Chapter 36: Stirring the Mountain Head

“You”

Ning Yuchan opened her mouth to ask, but stopped herself.

She had wanted to ask whether Xu Jin had previously studied the Small Star Cluster Pattern, but realized at the last moment it was a foolish question.

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

Because the Small Star Cluster Pattern last year and the year before had not changed, but this year’s pattern was newly re-derivated by Master Cheng, differing greatly from previous years.

Ning Yuchan had also wanted to ask whether anyone had helped Xu Jin.

But she still did not ask.

The Dao Academy does not interfere with matters of family elders assisting in cultivating the Star Cluster Pattern.

First, such labor-intensive, unrewarding tasks are only done by the closest kin; second, the academy tacitly accepts this, not merely because it cannot be detected, but because family heritage is also a form of strength.

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

A boy who needed to borrow hundreds of silver taels from her could hardly have someone willing to labor tirelessly to help him rapidly master the Small Star Cluster Pattern.

More importantly, the academy’s previous record for fastest Small Star Cluster Pattern inscription was ten and a half days—and that record already assumed the aid of family elders.

Lu Xianbing, Zhou Du, Ren Xiaoxiang, Luo Geng—all these students had elder family help, and she knew it.

But Xu Jin.

This record was terrifying!

Even the Star Palaces might not have seen such a thing.

“Exactly when did you successfully inscribe the Small Star Cluster Pattern?” Ning Yuchan asked, regaining her composure.

“Last night, more precisely, today—after midnight,” Xu Jin replied, still unaware, terrified he might lose first place, and giving the time with extreme precision.

Ning Yuchan stared at Xu Jin for several breaths, then suddenly asked, “Xu Jin, does anyone else know you’ve successfully inscribed the Star Pattern?”

“No one knows. You’re my instructor, my Master—I came to you first. I meant to come this morning, but morning training kept me until now.”

“Wait here in my courtyard for a moment. Locking in the reward requires at least two witnesses—I’ll go find someone else.”

This was only natural; Xu Jin understood.

In the next instant, Ning Yuchan tapped her iron cane and flew straight over the courtyard wall, vanishing in an instant.

Inside a small house among the Dao Academy’s hills, Master Dong Zhao, the Mountain Head, had just finished eating and was about to lie down when his brow suddenly furrowed. He rose abruptly. “That girl Yuchan is becoming more and more disrespectful—she doesn’t even knock on the gate before barging in.”

As he spoke, the door to the room rattled.

Ning Yuchan still knew to knock.

“Yuchan, what’s so urgent you barged right in?” Master Dong Zhao asked with a smile.

“Mountain Head, Xu Jin has successfully inscribed the Small Star Cluster Pattern!”

“In three and a half days!”

Master Dong Zhao’s smile vanished instantly. “Really?”

“He’s right now in my courtyard, saying he wants to lock in the reward for first place in Star Pattern inscription.”

Master Dong Zhao rose abruptly and began pacing back and forth, asking as he walked.

“Does anyone else know?”

“I asked. He says he hasn’t told anyone.”

“Yuchan, I remember you took nine and a half days that year, didn’t you?” Master Dong Zhao said.

“Yes, but my mother helped me several times. This Xu Jin likely had no external aid at all.”

“This talent is truly—”

Master Dong Zhao exclaimed, “Yuchan, since you came to me, what do you intend?”

“I’ve come to ask you to decide,” Ning Yuchan said.

Master Dong Zhao paced again for a few steps, then said, “Under normal circumstances, if Xu Jin’s Great Star Cluster Pattern inscription time also breaks the record, he will be directly transferred to one of the two Star Palace branches, just as you were back then.

And we can only obey.

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

Each year, each branch of the two Star Palaces may select one top-talent student from any state’s Dao Academy to replenish their own ranks.

Theoretically, if Xu Jin enters a Star Palace, his future prospects will be better.”

“Will they?”

Ning Yuchan’s expression hardened, her gaze involuntarily falling to her crippled leg.

“If Xu Jin had been discovered directly by one of the two Star Palaces, then yes—he might have a better future.

But he was selected by our Dao Academy. His entire life is already branded with the mark of this academy.”

“Ah, Yuchan, you must understand: whether it’s the Sunlight Branch or the Azure Dawn Branch, once they discover him, they can directly demand him through the National Dao Academy—we cannot refuse.” Dong Zhao sighed.

“That’s why I’ve come to you, Mountain Head.

I don’t want Xu Jin to walk my path.

I want to give our Dao Academy a chance,” Ning Yuchan said, her voice slightly agitated.

Master Dong Zhao sighed deeply. “Ah, what a pity—if the Spirit Record Star Palace had held its ground back then, instead of being crushed and locked away, none of this would have happened, and you wouldn’t have—”

“Mountain Head, make your decision. I’ve never seen such a speed in Star Pattern inscription, nor has the academy’s record ever shown anything like it,” Ning Yuchan said again.

