Chapter 356: You Lost

Twelve days!

The collapse of the Altar Path lasted a full twelve days.

Xu Jin, Ning Yuchan, Ji Hongli, and Hou Yunzhang cultivated inside the Altar Path for twelve days.

Li Tian, Cui Chongguang, and others envied them for twelve days.

Before the Altar Path completely dissolved, Cui Chongguang, Li Tian, and others had already waited outside, their expressions complex.

They waited there out of a stubborn fixation.

They wanted to see just how much cultivation base Hou Yunzhang and Ji Hongli had improved.

Fundamentally, they still hoped these few hadn't improved too much.

Otherwise, the more their cultivation base rose, the more they would regret it later.

Especially Li Tian.

Whoosh!

When the Altar Path still had two meters left, it collapsed prematurely, and the central star-pivot array within shattered piece by piece.

Xu Jin, Ning Yuchan, Ji Hongli, and Hou Yunzhang, who had been in deep meditation, slowly opened their eyes.

The others were composed, but Hou Yunzhang's eyes blazed with uncontainable excitement.

Only those who had experienced it firsthand knew what he had gained.

Not only had his cultivation base surged dramatically, but during this cultivation, Prince Qi had continuously cast a mysterious star art upon him, allowing him to rest only one and a half hours before cultivating a full day—his cultivation gains felt greater than what he'd achieved in the past four or five years.

At this moment, Hou Yunzhang's Middle Star Palace cultivation base had reached the peak of Fifth Rank Ninth Layer, a full two and a half minor realms higher.

Merely sensing the surge in Hou Yunzhang's cultivation aura, Li Tian's heart turned bitter.

Yet on his face, he forced a smile and bowed repeatedly to Hou Yunzhang!

Before entering, Hou Yunzhang had been Fifth Rank Seventh Layer, one full realm below him.

In just twelve days, Hou Yunzhang had reached the peak of Fifth Rank Ninth Layer, while he remained at Fifth Rank Eighth Layer.

This half-realm gap, even ignoring resources, would take him roughly two years of arduous cultivation to close.

Let alone the vast quantities of resources.

But Li Tian didn't know that Hou Yunzhang hadn't just improved his Middle Star Palace—his Lower Star Palace had seen the greatest leap.

Since breaking into Fifth Rank, Hou Yunzhang had focused solely on his Middle Star Palace; his Lower Star Palace had remained stuck at Fifth Rank, Polaris Formation First Layer.

With the aid of the Altar Path, Hou Yunzhang instantly raised his Lower Star Palace from Fifth Rank First Layer to Fifth Rank Fourth Layer.

His combat power surged dramatically!

Compared to Hou Yunzhang, Ning Yuchan's cultivation gains were modest.

Before battle, Ning Yuchan's cultivation was merely Fifth Rank Third Layer; now it barely reached the peak of Fifth Rank Fourth Layer.

But Li Tian didn't know that Ning Yuchan's Lower Star Palace had also reached Fifth Rank Fourth Layer.

Moreover, using the vast star power here, Ning Yuchan successfully upgraded her Golden Source Star Pattern from Layer Two to Layer Three.

The power of her Golden-element star arts increased again, dramatically.

Ji Hongli was much the same.

Ji Hongli's cultivation rose from Fourth Rank Fourth Layer to the peak of Fourth Rank Sixth Layer.

Her improvement seemed similar to Ning Yuchan's, but in truth, Ji Hongli had finally settled her debts—she raised her Lower Star Palace from Fourth Rank First Layer all the way to the peak of Fourth Rank Sixth Layer.

After the battle, once she engraved the new star pattern onto her newly formed star core, her combat power would surge again!

In comparison, Xu Jin's cultivation gains were the least noticeable.

His Middle and Lower Star Palace cultivation rose only from Fourth Rank Seventh Layer to the peak of Fourth Rank Eighth Layer.

The smallest increase among the four.

But how much his true power had grown—only Xu Jin himself knew.

In twelve days, the direct radiation range of Xu Jin's Yuan Ling Tai Guang expanded from eight meters one to eight meters seven.

Under these conditions, not only did his Divine Soul cultivation improve, but his cultivation speed and the rate at which he strengthened star patterns both increased.

Xu Jin had already been fast at strengthening star patterns; the Altar Path's vast, nearly inexhaustible star power further accelerated the process.

