Chapter 167: The Wheel of Fortune Turns (Seeking Subscriptions)

When Tian Lie's head exploded under Xu Jin's blow, Ji Hongli, who had just surfaced from the water, was stunned.

Tian Lie!

This genius of the Sun Star Temple, a top-grade Casting Star, sixth-layer cultivator, who had chased her for eight hundred li and severely wounded her top-tier genius, had just been killed by Xu Jin.

It looked so easy!

For a moment, Ji Hongli stood frozen on the water's surface, her intended aid forgotten.

Like a lotus rising from the water, only tinged red.

Xu Jin, however, did not notice Ji Hongli's shock; he merely turned and waved at her. "Hongli, you're safe for now—we'll retreat soon!"

We can't stay here long.

Quickly, Xu Jin stripped off a third-grade supreme Star Armor from Tian Lie's body.

This was exactly what Xu Jin urgently needed; he didn't hesitate, put it on immediately.

His life now had one more layer of protection.

The other third-grade supreme Star Boots were taken as well.

"Not much of value here."

After searching, Xu Jin felt slightly disappointed.

As a top-grade Casting Star genius of the Sun Star Temple, Tian Lie carried only three low-grade Star Healing Seals, and even fewer elixirs than what Xu Jin had taken from Guan Ji.

But he did find one jade bead, and half a purple broken feather.

Nothing else.

Yet it was clear Tian Lie came from an extremely wealthy family—he carried no ordinary Cultivation Star Elixirs, only top-grade ones.

While at it, Xu Jin also opened the pouch he'd taken from Zi Yang, the seventh-layer Condensing Star expert.

He needed to check it—lest he carry something suspicious that might later leave a tracking mark.

One bottle of Four-Xuan Revive Star Elixir, one of Stimulant Elixir, and even one of Qi Return to Star Elixir—these were good items.

One pill was worth ten strands of starlight; a whole bottle, a hundred strands.

The bottle designs were all contemporary style; Xu Jin guessed these were the items Tian Lie used to bribe Zi Yang.

But could three bottles worth over a hundred strands of starlight really buy a fourth-rank, seventh-layer Condensing Star expert?

Were the Purple Wing royal clan really that cheap?

Did they send an entire city's elite army to fight and die for Tian Lie over this little?

That didn't make sense.

Suddenly, Xu Jin spotted another elixir box beneath a pile of Star Jade Tablets.

Seeing the box, Xu Jin's heart gave a slight leap.

This, surely, was the real prize—the true bribe.

He opened it—and his gaze sharpened.

Something familiar—Spirit Refining Golden Core.

It was a single Spirit Refining Golden Core!

To bribe a fourth-rank, seventh-layer Condensing Star expert with one Spirit Refining Golden Core—this price was perfectly reasonable.

Like Ning Yuchan, a peak seventh-layer Condensing Star expert, who had only obtained one such pill after earning three top-tier grades in the Autumn Exam.

Now, it had fallen into Xu Jin's hands.

Without hesitation, Xu Jin tossed the Spirit Refining Golden Core into the Star Lamp of the Can Dou Platform to nurture.

It was necessary.

Even if its potency dropped by forty percent after nurturing, the enhanced effect afterward made it worth far more.

The rest were merely wealth—hard currency within the star realms.

About fifty fourth-grade Star Jade Tablets, but four fifth-grade ones!

A single grade difference in Star Jade Tablets meant at least a tenfold value gap—and it was one-way.

Ten fourth-grade tablets could be swapped for one fifth-grade one, with many clamoring to trade; yet twelve fourth-grade tablets might still not get you one fifth-grade one.

Adding these five, Xu Jin now had six fifth-grade Star Jade Tablets and over a hundred fourth-grade ones—a substantial haul.

What surprised Xu Jin was that the Purple Wing barbarian army had fled, leaving all their corpses behind—he began digging out each star core, for every one brought back was a Dao Merit.

The habit of thrift and diligence must not be abandoned!

On the water's surface, in just a few breaths, Ji Hongli's thoughts had twisted a hundred times.

She truly respected Xu Jin's strength now.

Previously, she thought she was only three or four ranks behind him.

Now she saw it wasn't rank—it was a true gap in cultivation, at least three or four minor realms, perhaps even five!

Having accepted his strength, she now wondered how to relate to him.

From last night to this morning, trapped in desperation, her emotions had swung wildly—and she'd done something astonishing. Now, recalling it, her face flushed and her heart raced.

But after thinking, she truly liked how that felt!

