt you…"
Noah awkwardly lifted a staff, testing its weight, the air popping with a dull thud as he swung.
Emma raised an eyebrow.
> "If you can hurt me, I'll double your pay."
> "Deal!"
Noah shouted, gripping his staff with both hands. He launched a move—Cleave the Mountain!—bringing the stick down in a fierce arc.
Crack!
The staff slammed into the ground with a sharp sound.
> "So fast!"
James's face twitched. He'd caught a glimpse of Emma's movement—light as a cat, swift as the wind.
> "Ha!"
A blur of motion—her shout echoed.
A flash of the wooden sword struck Noah's shoulder.
> "Agh!"
Noah screamed as he was flung backward, his shoulder dislocating.
If it had been a real blade, half his upper body would've been cleaved off.
Collapsed on the ground, Noah groaned,
> "You're meat-refinement complete?! And that's a B-rank martial art, 'Demon Blade'? Even a Second-Realm martial artist might lose to you! This isn't the job we signed up for!"
> "But I'm still First-Realm. Haven't broken through yet,"
Emma said sweetly, smiling at James.
> "Your turn. But I'm way too strong—this won't be much of a workout."
She pressed a button on her wristband.
Her training suit suddenly glowed.
> "Let me activate my gravity suit first—then we can fight for real."
(End of Chapter 4)
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