Chapter 363: Leveraging the Path to Counterattack the Ancestral Cave Heaven

Inside the altar path of the Jichuan Star Domain, under full activation of the nine Mingji star patterns, Xu Jin's divine soul focus detected something after just one circuit.

Initial delight, but then a hint of disappointment.

He discovered the same world will as in the Huashi Star Domain's altar path.

But the quantity was far, far less.

In the Huashi Star Domain's altar path, the world origin discovered amounted to one-tenth-two, or twelve parts.

But in the Jichuan Star Domain's altar path, the world origin found was only a pitiful two parts.

One wind, one thunder.

Xu Jin did not know that Huashi Star Domain was actually an exception caused by the Saint Clan envoy Ju Zhang's haste.

Still, though only two parts, Xu Jin understood clearly: it was merely comparatively small relative to Huashi Star Domain.

To anyone, this was an astonishing harvest.

Even an eighth-rank cultivator would fight to the death over it.

One part of world origin equaled ten celestial-star wills.

Immediately, Xu Jin calmed his mind and began slowly guiding and refining these two parts of world origin.

Two hours later, the thunder-affiliated world origin was fully refined.

Upon completion, the stars on the Candou Platform shifted, adding a thunder law star, and the jade tablet's information updated accordingly.

【Thunder Law: Rank 2 (17)】

Within the Candou Platform, five law stars each enveloped a star lamp, merging their radiance to form a canopy-like light shield above.

It covered the five star lamps from above downward.

Xu Jin began to understand—this must be the so-called Candou Lamp Domain.

Under his mental gaze, he felt the entire Candou Lamp Domain enveloped by five celestial laws, brimming with profound transformations.

Xu Jin desperately wanted to know the miraculous benefits of cultivating or contemplating within the Candou Lamp Domain!

Unfortunately, there were too many people here.

It was inconvenient to project the Candou Lamp Domain into the real world.

Xu Jin had many secrets—even his current feigned death and escape—had leaked partially; he suspected they wouldn't remain hidden much longer.

But the Candou Platform had never, ever been revealed.

Not a single trace had escaped.

Not now, not ever.

Since the meat was already stewed in the pot, Xu Jin was no longer in a hurry—he continued guiding and refining the remaining wind-affiliated world origin.

Two hours later, the wind-affiliated world origin was fully refined; the Candou Platform changed again.

【Wind Law: Rank 3 (25)】

With the refinement of the world origin complete, the greatest reward was now secured.

In just half a day, fifth-rank elites had begun breaking through their cultivation.

Cui Jing had advanced to fifth-rank seventh layer.

Meng Fei had broken through to fifth-rank fifth layer.

Rapid progress.

Outside the altar path, Domain Lord Meng Yanwei personally guarded the entrance to prevent any mishaps.

Many fifth-rank elites also stood guard outside, occasionally observing the altar path's entrance, hoping for a miracle that might let them snatch some benefit.

Xu Jin glanced once, then pulled out a fifth-rank Star Gathering Array and began cultivating.

With layers of stacking, the star force density here was extreme, and Xu Jin practiced in a plundering manner.

In just half an hour, the cultivation base of his middle and lower star palaces surged to fourth-rank ninth layer.

Two and a half hours later, his middle star palace reached fourth-rank ninth layer peak.

Another two and a half hours later, his lower star palace also reached fourth-rank ninth layer peak.

Within the middle and lower star palaces, ten star cores, each at maximum capacity, glowed brilliantly, slowly rotating.

At this point, theoretically, Xu Jin could attempt the Star Gathering breakthrough.

Star Gathering to break into fifth rank!

Two key factors determined fifth-rank breakthrough: first, star force.

Back in Jinshan County, Supervisor Cao Chun had been stuck at fourth-rank ninth layer peak due to insufficient star force; only after eliminating the Bowu Sect's branch altar did he gain enough star force and break through smoothly.

This was not an issue at all within the altar path.

The altar path was essentially a breakthrough holy ground.

The second factor was the strength of the divine soul.

Theoretically, a third-rank divine soul could attempt fifth-rank breakthrough, but success probability was low.

Like Ning Yuchan.

Thus, the stronger the divine soul, the higher the chance of a smooth, single-push breakthrough into fifth rank with sufficient star force.

Of course, other factors mattered too, but none were as critical as these two.

Based on these two points, Xu Jin was utterly confident he could break through smoothly in one go.

He had this confidence.

He had already formed a Yuan Spirit, and its Tian Guang was nearly nine meters tall.

The State Advisor's was barely over two meters.

Breaking into fifth rank should be a natural progression.

Xu Jin had anticipated this before entering Jichuan Star Domain.

