Chapter 146: Dao Merit Gains and the Senior Sister (Request Subscription and Monthly Tickets)

Xu Jin heard about Lu Kun being specially recruited by Senior Academician Fang Shi as a core disciple while waiting in line at the Foreign Affairs Hall of the Guo Dao Academy.

According to Guo Dao Academy rules, each of the twelve Vice Academicians has one quota for specially recruiting an inner-court disciple.

Each of the four Senior Academicians, however, has one quota for specially recruiting a core disciple.

But these special recruitment quotas end at the level of core disciple.

True disciples must be selected through the Autumn Examination and then pass internal assessments.

To be honest, Xu Jin had no fondness for Lu Kun—he despised him.

Not for any particular reason: you've already ruined my Dao path; no matter your character or strength, I must and will despise you.

Xu Jin wasn't petty, but he wasn't so magnanimous as to care only about the big picture.

As for how Lu Kun was specially recruited by Senior Academician Fang Shi, Xu Jin had figured it out: this was clearly Senior Academician Fang Shi's stance, and partly an attempt to explain to the world why he didn't take Xu Jin, the top candidate of the Autumn Examination, as his disciple, yet chose a failed applicant instead.

Xu Jin wouldn't bother defending himself, nor would he explain to anyone that he refused to join Senior Academician Fang's sect due to lack of affinity and inner reluctance.

There was no need.

Just cultivate diligently.

But the next instant, Xu Jin could barely stand still.

"Have you heard? This year's True Disciple Champion, Xu Jin, is a notorious lecher! Otherwise, why would he turn down several Senior Academicians and specifically choose the lowest-ranked Vice Academician, Liu Qingzhu, as his master?"

"He's only after the senior sisters of Flying Swallow Hall—they're extremely beautiful."

"Damn, Flying Swallow Hall is inviting a wolf into the house!"

"Worse than that—it's like inviting a wolf into a flock of sheep."

"Some senior brothers are already getting anxious."

"That's why they call him a lecher! Flying Swallow Hall hasn't taken a single male disciple in years, and yet he dares to enter?"

"This guy is shameless."

Xu Jin's face turned completely black.

Senior Academician just recruited a student, and he chose a master—how did that turn into him being labeled a lecher, and how did it spread so fast?

"Senior Brother, why is Xu Jin called a lecher? What did he even do?"

"What does he need to do? Joining Flying Swallow Hall—that's enough to make him a lecher!"

"Everyone's saying it."

Xu Jin's face turned completely black.

Fuck, I've only been in Flying Swallow Hall for a full day, haven't even seen many long legs, and now I'm already labeled a lecher.

I'll have to investigate carefully—who's slinging this shit at me.

Xu Jin waited in line at the Foreign Affairs Hall of the Guo Dao Academy for a full fifteen minutes before finally being admitted.

This made him miss the Jinshan Dao Academy's Foreign Affairs Hall, where he'd once enjoyed top-tier VIP treatment—no waiting, and the Hall Director always greeted him personally.

Here, you had to wait half a day.

Hm?

Suddenly, the clerk attending Xu Jin hurried away, and in walked a man of medium build, slightly overweight, with a mustache, a smiling face, and sharp eyes full of cunning.

What caught Xu Jin's attention wasn't the man himself, but the string of glittering gemstones he was turning in his hand.

A familiar scene.

Suddenly, it brought back many memories from his past life—there was a time when wearing and polishing gemstone strings became a trend.

"I'm Ling Mao, Deputy Director of the Guo Dao Academy's Foreign Affairs Hall. It's an honor to meet this year's Champion—you're truly impressive."

Xu Jin was stunned—deputy director himself? He quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.

This man showed no arrogance; his demeanor of being utterly privileged was likely just professional instinct.

In rank, the Deputy Director of the Guo Dao Academy's Foreign Affairs Hall was equal to Deputy Supervisor Dong Zhao, and possibly even held greater actual power.

"The Grand Master previously instructed me that all the star cores you brought back from the Huoxuan Star Region have been fully inventoried. Hearing you'd arrived, I came straight over to settle accounts with you," Ling Mao said, still turning his gemstone string.

"Thank you, Deputy Director Ling."

Xu Jin had come here intending to exchange his fourth-grade Azure Jade Tablet for some Starlight from the Star Gazing Tower, then buy cultivation elixirs.

His Dao Merit and Starlight were nearly depleted.

