Chapter 223: Walking Under the Moon, Shooting Stars

To go out and meet Lao Qi, Xu Jin had several critical issues to resolve.

The most critical was the first: should he tell Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao about this matter—or that he would be leaving for several days?

This point was crucial.

Whether to tell or not would greatly affect the subsequent developments.

Telling Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao would guarantee Xu Jin's absolute safety.

To some extent, Xu Jin could even use Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's protection to conceal his own power and carry out his plan to lure and kill Hu Xuechuan.

Xu Jin's own risk would be minimal.

But there was a highly uncertain issue: Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's attitude toward the remnants of the Lingji Star Palace.

Xu Jin was unsure about this.

Xu Jin dared not speculate on the psychology of Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao, a being wielding such immense power.

Those who hold great power must weigh many things.

Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's protection and fondness for Xu Jin were genuine, but that did not mean he would sacrifice everything for Xu Jin.

The Tianyang Star Palace has pursued the remnants of the Lingji Star Palace for years without ceasing—this confirms it as their bottom line.

So if Xu Jin or Qi Shanye's identity were exposed, which side would Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao choose?

Xu Jin privately believed Grand Master would most likely prioritize Chen Guo's interests.

This was inevitable for those in power.

After long deliberation and careful weighing, Xu Jin still decided not to tell Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao.

No gambling!

No gambling on that one-in-a-thousand possibility of his stance!

And even if we grant the utmost, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao had treated Xu Jin exceptionally well—he did not want to drag Grand Master or Chen Guo into trouble because of his own affairs.

Xu Jin had gradually come to understand the political stances of Chen Guo's Dao Academy, the Tianyang Star Palace, the Cangming Star Palace, Da Hong, and Da Chu.

Previously, the Lingji, Tianyang, and Cangming Star Palaces had vied with each other, while Chen Guo, Da Hong, and Da Chu each aligned with one side in the struggle.

But after the Lingji Star Palace was sealed by the two other star palaces, Chen Guo's Dao Academy took up the heavy burden of resisting both the Tianyang and Cangming Star Palaces, making its position especially difficult.

Yet after the Lingji Star Palace's sealing, the Tianyang and Cangming Star Palaces, freed from their common enemy, began to guard against each other, allowing Chen Guo's Dao Academy to play both sides, surviving in the cracks and developing amid uncertainty.

Thus, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao's past twenty years had been especially arduous.

But if Chen Guo's Dao Academy reestablished contact with the remnants of the Lingji Star Palace, it would signal a revival—and that should be the bottom line and taboo of the two star palaces.

If such a situation arose, the two star palaces would likely unite again to strike against Chen Guo's Dao Academy.

Chen Guo's Dao Academy already struggled to resist even one; how much less could it resist two?

From this perspective, Xu Jin could not drag Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao into this.

Do not tell!

Act alone!

After long deliberation, this was Xu Jin's decision.

The first critical issue was resolved.

The second critical issue was timing and mode of travel.

Xu Jin planned: the journey to Songzhouzhoucheng would take less than half a day; if he moved swiftly, a single day would suffice.

But if he wished to do other things, three to five days might be needed.

Could Xu Jin leave the Dao Academy for three to five days?

Yes.

After deep thought, Xu Jin, considering his current situation, reached a definitive answer.

As the autumn examination champion and a True Disciple, and with his cultivation base already established, Xu Jin was currently the most free among all disciples.

He need not report daily for cultivation like Core or Inner Court disciples.

Absenting himself from public view for three to five days should pose no problem.

With these two issues resolved, came the third.

Safety.

Xu Jin's personal safety was not his greatest concern—he still had many means of survival.

The Luansing Zui was a survival artifact; the protection of the Xingqiong Secret Realm of the Zhaixing Tower could also be utilized.

He still had a sixth-rank star core and a fifth-rank star core for emergency use.

More than enough.

The only issue was that his number of fifth-rank talismans was still somewhat low.

Xu Jin currently had four fifth-rank talismans left.

Three offensive, one defensive—all fully nurtured.

He had seven fourth-rank talismans, all nurtured as well: five offensive, two defensive.

Nurtured fourth-rank talismans were actually highly useful.

They could injure fifth-rank experts.

Unfortunately, Xu Jin could not yet craft fourth-rank talismans—if he could, and made dozens for Lao Qi, he would feel at ease.

After much calculation, Xu Jin listed all the tasks he needed to accomplish.

Only then did he grip the Zhaixing Token and enter the third-level training secret realm of the Zhaixing Tower.

