Chapter 127: Limit (Please vote for monthly tickets)

The effect of the two First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills was astonishing.

To be precise, it was the First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills that had been nurtured in the Star Lamp for two days.

When eighty percent of it was consumed, it opened up a two-and-a-half-inch space in the Middle Shang Xinggong; with the continuous influx of massive Star Power from heaven and earth, a star core with a diameter of up to two and a half inches began to rotate in Xu Jin's Middle Shang Xinggong.

Star Forging two and a half inches is the sign of forging a supreme-grade star core.

However, this data is only the beginning of a supreme-grade star core.

According to Ning Yuchan, Star Forging a star core of two and a half inches only represents forging a supreme-grade star core, but it is not the end point.

After forging a high-grade star core, the star core can also continue to grow.

In history, there have been supreme-grade star cores of two point six, or even two point seven, two point eight inches.

But such supreme-grade star cores, let alone Chen Guo's National Dao Academy, are rare even in the various Star Temples.

This is because after using the power of high-grade Star-Forging Pills to open up the Middle Shang Xinggong to the limit to forge a supreme-grade star core, the speed of opening up the Shang Xinggong becomes slower and slower, and the consumption becomes greater and greater.

Even two or three high-grade Star-Forging Pills cannot open up the Middle Shang Xinggong by zero point one inch.

Unless it is a family descendant with an extremely rich foundation, otherwise, one still has to consider the cost-effectiveness.

But Xu Jin's situation here is different.

First of all, Xu Jin's Spirit Star has already been forged, and he is at the Refine Star, Sixth Layer.

Very powerful.

This causes Xu Jin's star core rotation speed to be very fast at this time.

High rotation speed brings extremely strong opening power.

Secondly, the high-grade Star-Forging Pills Xu Jin uses are different.

Xu Jin uses high-grade Star-Forging Pills that have been nurtured in the Star Lamp for two days.

The medicinal power is more than twice that of the high-grade Star-Forging Pills used by others.

Both power and vessel are powerful, so he forged the supreme-grade star core incomparably smoothly.

And after forging the supreme-grade star core, he was still continuing to open up the Middle Shang Xinggong.

Although the opening speed slowed down, it was still faster than others.

After the two First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills were used up, the star core in Xu Jin's Middle Shang Xinggong was forged to more than two point six inches.

Xu Jin took two more high-grade Star-Forging Pills without hesitation, preparing to continue opening up.

But suddenly, the Bright Era Star Pattern in the Lower Shang Xinggong flashed, giving a warning.

Several powerful Star Power auras were rapidly surrounding Xu Jin.

Xu Jin stopped his cultivation and stood up; after looking around, he discovered six figures surrounding him on the mountain.

But there were seven auras warned by the Bright Era Star Pattern.

And the aura that disappeared was the most powerful one, very likely an expert at the Refine Star Realm.

"Encountering an expert at the Refine Star Realm so quickly, it seems my luck is not very good."

Xu Jin sighed secretly, but the moment he stood up, he felt heroic.

It was just right to use these people to test his basic combat power after Star Forging.

The next instant, Xu Jin moved; with a burst of Flying Star Steps, he rushed toward the foot of the mountain.

Those six Forge Star Realm Red Scale clansmen roared and rushed toward Xu Jin one after another.

Xu Jin's starlight exploded continuously beneath his feet, flying directly over their heads; the moment he flew over their heads, he flicked his ten fingers twice simultaneously.

In an instant, twenty star arrows blasted toward these six Forge Star Realm Red Scale clansmen like dense rain.

Bang bang bang bang bang!

The sound of explosions rang out continuously.

Then Xu Jin discovered in astonishment that he had overestimated these Forge Star mid-to-late stage Red Scale warriors, or rather, he had underestimated his own combat power after Star Forging.

Xu Jin gave these six Forge Star Realm Red Scale clansmen an average of three star arrows each; he rewarded the two strongest Forge Star late-stage experts with four star arrows each.

But everyone, including the strongest Forge Star late-stage Red Scale warrior, did not withstand two of Xu Jin's star arrows.

The first star arrow broke their defense, and the second star arrow blasted them directly.

As for the third or even fourth, they simply missed.

There was one accident.

A Forge Star late-stage Red Scale warrior had his lower body blasted by Xu Jin, temporarily escaping with his life, screaming in pain as he crawled toward the distance, only to be headshot by Xu Jin with another star arrow.

After finishing him off, Xu Jin sneered and looked toward a certain direction behind him.

There, if one observed carefully, a figure blending in with the ground was fleeing rapidly in the opposite direction.

Afraid!

