Chapter 28: Unwanted Inheritance

At night, Jin Shan Juncheng lost its usual brightly lit appearance.

Since the great search for evil cultivators, the number of pedestrians on the street has decreased day by day.

Until yesterday, when a murder case occurred within the Juncheng, and today, major cases were reported one after another at the wharf, every household bolted their doors, extinguished their lights, and hid away.

Merchants or families who had experienced turmoil directly took their whole families to lie in cellars or dark rooms.

A blue stream of light flew up from the Tianhe Gang's hall, and not long after, it landed directly at the entrance of the Tianyang Branch and quietly entered.

The Tianyang Branch is one of the three major Dao Academies existing in Jin Shan Juncheng.

It originates from the Tianyang Star Palace and belongs to the Yanzhou Branch of the Tianyang Star Palace.

In terms of power and influence, it is much stronger than the Jin Shan Dao Academy.

Tianhe Gang Leader Zhou Ji came directly to the residence of Tianyang Branch Head Zhou Qingzhu, and not long after, he was invited in.

"Have you found out clearly?" Zhou Qingzhu, wearing a cyan-gray long gown, stood by the window. Tianhe Gang Leader Zhou Ji bowed halfway and handed over three oil-paper bags.

"Branch Head, it is basically clear.

It should be that person who made a move; it can be confirmed that that person might still be hiding in the Juncheng.

Qian Qi and the third young master of the Zhao family were both killed by the same person.

The Star Power aura of killing these two people is the same, and the news that these two were impersonating evil cultivators to commit crimes was deliberately released by me according to your arrangement.

But the killed Deng Hu had a quite weak Star Power aura and even had feces and urine; it seems he was trying to cover up the aura, which was extremely filthy." Zhou Ji said.

"If that person hides his tracks, it is not something you can discover at all.

The Deng Hu incident should not be him; let the people below handle it themselves." Tianyang Branch Head Zhou Qingzhu said.

"Branch Head, should we continue?"

"Of course, continue!" Zhou Qingzhu's long gown fluttered with the mountain wind, his voice without joy or sorrow, "Not only continue, but expand."

"Send out all the elites under your command; not only must traces of evil cultivators appear in every county of my Jin Shan Prefecture, but even in the neighboring Wuchang Prefecture and Danxia Prefecture, demonic traces must appear.

But there is one point you must remember.

The traces of evil cultivators within my Jin Shan Juncheng cannot be broken, and they must be as evil as possible; whether it is rape, looting, or kidnapping, all evil deeds must be pinned on this evil cultivator, but starting today, there cannot be too many; one or two a day will suffice." Zhou Qingzhu instructed.

"Branch Head, if it's other prefectures, I'm afraid it's easy to lose manpower..."

"Then should I change someone else to do it?"

Zhou Qingzhu said only one sentence, which made Zhou Ji's forehead covered in cold sweat, and he immediately bowed and said, "Please rest assured, Clan Uncle, I can do it well."

"If your vision is only limited to that one-third of an acre of your Tianhe Gang, then your position is at an end." Zhou Qingzhu continued to beat him down.

"I understand, I will go arrange it now."

Zhou Qingzhu waved his hand silently, and Zhou Ji retreated and left quietly.

At the same time, in the residence of Supervisor Tian Zhang within the Jin Shan Dao Academy, Supervisor Tian Zhang, who was sitting cross-legged in the quiet room, suddenly opened his eyes and said to the empty window outside.

"You haven't left yet?"

The figure of Qi Shanye, dressed in cyan, slowly emerged from outside the window, "Someone said that your eldest son, in order to gain both people and wealth, wiped out the entire family of Shopkeeper Liu of the Liu Family Iron Shop and married their eldest daughter?"

"My son did marry a concubine, but her surname is Sun, not Liu, and she is from a scholarly family." Tian Zhang said.

"That's why I came to tell you; otherwise, your son would already be dead by now." The cyan-clad Qi Shanye jumped directly into the window and sat down.

"Are you idle and tired of living? You've caused such a big disturbance in Jin Shan Prefecture, and you're still not running? Are you really not afraid of death?" Tian Zhang said coldly.

"As long as one of these disturbances was caused by me, I will pass on to you part of the inheritance of the Lingji Star Palace that they are tracking, how about that?" Qi Shanye said.

"Don't want it!"

Tian Zhang refused cleanly and neatly, "Your inheritance has already been labeled as evil; whoever touches it dies. How would I dare to touch it?"

"Hehehe, are you not clear whether it's evil or not?"

"Even if I am clear, so what? Your Star Palace has been almost wiped out by others, right?"

Qi Shanye was silent, "Really don't want it?

Your children and grandchildren can all practice it, and in the future, you can form your own sect."

"Do you want me to suffer another disaster of extermination?" Tian Zhang sneered.

"Star patterns inward, Star arts outward; you can just practice the Star patterns!"

Tian Zhang was silent for a few breaths, which made Qi Shanye even more silent.

"An inheritance that everyone fights for, yet it can't be given away." Qi Shanye sighed, "How about you help me find a successor?"

"Can't find one, and I don't want to harm people." Tian Zhang refused again. "Then you help me arrange an identity in your Dao Academy."

Tian Zhang frowned, "Don't harm me?"

"When have I ever harmed you? In three interactions with you, which time wasn't me saving you?" Qi Shanye said.

"Fine." Tian Zhang agreed helplessly.

June 21st is the first lesson for the newly promoted Dao Academy disciples, and Xu Jin learned another piece of news.

The head of the Inner Academy is Mountain Head Dong Zhao, the head of the Middle Academy is Vice Mountain Head Feng Shu, whom Xu Jin offended, and the head of the Outer Academy is Supervisor Cao Chun.

