[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-star-martial-era":3,"chapter-the-star-martial-era-the-star-martial-era-chapter-18":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},2274876,4448,"Chapter 18: Star Ring","the-star-martial-era-chapter-18",18,"\u003Cp>Wait a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the training platform, a group of teenagers cleared a space; Luo Geng assumed his stance, ready to begin, when Vice Principal Feng Shu suddenly spoke, drawing everyone’s gaze toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What trouble is he stirring up now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ground here is too low, making visibility poor. To ensure your instructors can see clearly, please come up onto the platform to demonstrate,” said Vice Principal Feng Shu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Principal Dong Zhao smiled faintly—everyone understood Feng Shu’s hidden motive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feared favoritism toward Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the demonstration took place on the platform, everyone could observe every detail clearly, making bias impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this contest between Luo Geng and Xu Jin had subtly become a battle of prestige between Dong Zhao and Vice Principal Feng Shu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Xu Jin wins, Feng Shu’s prestige suffers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Xu Jin loses, it proves Feng Shu was right all along—his prestige not only recovers but may even improve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But does Dong Zhao even care?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not at all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything hinges on the skill displayed by Luo Geng and Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, if they wish to perform on the platform, so be it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dong Zhao rose to his feet; Cao Chun and Tian Zhang followed suit, while other flag masters and instructors stepped back to clear space for the demonstration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Luo Geng leapt onto the platform, glancing first at his uncle Luo Kexing, the flag master of the Starpatrol Corps, who returned his gaze with unwavering confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Geng had received unreserved, expert instruction from his uncle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Feng Shu felt great confidence in Luo Geng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was well aware of the close relationship between Luo Geng and Luo Kexing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Luo Geng launched the first move of the Five Stars Killing Fist, a sharp sonic boom echoed—the punch radiated fierce, lethal force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Geng’s technique already carried a hint of the true essence of the Killing Fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Five Stars Killing Fist: killing is its true essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each movement produced a piercing, lethal sound; as the first technique, “East Harmonizes Yin-Yang,” concluded, a flash of light appeared—a star shield materialized on his right shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Shu, Luo Kexing, Cao Chun, Principal Dong Zhao, and all the instructors nodded approvingly—his technique was solid and grounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second technique, “West Rises Ten Thousand Stones,” was equally impressive; as the third sub-move ended, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and a streak of starlight enveloped Luo Geng’s right shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starlight!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s starlight!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The teenagers below erupted in astonishment—even Chief Instructor Ning Yuchan looked surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among this year’s Star-Seeking youths, 80% could summon a star shield, but fewer than 40% could produce starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Geng had hidden his strength well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Feng Shu was overjoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Luo Geng summoned starlight, Feng Shu knew his placement in the Middle Courtyard was assured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the crowd’s exclamations, Luo Geng wore a smug smile, savoring the moment, and intensified his next strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, in the final three moves of the Five Stars Killing Fist, Luo Geng’s performance was ordinary—he failed to summon any star techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even just the first two moves producing star techniques were astonishing enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Luo Geng concluded his demonstration, withdrew his fists, and stepped aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Jin, your turn!” said Ning Yuchan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Shu had wanted to suggest Xu Jin stop now to avoid humiliation, but since Ning Yuchan had spoken, he remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Feng Shu was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Xu Jin stepping onto the platform showed not the slightest sign of nervousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Principal, Vice Principal, Chief Supervisor, Chief Inspector, all instructors and teachers,” Xu Jin bowed respectfully after mounting the platform, then assumed his fighting stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s first move of the Five Stars Killing Fist was unremarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes: a master reveals his skill with the first move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Luo Geng’s powerful technique, Xu Jin’s, developed through self-study alone, lacked the same ferocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The basic star technique, the star shield, appearing at the end of the first move, was expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Principal Dong Zhao noticed something: Xu Jin’s star shield was far smoother than Luo Geng’s, with not the slightest hesitation or stiffness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, this alone couldn’t determine the outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We must wait to see Xu Jin’s next moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starlight!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Jin summoned starlight too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jin finished his second move, the crowd below erupted again in shock—no one expected Xu Jin to produce starlight as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Geng’s face paled; he instinctively glanced at Vice Principal Feng Shu and his uncle Luo Kexing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Shu’s expression remained impassive, unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what? Another starlight? What’s the big deal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overall, Luo Geng’s mastery of the Five Stars Killing Fist still clearly surpassed Xu Jin’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Principal Dong Zhao couldn’t overturn this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Jin’s Five Stars Killing Fist didn’t stop—he shifted into the third move, “South Sweeps the Six Directions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below, Yue Daqi, this year’s top Star-Seeker, had been idly counting his fingers when suddenly his expression froze, his eyes widening in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Star ring?” “Is that the basic star technique—Star Ring?