Chapter 111: Trial and the Grand Master

At the mountainside, Xu Jin shot up from the ground in an instant, and as he raced across nearly sixty meters, he flicked out a Star Arrow every few meters with his fingers.

He tapped his toe against a massive tree, using it to launch himself again; several Wood Spirits hidden in the forest had sensed something amiss and surged forth—but were instantly obliterated by Xu Jin’s Star Arrows.

Even when they raised their defenses, they could not block Xu Jin’s Star Arrows.

Moreover, several Wood Spirits were killed outright by Star Arrows fired as Xu Jin flew over them from above.

They thought Xu Jin couldn’t detect them, waiting to ambush.

But they were ambushed first.

After three uses of Flying Star Step, Xu Jin unleashed thirteen Star Arrows; the last Wood Spirit was slain by Xu Jin’s long blade.

“Hm?”

As Xu Jin thrust his blade through the Wood Spirit’s heart, he suddenly halted—realizing the creature was still alive, its chest wound slowly healing.

Xu Jin had finally witnessed the Wood Spirit’s regenerative talent.

One slash, severing the head!

In the next instant, furious roars erupted from the mountain peak.

Three brown-skinned giants, over one zhang tall, roared and charged toward Xu Jin.

Cast-Star Realm Wood Spirits.

Including the green-skinned alien Xu Jin had first encountered, all belonged to the Five Spirits’ Wood Spirit clan.

Regarding these aliens, Jin Shan Dao Academy had only briefly described their traits and talents; no one had actually seen them before.

But according to the academy instructors’ earlier lessons, among aliens—especially those below the fifth rank—larger-bodied ones were inherently sluggish.

So Xu Jin instantly changed direction, forcing the three Cast-Star Realm aliens to turn and chase after him.

Soon, the three pursuing Cast-Star Realm aliens lined up in a straight row, spacing themselves apart.

When they drew within twenty meters of Xu Jin, he exploded forward with Flying Star Step, soaring over their heads—and as he passed, fired two Star Arrows at each.

At close range, the Star Arrows were swift and brutal.

One shattered their defense; the other exploded their skulls.

Only two were instantly killed.

The lead Wood Spirit giant, a Cast-Star Peak cultivator, was caught by Xu Jin’s sudden turn—he brought down his blade in a finishing slash, slaying him.

Xu Jin’s score above his head flickered again.

【Score: 84】

Xu Jin stared at the corpses dissolving into starlight, lost in thought.

Within this secret realm, everything seemed real—but wasn’t truly real.

A very strange experience.

At this point, more than twenty-five Wood Spirits had fallen to Xu Jin’s hands.

Xu Jin had initially struggled, unaccustomed to the first encounters—but now, he was growing increasingly adept at killing.

Moreover, Xu Jin had discovered a trick.

In this secret realm, scent mattered too.

The Wood Spirits hid among the trees, their bodies blending nearly perfectly with the forest—hard to spot—but their scent was unmistakable.

They carried the odor of plants and wood, yet distinctly different from the fresh, clean scent of the surrounding vegetation.

Under the Spirit-Scent Star Pattern, none could conceal themselves.

“Hm, there’s another over there?”

Xu Jin lunged forward again.

On the Observation Platform, the high-ranking officials, academy heads from every state and commandery, chatted with smiles—but kept glancing at the floating sky-screen displaying the evolving score rankings.

【Rank 1: Meng Qingqiu, 56 points】

【Rank 2: Xu Jin, 52 points】

【Rank 3: Yuan Feiqing, 49 points】

Many were deeply dissatisfied with this ranking.

Especially the Academic Directors and Deputy Academic Directors of Chen Guo Dao Academy.

Normally, Chen Guo Dao Academy should dominate the top ten, at minimum securing the top six.

In the past decade, Chen Guo Dao Academy’s worst performance in the Autumn Exam’s practical combat had been sweeping the top five.

