Chapter 266: Lived Long Enough

In a mansion within the Star River Battlefield, a streak of starlight streaked across the sky and landed in the palm of a robed elder.

After a single glance, the robed elder's brows knitted tightly.

This was the preliminary investigation report from Feng Zhi regarding the murder of Zhu Wenhai—largely truthful, but…

"A present-era human cultivator?"

How could a present-era human possibly intrude into the fourth-rank star domain without cause?

In most cases, present-era humans entering fourth-rank or higher star domains are essentially seeking death.

Suddenly, the Chai elder remembered something.

"Zhao Manager." The Chai elder suddenly called out softly.

In the next instant, a middle-aged man emerged from the shadows, bowing deeply: "My Lord, give your order."

"Investigate whether the Huoyun Star Domain is on the list of target star domains for this year's Lougong War."

"Yes."

The Zhao middle-aged man vanished into the shadows instantly, reappearing about half an hour later, then handing over a jade tablet.

"My Lord, the Huoyun Star Domain is indeed on the target list for this year's Lougong War. Three days ago, elite disciples from Chen Guo breached the Huoyun Star Domain."

"This jade tablet contains the relevant data on the five elite disciples of Chen Guo's Dao Academy who breached the domain."

"The information on their cultivation levels should be the most current, no more than half a month old."

The Chai marquis took the jade tablet and was highly satisfied.

Zhao Weizhen's competence was unmatched—his perceptiveness was the most reliable manager he'd ever used in all these years.

Give him a task, and he'd deliver everything you needed, everything he could think of and prepare in advance.

Extremely convenient.

Extremely smooth.

Never delayed matters.

If it were another manager, you'd have to repeat the order several times.

He saved me countless troubles.

Talented people are rare.

When the chance arises, I must still fulfill this young man's wish.

After all, his wish is only slightly difficult for me.

But after reading the information in the jade tablet, the Chai marquis frowned again.

This shouldn't be possible.

According to the data on these five individuals, even the strongest, Ye Anshi, had only just broken through to fourth-rank Star Condensation Seventh Layer.

Based on his past performance, he could at most slay a fifth-rank Gathering Battle cultivator in the early stage; fifth-rank mid-stage would be doubtful.

But Zhu Wenhai was fifth-rank peak, and at critical moments could ascend to pseudo-sixth-rank, surpassing fifth-rank Gathering Battle peak by a hair's breadth, with vast star energy from his statue as backup.

Even if Ye Anshi broke through to fifth-rank Seventh Layer, he still wouldn't necessarily be able to kill him.

Could it be that Ye Anshi has already opened a Sumeru space and brought in a sixth-rank rune?

"Investigate again—using my name."

"Yes."

Zhao Weizhen vanished into the shadows once more; the Chai marquis then took out the Star-Picking Token and sent a starlight message.

Soon after, the Vermilion True Person of the Worshiping Stars Sect replied.

【Five fourth-rank kids want to kill Zhu Wenhai? You're kidding me. Even with a sixth-rank rune, unless Zhu Wenhai was careless, he absolutely couldn't be killed.】

【True Person, don't rush. We've already confirmed Zhu Wenhai was killed by present-era elite cultivators; finding the Star Official Seal will be simple—it must be on one of the present-era elites who breached the Huoyun Star Domain.】

【There are only a few of them. I'll track them down one by one, then hunt and kill them after they return.】

【What if they hand the Star Official Seal to Cheng Yuexiao after returning?】

【A regular fourth-rank elite sent in wouldn't stand a chance against these five, and they likely possess fifth- or even sixth-rank runes.】

【Fifth- and sixth-rank runes aren't cabbage. Even Chen Guo, the Tianyang Star Palace, and the Cangming Star Palace aren't rich enough to waste them like this—I refuse to believe we can't overwhelm them with numbers.】

【Send ten fourth-rank peak cultivators in; I'll dispatch ten more. We'll bury them alive with sheer numbers!】

【Besides, don't you have support from the star domain's natives?】

【This is the safest approach!】

【If they hand the artifact to Cheng Yuexiao, I'm finished—and I won't let you off easy either.】

【True Person, we share the same fate—prosper together, perish together. Your matter is mine. I'll follow your plan: I'll send in my elites first, and I'll coordinate with your forces to ferry them into the Huoyun Star Domain via the Star River Battlefield.】

【Even if we must bury them under corpses, we'll reclaim it.】

【Good!】

In the royal palace of Fengling City, when Xu Jin fully refined the two low-rank Wind Leopard-Tail Scepters, that familiar sensation he once felt in the Flowering Star Domain returned.