If he wanted to break into fifth rank within Jichuan Star Domain, he would have striven to reach fourth-rank ninth layer beforehand, obtained the fourth-rank ninth layer Golden Star and Brilliant Star, then broken through—avoiding any loss.

Precisely because he had planned this, Xu Jin had not rushed to reach fourth-rank ninth layer.

Because he had thought of one thing.

When forging his Yuan Spirit, he had, on a sudden inspiration, forged several extra divine soul stars.

In the end, he forged his Yuan Spirit with thirty-six divine soul stars.

Making his Yuan Spirit extraordinarily robust.

At least compared to any Yuan Spirit he'd previously seen, it was vastly more powerful.

Xu Jin wondered: if one could forge extra divine soul stars when breaking from fourth to fifth rank,

Could one also forge extra star cores within the star palaces?

Definitely!

Though many cultivation texts fixed the number of star cores at nine,

In reality, nine didn't just mean nine—it symbolized infinity.

The saying "nine is the ultimate number" held precisely this meaning.

He thought it, and acted.

The altar path offered vast star force to draw upon.

In the next instant, his mind sank into the middle star palace; his divine soul focus frantically absorbed star force, then violently expanded the middle star palace—once sufficient space opened, he forged new stars.

The expansion process was far smoother than he'd imagined.

Less than half an hour later, the tenth star formed within the middle star palace.

Plundering cultivation resumed.

Two and a half hours later, the tenth star core in the middle star palace reached its peak.

He continued forging new star cores.

Xu Jin estimated: accounting for time to restore divine soul energy, he could forge one new star core and bring it to peak every three hours.

Theoretically, his cultivation base now reached fourth-rank eleventh layer—but Xu Jin still wanted to forge more star cores.

Because he understood the transformation from fourth-rank star forging to fifth-rank Star Gathering.

After breaking into fifth-rank Star Gathering, all star cores' star force would merge into a single whole.

This was why fifth-rank experts had such explosive power.

If Xu Jin's middle star palace contained twenty star cores, then after breakthrough, his cultivation would be double that of others at the same level.

More cores meant even greater multiples.

Xu Jin even speculated that this power increase might eventually become exponential, not merely additive.

Not just a matter of quantity.

So when his middle star palace reached twelve star cores, Xu Jin chose to continue.

One core every three hours—four new cores per day.

As cultivation progressed and star cores multiplied, Xu Jin subtly realized that controlling the number of star cores was deeply tied to divine soul strength.

Others forged only nine star cores because most cultivators' divine souls were third-rank during breakthrough; fourth-rank ones were rare.

But Xu Jin's divine soul was already fifth-rank Yuan Spirit.

A mutated one, at that.

Naturally, he could control far more star cores.

In the following time, Xu Jin immersed himself entirely in forging star cores.

Occasionally, he cast a Dream-Warming technique on Ning Yuchan, Ji Hongli, and Hou Yunzhang to rapidly restore their divine soul energy and relieve fatigue.

For efficient cultivation.

As for others, they could never receive such treatment!

Not familiar!

Xu Jin has already done more than enough by granting them such a great fortune!

On the eighth day of entering the Altar Path, Xu Jin's Zhongxing Palace had accumulated thirty-six star cores.

And all thirty-six star cores of the Zhongxing Palace had been cultivated to perfect completion.

In fact, this was the most terrifying part!

It meant Xu Jin's Zhongxing Palace cultivation base could break through to the fifth realm at any moment.

Once he broke through to the fifth realm, his Zhongxing Palace cultivation base would be four times that of others at the same level!

Added to that, Xu Jin himself was a Supergrade Star Core caster, and all the cores he had forged were Supergrade Star Cores—his star power already exceeded that of other geniuses by several tenths, and nearly doubled that of ordinary cultivators.

Under these conditions, Xu Jin's star power was terrifyingly vast!

How strong would his combat power be?

It couldn't be estimated yet—only battlefield testing could reveal it!

Learning from the lessons of forging the Yuanling in the Shangxing Palace, Xu Jin decided it was better to stop while ahead.

After his Zhongxing Palace reached thirty-six star cores, Xu Jin shifted his focus to forging star cores in the Xiaxing Palace.

He began forging star cores within the Xiaxing Palace.

But judging by the collapse of the Altar Path, it would hold for at most three or four more days before collapsing entirely.

It was impossible to forge thirty-six star cores in the Xiaxing Palace and then cultivate them all to peak level.

So Xu Jin planned to first increase the number of star cores in the Xiaxing Palace to thirty-six.

As for the newly forged cores, their cultivation level would rise as far as it could.

