Chapter 289: Earth Root

Amidst the shifting starlight.

This time, after Xu Jin activated the high-level expansion of the Golden Star, the starlight pulled his spirit downward, as if sinking into an endless abyss.

Only after several breaths did Xu Jin realize he had sunk into the earth.

Or rather, he had merged with the earth.

At this moment, he was the earth, and the earth was him.

The high-level expansion allowed him to fuse his body with the earth, experiencing everything to comprehend the root of earth-source energy and uncover the origin of earth-source star patterns.

It felt like an instant, yet also as if tens of thousands of years had passed.

Seas turned to mulberry fields.

Immersed in this experience, on Xu Jin's seventh-rank earth-source star pattern, branches and leaves slowly grew outward, natural and inevitable, as if they had always belonged there.

All of this was the result of Xu Jin's recent accumulation—everything flowed naturally, as water finding its course.

When Xu Jin encountered his first major obstacle, he awakened from this state of effortless progression.

Xu Jin's seventh-rank earth-source star pattern had successfully advanced to the middle stage of seventh rank.

But the vast, transformative changes of the earth suddenly became incomprehensible to him.

Xu Jin, having used high-level expansion multiple times, was very familiar with this state and understood it well.

Roughly speaking, this path had become impassable for him—his accumulation was insufficient, his height was too low, or he had not yet found the entry point, and he needed to shift direction to continue the expansion.

After all, the Dao has countless paths.

But this time, Xu Jin did not immediately switch expansion directions; instead, with a single thought, he activated the fifth-rank lower earth-spirit heart within the Central Star Palace.

This earth-spirit heart was formed from seven initial earth-elemental celestial wills gathered from different star regions—on some level, it was the embodiment of earth-source celestial will.

The instant Xu Jin activated it, the surrounding heavens and earth instantly changed.

The previously vague and obscure expansion suddenly became crystal clear.

It was as if, during research, a stalled project had suddenly gained new elements and data—within a glance, everything became transparent.

Many previously incomprehensible aspects suddenly became clear.

Xu Jin's earth-source star pattern began to grow and coalesce once more.

One after another, main trunks and branches slowly and steadily extended.

Soon, the seventh-rank upper earth-source star pattern was fully completed.

Xu Jin continued the expansion, adding two more branches—but before the seventh-rank upper star pattern fully broke into eighth rank, his spirit suddenly tore free from the earth.

The high-level expansion time granted by the Golden Star had ended.

Xu Jin slowly opened his eyes, feeling a sense of loss—he still felt he could continue, that he had not reached the end.

Should he continue?

But should he use the Golden Star or the Brilliant Star?

Currently, after consuming one, Xu Jin had one Golden Star left and two Brilliant Stars.

Using another Golden Star might push the expansion to eighth-rank lower.

But then his supply of Golden Stars would be exhausted.

If he later needed to expand a star pattern essential for his cultivation, he would have no Golden Stars left—using a Brilliant Star directly would be wasteful.

Since the earth-source star pattern had just reached seventh-rank upper, he would use one Brilliant Star.

Xu Jin made his decision in an instant.

He sank his thoughts into the Brilliant Star and activated it.

Instantly, two beams of starlight appeared before Xu Jin.

【Each Brilliant Star can directly complete one sub-rank of any star pattern below ninth rank, then immediately enter high-level expansion time. Proceed now?】

【Enter high-level expansion time】

Xu Jin had already used the Brilliant Star twice and knew how to maximize its benefit.

He immediately chose to enter high-level expansion time.

He would use this high-level expansion time to further expand the earth-source star pattern.

With his prior foundation, this time was just as familiar—he once again activated the fifth-rank lower earth-spirit heart as an aid.

At this point, Xu Jin had a clear sense: after the earth-source star pattern reached eighth rank, the earth-spirit heart's assistance was no longer as significant.

But it was not useless.

It simply offered less help than it had at seventh rank.

Xu Jin drew a conclusion: celestial wills assist most effectively when expanding lower-rank star patterns.

The higher the star pattern's rank, the weaker the assistance.

Of course, this likely related to the number of celestial wills Xu Jin had acquired.

This expansion was exceptionally difficult.

With the slight progress from before, one high-level expansion time, and the aid of the earth-spirit heart, Xu Jin barely pushed the earth-source star pattern to eighth-rank lower before the high-level expansion ended.

The instant he reached eighth-rank lower, a flash of light surged within the earth-source star pattern.

The original earth-yellow earth-source energy suddenly transformed into an extremely viscous dark-golden force.

Under this dark-golden force, mountains rose like aircraft, then crashed back to earth; giant birds flying overhead suddenly had two mountains hanging from their wings, plummeting to the ground and being ground into pulp by invisible forces.

