[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-star-martial-era":3,"chapter-the-star-martial-era-the-star-martial-era-chapter-127":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Star Martial Era",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2274985,4448,"Chapter 127: Limit (Request Monthly Tickets)","the-star-martial-era-chapter-127",127,"\u003Cp>The effect of two first-tier superior Star-Casting Pills was astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, these were first-tier superior Star-Casting Pills that had been nurtured inside the Star Lamp for two days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When eighty percent had been consumed, two and a half inches of space had already been carved out within Xu Jin’s Middle Star Palace; as vast amounts of stellar energy continued flooding in, a star core with a diameter of two and a half inches began rotating within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Casting a star core two and a half inches in diameter is the hallmark of a supreme-quality star core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this measurement was merely the starting point of a supreme-quality star core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Ning Yuchan, casting a star core two and a half inches in diameter merely signifies the achievement of a supreme-quality star core—not its endpoint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After forging a superior-quality star core, the star core can still continue to grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historically, there have been supreme-quality star cores reaching two and six-tenths, even two and seven-tenths, or two and eight-tenths inches in diameter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such supreme-quality star cores were as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns—even among the various Star Palaces, let alone the Chen Guo Dao Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is because, after using superior Star-Casting Pills to expand the Middle Star Palace to its limit and forge a supreme-quality star core, the rate of palace expansion slows drastically, and the consumption increases exponentially.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even two or three superior Star-Casting Pills might not expand the palace by another tenth of an inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless one is a scion of an exceptionally wealthy family, one must still consider cost-effectiveness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Jin was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Xu Jin’s Divine Soul Star had already been cast, and he had refined it to the Sixth Level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extremely powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This caused Xu Jin’s star core to rotate at an exceptionally high speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High rotational speed brought immense expansion force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, the superior Star-Casting Pills Xu Jin used were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin used superior Star-Casting Pills that had been nurtured inside the Star Lamp for two days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their medicinal potency was more than double that of ordinary superior Star-Casting Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With both power and tool at peak strength, he forged the supreme-quality star core with flawless ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And after forging the supreme-quality star core, he continued expanding the Middle Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the expansion speed had slowed, it was still faster than others’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After consuming both first-tier superior Star-Casting Pills, Xu Jin’s Middle Star Palace star core reached over two and six-tenths inches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Xu Jin took out two more superior Star-Casting Pills, preparing to continue expanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But suddenly, the Mingji Star Pattern in his Lower Star Palace flashed—a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven powerful stellar energy signatures were rapidly surrounding Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin ended his cultivation, rose to his feet, scanned the surroundings, and spotted six figures advancing toward him up the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Mingji Star Pattern had sensed seven energy signatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the one that had vanished was the strongest—likely a Star Refining expert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So soon I encounter a Star Refining expert? My luck’s terrible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin sighed inwardly, yet as he rose to his full height, his spirit surged with boldness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect—he’d use these men to test his combat power after casting his star core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Xu Jin moved—his Flying Star Step exploded into motion as he shot downhill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six Crimson-Scale cultivators of Star-Casting realm roared and charged toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s feet exploded with starlight, launching him over their heads; as he passed above them, his five fingers on each hand snapped twice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, twenty star arrows rained down densely upon the six Crimson-Scale Star-Casting cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explosions rang out continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Xu Jin was stunned—he had overestimated these Crimson-Scale warriors of mid-to-late Star-Casting realm, or rather, he had underestimated his own combat power after casting his star core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For each of the six Star-Casting Crimson-Scales, Xu Jin fired three star arrows on average; the two strongest late Star-Casting warriors received four each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet every single one—including the strongest late Star-Casting warrior—could not withstand even two of Xu Jin’s star arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first shattered their defenses; the second obliterated them outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third and fourth star arrows simply missed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One late Star-Casting Crimson-Scale had his lower body blown apart, barely surviving in agony as he crawled away—Xu Jin finished him with a final star arrow to the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After delivering the coup de grâce, Xu Jin sneered toward a direction behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, if one looked closely, a figure blended into the ground was fleeing rapidly in the opposite direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This early Star Refining Crimson-Scale had been terrified by Xu Jin’s display.