[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-star-martial-era":3,"chapter-the-star-martial-era-the-star-martial-era-chapter-163":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Star Martial Era",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2275021,4448,"Chapter 163: #1 Enemy (Request Subscription)","the-star-martial-era-chapter-163",163,"\u003Cp>In the heart of the Crimson Scale, Xu Jin could only sense the positions of four Crimson Scale Heart Plates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other two classmates were temporarily undetectable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having just entered, they should not yet be in danger—there was only one possibility: they were more than four thousand li away from Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the good news was, the four he could sense were not unlucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two of them were very close; Xu Jin estimated no more than five hundred li apart, while the other two were slightly farther, roughly eight or nine hundred li away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the corpses on the ground, Xu Jin silently cursed—he should have left one alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving one alive would have let him quickly determine his current location, pinpoint his position within the Purple Wind Star Domain, and then move to locate the other two classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the map issued earlier, the third-rank Purple Wind Star Domain spanned roughly ten thousand li in diameter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin guessed he had landed near some edge, so he needed to quickly confirm his position and head toward the center of the Purple Wind Star Domain to find the other two classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Preceptor had directly given Xu Jin his Crimson Scale Heart, asking only one thing: that Xu Jin bring back as many classmates as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having received such a tremendous benefit, Xu Jin would naturally do everything in his power to bring back as many classmates as he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaping onto the tree canopy, Xu Jin used celestial phenomena to determine the general direction, then activated the Crimson Scale Heart to send instructions to the four classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He told them to move toward each other in pairs, ideally at full speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nothing went wrong, they would meet and form teams within one to two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would greatly increase their safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Xu Jin would need to constantly monitor their positional changes, continuously guide and adjust their directions, and use the map to judge their locations—otherwise, getting them to regroup would still be extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to one centimeter on the map, the real distance could be several kilometers—or even dozens of kilometers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the canopy, after confirming safety, Xu Jin sank his spirit into the Can Dou Platform and first retrieved a pre-nourished fourth-rank rune tablet from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the fourth-rank survival rune tablet—Dawn—that Old Qi had given him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he pulled it out, Xu Jin feared it might shatter instantly under the Star Will’s restrictions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after handling it for a few moments, he found it intact; star energy could be input at any time to activate it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This filled Xu Jin with great surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, his safety had increased dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth-rank star artifact, Chaos Fall, which he had previously stored in the Can Dou Platform’s star lamp for nourishment, was also retrieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he pulled it out, the spiritual connection returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin was overjoyed again and put it on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Chaos Fall could be retrieved, safety had gained another layer of protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin also casually tossed the two Moon-Chasing Rune Tablets and three beginner-level Star-Healing Rune Tablets issued by the Dao Academy into the Can Dou Platform for nourishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nourishment was complete, their power would greatly increase, making them far more effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the Star-Healing Rune Tablets—rumored to be extremely rare, impossible to buy even with money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Xu Jin swiftly leaped across the treetops toward the direction of the other four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than fifteen minutes later, Xu Jin reached the forest’s edge, only to see over a thousand alien troops organizing their entry into the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin understood: they were coming for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin did not hide—he burst out directly from above the forest, immediately alerting the alien troops below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, alarms blared everywhere; the alien troops just entering the forest surged toward Xu Jin, while several Star-Refining aliens launched skyward to attack him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The approaching figures numbered roughly forty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All forty were Star-Refining, led by two Purple Wing aliens of Star-Refining Ninth Layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have to admit, this purple-winged alien is incredibly fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had previously surpassed the speed of Star-Refining Ninth Layer alien prodigies on the God-Slaying Battlefield, yet these two elite Purple Wing aliens—clearly Upper-Class Star-Casting—were even faster than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Purple Wing aliens also noticed Xu Jin’s cultivation: merely Star-Refining Fourth Layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they carelessly broke from the main force and chased after him alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as they were about to catch up, Xu Jin instantly turned and struck back, closing the distance in a flash; his body floated like willow fluff as his left hand unleashed five Starfire Cords, engulfing the two in terrifying flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames merely grazed the two Purple Wing aliens’ wings, instantly burning away half their feathers; the aliens screamed in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, a spiraling fire arrow, moving at extreme speed, obliterated the Star-Refining Ninth Layer elite Purple Wing alien outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a torrent of wind blades and tornadoes slammed down, Xu Jin used the wind’s momentum to drift away like willow fluff; his Starfire Ring swept out, repelling the assault, then four spiraling fire arrows blasted the Star-Refining Ninth Layer elite Purple Wing alien to pieces!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Xu Jin’s cultivation now breakthrough to Star-Refining Fourth Layer, and the Crimson Scale Heart greatly enhancing fire-based star arts, his fire star arts could now injure Star-Refining Ninth Layer aliens even without extra star energy input.