Chapter 192: The Great Umbrella

September 21.

Xu Jin and Jiang Er rose early, had breakfast with Ning Yuchan, then walked together to see her off at Star Picking Square.

Ning Yuchan had already changed into military armor—her usual long skirt replaced by black battle robes, a large satchel slung across her back, resembling exactly how Xu Jin had looked on his first day at university.

But Xu Jin had gone to study.

Ning Yuchan was going to war.

With a military order, Ning Yuchan could use the Star Picking Tower on the Transit Path for free; after three transmissions via the Star Picking Tower, she would arrive at the Star River Battlefield's Star Picking Tower, then proceed from there to the Great Chen military camp.

Ning Yuchan came from Jinshan County and was naturally unsocial; after arriving at the National Dao Academy, she spent every day head-down in cultivation or tending to Jiang Er and Xu Jin, with no one to see her off.

After bidding farewell to Xu Jin and Jiang Er, she turned to leave—when suddenly, starlight descended.

"So you're just going to slip away without a word?" It was Headmaster Dong Zhao.

"Master Dong. It's just going to war—everyone will go someday." Ning Yuchan smiled.

Suddenly, Dong Zhao beamed. "You've broken through? When?"

"This morning." As she spoke, Ning Yuchan glanced at Xu Jin.

But that glance, only Xu Jin understood.

"Then—"

Dong Zhao had just pulled two fourth-rank runes from his sleeve, then hesitated.

He'd intended to gift her two fourth-rank runes for emergency survival—but now that she'd broken through, their utility was diminished, though not useless.

With a casual motion, he pulled out a vial of One Qi to Star Elixir and handed it to her as well.

"Don't refuse. I won't say more."

"I wish you swift victory and success on the Star River Battlefield!" Dong Zhao stepped back, bowing solemnly.

"Thank you, Master, for your good wishes."

Ning Yuchan instinctively glanced at her leg, then accepted the gifts from Headmaster Dong Zhao without hesitation.

Suddenly, another streak of starlight descended.

It was Pang Yu, senior disciple of Danxia Academy—something that surprised Xu Jin.

What was he doing here?

"Senior Sister Ning, the Grand Master sent me to deliver five Dragon Turtle Soul-Forging Elixirs, and a message for you." Pang Yu said.

Only then did Xu Jin realize the Grand Master had sent him to see her off.

"Please convey my thanks to the Grand Master," Ning Yuchan said, accepting the elixirs.

"The Grand Master said: these elixirs are but a small aid—may your wishes come true, and may you return victorious!"

"Yuchan thanks the Grand Master."

Hearing this, Pang Yu bowed to her, then bowed to Dong Zhao and Xu Jin before dissolving into starlight.

"Master Dong, Xu Jin, Jiang Er—I'm off. Farewell!" With a bow, Ning Yuchan turned and stepped into the Star Picking Tower.

Xu Jin suddenly called out, "Five days!"

"Mm. Five days."

Ning Yuchan replied, then stepped into the Star Picking Tower.

This exchange left Dong Zhao and Jiang Er utterly baffled.

What did "five days" mean?

That she'd return in five days?

Impossible.

Suddenly, Ning Yuchan stepped back out of the Star Picking Tower, waved to Jiang Er, "Jiang Er, come in. I need to speak with you alone."

Now it was Xu Jin and Dong Zhao's turn to be puzzled.

Jiang Er went in, emerged after ten breaths, and said Ning Yuchan had already left.

"The situation is escalating—stay focused on your cultivation, don't leave the National Dao Academy. It's still safe inside." Dong Zhao told Xu Jin, then departed.

Back at the small courtyard, Jiang Er suddenly sought out Xu Jin and handed him a wrapped parcel, saying it was from Ning Yuchan.

Xu Jin was stunned—his heart pounded harder.

Was this a love token from Ning Yuchan?

Too shy to give it directly, so she used Jiang Er as a go-between?

With hopeful anticipation, Xu Jin unwrapped it—and burst out laughing and sighing.

She was truly a practical woman.

Ning Yuchan had passed all the runes and elixirs given to her by Dong Zhao and the Grand Master—via Jiang Er—to Xu Jin.