The feeling of absolute control came again.

And it was stronger than in the Flowering Star Domain.

The celestial authority he gained in the Flowering Star Domain was only three-tenths.

But in the Huoyun Star Domain, Xu Jin now held four-tenths of the Heavenly Will's authority.

In the next instant, with a mere thought, dark clouds blanketed Fengling City; with another thought, the sun reappeared and the clouds vanished.

And Xu Jin expended only a tiny fraction of his divine soul energy.

At the same moment, Xu Jin clearly sensed five energies that the Heavenly Will strongly rejected.

These must be Ye Anshi and Senior Sister Yang Miao and the others who entered—their locations were crystal clear.

Under this celestial authority, Xu Jin could effortlessly command his troops to surround and annihilate them.

This is why the Grand Master said unified fourth-rank and higher star domains are terrifying.

With four-tenths of the Heavenly Will's authority, even a sixth-rank cultivator would be crushed by sheer numbers.

Simultaneously, Xu Jin clearly sensed the presence of powerful beings within this realm, and faintly perceived their star energy signatures and precise locations.

The Fengling Leopard-Tail clan's strongest queen was fifth-rank Ninth Layer peak; all fifth-rank late-stage cultivators had already been slaughtered by Xu Jin.

Currently, the Fengling Leopard-Tail clan still had five fifth-rank mid-stage cultivators and twelve fifth-rank early-stage cultivators.

Of the fifth-rank early-stage cultivators, only four were near the royal city; the rest, judging by their positions, were all on the front lines.

In the Fengling clan, a few fifth-rank early-stage cultivators could be spared, but all fifth-rank mid-stage cultivators must be wiped out.

As for the Fire Tiger clan's fifth-rank cultivators, most must be killed; those willing to surrender their divine souls may be spared as a counterbalance.

The same applied to the Fire Spirit clan.

Through the Huoyun Star Domain's celestial authority, Xu Jin sensed that the Fire Spirit clan still had several fifth-rank cultivators remaining.

These all required Xu Jin to deal with personally.

Additionally, through this four-tenths celestial authority, Xu Jin had faint, vague sensations—likely tied to the Heavenly Will's authority itself—but he couldn't discern them clearly.

He wondered whether acquiring the Heavenly Will's authority from the Fire Tiger clan might improve this.

He needed to work quickly.

A few breaths later, Xu Jin rose and awakened the sleeping queen of the Fengling Leopard-Tail clan.

After enduring Xu Jin's meticulously woven dreams, the queen's gaze toward him grew even more reverent.

As for the treasury, no words were needed.

The Leopard-Tail Queen had already surrendered the Leopard-Tail Scepters—how much less the treasury?

When Xu Jin mentioned it, the queen not only handed over the treasury but also her private vault.

The Fengling Leopard-Tail clan's treasury held valuables comparable to those of the Fire Spirit clan.

Only the elemental jade tablets were mostly wind-elemental.

Compared to the Fire Spirit clan's treasury, the Fengling Leopard-Tail clan's treasury held far fewer star jade tablets—only half as many.

Xu Jin asked why.

Under the influence of the military strategist Zhu Wenhai, the queen had distributed vast quantities of star jade tablets to elevate her clan's cultivation, and some had been handed over to Zhu Wenhai himself.

Xu Jin suspected they had been shipped out.

Half a quarter-hour later, Xu Jin emptied the treasury of all star jade tablets.

Other items had no space, but star jade tablets could be stored.

All third- and fourth-rank star jade tablets were converted into starlight, adding over six thousand strands to Xu Jin's Can Dou Platform, bringing his total starlight close to twenty thousand strands—a major gain.

Additionally, he acquired over a hundred fifth-rank star jade tablets.

No sixth-rank star jade tablets were found in the treasury.

But in the Leopard-Tail Queen's private vault, Xu Jin found four sixth-rank star jade tablets.

According to the queen, even for them, it took years to mine just one sixth-rank star jade tablet.

The queen's private vault mostly contained precious treasures and many distinctive ornaments.

There were also a few fourth- and fifth-rank star jade tablets.

Xu Jin didn't hesitate—he took all four sixth-rank star jade tablets, half the fifth-rank ones, and left the rest for the queen.

He couldn't let her become destitute.