Suddenly, Xu Jin gained a clear insight.

This was the unique power gained from expanding the earth-source star pattern to eighth-rank lower—geomagnetic force.

It was likely a high-rank form of earth-elemental energy.

Merely from the information gained during expansion, Xu Jin was exhilarated.

This power was formidable—offensive, defensive, and controllable.

Worth it!

Just this one attribute made the Brilliant Star worth it.

Xu Jin named this power Earth Geomagnetism.

But the true value of the Brilliant Star had yet to be revealed.

When Xu Jin's consciousness was once again flung out from the earth's depths, he knew this high-level expansion had ended—the starlight reappeared.

【Proceeding to complete the current star pattern's sub-rank based on its present state.】

The next instant, Xu Jin's spirit was drawn once more into the earth.

But this time, he saw countless ravines deep within the earth—the entire land began flowing as if accelerated.

It was as if the earth itself had meridians.

Earth's energy was everywhere, yet constantly in motion.

The earth, too, had meridians.

If one found the earth's meridians, one could draw forth limitless power from the earth.

Like drawing water from a river.

Suddenly, Xu Jin's spirit slowed and expanded—he felt the earth's meridian's faint pulse as if touching a heartbeat.

Gradually, this faint pulse grew stronger, more vivid.

Xu Jin grew increasingly familiar with the earth's rhythm.

As long as he touched the earth, he could draw its power.

In this realization, Xu Jin's eighth-rank lower star pattern began sprouting one main trunk after another, one branch after another.

Soon, the eighth-rank lower earth-source star pattern became eighth-rank middle.

When the eighth-rank middle star pattern formed a perfect closed loop, Xu Jin's spirit fell again, returning to the Star Palace Realm.

Simultaneously, he understood the power granted by the eighth-rank middle earth-source star pattern.

The power of the eighth-rank middle earth-source star pattern was not a stronger earth-elemental star force, but a state or enhancement.

Xu Jin temporarily named it Earth Meridian or Earth Root.

As long as Xu Jin stood with both feet on the earth, he could immediately sense and activate the earth meridian, drawing vast amounts of star force—seemingly very powerful.

But the only application he could currently think of was the Fish Curtain Golden Bell.

Standing on the earth, Xu Jin could activate the Earth Meridian to channel massive earth-star energy into the Fish Curtain Golden Bell, greatly enhancing its defensive power.

Other applications still needed exploration—but even this single use made it worth it.

In martial combat, there are only two things—attack and defense.

Earth Root greatly enhances Xu Jin's sustained defensive capability—this alone is enough.

Previously, with seventh-rank upper earth-source star pattern, Xu Jin's Fish Curtain Golden Bell could withstand attacks from fifth-rank ninth-layer peak experts.

Then, with eighth-rank middle earth-source star pattern, the Fish Curtain Golden Bell's defense would be even stronger—certainly not shattered in one blow by a sixth-rank expert.

Add Earth Root to that.

The defense had increased by more than forty or fifty percent.

Moreover, the effect of Earth Root on the Fish Curtain Golden Bell still needed personal experience to fully understand.

Indeed, the Brilliant Star's gains were still the greatest.

But currently, Xu Jin had one Brilliant Star left and one Golden Star.

However, since his cultivation had broken through to Fourth Rank, Star Condensation First Layer, he had not yet challenged the Star Picking Realm—he might as well do so now.

The one-hour Star Palace Realm contemplation time had long ended.

This left Xu Jin somewhat regretful.

One hour per month was still too little.

It would be wonderful if I could get four hours a month, like the Grand National Master.

While pondering, Xu Jin directly tempted the Star Spirit: "Star Spirit, how do I raise the rank of the Star Tower's authority holder? If you tell me, I'll give you a few more chapters, how about that?"

"I'd love to."

The Star Spirit's voice sounded: "But I cannot tell you—it's a sacred law imposed upon me by the Star Tower's creator!"

"Sacred law? What happens if you break it?" Xu Jin asked.

"I don't know—I've never broken it. But my fear tells me that if I did, the punishment would be beyond my capacity to endure—perhaps total annihilation. Moreover, I feel that even if I wanted to speak, I couldn't utter a word."

Xu Jin sighed helplessly but tossed out a jade tablet containing three chapters of Journey to the West, as a gift for the Star Spirit.

This thing had still helped him.

But now it seemed he was bound by rules.

In Xu Jin's understanding, the Star Spirit was somewhat like an AI, but constrained by numerous rules.

These restrictions were beyond the Star Spirit's ability to overcome.

For now, Xu Jin could only rely on his own slow exploration.

