Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

71: Chapter 67: The Tool Man

71 -67: The Tool Man

Jinshan County city, West Pier Fish Market.

This place is, aside from the meat market, the smelliest place in the entire Jinshan County city.

The odors of dead fish and rotting shrimp, and the smell of salted fish, couldn’t be blown away by the river breeze.

It was also the most chaotic and easiest place to hide in Jinshan County city.

Should government officers come to search, those who took it lightly could jump into the water and hide under a drain, making it very difficult to find them.

If things were more serious, they would hold a hollow reed or a specially made snorkel in their mouths and hide among aquatic plants, capable of hiding for half a day without anyone discovering them.

As for hounds, even those that had been trained by one-star Beast Tamers, it was useless to bring them here.

The smells here could drive ordinary hounds mad.

Many remnants of the Heavenly River Gang hid here, including the incense master Deng Longshu.

You ask why they didn’t flee to other county cities?

Away from home, you’re worthless!

Those who mixed in the Martial World understood this all too well.

Without a sum of Silver to your name, starting over somewhere new meant you could only struggle at the bottom.

If you weren’t careful, even your bones could end up disappearing without a trace.

Thus, after the major search in Jinshan County city subsided, they hid around the docks to scratch out a living and could at least get enough food to fill their bellies.

Once this attention died down, perhaps they could rise again with the wind.

Especially since there was still an incense master to act as a backbone.

Incense Master Deng Longshu, however, did not think so.

He had once been the incense master of the now-destroyed Heavenly River Gang, and his name was on a list in the Jinshan County city government.

The once-glorious Heavenly River Gang had fallen overnight, and he had no intention of making a comeback here.

This Jinshan County city was too dangerous.

The reason he lingered was for the blood feud of his nephew.

However, he had set a deadline for himself, three months.

If he couldn’t find the murderer within three months, he would leave.

But he couldn’t do it alone; he secretly contacted his former subordinates.

Unexpectedly, within just a few days, news arrived.

“Jiang Sheng, are you sure?”

“Incense master, absolutely sure!

I confirmed it twice.

The person I saw that evening in the alley was definitely him, no mistake.”

Jiang Sheng, who had once lived a life of comfort, was now sunburnt beyond recognition after just seven or eight days, and with a face full of stubble, even the former gang members couldn’t recognize him as Jiang Sheng.

But Jiang Sheng really didn’t want to live like this anymore, yet he had no silver, so today’s discovery was timely.

“Incense Master, I also found out clearly, this person is named Xu Jin, the new Star Patrol Commander of Jinshan Taoist Institute, said to be a disciple of this year’s Star Pointing, probably under twenty.” Jiang Sheng added.

“Mm, good.”

Deng Longshu flung out five taels of silver, “Keep inquiring, I want all information on this Xu Jin, his Cultivation Level status, his family situation, where his hometown is, try to find out as clearly as possible, but definitely don’t expose yourself.”

“Thank you, incense master, I’ll go right away.”

Jiang Sheng, pleased with himself, left.

With these five taels of silver as a base, he had the confidence to leave Jinshan County and mix elsewhere, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to earn more.

After Jiang Sheng left, Deng Longshu’s brow furrowed tightly.

He had found the enemy.

But this enemy was no ordinary foe.

A commander of the Star Patrol Guard – taking revenge wouldn’t be easy.

Deng Longshu himself had a Cultivation Level of Dining Dawn Seventh Layer; after his Star Casting had failed years ago, he had fallen back to the Sixth Layer of Dining Dawn, and after years of bitter cultivation, he had reached the Seventh Layer again, and his Combat Power was formidable.

Deng Longshu believed that with his shrewd methods and over a decade of cultivating basic Star Skills, even someone who had just completed Star Casting might not necessarily be his match.

But a commander of the Star Patrol Guard…

No one who became a commander of the Star Patrol Guard was weak in actual combat strength.

There was a possibility that he could kill his foe and avenge his nephew’s death, but there was also a chance that he would fail and die in bitterness.

“No, I need to think of a way.”

“This is for revenge, not a death wish!”

After a while, Deng Longshu left his hiding place; he had to gather very detailed information before deciding his next move.

However, the current Deng Longshu wasn’t afraid of being recognized.

Half a month ago, he had a white face and fine clothes, and he was full of spirit.

Now, with his hair and beard unkempt, reeking of fish, his face blackened and reddened by the sun, wearing tattered clothes and barefoot, unless by someone very familiar, he would not be recognized.

******

In the Jinshan Taoist Institute, within Xu Jin’s private courtyard, he had just consumed a Mental Awakening Pill and continued to practice the Golden Spreading Chapter for an hour and a half, finishing his evening session for the day.

The Starlight that covered Xu Jin’s neck had advanced another half centimeter, still making slow progress.

Afterward, Xu Jin leisurely lay on his recliner, practicing martial arts under the Star Lamp.

Mainly, he was engraving the Great Gathering Star Pattern and cultivating the Flying Star Step.

The success rate of engraving the Great Gathering Star Pattern in the Star Lamp was about one success every four or five attempts, growing more and more proficient.

Xu Jin estimated that it would take only two or three more days.

Most of his time, however, was spent on cultivating the Flying Star Step.

A stationary tactic, like a Master standing his ground, was too dangerous.

In the Martial Arts Secret Realm, dying only meant losing three competition points.

But in reality, if you messed up once, it was over forever.

Therefore, tactics like kiting or guerrilla warfare, similar to those of archers, drastically increased in safety.

