Chapter 121: The Four Irons and the Final Battle (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

The Autumn Examination Maze of the Chen Guo Dao Academy.

Xu Jin, having just returned from his sixth match, immediately scanned the Observation Platform—Hu Xuechuan had not returned, which meant Lao Qi was still in danger.

He knew full well that any new Starlight Message would appear before his eyes instantly, yet he still couldn’t help flipping through his Starlight Message box.

Lao Qi had sent no further Starlight Messages.

The last Starlight Message was that one: “Brat.”

Xu Jin was frantic, but had no way to help.

As for the arena matches, Xu Jin now didn’t even watch them.

Before Lao Qi’s incident, during his earlier matches, Xu Jin had held back slightly, overwhelming opponents with brute force without revealing any technique.

But since Lao Qi’s disappearance, Xu Jin had lost all interest in playing around—he now ended every match with a single strike, denying opponents even the chance to move.

As for victory or defeat?

Xu Jin wasn’t worried at all!

In the First Floor Star Gazing Tower’s Combat Maze, he had ranked #1 in Real Combat for over half a month, and no one had dethroned him!

The competitors there were the majority of geniuses from this world.

Thus, among the geniuses of Chen Guo alone, no one had yet posed him any real challenge!

At this moment, what Xu Jin most wanted to receive was a Starlight Message from Lao Qi.

“Xu Jin, what’s wrong?” Ning Yuchan frowned slightly as she observed his state.

This boy had always seemed unbearably strong to her—during Star Pointing, even after repeated failures, he remained resolute and calm.

But now, his brows were tightly knitted.

And from his behavior in the arena matches, it was clear his strikes had turned brutally violent.

If this were real-world combat, none of Xu Jin’s opponents would have survived.

Moreover, Ning Yuchan could tell Xu Jin’s mind was no longer on the matches—he wasn’t even watching the other geniuses’ battles.

Distracted!

“Teacher?” Xu Jin turned to Ning Yuchan, his eyes betraying unmistakable anxiety.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, say it outright,” Ning Yuchan said calmly, looking at him.

Xu Jin slowly shook his head.

No one could help with this.

Not even Ning Yuchan—nor even Headmaster Dong Zhao.

Of course, in terms of power, Headmaster Dong Zhao might be able to help—but only if he wanted to be ruined.

Lao Qi was a good man, but he was a demon hunted simultaneously by the Tianyang Star Temple and Chen Guo.

There’s even a bounty on Lao Qi in the Star Pursuit Hall.

“If the matter can only be resolved by yourself, then you must calm down, focus on the present, and then seek solutions.”

Strive to resolve it!

If you lack the ability, then gather strength, seek allies.

Anxiety only drastically increases your chance of making mistakes—it brings no other benefit!”

After speaking, Ning Yuchan fixed her gaze on Xu Jin and asked, “Understood?”

After a breath, Xu Jin’s brow loosened slightly, and he nodded firmly.

“I understand!”

“Good.”

Xu Jin understood the principle Ning Yuchan had explained.

But what is the hardest thing in this world?

Knowing and doing.

Knowing is easy; doing is hard!

Unity of knowledge and action!

He understood the principle, yet still worried about Lao Qi’s safety.

But Xu Jin’s state had improved considerably from before.

“Lao Qi is already in danger—I must focus on the present. I must not reveal abilities I shouldn’t in these matches. I must not add to his troubles.”

In the next instant, a Starlight Message flew toward him—he immediately tapped it open.

【Xu Jin: Congratulations, you have been selected into the Chen Guo Dao Academy’s True Disciple roster.】

【Xu Jin: The True Disciple Selection Battle has ended. The fifteen True Disciples and two hundred Core Disciples have all been chosen. Next, the True Disciple Ranking Battle will commence: the top eight will fight head-to-tail to determine final rankings. The #1 True Disciple becomes this year’s True Disciple Senior Brother!】

【Xu Jin: Proceed to Arena #1 to face #8, Ying Ge.】

Three Starlight Messages in a row—Xu Jin frantically opened them all. None were from Lao Qi.

Xu Jin had wanted to send Lao Qi a Starlight Message to ask about his condition.

