Chapter 15: Blood Butcher

June 17 was the final day of this year’s Spring Star-Pointing Season, and the atmosphere among the youths had grown noticeably tense.

For after today came the moment that would decide their fates.

In contrast, those who had already succeeded in star-pointing were far more composed, and among them, especially those who had broken through to Meal-Cloud First Stage, even more so.

At morning practice, Xu Jin followed his usual routine; though he had broken through to Meal-Cloud First Stage, achieving real cultivation required steady, day-by-day effort.

Moreover, two problems lay before Xu Jin.

First, he had no confidence he would be admitted to the Middle Courtyard tomorrow.

Second, the cultivation elixirs he used would be gone after today and tomorrow, but the most urgent issue wasn’t securing silver to buy more elixirs—it was earning a substantial sum of silver in a short time.

Xu Jin was deeply worried.

No one yet knew how Xu Dajiang had obtained that massive sum of fifty taels.

Earning it was impossible.

Even if Xu Dajiang had skill, strength, and willingness to endure hardship, earning two taels a month was already the absolute limit.

Where could fifty taels possibly come from?

Xu Jin had a bad feeling.

After the Star-Pointing Season ended tomorrow, he must return home.

And he couldn’t return empty-handed—he needed to bring silver back to resolve whatever problems might await.

As he pondered, Xu Jin felt melancholy—when would he ever stop worrying about silver?

Today being the final day of the Star-Pointing Season, incidents kept erupting.

Soon, a youth who had failed to point a star let out a pig-like scream—his chest star-tattoo had gone dark, and no matter how he assumed the Meal-Cloud posture, he could no longer draw down starlight.

Instructor Ning Yuchan explained: the star-tattoo branded on his chest had vanished.

Though a branded star-tattoo typically lasted three months, fading a day or two early was not uncommon and perfectly normal.

In other words, his Star-Pointing Season had ended prematurely.

Some youths, shaken by this sudden turn, grew fearful their own tattoos might vanish, lost focus, and their star-pointing results worsened.

A few others, desperate to succeed, pushed too hard, overexerting their spirit-force; even as their heads throbbed violently, they clung to the Meal-Cloud posture to draw starlight—and collapsed on the spot.

Ning Yuchan could only shake her head helplessly.

Such incidents occurred every Star-Pointing Season; it was no surprise.

By evening practice, the situation grew worse.

One after another, youths lost their star-tattoos entirely, their chance at star-pointing gone.

Some wept, some laughed, some collapsed, and others wailed aloud.

Those who wailed were immediately seized by the nape of the neck by Ning Yuchan and thrown far beyond the morning practice grounds.

She understood emotion, but disrupting others’ star-pointing was unacceptable—that was her duty.

“I made it, Instructor! I made it!”

“I really made it!”

Suddenly, ecstatic laughter erupted from the crowd; everyone turned instinctively, and even Xu Jin was affected.

He turned to see it was Liu Ji, an acquaintance—he frowned slightly.

Liu Ji’s chest now glowed steadily with a star-tattoo—he had succeeded at the very last moment.

Success at star-pointing, especially at the final hour, could explain Liu Ji’s wild joy.

But the youths around him were furious.

The next instant, Liu Ji’s laughter cut off, replaced by a pained “Aaah! Aaah!”

A shadow flashed—a silver iron cane, streaking through dirt, shot straight into Liu Ji’s mouth. He now grimaced in agony, saliva, blood, and mud dripping down his chin, utterly disheveled.

Ning Yuchan’s brows snapped upright in fury. “Liu Ji, I’m glad you succeeded! But screaming like this, interrupting others’ star-pointing, is destroying their futures.

How do you know others won’t succeed at the final moment?”

Liu Ji frantically gestured his apology; only then did Ning Yuchan withdraw the silver cane from his mouth.

“Instructor, I’m sorry.”

“Continue your practice.”

Ning Yuchan glared at Liu Ji, then turned away.

After Liu Ji, two more youths succeeded at the last moment—but having learned from his lesson, they received no silver cane to the mouth.

The final evening practice of this Star-Pointing Season ended amid the despairing sobs of many.

The despair in so many eyes sent chills through Xu Jin and Qian Xiaohu. Xu Jin suddenly realized: succeeding or failing at star-pointing was even crueler than the imperial examinations of his past life.

That night was sleepless—some jumped into the lake.

The commotion was immense, forcing many instructors to stay awake all night watching.

Failure at star-pointing was normal, but if a youth died within the Dao Academy, though no one could legally blame the academy, its reputation would still suffer.

The academy still cared about its face.

June 18—the Star-Pointing Season ended. Perhaps because the morning bell had stopped, many youths didn’t rise for morning practice, especially those who had failed; having failed, they saw no harm in sleeping in.

Xu Jin woke on time, dressed, and stepped outside, sighing as he tucked a few smooth river stones into his pocket to attend to personal needs—when he noticed Qian Xiaohu still asleep. He shook him. “Xiaohu, get up.”