Before Xu Jin had also considered such tactics, but without having learned a footwork-based Star Skill, its usefulness was limited.

It relied solely on the strength of the flesh, and the range of evasion was only about five or six meters.

On the other hand, an opponent’s Star Weapon could sweep across by emitting two-feet-long Star Radiance.

However, after learning the Flying Star Step, in the blink of an eye, one could appear ten or twenty meters away, and upon reaching Perfection, even thirty meters was possible.

That’s when the power of such tactics became extraordinary.

After diligently practicing the Flying Star Step inside the Star Lamp for more than two hours, Xu Jin felt a significant improvement in the skill and once again entered the Star-picking Tower’s Martial Arts Secret Realm.

Challenge!

The opponent matched to Xu Jin was a Star Master named Drunk Moon Immortal, ranked just over ten thousand, likely also an Expert.

Having fought in the Martial Arts Secret Realm for so many days, Xu Jin had figured out many patterns.

For example, those ranked within the top hundred thousand were mostly at the Seventh Layer of Dining Dawn, or even at the Seventh Layer Perfection.

This could be seen from the fact that his Star Shield and Starlight Shield couldn’t withstand even one strike from the opponent.

This was a whip-wielding woman.

Her speed was exceptionally fast.

Her several meters long whip, with Star Radiance coiling like a venomous snake, nearly ensnared him.

If Xu Jin had not cultivated Flying Star Step, he would have been caught and exploded.

The ensuing battle turned into a chase between the two.

Although the Drunk Moon Immortal’s Flying Star Step was very skilled, not quite at Great Perfection but certainly at Great Success.

Xu Jin’s Flying Star Step was between Small Success and Great Success, barely holding his ground.

Coupled with his Instantaneous Star Skill, he fought on somewhat equal footing.

Xu Jin also began to try out his new tactics on Drunk Moon Immortal.

However, firing Star Arrows while moving at high speeds posed a problem with accuracy, which required experience.

Choosing the right moment to launch a close-range surprise attack also needed practice.

Three minutes later, before Xu Jin exhausted his Star Power, he shifted from his previous evasive tactic and suddenly surged forward to close the distance.

He started with a Star Ring tremor, followed by a flurry of slashes with his long blade, and finally leapt into the embrace of Drunk Moon Immortal, pummeling her with his fists.

After three successive Star Radiance Bursts, he finally shattered the Drunk Moon Immortal’s Body Protective Starlight and blasted the Drunk Moon Immortal into a cloud of Starlight.

[Great Sage Equalling Heaven: Victory]

After the victorious challenge, Xu Jin didn’t bother with his ranking changes and prepared for the second challenge.

In the recent days of the Martial Arts challenges, he was mainly focused on practicing tactics, not caring about his rank.

It had to be said that Drunk Moon Immortal was a very suitable opponent.

If he were matched with a weaker Flying Star Step opponent, the effect of refining his tactics would not be as strong.

Just as Xu Jin was about to continue the challenge, a clump of Starlight suddenly approached from the distance, arriving in front of Xu Jin and transforming into a message.

[Star Master Drunk Moon Immortal has sent you a friend request.

Do you accept?]

Friends?

There’s this feature?

Accept!

After accepting, another clump of Starlight flew over.

[Your friend Star Master Drunk Moon Immortal has challenged you.

Do you accept?]

[Note: This challenge is not a Martial Arts Secret Realm challenge but a friendly sparring match.

Regardless of the outcome, points will not be recorded.]

Xu Jin looked at the message and suddenly smiled.

Did the maiden on the other side become truly incensed?

Seeking a rematch in private now?

Suddenly, Xu Jin remembered the scene when he had decisively defeated her.

He had crashed into her embrace, followed by consecutive Star Radiance explosions.

He hadn’t paid attention at the time, nor had he felt anything, but now that he reflected on it, it seemed like the position of the Star Radiance Burst was a bit sensitive.

A bust explosion?

But wasn’t this a Martial Arts Secret Realm?

Besides, even in a real-life battle to the death, the victor takes all.

In a life-or-death moment, who cares where the explosion hits?

[Agree]

In an instant, the brilliance flashed again, and a brand new world appeared amidst the Flashing Starlight.

[Free Sparring]

[Forested terrain, battle will begin in five breaths]

Five seconds later, the Drunk Moon Immortal, dressed in red, charged Xu Jin again, this time with more aggressive tactics.

She abandoned the advantage of the long whip, engaging Xu Jin in close combat.

Xu Jin, however, didn’t follow her wishes and deliberately kept his distance, constantly flying a kite.

Moreover, every time Drunk Moon Immortal came close, he was extremely cautious, stacking both Star Shield and Starlight Shield to defend simultaneously.

Two minutes later, Xu Jin somersaulted to the ground, and taking advantage of the moment Drunk Moon Immortal leaped into the air, he burst forth with Flying Star Step, soaring upward and unleashing a barrage of Star Arrows.

Bang, bang, bang!

The Star Arrows exploded from below, and Drunk Moon Immortal dissipated into Starlight.

However, from within the Starlight, a crisp Roar came through.

“Damn it, again!”

The victorious Xu Jin was stunned.

The tactics he had just used seemed somewhat underhanded.

But he hadn’t intended to be underhanded; it was simply adapting to the situation in real combat.

This was really troublesome.

If it’s a rematch, then let’s rematch!

It’s rare to encounter such a perfect sparring partner for practice.