But after thinking, he held back.

Because this one message would only ease his own anxiety—and increase Lao Qi’s risk.

If Lao Qi, by reading or replying to this message, lost even half a second and suffered grave injury—or death—Xu Jin would regret it for life.

In the next instant, Xu Jin stepped forward and appeared on Arena #1.

On Arena #1, Ying Ge from Songzhou was already there. Seeing Xu Jin appear, he bowed respectfully. “Senior Brother Xu, please instruct me.”

“Brother Ying, please instruct me,” Xu Jin returned the bow.

“Ready!”

Three breaths later, the light barrier between Xu Jin and Ying Ge vanished.

Instantly, Ying Ge’s feet exploded with starlight as he surged forward—before he even reached Xu Jin, star arrows had already slammed toward him.

Xu Jin, expressionless, spread his five fingers—two star cords shot out like venomous snakes, encircling Ying Ge from both sides the moment he landed.

Though Ying Ge reacted with astonishing speed, he only barely avoided one cord.

The next instant, he was entangled by the star cords, and star rings began rapidly radiating around his body.

He needed only one second to generate two star rings, shatter Xu Jin’s cords, and break free.

But at the exact moment he was ensnared, Xu Jin flicked another finger—three star arrows fired in rapid succession.

The moment Ying Ge was about to break free, the three star arrows struck him simultaneously, reducing him to scattered starlight.

Before dissolving into starlight, Ying Ge smiled bitterly.

He never expected to win against Xu Jin.

He had studied every one of Xu Jin’s previous battles and understood his strength.

Xu Jin’s star technique base power was stronger, and his application was immeasurably more refined.

Both used instant-cast star techniques, but Xu Jin’s were clearly faster.

As for tactics and skill, Xu Jin was leagues ahead.

Victory was impossible.

So Ying Ge had set himself a modest goal: survive as many rounds as possible against Xu Jin.

At least ten breaths!

Was that too much to ask?

With the same cultivation level, both top-tier geniuses—he only wanted to last ten breaths. His goal was already painfully humble!

But the final result was—

One breath.

Just one breath after the match began, Ying Ge was obliterated by Xu Jin as easily as hitting a target.

No sense of humiliation!

Only awe!

Power!

Xu Jin was too powerful—how did he train these star techniques?

How could he be this strong?

In the Chen Guo Dao Academy’s Trial Zone, spectators Meng Qingqiu, Yuan Feiqing, Yan Chen, Guan Li, and Fang Mingchun fell silent at this display.

This… this was too strong!

They knew Ying Ge’s strength well.

Among them, only Meng Qingqiu, Yuan Feiqing, and Yan Chen could defeat Ying Ge decisively—but only after a prolonged battle.

Yet Xu Jin killed Ying Ge like slaughtering a chicken!

What about them?

“Senior Sister, how confident are you against Xu Jin?” After a long silence, Yuan Feiqing suddenly asked.

Meng Qingqiu shook her head. Yuan Feiqing was stunned. Yan Chen was stunned.

“What? Senior Sister?”

“I can’t match his level of star technique application at all. In the Meal of Mist Realm, I have no chance of defeating him—not even with another year. But after Star Casting, it’s uncertain,” Meng Qingqiu said.

She then turned to Yan Chen and asked, “Do you have any confidence?”

“I… maybe just a tiny bit,” Yan Chen said reluctantly.

“Then prove it later—if you don’t, Professor Liu will be furious enough to die!” Meng Qingqiu pointed to Vice Academic Director Liu, whose head and chest were now the only visible parts above the crowd on the Observation Platform.

Hearing this, Yuan Feiqing, Yan Chen, Guan Li, Fang Mingchun, and others all wore embarrassed expressions.

To be honest, this was the first time the top geniuses of the Chen Guo Dao Academy had been completely overwhelmed by talents from other states and prefectures.

Sometimes, Fang Mingchun even wondered if their generation of Chen Guo Dao Academy geniuses were truly inadequate.

One position after another was lost!

Now, even the top True Disciple Senior Brother was about to be lost?

