Chapter 14: Meal-Mist Level One

The quota is limited!

Xu Jin previously knew little about the Dao Academy’s rules, but recently, by eating and attending classes daily with the youths who had successfully Star-Touched, he had come to understand them thoroughly.

The Dao Academy admits at most fifteen students into the Middle Courtyard each season.

Fifteen may seem like many, but the actual number of available slots for competition is quite small.

The first rule for entering the Middle Courtyard is that those rated Yi-Zhong automatically qualify.

The Academy’s rule states: those who Star-Touch within three days receive Jia-Shang evaluation; within ten days, Jia-Zhong; within thirty days, Jia-Xia; within forty days, Yi-Shang; within fifty days, Yi-Zhong; within sixty days, Yi-Xia; within seventy days, Bing-Shang; within eighty days, Bing-Zhong; beyond eighty days, Bing-Xia.

This makes a total of three grades with nine tiers of talent evaluation.

Those rated Jia should enter the Inner Courtyard.

So far, six youths have Star-Touched between thirty and fifty days; these six will enter the Middle Courtyard directly, leaving nine slots open.

The second rule for entering the Middle Courtyard is that those rated Yi-Xia may enter directly if they break through to Meal-Mist Level One by the end of the Star-Touch season.

There are also six youths rated Yi-Xia; among them, only one named Song Ye has not yet broken through to Meal-Mist Level One, but he is on the verge and highly likely to break through by the season’s end.

Three slots remain.

The third rule is that those rated Bing may be selected into the Middle Courtyard if they break through to Meal-Mist Level One by the season’s end.

This is where selection and competition begin.

All other youths, including Xu Jin, Star-Touched after sixty days—that is, they are rated Bing—and these youths are competing for these three slots.

Among the Bing-rated youths, two have already broken through to Meal-Mist Level One: Qiao Ruonan and Fang Zixing. If Xu Jin breaks through as well, exactly three slots will be filled.

But the problem is, only four days remain, and within these final four days, more than one or two will likely break through.

Especially the Bing-Shang-rated youths—those who Star-Touched within seventy days, like Luo Geng and others—there are over a dozen, many on the brink of breakthrough, all desperately cultivating to force their way through.

If two or three more break through in these four days, the competition will become fierce.

But worrying now is useless; Xu Jin must break through to Meal-Mist Level One before the Star-Touch season ends.

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

On June 15, during morning class, the last of the six Yi-Xia-rated youths, Song Ye, broke through to Meal-Mist Level One, securing his place in the Middle Courtyard.

On June 15, during evening class, Luo Geng, rated Bing-Shang, broke through to Meal-Mist Level One, adding one more competitor.

On June 16, during morning class, Hong Gang, rated Bing-Shang, broke through to Meal-Mist Level One, adding another competitor, while Xu Jin had not yet broken through.

Yet after morning class, Xu Jin felt no urgency.

He understood well the principle: haste makes waste.

The more critical the moment, the less one must rush; haste leads to mistakes and delays progress.

June 16, evening class.

Before evening class began, Ning Yuchan came over specifically to check Xu Jin’s body-refinement progress.

“Good, don’t rush. You’re already on the verge of breakthrough. This step is about shattering the invisible barrier within the body, sending Star-Power from the torso into the limbs. Breakthrough means breaking—this step hinges on shattering.”

“I’ve noticed you’ve already grasped a hint of the essence of the Five Stars Killing Fist. If you can unleash a Star-Art, using the surge of force from the Star-Art to break through, your chance of success increases greatly.”

Ning Yuchan cared deeply for Xu Jin—not just because she lent him silver, but mainly because she had high hopes for him.

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

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

After these past few days of intense cultivation and elixir use, his Star-Power now covered his entire chest and back with each breath—like wearing a garment; otherwise, it would have drawn gasps.

The youths who Star-Touched a few days earlier had Star-Power covering only a watermelon-sized area on their chests.

Over these past few days, Xu Jin had trained over four hours daily within the Star-Lamp, and his mastery of the Five Stars Killing Fist had risen sharply.

Within the Star-Lamp, all fist forms had reached Minor Mastery.

The Yin-Yang Form, perhaps due to its fixed Star-Art enhancement, had progressed fastest.

Without activating the fixed Star-Art, he occasionally managed to generate two Star-Shields with a single three-form sequence, progressing toward Major Mastery.

At this moment, Xu Jin did not rush to break through; instead, he practiced the Five Stars Killing Fist steadily, restored his Star-Power, then resumed practicing.