But today, a student from a commandery academy had broken into second place.

At this moment, Deputy Academic Director Liu Qingzhu was the angriest.

Because the top cohort of students this year was under her direct supervision.

If this ranking held until the end, this year’s Autumn Exam results might become Chen Guo Dao Academy’s worst in decades.

Liu Qingzhu was furious.

Of course, not at Xu Jin—but at her own students for being so disappointing.

The aliens appearing in this combat drill had all been trained against before—but now, they were being outmatched by a single…

In the next instant, Liu Qingzhu, who had been standing with hands on her waist, suddenly leaned forward, her chest threatening to spill out, her eyes locked on the sky-screen’s score ranking.

There, Xu Jin’s score at second place was jumping wildly, changing rapidly.

In the midst of the changes, it had surged to first place.

【Rank 1: Xu Jin, 84 points】

【Rank 2: Meng Qingqiu, 58 points】

“Damn it, we’re humiliated!

These worthless students—if they lose first place, I’ll be nailed to the academy’s wall of shame for life!” Liu Qingzhu’s eyes widened, wishing she could storm in and beat them herself.

Losing first place.

Since Chen Guo Dao Academy began keeping Autumn Exam records, they’d lost the top three once—but never, ever lost first place.

But if this loss fell on Liu Qingzhu’s watch, it would be her lifelong disgrace—and she’d never again have a chance at Academic Director, let alone Sacrificial Wine Master.

As for battlefield duty? She’d rather avoid it entirely.

“Qingqiu, you must catch up! My face rests entirely on you!” Liu Qingzhu, gripping her slender waist, began muttering—had she been able to send a Star Message, she’d have already done so.

In the next instant, the score ranking changed again, making Liu Qingzhu even more anxious.

Five minutes later, Liu Qingzhu no longer wanted to look at the score ranking—it was too distressing.

Originally, Meng Qingqiu had trailed Xu Jin by only twenty-six points—but now, the gap hadn’t narrowed; it had widened further.

The gap had grown to thirty-four points.

Catching up was now even harder!

Liu Qingzhu grew more depressed; she dared not look at the ranking anymore—watching changed nothing, only added anxiety.

With a thought, she activated her Plucking Star Token—her viewpoint instantly shifted to hover above Xu Jin within the secret realm.

At this moment, she was intensely curious: how had a student from a commandery academy managed to leave all the state academy students so far behind?

On the Observation Platform, some were astonished, some silent, others glowered—but only two smiled: Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao, and Jin Shan Dao Academy’s Head, Dong Zhao.

The head of Yanzhou Dao Academy, Lu Chenfeng, wore an expression so dark it could drip water.

Xu Jin of Jin Shan Dao Academy was now first.

Yet their own prized hope, Mao Long of Yanzhou Dao Academy, currently ranked only seventeenth.

In the state academy spectator zone, Lü Kun’s handsome face was darker than a soot-covered pot.

Before the battle, he’d instructed several friends—including Yan Chen—to find a chance to sabotage Xu Jin and destroy his future completely.

If Xu Jin ruined half his future, he’d ruin Xu Jin’s in return.

But now, looking at this, he worried about Yan Chen.

He hoped Yan Chen wouldn’t be so foolish as to attack Xu Jin now.

At this moment, Xu Jin, the top scorer, was clearly the focus of every major figure’s attention—if Yan Chen dared strike, unless he did it perfectly, any attempt to ambush a teammate under the gaze of these elders would seal his fate.

Yet on the other hand, Lü Kun also hoped Yan Chen and the others would attack Xu Jin.

Whether they succeeded or not, it would prove they were true brothers, bound by life-and-death loyalty.

Inside the combat drill secret realm, Yan Chen moved cautiously, vigilant and scanning for enemies.

This combat drill had two objectives: score points, and survive for half an hour.

That was the most important.

As for Lü Kun’s instructions to seek revenge, Yan Chen hadn’t even considered it.