Master Dong Zhao fell silent for a long while before speaking: “It’s June now. We have six months until year-end. We must conceal his achievement for at least half a year.

And we must not interfere with his normal cultivation.

A cultivation genius like him—if he loses his drive, if he loses his ambition—he’ll fade into obscurity.”

“Mountain Head, Xu Jin’s only remarkable trait so far is his Star Pattern inscription speed. In other areas, his performance is average—his Star Pointing days are only eighty-three.”

“You mean?” Master Dong Zhao seemed to ponder. “But Mountain Head, this Xu Jin is poor and highly values rewards. Yet he’s also bold—he’s borrowed silver from me twice just to fund his cultivation.”

Master Dong Zhao suddenly froze, then burst into laughter. “Good. Excellent.”

“Come on—I know what to do!”

When Xu Jin saw Master Dong Zhao, he was stunned.

He had assumed Ning Yuchan would find another witness—perhaps a tutor, or at most the Supervising Officer Cao Chun.

He never expected it to be the Mountain Head himself.

It was like you were fighting a tough elite—and a boss-level monster suddenly appeared.

It was hard not to be shocked.

But what Master Dong Zhao said after closing the courtyard gate shocked him even more.

But Xu Jin at least understood clearly.

The gist was this: Xu Jin’s three-and-a-half-day inscription of the Small Star Cluster Pattern was astonishing.

The academy’s previous record was nine and a half days.

Talents are always envied.

Especially those of extraordinary talent—they become targets for malicious parties: gangs, even demons.

So Master Dong Zhao wanted to protect Xu Jin.

The plan was to conceal from the outside world Xu Jin’s three-and-a-half-day record; he would not be declared the academy’s first in Star Pattern inscription this time.

But the reward for first place would still be given to Xu Jin normally.

Not just normally—he would receive extra.

The standard reward for first place in Small Star Cluster Pattern inscription: one bottle of Awakening Spirit Pill, three lower-grade Star-Enhancing Pills.

But if Xu Jin agreed to forgo the title of first place, Master Dong Zhao would not only give him three extra Star-Enhancing Pills, but also one additional Stimulating Spirit Pill.

Each Star-Enhancing Pill was worth twenty taels on the market; three were sixty taels. One Stimulating Spirit Pill was worth thirty taels.

That amounted to an extra ninety taels in rewards.

Xu Jin had no reason to refuse.

The title of first place couldn’t be spent like silver.

What mattered more than first place? Silver.

Of course he agreed.

To refuse would be foolish.

Besides, who was Master Dong Zhao?

The head of Jinshan Dao Academy—equivalent to a top leader from his past life. When a leader gives you specific advice, to refuse is to show disrespect.

He agreed gladly.

Especially since the benefits were enormous.

Even more surprising: Master Dong Zhao was incredibly generous—he handed over the reward on the spot, no empty promises.

One bottle of Awakening Spirit Pill, six Star-Enhancing Pills, one Stimulating Spirit Pill—all delivered to Xu Jin immediately.

A truly honest, no-bullshit leader.

“Xu Jin, do you understand the Mountain Head’s meaning?”

“I do, Instructor,” Xu Jin nodded vigorously.

“Good. The Mountain Head is acting for your safety. Also, you must not tell anyone about your success in inscribing the Small Star Cluster Pattern—for now. Later, I’ll arrange a plausible ranking for you.”

“And never slack off on the Great Star Cluster Pattern inscription. If you succeed, come to me immediately.

Don’t worry—I would never harm you.”

Xu Jin naturally promised enthusiastically.

But as soon as he stepped out of Ning Yuchan’s courtyard, he had already decided: after successfully inscribing the Great Star Cluster Pattern, he would delay coming to Ning Yuchan for several days.

Xu Jin believed Ning Yuchan would never harm him.

But today, eager to secure first place, he had startled the Headmaster, who then ordered him to conceal the time of his inscription—something that made Xu Jin sense an unusual undercurrent.

He wasn’t stupid.

He knew his pace had likely frightened others.

He needed to hold back a little.

Of course, his performance still had to seem talented—but not too talented.

Leading half a step made one a genius; leading a full step made one a pioneer.

Xu Jin didn’t want to be a pioneer.

So he had to hold back just a bit.

Back in his dormitory, Xu Jin sank his mind again into the Can Dou Platform, preparing to spend another half-hour refining the Great Star Pattern.

He could hold back outwardly, but not inwardly.

The boost from inscribing the Minor Star Pattern was undeniable.

But as soon as his mind sank into the Can Dou Platform, Xu Jin noticed a change on the jade tablet.

(End of Chapter)