Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 34: Chapter 30 Fight to the Death

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No good.

Xu Jinʼs thoughts sank into the Star Lamp as he tried several times only to find that he couldnʼt engrave a Star Pattern inside it.

The main reason seemed to be that the little figure in the Star Lamp, which carried the consciousness of Xu Jin, appeared to be purely made of starlight.

When engraving a Star Pattern, there was no need to actually engrave, as long as one could trace the correct Star Pattern loop and then control the Star Power to pass through it several times, the Star Pattern would be directly engraved.

Very simple.

There was no obstruction from a physical body and no effort involved.

But this did not prevent Xu Jin from finding a tricky Dharma Method inside the Star Lamp.

Or rather, a diligent Dharma Method.

First, engraving a Star Pattern inside the Star Lamp consumed a very small amount of Divine Soul Power.

Just now, when Xu Jin was engraving a Star Pattern on his chest, his head had begun to hurt, and forcing more engravings with the fluctuations of Star Power growing larger was simply impossible.

But inside the Star Lamp, despite the slight headache, he could still proceed.

Moreover, engraving inside the Star Lamp didnʼt consume Star Power.

This should save Xu Jin a substantial amount of Divine Soul Power and Star Power, thereby saving him time.

Furthermore, engraving Star Patterns within the Star Lamp, although unable to reflect onto the physical body, could use a minimal consumption to rapidly improve Xu Jinʼs engraving proficiency.

After all, engraving Star Patterns on the physical body consumes Divine Soul Power and Star Power every time, limiting the number of attempts one could try in a day.

But inside the Star Lamp, Xu Jin could practice tracing the Star Pattern loops repeatedly with almost no consumption.

Once he became thoroughly proficient, he could complete the engraving of the Small Star Gathering Pattern in the shortest amount of time.

Realizing this, Xu Jinʼs mind left the Can Dou Platform and he went straight to sleep.

As it stood, aside from the Mental Awakening Pill that could recover a small amount of Divine Soul Power, the best way to recover Divine Soul Power was still to sleep.

The afternoon was for miscellaneous classes.

The Taoist Instituteʼs rules stipulate that new disciples must complete their miscellaneous duties learning assessment within seven days; after that, they must fully participate in the said duties.

Xu Jin had chosen the Medicine Inquiry task for his miscellaneous duties, and Qian Xiaohu had followed Xu Jinʼs lead.

This afternoonʼs Medicine Inquiry class still saw the familiar Mr. Gan.

Xu Jin discovered that more than half of the new disciples had chosen Medicine Inquiry for their duties.

With no Sea Exploration classes available and Beast Taming not possible until after Star Casting, it was no surprise that most chose Medicine Inquiry from among Slaughter, Tracking, Forging, and Medicine Inquiry.

It was said that among the new disciples this time, only two people had chosen Forging.

In the long run, these two who chose Forging were the truly smart ones.

Fewer people choosing meant more cultivation and attention, which implied a greater possibility of achievement in the future.

However, Xu Jin was in it for the silver.

Medicine Inquiry had more possible extra earnings, and it all depended on luck; Xu Jin was currently focusing on the money.

Not only did he aim to take the reward, but he also wanted to earn silver.

Mr. Ganʼs Medicine Inquiry class was very straightforward. He took out the two booklets he had gone over with the disciples before: one called pharmacopoeia, which recorded twelve hundred medicinal herbs, and the other called Ten Thousand Star Strange Objects Record, which listed one hundred and thirty Star-nourishing Strange Objects.

”These two books, in the three months prior to Star Pointing, I have taught and had you memorize a portion every four days. I believe you all have a foundation. The requirements coming up are pretty simple.

Memorize!

Familiarize yourselves with these two books.”

”Four days from now, I will test you once. Those who pass will each receive a Mental Awakening Pill as a reward. Seven days later, I will test you again, and those who pass will still be rewarded with a Mental Awakening Pill.

But those who fail, according to the instituteʼs regulations, will have their monthly salary halved until they pass the exam.”

Mr. Gan spoke nonchalantly, half-reclining in his chair.

To all the disciples who had chosen Medicine Inquiry duties, this announcement was met with groans.

The reward of a Mental Awakening Pill was secondary; the key concern was that those who failed would have their monthly salary halved, a continuous half-cut for continuous failure was both painful and frightening.

For Xu Jin, however, it was a minor issue.

Those two books combined had forty or fifty thousand words, a trivial matter.

Compared to the volume of various subjects he had to memorize back in high school in his previous life, there was no comparison, certainly better than memorizing political science.