First, they were unlikely to encounter each other.

Second, this was a battlefield governed by military discipline—if he acted, his career would be ruined.

Yan Chen might be hot-headed, but his family elders were no fools; they’d noticed the signs during the observation phase and had already warned him.

Beneath the Jin Shan Dao Academy banner, Ning Yuchan’s delight could no longer be hidden.

First place!

She hadn’t expected Xu Jin to lead by such a wide margin and hold first place.

This filled Ning Yuchan with extraordinary joy.

The Autumn Exam was not merely an evaluation of the disciples—it was also an evaluation of the academy heads, instructors, and senior trainers.

Especially the chief trainers’ assessments were directly tied to their students’ performance.

In any phase, if even one student secured first place, the trainer received one top-tier “Jia Shang” evaluation.

Two first places meant two “Jia Shang” evaluations.

Two top-tier grades, and she might break through her level.

Breaking through level didn’t matter to Ning Yuchan; what mattered was the opportunity it brought—only after breaking through could she possibly find a chance to heal her crippled leg.

Though over the years, she had grown accustomed to it.

But she refused to remain this way forever.

In the Practical Combat Arena, Xu Jin did not know that dozens of eyes had already fixed on his head; he moved with extreme caution.

His score had already reached ten; the next requirement was to survive for half an hour.

Only after securing these two conditions could he aim for higher scores and better rewards.

One hundred and seven points.

Xu Jin didn’t know his current ranking, but surely he was in the top ten?

The benefits of eight rounds of bone-marrow cleansing were fully reflected in the power of his star arts.

Whether it was Mealcloud Seventh Layer or Starforging Early Stage, a single strike was enough to kill instantly.

For Starforging Middle Stage, sometimes a second strike was needed after the initial star arrow.

For Starforging Late Stage and Peak, a follow-up strike was always required.

But Xu Jin had not yet encountered any Starrefining-level aliens.

Unfortunately, his star energy was limited.

Especially within this combat arena, only the one-time-use Three-Yuan Star-Returning Elixir could restore star energy; the starlight of the Can-Dou Platform could not replenish it, nor could he restore star energy on-site using the Mealcloud Technique.

In other words, each person’s total usable star energy had a strict upper limit—it was all about allocation.

At this moment, less than two quarters of an hour had passed; Xu Jin still had half his star energy left, plus one Three-Yuan Star-Returning Elixir.

Seeing no danger nearby, Xu Jin swallowed the Three-Yuan Star-Returning Elixir; his internal star energy surged rapidly, restoring to eighty-five percent.

Along the way, Xu Jin had only killed Mealcloud and Starforging-level foes; he had yet to encounter any Starrefining-level ones.

Suddenly, an alien creature that walked upright like a human but possessed a two-meter-long tail let out a piercing shriek and charged down from the mid-slope toward Xu Jin.

This was a Bahuang tribe member.

The Bahuang were among the most common aliens on the Great Chen Star River battlefield, possessing formidable combat strength.

Due to their enhanced beast-like traits, their combat power often surpassed their peers by a notch.

Watching the charging Bahuang single-tailed alien, Xu Jin activated his Mingji Star Pattern, instantly sensing its cultivation level.

Starrefining Third Layer!

Ning Yuchan had explained in class that when encountering Bahuang, one must pay attention to their beast-like features—those features were precisely their greatest strengths.

The Bahuang twisted and dodged, its single tail rising like a venomous snake, fixed intently on Xu Jin.

Forty meters.

Twenty meters.

Xu Jin remained rooted in place.

Xu Jin had long devised a tactic—one that conserved star energy.

Ten meters!

The instant the Bahuang’s tail quivered, Xu Jin exploded into motion, activating Flying Star Step and leaping upward, while two star cords shot out like lightning, wrapping tightly around the alien’s tail.

Instantly, the Bahuang alien shrieked, its tail frozen but its body spinning to attack Xu Jin.

