Chapter 152: Limits and the Grand National Master

If you have time, check the Godslayer Arena — Pan Hong

Inside the Xuedian's Ju Xing Great Array, Yuan Feiqing, who was cultivating, suddenly received a starlight message from his master, Pan Hong.

This surprised Yuan Feiqing — Godslayer Arena?

Isn't it for combat? What's there to look at?

But since his master said so, Yuan Feiqing obediently entered the Godslayer Arena via the Zhai Xing Token, checked the overall ranking list — no changes — then the new recruit ranking — hmm?

His rank had dropped one place?

Who moved up?

As he scrolled upward, he was greatly surprised when he saw the name at the top: Xu Jin.

He accepted Xu Jin as the Autumn Exam champion — that was fine.

But wasn't Xu Jin's cultivation base still below Star Refinement Second Layer? How did he reach number one already?

The next instant, as the ranking shifted slightly, Yuan Feiqing's eyes locked onto the critical detail — he sharply inhaled.

Level 72!

He understood!

The ranking his master wanted him to see wasn't the point.

It was the level count.

Xu Jin, at Star Refinement First Layer, had already reached Level 72.

Yet he, at Star Refinement Third Layer, was still stuck at Level 64!

That gap — between low and high — was terrifying?

"Could Xu Jin really have the power to instantly kill me?" Suddenly, an absurd thought flashed through Yuan Feiqing's mind.

After thinking it over, Yuan Feiqing firmly shook his head.

Impossible!

At least not Xu Jin at Star Refinement First Layer.

But if Xu Jin were at Star Refinement Third Layer — that would be another matter.

Fortunately, Xu Jin was still only at Star Refinement First Layer.

Thinking quickly, Yuan Feiqing immediately sent four or five starlight messages.

In fact, without Yuan Feiqing's reminder, many new recruits were already watching the Godslayer Arena rankings.

There was no help for it — Xu Jin's climb today was too explosive.

Fortunately, the Godslayer Arena ranking didn't display Xu Jin's exact cultivation level.

Many core disciples and inner court disciples, unaware of Xu Jin's true status, assumed he was also at Star Refinement Third Layer.

After all, he was the True Disciple champion — Star Refinement Third Layer was normal.

To them, this result was perfectly ordinary.

Autumn Exam champion, ranked first in Godslayer Arena — that was expected.

But disciples who knew Xu Jin's true situation felt it was utterly explosive.

Guan Li, ranked sixth among True Disciples, was the first to notice the anomaly; he stared for two full quarters, watching Xu Jin's rank surge rapidly until it reached Level 73!

Suddenly, Guan Li felt a crushing sense of defeat.

After becoming a True Disciple, he had been determined to make a grand display.

Now, seeing Xu Jin's results and comparing them to his own, he suddenly lost all drive.

"Senior Sister, check the Godslayer Arena! How is Xu Jin so strong? He makes me feel I can never surpass him!" Guan Li sent a starlight message to Meng Qingqiu, adding a sigh.

Meng Qingqiu had already been alerted by Yuan Feiqing.

Xu Jin's performance startled her — even felt explosive.

Too strong!

But it was only a feeling — it didn't affect her at all.

After watching for only a few dozen breaths, Meng Qingqiu exited the Godslayer Arena and prepared to resume cultivation.

Others are others; I am myself!

Her own cultivation progress — every tiny increase — was real, tangible gain. That was what Meng Qingqiu loved most.

Still, Meng Qingqiu clearly sensed Guan Li's emotional state was off.