【Yan Chen: Please proceed to Arena No. 1 within five breaths. First place Xu Jin versus.】 Suddenly, a starlight message arrived; Yan Chen’s expression grew slightly tense.

“It’s my turn.”

Everyone turned to Yan Chen. Senior Sister Meng Qingqiu said, “Stay calm. Xu Jin is only human—he must have weaknesses! His opening two Star Ropes: break the first with consecutive Star Rings, and the second with rapid Star Weapon strikes—you can break his formation!”

“I thought of that too.” Yan Chen nodded.

“Wins and losses are common. Go quickly! If you lose, just win back later!” Yuan Feiqing, seeing Yan Chen’s nervousness, gave him an impatient shove.

“True!”

Yan Chen smiled bitterly, stepped forward—and in the next instant, he appeared on the dueling platform.

“Brother Xu, please instruct me!”

“Please instruct me,” Xu Jin bowed.

After Ning Yuchan’s counsel, Xu Jin’s anxiety had eased considerably, but to say he was completely unworried was impossible—at least not yet.

Wouldn’t that make him emotionless?

Xu Jin was still human!

“Ready!”

The platform guard shouted a warning; three breaths later, the light barrier before Yan Chen and Xu Jin vanished.

But strangely, neither Xu Jin nor Yan Chen moved from their spots.

No one launched the first attack.

The spectators were stunned.

Xu Jin was surprised, but Yan Chen calmly erected layer upon layer of defenses, waiting silently for Xu Jin’s move.

Yan Chen had his own strategy.

He had watched every one of Xu Jin’s previous battles, studying them meticulously.

He found that anyone who attacked first was instantly obliterated—within a single breath.

So he decided: no more attacking. Only defense.

In defense, he would seek an opening for counterattack—perhaps even a chance to turn defeat into victory.

On the platform, Xu Jin instantly realized the situation.

He himself had refrained from attacking earlier simply to save effort.

Standing there and effortlessly wiping out opponents was easy.

But he hadn’t expected Yan Chen to do the exact opposite.

“Fine, you’re giving up the initiative too!”

In the next instant, Xu Jin moved—blasting forward in a flash.

In a single heartbeat, he appeared within four meters of Yan Chen.

The moment he arrived, Star Ropes shot out.

Yan Chen, fully prepared, instantly triggered consecutive Star Rings and Star Weapon strikes, shattering both of Xu Jin’s Star Ropes.

But in the next instant, Yan Chen was stunned—he realized there was a third Star Rope.

It wrapped around his neck like a dog leash.

The moment he felt suffocation and humiliation,

the Kite Ring tactic unfolded.

As Xu Jin circled, Star Arrows rained down in rapid succession.

In the next heartbeat, Yan Chen exploded into starlight and vanished.

Four Star Arrows.

This Yan Chen was slightly stronger than Ying Ge—he consumed four Star Arrows from Xu Jin!

Moments later, Yan Chen reappeared in the Chen Guo Dao Academy’s trialist zone, his face flushed red with humiliation. The instant he materialized, he stamped his foot and shouted, “This Xu Jin is too much!”

Before anyone else could speak, Vice Academician Liu Qingzhu flashed onto the viewing platform and kicked Yan Chen straight to the ground.

“Too much? Pfft! You didn’t learn your art well, and now you blame him?

Got leashed like a dog, did you?

If you’re so good, go leash him yourself?”

She kicked him again. “It’s just a martial match among fellow disciples—why all this drama?

Still calling it ‘too much’?

Shouldn’t your normal reaction be to feel shame, then rise up and train harder to beat him next time?

Boy, straighten your mind!” She kicked him again and again.

“Auntie, I don’t have bad intentions.”

“Shut up! Who’s your auntie? If you ever think like this again, I won’t recognize you! Remember—you’re all disciples of the Chen Guo Dao Academy!

In the future, all fifteen of you True Disciples are classmates!”

She kicked Yan Chen once more. “Feiqing, explain to him what the Four Iron Bonds of Life are!” Then she vanished instantly—this time without burying her face in her chest.

At this point, hiding her face was pointless.

Now she had to think of ways to make up for the damage.

“The Four Iron Bonds of Life? What’s that?” Meng Qingqiu asked.