This early Refine Star Red Scale warrior was frightened by Xu Jin's move.

Instantly killing six Forge Star mid-to-late stage warriors in a second, he reckoned he couldn't do it, so he fled without hesitation.

This Refine Star Red Scale warrior should have practiced some kind of secret technique to hide his figure, but in the sensing of Xu Jin's Bright Era Star Pattern, his aura was like a scorching sun in the sky.

The next instant, Xu Jin suddenly flew up, and a star rope lashed toward this hiding and fleeing early Refine Star Red Scale warrior.

Under the bombardment of the star rope, a middle-aged Red Scale warrior wearing light crimson armor roared and cursed, slashing with his blade to shatter Xu Jin's star rope, then fled again.

Xu Jin was thoughtful.

This was a Refine Star, Second Layer Red Scale warrior; with just one blade, he shattered his star rope, so he had some strength.

Instantly pouncing up, he surrounded this Refine Star, Second Layer Red Scale warrior again to conduct an experiment.

One minute later, this Refine Star, Second Layer Red Scale warrior was killed on the spot by Xu Jin.

Xu Jin also had a basic comparison for the lethality of his star arts after Star Forging against a Refine Star, Second Layer Red Scale warrior.

The lethality of the star arts was not much different.

This Refine Star, Second Layer Red Scale warrior could shatter Xu Jin's star shield with one strike, but Xu Jin's one strike could also break his defense.

Theoretically, killing him only required two star arts.

But in reality, the fastest it took was four or five, because he would defend and dodge.

"It seems that with my current strength, I need to be careful when encountering those above Refine Star, Third Layer." Xu Jin concluded.

However, Xu Jin was only at the early Forge Star stage, yet he had the strength to kill a Refine Star, Second Layer warrior, which was enough to be proud of.

A few minutes later, Xu Jin put seven star cores into his leather pouch.

The star core of that Refine Star, Second Layer Red Scale warrior was less than two inches, but it had two layers of starlight lingering around it; when forging the star, he should have only forged a mid-grade star core.

Next, Xu Jin did not rush to continue Star Forging; after patrolling the surroundings, he tested the shooting distance and lethality of his basic Star Power again, so that he would have a clear idea in the subsequent battles.

From the peak of Meal of Mist, Seventh Layer to forging a supreme-grade star core, Xu Jin's total Star Power theoretically surged five times.

Forging a low-grade star core, Star Power surges at least twice based on the peak of Meal of Mist, Seventh Layer; mid-grade star core surges three times; high-grade star core surges four times; supreme-grade star core surges five times.

Then the shooting distance of the star arrows would also increase several times.

Just by testing it, Xu Jin was a little surprised.

His current star arrow shooting distance was truly terrifying.

No wonder Blood Butcher Tian Zhang could slash out a hundred-meter-long starlight blade light when blocking Hu Xuechuan in front of the Dao Academy's mountain gate.

This five-fold increase in Star Power caused Xu Jin's star arrow shooting distance to surge three times directly.

Originally twenty-eight feet, over nine meters, now, it exceeded eighty feet, reaching a terrifying twenty-seven meters.

The length of the star rope reached an astonishing eighteen meters, and the swinging distance of the star ring also reached nine meters.

Xu Jin felt that when he broke through to the Refine Star Realm and his Star Power increased by another two or three times, his star arrow shooting distance would be about the same as the shooting distance of a rifle in his previous life.

And an automatic rifle at that.

Looking around, within his field of vision, there were no enemy traces for the time being; Xu Jin understood that he would have at least one or two hours of safe cultivation time.

According to what Ning Yuchan said, after entering a Second-Tier Star Domain, as time continues, the enemies encountered will become stronger and stronger, but the interval between each wave of enemies will also become longer and longer.

Usually, within at most one day, one will inevitably encounter experts at the Refine Star Realm.

Most people who enter a Second-Tier Star Domain can only hold on for about a day and a half.

"I wonder how long I can hold on?"

While Xu Jin was pondering, he sat down cross-legged and began to forge his star again.

The higher the quality of Star Forging, the longer one can hold on in a Second-Tier Star Domain.

Because of the dense Star Power in the Second-Tier Star Domain, the Second-Tier Star Domain is not only suitable for Star Forging but also very suitable for rapidly improving cultivation.

Especially below the Refine Star Realm, in the high-concentration Star Power cultivation environment of a Second-Tier Star Domain, cultivating for one day is equivalent to cultivating for six or seven days or even longer in the current world!

Therefore, the longer one stays in a Second-Tier Star Domain, the more benefits one gets.

Holding two First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills, Xu Jin began to urge the star core he had just forged.

