Chapter 197: Thunder Net

September 26 evening.

After three days of intense cultivation, Xu Jin's Zhong Xing Palace cultivation base reached the peak of Star Refining Sixth Layer.

The Flame Flower Star Pattern had long been etched into the Star Lamp with effortless mastery, and soon occupied the seventh star position of the Zhong Xing Palace.

Zhong Xing Palace: Great Gathering Star Pattern, Mid-Grade Fire Source, Spiral Star Pattern, Rain Curtain Star Pattern, Burst Flame Star Pattern, Star Transformation Star Pattern, Flame Flower Star Pattern.

At this pace, in another three days, Xu Jin's Xia Xing Palace would also reach the peak of Star Refining Sixth Layer, allowing him to break through to Star Refining Seventh Layer—then he would need to begin preparing the seventh star pattern for the Zhong Xing Palace.

Suddenly, Xu Jin's Zhai Xing Token trembled slightly.

It was his teacher Qi Shanye's reply.

With nothing else to do in the evening, Xu Jin recounted to Old Qi everything that had happened in recent days, including the assassination attempt—but he did not mention obtaining four Golden Stars, and Qi Shanye did not ask.

Old Qi had weathered great storms; their relationship now carried a tone of both master and friend, and Xu Jin wanted to hear his opinion on this matter.

【Rest easy. Mutual assassinations of prodigies among factions are extremely draining and won't last long—just a short-term opportunistic tactic. The leaders of all factions are shrewd and calculating; they won't allow it to continue. For now, the Star River Battlefield still desperately needs combat strength.】

【As for your recent actions drawing attention and restricting your movements to the Guo Dao Academy, the solution is simple: a false identity and disguise, combined with the invisibility technique I taught you, will fool most people.】

【With clever use of the Gui Cang Star Pattern, you can subtly alter your star force aura.】

【At that point, unless you reveal your behavioral patterns, even Cheng Yuexiao of your Guo Dao Academy standing right before you might not recognize you.】

Qi Shanye sent Xu Jin a lengthy message.

【Teacher, I've thought of all this—but disguise techniques are easy to learn, hard to master.】

This was Xu Jin's real problem.

The makeup skills from his past-life memories, he could barely use a little—but under star force and spirit resonance detection, they were utterly transparent.

【The highest-level disguise is directly altering your appearance! In fact, anyone who reaches Meal the Mist Seventh Layer can use star force to change their face, even their height. Short-term manipulation of muscles and skin via star force is easy—but maintaining it indefinitely is extremely difficult.】

【On this front, your master has deep insight. There's a star pattern you can learn—practice it often. Once mastered, it will be immensely useful.】

Along with this starlight message, Qi Shanye transmitted a star pattern, a minor technique.

The star pattern was called the Hundred Changes Star Pattern.

It was a low-tier, simple pattern, ranked only Third Tier Upper.

After studying it for a while, Xu Jin had already grasped some of its principles—this was the greatest gain from his daily study in the Guo Dao Academy's library recently.

Previously, star patterns left him baffled; he could only mimic blindly. Now, he could discern their logic.

The Hundred Changes Star Pattern seemed capable of sustaining a small, stable, specific output of star force.

The explanation Qi Shanye provided confirmed this.

The Hundred Changes Star Pattern was developed by Qi Shanye himself during his years of fleeing for his life, designed to maintain disguise.

Hence its low rank.

But it was exceedingly ingenious.

Combined with the Gui Cang Star Pattern to alter aura, it was the perfect match for identity replacement.

After successful etching, you could record and adjust a sustained star force output scheme.

In other words, you could lock in one facial configuration.

The first adjustment took time—but once set, your appearance could change instantly.

The minor technique was the usage secret of the Gui Cang Star Pattern.

By adjusting the operation of the Gui Cang Star Gate, you could alter your star force and spirit resonance fluctuations.

For powerful cultivators, your appearance is merely a basic tracking clue—the key is your fixed star force and spirit resonance waves.

Appearance can be altered by star force—but star force and spirit resonance waves are extremely hard to change.

Qi Shanye could.

This was, in essence, the essence of his twenty years on the run.

Now, he transmitted it all to Xu Jin at once.

Xu Jin quickly mastered the usage of the Gui Cang Star Pattern.

It required splitting spirit force into two strands to activate the Gui Cang Star Pattern, then adjusting its operational frequency and the strength of spirit force to conceal and alter one's aura.

As Old Qi said, unless one was marked by a tracking technique or had one's bloodline locked by a star device—as Qi Shanye once had—his method would make him invisible even to Hu Xuechuan standing right before him.

As for the Hundred Changes Star Pattern, Xu Jin thought it over—and decided he must learn it!

