Chapter 14

Quotas are limited!

Xu Jin hadn't known much about the Academy's regulations before, but after eating and attending classes with the teenagers who had successfully performed Star-Dotting every day recently, he had basically figured them out.

The quota for entering the Intermediate Academy from the Jin Shan Academy is at most fifteen people per season.

Fifteen people might seem like a lot, but in reality, the number of spots available for contention is not high.

The first rule for entering the Intermediate Academy is that those with a Grade B-Mid evaluation enter directly.

The Academy stipulates: Star-Dotting success within three days is a Grade A-Top evaluation; within ten days is Grade A-Mid; within thirty days is Grade A-Low; within forty days is Grade B-Top; within fifty days is Grade B-Mid; within sixty days is Grade B-Low; within seventy days is Grade C-Top; within eighty days is Grade C-Mid; and beyond eighty days is Grade C-Low.

In total, there are three grades and nine levels of talent evaluation.

Those with Grade A talent should enter the Inner Academy.

Currently, it is known that six people have successfully performed Star-Dotting within thirty to fifty days; these six will enter the Intermediate Academy directly, leaving nine spots remaining.

The second rule for entering the Intermediate Academy is that those with a Grade B-Low evaluation can also enter directly if they break through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm by the end of the Star-Dotting season.

Currently, there are six known people with Grade B-Low evaluations; among these six, except for one named Song Ye who has not yet broken through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, he is likely to break through at any moment, and the probability of him doing so by the end of the Star-Dotting season is extremely high.

There are three spots remaining.

The third rule for entering the Intermediate Academy is that those with a Grade C evaluation can be selected for the Intermediate Academy if they break through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm by the end of the Star-Dotting season.

This means there must be a selection and a struggle.

The other teenagers, including Xu Jin, all performed Star-Dotting after sixty days, which is a Grade C evaluation; these teenagers are competing for these three spots.

Among the teenagers with Grade C evaluations, two have already broken through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm: Qiao Ruonan and Fang Zhixing. If Xu Jin also breaks through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, that makes exactly three spots.

But the problem is, there are still four days left, and within these last four days, there should be more than just one or two people breaking through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm.

Especially those with Grade C-Top evaluations—those who performed Star-Dotting within seventy days—such as Luo Geng and others, there are over a dozen of them, and many are on the verge of breaking through, all trying every possible way to cultivate frantically in hopes of a breakthrough.

If two or three more break through within these four days, the competition will be too intense.

But worrying about this now is useless; what Xu Jin needs to do now is break through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm before the Star-Dotting season ends.

Otherwise, he won't even have the qualifications to compete.

During the morning class on June 15th, Song Ye, the last of the six Grade B-Low evaluators, broke through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, steadily securing a spot in the Intermediate Academy.

During the evening class on June 15th, Luo Geng, who had a Grade C-Top evaluation, broke through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, adding one more competitor.

During the morning class on June 16th, Hong Gang, who had a Grade C-Top evaluation, broke through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, adding yet another competitor, while Xu Jin had not yet broken through.

However, Xu Jin, who had just finished his morning class, was not in the least bit anxious.

Haste makes waste; he understood this principle all too well.

The more critical the moment, the less one can afford to be anxious; once anxious, one will make mistakes or even delay progress.

Evening class on June 16th.

Before the evening class began, Ning Yuchan even came over specifically to check on Xu Jin's body-tempering progress.

"Hmm, don't be anxious; you are already on the verge of a breakthrough. This breakthrough step is about breaking the invisible barrier of the body and sending Star Power from the body into the limbs. Breakthrough, breakthrough—this step lies in the 'breaking'."

"I observed that you have already grasped a few points of the charm and true meaning of the Five-Battle Killing Fist; if you can unleash a Star Art, using that trace of force from the Star Art breaking out of the body, the probability of a breakthrough will be even greater."

Ning Yuchan was still quite concerned about Xu Jin, not just because she had lent him silver, but mainly because she held Xu Jin in high regard.

After Ning Yuchan left, Xu Jin took a deep breath and began practicing the Five-Battle Killing Fist.

In fact, during the morning class today, Xu Jin had already sensed the invisible barrier existing within his body.

With the hard training and elixir assistance over these past four or five days, now, every time Xu Jin breathed, Star Power covered his entire chest and back—it was as if he were wearing clothes; otherwise, it would definitely have drawn gasps of astonishment.

For the teenagers who had performed Star-Dotting a few days earlier than Xu Jin, the area on their chests covered by starlight was only the size of a watermelon.

Over these past four or five days, Xu Jin had practiced martial arts in the Star Lamp for over four hours every day, and his mastery of the Five-Battle Killing Fist had risen in a straight line.

Inside the Star Lamp, all his fist stances had reached the minor success stage.

The "Harmony of Yin and Yang" stance, perhaps due to the blessing of the solidified Star Art, had the fastest progress.

Without triggering the solidified Star Art, he could occasionally unleash two Star Shields in one move of three stances, and he was progressing toward major success.

At this very moment, Xu Jin was not rushing to break through; instead, he was steadily practicing the Five-Battle Killing Fist, then recovering his Star Power, and then continuing to practice the Five-Battle Killing Fist.

Over these past few days, with Xu Jin's hard training, the upper limit of the Star Power accumulated within his body had also increased.

