Chapter 418: Breaking the Fast

Xu Jin watched as the mass attack from the eighth-rank Ju Xuan sent all combatants scattering in every direction like a stirred hornet's nest.

At least thirty people were wiped out in one wave.

Seven corpses had already been spotted.

This meant at least seven had been slain outright.

Furious, resentful, and helpless.

Furious that this eighth-rank alien had grown so bold.

Resentful that the top human elites of this era were all scheming for themselves, refusing to unite.

If these seventh-rank experts had united, even killing Ju Xuan would have been no problem—let alone merely holding him off.

Helpless because his own cultivation base was insufficient.

Xu Jin's Star Pattern rank was actually high enough, but his cultivation level stood where it stood.

Fifth-rank, third layer.

After breaking through to fifth-rank, one could mobilize all star force for battle.

In the future, each time Xu Jin broke through a new rank, his combat power would see substantial growth.

Because of his thirty-six star cores—and because the initial ones he forged were all super-grade star-forged cores—his true cultivation at fifth-rank, second layer had already matched that of fifth-rank, seventh or eighth layer.

Now at fifth-rank, third layer, Xu Jin estimated his star force cultivation was roughly equivalent to sixth-rank, second layer.

He didn't need much—just two or three layers higher, and his combat power would surge dramatically.

During his previous battle with Ju Xuan, Xu Jin discovered his Thunder Dash Star Pattern was only slightly slower than Ju Xuan's.

Previously, Xu Jin had judged that his Thunder Dash speed should exceed that of an ordinary eighth-rank beginner.

That judgment had been correct.

Because Ju Xuan was no ordinary eighth-rank alien—he was a top-tier elite among aliens, bearing Sacred Ancestor blood.

But if Xu Jin's cultivation advanced even a little, his Thunder Dash speed could match Ju Xuan's.

Moreover, Xu Jin's Fivefold Flash speed was slightly faster than Ju Xuan's.

But Fivefold Flash couldn't be sustained—maximum seven seconds.

Time!

What Xu Jin needed most right now was time.

After using Fivefold Flash to escape Ju Xuan's assault, Xu Jin instantly switched to Thunder Dash and shot toward the distance.

First, find the Illusion Body of the Seven Kill True Person, then figure out how to obtain the Seven Kill Token.

As for the lives of other combatants, Xu Jin couldn't care less.

Eat only as much as your bowl can hold!

Now Xu Jin worried about only one thing: three days from now, when the Seven Kill Palace emerged, only those holding the Seven Kill Token could enter and become the Seven Kill True Person's provisional disciple to pass the trial.

What if Ju Xuan waited at the entrance to the Seven Kill Palace?

That would be the real challenge!

And the likelihood was extremely high!

In the heart of the Seven Kill Secret Realm, after Ju Xuan's outburst, every human combatant scattered like birds and beasts in all directions—including the seventh-ranks.

Their thinking mirrored Xu Jin's.

No need to directly confront an eighth-rank Ju Xuan—first secure the Seven Kill Token.

Only ten Seven Kill Tokens existed for this trial.

At most ten people could pass!

According to prior instructions from the leaders of all factions, only those who passed could possibly obtain the Divine Dao True Meaning.

For them, this was the most important thing.

As the golden light faded, nine corpses lay on the ground.

The eighth-rank Ju Xuan felt slightly disappointed.

One burst had only slain nine human prodigies—too little for the cost.

"You all go search for the Seven Kill Tokens."

Ju Zhan waved his hand, and the remaining dozen or so Jin Zhu aliens swiftly scattered in all directions.

Ju Xuan, however, suppressed his aura and waited quietly.

Suddenly, not far ahead, starlight fell from the sky—the figure of a sixth-rank warrior from the Zhen E Star Temple, previously slain, suddenly reappeared.

Seeing the emerging starlight, Ju Xuan burst into a wide grin and slammed out a palm.