Mastering it might prove immensely useful.

Used well, it could turn the worthless into the miraculous.

Of course, it had to be etched onto the first star of the Xia Xing Palace.

Most people etch a hodgepodge of patterns onto the first star of the Xia Xing Palace—whichever is practical.

Having completed all this, it was nearly midnight. Xu Jin entered the third-level combat realm of the Zhai Xing Tower.

Over these days, he and the Drunken Moon Immortal had developed a mutual understanding: every night at midnight, they entered the Zhai Xing Tower, fought three duels, then went their separate ways.

As soon as Xu Jin entered, the Drunken Moon Immortal's starlight message arrived.

【Still not here? Hurry up! I learned a new star pattern today—I'm going to crush you!】

【Fine, just don't cry.】

【We agreed not to mention it—and you still bring it up!】

The next instant, the Drunken Moon Immortal sent a challenge.

As Xu Jin accepted, light flashed before his eyes, and he entered the combat realm.

"What new star art did you learn?" Xu Jin asked with a smile inside the combat realm.

Over these days, daily duels with the Drunken Moon Immortal had ended yesterday with Xu Jin electrocuting her into tears.

Xu Jin himself was also studying new star arts.

For example, combining Star Rain Art with Star Transformation Art, altering the shape of the star rain created a star net—then, paired with a Mid-Grade Thunder Source and Thunder Feather Heart, it formed a brand-new star art: Thunder Net Art!

Xu Jin himself was deeply impressed by this ingenious idea.

He had forcibly turned a wide-area AoE star art into a single-target offensive art.

If paired with a Mid-Grade Fire Source, it would become a Fire Net—deadly in damage.

But Thunder Net was better for capturing targets—and for tormenting them.

Just like yesterday, when the Drunken Moon Immortal was trapped in the Thunder Net: the thunder star force was abundant but low in lethality, yet it continuously struck her, making her tremble violently until she cried.

The Zhai Xing Tower just needed a recording function—otherwise, Xu Jin would've recorded it.

The scene of a beautiful girl being electrocuted into tears was quite pleasing—even her sobs trembled with each shock!

As for revealing thunder star arts before the Drunken Moon Immortal, Xu Jin had carefully considered it.

In the Zhai Xing Tower's combat realm, could an opponent's true identity be traced through star art characteristics? This was a question he had pondered deeply.

The answer was yes.

Other characteristics in the Zhai Xing Tower combat realm were vague, but star art and star pattern signatures were extremely distinct—especially among the true disciples of each Star Hall and Guo Dao Academy who had learned mid-grade star patterns.

Gradually accumulating such signatures, Xu Jin might still be identified.

But if Xu Jin now used thunder star arts several times, it would multiply the difficulty for the Drunken Moon Immortal—or any opponent—to uncover his true identity.

"Try it and see."

The next instant, the Drunken Moon Immortal vanished. Classic tactic.

As Xu Jin activated the Ming Ji Star Pattern, a grin spread across his face—he sensed three distinct auras of the Drunken Moon Immortal.

Duplicates?

Before Xu Jin could think further, the three auras closed in—simultaneously, three massive lunar blades slashed toward him in a deadly weave.

The moment the lunar blades struck, the Drunken Moon Immortal vanished again.

These three spatial lunar blades were razor-sharp, throwing Xu Jin into chaos.

Just as he barely repelled them, the Drunken Moon Immortal reappeared, struck again, then vanished once more.

Soon, her attacks grew fiercer, and Xu Jin suffered repeated setbacks.

This combination of star arts was bizarre—he had never seen anything like it.

Yet although the Drunken Moon Immortal could vanish, she could not escape Xu Jin's Ming Ji Star Pattern sensing.

A few breaths later, Xu Jin launched a Thunder Arrow, shattering one of her duplicates.

Though in the next wave, she created a new duplicate.

But under the Ming Ji Star Pattern's sensing, Xu Jin detected the difference in star force waves between the duplicate and her true body.

The next instant, Xu Jin unleashed a Flame Burst, directly obliterating the Drunken Moon Immortal's true body.

Victory!

"You got lucky again—again!"

The Drunken Moon Immortal refused to accept defeat and challenged again.

The second duel followed the same pattern—but this time, it failed.

In the last duel, Xu Jin had been unprepared—he'd never encountered such spatial, invisible duplicates before.

But in this second duel, the moment the Drunken Moon Immortal created her duplicates, Xu Jin pinpointed her true body.

The instant she reappeared to attack, a Thunder Net enveloped her.

"Y-you big meanie—w-w-wah!"

Under continuous electric shocks, the Drunken Moon Immortal cried again!

