Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 14: Chapter 11 Star Radiance?

Dou Calendar 1762, June 13th, a cloudy day.

When the morning class bell rang, the sky was still densely clouded, with no trace of starlight visible.

This made Qian Xiaohu, who was prepared to take a Mental Awakening Pill this morning, hesitate somewhat as he followed closely behind Xu Jin, ”Brother Jin, do you think this cloudy weather could affect Star Pointing?”

”No!”

”Havenʼt you been paying attention in class?

The instructor had already mentioned that as long as youʼre not in a completely enclosed space, Star Power is everywhere. Remember, Lu Xianbing who succeeded in Star Pointing on the twenty-ninth day was actually during a rainstorm.

Itʼs just cloudy, what are you afraid of?”

”Donʼt let wild thoughts distract you, have confidence. After taking the pill, concentrate on Star Pointing, you can definitely do it!” Xu Jin encouraged again.

”Yes, I definitely can!” With Xu Jinʼs encouragement, Qian Xiaohu, who had failed many times before, gained a bit more confidence.

Xu Jin, however, went directly to the east side of the early class square, where Ning Yuchan, upon starting the early class, began to channel Starlight with the Dining Dawn Form.

After storing enough Star Power in his chest, he started performing the Five Battles Killing Fist.

Only performing the first move felt different already.

Last night, he had focused on Martial Learning for more than an hour under the Star Lamp, and it had yielded much improvement, which was instantly displayed as he used the Five Battles Killing Fist for Body Refining.

Like the first move of the Five Battles Killing Fist with Yin-Yang Combining, previously it was merely through the motion of the fist that caused Star Power to oscillate and shock the flesh for Body Refining effect.

It had been straightforward.

But after last nightʼs cultivation, under Xu Jinʼs fist, Star Power first moved quickly then extremely slowly, letting the Star Power surge within his body like waves, one after another.

And like the sound of a bell, with one shock, but the reverberations continued, echoing lasted.

The same move yesterday, with the same amount of Star Power, impacted and refined the flesh only once, but today, the same move struck and refined the flesh three or four times in succession.

The effect of Body Refining was increased multifold.

”Hmm?”

Not far away, Instructor Ning Yuchan, who was instructing a young boy in Star Pointing, suddenly turned her head towards the source of the Star Power fluctuations, revealing a look of surprise.

It was Xu Jin who caused the Star Power fluctuation?

Only two days into Star Pointing, and he had already managed to create Star Power fluctuations with the Five Battles Killing Fist; this understanding was extraordinary.

Star Power fluctuations could be understood as the oscillation and explosive intensity of Star Power.

These young boys who had succeeded in Star Pointing were all inducing Star Power to diligently practice the Five Battles Killing Fist, naturally producing Star Power fluctuations.

Before the First Layer of Dining Dawn, the Star Power fluctuations produced were very low, so low that even Ning Yuchan couldnʼt sense them from a slightly distant range.

And to make Ning Yuchan feel the Five Battles Killing Fistʼs Star Power fluctuation from a hundred meters away, so far this season of Star-pointing, only seven or eight people had managed it.

Now, Xu Jin must be added to that list.

And the time Xu Jin produced Star Power fluctuations was the fastest.

Sensing the waves of Star Power fluctuations emitted by Xu Jin, Ning Yuchan became even more certain her judgment was correct—Xu Jinʼs talent was, in fact, obscured and delayed by his congenital heart disease.

It was a pity that it couldnʼt be changed.

Xu Jin, however, was unaware of all this, thoroughly immersed in his cultivation world.

This change in technique with the Five Battles Killing Fist, which could multiply the effect of Body Refining, was simply incredible.

Last night, Xu Jin thought the Can Dou Platform Star Lamp was still trivial; now, he already perceived it as a divine object.

The second move of the Five Battles Killing Fist, Lifting Ten Thousand Stones, focused on attack. Instructor Cui had taught that Star Power should burst in layers, like lifting a heavy object, maintaining power and finally bursting.