Terrifying golden light descended; even as the sixth-rank warrior defended with all his strength, his body exploded like a watermelon, blood and flesh spraying everywhere.

"Fool!"

Ju Xuan smiled, a bloodthirsty grin curling at his lips.

This was a fool who had been killed by him earlier but had used a substitute-death chance to return!

Humans were greedy—he had stayed here precisely to wait for such fools!

After another ten breaths, Ju Xuan's eyes darkened with disappointment—he had only caught one fool.

It seemed there were still many clever ones among the human combatants.

Most of those he had slain had chosen to leave immediately.

In the next instant, Ju Xuan sat cross-legged; with each inhale and exhale, star force from the heavens surged into him like a vortex.

The grand technique he'd spent five breaths to summon had cost him dearly.

He needed to recover.

As for the Seven Kill Tokens—

Ju Xuan wasn't worried at all.

He would get them.

If he couldn't get them, he'd take them by force!

Xu Jin flew westward, continuously activating the seven law stars on the Can Dou Platform.

Under the influence of the law stars, the locations of five Divine Dao True Meanings within the Seven Kill Secret Realm flickered in and out of perception.

After fifteen minutes, Xu Jin arrived at the nearest location of a Divine Dao True Meaning—and was surprised.

The law stars sensed the True Meaning was right here, yet even pushing his Ming Ji Star Pattern to its limit, he couldn't locate it.

There must be some hidden trick!

Since he couldn't snatch this opportunity, he'd search for the Seven Kill Token instead.

According to the starlight, the Illusion Body of the Seven Kill True Person would wander randomly throughout the entire secret realm.

The odds were extremely low.

Xu Jin had just flown for fifteen minutes, and the Seven Kill Secret Realm hadn't reached its edge—it must be vast.

Searching for ten Illusion Bodies across such a vast space was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Suddenly, Xu Jin thought of the best method.

The best method was simply to wait by the tree until the Seven Kill Palace emerged three days from now.

Especially the top elites—if they failed to obtain a Seven Kill Token within these three days, they'd surely wait outside the emerging Seven Kill Palace on the third day.

If Xu Jin couldn't find one within three days, he'd join them in waiting.

But for now, he'd still have to rely on luck.

With a thought, Xu Jin immediately activated the special star technique: Heavenly Sensing.

Since it was a matter of luck, he had to test this Heavenly Sensing technique.

In the next instant, Xu Jin's eyes brightened.

It worked!

Under Heavenly Sensing, several directions suddenly lit up.

Several directions showed intensified resonance.

With a flap of his Thunder Wings, Xu Jin shot toward the direction with the strongest resonance.

As he flew, he continuously activated Heavenly Sensing, adjusting his course.

After thirty minutes, Xu Jin suddenly saw a man in blue robes, hair tied back, seated atop a distant mountain peak, holding a wine gourd, occasionally taking a sip.

Though drinking, his entire presence sat like a drawn sword—murderous aura surging into the sky!

Most crucially, Xu Jin had memorized the faces of all over a hundred elite combatants when the fifth trial began.

This man was not among them.

He was almost certainly the Illusion Body of the Seven Kill True Person.

Xu Jin instantly accelerated toward the peak.

As he neared, Xu Jin sensed the Illusion Body's cultivation aura—sixth-rank, seventh layer.

Neither high nor low.

But given the Seven Kill True Person's nature, even at sixth-rank, seventh layer, he would possess combat power capable of challenging higher ranks.

At least seventh-rank power—must be cautious.

Seeing someone approach, the Illusion Body of the Seven Kill True Person spotted Xu Jin, raised his gourd, and laughed loudly, "A friend comes from afar—will you share a drink?"

Xu Jin was stunned—so the Seven Kill True Person loved wine!

"Not willing?"

The Seven Kill True Person tipped his gourd and drank deeply.

Xu Jin smiled at the sight and took a jar of wine from his space pouch, raising it in salute. "What's there to refuse? Drink together, then settle our Shengsi!"