She sobbed for three full breaths before the Thunder Net finally dissipated her.

Third duel!

The Drunken Moon Immortal cried again.

This time, it wasn't soft sobbing—it was loud crying!

Amid the loud crying, the figure of Immortal Yue vanished.

【You bastard, I'm never speaking to you again!】

Xu Jin received a starlight message that left him utterly baffled.

Just a sparring match?

Why did you get angry?

A few breaths later, Xu Jin entered the Third-Class Combat Simulation Realm to begin his challenge.

After five consecutive days of challenges, Xu Jin's rank in the Third-Class Combat Simulation Realm had surged into the top 20, 00.

Tomorrow, he'll face opponents worth fighting.

By "worth fighting," Xu Jin didn't mean combat strength—he meant opponents who could benefit him.

For instance, ones who showed him star arts he'd never seen before.

Or ones who forced him to encounter tactics he'd never faced, greatly boosting his practical combat experience.

As for opponents?

Until yesterday, Xu Jin hadn't faced a single one.

Perfect win streak!

Today was no different.

But today, three opponents gave Xu Jin a wealth of entirely new practical combat experience.

One was a Water-Star Art cultivator at Ninth Rebirth of Star Refinement, whose Water-Star Art was executed with masterful finesse—especially his ability to summon Water Spirits to fight Xu Jin, causing him considerable trouble.

After a grueling battle of dozens of breaths, Xu Jin discovered the Water Spirits' weakness!

The Soul-Attack Secret Art: Arrow of Shattering Evil.

Just one strike of Shattering Evil could shatter these Water Spirits!

He also faced a Wood-Star Art cultivator whose Wood-Star Art was immune to fire—something Xu Jin had never seen before.

He won only after a hundred breaths of fierce combat.

Another was a Star Art cultivator skilled in illusions; at first, Xu Jin, being careless, was deceived even though he bore the Mingji Star Pattern.

Only after fully activating the Mingji Star Pattern and fighting with extreme caution did he prevail!

In the end, fifteen battles—all won!

【Great Sage Equaling Heaven: Star Refinement Sixth Rebirth】

【Points: 225】

【Rank: 9, 53rd】

Xu Jin's rank in the Third-Class Combat Simulation Realm finally broke into the top 10, 00.

The top three ranks in the Third-Class Combat Simulation Realm remained unchanged, but the former First-Class Combat Simulation Realm champion, Tà Xīng Hé, had surged to 77th place.

And Yue Zhongying, previously ranked 998th, had risen to 685th.

His ascent was fast, but still far behind Xu Jin's.

Xu Jin believed he'd be ready to challenge them within just a few days.

On September 27th, shortly after morning cultivation, Xu Jin received a notice from the Flying Swallow Academy's instructor, informing him that, per the National Dao Academy's directive, all disciples must assemble at the Flying Swallow Academy before the third hour of the afternoon, then enter the Star-Picking Tower—the Autumn Grand Academy Competition would begin at the first quarter of the third hour.

Xu Jin greatly appreciated this.

The National Dao Academy operated with exceptional efficiency: when they decided to act, they issued direct orders without delay.

Xu Jin naturally arrived on time.

At the third hour, Xu Jin reached the Flying Swallow Academy, but was summoned ahead of time by Instructor Liu Qingzhu.

"Miaozhen said she already explained the Grand Academy Competition to you?" Inside the academy, Liu Qingzhu looked weary and listless, propping her chin on her elbow, her entire posture slumped onto the table.

"Yes, Master. Senior Sister has already informed me of the details."

"Don't take it to heart!"

Liu Qingzhu waved her hand weakly. "I know the Flying Swallow Academy better than anyone. In the past couple of years, too many female disciples have married outright. There's nothing I can do—it's their choice, their life's biggest decision. As their instructor, I can only support and respect them."

"So the Flying Swallow Academy will almost certainly finish last. Don't feel pressure—I'll only lead one more autumn Star-Pointing session."

"You just need to perform well—especially in the Star Refinement rankings. If you break into the top thirty, you'll qualify for the Tower Tribute Battle!"

"Next year, once you've grown stronger, the Flying Swallow Academy won't be last anymore."

"Master, rest assured—I'll do my best!" Xu Jin could only say that.

The moment Xu Jin left, Liu Qingzhu sighed helplessly, clutched the Star-Picking Token, and entered the original Autumn Examination Simulation Realm of the Great Chen National Dao Academy—though its name had now been changed to the Grand Academy Competition.

The other Academy Heads and Deputy Heads were already waiting for her!

She was the last to arrive.

Of course, her seat was the last one.

Truthfully, she didn't want to come at all!

(End of Chapter)