Chapter 36

"You"

Ning Yuchan's question was out, but she stopped.

Because she originally wanted to ask Xu Jin if he had learned the Small Star-Gathering Pattern before, but when it was about to come out, she realized it was nonsense.

This possibility might have existed last year or the year before.

Because the Small Star-Gathering Pattern of last year and the year before had no changes, but this year it was the Star-Gathering Pattern re-derived by Grand Master Cheng, which had quite a lot of changes compared to previous years.

Ning Yuchan originally wanted to ask if anyone helped Xu Jin?

But she still didn't ask.

For things like family elders helping to cultivate the Star-Gathering Pattern, the Academy does not care.

For one, such thankless tasks are only done by extremely close relatives; for another, this kind of thing is actually tacitly approved by the Academy, not only because it cannot be distinguished, but also because family heritage is also a kind of strength.

But whether Xu Jin had it, Ning Yuchan knew better than anyone.

How could a youth who even needed to borrow a few hundred taels of silver from her have anyone to help him cultivate the Small Star-Gathering Pattern quickly in a thankless way?

More importantly, the fastest record for condensing the Small Star-Gathering Pattern in the Academy in previous years was ten and a half days, but this record tacitly included the help of family relatives and elders.

She knew that people like Lu Xianbing, Zhou Du, Ren Xiaoxiang, and Luo Geng had help from elders in their families.

But Xu Jin.

This record is too terrifying!

It is unknown if even the Star Palace has it.

"When exactly did you succeed in engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern?" Ning Yuchan asked, steadying herself.

"Last night, to be precise, it is today; it should be past midnight." Xu Jin did not understand at this moment, and for fear of not being able to lock in first place, he stated the time extremely accurately.

Staring blankly at Xu Jin for a few breaths, Ning Yuchan suddenly said, "Xu Jin, does anyone else know about your success in engraving the Star Pattern?"

"No, you are my instructor, my master, so I definitely came to find you first. I originally wanted to come in the morning, but there was intensive training in the morning, so I only came now," Xu Jin said.

"Then wait in my courtyard for a while; locking in the reward requires at least two witnesses, so I will go find someone else," Ning Yuchan said.

This is also expected, Xu Jin understands.

The next moment, Ning Yuchan tapped her iron crutch and flew directly over the courtyard wall, disappearing in an instant.

In the small house in the mountains of the Academy, Principal Dong Zhao, who was about to lie down after a meal, suddenly frowned and stood up, "That girl Yuchan is becoming more and more unruly; she doesn't even knock on the courtyard door and just comes in."

As he spoke, the door of the house rang.

Ning Yuchan still knows to knock on the door of the house.

"Yuchan, what matter makes you so urgent that you just came in?" Principal Dong Zhao asked with a smile.

"Principal, Xu Jin has successfully engraved the Small Star-Gathering Pattern!

Three and a half days!"

The smile on Principal Dong Zhao's face disappeared instantly, "Really?"

"He is in my courtyard right now, saying he wants to find me to lock in the reward for being first in engraving the Star Pattern."

Principal Dong Zhao stood up abruptly, then paced back and forth, asking while pacing.

"Does anyone else know?"

"I asked, and he said he hadn't told anyone else."

"Yuchan, I remember you also needed nine and a half days that year, right?" Principal Dong Zhao said.

"Yes, but at that time, my mother helped me several times. This Xu Jin should not have had any external force involved."

"This talent is truly"

Principal Dong Zhao exclaimed, "Yuchan, so you came to find me, what ideas do you have?"

"I just came to ask the Principal to make a decision," Ning Yuchan said.

Principal Dong Zhao paced back and forth a few more times and suddenly said, "Under normal circumstances, if Xu Jin's Large Star-Gathering Pattern engraving time breaks the record again, he will be directly transferred away by one of the two major Star Palace branches, just like you were back then.

And we can only obey orders.

This is one of the agreements between the two major Star Palaces and the National Academy.

The branches of the two major Star Palaces in each province can pick one top-talented person from the Academy in each province every year to supplement the Star Palace's talent.

Theoretically, if Xu Jin can enter the Star Palace, he will have a better future."

"Will he?"

Ning Yuchan's expression became stern, and she couldn't help but look at her lame leg.

"If Xu Jin were a genius discovered by directly entering the branches of the two major Star Palaces, then he really would.

But he was selected by our Academy; his whole life has already been branded with the mark of being from the Academy."

"Sigh, Yuchan, you must understand that whether it is the Tianyang Branch or the Cangming Branch, as long as they discover him, they can directly ask for people through the National Academy, and we cannot refuse," Dong Zhao sighed.

"That's why I came to find you, Principal.

Principal, I don't want Xu Jin to follow my old path.

I want to give our Academy a chance even more," Ning Yuchan's expression was slightly excited.

Principal Dong Zhao sighed leisurely upon hearing this, "Sigh, it's a pity; if the Lingji Star Palace had fought for its breath back then and hadn't been killed and locked, there wouldn't be so many messy things, and you wouldn't have"

"Principal, you decide; this speed of Xu Jin's engraving of the Star Pattern, at least I have never seen it, and I have never seen it in the Academy's records," Ning Yuchan said again.

