Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

40: Chapter 36: Alarming the Mountain Master

40 -36: Alarming the Mountain Master

“You…”

Ning Yuchan started to ask a question but stopped herself.

Because she had intended to ask Xu Jin if he had ever learned the Small Gathering Star Pattern before, but as she was about to speak, she realized it was a redundant question.

This possibility might have existed last year or the year before.

Because the Small Gathering Star Pattern from those years hadn’t changed, but this year’s pattern had been re-deduced by State Preceptor Cheng, and the changes were significant compared to previous years.

Ning Yuchan also wanted to ask if anyone had helped Xu Jin.

But she didn’t ask that either.

The Taoist Institute doesn’t intervene in matters of family elders assisting with the refinement of Star Patterns.

Firstly, only those who are very close would go through such unrewarding, strenuous effort.

Secondly, such assistance is, in fact, tacitly approved by the Institute, not only because it is difficult to discern but also because a family’s heritage is considered a form of strength in its own right.

However, Ning Yuchan was very clear about Xu Jin’s situation.

The youth who needed to borrow hundreds of taels of silver from her, how could someone go through thankless toil to help him rapidly cultivate the Small Gathering Star Pattern?

More importantly, the Institute’s previous record for the fastest condensation of the Small Gathering Star Pattern was ten and a half days, but that record implicitly included the help of family relatives and elders.

Lu Xianbing, Zhou Du, Ren Xiaoxiang, Luo Geng—she knew that these people had the help of their family elders.

But Xu Jin…

The record was too frightening!

She didn’t know if anyone in the Star Hall had achieved such a feat.

“When exactly did you succeed in engraving the Small Gathering Star Pattern?” Ning Yuchan asked with composure.

“Last night, or to be precise, it’s today already, I believe it was past midnight,” Xu Jin replied, still unaware at the moment, anxious to secure his first-place spot, he stated the time with utmost precision.

Ning Yuchan looked at Xu Jin in astonishment for a few moments, then suddenly asked, “Xu Jin, does anyone else know about your success in engraving the Star Pattern?”

“No one knows; you’re my instructor, my master, so of course, I came to find you first.

I wanted to come in the morning, but there was morning training, so it wasn’t until now that I could come,” Xu Jin said.

“Then wait in my courtyard for a moment, securing the reward for this needs at least two witnesses, I’ll go find someone else,” Ning Yuchan said.

Xu Jin understood that this was necessary.

The next instant, Ning Yuchan tapped her iron crutch and flew directly over the courtyard wall, vanishing in a blink.

Inside a small house among the mountains of the Taoist Institute, Mountain Master Dong Zhao, who was about to lie down after dinner, suddenly frowned and stood up, “Yuchan, that girl, is becoming more and more unruly by the day, coming in without even knocking at the gate.”

While he spoke, there came a knock at the door.

Ning Yuchan did know to knock on doors.

“Yuchan, what’s so urgent that you just barged in?” Mountain Master Dong Zhao asked with a smile.

“Mountain Master, Xu Jin has succeeded in engraving the Small Gathering Star Pattern!

In only three and a half days!”

Mountain Master Dong Zhao’s smile disappeared in an instant, “Really?”

“He is in my courtyard right now, saying he wants to secure the reward for being the first to engrave the Star Pattern.”

Mountain Master Dong Zhao suddenly stood up and began pacing back and forth, then asked while walking,

“Does anyone else know?”

“I asked him, and he said he hasn’t told anyone else.”

“Yuchan, I recall it took you nine and a half days, didn’t it?” Mountain Master Dong Zhao said.

“Yes, but at that time, my mother helped me several times.

This Xu Jin, he probably didn’t have any external help.”

“Such talent, truly is…”

Mountain Master Dong Zhao exclaimed in admiration, “Yuchan, then you came to find me because you have some thoughts?”

“I have come to ask for Mountain Master’s decision,” Ning Yuchan stated.

Mountain Master Dong Zhao paced back and forth a few more times, then suddenly said, “Under normal circumstances, if Xu Jin breaks the record again for engraving the Great Gathering Star Pattern, he will, just like you did in the past, be directly taken away by one of the two main sub-halls of the Star Hall.

And we can only comply.

This is one of the agreements between the two main Star Halls and the National Taoist Institute.

Every year, each state sub-hall of the two main Star Halls can select any top talent from within the state Taoist Institutes to replenish the Star Hall’s personnel.

In theory, Xu Jin would have a better future if he could enter the Star Hall.”

“Would he?”

Ning Yuchan’s expression tightened, and she couldn’t help but glance at her own crippled leg.

“If Xu Jin were a talent discovered directly by the branch halls of the two main Star Halls, then he really would have such an opportunity.

But since he was selected by our Institute, his life has already been branded with the mark of the Taoist Institute’s origin.”

“Sigh…

Yuchan, you must understand, whether it’s the Tianyang Sub-Hall or the Cangming Branch Hall, as soon as they find out, they can directly request the person through the National Taoist Institute, and we cannot refuse,” Dong Zhao sighed.

“That’s why I’ve come to find you, Mountain Master.

Mountain Master, I don’t want Xu Jin to follow my old path.

I would rather give our Institute a chance,” Ning Yuchan said with a hint of excitement.

Mountain Master Dong Zhao let out a long sigh, “Ah, it’s a pity, if back then the Lingji Star Hall had shown some backbone and not been defeated into locking their hall, we wouldn’t have all these troubles, and you wouldn’t have…”

“Mountain Master, you decide.

