Chapter 460: The Hero of Humanity and Liyun Tower

Xu Jin took the Mandarin Duck Seal in hand, and his vast Nascent Soul spiritual sense spread out like water, pushing the Mingji Star Pattern to its limit.

There was no suspicious aura whatsoever.

Not on the fourth-rank death assassin, nor on the Mandarin Duck Seal.

The next instant, the Mandarin Duck Seal suddenly flickered with starlight, deepening Xu Jin's gloom.

The members under this deputy leader of the Blood God Sect were terrifyingly well-organized.

Their control over subordinates was terrifyingly strong.

Even to deliver a Mandarin Duck Seal for conversation with Xu Jin, they sacrificed the life of a fourth-rank cultivator.

This tactic truly is—

With a thought, he sank his awareness into the newly acquired Mandarin Duck Seal, and a voice came through.

【May I ask, who is the esteemed one before me?

I do not know where our Blood God Sect has offended you; please clarify, and we shall give you a satisfactory explanation.

Yet the Luomei Star Region is of vital importance to our Blood God Sect—every effort must be made to recover it.

Will you consider forging this goodwill?】

The voice was deep, but the transmission through the Mandarin Duck Seal was slightly distorted.

With just this, he still could not locate the deputy leader.

At the sound of the voice, Xu Jin understood.

This deputy leader must have been lying in wait for weeks in the Luomei Village underground bunker with an eighth-rank cultivator, growing impatient after Xu Jin never emerged, and thus sent a death assassin with the Mandarin Duck Seal.

Trying to negotiate peace.

Of course, peace might just be a ruse.

Also to gather information.

From this alone, Xu Jin could see this deputy leader of the Blood God Sect possessed considerable talent.

After discovering five sixth-rank ninth-layer peak death assassins had died in quick succession, he cut his losses decisively and stopped sending elite forces in—extremely wise.

He had guarded outside Luomei Village for over half a month without results.

Now he sent a death assassin to negotiate.

Think about it: most of the Blood God Sect's eighth-rank cultivators in the mortal realm hold multiple identities; they cannot afford to linger for long in this underground bunker in Luomei Village.

This must be the fundamental reason for sending a negotiator.

【Nothing else—justice on the road! I discovered traffickers selling children, mostly youths, and acted to stop them.】Xu Jin replied briefly.

【Ah, perhaps you have misunderstood.】

【Misunderstood? I saw it with my own eyes—how could it be a misunderstanding?】

【You must have noticed: those kidnapped youths are all living well under our Blood God Sect. They were sold by their impoverished parents or relatives, starving and destitute.

The lucky ones become lifelong slaves.

The unlucky ones are harvested for organs, forced to beg for survival.

But our Blood God Sect rescues them, feeds them, teaches them to cultivate, and gives them a new life!

In this regard, our Blood God Sect shares the same intent as yours.

Both are justice on the road!】

"Fuck!"

This was the curse Xu Jin blurted out upon hearing the deputy leader's reply.

The response left Xu Jin speechless.

It almost sounded true.

Da Niu was just like that.

If not for the Blood God Sect taking Da Niu in, Da Niu might now be begging on the streets—or even if Xu Jin found him, he'd be blind, deaf, and crippled.

Xu Jin had witnessed this firsthand.

From the perspective of these youths' fates, the deputy leader's words were utterly unassailable!

For a long while, Xu Jin didn't know how to reply.

【What of the mass grave of ten thousand corpses in Luomei Village?】Xu Jin suddenly asked.

【That was my oversight in management. Originally, these elderly trafficked individuals were meant to farm in Luomei Village, but subordinates greedily turned them into Blood Pearls. I will strictly regulate this in the future and plug the leak.

I understand your anger.

But which empire or major power doesn't have similar cases or wrongful convictions?

What matters isn't avoiding wrongful cases—it's correcting them after discovery!

I believe our Blood God Sect handles this better than any other nation.】

Xu Jin was once again left speechless.

He felt he'd met a master debater who could turn black into white.

Yet every time he tried to dismantle the argument, it still seemed correct.

But inside, he felt something was off.

After a long pause, Xu Jin finally snapped back: 【You nearly talked me into it. The Blood God Sect uses human beings to forge elixirs—its crimes are too numerous to record, its methods brutal, its killings countless—no amount of words can excuse that.】

【I admit that—that was the old Blood God Sect. The current Blood God Sect is changing: we now use only non-human lifeforms to forge the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Elixir, aiding human cultivation. You've seen this yourself.

In this regard, our Blood God Sect is still a hero of humanity!

We've simply not yet been accepted by humanity.】

Xu Jin: "."

Utterly impressed.

The Blood God Sect's deputy leader was so slick that in a few sentences, the Blood God Sect had become a hero of humanity.

And yet, somehow, it made sense.

Xu Jin suddenly realized: why bother arguing with him?

Almost certainly, this deputy leader had heard his words, sized up his character, and deliberately crafted this response.