Xu Jin did not immediately challenge the Star Tower's Secret Realm; instead, he organized his previous gains.

According to the Grand National Master, the Star Tower's Star Dome Secret Realm could sever the Star Official's Seal from returning to its origin—a place akin to a Star Domain, existing outside the same spatial dimension as the mortal world.

Under these conditions, it was ideal for sorting through items acquired from the Worship of the Dipper Cult and the Blood God Cult.

From the Worship of the Dipper Cult, he had obtained the Star Official's Seal, which Xu Jin had already fully subjugated.

But during the subjugation process, he made an unexpected discovery: the Star Official's Seal contained three distinct energy imprints.

That meant the Star Official's Seal was jointly controlled by three different individuals.

Zhu Wenhai, the Star Official of Huoyun Star Domain, had not fully subjugated or mastered this Seal.

According to the Grand National Master, this Star Official's Seal was of sixth-rank, a sixth-rank Star Artifact.

Yet Zhu Wenhai could not fully subjugate it—meaning he could not unleash its true power as a sixth-rank Star Official's Seal.

Now, Xu Jin had fully subjugated it.

He directly destroyed the three distinct energy imprints with brute force, then imprinted his own divine soul and star force.

Still, Xu Jin was curious: besides the already-dead Star Official Zhu Wenhai's imprint, whose were the other two?

High-ranking members of the Worship of the Dipper Cult?

More astonishing still, after subjugating the Star Official's Seal, it returned not to the Star Tower, but to Xu Jin's Upper Star Palace.

That meant the fundamental force driving the Star Official's Seal was still divine soul energy.

But for now, Xu Jin had only just subjugated it; the precise usage of the Seal still required slow exploration.

Especially since it demanded substantial divine soul energy—something not easily figured out by trial and error.

Then Xu Jin retrieved everything he had seized from the Blood God's body.

Xu Jin had blasted through three cultivated sixth-rank upper-grade talismans, three cultivated fifth-rank upper-grade talismans, and exhausted all his methods before finally killing the Blood God.

Since Xu Jin had slain the Blood God alone, everything within the Blood God's Nirmāṇakāya space belonged to him.

The Blood God's Nirmāṇakāya space contained mostly Ten-Thousand Blood Spirit Pills.

Over thirty of them.

But most were fourth-rank.

There were thirty-one fourth-rank Ten-Thousand Blood Spirit Pills; adding the seven Xu Jin had previously received, he now possessed thirty-eight in total.

He had four fifth-rank Ten-Thousand Blood Spirit Pills and three sixth-rank Ten-Thousand Blood Spirit Pills.

These were all a windfall for Xu Jin.

Once he clarified the usage restrictions of the Ten-Thousand Blood Spirit Pills, he could use them to enhance his cultivation base.

Besides these, there were some jade tablets, elixirs, and talismans.

The talismans were few—only three fifth-rank upper-grade ones.

Suddenly, Xu Jin noticed four jade tablets faintly glowing with blood-red hues.

Xu Jin casually selected one blood-red jade tablet and plunged his divine soul into it.

Boom!

It exploded!

The blood-red jade tablet shattered instantly.

Xu Jin froze—this was a jade tablet sealed with the Blood God's unique forbidden technique.

What was recorded inside?

Suddenly, Xu Jin's heart lurched violently!

The Blood God Cult's transmission?

Or its secret techniques?

Although Xu Jin had no intention of learning them, that didn't stop him from being curious.

At this thought, Xu Jin became extremely cautious.

He activated his divine soul energy and carefully examined the remaining three blood-red jade tablets with the gentlest touch.

Very quickly, he found something.

Of the three blood-red jade tablets, two bore forbidden seals.

If entered without the correct method and power, they would instantly explode.

The Chen Guo Dao Academy also used similar sealing techniques.

So Xu Jin knew well: without knowing the key, direct cracking was nearly impossible.

But perhaps, if he captured a high-ranking Blood God Cult adept in the future, he might find a way to break them.

Only one blood-red jade tablet had no seal—Xu Jin's mind slipped effortlessly into it and absorbed its contents.

It was a personal cultivation journal on the Blood God Cult's secret techniques.

Whether written by the Blood God himself or copied from another, since it bore no seal, it wasn't particularly valuable.

Xu Jin had merely intended to glance at it, not caring much.

After all, it was a cultivation journal of the Blood God Cult's secret techniques—he had no use for them.

The Blood God Cult's secret techniques had extreme restrictions; Xu Jin would never consider practicing them.

But halfway through, Xu Jin suddenly froze—the description of one particular technique's cultivation insights gripped his intense interest.

'Cultivation Notes on the Blood God's Continuity and Restoration Art'

(End of Chapter)