He immediately selected challenge.

Yesterday, Xu Jin had reached seventh place, but the sixth-place challenger was offline, so he could not fight and had to abandon it.

Today, entering the third-level training secret realm, he challenged sixth place again.

【Sixth place Qiushan has accepted the challenge and will enter the training arena】

The star message brought Xu Jin a surge of delight—he was online.

The next instant, starlight shifted before his eyes, and he entered the secret realm battlefield.

【Terrain: Snowy Mountains】

It was a man clad in animal hides.

Xu Jin's gaze paused slightly—Barbarian!

Within the top hundred, this was his first encounter with a Barbarian prodigy.

The next instant, as the countdown starlight shattered, Qiushan's massive bow snapped open into a full moon, and emerald-green light erupted in rapid succession toward Xu Jin.

BOOM!

Lei Yi exploded, and Xu Jin surged straight toward Qiushan.

But in that same instant, the three arrows that had just missed exploded, forming a web of emerald-green starlight that swept down over Xu Jin's head.

This technique was extremely clever.

Nearly impossible to avoid.

As Xu Jin was engulfed by the emerald-green star web, Qiushan's eyes gleamed with confidence—he prepared to shoot and kill Xu Jin.

The next instant, flames erupted around Xu Jin, instantly burning through the emerald-green star web, then he directly absorbed Qiushan's arrow and unleashed a burst of flame!

Flame Explosion!

Qiushan's figure dissolved!

The seventh-rank Fire Source Star Pattern, enhanced by the mid-tier Crimson Scale Heart and two fifth-rank fire spirits, had elevated Xu Jin's fire star technique to an extraordinary level—directly incinerating!

【Great Sage Equaling Heaven: Victory】

Having defeated his opponent in one battle, Xu Jin chose to continue challenging; a star message flickered before him—it was Qiushan requesting to add Xu Jin as a friend.

After a moment's thought, Xu Jin accepted.

Barbarians could be challenged again later to gain practical combat experience.

Moreover, Xu Jin noticed that among the top hundred, third-level experts always liked to add him as a friend after being defeated.

But he declined most of them.

He only accepted as friends those who could provide him with real combat experience.

Today's challenges went exceptionally smoothly.

The third-level training secret realm's fifth and fourth places were both online; Xu Jin surged upward without pause.

No difficulty at all.

To be fair, the top ten in the third-level training secret realm were still very strong—their tactics and star techniques were formidable, with powerful combined star techniques.

But even Xu Jin himself was stunned by the power of his fire star techniques—Flame Explosion, once it landed, meant instant death!

In the Killing God Arena, even elite alien races at fourth-rank Star Condensation Level Five were instantly killed by Xu Jin's Flame Explosion.

This was perfectly normal.

Many sixth-rank fire experts lacked the seventh-rank Fire Source Star Pattern—but Xu Jin had it!

This advantage was enormous!

【Challenge third-place Han Yue in the third-level training secret realm?】

【Challenge】

The instant Xu Jin issued the challenge, within the Zhen'e Star Palace, a woman training star techniques in the third-level training secret realm against a fellow disciple instantly broke off combat; emerald-green light returned to her, revealing a Barbarian woman clad in emerald-green combat attire, her forearms exposed.

She gestured, and the spinning meteoric disc flew back into her hand.

"Sister, someone challenged me in the training secret realm," the Barbarian woman smiled.

"It's been so long—finally someone dares to challenge you. Then go quickly," the woman across from her laughed.

Han Yue is the top direct disciple of the Town E Star Temple and its most talented student in recent years.

She has reached the peak of Star Refining Ninth Layer for nearly a year.

The reason she hasn't broken through is that she's refining her Star Arts and divine soul; since securing third place in the Third-Class Dueling Realm, she's held the top rank for months!

【Han Yue has accepted the challenge.】

A starlight message flashed before Xu Jin, and the next instant, he entered the battlefield.

【Terrain: Mountain Forest】

Among Cengceng mountains, a dark green female figure appeared opposite Xu Jin.

"Little brother, you've got guts," Han Yue smiled, greeting Xu Jin before swinging her Meteor Chain with force.

Perhaps it was Xu Jin's imagination.

As Han Yue swung her Meteor Chain, Xu Jin's lower body suddenly turned icy—he felt her target was his lower half.

"Please instruct me!"

The next instant, starlight scattered, and the barbarian girl Han Yue vanished before his eyes.

Invisibility?