【If all you wanted was to say this, our conversation ends. I'll discard this into the Numinous Space.】Xu Jin skipped past it.

【Your future is limitless. Staying in this tiny sixth-rank star region will only limit your growth—you cannot remain here forever.

If you're willing to return the Heavenly Authority of the Luomei Star Region to me, I'll not only let you leave safely, but also offer you a generous gift.

As for your gains in the Luomei Star Region, take as much as you can—you're free to keep it all; I won't interfere. What do you say?

As for forcing your way in?

Two eighth-ranks and eight seventh-ranks guard this tiny space.

Unless you possess the absolute top eighth-rank combat power in the world, you cannot break through.

Xu Jin secretly sneered.

This was the moment the dagger appeared after the map was fully unfurled.

His true intent had come to light.

The Heavenly Authority of the Luomei Star Region was the real prize.

In fact, if Xu Jin took the Heavenly Authority away, even if the Blood God Sect reclaimed the sixth-rank star region, their control over it would become exponentially harder.

And they'd forever fear another visit.

The deputy leader's words were a mix of truth and deception—mostly probes and threats.

Xu Jin believed that if he truly intended to surrender the Heavenly Authority, he wouldn't survive to leave.

But since the man was testing him, Xu Jin would test this fellow's identity in return.

Besides, his claim of two eighth-ranks and eight seventh-ranks guarding the place matched most of the earlier intelligence.

【Oh? Then I'd like to hear what you can offer me.】

【Name your price. Anything within my power, I'll grant.】

【I want to know your sincerity.】Xu Jin said.

【Five thousand fifth-rank Star Jade Tablets, one hundred sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets, five fifth-rank heavenly treasures, one fifth-rank spirit herb of the Divine Soul type, one complete set of sixth-rank supreme Star Artifacts.

How's that sincerity?】the deputy leader asked.

【The quantity is impressive—but wealth alone isn't enough. Can you make me both rich and noble?】Xu Jin said.

【Easy. With your strength, the Blood God Sect offers you the position of Guardian Lord—right here, right now.】

【Nothing else?】

【I'm afraid I can offer no more.】 At this, Xu Jin sighed in disappointment—the probe had failed.

This fellow was too cautious.

【Then in seven days, prepare those offerings and send them into the star region. When I receive them, I'll depart as agreed.】

【Agreed. In seven days, I'll have these offerings ready inside the Luomei Village bunker. When you emerge, simply sweep them up with your sleeve.】

【Good!】

【Hahaha, then I await your arrival.】

【I shall arrive punctually.】

Amid the deputy leader's laughter, Xu Jin tossed the Mandarin Duck Seal directly into the Numinous Space.

The deputy leader knew Xu Jin was deceiving him; Xu Jin knew the deputy leader was scheming against him. Both knew that when the time came, the dagger would be revealed.

Yet from this exchange, each had gained the intelligence they needed.

The next instant, Xu Jin turned and flew back to Blood Spirit Holy City.

With a thought, the golden unicorn taken from the skull of the eighth-rank warrior Ju Chu Xuan was summoned, and a white tiger phantom suddenly shot out, rushing toward the surge.

Roar!

Amid the tiger's roar, all sixth- and seventh-rank guardians in the Sacred Hall changed expression.

"Here."

Xu Jin flicked his finger, sending forth a shard of Sharp Metal Rhythm; the white tiger phantom let out an excited howl, lunged forward, swallowed it whole, shrank in size, then nuzzled affectionately against Xu Jin's chest.

This white tiger phantom had already been marked with Xu Jin's Yuan Spirit imprint and could fight for him.

But its affection toward him was something he'd discovered by accident before.

This little white tiger particularly loved to eat Sharp Metal Rhythm.

Not only did it like it—it grew stronger after eating it.

This white tiger phantom was peculiar: previously, within the Qisha Star Region, Xu Jin had slain it twice, causing its aura to plummet.

At first, it had dropped to a fifth-rank aura.

But whenever Xu Jin infused sufficient metal-star force and divine soul energy, its aura could surge to lower eighth-rank—though this power would slowly dissipate.

Eventually, it would sink back to fifth-rank.

But Xu Jin accidentally discovered that feeding it Sharp Metal Rhythm caused its base aura to slowly rise.

Currently, it had grown to mid-fifth-rank.

The next instant, a torrent of star force and divine soul energy surged from his hand upon its head into the little white tiger.

The little white tiger's aura visibly skyrocketed.

In the end, Xu Jin drained himself completely, raising the little white tiger's aura only to early seventh-rank.

This revealed that Xu Jin's own star force cultivation level was roughly around early seventh-rank.

"You guard me these next few days—kill anyone who approaches me." Xu Jin gave the little white tiger an order, then flicked out another shard of Sharp Metal Rhythm.

"Roar!"

With a snarl, the little white tiger swallowed the Sharp Metal Rhythm, then leapt up, landing atop a tall pillar within the Blood Spirit Sacred Hall, shrinking its form and scanning all directions with majestic authority.