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, six mid- to late Star-Casting warriors were annihilated—he knew he couldn’t match that, so he fled without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Star Refining Crimson-Scale had likely cultivated a secret technique to conceal his form, but to Xu Jin’s Mingji Star Pattern, his energy signature blazed like the sun in the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Xu Jin leapt upward, firing a star tether straight at the fleeing, hidden Crimson-Scale Star Refining expert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the impact of the star tether, a middle-aged Crimson-Scale warrior clad in crimson light armor roared in fury, slashed with his blade, and shattered Xu Jin’s star tether before fleeing again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin pondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a second-level Star Refining Crimson-Scale warrior—just one slash had shattered his star tether; he was no weakling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin lunged forward, closing in again to test the second-level Star Refining Crimson-Scale warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One minute later, the second-level Star Refining Crimson-Scale warrior was slain on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin now had baseline data comparing his star technique’s power against a second-level Star Refining Crimson-Scale warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their star technique power was roughly equal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This second-level Crimson-Scale warrior could shatter Xu Jin’s star shield with a single strike, but Xu Jin’s strike could also pierce his defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theoretically, two star techniques should be enough to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in practice, it took four or five strikes at minimum—he could dodge and defend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems I must be cautious when facing Star Refining experts beyond the third level.” Xu Jin concluded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, at only early Star-Casting realm, Xu Jin already possessed the power to slay a second-level Star Refining warrior—enough to be proud of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, Xu Jin collected the seven star cores into his pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second-level Crimson-Scale warrior’s star core was under two inches, but surrounded by two layers of starlight—he had likely forged only a mid-grade star core during his casting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Xu Jin did not rush to resume casting. After surveying the surroundings, he casually tested the range and power of his basic star energy, to better gauge his capabilities in upcoming battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Peak Meal-Dew Seventh Level to forging a supreme-quality star core, Xu Jin’s total star energy had theoretically quintupled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forging an inferior star core increases star energy by at least double the base of Peak Meal-Dew Seventh Level; mid-grade by triple; superior by quadruple; supreme-quality by quintuple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the range of star arrows would also increase several-fold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single test left Xu Jin astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His current star arrow range was truly terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Blood Butcher Tian Zhang had been able to slash a hundred-meter-long beam of starlight before the Dao Academy’s gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his star energy quintupled, Xu Jin’s star arrow range had tripled directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously twenty-eight chi—over nine meters—now it exceeded eighty chi, reaching a terrifying twenty-seven meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The star tether’s length reached an astonishing eighteen meters; the star ring’s sweep radius reached nine meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin felt that once he broke through to Star Refining realm and his star energy increased another two or three times, his star arrow range would match that of a rifle from his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An automatic rifle, at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scanning his surroundings, he saw no enemies in sight—he understood he had at least one or two hours of safe cultivation time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Ning Yuchan, after entering the Second-Level Star Zone, as time passed, enemies would grow stronger, but the intervals between each wave would lengthen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Typically, one would inevitably encounter a Star Refining expert within a day at most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most who entered the Second-Level Star Zone could only endure for about a day and a half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder how long I can hold out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jin pondered, he sat cross-legged and resumed casting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The higher the quality of the star core, the longer one could endure in the Second-Level Star Zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the dense stellar energy in the Second-Level Star Zone, it was not only ideal for casting star cores, but also for rapidly increasing cultivation base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for those below Star Refining realm—in this high-density star energy environment, one day of cultivation equaled six or seven—or even more—days in the outside world!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the longer one stayed in the Second-Level Star Zone, the greater the benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clutching two first-tier superior Star-Casting Pills, Xu Jin activated his newly forged star core to accelerate its rotation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previously normally spinning Gathering Star Core suddenly spun at high speed, rapidly absorbing the medicinal power within the pills, forming an expansion blade that continued carving out the Middle Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Xu Jin expended his Divine Soul energy without restraint to drive the Gathering Star Core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the core’s rotation reached a new peak—the expansion blade had become a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s Middle Star Palace began expanding, slowly and with great difficulty, under the spinning blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s Gathering Star Core also grew again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two and seven-tenths inches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two and eight-tenths inches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two and nine-tenths inches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When casting reached two and nine-tenths inches, Xu Jin’s Gathering Star Core neared its limit—his Divine Soul energy had been depleted by two-thirds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, if Xu Jin spared no cost and threw in his remaining first-tier superior Star-Casting Pill, he might possibly expand the star core to three inches—or even three and one-tenth inches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Jin’s Lower Star Palace still needs to forge a star core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, cost-effectiveness must be considered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait until the Lower Star Palace forges a top-grade star core, then consider continuing to forge in the Middle Star Palace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Xu Jin’s mind sank into the Mingji Star Pattern of the Lower Star Palace, and with a slight surge of his Soul Force, the Mingji Star Pattern spun at high speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The medicinal power of the two ordinary forging-star pills he had clenched in his palm was absorbed outside the Mingji Star Pattern, condensing into a star blade that began rapidly expanding the Lower Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, forging the star was second nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After fifteen minutes, a one-cun star core appeared in the Lower Star Palace—but forging continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While forging, Xu Jin reflected on his process of forging the Soul Star in his Upper Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, it had seemed extremely smooth, with no resistance at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a vast amount of Soul Force, the Soul Star had formed naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Upper Star Palace must differ greatly from the Middle and Lower Star Palaces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After more than half an hour, all remaining ordinary forging-star pills in Xu Jin’s possession were consumed, and the star had reached one point nine