Chapter 267: Even a Slave Can (Requesting Double Moon Tickets)

The first surprise: the rank of the Fire Cloud Star Domain can be upgraded.

As long as the conditions are met, a fourth-rank Fire Cloud Star Domain can be upgraded to a fifth-rank Fire Cloud Star Domain.

Moreover, the frequent invasions by alien races from the star domain into the mortal realm are also aimed at upgrading the star domain.

Of course, they do not understand it, cannot comprehend it—it is an instinct deep in their bones, or a subconscious influence imposed by the will of heaven and earth, driving them to be fiercely eager for invasion.

This is also tied to the massive rewards involved.

The upgrade conditions are complex.

But the most important and hardest to achieve is only one: the current star domain must possess at least three types of celestial and terrestrial star wills to be upgraded to a fifth-rank star domain.

Currently, there are only two types of celestial and terrestrial star wills: fire and wind.

Only by adding one more type of celestial and terrestrial star will can an upgrade become possible.

But this addition is not as simple as seizing one type of celestial and terrestrial star will.

It must begin with a large number of the Fire Cloud Star Domain's people learning this type of power.

This is difficult to achieve.

But it is not impossible.

If there is an opportunity in the future, Xu Jin will attempt it.

But now, he can begin laying the groundwork slowly.

The powers Xu Jin possesses are currently fire, earth, and thunder; the Fire Cloud Star Domain already has fire, and Xu Jin himself cannot even transmit the Lei Yuan Star Pattern, so he cannot teach thunder.

After pondering, Xu Jin crafted several third-rank and above Earth Source Star Patterns and handed them all to Queen Baowei, instructing her to teach them to the most gifted members of her tribe.

Let her begin with the first step.

The second surprise: after Xu Jin's cultivation base surpasses the peak of fourth-rank ninth layer, there is still a way to enter the fourth-rank Fire Cloud Star Domain.

But there is one extremely important prerequisite: control over fifty percent of the Fire Cloud Star Domain's celestial and terrestrial authority.

Become the master of the Fire Cloud Star Domain's celestial and terrestrial authority.

And this condition, Xu Jin has already met.

As for the other conditions, they are relatively simple.

Xu Jin silently noted this down—he would return to the Fire Cloud Star Domain someday if the chance arose.

Then, Xu Jin prepared to leave; time was pressing.

Before departing, Xu Jin gifted Ye Anshi, Yang Miao, and others each a fifth-rank insignia bestowed by the Grand Master.

Even if a fifth-rank cultivator invades, they possess the capability to kill him.

But generally, it won't be needed—the fifth-rank ninth-layer peak Queen Baowei is currently the strongest combatant in the Fire Cloud Star Domain.

Most fifth-rank experts can be handled by Queen Baowei alone.

"Prepare a quiet palace for me—I need to rest for a while."

Xu Jin gave Queen Baowei this order, and soon a palace was arranged for him.

But Xu Jin did not intend to rest; after entering the palace, he instructed Queen Baowei to send a message to Yang Miao, summoning her to come.

After receiving the order, Queen Baowei did not act immediately.

As Xu Jin grew puzzled, Queen Baowei suddenly shed her robes, wearing only a sheer, gossamer undergarment, then knelt low, head bowed, whispering:

"Master, even I can serve you."

Xu Jin looked at this scene, his blood surging.

The thin silk revealed Queen Baowei's lithe, fiery figure in full view—her curves barely concealed, hills and valleys rising and falling, leaving Xu Jin instantly parched and breathless.

At the tip of her kneeling rump, a leopard tail swayed back and forth—simply.

Only because Xu Jin had seen many similar scenes in his past life would he have been unable to hold himself back otherwise.

In the next instant, Xu Jin pressed his hand to his forehead and fully understood Queen Baowei's meaning.

Queen Baowei had misunderstood.

She thought Xu Jin had summoned Yang Miao to serve him in bed.

What an imagination.

"Put your clothes on. Go summon someone."

Hearing this, Queen Baowei lowered her head, tears falling. "Does Master find me unworthy? If Master finds me unworthy, I can send all the young maidens of the tribe to you—choose any you like."

Xu Jin smiled bitterly.

