[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-star-martial-era":3,"chapter-the-star-martial-era-the-star-martial-era-chapter-244":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},2275102,4448,"Chapter 244: Transformation (Mid-Autumn Festival Joy)","the-star-martial-era-chapter-244",244,"\u003Cp>On the evening of October 27, the Third-Rank Combat Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had just finished two sparring sessions with the Immortal of Drunken Moon when he received another challenge request from Starfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over these past few days, Xu Jin had learned who Starfire was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xinghuo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top true disciple of Tianyang Star Hall this year, the strongest in the Star Refining realm, a universally renowned genius of Tianyang Star Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a secret—ask anyone and you’ll know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking it over, Xu Jin still accepted Starfire’s challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy still had real combat value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin felt his combat ability was improving rapidly; if he suppressed his own power to match Starfire’s level without changing tactics, he might lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a good whetstone for improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Tianyang Star Hall, Starfire received the request from the Great Sage and felt anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the past few days, different fifth-rank experts had sparred with him daily, feeding him moves and pointing out his combat flaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every day, he was getting beaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been beaten more times in these few days than in all of this past year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he felt his combat ability was rising rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt he now had a real chance to defeat the Great Sage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, he planned to wait another three or four days before challenging the Great Sage—by then, his odds of victory would rise above seventy percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, they were only forty to fifty percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Sixth Elder Xia Zhong, who oversaw Chiying, pressured him urgently, claiming it was Master Wang Kan’s order, so he had to schedule the challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was here on a mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the combat arena, as before, after the screen vanished, Zhou Xinghuo didn’t rush to end it—he began chatting with the Great Sage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Sage, how about we change our fighting style today?” Starfire suddenly said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Change our style? What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your fire-star techniques are too overwhelming. How about we both avoid fire-star techniques and use other star arts instead?” Zhou Xinghuo said, eyes bright with excitement as he looked at Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, Xu Jin might have agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after surviving an assassination and receiving guidance from Grand Master after Master Kou’s breakthrough, Xu Jin had become extremely cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This seemed harmless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon closer thought, it felt like he was gathering key pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many geniuses excel in fire-star techniques—it’s hard to rule out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But add another element, and the pool of suspects drops sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, fighting with an unfamiliar star art is pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only excel in fire.” After thinking, Xu Jin refused, flames instantly erupting around him, “Come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin was ready to fight, but Zhou Xinghuo showed no urgency to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even summon starlight around him, appearing completely relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Sage, excelling only in fire is dangerous—you’ll be easily targeted. Besides, you’re not from Tianyang Star Hall, are you? For fire-star techniques, Tianyang ranks first, Cangming second, Zhen’e third, and Da Chen fourth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re not from Da Chen—are you from Zhen’e Star Hall?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhen’e Star Hall doesn’t have your accent—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, Xu Jin’s body erupted in fire, appearing right before the chatty Starfire and unleashing an Inferno Blast that shattered him into starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in Tianyang Star Hall, Zhou Xinghuo, realizing he’d been obliterated by the Great Sage, cursed loudly and gritted his molars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Sage was too uncouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too disrespectful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t even finished speaking, and the Great Sage attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse—he hadn’t achieved a single goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d failed Sixth Elder Xia Zhong’s mission, and he hadn’t even landed a single blow against the Great Sage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utterly frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, Zhou Xinghuo submitted another challenge request against the Great Sage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【The Great Sage declined your challenge.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The starlight notification made Zhou Xinghuo raise an eyebrow—what did this mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He submitted another challenge. Again, instantly rejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xinghuo couldn’t help but send a message to the Great Sage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Great Sage, what’s your meaning? Was sneaking an attack fun? If you’ve got guts, accept the challenge!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the message, Xu Jin gave a strange look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy was so talkative, even with intent, and now he dares to question him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should he keep such a person as a friend just to wait for the New Year?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No reply. Xu Jin immediately deleted Starfire from his Star-Picking Tower friend list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting a long time without a reply, Zhou Xinghuo grew impatient and sent another starlight message—but the reply left him stunned and furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【You are not friends with the Great Sage. Cannot send message.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck, is he that petty? Just deleted me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xinghuo was so frustrated he felt like vomiting—and even more enraged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to send starlight messages, he had only one option: directly challenge the Great Sage inside the Third-Rank Combat Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the result only made him more furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instant rejection!