Over these days, as Xu Jin cultivated intensely, his body’s maximum Star-Power capacity had increased further.

By morning class today, when his Star-Power was fully drawn from the Star-Light, he could now complete three full rounds of the Five Stars Killing Fist.

In other words, he could now unleash six Star-Shields.

Xu Jin felt his Star-Power, guided by the Five Stars Killing Fist, spreading outward from the star-mark on his chest, permeating every part of his body.

He had sensed the invisible barrier—roughly at the joints connecting limbs to torso—a barrier he could not touch or see, yet his surging Star-Power could strike it.

Like waves crashing against a seawall, each strike hit the barrier, yet none could break through.

But Xu Jin felt no urgency.

He was calm.

During morning class, he could only touch the barrier once after completing a full three-form Yin-Yang sequence.

Now, the frequency with which his Star-Power struck the barrier was increasing.

After completing the second round of three full forms, every movement of the Five Stars Killing Fist generated Star-Power waves that struck the barrier.

After completing the third round of three full forms, he still had not broken through, but he now perceived the barrier with even greater clarity.

After swallowing a Wakeful Spirit Pill, his mind cleared, and he began practicing the Drink-Brilliance Form to draw Star-Light and restore his Star-Power.

Over twenty minutes later, his Star-Power was full; he took a deep breath, swallowed a Blood-Replenishing Pill, then a Foundation-Strengthening Pill, and resumed his Five Stars Killing Fist stance.

After three rounds, the Star-Power in his star-mark was depleted; with a mere thought, it was instantly refilled by Star-Light from the Can-Dou Altar.

He continued the Five Stars Killing Fist.

After the sixth round, he felt his Star-Power could touch the invisible barrier without needing to activate it.

With a thought, the Star-Light on the Can-Dou Altar shimmered slightly, refilling his star-mark once more.

Seventh round of the Five Stars Killing Fist.

But for this seventh round, Xu Jin slightly altered his rhythm.

Previously, to avoid wasting Star-Power by unleashing Star-Shields every time, he had slowed his movements; now, he returned fully to normal speed.

Fast and slow, fists linked in defense.

Crack!

With a thought, a brilliant Star-Shield suddenly appeared on Xu Jin’s right shoulder.

The instant the Star-Shield formed on his shoulder, the invisible barrier he had sensed there shattered.

After days of relentless training, he had fully comprehended it.

To break through, one needs not only persistent accumulation, but also a moment of explosive release.

Star-Art is the explosive release of accumulated Star-Power.

If one understands and unleashes Star-Art, breakthrough becomes simple.

Thus, Xu Jin’s breakthrough now was natural, inevitable, like water flowing downhill.

Almost the instant the Star-Shield appeared, under the night sky, it drew the attention of youths all around, who immediately turned to look.

In recent days, whether unleashing Star-Art or breaking through to Meal-Mist Level One, both drew countless envious glances.

“Look, Xu Jin just unleashed a basic Star-Shield!”

“His Five Stars Killing Fist has reached Minor Mastery!”

“I recall Xu Jin Star-Touched on day eighty-three—only six days later, his Killing Fist is already Minor Mastered?” Luo Geng paused his practice and stared at Xu Jin.

“No, it’s more than just Minor Mastery.”

Song Ye, rated Yi-Xia and already broken through to Meal-Mist Level One, stared fixedly at Xu Jin: “Look at the position of the basic Star-Shield—on the right shoulder. Normally, only after breaking through to Meal-Mist Level One can one project a Star-Shield to that location.”

“What? Xu Jin broke through to Meal-Mist Level One? He only Star-Touched a few days ago!”

Fang Zixing looked astonished; beside him, Luo Geng’s expression darkened instantly.

Another competitor had joined the race for the Middle Courtyard.

A few breaths later, Fang Zixing’s face also turned grim—he had just realized it.

“Big Brother Xu, did you just unleash a basic Star-Shield? They say you broke through?” Qian Xiaohu, who had also moved over to train nearby, asked in delight.

Xu Jin did not hide it; he nodded openly.

Hadn’t he trained so hard all these days precisely to break through?

In the next instant, with a thought, the Star-Shield vanished, and the Five Stars Killing Fist resumed; warmth, numbness, itch, pain—all sensations began spreading from his right shoulder down his right arm.

He had broken through, but cultivation could not stop.

On the other side, Sha Youtian, who had Star-Touched only two days after Xu Jin, stared at his own chest—where Star-Light covered only a watermelon-sized area, still underdeveloped—and then at Xu Jin, utterly baffled.

The gap is too wide.

(End of Chapter)