The star core that was rotating at a normal speed suddenly began to rotate at high speed; very quickly, it absorbed the massive medicinal power within the high-grade Star-Forging Pills, condensed into a Star Edge, and began to continue opening up the Middle Shang Xinggong.

And at this moment, Xu Jin was also using his Spirit Power to urge this star core without counting the consumption.

In an instant, the rotation speed of the star core reached a new height, and the Star Edge that was opened up had become a phantom.

Xu Jin's Middle Shang Xinggong began to open up arduously and slowly under the rotation of the Star Edge.

Xu Jin's star core also grew again.

Two point seven inches.

Two point eight inches.

Two point nine inches.

When Star Forging reached two point nine inches, Xu Jin's star core was almost at its limit, and his Spirit Power had been consumed to two-thirds.

At this moment, if Xu Jin invested other First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills without counting the consumption, Star Forging three inches or even three point one inches was possible.

However, Xu Jin's Lower Shang Xinggong still needed Star Forging.

At this moment, cost-effectiveness must be considered.

"After the Lower Shang Xinggong forges a supreme-grade star core, then consider continuing to forge the Middle Shang Xinggong."

The next instant, Xu Jin's mind sank into the Bright Era Star Pattern in the Lower Shang Xinggong; with a slight urging of Spirit Power, the Bright Era Star Pattern flashed and began to rotate at high speed.

The medicinal power of the two First-Essence Ordinary Star-Forging Pills he had pinched in his hands in advance was absorbed outside the Bright Era Star Pattern, condensed into a Star Edge, and began to rapidly open up the Lower Shang Xinggong.

This Star Forging was familiar territory.

A quarter of an hour later, a one-inch star core appeared in the Lower Shang Xinggong, but Star Forging was still continuing.

While forging the star, Xu Jin pondered the process of forging his Spirit Star in his Upper Shang Xinggong.

At that time, it seemed very smooth, without any resistance.

With a massive amount of Spirit Power, the Spirit Star was forged naturally.

The Upper Shang Xinggong should be vastly different from the Middle and Lower Star Palaces.

More than half an hour later, the remaining First-Essence Ordinary Star-Forging Pills in Xu Jin's hand were all consumed, Star Forging one point nine inches.

There were still five high-grade Star-Forging Pills. The next instant, Xu Jin pinched two First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills in his hand to begin absorbing the medicinal power; while condensing the Star Edge, he used his Spirit Power to urge and introduce the Star Power gravitational force of the star core in the Middle Shang Xinggong into the Star Edge, beginning to open up the Lower Shang Xinggong.

In an instant, the speed of opening up the Shang Xinggong increased again.

This is another method of improving Star Forging quality taught by Ning Yuchan, only suitable for cultivators who forge two star cores at the same time.

It can save the number of Star-Forging Pills to a certain extent and improve Star Forging efficiency.

However, this is not a secret technique; the Dao Academy will teach it to all disciples.

But the effect varies from person to person.

The higher the quality of the first star core, the better the auxiliary improvement effect.

Undoubtedly, the auxiliary improvement effect of the supreme-grade star core forged in Xu Jin's Middle Shang Xinggong was the strongest.

According to Ning Yuchan's statement, the effect of a mid-grade star core is equivalent to one ordinary Star-Forging Pill, and the effect of a high-grade star core is equivalent to one high-grade Star-Forging Pill; Xu Jin estimated that the auxiliary improvement effect of his supreme-grade star core in the Middle Shang Xinggong when forging the star in the Lower Shang Xinggong was at least equivalent to one First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pill.

And the most critical thing is that this star core already forged in the Middle Shang Xinggong can be reused.

Unlike Star-Forging Pills, which are gone once used.

A quarter of an hour later, the Star Power in Xu Jin's Middle Shang Xinggong was exhausted, and Xu Jin immediately stopped Star Forging, sitting cross-legged to recover Star Power.

A quarter of an hour later, after the Star Power in the Middle Shang Xinggong was full again, Xu Jin continued to forge the star.

Repeating this use, constantly consuming the Star Power of the Middle Shang Xinggong, constantly recovering, constantly forging the star.

Two and a half hours later, Xu Jin's Lower Shang Xinggong forged to two point nine inches, and there were still two First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills in Xu Jin's hand.

At this time, Xu Jin turned back and continued to forge the star in the Middle Shang Xinggong again.

Absorbing the medicinal power of the First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pills, mobilizing the Star Power within the Bright Era star core in the Lower Shang Xinggong, he opened up the Middle Shang Xinggong again.

An hour later, Xu Jin looked at the three point one inch star core in the Middle Shang Xinggong and stood up!

