Chapter 2: Exorcising the Stars

Returning to Jinshan Dao Academy, Xu Jin first prepared a letter.

In it, he wrote that he had been recognized by a master of starcraft, taken to the Star Palace’s gate to cultivate in seclusion, and would return only upon completion—no time limit, do not worry, do not wait.

Having spent several months with Xu Dajiang and his sister Jiang Er, Xu Jin feared their profound grief if he vanished suddenly, so he left this letter.

He also packed his personal belongings, including the remaining five qian in silver, wrapping them all and pressing them beneath his bedding.

He planned to leave after the afternoon meal to set up the altar for the star-warding ritual.

At night, when the stars shone brightly, it was the ideal time for evening cultivation—and the perfect moment for the star-warding ritual.

The key was minimal disturbance.

As for the location of the star-warding ritual, he had already decided.

Jinshan Dao Academy served two meals daily; the evening meal at the fifteenth minute of You hour was when the boys participating in star-pointing were most relaxed and lively.

Because the evening meal lasted half an hour, it was the time when the boys gathered in groups to chat and joke.

Of course, there were cliques.

But these cliques had clear hierarchies.

Just like in his past life during meals—the leaders sat at one table, the workers at several others.

The food differed too.

Among the boys in this star-pointing session, those who had already succeeded in star-pointing ate from one food station: stir-fried mixed vegetables with meat, black flour buns, served in abundance.

Those who had not succeeded gathered together, eating only mixed-vegetable porridge.

And there was one unique case.

That was the prodigy Yue Daqi, who had succeeded in star-pointing within two days of the session’s start.

It was said that after the spring star-pointing concluded, Yue Daqi would be directly admitted into the inner courtyard of Jinshan Dao Academy, and perhaps even enter the Star Palace in the future.

But what stirred the most envy among the boys was the large bowl of braised meat and half a chicken before him.

Xu Jin naturally belonged to the group that had not succeeded in star-pointing.

Even within the group that had not succeeded, there were hierarchies; boys like Xu Jin, who had no hope left of succeeding, sat silently, picking at their porridge.

“I’ve got the feeling—I’ll succeed in star-pointing within three days, at most,” said the boy Sha Youtian, one foot on his chair, spittle flying as he stared longingly at the food of those who had succeeded.

“I’ve got that feeling Master Ning described too—I should succeed within these next few days,” said the boy Liu Ji, his expression modest but tinged with quiet pride.

Hearing this, the other boys who had not succeeded quickly offered congratulations; some even began bowing to future “big brothers,” begging for favors after success, while others imitated them, creating a noisy commotion.

Xu Jin quietly moved his bowl farther away—the spittle was flying everywhere.

“Shut up!”

“None of you have succeeded yet—what are you yelling about?”

“Can’t you let people eat?”

One boy from the group that had succeeded, annoyed by the noise, suddenly slammed his table and leapt to his feet.

The excited boys who had not succeeded all turned their necks to look, resentful.

Besides, teenage passion was not empty posturing.

“What are you glaring at? Don’t you dare?”

The boy pointed his finger again, shouting; the entire group of those who had succeeded turned their gazes toward them.

A wave of pressure rolled over them.

Sha Youtian, Liu Ji, and the other boys who had not succeeded immediately cowered.

Xu Jin sighed inwardly—he recognized this shouting boy; his name was Luo Geng, who had eaten with them just over twenty days ago, now…

Star-pointing!

It was the path to advancement for boys in this world.

Comparable to taking the imperial examinations in his past life.

Star-pointing was the term used in this world for entering cultivation.

Xu Jin had only understood this world for less than three months, but he was certain it was not the internal-external body-cultivation system he knew from his past life.

Cultivation was possible here, but the method was to absorb the starlight—celestial radiance—present everywhere in heaven and earth.

Yet this starlight could not be absorbed casually.

Before entering cultivation—that is, before succeeding in star-pointing—two essentials were required.

One: a cultivation technique; two: a star pattern.

The technique was simple: morning practice was the Meal of Mist, evening practice was the Drink of Radiance—Xu Jin’s father knew them both. The key was the star pattern.

Only accomplished starcraft masters could imprint star patterns.

After the star pattern was imprinted, one could absorb the ever-present celestial radiance through the Meal of Mist and Drink of Radiance.

The first imprinting cost fifty taels of silver—said to be a discounted rate from Jinshan Dao Academy.

The imprinted star pattern lasted three months on the chest; if within those three months the pattern was fully illuminated and solidified, one had entered cultivation—that is, succeeded in star-pointing.