The over two hundred Dao Merit he'd accumulated had been exhausted after renting a Class-B courtyard for a year and buying a meal card for his sister.

He'd originally had over four hundred strands of Starlight stored in the Star Gazing Tower—a considerable fortune.

But wealth accumulates slowly and vanishes quickly.

As the saying goes: spending money is like flowing water.

Yesterday, he bought Ning Yuchan one vial of Yi Qi Gui Xing Pill and two vials of Si Xuan Fu Xing Pill for nourishment.

Each vial of Si Xuan Fu Xing Pill cost forty strands of Starlight—two vials totaled eighty.

But one Yi Qi Gui Xing Pill cost a staggering ten strands—so one vial was a hundred strands.

For Ning Yuchan's safety, Xu Jin gritted his teeth and bought it.

Yet there was a small surprise: he also bought two extra Yi Qi Gui Xing Pills for himself, totaling exactly two hundred strands of Starlight, saving two strands—he paid only 198 strands.

The title "Flatland Starlight" still had its uses.

With his wealth drastically shrinking, Xu Jin planned to exchange his fourth-grade Azure Jade Tablet for Starlight from the Star Gazing Tower—unexpectedly, his Dao Merit had just arrived.

"Xu Jin, you submitted a total of three hundred forty-four third-grade star cores: nine were third-grade upper, yielding fifty-four base Dao Merit; ninety were third-grade middle, yielding three hundred sixty base Dao Merit; the rest were third-grade lower, yielding four hundred ninety base Dao Merit.

Of these, ninety-three star cores were rated as mid-grade, granting you an additional one hundred eighty-six Dao Merit.

Your total Dao Merit from these star cores is one thousand ninety." Deputy Director Ling Mao said.

This left Xu Jin slightly disappointed. Though one thousand ninety Dao Merit was substantial, after risking life and death, he'd earned so little—it barely covered a month's cultivation, let alone the cost of ascending the Heavenly Stair.

To say he wasn't disappointed would be a lie.

He felt Dao Merit was harder to earn than silver.

But Ling Mao caught the flicker of disappointment on Xu Jin's face.

"Don't rush—this isn't your final Dao Merit tally!"

With Xu Jin's surprised expression, Ling Mao continued: "According to our Chen Guo military merit system, merit is divided into five tiers: minor merit, great merit, exceptional merit, extraordinary merit, and unparalleled merit.

In many star regions or special environments, captured items receive merit tier multipliers.

Your final merit is calculated by multiplying base merit by the tier multiplier.

Based on the rules, Xu Jin, your reconquest of the Huoxuan Star Region qualifies as extraordinary merit. Your final Dao Merit is four thousand three hundred sixty. If you have no objections, I'll transfer it now."

Over four thousand merit points, worth more than forty thousand taels of silver, seemed somewhat reasonable.

Four thousand plus Dao Merit—worth over forty thousand taels of silver—wasn't unreasonable.

"Xu Jin, don't hurry—this is only the Dao Merit you earned through combat. The real rewards are still coming. The Grand Master has already submitted the battle report to the court; the results should arrive in a few days," Ling Mao said.

"Xu Jin, since you're here, I'll also issue your monthly True Disciple cultivation allowance. As long as you remain a True Disciple, this will be automatically credited to your Star Gazing Token each month."

"Thank you, Deputy Director Ling."

Moments later, Xu Jin saw 4, 60 Dao Merit credited—his mood lifted considerably.

Just this base monthly 500 Dao Merit made the True Disciple status worth it.

According to Guo Dao Academy rules, True Disciples receive 500 Dao Merit monthly for cultivation, up to three years; Core Disciples receive 200; Inner-Court Disciples only 100.

This is the base amount—six thousand Dao Merit annually. Add two annual ascents of the Heavenly Stair, and it's twenty-six thousand Dao Merit.

Director Dong Zhao said that, including all resources but excluding mentorship, the academy invests roughly fifty thousand Dao Merit per year in each True Disciple, twenty thousand for Core Disciples, and five thousand for Inner-Court Disciples.

That's a massive investment.

Fifty thousand Dao Merit equals fifty thousand taels of silver.

A fortune indeed!

Even the richest man in Jinshan County couldn't match this level of support.

Though Jinshan's wealthiest had over a million taels in assets, their annual spending rarely exceeded one or two hundred thousand.

No wonder even local aristocrats like Lu Xianbing fought so hard for it—this was real gold and silver.

But Dao Merit came fast and vanished faster.