She must have understood Xu Jin's blood-refining method: the cost was minor, but the effect was potent—otherwise, she wouldn't have accepted so many blood-refined elixirs and runes from him.

So she'd directly handed over Dong Zhao's runes and elixirs—including the vial of One Qi to Star Elixir—and the Grand Master's five Dragon Turtle Soul-Forging Elixirs—all through Jiang Er's hands—to Xu Jin.

No other words.

But the meaning was clear: these treasures would be far more useful after Xu Jin refined them; she'd just waste them using them directly.

Xu Jin naturally accepted them.

Using fourth-rank runes directly would be wasteful—after cultivation, they could cut down fourth-rank foes and injure fifth-rank ones.

Not to mention the Dragon Turtle Soul-Forging Elixirs.

Xu Jin had gone all-in giving Ning Yuchan survival items.

Three bottles of Superior Stimulating Elixir, five bottles of Three Yuan Return Star Elixir, two bottles of Four Mystery Restore Star Elixir, one bottle of One Qi to Star Elixir—all cultivated.

In addition: eight low-rank Star Healing Runes, ten high-rank third-rank runes, two each of low, mid, and high fourth-rank runes, and one fifth-rank low-rank Fire Meteor Rune.

All cultivated.

Excluding the runes he'd received yesterday from Teacher Liu Qingzhu, Xu Jin had given Ning Yuchan half his entire rune stock.

But worth it.

With these treasures, Ning Yuchan would be far safer on the Star River Battlefield.

Not even considering the feelings now stirring in his heart.

Just the value of all the help Ning Yuchan had given him was incalculable.

Without them, Xu Jin would have been dead long ago.

September 21: everything at the Dao Academy returned to normal, but security had visibly tightened, and the number of disciples within had increased.

The main reason: the outside world had become too dangerous, so many disciples had returned to live inside the academy.

Xu Jin continued his rigorous cultivation.

On the evening of September 22, Xu Jin received good news.

Jiang Er had successfully activated a star point!

In four days.

A flawless Class-A talent—had this been at Jinshan County Dao Academy, she'd likely have been the top star-activator of the year.

But at the Great Chen National Dao Academy, this result was ordinary.

Among the autumn star-activators before her, Jiang Er was the twenty-fifth to succeed—no longer among the top tier.

Xu Jin estimated: without the benefits of star-palace cultivation, the Grand Master's personal cultivation, prior study, and the supply of Awakening Elixir, Jiang Er would have needed at least thirty days—or longer—to activate a star point in Jinshan County.

Still, this talent was impressive.

With Xu Jin's further training, Jiang Er could certainly protect herself.

But Xu Jin had also decided.

Before casting the star, beyond the Spirit-Stabilizing Golden Elixir and the Star Picking Order, he would give Jiang Er no further aid.

Even if it took half a year or a full year to cast the star, he must first firmly establish the foundation of star arts.

Without mastering the basics of star arts, she'd be weak anywhere.

Jiang Er had successfully activated her star point on schedule—Xu Jin's heavy burden lifted.

On the evening of September 22, Xu Jin's lower star palace cultivation reached the peak of Star Refining Fifth Layer, and a new star rune position appeared.

Without hesitation, Xu Jin inscribed the Fish Star Rune—fifth-rank middle tier—into his lower star palace.

The moment he finished, he activated the star art one by one, testing the Fish Star Rune's effect.

After activating the Fish Star Rune, Xu Jin's Rain Curtain Fire Shield, Rain Curtain Thunder Shield, and body-guarding starlight all seemed coated with a slick, scaly layer—slippery as a fish.

It could deflect force.

Xu Jin fired a thunder arrow at himself.

He was astonished—the passive defensive effect of the Fish Star Rune was incredibly strong!

Theoretically, two thunder arrows should have easily shattered his Rain Curtain Fire Shield.

But after two thunder arrows, the Rain Curtain Fire Shield remained intact.

It took three thunder arrows to break it.

With the Fish Star Rune's enhancement, the surface structure of the Rain Curtain Fire Shield and body-guarding starlight became more complex, naturally dissipating or eroding part of the star energy.

After several trials, Xu Jin felt this Fish Star Rune might be worth refining further.

Because its defense was passive.

Once activated, it would apply to any defense—or even attack—making your techniques more resilient, harder to destroy!