Fortunately, it is said that these heads only hold titles, and the daily management is handled by instructors and teachers.

The Chief Ning Jiaotou of the three academies is Ning Yuchan, an old acquaintance, which Xu Jin is very relieved about.

At Si hour, which is 9:00 AM, Xu Jin and other newly promoted disciples, after finishing their morning lessons, came to the Great Martial Arts Hall in the Dao Academy as required to attend the first lesson.

The gatekeeper said that new cultivation methods would be taught today, and no one was allowed to ask for leave or be late.

Upon arrival, in the Great Martial Arts Hall, Xu Jin not only saw Qian Xiaohu, Luo Geng, Liu Ji, and others from the Outer Academy, but also saw Yue Daqi, Ren Xiaoxiang, and Lu Xianbing, who were assigned to the Inner Academy.

Seeing these people, Xu Jin felt relieved.

These people appearing in the Great Martial Arts Hall meant that although the Dao Academy was divided into Inner, Middle, and Outer Academies, the establishment of these three academies was mainly a difference in treatment; in terms of the teaching of cultivation methods, at least at this current step, there was no difference.

Otherwise, the monthly stipend and cultivation resources of Inner Academy disciples are four times those of Middle Academy disciples; if there were also a big difference in cultivation methods, the gap between Inner and Middle Academy disciples would only get bigger and bigger, gradually becoming impossible to catch up.

But even so, the gap in these cultivation resources is not easily made up.

Yesterday, Xu Jin learned from Lu Xianbing that Inner Academy disciples receive a monthly stipend of twenty taels of silver, eight Spirit-Awakening Pills, and one low-grade Star-Replenishing Pill.

Star-Replenishing Pills are truly elixirs containing Star Power; the Blood-Replenishing Pills, Root-Solidifying Pills, and Spirit-Awakening Pills that Xu Jin took before were all elixirs refined from ordinary medicinal materials.

One pill sells for twenty taels of silver at the Medicine Hall, and its function is to quickly restore Star Power.

Middle Academy disciples receive a monthly stipend of ten taels and two Spirit-Awakening Pills; the difference in treatment is huge.

It is said that the differences between Inner, Middle, and Outer Academy disciples also include differences in miscellaneous duties; Inner Academy disciples have fewer miscellaneous duties and more time for cultivation, while Outer Academy disciples have more miscellaneous duties.

"Everyone, we meet again." With just the sound of a silver cane hitting the ground, a pale cyan light shadow appeared, and Ning Yuchan appeared in front of everyone.

"From today on, you are disciples of my Great Chen Jin Shan Dao Academy. From today on, you will truly step onto the path of cultivation, and you will also carry out the most important thing after successfully performing Star Pointing." While speaking, Ning Yuchan sat on a chair, her silver cane placed to the side, her legs crossed under her skirt, her heroic appearance and jade face, her skirt hem swaying slightly in the breeze, which actually left many young boys stunned.

"Do you still remember how you stepped onto the path of cultivation?"

"Star patterns!"

"Only after a cultivator in the Refine Star Realm imprinted a Star pattern on you could you use the Meal of Mist Style and Drink Radiance Style to guide Star Power into your body."

"The true name of the Star pattern imprinted on you is the Gather Star pattern. The Gather Star pattern passed down by my Jin Shan Dao Academy is divided into three layers: Simple Gather Star pattern, Small Gather Star pattern, and Great Gather Star pattern.

The Simple Gather Star pattern is the Star pattern that the Condense Star Realm instructor taught you to imprint before you performed Star Pointing.

The difference between these three is very simple: there is a multiple-fold gap in the speed of guiding and absorbing Star Power and the upper limit of storing Star Power." While speaking, Ning Yuchan took out three jade tablets the size of matchboxes and placed them on the table.

"The Small Gather Star pattern and Great Gather Star pattern are recorded here. Starting from the Inner Academy, every three people come over to inject Star Power to observe and memorize, one hundred breaths each time. If you haven't memorized it, you can come back to me the next day to observe again.

But each time is limited to one hundred breaths; too much time will easily cause excessive damage to the spirit and soul."

While speaking, Yue Daqi, Ren Xiaoxiang, and Lu Xianbing had already stepped forward, each picking up a jade tablet to start observing.

Ning Yuchan then said, "If anyone else has any questions, ask now."

"Ning Jiaotou Ning, why don't you imprint this Great Gather Star pattern on us directly before Star Pointing?" a young boy asked.

"Star patterns inward, Star arts outward.

Each of us naturally carries resistance and rejection toward Star Power that carries the aura of outsiders.

So we can only imprint the simplified Gather Star pattern on you; even then, it requires you to guide Star Power into your body yourself and constantly stir and solidify it to completely become your own Star pattern. As far as I know, currently, no one can directly imprint the Small or Great Gather Star patterns on others." Ning Yuchan answered.

"Ning Jiaotou, what is the specific difference between the Small and Great Gather Star patterns?"

"This is a brand-new Gather Star pattern deduced by Grand Master Cheng of the National Dao Academy, and its power has been improved. Assuming the speed of the simplified Gather Star pattern in accommodating and absorbing Star Power is one, then the Small Gather Star pattern is two, and the Great Gather Star pattern is three.

At the same time, the Great Gather Star pattern is also the foundation for Star Forging.

Only by successfully imprinting the Great Gather Star pattern internally can one have hope for Star Forging."

Speaking of this, Ning Yuchan suddenly said, "Since we are talking about this, let's announce a reward regulation of the Dao Academy."

Hearing that it was a reward, all the young boys pricked up their ears.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 29 =====