She didn't know what Xu Jin thought, but after the twists and turns since last night, after countless despair and countless hopes drawn from him, Ji Hongli's heart had already made up its mind.

"Senior Brother, let me help you!"

With a sweet voice, Ji Hongli appeared behind Xu Jin, star energy like a blade, helping him dig out star cores.

"Damn these barbarians—they even loot their own fallen comrades' gear!"

As he dug, Xu Jin cursed—last night, the sixty-odd Cultivation Star barbarians he'd killed had been stripped clean, not a single Star Jade Tablet left.

All taken by their own kind.

"Senior Brother, it's normal for barbarians! My grandfather said some star realms' barbarians even use their own kin's flesh as cultivation fuel—far worse things happen." Ji Hongli comforted him as she dug.

"I don't care about their limits—but these were my kills, these were my spoils."

"All sixty-some were killed by you?" Ji Hongli froze, staring at him in utter disbelief.

"How could I? I only killed three or five!" Xu Jin casually deflected.

Ji Hongli believed him—because logically, it was impossible.

Though the Dream Star Seal was powerful, without stealth, it was just suicide bait.

Who in the world would suspect Xu Jin could turn invisible?

"Senior Brother, how did you kill that seventh-layer Condensing Star Zi Yang?" Finally, Ji Hongli couldn't help asking.

Xu Jin had been worrying about this too—this question had to be answered.

Otherwise, if Ji Hongli casually mentioned it later, it would bring him endless trouble.

The problem was, it was hard to cover up.

"Have you heard of the Blood Sacrifice technique?" After a few breaths of silence, Xu Jin suddenly asked.

"Yes."

Ji Hongli nodded. "It's said to be a dark art—can boost power in a pinch, but drains the user severely."

Suddenly, Ji Hongli covered her mouth. "Senior Brother, you didn't use the Blood Sacrifice technique to enhance your Seal's power, did you?"

Xu Jin was relieved she'd filled in the answer herself—but she frowned. "Wait, I sense your vital energy is full and robust—you don't look drained like someone who used Blood Sacrifice."

Xu Jin turned, placing both hands on Ji Hongli's shoulders. She trembled slightly, but offered no resistance, accepting his sudden, intimate touch.

"So you must keep this absolutely secret," Xu Jin said solemnly.

Ji Hongli blinked her long lashes several times, asked nothing, and nodded vigorously. "Senior Brother, rest assured—I'll take this secret to my grave. I won't tell anyone, not even Grandpa, not even in my dreams!"

Hearing "in my dreams," Xu Jin suddenly remembered another use of the Dream Star Seal.

He wanted to use it immediately, but first he had to explain clearly to Ji Hongli.

"Hongli, the Blood Sacrifice technique I used involved using others' blood to refine the Seal—I used the essence of four or five barbarians to achieve this power!"

You know, it's a dark art.

If anyone finds out, I'll be buried alive!

So you must keep it absolutely secret!" Xu Jin said.

To ensure secrecy, to cover this up, and to leave room for future possibilities, Xu Jin could only fabricate this explanation.

Ji Hongli nodded again, vigorously. "Senior Brother, don't worry about this.

My grandfather said: the distinction between righteous and dark lies not in the technique, but in how it's used!

A righteous art used wickedly can kill and harm the people!

Like a longsword—it defends home and protects the people, then it's righteous!

If it's used to rob, kill, and slaughter innocents, then it's evil!

Can anyone say the sword itself is evil?"

So Senior Brother, don't worry about it!

Of course, I know most people are foolish—that's why I'll keep your secret absolutely!"

"Yes, good—I trust you'll keep it secret."

Hearing Xu Jin's words, Ji Hongli smiled happily, like a blooming flower.

Half an hour later, Xu Jin, carrying over a hundred third-grade star cores, left swiftly with Ji Hongli.

The reason for so many third-grade cores was partly due to Tian Lie's haul.

An hour later, they reached an unnamed small peak, found a safe spot, and prepared to rest.

Especially Ji Hongli—her nerves had been taut for over a day; though her soul energy was replenished by Stimulant Elixir, she was exhausted!

"You rest—I'll keep watch first."

Hearing Xu Jin's words, Ji Hongli didn't press further; she smiled sweetly at him, then, in his stunned gaze, laid her head directly on his thigh, curling up like a cat and falling fast asleep within moments.

What stunned Xu Jin even more was that Ji Hongli, even while asleep, was anything but still—her head on his thigh wasn't enough; her arms reached around, hugging his entire thigh, nearly brushing his most sensitive spot.