Why are you obsessed with surpassing Xu Jin? Do you even want to surpass your master? Surpass the Grand National Master? Meng Qingqiu

Senior Sister, my master and the Grand National Master have cultivated for how many years! But Xu Jin is just like us — I just feel he's too strong, and I'm too weak. Guan Li

If everyone thought like that, wouldn't the Grand National Master's contemporaries all fall into depression? Guan Li, what is your purpose in cultivating? Meng Qingqiu

Purpose in cultivation? I never thought about it. My family made me cultivate, set my training plan and goals. Guan Li

Then from today on, I'll set you a cultivation goal. Can you achieve it? Meng Qingqiu

Senior Sister, whatever you order, I'll do it — even if I have to kill myself to do it. Guan Li

Simple: from today on, you must be stronger today than you were yesterday, and stronger tomorrow than you are today. Meng Qingqiu

Guan Li stared at Meng Qingqiu's message for a long time before replying.

Thank you, Senior Sister, for your guidance — I understand! From today on, I will be stronger today than I was yesterday, and stronger tomorrow than I am today. Guan Li

After sending this starlight message, Guan Li exhaled deeply — the terrifying pressure from Xu Jin seemed to vanish in that instant; Xu Jin's rank, now climbing to Level 74 on the Godslayer Arena list, became merely a number in Guan Li's eyes.

His spirit returned. His confidence returned.

Glancing once more at the Godslayer Arena ranking, Guan Li decisively left to resume cultivation.

Today, I must be stronger than yesterday!

Compared to Guan Li, Meng Qingqiu, and Yuan Feiqing, Yan Chen and Lu Kun reacted entirely differently.

Yan Chen watched Xu Jin's rank climb, climb, climb — his fists clenched tightly.

How could he be this strong?

How could someone at Star Refinement First Layer be this strong?

I shouldn't be weaker than him — I'm already at Star Refinement Third Layer.

Muttering to himself, Yan Chen stepped into the Godslayer Arena and began challenging levels himself.

Lu Kun stared at the ranking changes with a dark, grim expression.

The pride he'd felt since joining Master Fang Shi's school, the comfort of enjoying True Disciple privileges these past days — all shattered in an instant by Xu Jin's explosive ranking.

Lu Kun was extremely sharp.

He knew perfectly well why he'd been taken in by Master Fang Shi.

One major reason was that Xu Jin, the True Disciple champion, had humiliated Master Fang Shi.

Master Fang Shi took him in partly to regain face — and Lu Kun's own strength wasn't bad.

But now —

Hong Li, come to me — Song Ziye

Song Ziye, head of the Twelve Vice Masters, had barely left Minglun Hall when he sent a starlight message to his student, Ji Hongli.

Ji Hongli had exceptional talent and came from the Ji Clan of Wanyi — Song Ziye had already decided: he'd start with his own student to target Xu Jin.

Even if he poured all the resources lost to Liu Qingzhu into Ji Hongli, it was better than letting them go to Liu Qingzhu.

Don't let the benefits flow to outsiders.

Yes, Master. I'm currently cultivating in the Star Power Secret Realm — I'll arrive in about two quarters. Ji Hongli

After receiving the reply, Song Ziye said nothing more, returned to his quarters, entered the Zhai Xing Tower's Godslayer Arena, and stared, almost obsessed, at Xu Jin's rising rank.

By now, he had reached Level 76.

Meaning Xu Jin was simultaneously fighting six Star Refinement Eighth Layer alien elites — including one elite alien!

Ordinary aliens were mostly low- to mid-grade Cast-Star — their strength was weak; it wasn't surprising for Chen's geniuses to defeat them across levels.

But elite aliens were all high-grade Cast-Star; a Star Refinement Eighth Layer elite alien's true strength was only slightly weaker than a True Disciple of the same level in the National Dao Academy — and at least stronger than half of the core disciples at that level.

Although the aliens simulated in the Zhai Xing Tower's Godslayer Arena were weaker than real aliens in the Star River Battlefield — after all, they were only simulations.

The aliens' ferocity, cruelty, and cunning couldn't be fully replicated.

But they retained 80–90% of their true power.

Yet Xu Jin, at Star Refinement First Layer, had already crossed seven levels!

How could he be this strong?

At the same moment, Xu Jin, having just successfully challenged Level 77, received a starlight message from his master, Liu Qingzhu.