But Xu Jin began darting around it like a kite.

As he moved swiftly, star arrows slammed forth!

No doubt about it: under the Kite-Ring tactic, unless one possessed overwhelming star energy and exceptional defense, death was inevitable.

Four star arrows reduced the Bahuang alien to starlight.

Xu Jin’s score instantly increased by twenty-five points.

On the Observation Platform, Liu Qingzhu, who had been intently watching Xu Jin, felt her astonishment deepen.

A flawless kill of a Starrefining Third Layer.

A kill of a Starrefining Third Layer in one breath.

Only seven basic star arts used to slay a Starrefining Third Layer.

Suddenly, Liu Qingzhu felt her students weren’t wronged.

And that astonishingly brilliant Kite-Ring tactic.

In fact, this tactic existed within the National Dao Academy, and had even been taught.

But no one had ever executed it as precisely as Xu Jin.

From this moment on, Liu Qingzhu knew she would be irrevocably nailed to the National Dao Academy’s Wall of Shame.

For the first time in nearly a millennium, the sole year in which a Great Chen National Dao Academy disciple lost the Autumn Exam’s top rank: instructor, Vice Academic Director Liu Qingzhu.

Elsewhere, Meng Qingqiu took a brief breath, looking at her score now climbing to one hundred twenty, and exhaled in relief.

According to Vice Academic Director Liu, a score of one hundred in the Practical Combat Arena would almost certainly secure a top-ten placement.

She had one hundred twenty points, with fifteen minutes left—she might even claim first place. Yuan Feiqing, Yan Chen, and others were also fighting hard, barely surpassing one hundred points.

But they still pushed on.

They needed a better ranking.

The higher the ranking, the more likely they were to be chosen as disciples by superior instructors within the National Dao Academy.

In the canyon, Xu Jin stood with his blade raised, breathing slightly heavily.

As the Practical Combat Arena neared its end, aliens below Starforging Late Stage grew increasingly rare.

In these past fifteen minutes, Xu Jin had consecutively slain four Starrefining-level aliens.

His score had already surpassed two hundred.

But his internal star energy had dwindled to less than thirty percent.

Suddenly, an alien appeared in Xu Jin’s sight: its legs unnaturally long, almost the entire body below the chest being legs, its arms extending past its knees.

Xu Jin’s gaze instantly narrowed.

Starrefining Fifth Layer elite alien!

It had come looking for him.

But Xu Jin felt no fear; he exploded forward to meet it head-on.

Perfect—he wanted to test his own limits.

The next instant, Xu Jin clashed with the Starrefining Fifth Layer elite alien.

The alien’s speed was extraordinary; Xu Jin’s first star cord failed to entangle it and was shattered outright.

The suppression of higher cultivation appeared.

The Starrefining Fifth Layer alien could casually shatter Xu Jin’s star cords with a single touch.

The Kite-Ring tactic failed.

The next instant, as the alien leapt upward, Xu Jin exploded with Flying Star Step, dropped to the ground, slid backward, then surged from beneath and behind the elite alien like a shadow.

Ten fingers flicked in rapid succession.

In an instant, ten star arrows launched in a continuous barrage.

As Xu Jin’s figure slid past the elite alien, the alien dissolved into starlight.

Xu Jin’s score instantly increased by fifty points.

On the Observation Platform, Liu Qingzhu, who had been fixed on Xu Jin’s battle, suddenly froze.

Due to her viewing angle, she had not seen Xu Jin’s ten-finger barrage of ten star arrows.

For no apparent reason, the elite alien had been eliminated.

“Did he strike its vulnerable groin?” Liu Qingzhu wondered.

Among the high-ranking officials on the Observation Platform, most attention was fixed on the sky’s score rankings.

When Xu Jin’s score jumped to [274 points], many frowned; Lu Chenfeng’s expression grew even darker.

