Chapter 46: Changes After Upgrading

【Second-Grade Combat Altar】

【Altar Master: Xu Jin】

【Gained Star’s Favor: One bow daily grants two strands of starlight】

【Star Lamp One: Solidify the basic star technique Star Mang ; replaceable after one day】

【Star Lamp Two: Can be solidified】

【Items for Cultivation: Bu-Xing Pill, Ti-Shen Pill, Dawn Seal, Conceal Seal, Spinning Blade Seal】

【Star Techniques: Basic Star Shield, Basic Star Mang , Basic Star Ring, Basic Star Arrow, Basic Star Light Veil】

【Can be upgraded】

The first surprise after the Combat Altar reached second grade appeared.

Seals.

The seals received could now be cultivated as well.

The effect of cultivating seals was almost certainly to enhance their respective power.

Unfortunately, only one item could be cultivated under each star lamp.

Looking at the two star lamps on the Combat Altar, Xu Jin felt they were far too few—he longed to upgrade to third or even fourth grade immediately.

The moment the seal cultivation function appeared, Xu Jin already envisioned numerous cunning tricks.

Without hesitation, Xu Jin placed a Dawn Seal and a Spinning Blade Seal beneath each star lamp; instantly, faint, shimmering starlight enveloped them, flowing like radiant hues.

As Xu Jin had expected, after the Combat Altar reached second grade, a second star lamp had indeed appeared, increasing daily starlight from one strand to two—a slight disappointment to Xu Jin.

Though doubled, the improvement felt minimal.

Previously equivalent to two Bu-Xing Pills, it was now equivalent to four.

A tiny bit disappointing.

The replacement time for solidified star patterns was reduced by one day.

It should be a total reduction of one day after upgrading.

Previously, star patterns could be replaced every eight days; now, every seven days.

With a thought, Xu Jin solidified Basic Star Arrow onto Star Lamp Two; instantly, intricate star patterns appeared on the second lamp, entirely different from those on the first.

These star patterns?

Xu Jin had some ideas, but they were vague—he could only leave them for future study.

He had originally planned to cultivate pills, hoping to produce at least one faint-halo Bu-Xing Pill and one Ti-Shen Pill; now that seals could be cultivated, he must prioritize superior seal cultivation.

Offensive seals—even a ten to twenty percent power increase—could be life-or-death in critical moments.

A vital survival tool.

Seals must come first.

If future star lamps have spare cultivation slots, Ti-Shen Pills must be prioritized next.

Because if pill effects double, Ti-Shen Pills yield greater theoretical benefit.

Currently, one Ti-Shen Pill allows Xu Jin to draw two additional rounds of starlight; if doubled, he could draw four.

Far superior to Bu-Xing Pills.

Of course, if time permits later, he must test the effects of cultivating the same item for two, three, or even five days—or determine the upper limit of cultivation enhancement.

Finally, Xu Jin turned his thoughts to the Jade Tablet’s upgrade potential; instantly, a string of information appeared.

Xu Jin wanted to see what was needed to upgrade to third-grade Combat Altar—given the seal cultivation function, he must find a way to upgrade to third grade as soon as possible.

【Upgrade Required: One hundred strands of starlight, nine Grade-Personal Star Jade Tablets, one thousand jin of refined iron, one hundred jin of purple copper, ten jin of silver, ten liang of gold, one liang of starfall iron.】

Upon closer inspection, Xu Jin sucked in a sharp breath.

The requirements to upgrade from second to third grade were more than ten times those needed to upgrade from first to second.

Xu Jin had learned from Ning Yuchan about Star Seals that Star Jade Tablets were essential—they were naturally star-charged jade capable of storing star energy.

He hadn’t asked the price, but it was certainly expensive.

Xu Jin had also heard of starfall iron—a necessary material for crafting star weapons.

Only by embedding a certain quantity of starfall iron could a regular weapon transmit star energy and become a star weapon.

He didn’t know the price of starfall iron, but it was said a basic star weapon cost at least a thousand taels of silver.

He estimated upgrading from second to third grade would consume roughly two to three thousand taels of silver—not impossible, but substantial.

After another glance at the Combat Altar, Xu Jin decided that once midnight passed, he would replace the solidified star technique on Star Lamp One with Basic Star Ring.

This technique was extremely useful against enemies attempting close-range ambushes or surprise attacks.

During close combat, its instant activation could produce unexpected effects.

If Xu Jin, in his current state, were to attack the Cloud-Roasting Fifth Layer bandit he faced in his first battle today, he estimated he could kill him with one surprise strike.

Before exiting the Combat Altar, Xu Jin thoughtfully bowed once more.

He felt he had received only one strand of starlight today, but now that the Altar had upgraded, bowing again should at least grant another strand.

One strand of starlight equaled the effect of two Bu-Xing Pills—worth forty taels of silver.

Mustn’t waste it.

Unexpectedly, as the miniature figure on the Combat Altar bowed, two strands of starlight appeared.