It was the limit.

Forging a three point one inch star core was his limit.

For this, his Spirit Power was consumed to only twenty percent remaining.

At this moment, Xu Jin's Middle Shang Xinggong was like steel and iron; no matter how the Star Edge composed of Star Power and medicinal power opened it up, it could not be opened anymore.

Xu Jin did not know if it was the limit of cultivation, but it was definitely his limit.

However, Xu Jin was also satisfied.

Because under normal circumstances, Star Forging two and a half inches is forging a supreme-grade star core, so what is his Star Forging three point one inches?

The supreme of the supreme?

However, the Middle Shang Xinggong had reached its limit, but the Lower Shang Xinggong had not yet.

But his Spirit Power was insufficient.

He had taken the Spirit-Refreshing Pill two hours ago; taking it again would not have much effect.

Finding a place to lie down, leaving a trace of his mind in the Bright Era Star Pattern in the Lower Shang Xinggong, the next instant, Xu Jin's head sank, and he fell asleep.

This is one of the benefits of having strong Spirit Power—you can sleep whenever you want!

In the secret realm of Chen Guo's National Dao Academy Autumn Examination, what all the disciples did not know was that shortly after they stepped into the First and Second-Tier Star Domains, the mountain chiefs, instructors, and the academic officials and vice-academic officials of the National Dao Academy and various prefectural Dao Academies arrived at the Autumn Examination secret realm again.

Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao was impressively seated.

The permission to open the Second-Tier Star Domain is in the hands of the Grand Master, so the Grand Master was on the side.

In the sky, two huge light masses were flickering.

In one of the light masses, over eight hundred names were flickering; this was the First-Tier Star Domain.

In addition to the disciples who entered the examination, various prefectural Dao Academies also had a few quotas to enter the First-Tier Star Domain for Star Forging, so it exceeded eight hundred people.

But in the light mass belonging to the Second-Tier Fire-Splendor Star Domain, there were only sixteen names flickering.

Only one extra person, Lu Kun.

This point, even Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao, approved of.

Legacy of the Brave!

This is what he deserved.

Suddenly, in the First-Tier Star Domain light mass, several names turned gray.

"Take a look, which Dao Academy is it, see if it's death or if they returned," asked Yu Da, the Chief Ning Jiaotou in charge.

After dozens of breaths, the mountain chief of the corresponding Dao Academy stepped forward to report urgently.

"Reporting to the Grand Master, our academy's disciple He Jin has left the First-Tier Star Domain, Star Forging one point seven inches, mid-grade star core."

"Reporting to the Grand Master, our academy's disciple..."

Several mountain chiefs checked quickly and reported back; this is the habit of Chen Guo's National Dao Academy.

Although Chen Guo's National Dao Academy Autumn Examination selected eight hundred geniuses to enter Chen Guo's National Dao Academy.

But in the end, these disciples must successfully forge their stars and return alive to be considered truly selected for the National Dao Academy.

If Star Forging fails, then they are not qualified.

As for dying in the Star Domain, that goes without saying.

For five or six consecutive hours, disciples' names constantly turned dark, and good news was constantly transmitted.

As of now, all disciples have been in the Star Domain for more than twelve hours.

Within twelve hours, over six hundred disciples have returned, most of whom are inner-sect disciples, with a small number of core disciples.

Three forged high-grade star cores, five failed Star Forging, and three died in battle in the Star Domain.

Five failed, three died in battle; this is considered a very normal number.

It's just that the number of disciples who forged high-grade star cores is a bit small.

However, the most who forged high-grade star cores should be among the last two hundred or so people.

In the Fire-Splendor Star Domain, Xu Jin, who was sleeping, was suddenly awakened.

In the Lower Shang Xinggong, the Bright Era star core forged with the Bright Era Star Pattern as the main body flickered with a faint light; enemies were approaching.

Five enemies had already invaded to about a hundred meters, and the one closest to him was less than ninety meters away.

After the Bright Era Star Pattern forged the star, although the warning distance was greatly increased, it was only a hundred meters, still a very dangerous distance.

At this distance, experts at the Refine Star Realm can kill him in one or two Flying Star Steps.

So the moment he was awakened, Xu Jin's Flying Star Steps exploded instantly, rushing toward the weakest enemy in the southeast direction; that was a Red Scale warrior at the peak of Forge Star.

Sweeping past, he punched down fiercely, the star light exploded twice, directly blasting this peak Forge Star Realm enemy into fragments.

Almost at the same instant, the other four enemies simultaneously rose to kill Xu Jin.

Two at the peak of Forge Star, two at the Refine Star Realm.

