Chapter 422: Direction and the Five Elements Divine Thunder

Ning Yuchan's easiest path to improvement is her stellar power cultivation base.

Ning Yuchan can take one or two Ten-Thousand Blood Elixirs, and she can also use several of the newly acquired Pure Pearls.

If Xu Jin can further sweep and hunt down a few more Golden Pillar barbarians within the Seven Kill Secret Realm—especially those of the seventh rank—he may yet obtain several more seventh-rank Pure Pearls.

The actual efficacy of Pure Pearls for cultivation is unknown, but according to the previous sixth-rank captive's account.

A sixth-rank Pure Pearl can elevate a fifth-rank cultivator by one to two sub-levels; only after consuming more than ten can a sixth-rank cultivator ascend one level.

Under normal circumstances, it is feasible to push Ning Yuchan's stellar power to the peak of fifth-rank ninth sub-level.

Whether she can break through to sixth rank in a short time depends on her own accumulation and insight.

But if Ning Yuchan's stellar power reaches the peak of fifth-rank ninth sub-level—or even advances to early or mid sixth rank—could she kill Sun Fuji at this stage?

No.

At best, she could defeat him.

If Sun Fuji's cultivation also rises dramatically, even defeating him would be difficult!

However, Ning Yuchan's rate of stellar power advancement will certainly outpace Sun Fuji's—that is an advantage.

The gap in strength will be somewhat narrowed.

Therefore, enhancing Ning Yuchan's stellar power is essential.

The second direction for boosting her strength is elevating her soul cultivation.

In fact, Ning Yuchan's soul cultivation has been steadily improving.

Previously, Xu Jin exchanged several Dragon-Turtle Soul-Forging Elixirs with Ning Yuchan, giving her the three-layered ones while keeping the ordinary ones for himself.

Thus, Ning Yuchan's soul cultivation has risen rapidly recently, reaching fourth-rank sixth sub-level.

Fortunately, Xu Jin possesses several fifth-rank soul-enhancing herbs obtained from Emperor Gan'an, already fully nurtured on the Can-Dou Platform.

It should be no problem to help Ning Yuchan break through to fifth-rank and solidify her Soul Spirit.

But after solidifying her Soul Spirit, could Ning Yuchan kill Sun Fuji?

No.

It would only slightly increase her chances of victory and shield her from Sun Fuji's soul techniques.

Because Sun Fuji's soul cultivation has already reached the peak of fourth-rank ninth sub-level and is ready to break through to fifth-rank and solidify his Soul Spirit at any moment.

For Sun Fuji, such resources are unlikely to be lacking.

Both these directions must be pursued, yet even after enhancement, Ning Yuchan still cannot directly kill Sun Fuji.

There is a third path to enhance Ning Yuchan's strength: Star Patterns.

But the problem is, Ning Yuchan primarily cultivates Metal, and she has already advanced her Golden Source Star Pattern to mid-eighth rank—it is already very strong.

Even pushing it to upper-eighth rank would yield only limited gains.

As for teaching Ning Yuchan other Star Patterns—such as Thunder, Earth, or Fire—Xu Jin currently has no intention of doing so.

It's not that he doesn't want to; he previously suggested it, but Ning Yuchan insisted she focuses solely on Metal.

Learning too many different Star Patterns is not necessarily beneficial.

Most cultivators require days, even weeks, to master a new Star Pattern.

Ning Yuchan's choice is, in fact, extremely correct.

Regarding cultivation direction, Ning Yuchan possesses clear awareness; Xu Jin does not wish to interfere.

The remaining option, the Golden Image Star Pattern, is an excellent choice.

Previously, when the Earth Image, Fire Image, and Thunder Image Star Patterns were advanced to eighth rank, each gained a special power—Nine Heavens Thunder Rhythm—that greatly amplified their potency.

This is a highly reliable path.