cun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still had five top-grade forging-star pills. In the next instant, he clenched two one-vein top-grade forging-star pills, absorbing their medicinal power to form a star blade, while simultaneously channeling the gravitational star force from the gathering star core in his Middle Star Palace into the blade to expand the Lower Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the speed of expanding the Star Palace increased again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was another method Ning Yuchan taught to enhance forging quality, usable only by cultivators forging two star cores simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could moderately reduce the number of forging-star pills consumed and improve forging efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, it was not a secret technique—the Dao Academy taught it to all disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But its effectiveness varied from person to person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The higher the quality of the first star core, the stronger the auxiliary enhancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without doubt, the top-grade star core forged in Xu Jin’s Middle Star Palace provided the strongest auxiliary enhancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Ning Yuchan, a middle-grade star core offered enhancement equivalent to one ordinary forging-star pill, and a top-grade star core equivalent to one top-grade forging-star pill; Xu Jin estimated that his Middle Star Palace’s top-grade star core provided at least the same enhancement as one one-vein top-grade forging-star pill during Lower Star Palace forging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the most crucial point: the gathering star core already forged in the Middle Star Palace could be reused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike forging-star pills, which were consumed after use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After fifteen minutes, the star force in Xu Jin’s Middle Star Palace was depleted, so he halted forging, sat cross-legged, and restored his star force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After another fifteen minutes, once his Middle Star Palace’s star force was fully restored, Xu Jin resumed forging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He repeated this cycle: continuously draining the Middle Star Palace’s star force, restoring it, and forging again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After two and a half hours, Xu Jin’s Lower Star Palace had reached two point nine cun, and he still had two one-vein top-grade forging-star pills left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Xu Jin turned his attention back to forging in the Middle Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absorbing the medicinal power of a one-vein top-grade forging-star pill and drawing upon the star force within the Mingji Star Core of the Lower Star Palace, he once again expanded the Middle Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an hour, Xu Jin rose to his feet, gazing at the three-point-one-cun star core within his Middle Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forging a three-point-one-cun star core was his limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Soul Force had been drained to just two percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, his Middle Star Palace was like cast steel and iron; no matter how the star blade, formed of star force and medicinal power, tried to expand it, it would not budge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin did not know if this was the cultivation limit, but it was certainly his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Xu Jin was satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, forging a two-point-five-cun star core meant achieving a top-grade star core—so what did his three-point-one-cun star core count as?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Top-grade among top-grade?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Middle Star Palace had reached its limit; the Lower Star Palace had not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his Soul Force was insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had taken a spirit-boosting pill just two hours ago; taking another now would have little effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finding a place to lie down, he left a thread of his mind anchored in the Mingji Star Pattern of the Lower Star Palace, and in the next instant, his head sank—he fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One advantage of strong Soul Force: when you want to sleep, you sleep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Autumn Examination Realm of the Great Chen Guo Dao Academy, none of the disciples knew that shortly after they entered the first- and second-tier star zones, the Academy’s Chancellors, Instructors, and Academic Directors from the central Academy and each state and prefecture had arrived again at the Autumn Examination Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao was seated among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The authority to open the second-tier star zone rested with the Grand Master, so he was present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sky, two massive orbs of light shimmered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One orb contained over eight hundred names—this was the first-tier star zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the examination candidates, several disciples from each state’s Dao Academy were granted entry to the first-tier zone for forging, so the number exceeded eight hundred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the second-tier Huoxuan Star Zone, only sixteen names flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only extra name was Lu Kun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao acknowledged this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Legacy of the Valiant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rightfully his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, several names in the first-tier star zone turned gray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Check which Dao Academy they belong to—see if they died or returned,” asked the Chief Instructor Yu Da, overseeing the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After several dozen breaths, the Chancellors of the respective Dao Academies rushed forward to report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, my academy’s disciple He Jin has exited the first-tier star zone, having forged a one-point-seven-cun star core of middle grade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, my academy’s disciple…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several Chancellors quickly checked and reported—this was the custom of the Great Chen Guo Dao Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Great Chen Guo Dao Academy’s Autumn Examination selected eight hundred talents to enter the Academy,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>only those disciples who successfully forged a star core and returned alive would be truly admitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they failed to forge, they lost eligibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for those who died within the star zone, there was no need to mention them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For five or six consecutive hours, disciples’ names kept turning dark, and good news kept arriving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, all disciples had spent over twelve hours in the star zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within twelve hours, over six hundred disciples had returned, mostly inner disciples, with a few core disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three forged top-grade star cores, five failed to forge, and three died within the star zone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five failures and three deaths was a very normal number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the number of disciples who forged top-grade