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jin completed the third move, a dense ring of starlight suddenly rippled outward from his torso, spreading like waves—breathtakingly beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Star ring? How is this possible!” exclaimed Luo Kexing, Luo Geng’s uncle, his eyes wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Chief Instructor Ning Yuchan looked utterly astonished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Five Stars Killing Fist is considered basic because each move corresponds to a fundamental star technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first two moves—star shield and starlight—are relatively easy to master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the third move’s star ring? Its difficulty exceeds the combined complexity of star shield and starlight by more than double.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t Yue Daqi, this year’s top Star-Seeker, take twenty days to summon a star ring?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long has Xu Jin trained?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including this morning, only eight days?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Shu’s eyes were filled with shock—but even more with anger and fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The face he was about to reclaim had just been thrown back onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Dong Zhao’s smile, however, grew broader and broader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A delightful surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Supervisor Cao Chun and Chief Inspector Tian Zhang remained expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Luo Geng—he was utterly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had trained secretly to conceal starlight under his uncle’s guidance, thinking he’d prepared thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now Xu Jin? Not only concealed starlight—he concealed a star ring too! How much deeper can this go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the outcome was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Luo Geng held a slight edge in the true essence of the Five Stars Killing Fist, Xu Jin’s additional star technique was an overwhelming advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Principal Dong Zhao, Chief Instructor Ning Yuchan, all the instructors, and Chief Inspector Tian Zhang all fixed their gazes intently on Xu Jin’s next moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth move of the Five Stars Killing Fist, “North Shoots the Wolf Star,” if mastered, can produce another basic star technique—Star Arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difficulty of Star Arrow exceeds even that of the Star Ring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Xu Jin could summon it, his talent in star technique comprehension wouldn’t just be exceptional—he’d be a prodigy beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth move, “North Shoots the Wolf Star,” was completed—no Star Arrow appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Inspector Tian Zhang and Chief Supervisor Cao Chun both flickered with complex, resigned expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talents are rare; prodigies are rarer still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But keeping a talent within our grasp, rather than letting them be claimed by the Star Temple, is infinitely harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star Temple is not to be trifled with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Principal Dong Zhao, watching Xu Jin’s fourth move, seemed lost in thought—his gaze sharpened as he anticipated the fifth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the platform, Xu Jin had not summoned any star technique in his fourth move—how could he possibly do so in the fifth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when the demonstration ended, the crowd below erupted in cheers and thunderous applause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Luo Geng stood pale and defeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Middle Courtyard spot was no longer his to claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin withdrew his fists, stood calmly, face unwavering, breath steady, radiating quiet confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, had his cultivation level and physical conditioning permitted, Xu Jin could have summoned star techniques in both the fourth and fifth moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Star Lamp, Xu Jin had already summoned star techniques in both the fourth and fifth moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four hours of daily practice inside the Star Lamp were no empty boast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Stage One: Canopy Platform]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Platform Master: Xu Jin]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Graced by the Stars: One daily bow grants a strand of starlight]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Star Lamp: Fixed the basic Star Shield technique; can be replaced after one day.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Suitable for Cultivation: Zero】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Star Techniques: Basic Star Shield (Fixed), Basic Star Radiance, Basic Star Ring, Basic Star Arrow, Basic Star Light Veil】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Can Be Upgraded】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thoughts flickered to the Can Dou Platform, where the jade tablet now bore five star techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Headmaster, Deputy Headmaster, Supervisor, Duzhu, Lei Geng and Xu Jin have completed their martial demonstration—what is the final verdict, please instruct,” Ning Yuchan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Ning Yuchan spoke, Deputy Headmaster Feng Shu’s face darkened, and he turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Yuchan was helpless; this was not her intent to embarrass the Deputy Headmaster—she held only the authority to preside, not to decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone understands clearly; no need for me to say more. Announce it,” Headmaster Dong Zhao said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After the martial demonstration, the final candidate to join the Middle Court this Star-Pointing Season is Xu Jin. Do any of you have objections?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have an objection!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had Ning Yuchan finished speaking than a voice rang out from beneath the demonstration platform; everyone turned in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all this, who could still object?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1594,"2026-06-19T23:56:29.689Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","662df7e4129542bf881183936f94d23e550333bbf72cb6abfae3445a43f79bae","the-star-martial-era-chapter-19","the-star-martial-era-chapter-17",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-star-martial-era-cover.jpg"]