Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 10: Chapter 7 Help

”Brother Jin, please help me.”

Xu Jin returned to his empty dormitory to rest, only to be startled by Qian Xiaohu who popped out of nowhere.

”Brother Jin, please pass on your Star Pointing experience to me. I will definitely repay you.”

”Brother Jin, if I canʼt succeed in Star Pointing, Iʼll have to go back home and toil in the fields, never having enough food or clothing for life.

Brother Jin, I want to succeed in Star Pointing, I want to make my parentsʼ life better. Please, help me.” As Qian Xiaohu spoke, his eyes reddened, and he was about to kneel to Xu Jin.

Xu Jin quickly helped him up.

”Xiaohu, youʼve taken care of me several times, and I am grateful for that. But I already told you all of my experience in Star Pointing this morning, without holding anything back,” Xu Jin said.

”Really?” Qian Xiaohu wasnʼt giving up.

Indeed, Xu Jin had explained the experience of successful Star Pointing that morning, but it was similar to what the instructor had taught and was of little help to him at the moment.

”Really.”

Hearing the definite answer, Qian Xiaohuʼs eyes dimmed, and Xu Jin felt helpless as he watched the light gradually fade from Xiaohuʼs eyes.

In the past two months, Xu Jin had been seriously ill and near death several times, even suffering from illness twice due to his weak constitution, all the while being cared for by Qian Xiaohu, who brought him food and water.

Thinking it over, Xu Jin hesitated but then said, ”However, there is another method you could try.”

”What method? Tell me, Brother Jin,” Qian Xiaohuʼs eyes suddenly lit up as he grabbed Xu Jin.

Xu Jin briefly explained the situation with the Mental Awakening Pill, mentioning that he had used it for successful Star Pointing.

”Xiaohu, however, Instructor Ning also said that although a Mental Awakening Pill can refresh the mind, its help in Star Pointing is minimal, a fact that the Taoist Institute has already verified. But I think you could give it a try.”

Upon hearing it was a Mental Awakening Pill, Qian Xiaohuʼs brightness faded again, ”Brother Jin, I know about the Mental Awakening Pill, but it costs five taels of silver each in the Pill Room. I canʼt afford that.”

Xu Jin frowned, but that was understandable. Qian Xiaohuʼs family situation was similar to his, albeit slightly better at most, so it was normal for him to be unable to afford it.

”How much silver do you have?” Xu Jin suddenly asked.

Qian Xiaohuʼs eyes brightened again, ”Brother Jin, are you going to lend me some silver? I have been saving for a long time. I now have one tael and seven maces. If you could lend me three taels and three maces, that would be enough.”

But no sooner had he finished speaking did Xiaohu smile bitterly. They had shared a bed for so long, how could he not understand Brother Jinʼs situation?

Maybe he had one or two taels.

Three or four taels would be more...

His eyes dimmed again.

Xu Jin thought carefully for a moment, then suddenly took out a Mental Awakening Pill, ”Xiaohu, I still have a Mental Awakening Pill here.”

Qian Xiaohu was overjoyed, and the brightness returned to his eyes.

”But Xiaohu, you know, this Mental Awakening Pill was also obtained by my father in exchange for his hard work, so I canʼt just give it to you!”

”Iʼll borrow it!

Brother Jin, Iʼll borrow it and pay interest at the market rate.”

”What if you still fail in Star Pointing?” Xu Jin suddenly asked.

Qian Xiaohu was startled, and then suddenly smiled, ”Then itʼs fate!

Iʼll have to accept it!

But donʼt worry, Brother Jin, even if I fail in Star Pointing, I will definitely repay your silver!

At the docks in our county city, as long as you are willing to endure hardship, minus food and drink, and saving a bit more, one can save at least one tael of silver a month. At most, it will take me five or six months to pay you back.”

Having said that, Qian Xiaohu handed a small purse to Xu Jin, ”Here is one tael and six maces, Brother Jin, you take this first.”

”Alright, I have to accept this money, this is the hard-earned silver my dad used to buy for me! But for us brothers, letʼs not talk about interest.”

Xu Jin solemnly handed the Mental Awakening Pill to Qian Xiaohu, ”Xiaohu, donʼt rush to use it today, use it tomorrow morning. After a nightʼs sleep during the morning classes, you are most spirited and cultivation would be most effective.”

”Thank you, Brother Jin! Whether I succeed in Star Pointing or not, you are my true big brother.”

”Um, do your best, I think you will definitely succeed in Star Pointing tomorrow!”

Qian Xiaohu nodded vigorously, carefully stowed the pill, and cheerfully went to eat.

After Qian Xiaohu left, Xu Jin, thinking about his own predicament, suddenly felt inspired by Xiaohu.

I need to take initiative.

I need to employ some of my previous lifeʼs thinking.

Without silver, I need to find a capitalist to engage in funding or venture capital, or at the very least, secure some loans.

Purely saving money, when will I ever be able to afford a house?

Now, who could be that capitalist?

***

Relying on the knowledge ingrained from his previous life, as long as one is willing to endure hardship, earning a small amount of money over a few years is not a problem.

Earning more is also possible, but itʼs basically impossible to hold on to it.

In this world, wealth needs the protection of strength.

And Xu Jin, unwilling to suffer too much from lifeʼs hardships and wanting to earn silver earlier for cultivation, to repay Xu Dajiang, and to buy beautiful clothes for his sister Xu Jiang, needed external capital.