“Hmm, killed a Starrefining Fifth Layer so easily? I didn’t even see it.” Right Sacrificial Wine Master Song Bing suddenly laughed. “Little Dong, your Jinshan Dao Academy’s Xu Jin is quite formidable—you’ve trained an exceptional disciple.”

“Master State Advisor, what do you think?” Song Bing’s final words suddenly turned to the Grand State Advisor seated at the main seat.

Grand State Advisor Cheng Yuexiao brushed back her shoulder-length hair and smiled. “This young man is quite interesting.”

“Is the Grand State Advisor also curious?”

“I am too.”

“I’m wondering—what is Xu Jin’s true limit?”

“Why not test him further?” Song Bing said.

“Oh? How?” asked the Grand State Advisor.

“By the rules, the top three may encounter only one Starrefining Fifth Layer. But Xu Jin is so intriguing—why not give him another, to test his limit?” Song Bing smiled. Grand State Advisor Cheng Yuexiao said nothing.

Seeing no one respond, Song Bing turned to Lu Chenfeng, Dean of the Yanzhou State Dao Academy. “Chenfeng, Xu Jin is your student—do you think we should test his limit?”

“If the Grand State Advisor and Sacrificial Wine Master wish to test him, I have no objections!” Lu Chenfeng gave a firm reply.

The next instant, Dong Zhao stood abruptly. “Right Sacrificial Wine Master—”

“Hmm? Little Dong, are you protecting your student—or do you lack confidence in him?” Song Bing cut in.

“Of course I do!”

Dong Zhao smiled. “I merely wish to ask on behalf of my disciple: if this is an extra trial outside the rules, and he dies in combat, how is it counted?”

“By the rules, of course,” replied Right Sacrificial Wine Master Song Bing with a smile.

“Then please, Right Sacrificial Wine Master, break the rules,” Dong Zhao said, smiling, making a gesture of invitation.

“Hahaha, how could that possibly be?” Right Sacrificial Officer Song Bing chuckled a few times.

The Grand National Master Cheng Yuexiao, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke: “I’m also curious about this boy’s limits. Adding a trial suits me perfectly. But if he dies in the extra trial, it falls outside the rules.”

“Everything must be fair.”

Grand National Master Cheng Yuexiao’s words settled the matter, but then he turned to Right Sacrificial Officer Song Bing: “Still, just sitting here watching is dull. Why not place a wager on whether this boy lives or dies in the extra trial?”

“Hmm, I’ve observed this boy’s star force—only one-tenth remains. He just used one and a half tenths to kill that fifth-rank Star Forge cultivator.” As he spoke, Grand National Master Cheng provided more specific intelligence.

“Hahaha, excellent! It’s rare for the Grand National Master to have such a refined interest—I wouldn’t dare spoil it.”

“Little Dong, I hear your Star Artifact, the Star-Lock Ring, has countless subtle uses.”

“If this boy dies, could you lend it to me for ten or twenty years?”

“If he survives, I’ll give you two sixth-rank Star Artifacts for your own use—how’s that?” Song Bing’s words instantly granted Dong Zhao great face.

Sixth-rank Star Artifacts were roughly a two-to-one exchange.

Dong Zhao rose again: “The Grand National Master’s refined interest is something I dare not dampen. But my Star-Lock Ring is a relic left by my master—I dare not risk it as a wager. I beg your understanding!”

“Of course!”

Song Bing spread his hands and turned to Grand National Master Cheng Yuexiao: “My apologies, Grand National Master—I cannot indulge your whim.” This carried a subtle tone of insult, yet what he said was undeniably true.

Yet Dong Zhao smiled and said: “Who said we can’t indulge the Grand National Master’s whim?”

“Right Sacrificial Officer Song, I possess a single Star Pattern passed down by my master—the Whale Swallow Star Pattern. You possess the Rain Curtain Star Pattern, which dominates the world. Why not wager these two?”