In the final nine and a half days, Xu Jin primarily strengthened two star patterns: the Fire Source Star Pattern and the Thunder Source Star Pattern—both primary combat patterns.

The Fire Source Star Pattern reached Layer Two; the Thunder Source Star Pattern reached Layer Three.

Notably, as he pushed the Thunder Source Star Pattern to Layer Three, Xu Jin suddenly understood the meaning behind the next realm—especially the "lou" in "Yunlou Realm" of Sixth Rank.

Looking inward, the Thunder Source Star Pattern, now strengthened to Layer Three, stacked upon itself like a three-tiered thunder tower, crackling with terrifying lightning.

For Fifth Rank cultivators, strengthening or not strengthening a star pattern affects only combat power, not cultivation base.

But without having strengthened at least one star pattern, one cannot break through.

Xu Jin had read extensively in the State Academy's library and possessed a fairly complete understanding of the cultivation system.

Many cultivators only began strengthening star patterns after reaching the peak of Fifth Rank Ninth Layer.

First, because efficiency and speed are higher; second, because the cost-to-benefit ratio is better.

This is also one reason many cultivators remain stuck at the peak of Fifth Rank Ninth Layer for years without breaking through.

But Xu Jin, still at Fourth Rank, had already built his tower—he had strengthened the Thunder Source Star Pattern to Layer Three.

Yet the combat power of Thunder-element star arts did not simply triple in theory.

It should be understood as an increase of two times over the original base.

Strengthening the Thunder Source Star Pattern from First Layer to Second Layer was like 1+1; strengthening to Third Layer was adding another 1—not doubling!

But even so, if one could strengthen the Thunder Source Star Pattern to Layer Seven, or even Eight or Nine, the power increase would be terrifying.

One versus eight!

"Young Master Qi, the Domain Lord has ordered me to convey this: if you emerge from the Altar Path, please return to the Domain Lord's mansion at once—he has urgent matters!" said Military Advisor Ji Xiuchuan.

"Oh? Then I shall return immediately."

"The Star Boat is already prepared."

Not long after, Xu Jin, Ning Yuchan, Ji Hongli, Hou Yunzhang, Li Tian, and others boarded the Star Boat and sped back to the Domain Lord's mansion.

On the way back, Xu Jin finally had time to tally his gains. Compared to strengthening his star pattern to Layer Three and building a three-tiered tower, the greater boost to his combat power came from the World Origin he had previously acquired.

Unfortunately, there was no Thunder-element World Origin.

But the two-tenth and three-tenth portions of Fire-element and Earth-element World Origin were equivalent to gaining twenty and thirty additional Fire- and Earth-element Celestial Star Will—this increase was immense.

Xu Jin felt that if he unleashed his full power now, without even using Liushuo, he could slay a Sixth Rank Ninth Layer alien.

With the enhancement of the Fourth Rank Earth-element law and the Fish Curtain Golden Bell, he could likely withstand a single volley from six Sixth Rank Ninth Layer experts.

If the previous battle were to happen again, he wouldn't need to use a single token to win!

He believed Ning Yuchan and Ji Hongli's combat power had also surged dramatically.

Regardless of cultivation base, each of them had gained two-tenths of World Origin Will—equivalent to twenty Celestial Star Wills.

According to the data from the Can Dou Platform, their Golden- and Wood-element laws had both reached Third Rank.

As he pondered, time flew.

After half an hour, the Star Boat arrived at the Domain Lord's mansion; Xu Jin went straight to meet Domain Lord Ji Cheng.

"Young Master Qi, the Grand Master has sent an urgent message for you through me."

As he spoke, Domain Lord Ji Cheng handed Xu Jin a jade tablet.

At the very moment Xu Jin arrived at the Domain Lord's mansion, within the ancestral cave heaven that had previously faced the Altar Path across from the Huashih Star Domain.

In the delighted gaze of the Holy Envoy Ju Zhang, a path from the Altar emerged from a certain star domain and instantly linked to the Ancestral Cave Heaven!

The instant the connection succeeded, star power from that star domain flooded into the Ancestral Cave Heaven, while the Ancestral Cave Heaven's immense, majestic World Origin aura began merging with the connected star domain.

In an instant, heaven and earth transformed.

The Holy Clan's Envoy Ju Zhang rejoiced!

He had dispatched thirty messengers; twelve still survived, and this Fifth Rank Qinggu Star Domain was the first to successfully link and begin merging with the Ancestral Cave Heaven.