If the Golden Image Star Pattern is advanced to lower-eighth rank, or even mid-eighth rank, Ning Yuchan could accumulate one or two Metal Rhythmic Forces daily.

After accumulating for several months, if she lands a strike, it is highly likely to be a one-hit kill.

Especially since Ning Yuchan recently learned the Metal Giant Bow Star Art—it is extremely practical.

Alongside this, teach Ning Yuchan a few more Star Arts from Master Mo Ji's Object-Controlling School.

With all these enhancements, the probability of killing Sun Fuji remains high.

In an instant, Xu Jin found his direction.

Currently, disregarding seventh rank, advancing the Golden Image Star Pattern to lower-eighth rank requires one Brilliant Star; to mid-eighth rank, two.

Xu Jin currently has one Brilliant Star left and must gather another.

However, once the Golden Image Star Pattern is developed, it will also greatly benefit Xu Jin.

Xu Jin has already conceived a use for the Golden Image Star Pattern.

The highly practical Star Art, Furious Spear, could likely fuse with the Golden Image's power, drastically increasing its lethality.

Moreover, his simple and direct Object-Controlling Star Art—if infused with Metal stellar power into the blade's radiance—might double its potency.

The primary trait of Metal Star Arts is extreme sharpness.

Having found his direction, Xu Jin instantly exhaled in relief.

He did not wish for his loved ones to carry regret until death.

In fact, there is a fourth direction to enhance Ning Yuchan's combat power and enable her to personally kill Sun Fuji: external artifacts.

The top choice among external artifacts is Talismans.

But currently, the highest-tier Talismans that can be crafted are upper-sixth rank; after nurturing, their power doubles. Five or six nurtured upper-sixth-rank Talismans can easily slay a seventh-rank early-stage powerhouse.

If, like Emperor Gan'an, one unleashes twenty or thirty nurtured Talismans at once, even seventh-rank mid- or late-stage opponents might be slain.

But the prerequisite is hitting the target.

That depends on luck.

Previously, Sun Fuji skillfully employed the Seven Kill Dragon Stakes in battle—this tactic makes it difficult.

However, if Ning Yuchan were given a Seven-Star Spirit Artifact Bow, her combat power would surge dramatically.

But Seven-Star Spirit Artifacts are exceedingly rare; it depends on opportunity.

With comprehensive enhancements, the probability remains high.

Ning Yuchan's situation now has a strategy.

During his reflection and review, Xu Jin also recognized his own shortcomings.

Xu Jin's first and greatest shortcoming is his cultivation realm.

Whether in soul or Star Patterns, he cannot claim to be the absolute pinnacle, but he is certainly among the top tier of the current era.

If his stellar power realm caught up, seventh rank would let him roam the world freely; eighth rank would dominate the age.

But stellar power cultivation requires gradual, day-by-day accumulation.

What Xu Jin lacks most is time.

Fortunately, besides the vast stellar power remaining within the white bone fragment, he has recently acquired Pure Pearls—whenever he has a moment, his cultivation can still rise swiftly.

Xu Jin's second shortcoming is his Star Arts.

He lacks a decisive, bottom-of-the-sleeve technique capable of ending a battle instantly.

At his current cultivation level, the Star Arts he knows are still formidable.

But he lacks a high-output Star Art capable of unleashing his full power in one burst.

Whether in soul Star Arts or stellar power Star Arts.

Xu Jin's strongest soul Star Art is Kill Dream and Shock Dream.

Kill Dream is powerful, with a very high ceiling—given the chance, it can effortlessly slay an eighth-rank; yet its floor is also very low.

If the opponent awakens or has experienced a scenario similar to the Seven Kill Secret Realm's Heart Demon Kill, it becomes useless.

Shock Dream is a Star Art Xu Jin himself developed.

It is extremely potent.

For those who have not solidified their Soul Spirit, it can directly immobilize them for one to several seconds.

But once the target has solidified their Soul Spirit, the immobilization time becomes very brief.