This stirred Xu Jin's mind.

The Town E Star Temple also has invisibility techniques.

Under the operation of the Mingji Star Pattern, Xu Jin instantly spotted Han Yue—she had transformed into a dark green mist, swiftly approaching him.

Not invisibility.

It seemed she had merged her aura with the mountain forest, blending into the vines beneath her feet.

The next instant, Han Yue appeared five meters before Xu Jin.

In the Mingji Star Pattern's perception, Han Yue's star force surged abruptly.

She was attacking!

Fine—Xu Jin feared nothing more than this kind of assassin-style assault.

The next instant, Xu Jin casually swung his hand.

A Flame Explosion erupted.

Han Yue, just bursting from the ground, was instantly swallowed by the blazing light!

【Great Sage Equaling Heaven: Victory】

Information flashed before Xu Jin's eyes—he stared in shock.

Third place? That's it?

Inside the Town E Star Temple, the slain Han Yue was stunned.

She hadn't even moved—and she was already dead?

This couldn't possibly be luck!

It was because this man had seen through her concealment.

This is truly—

The next instant, a starlight message flew to Xu Jin: Han Yue requested to add him as a friend, then immediately challenged him again.

But he received a rejection.

Instantly, Han Yue was furious.

How could he do this?

It wasn't that Xu Jin deliberately refused—he was currently battling Ren Woxing, the second-place contender in the Third-Class Dueling Realm!

Today was lucky—Ren Woxing was also present.

Xu Jin challenged him—and the request was accepted immediately!

But Ren Woxing's speed and movement were top-tier.

His movement was bizarre.

After ten breaths of battle, he had dodged Xu Jin's two Flame Explosion kills with his strange evasion.

He specialized in Wind Star Arts.

Xu Jin found this amusing.

Previously, he had been the one kite-flying others; now, he was the kite being flown.

The next instant, Xu Jin's Thunder Wings flashed, surging forward—he closed the distance to Ren Woxing and unleashed a Thunder Net.

Ren Woxing's evasion was impressive; starlight shifted, and he barely escaped the ten-meter-radius Thunder Net—but the moment he broke free, five Thunder Ropes shot like venomous dragons toward him.

With all his strength, he dodged only three ropes—and the other two instantly ensnared him.

The instant he struggled free, flame light obliterated him.

The second-place contender of the Third-Class Dueling Realm still fell to Xu Jin's Flame Explosion.

He hadn't felt the pressure he'd expected.

In Xu Jin's mind, the top three in the Third-Class Dueling Realm should have challenged him.

They did bring pressure—but only a tiny bit.

Slightly disappointing.

Casually, Xu Jin challenged the top contender, Xinghuo.

【Xinghuo is not in the Star-Picking Dueling Realm—cannot respond to challenge.】

The message before him left Xu Jin helpless.

The top contender was absent.

He could only wait.

Then Xu Jin turned to the stream of starlight messages—dozens of unread ones had piled up.

【Han Yue requests to add you as a friend. Accept?】

【Ren Woxing requests to add you as a friend. Accept?】

These two were still good experience targets—Xu Jin naturally accepted.

【Great Sage Equaling Heaven, congratulations! You've secured second place in the Third-Class Dueling Realm. Maintain this rank for seven days to receive 12 strands of starlight as a reward.】

【Great Sage Equaling Heaven, congratulations! You've secured second place in the Third-Class Dueling Realm. After maintaining this rank for seven days, you will earn the special title "Moon-Walking Meteor."】

Indeed, the titles in the Third-Class Dueling Realm were different.

The rewards for maintaining rank were different too.

If he could hold this rank long enough, the rewards would be a decent income.

As he pondered, starlight flashed repeatedly—Han Yue and Ren Woxing had each sent duel and challenge requests.

Xu Jin wasn't in a hurry; he accepted each challenge in turn, fighting each of them three times, defeating them all three times, before leaving the Third-Class Star-Picking Dueling Realm.

October 13, after finishing Professor Kou's lecture, Xu Jin went to submit his assignment to Professor Kou.

He submitted three third-class superior star etchings: Third-Class Superior Star Flame Explosion, Third-Class Superior Flame Explosion, and Third-Class Superior Rain Curtain Fire Shield.

Initially, Professor Kou Jing barely glanced at the Third-Class Superior Star Flame Explosion etching, patiently pointing out minor imperfections.

In his view, Xu Jin crafting third-class superior etchings so quickly, though faster than expected, was still within acceptable limits.