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He challenged seven times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin rejected him seven times instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Try again—the system replied: the opponent is not in the Third-Rank Combat Arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, Zhou Xinghuo completely lost his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frustrated to the point of vomiting blood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could someone be like this?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>October 28, External Affairs Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deputy Hallmaster Ling Mao, having received word early, came out immediately to lead Xu Jin into the inner hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon meeting, Xu Jin immediately pulled a large pile of talismans from his backpack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In recent days, Xu Jin had not abandoned expanding his Infinite Space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accumulating over time, his Infinite Space had grown to roughly six cubic meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About the size of a space two meters high, three meters long, and one meter wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For storing small items, it was still very capacious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But some things still needed concealment, so for daily outings, Xu Jin still carried a small leather backpack to avoid suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of talismans Xu Jin pulled out alone startled Ling Mao—two hundred in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what truly shocked Ling Mao was their rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only twenty were third-rank upper-grade talismans; the rest were all fourth-rank talismans—180 in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, don’t tell me you can craft fourth-rank talismans?” Ling Mao exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Ling, I made all of them myself. Master Kou gave me special tutoring—he said I have talent in this area, and I’ve been lucky: every three attempts yield one successful talisman.” Xu Jin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A success rate over thirty percent? You’ve only been learning for a few days, brother—you’re destined to become a Talisman Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Mao’s shock was genuine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many veteran fourth-rank talisman masters in the National Dao Academy had success rates of only sixty percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My teacher taught well.” Xu Jin was humble—after all, Master Kou, the Grand Talisman Master, was an excellent shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Xu Jin’s actual success rate, now over ninety-five percent, he wouldn’t mention it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the talismans Xu Jin brought to Ling Mao were all substandard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top-grade fourth-rank talismans he kept for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, brother, what do you plan to do with these?” “Brother Ling, you handle them. I still owe you starlight—this should cover it.” Xu Jin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Mao nodded firmly, “Blood brothers, clear accounts. Even though we’re as close as brothers, the books must balance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Mao, as Deputy Hallmaster of External Affairs, was sharp in calculations and quickly gave Xu Jin the most reasonable arrangement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twenty third-rank upper-grade Inferno Talismans priced at 800 strands of starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth-rank lower-grade Spiral Inferno Talismans and Golden Bell Talismans priced at 200 strands each; Xu Jin brought 125 lower-grade and 55 mid-grade, each mid-grade priced at 250 strands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Total: 39,550 strands of starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After calculating, Ling Mao explained further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Nine-Star Tide approaching, all talismans had increased in value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before this, the top price for grade-four talismans was usually around a hundred strands of starlight, rarely exceeding three hundred; now, it has reached three hundred fifty strands per talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For grade-four middle-tier talismans, the previous price was around two hundred strands of starlight; now, it has surged directly to two hundred fifty strands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Ling Mao directly took a portion of the top-priced talismans to avoid taxation by the Star-Plucking Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest were all sold to the Chen Guo Dao Academy, priced in starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After deducting a three percent transaction tax, Xu Jin received seven thousand two hundred twenty-six strands of starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Dao Merit: 7681 points】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Starlight: 32124 strands】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin, leaving the External Affairs Hall, finally exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Free of debt, he felt light as air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, he now had a modest accumulation of starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over thirty thousand strands of starlight counted as a considerable fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his spare time over the next few days, he would carve a few more talismans, then attend the upcoming auction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, if any grade-six star-core appeared, Xu Jin would buy them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he couldn’t obtain any related star-art, at the very least, he could use them as killing techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once detonated, they delivered a full-power strike from a grade-six cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, over the next few days, Xu Jin’s main goal was to test whether he could produce a grade-five talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the talismans he had just sold to Ling Mao were not all he had produced these past days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over these days, Xu Jin had produced over fifty grade-four superior talismans, all kept back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After cultivation, their power doubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When launched, even a grade-five cultivator might suffer serious injury if careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, it's still a bit short of being enough to save one's life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had already begun attempting to craft grade-five talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Kou Jing, grade-seven fire-source star-talismans could not be inscribed into talismans; but if a grade-six fire-source star-talisman were inscribed