Thus, Xu Jin's total fifth-rank star jade tablets now exceeded five hundred and fifty. The rest were mostly jewelry and rare curiosities—he had no need to take them.

But when Xu Jin's gaze swept over a blue, glass-like object, the starlight on his Can Dou Platform suddenly trembled slightly.

Xu Jin's heart stirred—he turned his gaze back to the blue, glass-like object.

It was no longer than a thumb, slightly thicker than a thumb, shaped like a blue glass prism, pointed on one side, and broken off on the other, resembling a broken three-pronged spike.

A broken star weapon?

As Xu Jin puzzled over it, he pointed at the blue, three-edged broken spike and asked, "Where did this come from?"

"My lord, this is a broken weapon that fell from beyond the heavens many years ago. Even the Fire Spirit clan's greatest armorer could not melt it, so a subject offered it up, and it's been locked away in the secret vault ever since, untouched." The Leopard Tail Queen bowed respectfully.

Hearing this, Xu Jin nodded, casually lifted it, and found it surprisingly heavy—a thumb-sized object weighing at least ten or more jin.

In the next instant, the blue three-edged spike vanished into thin air, having been absorbed into the Can Dou Platform.

Since the Can Dou Platform reacted, let's see what happens when it's absorbed.

To Xu Jin's surprise, after the blue three-edged spike was absorbed into the Can Dou Platform, he realized it could only be nurtured.

He'd originally planned to discard it, but since it could be nurtured and was an object from beyond the heavens—even the Fire Spirit clan's armorer couldn't melt it—he decided to try nurturing it.

After all, the Can Dou Platform's ability to nurture star weapons was currently useless; might as well toss it in and see.

Then Xu Jin tossed the blue three-edged spike beneath the Star Lamp, deciding to nurture it for ten days or so.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the vault's entrance. Xu Jin turned to find a squad of Wind Spirit Leopard Tail soldiers arriving with five others.

It was Ye Anshi and Senior Sister Yang Miao and the other four.

The moment Xu Jin turned, Yang Miao, who had been alert, her body shimmering with starlight, stepped forward rapidly, astonished: "Young brother—is it really you?"

Xu Jin smiled and nodded.

Yang Miao still looked doubtful. She glanced at the fifth-rank ninth-layer peak Leopard Tail Queen, cautiously approached, and, seeing no hostility from the Queen, stepped forward and pinched Xu Jin's cheek hard.

The real texture and Xu Jin's twisted expression finally put Yang Miao's mind at ease.

"Young brother, is it really you?"

"I feared you were an impostor from another race, that the token had been stolen, or that this was some illusion—I couldn't believe it."

"Now do you believe me?" Xu Jin sighed.

"I believe it. The feel is real."

With that, Yang Miao waved to Ye Anshi and the others. "Senior Brother Ye, you can relax now. This is truly my younger brother Xu Jin. He didn't lie—he really conquered the Wind Spirit King City."

Ye Anshi, the senior disciple of Master Kou Jing, stepped forward, staring at Xu Jin with disbelief. "Young Brother Xu, did you really conquer the Wind Spirit King City alone?"

Xu Jin smiled and looked toward the Wind Spirit Leopard Tail Queen.

She swiftly stepped back half a pace. "My lord, what would you like me to prepare?"

"Bring food and drink, then bring the entire Fire Cloud Star Region's map to them. Summon your commanding officers—let each of them take control of one officer's spirit core."

"While I'm away, follow the orders of Senior Brother Ye Anshi and Senior Sister Yang Miao."

"Yes, I'll attend to it immediately."

After the Leopard Tail Queen bowed and left, Ye Anshi, Yang Miao, and the others stared with eyes as wide as copper bells.

A fifth-rank ninth-layer peak sovereign kneeling before a third-rank ninth-layer peak—or no, a fourth-rank first-layer human—this was truly…

A sight to behold after a lifetime.

At this point, Xu Jin had no need to hide anything from his own people.

And these five fellow disciples' shock had only just begun.

The five listened to Xu Jin's summary as if hearing a myth.

During this time, servants from the Wind Spirit King City brought wine and food; they ate as they spoke.

But when the Leopard Tail Queen knelt beside Xu Jin, serving him wine and food, the five were utterly stunned.

Ye Anshi even pinched his own thigh.

This wasn't just a sight to behold after a lifetime.

A fourth-rank star region's sovereign. A fifth-rank ninth-layer peak sovereign.

Kneeling in service!