Principal Dong Zhao pondered for a long time before saying, "It is June now, and there are still half a year until the end of the year; we must hide him for at least half a year.

Moreover, it cannot affect his normal cultivation.

For a cultivation genius like him, once he loses his spirit and competitive drive, he will become mediocre in the future."

"Principal, actually Xu Jin's performance is only amazing in terms of engraving the Star Pattern, and his performance in other aspects is mediocre, with only eighty-three days of Star-Dotting," Ning Yuchan said.

"You mean?" Principal Dong Zhao seemed to be thinking. "But Principal, this Xu Jin is poor and cares very much about rewards. But he is also very bold; for the sake of cultivation, he directly asked me, his teacher, to borrow silver twice," Ning Yuchan said.

Principal Dong Zhao was stunned for a moment and suddenly laughed, "Borrowed well, borrowed well."

"Let's go, I know what to do!"

Xu Jin was a bit confused when he saw Principal Dong Zhao.

Xu Jin originally thought that Ning Yuchan finding another witness for the result might be some instructor, or at most the Proctor Cao Chun.

He did not expect Principal Dong Zhao to come.

This feeling is like going to fight an elite, but unexpectedly a big boss jumps out directly.

It is hard not to be surprised.

But what Principal Dong Zhao said after closing the courtyard door made Xu Jin even more surprised.

But Xu Jin managed to understand it.

The gist is that Xu Jin's achievement of engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern in three and a half days is too astonishing.

The Academy's fastest record before this was nine and a half days.

Geniuses are always envied.

Especially those particularly astonishing geniuses, who will become targets for many ill-intentioned people, such as gangs, or even demons.

Therefore, Principal Dong Zhao wants to protect Xu Jin a little.

The gist is that they will hide Xu Jin's achievement of engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern in three and a half days from the outside, and this time, the first place in engraving the Star Pattern in the Academy will not be Xu Jin either.

However, the reward for being first in engraving the Star Pattern will still be issued to Xu Jin normally.

Not only will it be issued normally, but more will be issued.

The reward for being first in engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern normally is a bottle of Spirit-Awakening Pills and three low-grade Star-Replenishing Pills.

But if Xu Jin is willing not to take the title of being first in engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern, then Principal Dong Zhao will reward Xu Jin with three more Star-Replenishing Pills, and additionally reward him with one Spirit-Refreshing Pill.

One Star-Replenishing Pill has a market price of twenty taels, so three are sixty taels, and one Spirit-Refreshing Pill has a market price of thirty taels.

This is equivalent to an extra reward of ninety taels of silver.

Xu Jin has no reason to disagree.

The title of first place cannot be spent as silver.

How can first place be more important than silver?

Of course he agrees.

Disagreeing would be stupid.

Besides, who is Principal Dong Zhao?

The top leader of the Jinshan Academy, equivalent to the big leader of his previous life; if the leader gives you specific advice and you don't agree, that means you have an opinion about the leader.

He gladly agrees.

What's more, the benefits are huge.

What surprised Xu Jin even more was that Principal Dong Zhao was so straightforward; before leaving, he directly gave the reward to Xu Jin without fooling anyone.

A bottle of Spirit-Awakening Pills, six Star-Replenishing Pills, and one Spirit-Refreshing Pill were handed over to Xu Jin on the spot.

A true leader who doesn't paint cakes.

"Xu Jin, do you understand the Principal's meaning?"

"I understand, Ning Jiaotou," Xu Jin nodded vigorously.

"Hmm, the Principal is also considering your safety. In addition, do not tell anyone about your success in engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern for the time being; after a while, I will arrange a similar ranking for you," Ning Yuchan said.

"Also, do not slack off in the engraving of the Large Star-Gathering Pattern. But if you succeed in engraving it, come find me immediately.

Don't worry, I will absolutely not harm you," Ning Yuchan instructed again.

Xu Jin naturally agreed with his whole heart.

But just after leaving Ning Yuchan's small courtyard, Xu Jin decided that after successfully engraving the Large Star-Gathering Pattern, he would definitely drag it out for a few days before coming to find Ning Yuchan.

Xu Jin believes that Ning Yuchan will not harm him.

But today, he was excited to lock in first place, but it alarmed the Principal, and the Principal asked him to hide the engraving time, which made Xu Jin smell something unusual.

He is not stupid.

He knows that his speed probably scared others.

So he must hold back a bit.

Of course, this performance must still be genius-like, but not too genius.

Being half a step ahead is a genius, but being one step ahead is a pioneer.

Xu Jin does not want to be a pioneer.

So he must hold back a little.

Returning to his dormitory, Xu Jin continues to sink his mind into the Arena, preparing to grind the Large Star-Gathering Pattern for another half hour.

He can hold back on the outside, but not on the inside.

The improvement after engraving the Small Star-Gathering Pattern is solid.

But just as his mind sank into the Arena, Xu Jin discovered that there was a change on the jade tablet of the Arena.

(End of chapter)