The temptation was too great.

But his time was too tight now—if not, he would have stayed in the Fire Cloud Star Domain for ten days or half a month.

He absolutely had to experience it.

"Go quickly. I have urgent matters. We'll discuss this later when I have leisure."

Seeing Xu Jin had not refused, Queen Baowei's expression brightened. She quickly dressed and left to summon someone.

Watching Queen Baowei's graceful back disappear, Xu Jin involuntarily swallowed.

Youthful vigor indeed.

This time was an exception—next time, he must not deprive himself.

One must treat oneself well.

This was a thought Xu Jin had arrived at after years of bitter struggle in his past life.

Soon, Senior Sister Yang Miao was summoned. Seeing Xu Jin inside the hall, she was surprised.

"Younger brother, what is this?"

"Senior sister, no time for pleasantries—take these. Unless something unexpected happens, you'll be fighting alone for a while. Use them when the moment comes."

As he spoke, Xu Jin handed over fifteen insignias.

Ten were fourth-rank and above insignias, cultivated; five were fifth-rank below insignias, cultivated—mostly offensive, some defensive.

With these insignias, Yang Miao could kill every fifth-rank expert currently in the Fire Cloud Star Domain again.

This ensured absolute safety.

"Younger brother, so many?" Yang Miao stared in shock.

"Aren't you my senior sister?"

Xu Jin made a rare joke. "Senior sister, these insignias, due to their unique crafting method, are low-ranked but immensely powerful—use them yourself, and don't tell anyone else."

As Senior Sister Yang Miao nodded slightly, her expression grew strange.

Xu Jin did not notice this.

At the same time, Xu Jin gave Yang Miao another instruction.

Yang Miao's main cultivation was Wind Star Art, but she also studied Earth. Xu Jin asked her to guide the tribe members Queen Baowei had selected to learn Earth Source Star Patterns, and see if the Fire Cloud Star Domain's people could rapidly cultivate Earth cultivators.

If they succeed, teach them some lower-rank Earth-related Star Patterns to enhance combat power.

Star Patterns below fourth-rank are low-rank and can be taught.

Though Yang Miao did not know why Xu Jin wanted this, she readily agreed.

After a dozen breaths, Xu Jin took out the timing jade tablet given by Dai Guanwen, located the direction of the temporary star gate, and prepared to leave.

But just as Xu Jin was about to depart, the celestial and terrestrial authority of the Fire Cloud Star Domain, already cultivated by him, suddenly trembled ten times.

In the instant Xu Jin immersed his mind into it, his brows furrowed.

Within the celestial and terrestrial authority's perception, ten new, intensely hostile energies had appeared.

Were these invaders?

From other star domains?

Or reinforcements sent by Chen Guo?

Or agents dispatched by other forces from the mortal realm?

Xu Jin immediately ruled out Chen Guo's reinforcements.

That was unlikely.

With the Lou Gong War ongoing, the Grand Master would never violate its rules by sending so many people in to aid.

That left only two possibilities: invaders from other star domains, or agents from other mortal realm factions.

Neither possibility was one Xu Jin wished to see.

Xu Jin now controlled fifty percent of the Fire Cloud Star Domain's celestial and terrestrial authority, becoming its master, on the verge of fully conquering the fourth-rank star domain, with even the possibility of future upgrading.

He must deal with this.

Xu Jin needed to know who these people were and where they came from.

It wouldn't take much time.

In the next instant, Xu Jin stepped upon the stars and shot toward the direction sensed, moving faster than a falling meteor.

This was another advantage gained after mastering celestial and terrestrial authority.

Once control over a star domain's celestial and terrestrial authority exceeds thirty percent, one can borrow its power to enhance one's own strength, especially speed.

With fifty percent celestial and terrestrial authority enhancing him, Xu Jin's speed more than doubled.

What would have taken half an hour now took only fifteen minutes—he located his first target.

As he neared, Xu Jin immediately concealed himself.

Under the Mingji Star Pattern's perception and observation, he quickly gained results.

Indeed, they were mortal humans.

Cultivation base: fourth-rank ninth-layer peak.

Spirit cultivation barely reached Star Refinement third layer.