If star-pointing failed within three months, the pattern vanished completely. Without the pattern, no matter how one practiced the Meal of Mist or Drink of Radiance, it was useless.

Success within three months meant one had cultivation talent; failure meant one did not.

Jinshan Dao Academy held two star-pointing sessions annually, in spring and autumn.

Anyone aged fifteen to thirty who paid silver could be imprinted with a star pattern and begin attempting star-pointing.

Xu Jin was not yet eighteen; his father, Xu Dajiang, had sent him here, paid the silver, and enrolled him in this spring session.

If he succeeded, he would be absorbed into the academy, his future promising; if he failed, he would return home.

Xu Dajiang had sold everything to send Xu Jin here for star-pointing—not entirely for his future, but because a renowned physician had said Xu Jin’s illness was congenital, inherited from his mother’s womb, incurable by medicine; if he succeeded in star-pointing and entered cultivation, there was a chance of cure.

If not, he would likely not live past eighteen.

The day Xu Jin awoke in this body, ninety days remained until the original’s eighteenth birthday.

This was one reason Xu Jin was so anxious.

The original’s illness truly killed.

The original was already dead; if this later soul failed to succeed in star-pointing, he too would soon die—he had already experienced near-death episodes from the illness several times.

It was terrifying.

He truly felt death was near.

Three months—ninety days—had passed eighty-three days; only seven remained.

Either succeed in star-pointing—or try to return to my past life!

But given Xu Jin’s current condition, his body, due to its congenital defect, had virtually no chance of succeeding.

In fact, in Xu Jin’s memory, on the very first evening of the star-pointing session, his body had already felt the sensation Master Ning described—the starlight filling the pattern.

His talent should not have been lacking.

But the moment that sensation appeared, he suffered symptoms: lips turning blue, drenching sweat, trembling hands.

He failed.

Later, Xu Jin had carefully considered using prolonged practice of the Meal of Mist and Drink of Radiance to gradually fill the pattern, building his body’s tolerance to succeed.

He attempted star-pointing every twenty days or so.

Each time, he fell ill, nearly dying.

This morning’s effort was, in truth, Xu Jin’s final attempt.

But he still fell ill.

He did not want to die!

After the meal, Xu Jin asked a familiar boy to request leave on his behalf, then placed the letter and bundle meant for Xu Dajiang and the others.

He bathed in cold water, cleansed his body, and changed into another clean set of clothes sent by little Jiang Er—completing the ritual purification.

As dusk fell, Xu Jin left the academy.

Jinshan Dao Academy was crowded, but as long as one carried a waist token, entry and exit were unrestricted.

On the way, Xu Jin used reserved copper coins to buy three kinds of fruit as offerings.

Sincerity mattered.

He could not afford the formal three-animal offerings, and the Taoist priest before him had not used them either.

For the location of the altar for the star-warding ritual, Xu Jin had scouted the area during this time.

Jinshan Prefecture City leaned against the Great Green Mountain, from which the Jinsha River surged forth, flowing through the city.

Along the riverbank within the prefecture stood Guanhe Terrace, occasionally used for festival rituals, fully open to the public. By day, occasional tourists wandered; at night, almost no one came—perfect for setting up the star-warding altar.

Moreover, this makeshift method of setting up the star-warding altar would take no more than fifteen minutes—not like the ancient Wu Hou’s seven-day, seven-night ritual.

Guanhe Terrace was not far from the academy; a quarter-hour’s walk sufficed.

But Xu Jin did not rush to ascend; instead, he walked once around the five-meter-high, three-meter-square terrace.

He checked for beggars or others lingering nearby who might be curious and disturb his star-warding ritual.

No one around; the moon hung high; stars glittered. Xu Jin climbed onto Guanhe Terrace.

A gentle river breeze blew—no risk of the star lamps being extinguished.

According to memory, Xu Jin located true north, placed the fruit offerings, then arranged nine star lamps (oil lamps) as remembered, followed by the incense burner and candles.

He did not begin immediately; instead, he walked once more around Guanhe Terrace, gazing outward to confirm no one was near, then pulled out his fire-starter and lit each star lamp one by one.

Once all the star lamps were lit, Xu Jin held the jade gui, bowed three times toward the offerings in the north, then stepped along the pattern of the nine lamps, burned incense to open the altar, held the jade gui, and recited the star-warding litany.

“Nine Emperors of the Northern Dipper, Star Lords arrayed in glory, disciple Xu Jin, burns incense to beseech you.”

“Disciple Xu Jin, with utmost sincerity, performs the star-warding ritual to dispel calamity, and begs the Star Lords to bestow blessings and remove misfortune.”

(End of Chapter)