Before, Xu Jin only remembered the burst part, completely oblivious to the layered bursting, but last nightʼs Martial Learning under the Star Lamp had enlightened him.

To burst, but not to burst out all at once, instead controlling the Star Power, aided by the fist motion, to burst little by little, each time the force needed to be increased, eventually these bursts coalescing together, and bursting together, was Lifting Ten Thousand Stones!

Swoosh!

Amidst the breaking air, Xu Jinʼs chestʼs Starlight suddenly expanded outward significantly, causing Xu Jin to utter a stifled grunt, his face contorted in pain, grimacing.

It wasnʼt a training misstep.

It was after the burst of Lifting Ten Thousand Stones, where Star Power violently blasted towards the unrefined directions, bringing an intense pain.

It was somewhat like a friend who had just started learning to do splits, accidentally forcing a successful split.

The splits were achieved, but the legs felt no longer their own.

His chest hurt so much that he couldnʼt breathe, but the progress of his Body Refining jumped significantly.

”Itʼs passed!”

Wind whipped about, the person not yet arriving, his silver crutch arriving first, Ning Yuchanʼs voice sounded, ”It seems your comprehension is good. After some time, youʼll be able to produce Star Radiance.”

Xu Jin wanted to ask what ʼStar Radianceʼ was, but was stopped by Instructor Ning using her silver crutch, ”Continue practicing your punches, but remember, the second move Lifting Ten Thousand Stones and the fourth move Break Sky Wolf, before breaking through to the Third Layer of Dining Dawn, you need to hold back your power.

Otherwise, you will directly train into internal injuries.”

”Thank you, Instructor.”

Ning Yuchan waved her silver crutch, clanging as she moved away.

Her focus these last few days was those young boys who hadnʼt successfully completed Star Pointing, aiming to provide timely guidance and encouragement, to help more boys succeed in Star Pointing.

After swallowing a Blood Replenishing Pill, Xu Jin continued practicing his punches.

This time, he didnʼt dare to act recklessly, honestly listening to Ning Yuchanʼs words; in performing Lifting Ten Thousand Stones, he held back his power, careful not to burst recklessly.

Because even for the next two hours, he still felt a throbbing pain in his chest.

The three forms that followed, Xu Jin performed normally.

Mainly because there wasnʼt much time practicing with the Star Lamp last night, just over an hour, and the first two forms had yielded results, thanks largely to Xu Jinʼs ability to think summarily.

But when practicing, he no longer focused too much on the Body Refining effect but rather on the technique of the fist itself.

Under these circumstances, his fisting technique too had improved.

Xu Jin had already planned to make the most of his rest at noon and any free time to practice more in the Can Dou Platform Star Lamp.

Moreover, Xu Jin felt that the Can Dou Platformʼs utility was surely not limited to the few aspects already explored; more use and exploration would definitely uncover new functionalities.

After all, if a frying pan can be used for domestic violence, fish maw isnʼt just for its high protein.

This Can Dou Platform, Xu Jin was confident he could bring out its full potential.

Suddenly, a bubbling hubbub arose from the center of the early training square.

Over there, the youths who had not succeeded in Star Pointing turned their heads in unison toward a particular direction, even Instructor Ning headed that way.

That direction was exactly where Qian Xiaohu was.

It seemed that Qian Xiaohu had succeeded in Star Pointing.

The morning session ended quickly. Today, Xu Jin had not channeled the Starlight from the Can Dou Platform into his body, just took an extra Mental Awakening Pill and drew one more cycle of Starlight; in total, he performed the Five Battles Killing Fist ten times. Yesterday morning, Xu Jin took a Mental Awakening Pill and absorbed Starlight twice, completing thirteen repetitions of the Five Battles Killing Fist.

Three fewer repetitions of the Five Battles Killing Fist than yesterday, but Xu Jin felt that the Body Refining effect this morning was stronger than yesterdayʼs.