As long as one star domain merged, the Ancestral Cave Heaven could fully integrate into this world.

As long as one star domain was linked and merged, the Ancestral Cave Heaven would no longer be water without a source or a tree without roots—all possibilities lay ahead!

And he, too, would fulfill his clan's great mandate.

As vast star power flooded into the Ancestral Cave Heaven, the first to break through was Envoy Ju Zhang himself.

As if unsealed, his cultivation surged directly from Sixth Rank Ninth Layer peak to Seventh Rank, then rocketed to the peak of Seventh Rank Early Stage before halting.

Not only Ju Zhang—hundreds of his subordinates within the Ancestral Cave Heaven also began breaking through.

Directly from Sixth Rank Ninth Layer peak to Seventh Rank, then continuing to rise.

But their gains were nowhere near as great as Ju Zhang's.

Only a dozen or so managed to leap straight to the peak of Seventh Rank Early Stage.

The rest merely broke into Seventh Rank.

At the same moment, Messenger Ju Shiqi, dispatched to Qinggu Star Domain, also began surging—his cultivation broke directly from Fifth Rank Ninth Layer peak to Sixth Rank.

Among the seven Sixth Rank aliens behind Ju Shiqi, four Sixth Rank Ninth Layer alien kings, their auras fluctuating, ascended to Seventh Rank.

"Ju Shiqi, you have rendered great service by linking the star domain.

From this moment, your name is changed to Ju Sheng! Awarded: a Seven-Star Spirit Treasure!"

Ju Shiqi, now Ju Sheng, who had just returned from his mission, was stunned with joy and immediately knelt to kowtow in thanks.

Being granted a new name meant he had risen from expendable cannon fodder to a true confidant of the Young Master!

His future prospects were boundless.

"Qinggu Wang, you were the first to submit—your service is great. From today, you are the Lord of Qinggu City. Awarded: a Seven-Star Spirit Treasure," said Ju Zhang.

The King of Qinggu Star Region was overjoyed—he was satisfied just to break through to the seventh rank, yet he had unexpectedly received a Seven-Star Spirit Treasure.

He was about to bow as usual, but Ju Sheng, kneeling beside him, suddenly tugged at him, signaling him to kneel.

The King of Qinggu froze instantly, deeply reluctant.

But in that very instant, Envoy Ju Zhang's gaze turned piercingly sharp, golden light swirling around his golden horn, unleashing an immense pressure.

As his gaze hardened, it felt as if the entire heavens and earth were crushing down on him, leaving the King of Qinggu gasping for breath.

In the next instant, beneath the pressure of Envoy Ju Zhang's golden horn, under his piercing gaze, and surrounded by nearly a hundred seventh-rank stares from behind him, the King of Qinggu helplessly knelt on one knee to receive his appointment.

With equal helplessness, the other three Kings of Qinggu Star Region also knelt to receive their appointments and rewards.

There is a difference between being a king and being a dog!

Watching the four kneel in submission, Envoy Ju Zhang nodded in satisfaction, withdrawing the pressure from his golden horn, then said in a deep voice, "Qinggu."

The King of Qinggu was stunned, still unaccustomed to it.

Only after being prompted by Messenger Ju Sheng did he hurriedly say, "Your servant is here."

"The Qinggu Star Region has begun merging with the Ancestral Realm! It will fully merge and stabilize in one day. From today, you shall be the Ten-Thousand-Man Commander of the Qinggu Army!"

"Within three months, I must train a Qinggu Army of at least ten thousand, under my command, with the lowest cultivators no lower than the fourth rank!"

"But…" the King of Qinggu hesitated, "my lord, the Qinggu Star Region likely does not have so many fourth-rank cultivators."

"You'll have them soon! After merging with the Ancestral Realm, countless cultivators trapped at their bottlenecks in Qinggu Star Region will break through."

"Your servant accepts the order!"

At the very moment the Qinggu Star Region successfully connected with the Ancestral Realm of the Sacred Clan,

Not only did the Ancestral Realm and this star region tremble violently, but every star in the current-world sky flickered with uncanny brilliance.

Simultaneously, leaders across the current world all stared in shock at the stars above.

Yet they could see nothing.

Suddenly, a sigh of helplessness echoed above this world's sky.

A sigh of helplessness, unheard by any within this world.

But beyond this world—in the vast, glittering stars outside—it was heard.

In response to that sigh came a grand, boundless voice.

"Ji Dao, you have lost."

(End of Chapter)