Xu Jin, come to the Xuedian after finishing the Godslayer Arena. Liu Qingzhu

After replying, Xu Jin immediately began challenging Level 78.

Today, he had planned to push to his absolute limit!

In fact, Xu Jin felt his limit was nearly reached.

Challenging Level 70 had already been slightly difficult.

Only by combining his Divine Soul Technique: Shatter Evil with a massive outpouring of star power had he slain the Star Refinement Seventh Layer alien prodigy.

Xu Jin called the top-tier Cast-Star bosses in the Godslayer Arena "alien prodigies." Their strength was truly formidable.

If you compared them to the high-grade Cast-Star Chi Meng and Chi You Xu Jin had encountered in the Huoxuan Star Region —

Either one of them, brought here, would be slain in under ten seconds.

Even Xu Jin at Cast-Star level would be wiped out.

Even Xu Jin before engraving the Mid-grade Fire Source Star Pattern would be killed.

The elite alien prodigy of the Ultimate Star Forging possesses not only stellar power but comprehensive strength—in star patterns, star arts, and combat ability.

Of course, if it were one-on-one, Xu Jin wouldn't be the least bit intimidated.

The problem is, one against eleven.

And they're extremely close.

In the instant combat begins, he'll be surrounded.

The seventy-eighth trial was the same.

This trial has two elite aliens.

The moment combat began, Xu Jin was targeted by eight alien cultivators at Star Refining Eighth Layer.

Using the kite ring he'd just learned, Xu Jin evaded most attacks with bizarre speed and footwork, but still suffered repeated blows.

As his protective starlight shield and standard star armor shattered, they also granted Xu Jin an opening to kill his enemies.

The combined bursts of Break Evil, Fire Arrows, and Starfire Ring allowed Xu Jin to eliminate the two strongest Star Refining Eighth Layer elite aliens and the alien Green Demon, who acted like a healer.

This healing alien Green Demon was the one Xu Jin hated most right now.

The rest of the battle became much simpler.

Passed the seventy-eighth trial.

Xu Jin continued to challenge the eighty-ninth trial of the Godslayer Arena.

The difficulty difference between the eighty-ninth and the seventy-eighth trial was merely one additional ordinary Star Refining Eighth Layer alien.

If he could pass the seventy-eighth trial, he could certainly pass the eighty-ninth.

【Xu Jin: Can challenge Trial 80. Reward: 80 Dao Merit Points】

As Xu Jin had expected, the Dao Merit points in the Godslayer Arena were cumulative—and growing increasingly impressive.

Yet Xu Jin didn't rush to challenge; instead, he carefully analyzed his tactics.

The roster for Trial 80 of the Godslayer Arena should be fixed: six ordinary Star Refining Eighth Layer aliens, three elite Star Refining Eighth Layer aliens, one elite Green Demon alien with healing ability, and an exceptionally powerful Star Refining Eighth Layer alien prodigy!

Victory hinges on eliminating this alien prodigy at the very first moment.

The ideal tactic would be to use speed and footwork to break free from the encirclement immediately, then wage guerrilla warfare, picking them off one by one.

But Xu Jin had already tried this in Trial 70—his current speed barely matched that of elite aliens at Star Refining Seventh Layer; the alien prodigy at Star Refining Seventh Layer was faster than him.

Then the speed of elite aliens and the alien prodigy at Star Refining Eighth Layer would certainly far exceed Xu Jin's.

This tactic was no longer viable.

But once Xu Jin's cultivation breakthroughs and he engraves speed-based star patterns, this will improve dramatically!

Then he must use the first tactic—capture the king to crush the bandits!

If he can kill the Star Refining Eighth Layer alien prodigy and the elite Green Demon, he stands a chance to pass Trial 80.

If he can't, then this is the limit of Xu Jin at Star Refining First Layer!

The next instant, Xu Jin selected the challenge.

He stepped instantly into Trial 80 of the Godslayer Arena!

