However, the physical bodies of cultivators, even without specific body-refining techniques, are far superior to ordinary mortals, no matter how weak they might be.
This is entirely different from professions like archers or mages.
In this world, although the Sword Immortal path emphasizes the sword above all else, their physical bodies are still comparable to those of warriors or martial artists.
Others might fear assassination.
Fang Ming, however, did not fear it.
Fang Ming simply formed a hand seal, the Vajra Mantra.
Suddenly, a layer of golden light emanated from Fang Ming's body.
A spherical, golden barrier enveloped Fang Ming's youthful form.
Under the protection of this sphere, the rogue's dagger thrusts proved utterly useless.
The blade struck the sphere, unable to penetrate even this protective shield.
Seeing his attack fail, the rogue poured all his strength, stabbing with the dagger again and again.
Yet, it was all in vain. He grew tired but saw no results.
Eventually, the rogue lowered his dagger, staring intently at the golden sphere, his face filled with disbelief!
How could this be!
This was clearly a young man who, admitting he couldn't defeat them, was willing to pay with his life, yet he possessed such a skill?
Was this a mage's spell? No, it was more akin to the methods of cultivators.
This young man was actually a cultivator!
Rogues were aware of the cultivator profession.
In this world, people possessed various professions, various paths of cultivation, and various cultivation systems.
However, these paths and systems were never equal!
For instance, it wasn't that the martial artist profession was inherently inferior to the cultivator profession.
Masters who had cultivated their martial artist profession to profound levels were in no way inferior to cultivators.
But this was, after all, a matter of a select few, a minority of cases.
The reason the cultivator profession was considered nobler than the martial artist profession was that, under normal and probable circumstances, cultivators surpassed martial artists.
This was because the entry barrier alone weeded out countless individuals, whereas almost anyone could step into the martial artist profession through effort.
The rarity was entirely different, and it would be strange if they were equal.
Professions were not equal to each other; there was no such thing as a profession balance mechanism.
This applied to cultivators and martial artists alike, and similarly, the comparison between rogues and cultivators followed the same logic.
Perhaps the Priest profession, one that offered devotion to deities, held a rarity comparable to cultivators, but the rogue profession certainly did not.
This bandit had never imagined that his robbery would lead him to encounter a cultivator.
Especially one who had appeared so humble beforehand.
Thinking about it, it was impossible! How could a cultivator treat a group of bandits with such a humble attitude?
Yet, this was precisely what had happened!
And the rogue's dagger, enchanted eight times, was utterly helpless against this spherical shield.
It couldn't even break through the defense!
"We're finished. We've actually run into a cultivator."
"Is this where my rogue's path ends?"
These were the thoughts that crossed the minds of this bandit and his former leader.
They were all wondering if today would be their last.
Then, Fang Ming unleashed his flying sword.
As the cyan flying sword materialized, many of the bandits faltered.
A flying sword.
A cyan flying sword, emitting a sharp radiance.
These people recognized it; it was the mark of a Sword Immortal!
If cultivators were considered rare among the many professions in this world,
then Sword Immortals were even rarer than cultivators!
According to the principle that rarity equates to power, Sword Immortals were often stronger and possessed greater destructive power than cultivators.
Typically, upon entering the path, possessing a flying sword, and achieving unity with the sword, one would possess a strength around level forty!
These bandits, comprising warriors, swordsmen, rogues, martial artists, and even蛊术 (Gu cultivation) practitioners,
were all only around levels ten to twenty.
Even twenty individuals at level twenty, working together, could not possibly contend with a level forty Sword Immortal!
The bandit leader's regret deepened at his earlier arrogance.
"Brothers, we're incredibly unlucky this time! We've encountered such an opponent... No need to fight, run for your lives!"
"Right! Scatter! Scatter and run!"
After the bandit shouted this, more than half of the bandit group dispersed, each individual putting forth their utmost effort, desperately fleeing in different directions.
This action was not surprising.
They knew that with their professions and levels, they stood no chance against a Sword Immortal, even a newly initiated one.
Therefore, upon recognizing Fang Ming as a Sword Immortal, they immediately fled.
In fact, some had already wanted to run when they saw Fang Ming using cultivator techniques, that protective shield, as a cultivator was difficult to deal with.
Now, seeing Fang Ming wield a flying sword, a Sword Immortal, they immediately deemed Fang Ming not just difficult to deal with, but impossible to defeat.
This realization caused those who were already inclined to flee to take immediate action.
Furthermore, to avoid being wiped out by Fang Ming in one fell swoop, they scattered in different directions, hoping to increase their chances of survival.
"They're running?"
Fang Ming watched the bandits flee and sensed the malice in the world, lost in thought.
Heaven's will was also the will of man. While heaven's will could sway human hearts, when the conflict of human hearts reached a certain degree, the influence of heaven and earth on those hearts weakened.
Just as before, when Fang Ming remained unassuming and didn't reveal his strength.
Even with a threatening tone or a compromising one, whether speaking good or bad, he couldn't persuade the bandit group.
But once Fang Ming displayed his strength, the cultivation system of Sword Immortal, which existed in this world, was applied to Fang Ming, and these people then perceived Fang Ming's formidable power.
In this situation, even if this world harbored hostility towards Fang Ming, subtly guiding various individuals to trouble him,
it could only guide thoughts and influence them; it could not directly change their minds.
However, once Fang Ming's strength and the bandits' strength disparity became known, even if they harbored malice towards Fang Ming, they would not unconditionally attack him based on the world's aversion to Fang Ming.
They would flee, rather than attack.
Similarly, Fang Ming glanced at Yan Deye beside him.
This person had also witnessed Fang Ming's strength and knew Fang Ming was an ally.
Therefore, even though the world held animosity towards Fang Ming, it could not completely alter his heart and make him attack Fang Ming.
Compared to Fang Ming's strength, the slight malice caused by the world's influence on Yan Deye was insufficient to make him act unwisely.