Chapter 343: Ling Tai and Domain Lords in Urgent Need

Xu Jin once again experienced the difficulty of deducing the Chengpo Star Pattern.

The Chengpo Star Pattern, as expected, is the most valuable and hardest to deduce pattern in the Spirit Era Star Palace.

Without exception!

The single Gao Jie Yan Dao from Canxing ended, and Xu Jin had only deduced four minor branches of the Chengpo Star Pattern; at this rate, without investing four or five Golden Stars, it would be impossible to push the Chengpo Star Pattern to the lower eighth rank.

Fortunately, Xu Jin used Canxing directly this time.

If he had used Golden Stars, it would have been a waste.

After the Gao Jie Yan Dao ended, Canxing directly completed this sub-tier of the Chengpo Star Pattern, instantly elevating the Chengpo Star Pattern to the lower eighth rank!

As the Chengpo Star Pattern was completed, Xu Jin took advantage of the remaining Star Dome Realm insight time to revisit and re-study it, matching each previous difficulty point—and suddenly, clarity dawned.

So that's how it should have been—or like that!

Xu Jin felt his thinking profoundly inspired; his approach and perspective on star pattern deduction expanded further.

Inspired by this, Xu Jin's mind sank into the previously deduced Dayang Star Pattern and began deducing again.

It wasn't a full re-deduction; rather, he felt something and made minor adjustments based on prior deductions.

Half an hour later, the Dayang Star Pattern was revised.

The next instant, a fist-sized orb of light suddenly appeared in Xu Jin's hand.

This was the latest evolution of the Dayang Star Pattern.

Previously, Xu Jin could only contract and collapse the Dayang Star Pattern to a one-meter diameter; he didn't know how much its power had increased, but he felt its battlefield effectiveness was still limited.

Benefiting from the Chengpo Star Pattern's deduction process, Xu Jin added several branches to receive Divine Soul energy while reducing the stellar force branches of the Dayang Star Pattern—effectively lowering its stellar force consumption during activation and slightly reducing its power.

But now, he could contract the Dayang Star Pattern to a much smaller size without any loss of power—and even increased it slightly.

At this point, Xu Jin redirected his attention back to the lower eighth-rank Chengpo Star Pattern; the moment his mind sank in, he gained insight.

As expected, the lower eighth-rank Chengpo Star Pattern granted Xu Jin a unique star art: Ling Tai!

Activate the Chengpo Star Pattern to form a Ling Tai, illuminating the Yuan Ling.

It accelerates the recovery of Divine Soul energy, speeds up healing of Divine Soul injuries, resists various illusion-based Divine Soul techniques, and when constantly active, purifies the Yuan Ling and clears the physical body.

After sensing it, Xu Jin felt slightly disappointed.

The star art granted by the Chengpo Star Pattern's breakthrough to the eighth rank—a passive effect so powerful—seemed underwhelming.

Just an upgraded version of the Chengpo Star Pattern.

Previously passive, now it can be actively activated; the effect should be stronger than the passive version.

No real surprise.

He thought so, but still tested it.

Only by testing a new star art can you know its depth!

The next instant, Xu Jin sank his mind into a single Chengpo Star Pattern, gently activating it to form a Ling Tai, emitting a faint glow that illuminated his Yuan Ling; faintly, this residual light also penetrated into his physical body.

Instantly, Xu Jin felt an extreme sense of comfort.

It felt like lying in his mother's arms, or soaking in a spring with perfect temperature—utterly soothing.

At the same time, his Divine Soul energy recovered faster.

Under the faint glow, Xu Jin's tense nerves suddenly felt an unusual relaxation!

He felt an inexplicable sense of ease.

Though disappointed, he still marveled—the unique star art from an eighth-rank star pattern was truly extraordinary.

But Xu Jin had activated only one Chengpo Star Pattern to form the Ling Tai so far.

What if seventy-eight Chengpo Star Patterns formed the Ling Tai together?