Currently at fifth-rank middle tier, according to the Grand Master, it could directly deflect 25% of star art attack power.

If refined to sixth-rank middle or even sixth-rank high tier, it could deflect over 35% of star art attack power.

Under these conditions, combining the Fish Star Rune with the Rain Curtain Rune for defense, Xu Jin could withstand attacks from opponents six or seven realms above him.

Having just learned the Fish Star Pattern, Xu Jin hesitated: should he challenge the Brilliant Star again?

Three days ago, Xu Jin held out for one and a half minutes against a Golden-Level Heart Demon of Cultivation Level Five and its guardian.

Now that he had learned the Fish Star Pattern, was it possible to succeed in challenging the Brilliant Star?

At this thought, Xu Jin began simulating the scenario in his mind.

Because there was only one chance.

Once the Fish Star Pattern was used, the Heart Demon would learn it, and its defense would surge dramatically.

Killing the Star Demon would become far more difficult.

The chance to succeed in challenging the Brilliant Star would be lost.

Xu Jin felt he would likely have many future opportunities to obtain Golden Stars.

But opportunities to obtain Brilliant Stars were rare.

He had to carefully plan, exploiting this bug or weakness in the Heart Demon, if he was to have any hope of securing a Brilliant Star.

Xu Jin simulated and deduced for nearly half an hour—different openings, different Heart Demon combat styles—and the results showed far more losses than wins.

His chance of victory was only ten percent!

But if he failed, the difficulty of succeeding in his next Brilliant Star challenge would rise sharply.

Conversely, if he continued to advance his cultivation, his chance of succeeding in the next Brilliant Star challenge might rise to two or three tenths.

"Next time!"

Xu Jin abandoned the idea of challenging the Brilliant Star again, deciding to preserve the Fish Star Pattern for his next attempt.

Afterwards, Xu Jin continued his cultivation, and his cultivation base naturally broke through to Star Refinement Level Six.

By itself, this cultivation speed was slow.

Other True Disciples had already nearly reached Star Refinement Level Seven.

But if Xu Jin's cultivation level from the Lower Star Palace were revealed, this speed would be astonishingly fast.

At noon, Xu Jin received a gift and a handwritten letter from Ying Ge's father, Ying Boyan.

It was meant as an explanation regarding the assassination incident.

After the assassination at the Ying family's warehouse, a shopkeeper handling the matter vanished.

After reporting it to the Spring Rain Bureau and the Danxia Guard, no trace was found.

The shopkeeper's entire family had been silenced.

Ying Ge and Xu Jin's information had almost certainly been leaked by this man.

But that wasn't the end—neither the Spring Rain Bureau nor the Danxia Guard were amateurs.

They immediately launched a sweeping search within the Ying residence and its business branches, uncovering five worshippers of the Worship of the Dipper Cult, each with hidden altars to the True God of Stars and Constellations in their homes or lodgings.

This shocked Ying Boyan deeply.

He had never imagined the Ying household had been so thoroughly infiltrated by the Worship of the Dipper Cult.

Naturally, heads rolled thereafter.

Over a hundred people connected to the Ying household were implicated.

Among them were a collateral branch disciple and a senior shopkeeper.

Ying Boyan had been overwhelmed these past days, but fortunately, everything had been resolved.

Along with the letter came a gift of apology.

Yet after this great calamity, the Ying family had spent heavily on bribes and settlements, leaving them severely weakened; the apology gift sent to Xu Jin consisted mostly of cultivation elixirs.

At the end of the letter, Ying Boyan mentioned that the iron essence and copper essence Xu Jin had previously requested had already been delivered and sealed at the smithy under Xu Jin's name.

After reading the letter, Xu Jin fell into deep thought.

The Worship of the Dipper Cult!

It probably wasn't targeting Ying Ge.

If the Worship of the Dipper Cult had been targeting Ying Ge, and had infiltrated the Ying household so deeply, they could have killed him at any opportunity—even silently and without a trace.

Thus, it was clear the Worship of the Dipper Cult was targeting Xu Jin.

Ying Ge had been caught in Xu Jin's crosshairs.

There was also a third wave of assassinations.

Among all True Disciples ranked fifth and below, only Bu Xu'e had been targeted.