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the two Star-Refining Ninth Layer Purple Wing aliens slain, the forty-plus Star-Refining aliens behind them first froze in terror, then erupted into furious curses and charged at him like madmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below Star-Refining Ninth Layer, they posed little threat to Xu Jin now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only SSS-tier Star-Casting and Upper-Class Star-Casting aliens could still threaten him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But ordinary Star-Casting aliens were merely offering themselves as meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sweep of the Starfire Ring, Star-Refining Below First Layer were instantly wiped out in groups; ordinary Star-Refining Middle Layer required only two strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What surprised Xu Jin was that even after all the Star-Refining aliens were slain, the Star-Casting aliens behind never retreated—they howled and charged at him relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fearless, suicidal demeanor shocked Xu Jin deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could indeed slaughter over a thousand aliens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after doing so, his star energy would be completely drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to survive five days in the Purple Wind Star Domain—star energy must be conserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin swiftly dug out thirty-odd star cores, looted the corpses, and fled before the ordinary alien troops could close in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jin vanished, the ordinary alien troops each seemed to lose their spirit, sitting on the ground weeping in utter despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this atmosphere of despair, one elite Star-Casting alien on the periphery silently fell asleep, unnoticed by anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, the Star-Casting elite alien awoke, scratching his head in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had dreamed of the invader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dream, the invader had asked him many questions, and he had answered them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A most peculiar dream!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Xu Jin, after obtaining the basic intelligence, he had already set out eastward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was currently in Zi Bo City, the westernmost major city of the Purple Wind Star Domain, firmly on the edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire third-rank Purple Wind Star Domain contained one royal city and four major cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their king, likely a Star-Condensing Ninth Layer being, resided in the royal city; the four major cities were each guarded by two Star-Condensing Eighth Layer and two Star-Condensing Seventh Layer experts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Zi Bo City, the governor was a Star-Condensing Eighth Layer expert, alongside eleven other Star-Refining experts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All Star-Condensing experts were Purple Wing nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This intelligence immediately dispelled Xu Jin’s idea of raiding Zi Bo City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about it: even the Cang Ming Star Temple had failed to conquer this domain in four attempts—Xu Jin had no chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difficulty of conquering a third-rank star domain was dozens of times greater than that of a second-rank one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His initial idea of raiding came from his recent gains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the two Purple Wing aliens, Xu Jin had found thirteen fourth-rank Star Jade Tablets—a substantial haul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two Star-Refining Ninth Layer aliens carried dozens of fourth-rank Star Jade Tablets each—what about Star-Condensing aliens?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, his strength was limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin believed he could still kill a lone Star-Condensing First Layer alien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But two would be extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three would likely be a death trap—he’d have to use his survival techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he known the Can Dou Platform could bring fourth-rank Star Jade Tablets inside, bringing in dozens might have made conquering this domain possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, Xu Jin moved slowly, constantly guiding the other four classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because their Crimson Scale Heart Plates could feed back only extremely limited information, the process was exceptionally difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took a full hour and a half before Bu Xuxue and Yin Mingzhang finally met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two Star-Refining Third Layer True Disciples of the Guo Dao Academy, working together, could easily slay Star-Refining Ninth Layer aliens and had the means to survive encounters with lone Star-Condensing First Layer aliens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their safety increased dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another hour later, Ying Ge and Niu Ju successfully reunited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This eased Xu Jin’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as nothing went wrong, these four had at least a sixty to seventy percent chance of survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If these four could now gather together, their chance of returning alive soared to eighty or ninety percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, only Ji Hongli and Wang Jiugao remained unaccounted for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theoretically, Xu Jin had been advancing toward the center of the Purple Wind Star Domain for two and a half hours; though not at maximum speed, he had covered over fifteen hundred li and was nearing the domain’s center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he still sensed no Crimson Scale Heart Plates from Ji Hongli or Wang Jiugao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Xu Jin realized a possibility—they were moving in opposite directions!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin was searching for them, and they were searching for Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their directions were wrong or their map coordinates mismatched, they would drift farther apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour later, Xu Jin reached Ban Yi Peak, one of the four major peaks of the Purple Wind Star Domain, located at its center, and stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued guiding the other four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Ban Yi Peak was the center, the other three peaks all lay within a two-thousand-li radius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Ji Hongli and Wang Jiugao followed the agreement and headed first toward these four peaks, Xu Jin could remain here—and soon, he would sense their Crimson Scale Heart Plates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the peak of Ban Yi Peak, Xu Jin swallowed a Yi Yun Tishen Pill to restore his spirit power, then took a Yi Yun Superior Star Refining Pill and began to cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than flounder like a headless fly, it’s better to cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the disciples of the two Star Palaces, they will find themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Xu Jin needs to do is gather his fellow disciples as soon as possible, reducing losses for the Chen Guo Dao Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then could Xu Jin accept the Crimson Scale Heart gifted by the Grand Master with a clear conscience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifteen minutes later, Xu Jin consumed another Yi Yun Superior Star Refining Pill and a Yi Yun Common Star Refining Pill; his Middle Star Palace cultivation base officially broke through to the peak of Star Refining Fourth Reckoning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After scanning the peak and finding no immediate danger, Xu Jin sat cross-legged atop it and began inscribing the Star Pattern he had long prepared—the Blazing Star Pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After inscribing the Blazing Star Pattern, Xu Jin could now use his newly learned Star Arts: Star Burst and Star Rain. But as his teacher Liu Qingzhu had said, Star Burst was manageable; Star Rain was extremely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had practiced Star Burst over a thousand times in the Star Lamp and had barely mastered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, one needs at least ten thousand repetitions to achieve half-instant casting; for full instant casting, perhaps twenty to thirty thousand repetitions are needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Practicing a single Star Art twenty to thirty thousand times consumes a colossal amount of star power for most cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Star Rain, being far more complex, is even more absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had practiced it four thousand times inside the Star Lamp—and barely reached entry level, nothing more!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To reach half-instant casting, he’d likely need forty to fifty thousand repetitions; for full instant casting, perhaps one hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key issue is that Star Rain is a ranged Star Art, consuming vast amounts of star power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If used in the real world, with Xu Jin’s currently immense Middle Star Palace star power, he could cast it only thirty to forty times before depleting his reserves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But practicing inside the Star Lamp saves immense time and star power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, Star Burst is barely half-instant, and Star Rain is barely entry level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Xu Jin has permanently inscribed both Star Arts onto the Star Lamp, achieving another form of instant casting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All three Star Lamps now have Star Arts permanently inscribed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin plans to find a way to upgrade the Can Dou Platform to fourth rank after returning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Zhai Xing Tower, the main hall of the Cang Ming Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao, Star Lord Du Tingyun, Zhang Zhen, and Left Sacrificial Officer Meng Yanhui all sat in silent stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This event is among the most important of the year for the Chen Guo Dao Academy, so Cheng Yuexiao and Meng Yanhui would personally remain present for these five days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they would also maintain contact with the outside world via the Zhai Xing Talisman, ensuring no delays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the Six-Metal Wheel before Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao trembled, and a drop of crimson starlight seeped from its surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Lord Zhang Zhen, who had been watching closely, smiled. “Good. One Star Palace disciple has already slain two Star Refining Ninth Reckoning aliens. Grand Master Cheng, according to protocol, should now transmit the corresponding Dao Academy disciple’s location.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Yuexiao sank his spiritual sense into the Six-Metal Wheel; instantly, the golden starlight paired with the crimson starlight shot forth a beam, linking directly to the crimson light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant the location had been transmitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ten breaths, the linking starlight vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before it vanished, the crimson starlight had already surged toward the golden starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden starlight represented a disciple of the Chen Guo Dao Academy; the crimson starlight represented a Star Palace disciple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the linking starlight vanished, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao sighed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was the first disciple the Star Palace disciple had targeted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he hold out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was Xu Jin’s plan proceeding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every year, at this moment, even the usually calm Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao endured the greatest torment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another fifteen minutes passed, and two more crimson starlights emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two more Star Palace disciples had completed their kill targets; Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao reluctantly transmitted their locations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the next hour, all Star Palace disciples completed their targets and were all assigned locations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Lords Du Tingyun and Zhang Zhen beamed with joy and anticipation; but in the eyes of Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao and Meng Yanhui, there was only anguish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Ban Yi Peak, Xu Jin punched forward; over ten meters away, a burst of starlight erupted. He punched again, and a vast expanse of flame exploded ten meters out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire covered a five-meter radius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Burst is another powerful Star Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is also heavily influenced by spirit power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The radius of the Star Burst changes according to the strength of the caster’s spirit power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stronger the spirit power, the larger the radius—but it can also be compressed into an extremely small area, then detonated, yielding immense damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large radius means area damage; an extremely small radius means pinpoint explosion with devastating power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the effect after inscribing the Blazing Star Pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of the Blazing Star Pattern can also be attached to Star Arrows or even infused into Star Fire Chains—but it suits Star Burst best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his Middle Star Palace at Star Refining Fourth Reckoning peak and an additional Star Pattern inscribed, Xu Jin’s combat power increased further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, if time permits, Xu Jin would cultivate his Lower Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, he still intended to cultivate both Star Palaces simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having entered the Zi Feng Star Zone for over six hours, and feeling relatively safe, Xu Jin decided to use the Dreaming Star Pattern to take a short nap of fifteen minutes, restoring his energy to maintain peak condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before settling into his brief rest, Xu Jin instinctively activated the Crimson Scale Heart to check the positions of his fellow disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his spirit sank in, he smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One more Crimson