When he left, Xu Jin had only 2, 60 Dao Merit left from his newly acquired 4, 60.

He bought three vials of ordinary Star Refining Pills and three vials of superior Star Refining Pills.

That quantity would barely last him half a month.

Thus, Xu Jin's wealth within the Star Gazing Tower shrank again.

【Dao Merit: 2, 60】

Notably, as they were leaving, Deputy Head of the External Affairs Hall, Ling Mao, actively added Xu Jin as a friend and told him to contact him directly whenever he came to the External Affairs Hall, for faster and more convenient handling of matters.

Notably, as he left, Deputy Director Ling Mao of the Foreign Affairs Hall voluntarily added Xu Jin as a contact and told him to contact him directly next time—he'd handle matters faster and easier.

Xu Jin gladly accepted the friend request.

He knew this was another act of personal investment.

But since the man saw potential in him and gained convenience in return, why refuse?

Any future repayment would likely be incidental.

Fifteen minutes later, Xu Jin arrived at the Star Gazing Plaza of the Guo Dao Academy—the earthly location of the Star Gazing Tower, where its third-grade Star Force Realm was situated.

The benefits of being a True Disciple were evident again.

Due to high demand, Core Disciples and Inner-Court Disciples had to reserve time in advance to enter the Star Force Realm, but True Disciples could enter anytime.

Within the Star Force Realm, regardless of grade, spots were always reserved for True Disciples.

"Xu Jie-di, you're from Jinshan Dao Commandery—aren't you the same Xu Jie-di I knew from Jinshan Dao Academy?" the attending senior brother said, glancing at Xu Jin's identity waist token and suddenly smiling.

"I didn't think you'd remember me!" Meeting an online acquaintance led to another lively chat—they got along well.

Wu Dong also told Xu Jin many things about the Starforce Nexus, even gossip.

The Starforce Nexus is, in fact, the present-day Star-Picking Tower.

Each floor has a different concentration of starforce, but entry requires payment.

This so-called payment is not made by disciples to the State Dao Academy.

Rather, the State Dao Academy must pay a price to the Star-Picking Tower.

According to Wu Dong, the State Dao Academy must supply the Star-Picking Tower with vast resources each year to gain access to many of its functions.

Otherwise, the Starforce Nexus would have long been open to all disciples without restrictions.

Third-rank Starforce Nexus privileges extend to true disciples: true disciples at Star-Refining level or below receive five hours of training per month; core disciples get two hours; inner-court disciples get one hour.

If disciples wish to train longer in the Starforce Nexus, they may pay in Dao Merits or Starlight.

One hour in the third-rank Starforce Nexus consumes thirty Dao Merits or three strands of Starlight.

"Xu younger brother, Vice Academic Director Liu has gifted you twelve hours of third-rank Nexus training time—plus your five hours as a true disciple, you now have seventeen hours total!"

"You'd best use this training time quickly. If you can't use it all, apply to freeze it early—wasting it would be a shame," Wu Dong said, envious.

"Thank you, Wu senior brother. How do I enter the third-rank Starforce Nexus?" Xu Jin asked.

"Your Star-Picking Token already has access. Enter the present-day Star-Picking Tower, hold your Star-Picking Token, go straight to the third floor, find the light gate, and step through. The token will alert you every hour," Wu Dong said.

"Thank you!"

Wu Dong, a core disciple at Star-Refining ninth layer, likely came from an ordinary background—otherwise he wouldn't be taking on tasks in the academy to accumulate Dao Merits.

Guarding Star-Picking Square grants four hours per shift and ten Dao Merits daily—a decent routine source.

Stepping into the present-day Star-Picking Tower, Xu Jin nearly thought it a normal high-rise—unless he noticed the faint starlight beneath his feet.

The stairs spiraled upward; when he reached the third floor, he gripped his Star-Picking Token and stepped through the star gate.

The next instant, he entered a space shimmering with starlight.

At the moment of entry, dense starforce surged over him—three times the normal concentration.

Instantly, Xu Jin felt as if he'd returned to the Fire-Scintilla Starfield.

He tested it: invisible starforce barriers surrounded him; his movement space was roughly a cube three meters on each side.

The starforce within replenished instantly after he absorbed any amount—but never exceeded triple concentration.

Training time here was precious; Xu Jin wasted not a single moment and began immediately.

After one hour, the Star-Picking Token trembled slightly, alerting him the time was up—but he stayed, since he had time.