But Ji Hongli slept even more soundly.

Xu Jin sighed bitterly.

After last night, Ji Hongli's trust in him had reached its peak.

But this was testing his character to the limit.

Her curled form revealed astonishing curves, her arms wrapped tightly around his thigh, her face still wearing that sweet smile—even from his angle, her chest looked startlingly pale.

Thank heaven for Star Force, thank heaven for my powerful Divine Soul, and thank heaven for the Calming Star Pattern—otherwise, I'd have become a beast.

And then, worse than a beast!

Yet after Ji Hongli fell asleep, Xu Jin did something truly beastly.

He activated the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern and entered her dream. In the dream, Ji Hongli trembled violently; when she saw Xu Jin appear, she clung to him like an octopus, nearly driving him to commit another beastly act.

But Xu Jin was still better than a beast.

In the dream, Xu Jin continuously activated the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern to reinforce her vow.

In the dream, Ji Hongli spontaneously swore not to reveal even a single detail about Xu Jin's killing of Zi Yang—including the concealment of his aura.

He reinforced it again and again.

He repeatedly left the dream and re-entered hers, reinforcing it seven or eight times before finally feeling at ease.

With this reinforcement, unless a powerful cultivator performed a soul-searching technique, Ji Hongli's chance of voluntarily revealing anything was virtually zero!

After completing this, Xu Jin leaned slightly to one side and used the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern to draw himself into slumber.

He was also tired and needed rest.

But there was still a major task ahead—he planned to rest only half an hour.

When Xu Jin awoke, he smelled something sweet near his nose; opening his eyes, he saw Ji Hongli curled in his arms, gazing at him with beautiful, wide eyes.

The two of them were entwined like octopuses, yet their clothes remained intact.

Seeing Xu Jin awake, Ji Hongli's face flushed crimson.

She had woken up like this—her limbs still tangled with his like an octopus's, and before she could untangle herself, their bodies pressed even closer, even brushing against sensitive areas.

Ji Hongli's face turned even redder.

After a few breaths, she broke free and hurriedly said, "Senior Brother, it's my fault—I've been dreaming, and in the dream I saw you coming to save me, so I naturally threw myself at you. It must be because…"

Xu Jin, rising, silently pressed his hand to his forehead—this was the side effect of having pulled Ji Hongli into the same dream seven or eight times with the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern.

"Hongli, wait here for me. I'm going to infiltrate Huomucheng to gather intelligence."

"Senior Brother, I'm coming too."

"You need rest. Besides, I know how to conceal my aura. Stay here. If enemies approach, use the Red-Scale Armor to alert me."

After a dozen breaths, Xu Jin left the peak and sped toward Huomucheng.

When he had previously departed from the site where he killed Zi Yang, he had unconsciously headed toward Huomucheng—one of the five major cities in the third-tier Zifeng Star Domain.

Here, Huomucheng was only about seven hundred li away.

At Xu Jin's speed, he could reach it in two or three quarters of an hour.

Along the way, Xu Jin activated the Red-Scale Heart to check the positions of his fellow disciples and exhaled a long breath of relief.

The Red-Scale Heart showed that the other five Red-Scale Armor fragments had already gathered together.

They were slowly advancing toward Xu Jin's location.

With five of them traveling as a group, their safety increased dramatically.

Even if a Star Sect cultivator of Nascent Soul Stage I appeared, they might still have a chance to kill him through cooperation.

As for the Star Sect disciples, there was no need to worry at all.

Once Xu Jin finished this task, he could join them and begin hunting down Star Sect disciples in return.

Inside the Star Sect's main hall, the Star-Picking Tower's branch, as another hour passed, Du Tingyun and Zhang Zhen once again looked anxiously at the Six-Metal Wheel before Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao.

Their expressions held urgency, and a trace of tension.

In contrast, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao grew increasingly calm and composed.

The reason was simple.

In the Six-Metal Wheel's latest positioning, taken an hour ago,

the number of surviving disciples from the Star Sect and the Chen Guo Dao Academy remained unchanged.

Seven Chen Guo Dao Academy disciples remained alive; one Star Sect disciple had died, leaving six alive.

But among the Chen Guo Dao Academy disciples, five of their locations had merged.

The other two were also extremely close.

This meant the Chen Guo Dao Academy disciples had formed two teams—one of five.

That five-man team was a behemoth of strength—at least for the Star Sect disciples.

The second team consisted of two.