Yuan Feiqing smiled but didn’t answer. Fang Mingchun spoke up, “Senior Sister, I know! The Four Iron Bonds: you’ve killed someone together, studied together, split the loot together, and walked the same Dao together!”

“Get lost!”

Yuan Feiqing kicked Fang Mingchun away, then helped Yan Chen up.

“Brother Yan, don’t take it to heart. Vice Academician Liu only wants what’s best for us,” Yuan Feiqing comforted him.

“I know, but I just…,” Yan Chen smiled bitterly, then explained to Meng Qingqiu, “Senior Sister, I don’t see him as an enemy—I just feel this resentment, this unease.

Senior Sister, you absolutely must win your next match!”

Meng Qingqiu didn’t answer Yan Chen. Instead, she turned to Yuan Feiqing. “I understand the first three Iron Bonds. What does the fourth—‘walked the same Dao’—mean? Shared ideals?”

Fang Mingchun grinned, about to explain, but Yuan Feiqing shot him a glare that silenced him. “Yes, exactly—those who walk the same Dao form an unbreakable bond!”

“That’s true!”

Meng Qingqiu nodded.

Behind them, Fang Mingchun was stunned—and suddenly wanted to laugh.

What the hell—Senior Sister Meng and Senior Brother Yuan are geniuses, and they can twist it like this?

In the spectator zone behind them, Lu Kun was even more frustrated than Yan Chen.

He’d wanted to vent his anger—he’d never gotten the chance.

He’d thought that in this ranking match, the academy’s top talents—Yan Chen, Yuan Feiqing, Meng Qingqiu—would finally give him that satisfaction.

But Yan Chen had lost outright.

One move, obliterated!

That anger inside Lu Kun festered deeper and deeper, nearly driving him mad.

Suddenly, a starlight message appeared before Meng Qingqiu.

“It’s my turn.”

Yuan Feiqing was currently ranked third—he had no chance to face Xu Jin. Next, he’d compete with Yan Chen for third place.

“Senior Sister, you must defeat Xu Jin!” Yan Chen clung to his obsession, murmuring again.

Meng Qingqiu said nothing, stepped forward—and appeared on the platform. Xu Jin was already there.

“Senior Sister Meng!” Xu Jin bowed first.

Xu Jin held a favorable impression of Meng Qingqiu.

Mostly because during the fourth trial’s Blood Plain battle, she hadn’t joined the mob against him—she’d waited, clearly hoping for a one-on-one duel.

Xu Jin had understood her intent then. But after exhausting his Star Power defeating Yan Chen and Yuan Feiqing, he’d been left with no strength—and died at Fang Mingchun’s hands.

Meng Qingqiu was, relatively speaking, a purer person.

“Senior Brother Xu, please use your full strength—don’t hold back!” Meng Qingqiu bowed.

“Understood!” Xu Jin answered readily.

In the next instant, as the light barrier dissolved, both Xu Jin and Meng Qingqiu lunged forward.

Meng Qingqiu unleashed a barrage of Star Arrows, spinning rapidly toward Xu Jin.

“Spiral Star Pattern?” Xu Jin recognized it instantly.

In a flash, the spiraling Star Arrows shattered Xu Jin’s Star Shield and disrupted his protective Star Light!

Senior Sister Meng Qingqiu was indeed strong!

But only slightly so.

In the next instant, Xu Jin leapt upward—three Star Ropes shot out toward Meng Qingqiu.

Meng Qingqiu was prepared; she fired two Star Ropes of her own, entangling Xu Jin’s three and preventing him from using the Kite Ring tactic.

But only preventing the Kite Ring tactic.

As their Star Ropes twisted together, Meng Qingqiu’s position and speed became restricted.

Xu Jin flicked his five fingers rapidly.

In the next instant, Star Arrows struck in rapid succession.

Though he had already imagined how to respond, only when facing it did he realize how difficult it was to handle such swift, relentless Star Arrows.

He dodged and blocked in equal measure.

Six Star Arrows!

Senior Sister Meng Qingqiu dissolved into starlight!

Xu Jin wins!

(End of Chapter)