Yet after that hour, only sixty-five strands of starlight were added to his Central Star Palace's star core.

The training efficiency was roughly triple that of the outside world.

Previously, in the outside world, one hour added about twenty strands to his star core.

Honestly, it was less effective than a single Star-Refining Pill.

But Star-Refining Pills work best when taken two within half a day—the third is wasted.

Yet when Star-Refining Pills aren't available, the third-rank Starforce Nexus is the optimal choice.

One hour here equals three hours outside—a great place to grind cultivation, and a great place to spend resources.

After two hours of training, Xu Jin left the third-rank Starforce Nexus and headed straight for the Flying Swallow Hall.

According to Liu Qingzhu, he had one hour daily of training in the Flying Swallow Hall's Star-Collecting Chamber, where starforce concentration was double the outside—so efficiency should be double.

He estimated he'd gain about forty-plus strands per hour.

But when he left the third-rank Starforce Nexus, a thin layer of starlight already encircled his Central Star Palace's star core.

This was the accumulated 630 strands from last night's evening session, this morning's morning session, and two hours in the third-rank Starforce Nexus—marking Xu Jin's Central Star Palace cultivation as officially advanced to Star-Refining First Layer.

But only the early stage of Star-Refining First Layer.

To engrave Star Patterns onto this first halo, he must reach the peak of Star-Refining First Layer.

Theoretically, Xu Jin needed at least four to five more days to break through.

But tonight's evening session would be a variable.

"Younger brother has arrived!"

"Younger brother has arrived!"

"Xu younger brother has arrived!"

"Senior brother Xu, greetings."

As soon as he entered the Flying Swallow Hall, a chorus of pleasant greetings filled the air—Xu Jin found it pleasing to the eye.

Especially the female cultivators: their figures were agile, some like she-leopards radiating power, others like sturdy pines, all upright and strong.

Except for a few naturally bulky ones—like Second Senior Sister Tang Chuo, who was the epitome of bulk.

The rest had no poor physiques.

If this were photographed, the screen would be full of long legs—no fake photos here.

Two junior sisters had especially fine figures; Xu Jin's gaze lingered on them for several breaths.

Hmm, purely appreciating beauty!

The benefits of being a true disciple were again evident in the Flying Swallow Hall's Star-Collecting Array—he didn't need to queue; he could enter directly.

As expected, with double starforce concentration, Xu Jin gained forty-two strands of starlight in one hour.

"You're Xu Jin?"

Just as Xu Jin finished training and was about to leave the Star-Collecting Array, a pair of breathtakingly long legs blocked his path.

Looking closer, he saw a woman in dark red training gear, back sheathed with a long spear, wearing combat boots and dark red light armor. Her height matched his, her eyebrows arched sharply toward her temples—radiating martial vigor.

Her chest was flat—whether naturally or compressed by armor, he couldn't tell.

"You're—"

"This is Senior Sister Yang Miao," the inner-court disciple on duty quickly introduced.

"Xu Jin bows to Senior Sister."

"Hmm. How's your training efficiency?" Yang Miao suddenly asked.

Xu Jin was puzzled. He looked up. Through his Mingji Star Pattern, he sensed Yang Miao's cultivation was Condensing Star—but the details were hazy, unclear.

Could it be that Yang Miao had also cultivated a Star Pattern to conceal her aura?

"Senior Sister means: how many strands of starlight did you gain in one hour in the Star-Collecting Array?" Second Senior Sister Tang Chuo's deep voice echoed from the side.

"Greetings, Second Senior Sister!"

"In my last hour of training, I gained thirty-three strands," Xu Jin hesitated, then reported three-tenths less than his actual gain.

He'd gained forty-two strands—reported only thirty-three.

He did so to conceal his Divine Soul cultivation at Star-Refining Seventh Layer.

Star-Refining Seventh Layer's Divine Soul cultivation significantly boosted training efficiency.

"Wow, that's impressive!"

Second Senior Sister Tang Chuo exclaimed like thunder, "My Divine Soul is about to forge a star—right now, I gain only twenty-eight strands per hour. No wonder you're a true disciple."

Senior Sister Yang Miao nodded approvingly. "Indeed. It seems true disciples truly have superior talent. I've already forged my Divine Soul, yet I still gain only thirty-two strands per hour."

Xu Jin was confused. Why had Senior Sister Yang Miao blocked his way?

To intimidate?

To challenge him?