It may affect only a single instant.

As when he fought Sun Fuji previously—it affected him for only an instant.

When used correctly, its effect is powerful.

Previously, he killed Sun Fuji three times using Shock Dream.

But it also revealed Shock Dream's weakness.

Its lethality is still insufficient.

If it were strong enough, with Xu Jin's current soul cultivation, it should have shattered Sun Fuji's soul.

He would have had no chance to resurrect via substitution.

Xu Jin strongly suspects that the substitution-and-rebirth opportunity within the Seven Kill Secret Realm does not include the dissipation of the Soul Spirit.

Soul Star Arts are always exceedingly rare.

The soul Star Arts Xu Jin currently possesses are limited. After long consideration, he chose a direction.

Break-Soul Star Art!

Previously, the most basic Break-Soul Star Art, if advanced to eighth rank, would inevitably produce a special Star Art, according to past patterns.

If it appears, its lethality will far surpass its current level.

For stellar power Star Arts, Xu Jin already has a direction.

After advancing the Lei Yuanxing Star Pattern to upper-eighth rank, he obtained the special Star Art: Five Elements Divine Thunder.

Currently, Xu Jin has only cultivated three Divine Thunders: Bing Fire Divine Thunder, Wu Earth Divine Thunder, and Geng Metal Divine Thunder.

The golden-source star pattern used for Gengjin Shenlei is only sixth-rank.

Although Ning Yuchan gave Xu Jin eighth-rank golden-source star patterns, including Jin Xiang, he has never comprehended them.

He still lacks Gui Shui Shenlei and Yi Mu Shenlei.

Xu Jin obtained both water-source and wood-source star patterns, but never had time to cultivate them—and their ranks weren't high anyway.

For star-force and star-techniques, Xu Jin plans to learn Gui Shui Shenlei and Yi Mu Shenlei.

Even if the water-source and wood-source star patterns are low-rank, they can still combine into the Five Elements Shenlei.

At that time, their power will surely surge dramatically.

It would be another major killing technique.

Earth-based techniques—Falling Star, Earth Primordial Magnetism, Furious Spear—could also become a major killing technique if paired with gold-based ones in the future.

His self-improved Da Ri Xingshu, the fire-based star technique, is powerful, but still lacks something; it requires slow refinement and study.

As for wood and water techniques, for now they can only serve as support.

As he flew, Xu Jin completed his review, exhaled deeply, and felt a sudden clarity.

His direction was now clear.

From now on, as long as he had time, he would work toward this goal—and gains would follow.

Yet Xu Jin was more eager for the legacy of Qi Sha Zhenjun.

If he ultimately obtained Qi Sha Zhenjun's legacy, what surprises would it bring him?

Suddenly, Xu Jin frowned.

He had been tracking by Tianren Ganying for a full half-hour and still hadn't located the tenth Qi Sha Token.

This stirred a bad premonition in his heart.

Someone else must have taken it—possibly even a group from the same faction, gathered together.

A hundred breaths later, the aura of the tenth Qi Sha Token suddenly became clear.

Xu Jin instantly slowed, landed, concealed himself, then crept forward cautiously.

Half a watch later, he discovered a group cultivating inside a grand array.

Their leader was Hou Ziang, a seventh-rank genius of Mu Ling Palace, at mid-seventh-rank cultivation, surrounded by one more seventh-rank, eight sixth-ranks, and two fifth-ranks—twelve in total.

They were all cultivating under the protection of the array.

The aura of the tenth Qi Sha Token emanated from one among them.

Mingji Star Pattern sensed them from three thousand meters away—when suddenly, Hou Ziang, the strongest among them, opened his eyes and glanced warily in all directions.

In the next instant, Xu Jin retreated.

If only Hou Ziang, a single seventh-rank, were present, Xu Jin might have tried.

