Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 86: Chapter 82: Umbrella Shakes People (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

July 14, overcast.

Before dawn, Xu Jin got out of bed and quickly finished his morning ritual, then headed to the market in Jinshan County City.

Holding a bag of steaming large meat buns, Xu Jin strolled through the market while snacking.

The buns were fragrant, tender, and chewy, overflowing with juice as he ate.

Remembering the past life where the meat buns he chewed were only filled with oil and mud-like meat, Xu Jin felt that this world seemed pretty good too.

Of course, mainly because there was no way back.

Soon, Xu Jin’s hands were filled with various purchases.

He bought a phoenix eye silver hairpin, last time he had no silver and bought a wooden one for his sister.

For his father, he bought two pairs of cloth shoes, a jar of old wine, marinated chicken, peanuts, and also his sister’s favorite pastries.

He intended to buy clothes for Jiang’er, but he couldn’t quite figure out the sizes.

Xu Jin simply didn’t buy them; now that he wasn’t short of silver, he planned to take his sister to a ready-made clothes shop tomorrow and buy several outfits properly.

Suddenly, a drizzle began under the gloomy sky, the rainwater cold.

Seeing umbrellas at a nearby shop, Xu Jin hurriedly rushed in, ”Shopkeeper, two umbrellas please.”

”Umbrellas?”

The shopkeeper looked puzzled, glancing at what Xu Jin was pointing at, then suddenly said, ”You mean ’umbrella flowers’, right?”

”Umbrella flowers?”

A few minutes later, Xu Jin left the small shop with two umbrellas, looking up at the umbrellas opened overhead, really resembling blooming flowers.

Pretty and pleasant to hear.

With a large bundle slung over his left shoulder and an umbrella flower in his right hand, Xu Jin, dressed in the Star Patrol Commander’s attire, walked towards the city outskirts, heading for Xu’s Manor.

Actually, Xu Jin preferred wearing casual clothes, but this was something his father, Xu Dajiang, had always longed for. He said that if Xu Jin could walk around in this official attire, he, old Xu, could swagger around Xu’s Manor in the future.

Satisfied and arranged!

At the East City Gate of Jinshan County City, seeing Xu Jin in the attire of the Star Patrol Commander, ten county guards hurriedly came up to greet him and even their team leader was alerted.

Although both were team leaders, the team leader of the Jinshan Daoist Institute Star Patrol was one tier higher than the county guards.

In times of war, the county guard team leader would come under the command of the Da Chen National Daoist School Star Patrol Commander, as written in the Dachen military law.

”Greetings, my lord, are you heading home? May I send someone to transport your goods?” Today’s team leader on duty at the East City Gate, Qu Gui, hurried over, greeting and eagerly offering his services.

Xu Jin raised the umbrella higher, speaking leisurely, ”Just heading home, no need...”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Jin revealed a curious smile.

An acquaintance.

Before Xu Jin was appointed Star Pointing, when he sneaked out of the Daoist Institute after the star exorcism ceremony and encountered the searching demons, he met this same county guard team leader patrolling the city. Initially, Xu Jin had declared his identity as a disciple of the institute and had received a warm welcome, but as soon as they heard that Xu Jin had not yet performed the Star Pointing, they changed their stance and had him escorted back to the institute.

However, Xu Jin bore no grudge, as it was only human nature.

Moreover, they had not treated him harshly, which was already considered good.

But encountering him again now, with times and circumstances changed, Xu Jin felt somewhat emotional.

”My lord, why do you look so familiar to me?” Qu Gui had not yet remembered, just feeling a sense of familiarity.

”Captain Qu, I am Xu Jin, a disciple from the Daoist Institute.”

”Hmm, ah?”

In an instant, Qu Gui looked at Xu Jin in astonishment, clearly shocked as he remembered. His face showed embarrassment but his expression quickly changed; he awkwardly bowed and quickly said, ”Qu Gui has seen Senior Brother Xu. If you need anything at all, just command me.”

”No need, don’t delay your duties, I am just heading home. Goodbye!” Xu Jin waved his hand, greeted him, and passed through the city.

Qu Gui stood there, somewhat anxiously concerned.

Did Xu Jin hold a grudge?

Having been appointed as Star Patrol Commander shortly after his Star Pointing, and likely to become flag master—it wouldn’t be good if he turned out to be Qu Gui’s immediate superior.

Qu Gui was already scheming on how to mend their relationship.

But what Qu Gui didn’t realize was that Xu Jin didn’t mind the incident at all and had already passed through the city gate with his umbrella.

Once out of the city and crossing the stall area outside the city gate, still bustling despite the rain, Xu Jin prepared to speed up.

Suddenly, Xu Jin’s steps halted slightly.

Just then, he felt a piercing gaze fixed on him.

”Unexpected, or...?”

Xu Jin felt puzzled, changed his direction, his mind sinking as he directly delved into the freshly engraved Mingji Star Pattern inside the Lower Star Palace.

Within the Lower Star Palace, the Mingji Star Pattern began to flash starlight, and in that moment, Xu Jin’s perception of the outside world increased exponentially.

Old Qi said that under normal circumstances, it would probably take two or three days for Xu Jin to successfully engrave the Mingji Star Pattern.

Last night, Old Qi had personally used Star Power in Xu Jin’s Lower Star Palace for more than an hour and had not succeeded. He said it would take another two or three times to complete it.

But after Old Qi left, Xu Jin entered the Star Lamp by himself and began engraving the Mingji Star Pattern.

Although complex, Old Qi had guided Xu Jin to draw it dozens of times, and Xu Jin had memorized it well. Xu Jin had also engraved it himself inside the Star Lamp hundreds of times and had managed to successfully do so smoothly within the Star Lamp.