“If Xu Jin survives, you give him your Rain Curtain Star Pattern. If he loses, I give you my Whale Swallow Star Pattern, to be passed to any disciple you designate—what do you say?” Dong Zhao said.

Upon hearing this, Right Sacrificial Officer Song Bing hesitated.

Star Artifacts were powerful, yet they were lifeless objects.

Some Star Patterns, especially those of high-level derivation, were clan treasures, the very foundation of a lineage, capable of safeguarding a clan for centuries.

The Rain Curtain Star Pattern was exactly such a treasure.

The National Dao Academy possessed a version of the Rain Curtain Star Pattern, but its derivation level was only third-rank lower. Yet after generations of effort, Song family’s version had been refined to fourth-rank upper—six levels higher—making its power fifty percent greater than the Academy’s.

It was the cornerstone of the Song family’s existence, their secret Star Pattern, transmitted only to blood relatives or true disciples.

Hence, Song Bing hesitated.

Yet Dong Zhao’s Whale Swallow Star Pattern was no less valuable—it was one of several high-level derived Star Patterns left by the former Grand National Master before his demise.

But whether it was worth it or not, Song Bing was still weighing the cost.

At this moment, the Supervising Judge Chen Liao, who had remained silent until now, spoke: “Ah, this is a wonderful opportunity! Why are you hesitating, Sacrificial Officer Song? Whether this boy wins or loses, the strength of our Dao Academy disciples grows. This is a tremendous blessing.”

“Grand National Master, isn’t that so?”

“Indeed. As the saying goes, don’t let the water flow to someone else’s field. But it’s up to you two to decide whether you’re willing to part with them. I won’t force anyone.”

Grand National Master Cheng smiled.

“I have no reluctance—after all, the benefits all go to our Dao Academy disciples. It’s up to Sacrificial Officer Song now,” Dong Zhao smiled.

With Dong Zhao’s words, Song Bing was trapped—he hadn’t expected to be cornered.

A flash of dark malice crossed his eyes, yet his face still smiled: “What’s there to hesitate about? All benefits go to our Dao Academy disciples.” Under these circumstances, Song Bing had no choice but to accept.

If Xu Jin died, so be it—deal with it later.

But before he could react, Dong Zhao, who knew him well, stepped forward and walked to Grand National Master Cheng Yuexiao, placing a jade tablet before him: “Since the Grand National Master has such refined taste, I’ll entrust this wager to you first. Later, when you bestow it, whether to whom, it will be perfectly justified!”

Song Bing’s smile froze instantly.

His narrowed eyes brimmed with icy malice.

This move had been a miscalculation—he’d been completely trapped by Dong Zhao.

His narrow gaze swept over Dong Zhao, then slowly, he withdrew a jade tablet from his robes and placed it before Grand National Master Cheng Yuexiao: “Indeed. Letting the Grand National Master bestow it is perfectly justified. Little Dong thought of everything.”

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhao said nothing, merely bowed slightly, then returned to his seat with a smile.

Looking at the two jade tablets before him, Grand National Master Cheng Yuexiao laughed, then waved to the Chief Instructor Yu Da standing afar: “Begin the extra trial.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

Yu Da bowed slightly, drew a token, and with a flick of his mind, the battlefield simulation realm below instantly changed.

At the mountain peak, Xu Jin advanced cautiously.

His star force had dwindled to barely one-tenth—there were still one hundred breaths left until the end of the battlefield trial.

Xu Jin planned to kill several Star Cast cultivators among the alien races within these hundred breaths to earn more points.

But he would avoid Star Forge cultivators entirely if possible.

With his star force so low, he might still defeat a low-rank Star Forge cultivator, but if he encountered another elite fifth-rank alien, death was likely.

If he died, no amount of points would matter—he’d fail the trial.

Thus, at this moment, Xu Jin became utterly cautious.

But the more you fear something, the more it comes.