As of the morning class today, with his Star Power fully accumulated after drawing in starlight, he was already able to practice the Five-Battle Killing Fist three times in a row.

In other words, he could also unleash the Star Shield six times.

Xu Jin felt the Star Power within his body, driven by the Five-Battle Killing Fist, constantly spreading in all directions of his body, centered on the Star Pattern on his chest.

Xu Jin had already sensed the invisible barrier. It was approximately at the joints where his limbs connected to his torso; there was a layer of invisible barrier—untouchable, invisible, but the surging Star Power could impact it.

It was like waves crashing against a shore; every time, he could impact this invisible barrier, but he could never break through it.

But Xu Jin was not in the least bit anxious.

Very steady.

During the morning class, he had to finish three complete moves of "Harmony of Yin and Yang" before he could touch this invisible barrier once.

But at this moment, the frequency with which the Star Power within his body could impact this invisible barrier was getting higher and higher.

By the time he finished the second round of practicing the Five-Battle Killing Fist three times, every fluctuation of Star Power brought about by the Five-Battle Killing Fist could impact this invisible barrier.

By the time he finished the third round of practicing the Five-Battle Killing Fist three times, he still hadn't broken through, but Xu Jin perceived this invisible barrier even more clearly.

After swallowing a Spirit-Awakening Pill and feeling his mind clear, Xu Jin began to circulate the "Drinking Radiance" stance, drawing in starlight to recover his Star Power.

More than twenty minutes later, his Star Power was fully accumulated. Xu Jin took a deep breath, first ate a Blood-Replenishing Pill, then ate a Foundation-Solidifying Pill, and once again set up the stance for the Five-Battle Killing Fist.

After finishing three times, the Star Power within the Star Pattern was emptied. Xu Jin just had a thought, and the Star Power within the Star Pattern was instantly replenished by the starlight on the Arena.

He continued the Five-Battle Killing Fist.

After finishing the sixth time, Xu Jin felt that even without drawing in Star Power, the Star Power could touch that layer of invisible barrier.

With a thought, the starlight on the Arena moved slightly, and the Star Pattern was once again filled with Star Power.

The seventh time practicing the Five-Battle Killing Fist.

But for this seventh time practicing the Five-Battle Killing Fist, Xu Jin slightly changed the rhythm.

Previously, to avoid wasting Star Power by unleashing a Star Shield every time, Xu Jin had deliberately slowed down his fist stance, but this time, he completely returned to normal.

Speed and slowness combined, both fists sealing in succession.

Snap!

Driven by his thought, a shining Star Shield suddenly appeared at Xu Jin's right shoulder.

The moment the Star Shield appeared on his right shoulder, the invisible barrier on his right shoulder that Xu Jin had sensed instantly shattered.

After practicing hard for so many days, Xu Jin had completely realized it.

To break through, one needs not only the accumulation of water dripping through stone but also a momentary burst.

A Star Art is the accumulation and burst of Star Power.

If one grasps how to unleash a Star Art, then breaking through becomes simple.

Therefore, Xu Jin's breakthrough at this moment could be said to be logical and natural.

Almost the moment the Star Shield appeared, under the night sky, this shining Star Shield immediately caught the attention of the teenagers in all directions, and they instantly looked over.

These days, whether it was unleashing a Star Art or breaking through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, it could draw countless envious gazes.

"Look quickly, Xu Jin has unleashed the basic Star Shield."

"His Five-Battle Killing Fist has reached minor success!"

"I remember Xu Jin only performed Star-Dotting successfully after eighty-three days, right? It's only been six days, and his Killing Fist has already reached minor success?" Luo Geng also stopped his fist stance and looked at Xu Jin.

"No, it should be more than just the Killing Fist reaching minor success."

Song Ye, who had a Grade B-Low evaluation and had already broken through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm, stared fixedly at Xu Jin and said, "Look at the position of the basic Star Shield, at the right shoulder. Generally speaking, only by breaking through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm can one unleash the Star Shield to this position."

"What, Xu Jin has actually broken through to the first layer of the Meal of Mist Realm? How many days has it been since he performed Star-Dotting successfully?"

Fang Zhixing's face was full of astonishment, while Luo Geng's expression on the side instantly turned gloomy.

He had one more competitor for entering the Intermediate Academy.

A few breaths later, Fang Zhixing's face also turned ugly; he had also reacted belatedly.

"Brother Jin, is this you unleashing the basic Star Shield? They say you've broken through?" Qian Xiaohu, who had also transferred here to cultivate, saw this scene and asked with pleasant surprise.

Xu Jin didn't hide it and nodded generously.

After practicing hard for these days, wasn't it just for the sake of breaking through?

The next moment, with a slight movement of his mind, the Star Shield suddenly dissipated, and the Five-Battle Killing Fist started again; heat, numbness, itchiness, pain, and various other sensations began to spread through his right shoulder toward his right arm.

He had broken through, but cultivation could not stop.

On the other side, Sha Youtian, who had performed Star-Dotting successfully only two days later than Xu Jin, looked at his own chest, which was only covered by starlight in an area the size of a watermelon—and a stunted one at that—and then looked at Xu Jin, feeling somewhat bewildered.

This gap was just too big, wasn't it?

(End of chapter)