First, build the framework.

Within the Sacred Clan's ancestral land's cavern realm.

With the successful connection of the fifth star domain, Envoy Ju Zhang's mood, previously soured by the destruction of the Jichuan Star Domain's connection, improved slightly.

After the fifth star domain successfully connected to the ancestral land's cavern realm, the two portions of the ancestral land's world will that had been sent out returned, and with the massive influx of star power and star domain will, the Sacred Clan's ancestral land's cavern realm underwent further unsealing.

This unsealing manifested in every aspect.

Especially on Envoy Ju Zhang himself—the celestial laws' suppression of his cultivation base relaxed further.

Immediately after the fifth star domain's connection succeeded, Envoy Ju Zhang's cultivation base fully recovered to the peak of the seventh realm.

Though this was still far from his true cultivation level.

But the peak seventh realm cultivation granted Envoy Ju Zhang considerable security.

With his bloodline, talent, and incomprehensible techniques, he could withstand an eighth realm cultivator head-on.

Even if present-day human eighth realm experts attacked, he had confidence in escaping alive.

And not perish body and soul!

"Ju Ling, how many star domains have raised the Altar Path?" After securing the fifth connected star domain and organizing a new legion, Envoy Ju Zhang asked.

"My lord, of the twelve surviving messengers, only eight confirmed raised the Altar Path. Currently, two Altar Paths have been destroyed, and one is still ascending. 【134】 It's estimated to connect with the ancestral land in five days," Ju Ling replied.

"It's estimated that in five more days, we will successfully connect with the ancestral homeland," said Ju Ling.

"Five days?"

Hearing this, Ju Zhang nodded. As golden wings materialized behind him, a flash of golden light surged along his horn, and he began circling the ancestral land at high speed.

Before any star domain had connected, the ancestral land's cavern realm was merely a hollow island a thousand meters across—standing here with over a hundred subordinates, he could circle it in a single breath.

But after five star domains connected, the ancestral land's cavern realm began merging with these five domains, expanding its area a thousandfold in a short time.

Even with his peak seventh realm cultivation and speed, his mastery of the ancestral land's world source, and the added boosts from the five star domains' celestial and stellar laws, it took him a full day to complete one full circle around the ancestral land's cavern realm.

Yet during the flight, Ju Zhang noticed something odd and immediately summoned Ju Ling over.

"Ju Ling, how did you handle this? You said only one star domain had raised the Altar Path and was about to connect to the ancestral land's cavern realm—then what are these two?"

Look at these two Altar Paths—they're nearly connected to the ancestral land's cavern realm!

How did you contact those messengers?"

Envoy Ju Zhang flew into a rage, instantly terrifying Ju Ling—a seventh realm mid-stage expert—into kneeling on the spot.

As the ancestral land's cavern realm unsealed and merged, Ju Ling and other noble-blooded outsiders received feedback-enhancements to their cultivation!

"My lord, I truly couldn't reach them before—I'll contact them right now!

They're this close; I should be able to reach them!"

"You'd better contact them immediately."

Half an hour later, not only Ju Ling was stunned, but Ju Zhang was too.

No contact!

Not only no contact.

But no visibility either.

Because these two Altar Paths had identical progress, just one or two days from connecting to the ancestral land's cavern realm—they were clearly visible.

Yet no messenger was stationed within them to command.

But as the two Altar Paths drew closer, Envoy Ju Zhang realized the commanders inside were humans.

And not just one human!

Each Altar Path held several humans and numerous Bahuang Clan members.

More critically, the Altar Paths were packed to capacity.

A rough count revealed over a hundred outsiders and humans combined.

More importantly, the ascent speed of these two Altar Paths was identical!

Even deliberately controlled.

That meant, at a precise moment one day later, both Altar Paths would connect to the ancestral land's cavern realm simultaneously!

Thus, over two hundred elite warriors within them could enter the ancestral land's cavern realm at the exact same moment!

Such coincidences instantly led Envoy Ju Zhang to a terrifying possibility—he drew in a sharp breath.

"Form ranks!"

"Order: assemble all seventh realm and late sixth realm subordinates from the five star cities to form battle lines!"

Even if present-day human experts are using the Altar Paths to launch a direct assault on the ancestral land's cavern realm!

We must concentrate fire and annihilate them!" Ju Zhang commanded.

Instantly, the entire ancestral land's cavern realm shimmered with light, its atmosphere turning grimly serious!

Correct—the moment Ju Zhang saw multiple present-day humans inside the Altar Paths, his immediate judgment was: present-day human experts were using the Altar Paths to launch a direct assault on the ancestral land's cavern realm!

(End of Chapter)