Perhaps this third wave of assassinations was also caused by Xu Jin dragging Ying Ge into danger!

Thinking this, Xu Jin felt even more guilt.

Without Xu Jin's involvement, Ying Ge might never have suffered such a sudden disaster!

"If I ever reach the Star River Battlefield, I must find a way to help Ying Ge obtain a treasure capable of regrowing lost limbs."

Xu Jin had already made up his mind.

As for visiting, he would wait a few more days.

Visiting now would only add to Ying Ge's distress.

At the same time, Xu Jin pondered another question: how could the Worship of the Dipper Cult be so brazen in the Chen Guo imperial capital, Wan Yi?

Even in Jinshan Commandery, the Worship of the Dipper Cult was like rats fleeing the street.

Logically, in the Chen Guo imperial capital, even if not eradicated, they could never be this bold!

Based on Xu Jin's past experience, if the Worship of the Dipper Cult could be so brazen and active in the Chen Guo capital, there was only one possibility—they had protection.

But who could possibly protect the Worship of the Dipper Cult against the combined might of the Spring Rain Bureau, the Danxia Guard, and the National Dao Academy—the strongest state apparatuses of Chen Guo? Very few indeed.

The imperial family?

Xu Jin dared not even entertain the thought.

Previously, he had noticed that Emperor Gan'an's spiritual soul cultivation was extraordinarily strong—even stronger than the State Master.

Even the two imperial princes' spiritual soul cultivation surpassed that of the National Dao Academy's disciples.

At the time, Xu Jin had not suspected anything, only considering two possibilities.

One: the emperor, rich beyond measure, the imperial family being the greatest aristocratic house in Chen Guo and perhaps the entire world, surely had no shortage of cultivation resources or heavenly treasures.

Divine Nourishment Golden Elixir, Spirit Refining Golden Elixir, Dragon Turtle Soul Forging Elixir—any method to refine the spiritual soul, they could use as they pleased. How could their spiritual soul cultivation not be powerful?

Their strength was understandable.

But the fact that they were stronger than the State Master seemed absurd.

The second possibility Xu Jin considered was the Spirit Record Star Palace.

Twenty years ago, the Spirit Record Star Palace had been Chen Guo's state religion.

Chen Guo and the Spirit Record Star Palace were one and the same.

Thus, it was entirely possible that members of the imperial family had learned the secret spiritual soul star patterns of the Spirit Record Star Palace.

Perhaps even some imperial family members were direct disciples of the Spirit Record Star Palace.

This possibility existed.

But now, the Spring Rain Bureau, Danxia Guard, and National Dao Academy had joined forces to hunt the Worship of the Dipper Cult's heretics in the imperial capital—and kept suffering setbacks!

This gave Xu Jin an extremely bold suspicion.

Could the imperial family—or someone tied to imperial power—be the Worship of the Dipper Cult's greatest protector?

Otherwise, the heretics should have been utterly exposed under the combined efforts of the three agencies!

Not just now, after uncovering a few minor players from the Ying household!

If the Worship of the Dipper Cult was tied to the imperial family, this matter became extremely complicated!

Then perhaps the second wave of mysterious assassins could now be identified.

But Xu Jin could only observe and think quietly—he must not act rashly.

Not even for now could he tell the State Master.

The anomaly of Emperor Gan'an's spiritual soul cultivation was a vulnerability.

The key was that although the State Master treated Xu Jin well, the State Master was Chen Guo's State Master—yet the emperor was Chen Guo's very foundation. Xu Jin dared not compare his own value to that of the emperor.

One misstep, and he would die, his Dao destroyed.

Better to grow stronger first.

Setting the matter aside for now, Xu Jin turned his thoughts to another issue.

Currently, the only materials still missing to upgrade the Participating Dipper Platform to Level Four were iron essence and copper essence.

Just one step away!

But under his current circumstances, Xu Jin dared not openly leave the National Dao Academy.

Let alone go retrieve the iron essence and copper essence.

Or perhaps ask the State Master for an order to have them brought inside the academy?

But if they vanished mysteriously after being brought in, it would be a problem—hard to explain!

Gazing at the thick night outside, Xu Jin suddenly had an idea!

A dozen breaths later, Xu Jin vanished from his meditation chamber!

(End of Chapter)