star cores was a bit low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, the most top-grade star cores should come from the remaining two hundred or so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Huoxuan Star Zone, Xu Jin, who had been sleeping, was suddenly awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mingji Star Core, forged with the Mingji Star Pattern as its core, glowed faintly—enemies were approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five enemies, all within a hundred meters; the closest was less than ninety meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After forging the Mingji Star Pattern, the alert range had greatly increased—but still only reached a hundred meters, a dangerously short distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this range, a Star Refining expert could reach him in one or two Star-Stride steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the instant he became alert, Xu Jin exploded into Star Stride, dashing toward the weakest enemy in the southeast—a Star Forging peak Red-Scale Warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swept past, slammed down a punch, and twin star flares erupted—reducing the Star Forging peak enemy to fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost simultaneously, the other four enemies surged toward Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two Star Forging peak, two Star Refining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One Star Refining second layer, one Star Refining third layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An extremely formidable group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Xu Jin steady his nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the four charging at him, he exploded into Star Stride and flicked his ten fingers in rapid succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Xu Jin held nothing back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He unleashed his star arrows at his maximum speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within one breath, he fired at least forty star arrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under this saturation attack, the two Star Forging peak enemies and the Star Refining second-layer warrior were effortlessly obliterated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the Star Refining third-layer Red-Scale Warrior, wielding a massive shield weapon and powerful star force, managed to push through and close in on Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fire serpent shot toward Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin exploded into Star Stride, leapt upward, dodged the fire serpent, twisted his body instantly, and wrapped three star cords around the Star Refining third-layer Red-Scale Warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kite-fighting tactic!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five star arrows slammed into him simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obliterated!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five star cores acquired, two of them third-grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still shaken, Xu Jin leapt into Star Stride, circled the area once more, confirmed safety, then returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That had been too close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the Mingji Star Pattern not alerted him, Xu Jin might have been ambushed, severely wounded, and forced to shatter his return jade tablet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The utility of this Mingji star pattern has been growing ever larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had slept for several hours; the sky of this Fire Radiance world had turned dark, blanketed with stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s spiritual soul power had recovered to over eighty percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sleep had not exceeded four hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had exceeded four hours, his spiritual soul power should have fully recovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gathering his composure, Xu Jin first took out a packet of dried meat, ate heartily with clear water, and only after satisfying his hunger did he retrieve his last remaining First-Grade Superior Star-Casting Pill, beginning once more to channel stellar power from the Central Star Palace to forge stars in the Lower Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it was second nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After an hour and a half, the last First-Grade Superior Star-Casting Pill turned to powder, and the Mingji star core in the Lower Star Palace reached its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lower Star Palace had forged a star three inches in size!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Central Star Palace had forged a star three inches and one inch in size!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But under Xu Jin’s perception, the stellar power within the Central Star Palace was clearly five percent more potent than that of the Lower Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This disparity was not caused by the difference in star forging, but by the difference in star patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Gathering Star Pattern primarily increases the upper limit of stellar power, hence the Central Star Palace’s stellar power was extraordinarily robust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing his delight, Xu Jin sat cross-legged once more and continued his cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he activated his spiritual soul power to continuously absorb the abundant stellar power here, raising his cultivation base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the Fire Radiance Star Domain, cultivation was exceptionally effective—a prime location for rapid advancement—though it remained to be seen how many days Xu Jin could sustain his practice here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Autumn Examination Realm of the Chen Guo Dao Academy, many mountain superiors from the various commandery academies had already departed; only the Grand Master, the Dao Academy’s high-ranking officials, and a few remaining mountain superiors and instructors remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: eighteen hours had passed since the disciples entered the star domain to forge stars—eighteen hours, a day and a half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star forging within the First-Degree Star Domain had ended entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among disciples forging stars within the Second-Degree Star Domain, only eleven remained; five had already returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighteen hours, Professor Liu, the performance of the Dao Academy’s disciples this time has been quite impressive—eighteen hours is more than enough for many to forge one Upper and one Middle star core!” Song Bing, the Right Sacrificial Master, comforted the anxious Liu Qingzhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One Upper and one Middle star core is not enough—someone must forge two Superior star cores to have any hope of safely passing the Selective Trial a month from now!” Liu Qingzhu’s true concern was this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder how long the True Disciples this time can endure within the star domain?” remarked a scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to past precedent, twenty-four hours—two days—is the limit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look, another True Disciple has finished.” Someone called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sky, within the Second-Degree Fire Radiance Star Domain, two names of True Disciples vanished simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3753,"2026-06-19T23:56:29.689Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d05443e3291253f324d5413dfd9645882fa2d5ba46835845ed44f32a307757d6","the-star-martial-era-chapter-128","the-star-martial-era-chapter-126",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-star-martial-era-cover.jpg"]