An unexpected boon.

The opportunity to gain starlight through bowing must have refreshed after the Altar’s upgrade.

That was one way to understand it—but these starlight strands made Xu Jin pause and examine them more closely.

No matter how he looked, the starlight gained from bowing at the second-grade Combat Altar seemed thicker than that from the first-grade Altar.

Not an illusion.

With a thought, Xu Jin decided to test it.

Midnight had passed; he could still gain two more strands—starlight reserves were ample.

Testing with one strand wouldn’t be wasteful.

He rose and performed the Five Stars Killing Fist twice, exhausting all star energy in his body; then, with a thought, he drew one strand of starlight from the Combat Altar into his star pattern.

Surprise arrived.

His chest star pattern swelled with fullness—his star energy was saturated—but half the strand from the Combat Altar remained.

Previously, one strand had just filled Xu Jin’s star energy at Cloud-Roasting Third Layer.

Now, half a strand sufficed.

This meant that after upgrading to second grade, the starlight gained from bowing not only increased in quantity but also doubled in star energy content.

The actual enhancement was fourfold.

This change delighted Xu Jin immensely.

Theoretically, two enhanced strands of starlight daily after upgrading to second grade equaled eight Bu-Xing Pills—worth one hundred sixty taels of silver.

Just from this, Xu Jin felt he could amass considerable wealth in the future.

He could save pills just by this alone.

The doubled star energy per strand instantly made his star energy far more abundant.

With nothing else to do, Xu Jin began practicing the Five Stars Killing Fist on the spot.

He performed it thirty-two times in succession, completely consuming both strands of starlight.

The starlight refining his body had surged over an inch below his thighs.

Time had passed unnoticed—midnight had arrived.

With a thought, Xu Jin bowed again; two thick strands of second-grade starlight appeared on the Combat Altar, and he replaced the solidified star technique on Star Lamp One with Basic Star Ring.

After meditating on the Star Palace’s Cheng-Po star pattern for fifteen minutes, Xu Jin fell into deep sleep.

That night, in the side room converted into a temporary interrogation chamber, wails echoed like ghosts and wolves.

Three corpses were dragged out.

They had died under torture.

The night patrol disciples stared at the unrecognizable bodies, chilled—but not one felt sympathy for the bandits.

Given the atrocities these bandits had committed, ten thousand cuts would not suffice.

Interrogations lasted until the sun was high; Xu Jin finally met Niu Gui, his eyes bloodshot from sleeplessness, and Hong Li and Liu San, barely alive.

Only these two survived the night’s torture.

A stack of confessions, signed with blood fingerprints, four copies in total.

Niu Gui handed Xu Jin three copies: “Take one. Carry the other two with trustworthy people, in case of trouble. I’ll rest for an hour, then depart. Handle everything else before I wake.”

After speaking, Niu Gui walked into a room and collapsed into sleep.

Xu Jin paid off the four clerks and two jailers with silver, then gave them instructions.

Soon after, a minor official from the Relief House arrived in a cart with an elderly physician.

The Relief House official seemed accustomed to such scenes—his expression blank; the physician glanced once, then burst into tears.

“What a tragedy,” the physician trembled as he treated the children’s wounds—later, bone-setters would be needed; many limbs required breaking and resetting to have any hope of recovery.

But how much recovery would occur? Unclear.

Xu Jin said nothing—he handed the physician a hundred taels of silver: “Cover these children’s current medical costs. If more is needed, return to the Relief House—I’ll leave silver for it.”

The Relief House official, seeing the two hundred taels Xu Jin offered, instantly brightened—reaching to take the silver, but finding it unmoved—he looked at Xu Jin.

“I am Xu Jin, Squad Leader of the Jinshan City Star Patrol. May I ask your name?” Xu Jin stated his identity directly.

The official paused, then understood Xu Jin’s intent: “I am Su Mingbai, overseer of the Relief House.”

“These children, still minors, have suffered such a tragedy; they require extra meals and medical care. I donate these two hundred taels of silver to the Relief Institute, and I beg Master Su to give them your utmost attention.” Xu Jin said.

Su Mingbai took the silver and hurriedly replied, “Of course, of course. The Relief Institute can only provide these children with a single meal a day, but with your two hundred taels, these eight children will surely recover quickly and never lack clothing or medicine.”

“Good. Then I, Xu Mou, will pay you a special visit in half a year to express my gratitude.”

Su Mingbai paused slightly, then immediately bowed his hands. “Then I shall wait at the gate, looking forward to your arrival in half a year.”

Watching the Relief Institute’s cart carry away the eight children who had been mutilated, Xu Jin exhaled a sigh of relief.

With his intervention and this silver, Su Mingbai would dare not neglect these children.

But he would have to come back in half a year.

Just after the handover was complete, Niu Gui, who had slept for an hour, woke up on schedule.

Xu Jin’s expression turned solemn—time to return!

(End of Chapter)

(End of Chapter)