He’d thought the peak’s wide view, combined with his Spirit-Scent Star Pattern, would let him avoid major dangers early.

Yet the next instant, an eight-direction alien with a single horn appeared thirty meters ahead of him.

The Mingji Star Pattern flared violently.

Star Forge fifth-rank—another elite alien.

“Damn it, how unlucky am I—another one?!”

As Xu Jin cursed inwardly, several tactics flashed through his mind.

The first option: flee.

His Flying Star Step, fully unleashed, might match or even slightly outpace this horned elite.

But the critical problem remained: insufficient star force.

One-tenth star force couldn’t sustain Xu Jin’s continuous Flying Star Step for five minutes.

Halfway through the escape, he’d become a lamb awaiting slaughter.

Certain death!

This tactic discarded!

Then, only battle remained.

Which tactic?

Xu Jin thought furiously, recalling all the tactics he’d practiced with the Drunken Moon Immortal and Bu Guo Er in the simulation realm, rapidly formulating a plan.

Under these conditions, the tactic must be risky.

But how to execute it mattered greatly.

Yet the horned elite gave Xu Jin no time to think.

In less than a second, starlight exploded beneath his feet as he charged toward Xu Jin.

Even more astonishingly, twelve meters away, his forehead horn erupted with starlight, launching a star-blade across vast distance toward Xu Jin.

And he kept firing—again and again.

One star-blade after another.

Fortunately, the distance was great—Xu Jin’s Flying Star Step still allowed him to dodge.

But if he found no solution, he’d be dead within a few breaths.

Because his star force was nearly gone.

The next instant, Xu Jin’s pupils shrank sharply.

He exploded in Flying Star Step, dashing over ten meters, passing over the horned alien’s head—then, starlight erupted from his hips and waist, instantly reversing his direction as he dropped swiftly behind the alien.

In the same instant, his hands moved like playing a zither, ten fingers flicking upward—ten star-ropes shot out like tornadoes, lightning-fast, wrapping the horned elite tightly, then contracting rapidly.

Intent on crushing the alien to death.

The horned elite panicked, frantically boosting his protective starlight, while his horn blasted wave after wave of star-blades at the ropes binding him.

Each slash shattered one star-rope.

But Xu Jin, controlling the ropes, instantly flashed to the alien’s front, severed the ropes with his right hand, leapt upward, and plunged his single blade—charged with every last drop of his star force—straight into the alien’s eye.

Plop!

As the alien’s protective starlight shattered, the blade’s starlight pierced through his eye and into his brain—Xu Jin twisted it violently.

The horned elite instantly dissolved into scattered starlight.

After his victory, Xu Jin collapsed onto the ground, gasping heavily.

As he panted, he scanned his surroundings.

His body held not a single speck of star force left.

No way to recover even a fraction.

At this moment, even a random Star Cast cultivator could kill him.

“Hopefully… I won’t get any luckier.”

As Xu Jin pondered, a commotion erupted on the Observation Platform.

Vice Academician Liu Qingzheng stared in shock.

How did he control ten star-ropes with ten fingers?

She could do it too—but not with Xu Jin’s fluidity!

How was this Star Art trained?

On the front row of the Observation Platform, Right Sacrificial Officer Song Bing’s face darkened instantly, like a soot-blackened pot.

He didn’t die—he won.

Lu Chenfeng, Director of the Yanzhou State Dao Academy, grew even more gloomy.

"Excellent, excellent! This boy’s Star Art is incredibly refined! The old man has never seen anything like it."

"But little Dong, after the banquet, make sure this boy thanks Master Song for the reward."

As he spoke, Inspector Chen Liao suddenly fell silent. "Huh? That’s not right!"

"This should be considered a gift from the Grand National Master—he must bow and thank the Grand National Master!"

"Thank you for the reminder, Elder Chen," Dong Zhao replied with a smile.

The Right Sacrificial Officer Song Bing’s face turned black immediately!

(End of Chapter)