Plus, Xu Jin had already read these two booklets dozens of times in the previous three months and remembered most of it.

This requirement posed no difficulty for Xu Jin; he could focus on his cultivation.

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Inside the Heavenly River Gangʼs branch.

”Gang Leader, I have no objections to you sending me to Pill Dawn County, but my nephew just died, and I havenʼt found the murderer to avenge his blood feud yet. Could you give me a few daysʼ time?” After hearing about the urgent task assigned by the Gang Leader, Deng Longshu became anxious.

Zhou Ji, the Heavenly River Gang Leader, glanced over with a cold look in his eyes, ”Have I been too kind to you all in these two years?”

Deng Longshu stiffened, but still argued, ”Gang Leader, our Deng Family has only had this one man for three generations...”

”Keep babbling, and the Deng Family will have another funeral to arrange,” Zhou Ji said coldly.

In an instant, Deng Longshu inhaled sharply. The Gang Leader had never expressed such an attitude in all these years.

He wasnʼt foolish and knew better than to speak out of turn again, ”Then, Gang Leader, may I arrange for Jiang Sheng to lead a few others to investigate first while I handle the assignment?”

”Thatʼs acceptable.”

”Gang Leader, there is another issue. Pill Dawn County is not our territory. What if we inadvertently cause big trouble?”

”Youʼll have to take responsibility yourself.”

During the conversation, Zhou Ji patted Deng Longshu on the shoulder, ”This is precisely why Iʼm sending you, one of our backbones. Longshu, you should be aware that our Heavenly River Gang has support from high places, right?”

Deng Longshu nodded, not only aware but even had an inkling that the support might be related to the Tianyang Branch.

What was the Tianyang Branch?

It was a branch affiliated with the Tianyang Star Hall established in Yan State.

One of the existing three major Star Halls.

Even the ruling Chen Country, overseeing four states and eighteen counties, had to look up to one of these three major Star Halls.

Why else would he be so devoted to a gang?

”Good that you know.

Let me tell you this. If this task is not done well, my entire life is over!

And if Iʼm over, you will be too... do you understand?” Zhou Ji said, staring at Deng Longshu.

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Deng Longshu truly grew solemn now; he had understood why the usually amicable Gang Leader had such an attitude today.

He immediately took the order, found Jiang Sheng, and after giving his instructions, he took several capable subordinates and headed straight for Pill Dawn County.

******

The night at Jinshan Taoist Institute was filled with the figures of disciples cultivating.

Each found a patch of open ground for themselves, some practicing static skill while others active skill, all immersed in their arduous training.

However, these were all disciples who had just joined this year. Not a single one from the previous year or the year before was seen.

After 9 p.m., disciples continuously left the Institute.

At the Lord-lieutenant Mansion in east cityʼs Jinshan County, Lu Xianbing returned home and immediately went to the quiet room in the backyard, where his second grand-uncle Lu Feng was waiting for him.

Upon seeing his second grand-uncle, Lu Xianbing offered his respects, then without further ado, sat down and sketched out the Small Star Gathering Pattern he remembered for his second grand-uncle to see.

After looking at it for a few moments, Lu Feng said, ”It has changed significantly from what I learned back then, the main trunk and branches have all altered. The National Taoist Institute is indeed constantly improving and optimizing the Gathering Star Patterns. Not having you engrave it in advance was the right decision.”

”Xianbing, your father is the Lord-lieutenant and is currently out on a mission. Let me lend you a hand. Clear your heart and guard your mind, do not resist at all.” As Lu Feng spoke, he suddenly pressed his hand onto the Star Pattern at Lu Xianbingʼs chest, with starlight flickering on his palm.

Suddenly, Lu Xianbing said, ”Second grand-uncle, isnʼt this considered cheating?”

”Cheating?”

Lu Feng sneered, ”Then is taking Pills considered cheating? Is having a renowned master for guidance considered cheating?

Child, donʼt be too pedantic.

What is not forbidden by law is permissible.

It took four generations of our Lu Familyʼs effort to elevate your father to the high position of a countyʼs Lord-lieutenant and to pile up his Cultivation Level to the Five-star Condensation realm.

If we let you start from zero like those others, what would be the point of our eldersʼ efforts?

Arenʼt the efforts of parents and ancestors exactly for the sake of providing their descendants with a higher starting point to reach greater heights?

You must abandon this antiquated mindset.”

Lu Xianbing nodded, ”Second grand-uncle, Iʼve learned my lesson.”

”Gathering Battle, if your generation can break through to Gathering Battle, then our Lu Family will have the momentum to become a great clan,” Lu Feng stated.