I’ve never seen such a speed in engraving Star Patterns, nor is there a record of it in the Institute,” Ning Yuchan urged again.

Mountain Master Dong Zhao pondered for a long while before saying, “It’s June now, half a year until the end of the year; we need to hide him for at least half a year.

Moreover, we cannot affect his normal cultivation.

For a cultivation genius like him, losing his motivation and competitive spirit means he will be no different from ordinary people in the future.”

“Mountain Master, in fact, Xu Jin is only truly astonishing in the aspect of engraving star patterns,” Ning Yuchan said.

“His performance in other areas is average, and his Star Pointing days are only eighty-three.”

“Are you saying?” Mountain Master Dong Zhao seemed thoughtful.

“But, Mountain Master, this Xu Jin comes from a poor family and is very concerned about rewards.

He’s also quite bold; he’s directly asked me, his instructor, to lend him silver twice for his cultivation,” Ning Yuchan continued.

Mountain Master Dong Zhao suddenly started, then burst into laughter, “Good for him, borrowing was a smart move.”

“Let’s go, I know what to do now!”

******

When Xu Jin saw Mountain Master Dong Zhao, he was somewhat bewildered.

Xu Jin had thought that Ning Yuchan would find another witness to his achievement, possibly an instructor, or at most Superintendent Cao Chun.

He did not expect Mountain Master Dong Zhao to be the one to come.

It was as if you were fighting an elite and suddenly a big BOSS pops up.

It was hard not to be surprised.

What Mountain Master Dong Zhao said after closing the courtyard door was even more surprising to Xu Jin.

But Xu Jin had more or less understood.

In essence, Xu Jin’s achievement of engraving the Small Star Gathering Pattern in three and a half days was too astonishing.

The fastest previous record of the Taoist Institute was nine and a half days.

Geniuses are always envied.

Especially those who are exceptionally astonishing; they become targets for many with ill intentions, such as gangs, or even evil demons.

Therefore, Mountain Master Dong Zhao wanted to protect Xu Jin.

The gist was that they would conceal to the outside world Xu Jin’s achievement of engraving the Small Star Gathering Pattern in three and a half days, and he would not be announced as the first place in star pattern engraving within the Institute this time.

However, the reward for being first in engraving star patterns would still be given to Xu Jin.

Not only would it be given as usual, but there would be an extra reward.

Normally, the reward for being first in engraving the Small Star Gathering Pattern was a bottle of Mental Awakening Pills and three low-grade Star Refilling Pills.

But if Xu Jin was willing to forgo the title of first in engraving the Small Star Gathering Pattern, then Mountain Master Dong Zhao would reward him with an additional three Star Refilling Pills and an extra Rejuvenation Pill.

A single Star Refilling Pill had a market price of twenty taels, three would be sixty taels, and a Rejuvenation Pill was priced at thirty taels.

It was equivalent to an extra reward of ninety taels of silver.

Xu Jin had no reason to disagree.

The title of first place couldn’t be spent like silver.

Silver was more important than being first.

Of course, he agreed.

To not agree would be foolish.

Besides, who was Mountain Master Dong Zhao?

The top leader of Jinshan Taoist Institute, akin to a high-ranking official in a past life; when a leader makes a specific recommendation, if you don’t agree, it implies you have objections to the leader.

He readily agreed.

Moreover, the benefits were substantial.

What made Xu Jin even more pleasantly surprised was that Mountain Master Dong Zhao was very straightforward; before leaving, he directly handed over the rewards to Xu Jin, with no deception at all.

A bottle of Mental Awakening Pills, six Star Refilling Pills, and one Rejuvenation Pill were transferred to Xu Jin on the spot.

A true leader who doesn’t just make empty promises.

“Xu Jin, do you understand the Mountain Master’s intentions?”

“I understand, Instructor,” Xu Jin nodded vigorously.

“Hmm, the Mountain Master is also considering your safety.

Additionally, do not mention your success in engraving the Small Star Gathering Pattern to anyone for the time being.

After some time, I will arrange a more appropriate ranking for you,” Ning Yuchan said.

“Also, you must not slack off on the engraving of the Great Gathering Star Pattern, but if you succeed, come find me immediately.

You can rest assured, I will absolutely not harm you,” Ning Yuchan gave further instructions.

Naturally, Xu Jin agreed completely.

But as soon as he left Ning Yuchan’s courtyard, Xu Jin had already decided that after he had successfully engraved the Great Gathering Star Pattern, he would definitely wait a few days before going to find Ning Yuchan.

Xu Jin believed that Ning Yuchan would not harm him.

But today, his eagerness to secure first place had alarmed the Mountain Master, who then asked him to hide his engraving time, making Xu Jin sense something out of the ordinary.

He wasn’t foolish.

He knew his speed must have frightened others.

So, he had to be cautious.

Of course, he still needed to appear talented, but not too talented.

Being a step ahead makes one a genius; two steps ahead, a predecessor.

Xu Jin didn’t want to be a predecessor.

So, he needed to hold back a little.

Back in his dormitory, Xu Jin continued to focus his mind on the Candou Platform, preparing to toil on the Great Gathering Star Pattern for another half hour.

He could hold back for the outside world, but not for himself.

The improvements after engraving the Small Star Gathering Pattern were indeed impressive.

But as his mind had just delved into the Candou Platform, Xu Jin noticed some changes occurring on the platform’s Jade.