However, securing investment loans in this era is hellishly difficult.

If Xu Jin really sought out a wealthy merchant or bank for chatter, he might just get thrown out.

After much thought, he realized there was only one person he could try—Instructor Ning Yuchan.

There were three reasons:

First, the treatment for an instructor at the Taoist Institute was quite good. It was said they received several dozen taels of silver a month, so Instructor Ning should have some capital.

Second, Ning Yuchan was someone Xu Jin could talk to, as they were somewhat acquainted. She had helped him buy the Mental Awakening Pill before and even informed him about using the pill to assist in Star Pointing.

Those who can help you will generally continue to help, but those youʼve helped wonʼt necessarily return the favor.

Third, Xu Jin took eighty-three days to Point the Star. To others, his potential for future development might not seem great, but if he demonstrated it, Instructor Ning should be able to spot Xu Jinʼs potential, and thus might come to invest (help).

Target (Capitalist), Credit (Value), Payback period, Rate of return—these four key points were considered repeatedly by Xu Jin before he made his decision.

Firstly, he needed to demonstrate value, but he couldnʼt say it out loud himself.

That would be bragging.

It would be best if the other party discovered it.

With such considerations in mind, Xu Jin knocked on Instructor Ning Yuchanʼs courtyard once again at noon.

”Xu Jin?

Whatʼs the matter?”

Inside the courtyard, Instructor Ning, without her veil, opened the door. Her pretty face bore hints of frost, evidently displeased about Xu Jinʼs abrupt interruption at noon.

”Instructor, I have a cultivation problem and would like to ask for your advice,” Xu Jin quickly said.

”A cultivation problem?” Ning Yuchanʼs brows furrowed, ”So urgent that you couldnʼt ask during the morning or evening classes?”

”The issue appeared right after the morning practice, and I feared it might occur again during the evening class, so I came to disturb your rest,” Xu Jin explained.

Ning Yuchan sized up Xu Jin for a moment, tapped her steel crutch slightly, and shifted to sit on the stone bench in the courtyard, ”Come in and talk.”

Xu Jin hurriedly entered the courtyard, ”Instructor, on my way back from the morning practice, I suddenly became extremely hungry. I ran all the way to the dining hall, and whereas I usually get full from one bowl of rice, today I needed four large bowls to feel somewhat better...”

”You experienced severe hunger?” Ning Yuchan stood up before Xu Jin could finish, looking at him with a strange expression.

This shouldnʼt be possible.

According to the Taoist Instituteʼs Star Pointing Season experience, only those prodigious youths who succeeded in Star Pointing within ten days usually experienced such severe hunger.

Xu Jin had taken eighty-three days to Point the Star, so such a reaction should be impossible, which is why she never mentioned it.

However, if it was combined with Xu Jinʼs first-day success in Star Pointing during morning class, it made sense.

Because Xu Jinʼs first-day success in Star Pointing was almost comparable to that of the seasonʼs first, Yue Qi.

”How many Mental Awakening Pills did you take this morning?”

”One.”

”Hmm, if a severe hunger reaction occurs, you need not only more food but also pills for replenishment. Blood Replenishing Pills and Solid Foundation Pills from the Pill Room could be consumed in a few doses.

However, if severe hunger reactions occur frequently without the necessary pills for replenishment, it can damage your foundation.

You see, during the morning and evening classes for the next few days, letʼs avoid using the remaining Mental Awakening Pills for cultivation to prevent the severe hunger reaction from harming your foundation,” Ning Yuchan advised.

”Yes, thank you, Instructor, for your guidance. Sorry to have disturbed you.”

After bowing, Xu Jin didnʼt say anything more and turned to leave, while the pensive Ning Yuchan remained in place.

Ning Yuchan was aware of Xu Jinʼs familyʼs financial situation, but she only pointed out a solution and did not offer help or sponsorship, for a simple reason.

Who doesnʼt lack cultivation resources?

Everyone does.

She had many students to teach, and which one didnʼt face hardships?

To mention the remaining three hundred or so youths who hadnʼt succeeded in Star Pointing, if each were given two or three Mental Awakening Pills, at least twenty percent might succeed in Star Pointing and change their fates.

But could she afford to help?

No.

As for the Taoist Institute, what they really needed were geniuses and talented individuals. For those who were at the bottom and even needed Mental Awakening Pills just to succeed in Star Pointing, they could only leave it to fate.

Yet, Xu Jin, who took eighty-three days for Star Pointing, had experienced severe hunger reactions.

That was quite abnormal.

Ning Yuchan started to carefully recall Xu Jinʼs Star Pointing process, but it wasnʼt beautiful.

Because during the first evening class, Xu Jin had fainted and was on the brink of death.

Although the death of a young student wouldnʼt affect her much, it was ultimately not good, and he was the son of an acquaintance.

Afterward, he suffered multiple episodes until he succeeded in Star Pointing.

Suddenly, Ning Yuchanʼs eyebrows twitched.

Could it be that Xu Jin actually had excellent innate talent, but it was previously hindered by his congenital heart condition, which led to the prolonged eighty-three days to achieve Star Pointing?

Now that Star Pointing was successful and the congenital heart condition healed, was his talent for cultivation finally revealing itself?

If that was the case,

what was Xu Jinʼs true cultivation talent?