After all, he was a genius.

But when he saw the Third-Class Superior Flame Explosion etching, Kou Jing froze.

Had he not sensed the identical divine soul aura on both etchings, he'd have suspected someone else had made them for Xu Jin.

Though both were third-class superior etchings,

the Third-Class Superior Star Flame Explosion etching consisted of one star art plus one star pattern, while the Third-Class Superior Flame Explosion etching combined one star art with two star patterns—difficulty doubled instantly.

Many fourth-class etching masters operated at this level.

Because most ordinary fourth-class inferior etchings were simply one star art plus two star patterns.

Quickly, Kou Jing turned to the third etching.

Third-Class Superior Rain Curtain Fire Shield!

Another one: one star art plus two star patterns.

This level!

This talent!

Amazing!

"Did you figure this out on your own these past few days?" Kou Jing asked, eyes filled with unmistakable astonishment.

"Yes, I tried many times—blew up a lot of etchings," Xu Jin said.

Eventually, Kou Jing suppressed his shock and gave Xu Jin a private tutorial, explaining the flaws and improvement paths for these etchings.

If fully mastered and paired with a high-quality base etching, a third-class supreme etching might be possible.

"Teacher, I'd like to know: how exactly are fourth-class etchings engraved? Must one have fourth-class cultivation to engrave them?" This was Xu Jin's first purpose in coming to Professor Kou today—to deliberately showcase his talent.

Fourth-class etchings were too expensive to buy.

One would cost several thousand Dao Credits.

"You want to engrave fourth-class etchings?" Kou Jing asked Xu Jin.

"Yes—if possible, I'd like to try. It would help me earn more Dao Credits and starlight for cultivation," Xu Jin replied honestly.

Hearing this, Professor Kou Jing sighed inwardly.

Those from humble backgrounds, without family support, had no choice but to find their own way.

In his youth, though born into a minor family, he'd received little support and suffered greatly in this regard.

It wasn't until he later mastered emblem crafting that things improved.

"Engraving a fourth-rank emblem doesn't require fourth-rank cultivation, but there are several requirements."

Hearing Professor Kou speak, Xu Jin perked up.

"First, you need a fourth-rank Star Jade Tablet—it's the power source for fourth-rank emblems.

Second, your soul force must be stronger; typically, you need mid- to late-third-rank soul force—specifically, Soul Star Sixth Layer or higher—to craft fourth-rank emblems.

You're about there already."

"Third, there's the main star pattern. For example, your high-grade third-rank Flame Burst Star Pattern requires at least a fourth-rank Fire Source Star Pattern to engrave. But for a fourth-rank fire emblem, the minimum requirement is a fifth-rank Fire Source Star Pattern.

Otherwise, you won't reach fourth-rank quality.

In other words, you must learn the fifth-rank Fire Source Star Pattern. Do you understand?" said Kou Jing.

"Master, I've already learned it. The Dao Academy previously awarded me a fifth-rank star pattern, and I'd already mastered the fifth-rank Fire Source Star Pattern."

"Huh? That's the hardest part—I didn't expect you'd already solved it. Then the rest will be easy."

"With these plus a fourth-rank or higher star pattern, you can engrave a low- to mid-grade fourth-rank emblem. But typically, high-grade fourth-rank emblems are the norm.

To engrave a high-grade fourth-rank emblem, you need one star technique paired with three star patterns—the difficulty multiplies exponentially.

So I'll use a fire star technique as an example and demonstrate step by step the key points of fourth-rank emblems."

Xu Jin couldn't have wished for better.

This was top-tier private tutoring!

Professor Kou taught for a full two hours.

It was mainly because the student was gifted, making the lesson effortless for the teacher.

Xu Jin understood most of it after hearing it, then asked questions about what he didn't grasp—each question hit the mark—and Professor Kou would then elaborate further, even demonstrating by hand.

Xu Jin would then understand.

By the end of two hours, Professor Kou had personally demonstrated four fourth-rank emblems for Xu Jin!

Extraordinarily thorough.

During the lesson, Kou Jing drank water twice, his throat dry from speaking.

"That's enough for today. Go back and try it yourself. If you have questions, come ask me anytime."

"I will, thank you, Master," Xu Jin bowed respectfully.

But after a few breaths, Xu Jin still hadn't left, leaving Kou Jing puzzled. "Something else?"

At this, Xu Jin hesitated before bringing up another matter!

This was Xu Jin's second deliberate purpose in coming to Professor Kou today!

(End of Chapter)