This morning, during his early ritual, Xu Jin tried engraving in the Star Lamp for half an hour, then directly began engraving inside the Lower Star Palace.

One attempt, and he succeeded.

Then, with continuous output of Star Power, each attempt stronger and quicker than the last, half an hour later, the Mingji Star Pattern was declared successfully engraved.

This was a little surprise Xu Jin had for Old Qi.

But before he could surprise Old Qi, the freshly engraved Mingji Star Pattern gave Xu Jin a little surprise of its own.

After the successful engraving of the Mingji Star Pattern, Xu Jin seemed even more sensitive to the surroundings and changes between Heaven and Earth.

A breeze came, all the leaves on a tree moved, and as soon as a leaf fell, Xu Jin immediately noticed it.

A very magical feeling.

Early in the morning, while strolling through the market, Xu Jin, dressed in the attire of the Star Patrol Commander, keenly felt a variety of unusual gazes.

There were those filled with fear, awe, and envy, but most did not dare to stare directly at him.

Now leaving the city, a particularly sharp gaze fixed on him aroused some suspicion in Xu Jin.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Jin turned his steps towards a fish stall, ”Old man, how do you sell this green fish?”

”Sir, the large ones for thirty cents, the smaller ones for twenty cents.”

”Alright, give me one.”

”Old lady, how much for this squash?”

”Three cents each.”

”Okay.”

With a squash in hand, Xu Jin’s expression had turned cold.

There was a problem!

During this shopping, even though he switched between several stalls, that fixed gaze from before was still there, occasionally shifting, but still focused on him.

Taking advantage of turning around, Xu Jin had located the source of the gaze.

A dark-skinned youth, with several fish laid out before him, looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen him before.

As soon as Xu Jin approached, he confirmed that there was something off about this dark youth.

Because as Xu Jin approached, the youth became extremely nervous, almost holding his breath.

Does he recognize me?

Was he tailing me?

”Boss, how do you sell this fish?” asked Xu Jin, shifting his bundle and umbrella to one hand.

”Ten... twelve cents each, take any,” stammered Jiang Sheng as he saw Xu Jin approaching.

”Okay.”

While picking up the fish, Xu Jin’s hand shot out like lightning, grabbing Jiang Sheng by the back of the neck, then lifting him up like a small chicken and pulling him close.

”If you dare scream, I’ll crush your head!”

Amongst the rain curtain, Xu Jin, holding his umbrella, and Jiang Sheng, shoulder to shoulder, headed towards the East City Gate, unnoticed by others who thought them to be buddies.

At the East City Gate, seeing Xu Jin approaching, Qu Gui, the team leader, felt a thump in his heart, becoming anxious.

Could it be that Xu Jin, being young and impulsive, was looking to pick a fight?

In an instant, Qu Gui decided to endure.

He had to endure!

Whatever it took, he would endure.

Just as Qu Gui was mentally preparing himself to even accept a beating from Xu Jin, Xu Jin suddenly threw his bundle to him, ”Captain Qu, please get me a room, and keep an eye on this bundle for me.”

”Alright, alright!”

Relieved that Xu Jin wasn’t there to cause trouble, Qu Gui happily took the bundle, personally escorting Xu Jin into the tower on the city walls, only casting a strange glance at Jiang Sheng embraced by Xu Jin.

”Are you going to talk, or shall I start the torture?

Why were you tailing me, who sent you?” Xu Jin demanded directly.

Seeing Jiang Sheng hesitate, Xu Jin immediately covered his mouth, starting to break his fingers one by one.

Jiang Sheng, just an ordinary sturdy man, was like a small chicken in Xu Jin’s hands, incapable of any resistance.

By the time the third finger was broken, Jiang Sheng, with cold sweat on his forehead, started nodding frantically.

Xu Jin released him, staring coldly at Jiang Sheng.

”It was Deng Longshu, the former incense master of the Heavenly River Gang, Deng Longshu ordered me to watch you, suspecting you killed his nephew Deng Hu, and he wants revenge!” Jiang Sheng didn’t hesitate to reveal everything about Deng Longshu.

He sought Deng Longshu just for silver.

Risking his life was completely out of the question.

Deng Longshu!

Xu Jin’s gaze grew icy, remembering now.

After he had killed Deng Hu, it was this Deng Longshu who had wiped out the family next door.

He had thought of killing him earlier but had found no trace.

Now the man had delivered himself.

”Where is he, can you lead the way?”

”Yes, yes, yes!”

Eagerly agreeing, Jiang Sheng tremulously cautioned, ”Lord Xu, Deng Longshu has been at the Seventh Layer of Dining Dawn for a long time, you alone might not be able to handle him.”

Jiang Sheng knew Deng Longshu well, if he led people there and Deng Longshu turned the tables on Xu Jin, then Deng Longshu would definitely not spare him.

On the contrary, cooperating with Xu Jin might give him a chance to live.

In the quest for survival, the government was a bit more reliable than a Loose Cultivator.

”I know, I’ll get people, lead the way!”

”Alright! He asked me to find him in the west of the city once you left.”

”Lead the way!”

Once they had descended the tower, Xu Jin still had his arm around Jiang Sheng, but also asked Captain Qu to relay a message, ”Captain Qu, could you please go to Lord-lieutenant Mansion, find Lu Xianbing, and tell him I have some business in the west of the city and ask him to come quickly!”

Xu Jin gave these instructions not only to reassure Jiang Sheng but also to be cautious.

Hearing that he could connect with the great son of the Lord-lieutenant Mansion, Qu Gui was overjoyed, responded affirmatively, and quickly left.

Meanwhile, Xu Jin, left hand holding the umbrella, right arm embracing Jiang Sheng, walked swiftly through the rain towards the west of the city like good brothers!