Scale Heartplate had appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His strategy was working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t know if it was Ji Hongli or Wang Jiugao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin immediately activated the Crimson Scale Heart to send a message to that Heartplate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other responded within moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was currently the farthest from Xu Jin—over four thousand li away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin didn’t waste words; he gave him a direction and ordered him to move swiftly toward his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, Xu Jin rose and raced toward the direction of that Crimson Scale Heartplate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would meet him halfway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Left Sacrificial Officer Meng Yanhui’s earlier warning, after entering the third-rank star zone, the six-hour mark would trigger the danger phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The danger phase meant the native alien forces would begin encircling and annihilating them, and Star Palace disciples would almost certainly have acquired their locations and begun hunting them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the other four, Xu Jin used the Crimson Scale Heartplates to guide their directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These four should converge soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they successfully formed a team, Xu Jin would have truly helped the Grand Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, without regard to star power consumption, Xu Jin’s maximum speed was sixteen hundred li per hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at this top speed, he could sustain it for only half an hour before his star power was completely drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, normally, Xu Jin advanced at eight hundred li per hour; with his Infinite Primordial Star Body’s natural regeneration, his star power barely diminished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With both parties moving toward each other, their closing speed was very high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just one hour, the distance between them shrank from roughly four thousand li to under fifteen hundred li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would meet in another half-hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin would finally know who it was!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two quarters of an hour later, as Xu Jin raced forward, his spirit stirred—suddenly, the crimson glow within his Upper Star Palace’s Crimson Scale Heart flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the Crimson Scale Heartplates was contacting him via emergency protocol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Crimson Scale Heart rapidly issued instructions via its coded system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the feedback a Heartplate could send back to the Crimson Scale Heart was extremely limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it was enough!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The message from this Heartplate contained only four characters: Danger! Rescue!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, through the Crimson Scale Heart, Xu Jin saw that its owner had accelerated, flying toward him at full speed, disregarding star power consumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Either he encountered a Condensing Star alien—or a Star Palace disciple!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Xu Jin surged forward, fully activating his third-rank SSS-tier Shadow Leopard Boots to unleash the Flying Star Step; his speed exploded to its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, he reached his maximum speed—230 meters per second!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flying Star Step continued to erupt; his Lower Star Palace’s star power drained rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, within the Crimson Scale Heart, Xu Jin and the Heartplate’s owner closed the distance swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap had already shrunk to under a thousand li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now both were charging full speed toward each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, Xu Jin swallowed a Yi Yun Si Xuan Fu Xing Pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two and a half quarters of an hour later, Xu Jin, sprinting at full speed along a cliffside, spotted two figures below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, he clearly recognized one: Wang Jiugao, Star Refining Third Reckoning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other wore the attire of a Cang Ming Star Palace disciple, radiating the unmistakable aura of Star Refining Fourth Reckoning peak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two beams of starlight chased each other; the Star Palace disciple taunted, “Run! Where can you run? Wang, surrender to the Cang Ming Star Palace now, or face annihilation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jiugao looked panicked—he had already fought Guan Ji of the Cang Ming Star Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was no match. Guan Ji not only had higher cultivation, but far greater combat power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he made contact with Brother Xu, and could only run nonstop without sparing any energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hoped Brother Xu Jin would arrive in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t make it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Jiugao was already weighing his options: should he surrender or not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he surrendered, could he even survive to return?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between life and death lies great terror!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone normally slaps their chest and boasts they fear no death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when truly faced with a life-or-death choice, they realize: between life and death, there truly is great terror!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang, if you keep running like this, you’ll exhaust your star energy in no more than half a minute. I still advise you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A piercing whistle of tearing air suddenly rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crimson streak suddenly descended from afar and in an instant shot before Guan Ji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, crimson starlight exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Star Flame Explosion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, Guan Ji froze, his expression filled with utter disbelief!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one Star Flame Explosion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had shattered his star technique, blown apart his star armor, obliterated his protective starlight, and finally punched a massive hole straight through his chest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man charging at him was merely at Star Refining Fourth Layer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the instant his eyes lost all light, Guan Ji finally recognized the man who had killed him with a single punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number one enemy, Xu Jin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3648,"2026-06-19T23:56:29.689Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","bd8634124997ed075a33ae5bd78204c3d358dc8aa31bdb84f7abf5a3b96f37d4","the-star-martial-era-chapter-164","the-star-martial-era-chapter-162",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-star-martial-era-cover.jpg"]