Because he was about to break through, Xu Jin distrusted the alien races, so he had the little white tiger guard him.

As for the Qisha True Person phantom within the Qisha Sword—

Because it carried an eighth-rank aura, Xu Jin dared not attempt to release it.

If it were damaged by the heavens' might, that would be disastrous.

The next instant, after swallowing an elixir, Xu Jin directly cast Warm Dream upon himself to restore his condition.

Before breaking through, one must adjust one's state to peak perfection.

Half a day later, Xu Jin awoke from slumber, wiped his face, and stood alert and refreshed.

His star force, divine soul energy, and mental state were all restored to their utmost.

Starlight shot forth; the fifth-rank Star Gathering Array instantly scattered and reformed.

Then, six sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets sank into the array's core points.

The first requirement for breaking through to sixth-rank is ample star force supply.

With sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets as supply, there should be no problem—but Xu Jin prepared even more.

Because when Xu Jin gathered his stars, his star core count was four times that of others, the star force needed to break through to sixth-rank would be greater.

The second requirement for breaking through to sixth-rank is divine soul cultivation: one must reach at least fourth-rank divine soul to have any chance of establishing the Cloud Tower.

The stronger one's divine soul cultivation, the easier the breakthrough.

Originally, Headmaster Dong Zhao had also broken through successfully with Xu Jin's aid.

In this regard, Xu Jin had no issues whatsoever.

He had long since formed a fifth-rank Yuan Spirit, and his divine soul cultivation was already at late Yuan Spirit stage.

During these past few days, Xu Jin had consumed two more fifth-rank divine soul elixirs.

Combined with passive growth and elixir enhancement, the direct radiation range of his Yuan Spirit's Tai Guang had reached thirty-seven point four meters.

The improvement was extremely rapid.

The third requirement for breaking through to sixth-rank is strengthening the star patterns.

The minimum requirement is to strengthen at least one star pattern to three layers to establish the Cloud Tower.

If one can strengthen a star pattern to four layers, breakthrough success rate increases by at least ten percent.

If one can strengthen a star pattern to five layers, breakthrough success rate increases by at least twenty percent.

Xu Jin had no issues here either.

He had strengthened seven main battle star patterns to five layers.

The number of star patterns he had strengthened to three layers was even greater—over ten.

All was prepared—only the breakthrough remained.

"Guard me—do not let anyone disturb me." Xu Jin sent a mental message to the white tiger phantom; the moment it responded with a low growl, Xu Jin instantly sat cross-legged within the fifth-rank Star Gathering Array and activated it with his divine will.

Instantly, vast star force flooded outward; at the same moment, Xu Jin fully unleashed his Yuan Spirit's divine will, directing it into the Middle Star Palace and Lower Star Palace.

Using his Yuan Spirit's divine will as a bridge, he connected the two Star Palaces.

The next instant, the thirty-six star cores within the Lower Star Palace, under the immense pressure of his Yuan Spirit's divine will, steadily pulled apart, and the star constellations began expanding infinitely.

Simultaneously, the thirty-six star cores within the Middle Star Palace began shrinking inward, spiraling downward, slowly merging into the Lower Star Palace.

Normal cultivators required one or two hours for just this process.

They needed to slowly fuse the star cores of the two Star Palaces.

But Xu Jin's Yuan Spirit divine will was immensely vast—in an instant, the Middle Star Palace's constellations, carrying their thirty-six star cores, rapidly shrank and sank, merging without resistance into the expanded constellations of the Lower Star Palace.

The two star constellations, seventy-two star cores, fused into one in a single instant.

The vast star force within the fifth-rank Star Gathering Array, as if finding an outlet, surged in instantly.

Xu Jin's divine will and the immense suction from the seventy-two star cores drained all star force from the array.

The star force was about to run out.

Xu Jin directly scattered nearly a hundred sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets into the array; without waiting for the array to activate them, he himself used his divine will to trigger the star force within them to surge forth.

This was what wealth and power looked like.

Others preparing for breakthroughs considered six or seven sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets sufficient; Xu Jin started at a hundred, tossing them around casually.

As the torrent of star force poured in, the newly formed foundation of Xu Jin's Star Tower rapidly took shape.

The Star Tower foundation: seventy-two star cores!

In the future, it would rise at least seventy-one levels high!

But the foundation, newly formed, still required vast star force to solidify and refine.

Half an hour later, as the seventy-two-star-core foundation reached its maximum expansion, Xu Jin focused his thought, activating the fifth-layer-enhanced Lei Lei Yuanxing Pattern.

A tiny, ethereal Cloud Tower emerged atop the Star Tower foundation.

As vast star force flooded in once more, the tiny Cloud Tower rapidly solidified, and Xu Jin's cultivation aura surged forward.

The Cloud Tower rises.

Sixth-rank breakthrough achieved.

(End of Chapter)