The next instant, Xu Jin activated his mind; within his Upper Star Palace's Star Core, all seventy-eight Chengpo Star Patterns instantly activated the Ling Tai art—momentarily, seventy-eight beams of light merged into one, forming a radiant Ling Tai within Xu Jin's Yuan Ling.

Instantly, Xu Jin's Yuan Ling was illuminated, transparent and pure; his physical body was likewise rendered clear and bright.

His Divine Soul energy began recovering at an accelerated rate—doubled, tripled.

Suddenly, Xu Jin's expression turned utterly astonished.

He saw the faint bloodlight clinging to his Yuan Ling slowly dissolving under the Ling Tai's radiance!

A surge of wild joy surged through Xu Jin's heart.

He hadn't expected the most valuable aspect of the Ling Tai art to lie in its most unremarkable description.

"When constantly active, it purifies the Yuan Ling."

This "purify" meant cleansing!

The Ling Tai art can cleanse the Yuan Ling.

It can purge the bloodlight absorbed from the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pills!

Xu Jin observed for a full half-minute, finally confirming the purification speed.

The bloodlight seeped into his Yuan Ling from the three Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pills he had absorbed—at this rate, it would take seven or eight days to completely clear it!

In other words, from today onward, Xu Jin could safely absorb and refine Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pills to enhance his cultivation.

Worth it!

The Ling Tai star art granted by pushing the Chengpo Star Pattern to the lower eighth rank was more than worth it!

At this point, Xu Jin still had two Canxing left, and two Golden Stars as well.

He wouldn't rush to consume this Canxing—he'd keep it for emergencies.

With some remaining Star Dome Realm insight time, he wouldn't waste it.

He simply took out a blood pearl seized from a Shadow Scout and began studying it.

Xu Jin was now a master of star pattern deduction and a renowned star seal maker, with exceptional skill and insight.

With six Mingji Star Patterns supporting him, his perception was astonishing.

At this moment, aided by the Star Dome Realm's Dao insight, his efficiency was phenomenal.

After detonating five seized blood pearls in succession, Xu Jin understood the blood pearl's principle.

It was formed by a special star pattern.

This special star pattern was low-ranked—only third rank—extremely simple, yet ingeniously designed.

It resembled the structure of the Source Force Star Pattern.

But the target was changed to the blood of alien races.

It collected and controlled alien blood, stored stellar force within it, then used stellar force to disperse the aura within the alien blood, transforming it into a continuously outputting blood pearl.

Just a third-rank star pattern.

Xu Jin quickly reverse-engineered it.

As long as he obtained alien blood, he could use this star pattern to condense his own blood pearls and mask his aura.

Xu Jin named this star pattern the Blood Veil Star Pattern.

After finishing his research, Xu Jin immediately took out a Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pill and began refining and consuming it.

Since the Ling Tai art could continuously cleanse his Yuan Ling and eliminate the bloodlight contamination from the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pills, he could now use them to enhance his cultivation.

Refining and absorbing Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pills was second nature to Xu Jin.

One pill per fifteen minutes!

After fifteen minutes, his Middle Star Palace cultivation broke through to Fourth Rank, Sixth Layer, early stage; after one hour, both his Middle and Lower Star Palaces reached Fourth Rank, Sixth Layer, early stage.

Without hesitation, Xu Jin re-entered the Star Picking Realm.

He began his challenge.

This time, he focused on testing his newly improved Dayang Star Art.

Its power immediately stunned him.

One-shot kill!

The Dayang Star Art, shrunk to the size of a palm, exploded and instantly obliterated the Inner Demon!

The Inner Demon had also learned the Dayang Star Art—but it was completely different from Xu Jin's version.

This proved that the Star Demon could not replicate star patterns Xu Jin himself had deduced and improved!

In half an hour, he easily obtained two Golden Stars and one Canxing.