The clothing was unlike anything Xu Jin had ever seen before, certainly not in Chen Guo.

Their affiliation and purpose could not be determined.

But the matter was simple. After a few breaths, he stealthily approached, then revealed himself to halt the man—while the man was still stunned, Xu Jin immediately activated Wen Meng.

The man instantly fell into deep sleep.

Xu Jin began interrogation.

But the more he interrogated, the darker his expression became.

The results were worse than he had imagined.

This man was an elite under Qian Shaowei, serving under Marquis Chai Ce of Yangdu, in the Yangdu Sector of the Star River Battlefield.

Following Marquis Chai Ce's orders, he entered the Huoyun Star Region through a star gate in the Huoyun Star Region of the Star River Battlefield.

Their sole objective: locate the elite Dao Academy forces of Chen Guo within the Huoyun Star Region, recover the lost military mobilization seal, and kill any who resisted.

At first, Xu Jin did not understand this order.

Lost military mobilization seal?

How could a military mobilization seal possibly end up in the Huoyun Star Region?

Even if you threw it there drunk, you couldn't get it in—let alone anyone else stealing a military seal just to run off to the Huoyun Star Region for what?

That would be insane.

After reflecting carefully, Xu Jin finally realized.

The key to these elites' mission was the seal.

Not any military mobilization seal.

The so-called "military mobilization seal" was merely a cover.

The keyword was "seal."

Within the entire Huoyun Star Region, there was only one thing associated with a seal.

The Star Official Seal.

The Star Official Seal Xu Jin had obtained after killing Zhu Wenhai.

After acquiring it, Xu Jin had not yet had time to study it—yet now others had come searching for it.

Clearly, this item was extremely valuable—at least to the side that lost it.

Because Qian Shaowei's group had sent ten men, all with identical objectives.

Additionally, another critical piece of intelligence: Marquis Chai Ce had given them a token to contact Feng Zhi, the Supreme Commander of the Fengling Baowei Clan.

Xu Jin's expression had grown grim.

First, Marquis Chai Ce had colluded with Feng Zhi, the Supreme Commander within the fourth-rank star region.

Second, Marquis Chai Ce likely had ties to the Worship of the Dipper Cult.

Xu Jin recalled the hidden base of the Worship of the Dipper Cult he had discovered while rescuing his sister Jiang Er—it was located on Marquis Chai Ce's isolated fief.

Back then, he had thought it a coincidence.

Just poor discipline by Marquis Chai Ce.

But now, it was clearly no coincidence.

If Marquis Chai Ce had long been colluding with the Worship of the Dipper Cult, then placing their branch lairs on his fief was perfectly logical.

"Marquis Chai Ce!"

Xu Jin's eyes were filled with coldness—he had never imagined the mastermind behind nearly killing his sister Jiang Er was Marquis Chai Ce himself.

Xu Jin stared at the captive, Qian Shaowei, wondering whether to bring him back as a living witness.

Or to extract his confession and then kill him?

Marquis Chai Ce was one of the Three Princes and Seven Marquises of Chen Guo, each a powerful warlord commanding vast armies within the Star River Battlefield, with cultivation reaching the peak of seventh-rank.

Could bringing back this witness, Qian Shaowei, be enough to topple Marquis Chai Ce and convict him?

After long consideration, Xu Jin shook his head.

Difficult.

Extremely difficult.

The Three Princes and Seven Marquises of Chen Guo all rose from the Star River Battlefield, their networks deeply entangled—relying on a single witness to force the Grand Master to arrest Marquis Chai Ce was nearly impossible.

It wasn't that the Grand Master dared not.

It was that he could not.

With Chai Ce's rank, power, and control over vast armies, taking him down required careful, gradual planning.

Of course, it wasn't entirely hopeless.

Thinking quickly, Xu Jin immediately sent a distant message to the Baowei Queen, instructing her to come to this location to take custody of the captive, Qian Shaowei, and keep him alive at all costs.

This method of transmitting messages was a privilege granted after mastering fifty percent of the star region's heavenly authority.

As long as the target's soul aura had been locked, Xu Jin's voice would appear directly in their mind like a divine decree.

It was not an exaggeration to call it a god's power.