But the Star Sect disciples were faring poorly: they had formed three teams.

One team of two, another of three—acceptable.

But one disciple remained alone—and he was in the same region as the Chen Guo Dao Academy's two-man team.

This made Du Tingyun and Zhang Zhen extremely tense!

From this distribution alone, the situation was extremely unfavorable for the Star Sect disciples!

After a few breaths, under the piercing gazes of the two Star Lords, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao activated the Six-Metal Wheel.

Instantly, golden and crimson light dots rose one after another.

Seven!

Seven golden light dots.

Cheng Yuexiao and Meng Yanhui both exhaled in relief.

All seven disciples were unharmed.

But Du Tingyun and Zhang Zhen's faces darkened.

Five!

Left and right, there were only five crimson light dots.

This meant another Star Sect disciple had died.

The one who died was the lone Star Sect disciple who had been operating independently!

Who could it be?

Du Tingyun and Zhang Zhen exchanged glances, both hoping it was an enemy disciple, not their own.

But both knew the loss was inevitable.

What followed would likely be the true beginning of their nightmare.

After all, only a little over one day had passed in the five-day Selection War—there were still three and a half days left.

Watching Du Tingyun and Zhang Zhen's constipated expressions, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao felt immense satisfaction.

Fortune turns like a wheel.

In past years, it was he who suffered as if stabbed in the heart—this year, it was their turn!

Delicious!

In the third-tier Zifeng Star Domain, besides Wangcheng, there were four other major cities—Huomucheng was the eastern one, its governor being Zi Yang, the Nascent Soul Stage VII Ziyi Clan noble whom Xu Jin had slain.

When Xu Jin arrived, Huomucheng was under martial law, with scouts deployed in all directions.

After concealing himself, Xu Jin infiltrated the city tower, found a Nascent Soul Stage IX commander, unleashed his powerful Divine Soul force, and forcibly pulled the man into a dream using the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern.

In truth, the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern had many limitations.

If the target had no vigilance and placed absolute trust—like Ji Hongli's state—even if her Divine Soul cultivation was nearly equal to his, he could easily draw her into a dream.

During daylight, especially during intense combat when attention was fully focused, the Dream-Weaving Star Pattern was useless.

At night, if the target was not deeply asleep and was a stranger with vigilance, he needed at least three levels of Divine Soul cultivation superiority to have any chance of pulling them into a dream.

During the day, the difficulty increased further.

He needed Divine Soul cultivation far exceeding six or seven levels to forcibly pull someone into a dream.

Fortunately, this Nascent Soul Stage IX commander had not yet forged his Star Core; Xu Jin merely unleashed a bit of his Divine Soul force and pulled him into the dream.

He began questioning.

A Nascent Soul Stage IX commander held considerable rank and was a key executor in Huomucheng, possessing vast amounts of information.

Soon, Xu Jin understood the situation.

Several key points emerged.

The martial law was imposed to suppress the news.

Zi Yang, the severely wounded Nascent Soul Stage V Ziyi Clan noble and deputy governor of Huomucheng, refused to let it be known that Governor Zi Yang had been killed.

Because once his wounds healed, Zi Hao of the Ziyi Clan would almost certainly appoint Zi Shuo as the new governor to stabilize the situation quickly.

Zi Shuo's Nascent Soul Stage V cultivation qualified him for the position.

But a wounded deputy governor like Zi Shuo was unfit to become governor.

Then, Nascent Soul Stage VI experts, like sharks smelling blood, would swarm to contest the governorship.

Some might even risk assassinating Zi Shuo.

As a native commander of Huomucheng, he naturally preferred a Nascent Soul expert born and raised in the city to become the new governor.

Therefore, they enforced martial law and sealed the city.

It is estimated that martial law and the city seal will last about ten days.

In about ten days, Deputy Mayor Zi Shuo's severe injuries will have recovered nearly fully!

As for sending out reconnaissance patrols, they are gathering the routed troops.

Previously, Zi Yang had taken out all the elite troops of Huomucheng; due to Deputy Mayor Zi Yang's death, many elites fled outright.

Now, as deputy mayor, Zi Shuo directly ordered amnesty for them and gathered them back.

Upon receiving this information, Xu Jin formulated a plan.

After confirming the location of Deputy Mayor Zi Shuo, he also found a military map of Huomucheng.

After memorizing it carefully, Xu Jin reactivated his invisibility and silently infiltrated the residence of Deputy Mayor Zi Shuo!

(End of Chapter)