"Hahaha, good!"

As the strong liquor surged down his throat, the wine gourd before the Seven Kill True Person's illusion shattered into pieces, transforming into a blade-shaped dragon that slashed toward Xu Jin.

"Come on!"

As Xu Jin roared, Lei Guang struck repeatedly at the blades.

The blade-light surged like a dragon; the thunder-light fell like rain.

For a time, they were evenly matched.

As Xu Jin had expected.

The Seven Kill True Person's illusion possessed the combat power of a Gao Jie.

And likely the mid-to-late stage of Gao Jie.

At his current strength, Xu Jin could still severely wound or even kill an ordinary Gao Jie beginner.

But a mid-to-late stage Gao Jie? That was difficult.

After fighting for over a dozen breaths, Xu Jin suddenly spotted several streaks of light racing from afar—he knew the battle had drawn the attention of other combatants.

In the next instant, Xu Jin instantly withdrew his Lei Guang and vanished from the spot.

Fivefold Liushuo!

As the piercing shriek rang out, Xu Jin believed it was a guaranteed kill.

Unexpectedly, the Seven Kill True Person's illusion condensed all its blade-light at once, gathering thousands of blades into a single point, and slashed straight at Xu Jin as he charged forward.

The two swords clashed!

Xu Jin's Fire Ox Sword was instantly knocked flying!

Xu Jin himself was blasted backward, spewing blood from his mouth!

In the next instant, Xu Jin flared his Lei Yi, steadied his form, and the Seven Kill True Person's illusion lunged forward like lightning, slashing repeatedly at him.

The moment he landed, Xu Jin slammed his foot down—Earth Magnetic Field.

The Seven Kill True Person's illusion suddenly lost control of its descent as hundreds of earth spears erupted skyward, striking toward it.

Furious Spears!

The blade-light sliced like the moon, cutting through all hundreds of earth spears in one sweep.

BOOM!

Binghuo Divine Thunder rained down continuously.

As it slammed the Seven Kill True Person to the ground, Xu Jin activated the Earth Magnetic Field—the earth sprouted like vines, binding the illusion for a single instant, during which six or seven bolts of Lei Guang struck down.

In an instant, the Seven Kill True Person's illusion was obliterated into nothingness!

The Lei Guang faded, leaving a single token floating quietly in place.

On it were two seal-script characters: "Seven Kill."

Seven Kill Token!

A flash of starlight, and Xu Jin seized the Seven Kill Token in his hand.

Turning back, Xu Jin saw several streaks of starlight racing toward him—the nearest was only about ten li away.

Xu Jin glanced once, confirmed no Jin Zhu barbarians were among them, flared his Lei Yi, and shot skyward instantly, activating Heavenly Sense as he flew toward another location with intense fluctuations.

A few breaths later, among the five or six pursuing auras, one landed, focusing his senses on the spot where the Seven Kill True Person's illusion had been slain—it was another Gao Jie.

"The combatants were both strong, and one of them carried an aura I've never encountered before. Nine out of ten, this person has slain the Seven Kill True Person's illusion and claimed the Seven Kill Token."

"Pursue!"

But as the group rose to chase, the starlight that was Xu Jin had vanished.

When fully activating Lei Dun, even a Gao Jie could not match Xu Jin's speed.

Within a quarter-hour, Xu Jin successfully slew a second Seven Kill True Person's illusion and claimed his second Seven Kill Token!

Xu Jin had intended to stop—but suddenly, another thought struck him.

He continued activating Heavenly Sense, searching for the Seven Kill True Person's illusions.

Within just three hours, Xu Jin collected five Seven Kill Tokens.

This surprised him greatly.

What if he collected all ten Seven Kill Tokens? What would happen then?

That possibility was very real.

Normally, over a hundred participants searching for the Seven Kill True Person's illusions across such a vast Seven Kill Secret Realm was like fishing for a needle in an ocean—they'd have to rely on pure luck.