Qian Xiaohu blinked sleepily. “Jin-ge, what’s wrong?”

“Get up. Morning practice.”

Qian Xiaohu rubbed his eyes again, then woke fully. “Jin-ge, the Star-Pointing Season’s over. Instructor didn’t say we still have morning practice.”

Xu Jin froze, then slapped the back of Qian Xiaohu’s head.

“Do you think morning practice is for the Instructor?

Do you think cultivation is for the Instructor?

If you can’t even grasp this, why bother cultivating at all? Go work the docks as a laborer instead!”

With that, Xu Jin walked out on his own.

He was just a younger brother, not a son—Xu Jin could say no more.

Fortunately, on the way to the morning practice grounds, Qian Xiaohu caught up, having tidied himself; seeing Xu Jin’s stern face, he hurried to apologize. “Jin-ge, I was foolish. I won’t do it again.”

“You should say that to yourself.”

As they spoke, they arrived at the morning practice grounds, where familiar figures—Yue Daqi, Ren Xiaoxiang, Zhou Du, Lu Xianbing, Song Ye, Qiao Ruonan—were already practicing the Five Stars Killing Fist, waiting for the first ray of dawn. Luo Geng arrived shortly after.

Xu Jin merely glanced toward Yue Daqi, pointed at Qian Xiaohu, then went to find his own spot to cultivate.

Qian Xiaohu stared at these geniuses, whose talents far surpassed his own, rooted to the spot. Soon, a fine sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.

He seemed to have understood something.

On the first day after the Star-Pointing Season ended, over two-thirds of the youths who had succeeded came for morning practice.

Shortly after morning practice ended, the bell rang, and attendants went around to notify all star-pointing-successful youths: assemble at the Outer Courtyard Martial Hall at Shen Hour, sharp. The Academy Head, Deputy Head, Supervising Officer, and other senior figures would personally oversee the evaluation to determine each youth’s future.

Before Shen Hour, Xu Jin, Qian Xiaohu, and others had already arrived early at the Outer Courtyard Martial Hall.

Last night had been the final moment deciding the fate of those who failed star-pointing; this afternoon would decide the fate of those who succeeded.

Honestly, in three months at Jinshan Dao Academy, Xu Jin had never met any of the senior figures—the Academy Head, Deputy Head, Supervising Officer, or the Star-Patrol Commander.

He only knew the Academy Head was a man whose stomp could shake Jinshan Command to its core.

The Academy Head, Deputy Head, Supervising Officer, and Star-Patrol Commander were known as the four public pillars of power at Jinshan Dao Academy.

This structure was roughly the same across all Dao Academies in Chen Guo, in every prefecture and commandery.

In the past, these figures were legends to newly star-pointed youths—but today, they would be seen in person, and each youth felt a thrill.

In the past, these people were legendary figures to teenagers who had just succeeded in sparking their stars, but today they could witness them firsthand, and each felt a surge of excitement.

Suddenly, a tearing sound split the sky—a deep blue streak emerged from the mid-slope of the academy, arced across the heavens, and landed directly atop the Martial Hall’s dais, revealing its form.

Dressed in a black round-collar robe, hair bound with a cloth headband, his face was as cold as stone, stern and grim.

Instructor Ning Yuchan and Star-Patrol Squad Leader Cui Tianqi and others bowed in greeting. “Greetings, Supervising Officer.”

This was Supervising Officer Cao Chun—said to be the most feared figure among academy disciples.

Suddenly, a greenish-blue light streaked from the horizon, descending swiftly—a man in a green robe, an elder.

The instructors and trainers bowed again—it was Deputy Head Feng Shu.

Immediately after came a crimson light, moving so fast it carried a palpable pressure; the figure slammed onto the dais with a thud, hand resting on his saber’s hilt, radiating killing intent.

As instructors and trainers bowed, many youths cheered and bowed too.

This was Star-Patrol Commander Tian Zhang, a legendary figure in Jinshan Command.

Suddenly, a deep azure streak appeared in the sky. All instructors, trainers, squad leaders—including Supervising Officer, Deputy Head, and Commander Tian Zhang—rose to greet it.

Suddenly, a deep azure streak of light appeared in the sky, and all instructors, headmasters, flag masters, including the Supervising Abbot, Deputy Mountain Head, and Supervisor Tian Zhang, rose to greet it.

Academy Head Dong Zhao landed, clad in white robes with a blue headband, his long beard fluttering like a celestial being.

As Xu Jin bowed with the others, he recalled the legendary tale of Commander Tian Zhang and Academy Head Dong Zhao.

This tale was well-known throughout Jinshan Command—many youths had cheered because of it—but only now did Xu Jin remember.

This legendary tale was well known throughout Jinshan County; many knew it, and the boys’ cheers moments ago were due to it, but Xu Jin only now remembered.

(End of Chapter)

(End of Chapter)