In an instant, eleven enemies appeared in a fan formation across the screen.

During the five-second countdown, Xu Jin rapidly identified his target.

The next instant, the countdown vanished.

Xu Jin unleashed a series of Flying Star Steps, retreating instantly.

He retreated to avoid being surrounded.

As Xu Jin predicted, the four elite aliens and the alien prodigy swiftly chased after him.

In just one second, the alien prodigy reached Xu Jin's front.

At that moment, Xu Jin didn't retreat—he advanced.

His Soul Star rotated; as Break Evil struck, a star ring infused with twenty percent of his stellar power surged outward, repelling the four elite aliens. Xu Jin hovered midair, executing the Wind-Steady Ring tactic.

But all of Xu Jin's attacks were focused entirely on the alien prodigy.

The next instant, a Fire Arrow infused with sixty percent of Xu Jin's middle dantian stellar power blasted toward the alien prodigy.

Simultaneously, Xu Jin absorbed four or five direct hits—his Fire Shield shattered, his protective starlight shield shattered, his standard star armor shattered.

Severely wounded in an instant.

However, the alien prodigy was knocked backward by Xu Jin's furious assault combined with the Nine Veins Divine Sword technique under the Kite Ring—unconscious, with unknown life or death.

Success!

The moment Xu Jin felt joy in his heart, vines wrapped around his body.

As fire erupted, burning the vines, Xu Jin's movement was delayed a fraction by the Green Demon's vines—behind him, the six ordinary aliens arrived, their attacks raining down from all sides.

Xu Jin's vision dissolved into scattered starlight.

Defeated!

Trial 80: Challenge failed!

In the quiet chamber, Xu Jin replayed the battle in his mind.

No tactical errors!

Just a bit of bad luck.

If the Green Demon had rushed to save the alien prodigy instead of trapping him with wood-star arts, he still would have had a slight chance of victory.

But only a slight chance.

The Godslayer Arena had another critical restriction.

Once stellar power is depleted, it cannot be replenished!

In real combat, Xu Jin could have poured seventy percent of his stellar power without hesitation, then restored it at the Can Dou Platform—making success in Trial 80 far more likely.

But now, if he kept dying two or three more times just to chase that sliver of luck, it wouldn't be worth it.

"Then wait until I reach Star Refining Second Layer and engrave the star patterns!"

The next instant, Xu Jin exited the Godslayer Arena.

【First Place: Xu Jin, Trial 80】

The moment Xu Jin exited the Godslayer Arena, his Star-Picking Token vibrated three times urgently, emergency-level.

Xu Jin looked—surprised. It was Grand Preceptor Cheng Yuexiao sending an emergency star-message.

At the same moment Xu Jin exited the Godslayer Arena, Song Ziye, who had been watching the rankings, grew pale.

Is there still a chance?

When Song Ziye had left Minglun Hall earlier, he'd seen Xu Jin only reach Trial 70—there was still a good chance.

But now—he's at Trial 80!

This gap!

Unless Xu Jin stands still for the next half-month, then—

"Master, I've arrived." Outside the door came Ji Hongli's voice—his summoned disciple had arrived.

"Hmm?"

With a listless expression, Song Ziye stared at the Godslayer Arena rankings and suddenly said, "Hongli, return for now. There's nothing urgent."

He needed to think carefully about what to do next—and consult with Master Fang Xuezheng.

"Huh?"

Ji Hongli left, puzzled.

What's wrong with Master?

At the same moment, Yan Chen's expression twisted into a snarl.

On the Godslayer Arena leaderboard, Yan Chen had just cleared two trials, reaching Trial 69, ranked second.

But he'd already died twice in Trial 69.

Now, seeing Xu Jin's ranking, he was even more enraged.

Trial 80!

Xu Jin is Star Refining First Layer—he's Star Refining Third Layer!

As for Lu Kun, his expression grew even darker; his clenched fists dug his nails into his palms.

(End of Chapter)