Constantly circling, scanning, searching.

But Xu Jin needed only Heavenly Sense to swiftly locate the illusions.

Kill them. Collect the Seven Kill Tokens.

The only puzzle was: the Seven Kill True Person seemed to know every star art.

Of the five illusions he'd slain so far, some used water-star arts, others wind-star arts, others fire-star arts—five distinct star forces at least.

Half an hour later, Xu Jin successfully found and slew the sixth Seven Kill True Person's illusion.

This one, too, used thunder-star art.

So the Seven Kill True Person was some kind of jack-of-all-trades—could wield any star art.

Having obtained the seventh Seven Kill Token, Xu Jin flared his Lei Yi to leave—when suddenly, two streaks of starlight shot from behind, rushing toward him. Xu Jin ignored them.

He flared his Lei Yi and vanished instantly in a streak of thunder.

But as the thunder-light rose, a starlight streak surged toward him from several kilometers ahead.

"Boy, hand over the Seven Kill Tokens, or I'll kill you!" It was a sixth-rank fifth-layer elite of the Tianyang Star Temple.

Xu Jin sneered, surged forward, cut off his Lei Dun, and as his Fire Ox Sword materialized, activated Fivefold Liushuo!

BOOM!

As the piercing shriek rang out, the Tianyang Star Temple elite stared in disbelief as his body dissolved into specks of starlight.

Instantly slain!

Before the slain sixth-rank elite, a starlight message appeared.

【You have used your one-time resurrection. Will you leave or continue? Choose within one breath.】

After a single moment's thought, the Tianyang Star Temple's sixth-rank elite chose to leave!

Slain instantly!

Slain by a fifth-rank!

The result hit him like a bucket of ice water drenching his heart.

All his ambitions vanished with that one instant kill.

If he could be killed so easily, what was the point of fighting?

Retreat!

Slowly cultivate and strengthen his foundation!

Survival mattered most!

In the next instant, a streak of starlight shot skyward and vanished.

As for Xu Jin, his Lei Yi flashed, and he flew toward another direction guided by Heavenly Sense.

Less than half a minute later, he arrived at the location with the strongest fluctuation.

He found no Seven Kill True Person's illusion—but he spotted two Jin Zhu barbarians.

One was a Gao Jie beginner Jin Zhu barbarian; the other, a sixth-rank ninth-layer peak barbarian!

The moment they saw Xu Jin, their expressions turned grim.

They knew this man—the human genius who had survived their Lord Ju Xuan's pursuit—was not to be underestimated!

Watching the two barbarians brace for defense, Xu Jin was stunned.

He instantly realized his mistake.

He regretted it.

He should've changed his appearance.

Then his fifth-rank cultivation base would've made the perfect bait!

As he neared the two fully defensive Jin Zhu barbarians, Xu Jin accelerated again—Fivefold Liushuo!

At the moment he activated Fivefold Liushuo, a bright yellow blade-light appeared in his hand.

A top-grade Seven-Star Spirit Treasure: Yellow Dragon Sword.

Now that he had it, it was time for a proper feast!

SHHH!

In the piercing shriek, the blade-light flashed past.

The Yellow Dragon Sword's innate star art—Mountain Relocation—activated!

In an instant, the speeding Yellow Dragon Sword weighed a billion tons!

The power of Xu Jin's Liushuo multiplied exponentially.

The three layers of defense the Gao Jie barbarian had carefully erected—including his top-grade star artifact armor, defensive star arts, and protective starlight—shattered in a single instant.

In the next breath, the Gao Jie beginner Jin Zhu barbarian's form dissolved into starlight, leaving the sixth-rank ninth-layer barbarian frozen in shock.

Instantly slain!

A Gao Jie—slain instantly!

In the next instant, the sword light spun back, and this sixth-rank ninth-layer Jin Zhu barbarian was shattered into starlight!

A Seventh Kill Token reappeared.

(End of Chapter)