And for now, within the fourth-rank star region, Xu Jin was as good as a god.

As for this captive, Qian Shaowei, keep him imprisoned—for now. When needed, extract him beyond the fourth-rank star region, and he would become ironclad evidence.

Then, Xu Jin smashed Qian Shaowei's Middle Star Palace with one palm, destroying his cultivation, shattered his limbs, and knocked out his teeth to prevent suicide.

Those sent on such missions might very well be death cultists.

Xu Jin dared not take risks.

The next instant, Xu Jin sank his mind into the heavenly authority of the Huoyun Star Region, enhancing and clearly marking the aura locations of the remaining nine invaders.

It was somewhat akin to a divine decree.

Instantly, all alien races within the Huoyun Star Region—whether the Fengling Baowei Clan, the Huohu Clan, or the Huoling Clan—faintly sensed the nine marked locations.

In their hearts, an overwhelming desire surged forth.

A desire to slay the invaders marked by the heavens.

Those who killed them would gain the favor, even rewards, of the heavenly will.

This craving briefly overrode all other impulses.

Warriors of the Huoling and Fengling Baowei clans engaged in battle, upon discovering they were near one of the marked locations, simultaneously abandoned their fight against each other and turned to attack the invaders marked by heavenly will.

Dozens surrounded and annihilated one.

The death cultists sent by Marquis Chai Ce were thrown into panic.

How could this happen?

Without hesitation, they turned and fled.

But within less than ten breaths, despair flashed in their eyes.

For ahead of them, aliens appeared—excitedly roaring like they had discovered treasure, charging straight at them.

They turned again to flee.

A few breaths later, aliens appeared ahead once more.

Within moments, the death cultist from Marquis Chai Ce's household was surrounded and annihilated.

Even in death, he could not comprehend why aliens surrounded him from all sides.

He had entered the Huoyun Star Region before—never had it been like this.

At the corpse of the slain cultist, the killer exulted.

But the next instant, the Huoling and Fengling Baowei clans, having separated to hunt the invaders, glared at each other and resumed their bloody battle.

In an instant, blood flowed like a river.

By the time Xu Jin reached the temporary star gate, eight of the ten invading auras in the Huoyun Star Region had vanished.

The last one was already being hunted by native aliens—likely moments from death.

Before stepping through the star gate, Xu Jin once again used heavenly authority to send a distant message to his senior sister Yang Miao and his brother Ye Anshi.

He clearly warned them: within one or two days, cultists of the Worship of the Dipper Cult would enter the Huoyun Star Region.

Kill them on sight.

Do not hold back.

Do not be deceived.

This intelligence came from his interrogation of Qian Shaowei.

In two days, they would receive reinforcements.

But where the reinforcements came from or their identities, Xu Jin did not know—he could only classify them all as cultists of the Worship of the Dipper Cult.

Simultaneously, Xu Jin sent a distant message via heavenly authority to the Baowei Queen, instructing her to be vigilant within one or two days.

Upon detection, she was to deploy elite forces to annihilate them—she could even intervene personally.

Show no mercy.

With these arrangements, the conquest of the fourth-rank Huoyun Star Region should not be jeopardized.

Even if the Worship of the Dipper Cult could only send in cultivators at the peak of fourth-rank ninth layer, the talismans Xu Jin had left for Senior Sister Yang Miao and the Baowei Queen—though only fourth-rank upper and fifth-rank lower in grade—had all been nurtured.

Use several in succession, and even fifth-rank ninth-layer peak cultivators could be killed!

Not to mention, before leaving, Xu Jin had also left the Baowei Queen four low-grade Star Healing Talismans and several bottles of nurtured elixirs.

As long as the strongest Baowei Queen, at fifth-rank ninth-layer peak, remained unharmed, the overall situation in this fourth-rank Huoyun Star Region was secure.

After several breaths, Xu Jin looked up at the temporary star gate, stepped forward, and left the Huoyun Star Region.

It was time to report this situation to Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao.

To fully conquer the fourth-rank Fire Cloud Star Region, internal effort alone is not enough; external coordination, including the establishment of fixed star gates, must proceed simultaneously.

Only then can it be fully conquered!

(End of Chapter)