into a grade-five star-jade tablet, even if the star-art’s rank was insufficient, it could forcibly elevate the talisman’s grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resulting in either a grade-five inferior or grade-five middle-tier talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If successful, even a grade-five middle-tier talisman, once cultivated to double its power, would be terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be Xu Jin’s true lifeline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for grade-four and grade-five star-jade tablets, Xu Jin still had many on hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, within the grade-three Purple Wind Star Zone, Xu Jin had collected over a thousand grade-four and grade-five star-jade tablets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, inscribing and selling talismans now was nearly cost-free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, he could never have repaid his debts so quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a single grade-four star-jade tablet cost a hundred strands of starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin’s one hundred eighty grade-four star-jade tablets may have sold for nearly thirty-nine thousand strands of starlight, but their raw material cost alone reached eighteen thousand strands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was under perfect success rates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Veteran grade-four talisman artisans had a success rate of only sixty percent; even then, their profits were not substantial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For several days straight, Xu Jin lived in extreme fulfillment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latest versions of star-talismans obtained from the Lingji Star Temple had all been upgraded to their newest forms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, Xu Jin learned two secret soul-star arts from the Lingji Star Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first was called: True Illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a grade-six soul-star art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Composed of six star-talismans: Star Mist, Illusory Intent, Intent Cage, Dampening Desire, Return to Storage, and Concealed Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its primary function was to freely create various illusions, deceiving an opponent’s vision and perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had already inscribed it onto his third soul-star; this soul-star art should be highly practical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second was called: Soul-Slaying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul-Slaying was the strongest soul-star offensive art of the Lingji Star Temple, its signature soul-star killing technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Composed of five soul-star talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Jin had not dared to inscribe it yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it was too recognizable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using it would immediately reveal Xu Jin as a Lingji remnant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once used, he must kill the enemy without fail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin felt he lacked the strength to confront either of the two great star-temples for a long time; thus, he absolutely could not casually use the Lingji Star Temple’s signature soul-star killing arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would hold off on inscribing it for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had already begun practicing the related star-talismans within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Roar—a group-targeting mental attack—and Dampening Desire, a soul-star talisman that subtly amplifies an opponent’s emotions, as well as the core soul-star talisman of Soul-Slaying: Dark Flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soul-fire that specifically damages the soul, yet extremely difficult to master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he had also obtained its training method from the Star-Plucking Tower branch, requiring gradual preparation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, he had acquired several other highly useful star-talismans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, the Shadow-Worm Star-Talisman—a formless, invisible soul-tracking technique—that, when combined with Return to Storage, made it nearly impossible for the target to detect its presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Mark of Confusion, a mental positioning star-talisman capable of locking onto a location within a certain range—also extremely practical!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had obtained many star-talismans and star-arts from the Star-Plucking Tower branch; without a teacher to guide him, he spent many days studying before gaining any real insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To fully digest them and integrate them into himself, forming actual combat power, would require much more time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Nine-Star Tide approaching, Xu Jin felt an inexplicable pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when inscribing the latest version of the grade-six Mingji Star-Talisman, as he activated it, he faintly sensed an ominous threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Xu Jin even more eager to rapidly enhance his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding talismans, he could now inscribe grade-five inferior talismans and was slowly building a reserve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But talismans were external tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much thought, Xu Jin decided he must quickly convert his accumulated resources into actual power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the Gold Star and the Brilliant Star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they appeared priceless, if held unused, they were worthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to convert them into power as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, in recent days, Xu Jin had spent increasing time in the Dao Academy’s library, preparing for the Yan Dao ritual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On October 31, Xu Jin appeared in Danxia Palace to pay respects to Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Grand Master raised a starlight barrier to isolate the interior, Xu Jin said, “Grand Master, I wish to enter the Star-Dome Secret Realm for Yan Dao. Do you still have any Yan Dao time remaining?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have four hours per month; you used one already, the rest I’ve saved for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re ready?” Cheng Yuexiao asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am,” Xu Jin nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Cheng Yuexiao seized Xu Jin’s hand; a flash of starlight, and they appeared inside the Star-Dome Secret Realm of the main tower of the Chen Guo Star-Plucking Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2404,"2026-06-19T23:56:34.019Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","94a230acf587d84570ae791ee6279d07ada13ba73990352dffd0008e3d39e1a4","the-star-martial-era-chapter-245","the-star-martial-era-chapter-243",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-star-martial-era-cover.jpg"]