Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 426: Chapter 187: Fifth Tier Ritual Officer

”What about Spring Rain Department, have they sent any related intelligence?”

”How is the investigation of the Pill Dawn Guard going? How well have we collected the latest intelligence on the talented disciples from various countries and Star Halls?”

”Two more Gold Stars have emerged? Why are there so many talented disciples this year?”

The State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao posed three questions in succession before slowly dressing himself, took several sips of cold tea, and finally became fully awake. Suddenly, he turned his gaze to Chief Peng.

”Elder Peng, do you think it could be Xu Jin?”

It was then that Chief Peng nodded lightly. ”Palace Master, I have just been to the courtyard above Xu Jin’s residence. The lad is indeed diligent, getting up for cultivation after the hour of Yin, but whether it’s him, we cannot yet confirm.”

”Since this matter is of great importance, I will go and confirm it myself.”

Dressed and enveloped in a cascade of starlight from head to toe, the just-roused State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao was full of vigor and radiant energy, then disappeared.

In the quiet room, Xu Jin, who was cultivating, suddenly stirred, and the Mingji Star Pattern of the Lower Star Palace suddenly burst forth with brilliance.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the State Preceptor standing outside the window of his quiet room, watching him.

In astonishment, Xu Jin hurriedly got up to welcome the State Preceptor inside.

After a sphere of starlight opened to isolate the inside from the outside, the State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao then asked, ”Xu Jin, did you pick a Gold Star this morning?”

”I did.

I picked two.”

Cheng Yue Xiao’s expression froze.

Unexpectedly, the intelligence that had made his heart race that morning had been confirmed so quickly, and it was one of his own disciples who had picked them.

But recalling that he had waited half the night to no avail, Cheng Yue Xiao became curious.

”Was the Silver Star from last night yours?”

”Yes, it was,” responded Xu Jin directly, with nothing to hide.

The State Preceptor already knew he had picked a Gold Star, so there was no point in concealing the Silver Star.

”Then did you fail to challenge the Gold Star last night?” Cheng Yue Xiao asked.

”I didn’t fail; I didn’t even challenge last night.”

Cheng Yue Xiao was taken aback and gave Xu Jin a deep look. He had waited all night for that Gold Star to be claimed, drinking five pots of tea in the process, only to find that the lad hadn’t even fought at all.

Seeing the State Preceptor looking intently at him, Xu Jin hurriedly explained, ”Last night, it suddenly occurred to me, with Dachen gaining two Silver Stars in a row and the Star-picking Secret Realm suddenly adding two Gold Stars, someone might suspect it was me.

So I didn’t rush to challenge and only did so this morning.”

Cheng Yue Xiao rubbed his fingertips, feeling an urge to smack Xu Jin, but instead smiled and said, ”Not bad, you’ve learned to think and protect yourself. Progress! Very good, continue like this in the future.”

After pondering for a while, Cheng Yue Xiao suddenly asked, ”The Fire Element Star Patterns you’re meant to take apart, those handbooks I assigned, how many have you studied?”

”Only the fourth one.”

”Four already? Have you understood and mastered them?”

”I believe so.”

”What do you mean by ’I believe so’?”

”I feel like I’ve understood.”

The State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao gave Xu Jin a look and, without further ado, swept his finger, conjuring a Star Curtain, and then casually drew a few patterns, instructing Xu Jin, ”Complete these, then explain them to me.”

Xu Jin understood at a glance what was being tested.

The third main branch of the Initial Tier Fire Origin Star Pattern—his fingertips surged with Star Power, and he quickly completed it. As the completed Star Pattern transformed into a blaze in front of him, Xu Jin also began to explain non-stop.

A flicker of unusual color passed through the State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao’s eyes after several more questions, including a few on the Mid-tier Fire Origin, all of which Xu Jin answered completely.

Listening to Xu Jin’s answers, Cheng Yue Xiao’s fingertips, previously resting behind his back, couldn’t help trembling a few times.

”Good, then you continue! Strive to finish the other handbooks in the next few days, then you can use ten Silver Stars to exchange for an ordinary Tao Derivation opportunity to try deducing the Mid-tier Fire Origin Star Pattern.”

Naturally, Xu Jin complied.

Once the State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao had finished his instructions, he was about to leave, but just as he was about to go, he suddenly asked, ”You’ve reached the Peak of the Fifth Layer at the Central Star Palace. Are you planning to break through?”

”Indeed.”

”Don’t break through just yet. Cultivate in the Lower Star Palace some more, and it won’t be too late to break through to the Refining Star Sixth Layer in a few days,” said the State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao.

Startled, Xu Jin nevertheless grasped the reasoning, and nodded in acknowledgement.

It must be because he had picked two Gold Stars in a row that the State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao didn’t want him to draw too much attention, hence the advice to delay his breakthrough.

This was of no concern to Xu Jin.

After all, it didn’t affect his progress in cultivation.

A few moments later, after the State Preceptor Cheng Yue Xiao had left, Xu Jin turned to cultivate in the Lower Star Palace.

Inside Pill Dawn Palace, the State Preceptor and Chief Peng arrived one after another.

However, the expression on Chief Peng’s face was somewhat excited. ”Palace Master, four Gold Stars! And, Xu Jin’s learning speed for taking apart the Fire Series Star Patterns is so fast, he might have an extraordinary talent in Fire Series Star Skill. In the future, perhaps we should find more Fire Series Star Patterns for him to cultivate.

There’s even a possibility he could deduce the Fire Elephant Star Pattern in the future.”

”From what we can see, his talent is very strong! But with the appearance of four Gold Stars, the various Star Halls and countries will probably...”

The State Preceptor looked worried.

”Summon all the Academicians and Vice Academicians; meeting in Minglun Hall in two hours.”

”Yes, Palace Master. Are you...?”

”The advent of the four Gold Stars has already touched some people’s nerves; some characters, I fear, will stop at nothing and are likely to do something.”

”Better to err in slaughtering than to miss one?” Chief Peng hesitated.

”That’s for certain.”

Chief Peng’s eyebrows instantly knitted into a frown. ”With the Galaxy Battlefield so vast, isn’t there enough space for them to expand into? Why must they persist in such relentless infighting?”

Hearing this, the State Preceptor sighed deeply. ”The Galaxy Battlefield is indeed vast, with new Star Domains discovered every year, but sadly, all the currently known Star Domains have their limits, whereas a Star Domain like the current one with no restrictions doesn’t exist at all.”