Lu Xianbing nodded silently; Dining Dawn, Star Casting, Refining Star, Star Condensation, Gathering Battle - he was already quite familiar with this path of Cultivation.

The goal of Nine-star Condensation, true Gathering Battle, was set by his father.

”Clear your heart and guard your inner self, Divine Soul Power will drive Star Power. Follow the traces I help you engrave and continuously fortify it.

Aim to successfully engrave the Small Gathering Star Pattern within ten days, and the Great Gathering Star Pattern within thirty days.

You must obtain that Mental-locking Golden Pill.

This Pill is allocated by the National Taoist Institute through the Yan State Taoist Instituteʼs distribution, even your father canʼt get it.”

During this conversation, Lu Feng handed Lu Xianbing a bottle of Pills saying, ”Hereʼs the Rejuvenation Pill, it can restore some of the Divine Soul Power, the effect is three times that of a Mental Awakening Pill. If you feel mentally drained, take one.”

Lu Xianbing took it, thanked him, then closed his eyes, relaxed his entire body, and let Lu Fengʼs Star Power enter his body to trace and engrave upon his chest.

At the same time, Luo Geng also arrived at his uncle Luo Kexingʼs residence, where Luo Kexing had made all the preparations and was waiting for him.

”Gengʼer, you must give it your all recently to strive to be the first to successfully engrave the Great Gathering Star Pattern.

The Mental-locking Golden Pill will be of great assistance to your Star Casting,” Luo Kexing said.

”Thank you, second uncle.”

”Here, two bottles of Mental Awakening Pills and five Rejuvenation Pills, all of which can restore Divine Soul Power, use them as needed. The effect of the Rejuvenation Pill is approximately three times that of the Mental Awakening Pill, but taking them consecutively will have no effect.”

Luo Geng expressed his gratitude. He understood the worth of what his second uncle had given him; a single Rejuvenation Pill sold for thirty taels of Silver.

Appreciative yet anxious, he said,

”Second uncle, Iʼm a bit scared.”

Luo Kexing furrowed his brows, ”Scared of what?”

”Second uncle, what if I donʼt get the first place? After all, it took me sixty-two days for Star Pointing, which is far behind Yue Daqi and the others.”

Slap!

A slap landed on Luo Gengʼs cheek, and half of his face immediately swelled up.

”How could you be worse than even Xu Jin?”

”Do you truly believe that the number of days for Star Pointing is everything?”

”The number of days for Star Pointing is just a reluctant choice by the Star Hall and National Taoist Institute because itʼs the fairest measure that the outside canʼt interfere with.

Like the current engraving star patterns, there are too many ways for external forces to intervene.

Do you understand?” Luo Kexing spoke.

Luo Geng nodded blankly, making Luo Kexing sigh inwardly.

”One slow step in Cultivation means every step is slow.

You must compete!

Aiming for first place is the goal, and even if you donʼt get it, it may still be possible. But you must strive!

Even if you die, you must compete; that is whatʼs most important, do you understand?” said Luo Kexing.

Luo Geng nodded as if he understood, though the pressure in his heart had greatly diminished.

Soon after, Luo Kexingʼs hand also rested on Luo Gengʼs chest, and starlight surged in.

At the same time, Zhou Du, Ren Xiaoxiang, Yu Guan, Song Ye, each at their own homes or their relativesʼ homes, received similar help.

But the majority of the Taoist School disciples were still groping and cultivating alone in their rooms, since relying on outsiders was, after all, an exception for a few.

Having completed his evening practice, Xu Jin looked at the Starlight that now covered his forearm and was overjoyed.

In two or three more days at most, he would break through to the Second Layer of Dining Dawn.

That would mean heʼd have a level of self-defense ability that met his own standards.

All of this was still within a conservative approach to Cultivation.

After all, he had to reserve some Divine Soul Power for engraving star patterns.

For Xu Jin, who lacked Silver, the rewards for engraving star patterns were incredibly tempting.

After taking a Mental Awakening Pill, he closed the door, sat down cross-legged on the bed, and prepared to immerse his thoughts into the Can Dou Platform Star Lamp. Once heʼd perfectly engraved the Small Gathering Star Pattern within the star lamp, heʼd directly engrave it on his chest.

But just as Xu Jin had closed his eyes, suddenly, a voice drifted into his ears.

”Young man, you do have a good focus, having done such a big deed, arenʼt you at all afraid that they will find you, the murderer?”

In an instant, Xu Jinʼs just-closed eyes snapped open, his expression filled with shock!