The reason lay in the improvement of his skills in the Five Battles Killing Fist.

Thanks to the Blood Replenishing Pill, he didnʼt experience extreme hunger at noon, but Xu Jin still heartily downed three sea bowls of rice.

”Brother Jin, I really succeeded in Star Pointing!”

”Brother Jin, thank you so much, I couldnʼt have succeeded in Star Pointing without your help!”

”Brother Jin, having succeeded in Star Pointing, Iʼll be earning at least three to five taels of Silver a month. After I pay you back your Silver, I must give you two chickens to help nourish my parents.”

”Then I need to save Silver to find a wife for my brother! Half of my Star Pointing earnings came from my brotherʼs hard labor.”

”Come the new year, Iʼll make new clothes for my mom, my dad, and my sister — itʼs been several years since they last wore new clothes...”

”...”

The Star Pointing-successful Qian Xiaohu was so excited he couldnʼt sleep.

Listening to him, Xu Jin felt similarly about improving his familyʼs living conditions, making several beautiful new clothes for his sister.

Should he find his father, Xu Dajiang, another wife?

That seemed to be a question.

Then, with a sudden thought, Xu Jinʼs mind dove back into the Can Dou Platform Star Lamp, continuing the practice of the Five Battles Killing Fist.

The afternoon Star Martial Six Arts class discussed Forging, and after listening for a while, Xu Jin simply let his mind wander, continuing his practice in the Star Lamp.

Before the evening class, Xu Jin spent most of the day practicing in the Star Lamp, pleasantly making progress.

He was starting to grasp the last three forms: Six Harmony Shaking, Break Sky Wolf, Central Leader Determines the World.

Xu Jin finally understood what Instructor Ning meant by Star Radiance.

During the evening practice in the Star Lamp, the second form, Lifting Ten Thousand Stones, occasionally produced a blade of Starlight covering half an inch of his skin, strikingly fierce.

That must be the Star Radiance.

Starlight enveloping the body, called Star Radiance.

As for the first form, Yin-Yang Combining, he was now able to consistently produce a Starlight Shield.

Of course, only within the Star Lamp.

During the evening class, Xu Jin, following his prior plan, practiced a few rounds before repeatedly channeling the Starlight from the Can Dou Platform into his body for cultivation.

But before starting, Xu Jin took another Blood Replenishing Pill and a Solid Foundation Pill.

He performed the Five Battles Killing Fist fourteen times, completely consuming both the thread of Starlight and the residual one-fifth thread from the Can Dou Platform.

The Body Refining effect was astonishing.

The Starlight had covered half his torso and chest, reaching almost to his shoulders.

Xu Jin felt that the Body Refining effect from tonight alone was almost equivalent to the total of three morning and evening sessions since he had succeeded in Star Pointing.

The more cycles he went through channeling Star Power to perform the Five Battles Killing Fist, the more the Body Refining effects accumulated.

Meanwhile, Xu Jin also tested it out.

Currently, one thread of Starlight supported his ten repetitionsʼ consumption of the Five Battles Killing Fist.

That evening, two more youths succeeded in Star Pointing, and the previously confident Sha Youtian also succeeded tonight.

After the evening class, Xu Jin didnʼt rush back to the dormitory but found a quiet, deserted pavilion, his mind sinking back into the Star Lamp to continue his practice.

Xu Jin had tasted the sweetness.

Coincidentally, tomorrowʼs Star Martial Six Arts class would teach the post-Star Pointing Five Battles Killing Fist, and Xu Jin was already looking forward to it because he had accumulated quite a few questions to ask the instructor.

As usual, he continued practicing in the Star Lamp until the strike of midnight signaled from the drum, and only then did Xu Jin rise to head back to the dormitory.

But just before reaching the small path to the dormitory, a dark figure suddenly sprang from the roadside and blocked Xu Jinʼs way!