Half an hour later, after refining another Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pill, Xu Jin's Middle and Lower Star Palaces both broke through to Fourth Rank, Seventh Layer, early stage.

Xu Jin intended to continue cultivating, but when he looked inward and saw his Yuan Ling, he was startled.

His Yuan Ling was now covered in a thick layer of bloodlight.

Although the Ling Tai art's glow continuously dissolved it,

the accumulated amount was already immense.

When Xu Jin sank his mind into it, he felt an indescribable nausea—so intense he wanted to kill.

Xu Jin knew that, for now, he could not use any more Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Pills until this layer of bloodlight was fully consumed.

But this breakthrough was enough.

It had propelled his cultivation from Fourth Rank, Fifth Layer straight to Fourth Rank, Seventh Layer—his combat power had increased by at least two or three tenths.

Fourth Rank, Seventh Layer was already the realm of a late-stage Fourth Rank expert; purely by cultivation level, he was among the elite of elite warriors in all factions!

Xu Jin wasn't in a hurry; he continued in the Star Dome Realm, using his Divine Soul energy to strengthen the Fire Source Star Pattern.

Once he strengthened the Fire Source Star Pattern to First Layer, the power of his fire-based star arts would double instantly!

Meanwhile, the urgent military intelligence Xu Jin delivered to the mortal world began triggering a chain reaction!

After the Imperial Tutor Cheng Yuexiao transmitted the urgent military intelligence to all factions, besides mobilizing elite forces and organizing expeditionary squads, the most critical task was issuing warnings!

Specifically, warning the Domain Lords stationed across all star regions.

All domain lords, whether openly serving or stationed in outlying regions, were alerted!

Before the alert, no one noticed; but once it came, the domain lords stationed in outlying regions immediately launched investigations—and discovered anomalies.

They had assumed the Domain Kings within their stationed star regions had been unusually calm lately, only to find each one was secretly preparing a massive move!

Especially those star regions with human domain lords stationed in them suffered heavily—these were precisely the places where the Sacred Clan envoys completed their missions most easily.

In other star regions, like the Spring Thunder Star Region Xu Jin had previously slaughtered through, the Sacred Clan envoys faced difficulties when trying to subdue the Domain King and seize his Heavenly and Stellar Will.

After all, these Domain Kings were accustomed to being the top dog, used to ruling with absolute authority—suddenly, a special envoy arrives demanding they surrender their Heavenly and Stellar Will and kneel like a grandson?

How many would agree?

If it weren't for the suppression of Sacred Blood and the intimidation of the Sacred Clan's Golden Tokens, those envoys would have been killed outright by these Domain Kings!

But the situation in star regions controlled by domain lords was completely different!

The human race's ability to manage and develop territory was extremely strong.

In star regions where human domain lords were stationed, the domain lords had firmly established their power and built forces capable of rivaling the Domain Kings.

Moreover, they were skilled in administration, expanding relentlessly over the years, steadily shrinking the Domain Kings' territorial control, plundering their resources—not only weakening the Domain Kings' authority, but most importantly, making them feel an immense threat!

If these human domain lords continued expanding, one day their very survival might be endangered.

Given these human domain lords' incremental, day-by-day approach, within decades they might all be slaughtered!

Yet, the Domain Kings' own power could do nothing against these human domain lords.

Especially since these human domain lords enjoyed endless external resources and support!

Thus, when the Sacred Clan envoys arrived, they became the Domain Kings' last hope.

Kneeling before a Sacred Clan envoy was not shameful.

Sacred Clan envoys descended from the most noble bloodlines of the Sacred Clan!

They might even join forces with the envoys to forge a great new enterprise.

Rather than languish in their star regions and be slowly worn down by these human domain lords over decades, it was better to willingly surrender their Heavenly and Stellar Will, link their star region to the Ancestral Cave Heaven, and thereby greatly advance their cultivation, boost their combat power, and slaughter these hated human domain lords!