Especially since he had comprehended the fourth layer of Qi Sha Dun Long Zhuang—if he set it up in advance, even if Hou Ziang had eighth-rank combat power, Xu Jin could still escape alive.

But two seventh-ranks, eight sixth-ranks—all Mu Ling Palace geniuses—meant that charging in would be suicide.

Xu Jin held eight of the ten Qi Sha Tokens; Mu Ling Palace held one, and Shan Chang held one.

Though regrettable he hadn't secured them all, his grand plan could now proceed.

Now, he needed to exploit the fact that Jin Zhu barbarian elites were still scouring the land for the Qi Sha Tokens—hunt down their sixth- and seventh-ranks, and try to acquire more Jingzhu.

These were treasures for rapid cultivation advancement.

But in such a vast Qi Sha Star Domain, randomly wandering to find Jin Zhu barbarians was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The odds were absurdly low!

Show the Qi Sha Token to lure them?

After thinking it over, Xu Jin rejected the idea.

Too dangerous.

All ten Qi Sha Tokens now had owners.

Only Mu Ling Palace and Chen Guo had obtained them.

Tian Yang Xingdian, Zhen E Xingdian, Cang Ming Xingdian, Xumi Palace, and the Jin Zhu barbarians had not obtained a single token.

It had already been half a day since the fifth stage of Qi Sha began.

If another half-day or a full day passed and these five factions still hadn't found the tokens,

they would go mad.

At that point, revealing the aura of a Qi Sha Token would draw concentrated fire.

One misstep, and total annihilation.

This tactic wouldn't work.

After much thought, Xu Jin finally turned his attention to Tianren Ganying.

He was just hoping for luck.

But to his disappointment, after activating Tianren Ganying, he received no response.

Then he realized—he couldn't just activate Tianren Ganying blindly.

If he had no direction, how could Tianren Ganying give him any hint?

In the next instant, Xu Jin intensely visualized the Jin Zhu barbarians.

With all his mental force.

He even conjured images in his mind: Jin Zhu barbarians with golden horns and single-colored skin.

While holding this image, he activated Tianren Ganying again.

The next instant, his sensory feedback from all directions changed.

Some were strong, some were weak!

Xu Jin immediately surged toward the strongest signal.

A quarter-hour later, he spotted a lone seventh-rank early-stage Jin Zhu barbarian.

From afar, Xu Jin spotted the seventh-rank early-stage Jin Zhu barbarian.

Xu Jin played a trick.

When the seventh-rank Jin Zhu barbarian noticed him, Xu Jin immediately feigned panic, turned, and fled.

Of course, before this, he had used Bai Huan Xingshu to alter his appearance and clothing.

After all, Qi Tian Sheng, the fifth-rank third-layer cultivator, had terrified them too much.

In the next instant, the seventh-rank early-stage Jin Zhu barbarian rejoiced.

He roared excitedly and charged after Xu Jin.

Xu Jin deliberately slowed his speed to fifth-rank late-stage.

In less than three breaths, the seventh-rank Jin Zhu barbarian closed the distance!

In the next instant, Xu Jin spun around and accelerated.

Fivefold Liushuo!

Yellow Dragon Sword in hand!

Ban Shan Xingshu empowered.

Shhh!

As the piercing sound rang out, the moment the Jin Zhu barbarian's face twisted in shock, Xu Jin severed his head with one strike.

One breath later, Xu Jin happily tucked the severed golden horn into his Xumi Space—it was a fine treasure.

Back home, it would easily fetch a sixth-rank supreme star artifact.

In one breath, Xu Jin pulled the barbarian's Xumi Space free.

As his mind sank into it, he immediately rejoiced.

He had collected some star jade tablets and fifth- and sixth-rank heavenly materials.

Most importantly, he found two seventh-rank Jingzhu.

Seven sixth-rank Jingzhu.

A few breaths later, Xu Jin activated Tianren Ganying again and surged toward the next direction.

(End of Chapter)