To emphasize status?

Or to suppress him?

Or to lecture him?

But none of these seemed right—he couldn't tell their intent.

"Since your training talent exceeds our expectations, I'm reassured! From tomorrow onward, until you reach late Star-Refining, I'll give you my daily one-hour Star-Collecting Array training time."

Xu Jin: "????"

This twist left Xu Jin stunned.

He'd been bracing for trouble, fearing embarrassment—but now this senior sister was gifting him training time?

Was this a free gift from heaven?

"Senior Sister, this isn't right—"

"Just take it and train hard!"

Here, Yang Miao suddenly turned, drew her spear from its sheath, and pointed it at Xu Jin. "But if I catch you slacking off, don't blame me for punishing you!"

"Exactly!"

Second Senior Sister pulled a pair of golden spiked maces from her waist, swung them through the air—starlight flashed—and they instantly expanded into massive maces over four meters long, each head over a meter in diameter. A terrifying aura erupted from Tang Chuo.

Boom!

The entire Flying Swallow Hall trembled violently as the twin maces descended. As Xu Jin marveled at the building's quality, Tang Chuo swung the maces effortlessly and shouted at him, "Xu younger brother, if you dare slack off, I'll make you my sparring partner! And I'm giving you my daily one-hour Star-Collecting Array time too!"

What a terrifying threat!

"This is nonsense!"

Senior Sister Yang Miao shot a sharp glare at Tang Chuo. "You've just condensed your Star—this is when you should be growing your cultivation! Besides, even if you gave it, Xu younger brother couldn't train that much in one day."

Senior Sister Yang Miaozhen suddenly glared at Tang Chuo, "You've just condensed your star—this is precisely when you should be increasing your cultivation base! Besides, even if you keep sending him, Xu Jidi doesn't have that much time to come train every day."

Second Senior Sister Tang Chuo deflated like a punctured balloon—the massive maces shrank back to her small golden spiked maces, and the terrifying aura vanished.

Second Sister Tang Chuo deflated like a punctured ball, her massive hammer shrinking to a small golden gourd hammer, the terrifying aura receding.

"Alright, Xu Jie, hurry in and focus on your cultivation! Train hard—we can't let Master be sad again!" Yang Miao finished speaking, and with a flash of starlight, she vanished instantly.

"That's right—we can't let Master be sad again! I'm going to train hard too!" Second Sister Tang Chuo swung her fist and plunged into the Star Gathering Array with a thunderous rumble.

Xu Jin stared in shock.

Don't let Master be sad?

What's going on?

He asked several inner-court disciples, but none of them knew. Xu Jin could only step back into the Star Gathering Array to cultivate.

Only the core disciples seem to know. He'd have to wait for the right moment to ask.

The cultivation time in the Star Gathering Array cannot be frozen—if you don't come, you lose it. It's valid only for that day and expires at day's end.

That day, Xu Jin cultivated nonstop.

Yet he felt utterly fulfilled.

After dinner, Xu Jin went to his quiet chamber and began his evening session.

This time, he took out a single One-Vessel Star-Refining Elixir.

One and a half hours later, the pill's potency was fully consumed. Xu Jin's face lit up with joy—the number of circling starlight threads within the Star Core of his Central Star Palace had increased by over one hundred and fifty.

The next instant, Xu Jin took out another pill—a top-grade One-Vessel Star-Refining Elixir—and swallowed it.

One and a half hours later, the circling starlight threads within the Star Core of his Central Star Palace surged directly by over three hundred.

No one else, even if they swallowed three top-grade Star-Refining Elixirs in a row, would achieve such a cultivation effect.

In a single evening session, he gained over four hundred and fifty circling starlight threads. With morning and evening sessions combined, that's nine hundred threads, plus the Third-Rank Star Force Realm and the Star Gathering Array—he easily gained over eleven hundred starlight threads per day.

In two days, at most, Xu Jin's cultivation base would easily break through to the peak of Star-Refining First Stage.

Who could out-spend him in cultivation resources?

And from tomorrow onward, his Can-Dou Platform would continuously supply him with One-Vessel Star-Refining Elixirs and top-grade One-Vessel Star-Refining Elixirs.

Once he prepared enough emergency elixirs for Ning Yuchan's battles on the Star River Battlefield, Xu Jin could even cultivate Two-Vessel and Three-Vessel top-grade Star-Refining Elixirs for himself.

Now that was true top-tier spending!

(End of Chapter)