Precisely because of this mindset, star regions with human domain lords stationed in them became hotspots of crisis.

After receiving the alert, many human domain lords launched emergency investigations and discovered that the entire star region's Heavenly and Stellar Will had already been concentrated in a single hand, beginning to boil and activate the linkage to the so-called Ancestral Cave Heaven.

Some domain lords had tried to intervene and stop it.

But under the Sacred Clan envoys' direction, the previously fragmented and self-interested Domain Kings suddenly united with astonishing cohesion.

Some returned defeated; some domain lords were severely wounded.

Thus, they all urgently requested reinforcements from the Present World!

This plea for aid left the leadership of the Present World in a bind.

Fifth-rank star regions were already difficult to conquer.

Normally, only elite forces were dispatched for support.

But now the real difficulty was that the Fifth-rank Domain Kings had united as one—this raised the difficulty exponentially.

A few supreme Fifth-rank Ninth-Circle peak experts could kill one or two Sixth-rank experts.

But ten or more Fifth-rank Late-Stage and Ninth-Circle peak experts facing ten or more Sixth-rank Late-Stage and Ninth-Circle peak experts? Only one outcome: total annihilation!

Inside the Danxia Palace of the Grand Dao Academy of Chen Guo, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao was nearly driven to despair.

In mere moments, all four fifth-rank star regions indirectly controlled by Chen Guo were in crisis.

Four fifth-rank domain lords: one severely wounded, three defeated and forced to retreat!

Launching an expedition against a fifth-rank star region was hard enough; against one where the Domain Kings had united? The difficulty was unimaginable.

Cheng Yuexiao barely assembled thirteen fifth-rank experts and spent a fortune to purchase a Passage Jade Tablet, finally resolving one star region's crisis.

Of course, the Grand Dao Academy of Chen Guo had more fifth-rank experts—but only this many had the qualification and capability to launch expeditions into fifth-rank star regions.

Others, especially those without the ability to fight above their rank, would likely be sent to die if dispatched to a fifth-rank star region.

The rescue missions for the remaining three star regions had to be entrusted to Mao Yue, Commander of the Chen War Zone.

The reason was simple: over the years, the Grand Dao Academy's elite had been continuously funneled into the Chen War Zone of the Star River Battlefield!

Because the Grand Dao Academy, located in the Present World, required fewer top-tier experts, the Chen War Zone had more fifth-rank elites and stronger fifth-rank experts.

For instance, Cui Jing, the genius who had dominated the Grand Dao Academy for a decade, had broken into the fifth rank years ago—but had remained serving in the Chen War Zone ever since.

Thus, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao handled one star region's rescue, while Commander Mao Yue handled three.

But after making these arrangements, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao paused, then sent Xu Jin a Starlight Message.

How to put it? He was just a bit unlucky!

He had only sent Xu Jin's father Xu Dajiang and sister Jiang Er to the Huashi Star Region, guarded by the Ji Clan, less than two months ago.

Originally, the Huashi Star Region had been stable and safe.

But the moment the Sacred Clan envoy arrived, it was immediately plunged into crisis.

Domain Lord Ji Ben had tried to prevent Huashi Star Region from linking to the Sacred Clan's Ancestral Cave Heaven, leading a surprise attack on the envoy—only to fail and suffer severe injuries himself!

Now he was sending out a plea for help!

However, the star gate of Huashi Star Region lay within the Star River Battlefield, so it was left to Commander Mao Yue of Chen Guo to handle.

But Xu Jin absolutely had to be informed!

First, it was necessary; second, Grand Master Cheng hoped Xu Jin might intervene.

Xu Jin, deep in seclusion, suddenly saw his Star-Picking Token flash three times—it was a Starlight Message from Grand Master Cheng.

He glanced at it, and his brow furrowed.

But barely had he finished reading when the Star-Picking Token flashed again—another urgent Starlight Message!

He looked—and it was from Hou Yunzhang!

(End of Chapter)