Under normal circumstances, one would never see this in a lifetime.

"Senior Brother Ye, Senior Sister Yang, that's the situation. Currently, only the Fire Tiger clan possesses strong fifth-rank power in this star region—but that's no problem. I'll eliminate them immediately."

"If you're willing, you may remain in the Fire Cloud Star Region—even until the end of the Lou Gong War—only leaving after the Grand Master rebuilds the fixed star gate."

"That will take about one or two months."

"During this time, I'll have the Leopard Tail Queen fully assist you, aiming to conquer the Fire Cloud Star Region within one or two months."

"The merit of conquering a fourth-rank star region for the Chen State Dao Academy needs no explanation—you understand."

"Of course, if you're unwilling, when I leave, I'll have the Grand Master send others in." Xu Jin said.

For such a windfall, if Ye Anshi and Yang Miao refused, they'd be fools.

Conquering a fourth-rank star region was such a monumental achievement—even if Xu Jin took most of the credit, it was still a massive boon for them.

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!"

Ye Anshi, Yang Miao, and the others agreed without hesitation.

Whoever refused was a fool.

After half an hour of detailed discussion, Xu Jin departed.

Xu Jin's departure meant a bloody purge.

He went straight to the Fire Tiger clan's Red Tiger City and stormed in alone.

He casually unleashed a Flame Explosion to kill any fourth-rank powerhouse blocking his path; if he encountered a fifth-rank warrior, he killed those he could and chased down the ones he couldn't.

Fifth-rank warriors had to be eliminated.

An hour later, inside Red Tiger City, all fifth-rank aliens except one fifth-rank second-layer Fire Tiger had been slain by Xu Jin. From the slain Fire Tiger King, he obtained only one Fire Tiger Heart.

In the Fire Cloud Star Region, the Fire Tiger clan was the weakest—yet even their primal celestial will yielded only one.

Not the two Xu Jin had expected.

There was one fifth-rank Fire Spirit Star Core, but it only granted mid-tier Fire Source and low-tier Fire Image protection runes.

Indeed, the Fire Spirit clan was stronger.

As for the fifth-rank second-layer Fire Tiger, Xu Jin controlled his spirit core and ordered him to hold Red Tiger City until the Leopard Tail clan could absorb it.

Of course, the Fire Tiger clan's treasury didn't escape Xu Jin's grasp.

To Xu Jin's surprise, the Fire Tiger clan's treasury was richer than the Leopard Tail clan's.

Third- and fourth-rank star jade tablets directly converted into nearly ten thousand threads of fourth-rank starlight for the Can Dou Platform.

Xu Jin's total fourth-rank starlight threads now exceeded thirty thousand.

Even after future upgrades, he'd have massive surplus.

He'd truly eaten his fill for now.

From now on, Xu Jin could freely restore his star power using the Can Dou Platform's starlight.

He wouldn't even need elixirs anymore.

Though Xu Jin had wiped out the fifth-rank warriors in Red Tiger City, the remaining purges would take the most time.

Using his authority over the Fire Cloud Star Region's celestial will, Xu Jin sensed residual fifth-rank warriors and chased them down by starflight, eliminating them one by one.

It was time-consuming.

But at the very least, Xu Jin had to eliminate all mid- and late-stage fifth-rank aliens.

Otherwise, after he left, they'd become the greatest obstacle to fully conquering the fourth-rank Fire Cloud Star Region.

This process lasted half a day.

By now, Xu Jin had spent nearly a day and a half in the fourth-rank Fire Cloud Star Region; the Lou Gong War had already progressed four days.

Three days remained.

It was time to leave.

But before departing the Fire Cloud Star Region, Xu Jin spent an hour fully refining and fusing the Fire Tiger Heart he'd taken from the Fire Tiger clan.

The rank of his own Fire Spirit Heart, which contained vast amounts of Fire System celestial will, finally rose to fifth-rank low.

And his authority over the Fire Cloud Star Region's celestial will reached fifty percent.

As Xu Jin had anticipated, fifty percent was a threshold.

The instant his authority over the Fire Cloud Star Region's celestial will reached fifty percent, his mind entered a profound communion with the region's very essence.

He now had a clear sense of the region's vast resources.

He gained a general understanding of all relevant information about the Fire Cloud Star Region.

As torrents of information flooded his mind during the communion, Xu Jin's expression suddenly brightened with surprise.

There was surprise.

And not just one.

(End of Chapter)