Two at the Refine Star Realm, one at the Refine Star, Second Layer, one at the Refine Star, Third Layer.

A very powerful lineup.

At this time, Xu Jin finally calmed down a bit.

Looking at the four people rushing to kill, the Flying Star Steps exploded instantly, and his ten fingers flicked continuously.

At this moment, Xu Jin no longer held back anything.

With his fastest speed, he poured out the star arrows.

Within a breath, Xu Jin poured out at least forty star arrows.

Under such saturated attack, those two at the peak of Forge Star, and that Refine Star, Second Layer, were all easily blasted to death by Xu Jin.

Only that Refine Star, Third Layer Red Scale warrior, relying on the giant shield star weapon in his hand and tyrannical Star Power, actually approached Xu Jin head-on.

Boom!

A fire snake blasted toward Xu Jin.

Xu Jin's Flying Star Steps exploded, he flew up, dodged the fire snake, instantly twisted his body, and three star ropes directly entangled this Refine Star, Third Layer Red Scale warrior.

Kite-ring tactics!

Five star arrows blasted over simultaneously.

Blasted to death!

Solved.

Five star cores in hand, two of which were Third-Tier.

Xu Jin, who still had lingering fears, launched his Flying Star Steps, circled around the surroundings again, and after confirming safety, returned.

Just now, it was close.

If not for the warning from the Bright Era Star Pattern, Xu Jin might have been sneak-attacked and seriously injured, and then could only crush the Return Jade Tablet.

The use of this Bright Era Star Pattern was becoming greater and greater.

I don't know how many hours he slept; the sky in this Fire-Splendor world was already dark, with stars filling the sky.

Xu Jin's Spirit Power had already recovered to over eighty percent.

The sleep time should not have exceeded four hours.

If it exceeded four hours, the Spirit Power should have already recovered.

Calming down, Xu Jin first took out a bag of dried meat, ate a big meal with clear water, and after being full, took out the last First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pill, and began to continue mobilizing the Star Power of the Middle Shang Xinggong to forge the star in the Lower Shang Xinggong.

This time, it was familiar territory.

An hour and a half later, the last First-Essence High-Grade Star-Forging Pill turned into powder, and the Bright Era star core in the Lower Shang Xinggong was also forged to the limit.

Lower Shang Xinggong forged star three inches!

Middle Shang Xinggong forged star three point one inches!

But in Xu Jin's sensing, the Star Power in the Middle Shang Xinggong was obviously fifty percent more abundant than in the Lower Shang Xinggong.

However, this was not caused by this bit of Star Forging difference, but caused by the difference in star patterns.

The Great Gathering Star Pattern mainly increases the Star Power upper limit, so the Star Power in the Middle Shang Xinggong is extremely vigorous.

Suppressing his joy, Xu Jin sat cross-legged on the ground again and continued to cultivate.

This cultivation was to urge Spirit Power, constantly absorbing the extremely abundant Star Power here to improve his cultivation.

In the Fire-Splendor Star Domain, the cultivation effect is excellent; it is a good place to rapidly improve cultivation, it just depends on how many days Xu Jin can cultivate here.

In the secret realm of Chen Guo's National Dao Academy Autumn Examination, many mountain chiefs of the prefectural Dao Academies had already left; in the entire Autumn Examination secret realm, only the Grand Master and the high-level officials of the National Dao Academy remained, along with individual mountain chiefs and instructors of the Dao Academies.

The reason is very simple: at this moment, it has been eighteen hours since the disciples entered the Star Domain for Star Forging, a day and a half.

Star Forging in the First-Tier Star Domain has already ended completely.

And there are only eleven disciples left forging stars in the Second-Tier Star Domain, and five have already returned.

"Eighteen hours, Academic Official Liu, the performance of the National Dao Academy disciples this time is actually quite good; eighteen hours is enough for many disciples to forge one high-grade and one mid-grade star core!" Right Libationer Song Bing looked at the anxious Liu Zhou Qingzhu and comforted her.

"One high-grade and one mid-grade star core is not enough; someone must forge two high-grade star cores to have a possibility of safely passing the selection a month later!" What Liu Zhou Qingzhu was worried about was actually this matter.

"I wonder how long the true-disciple disciples who forged stars in the Star Domain this time can persist in the Star Domain?" an academic official discussed.

"According to past conventions, twenty-four hours, two days, should be the limit!"

"That's right!"

"Look quickly, another true-disciple has finished." someone shouted.

In the light mass of the Second-Tier Fire-Splendor Star Domain in the sky, the names of two true-disciple disciples disappeared simultaneously.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 128 =====