Chapter 467: The Mandate Lies with Great Chen

Inside the main tower of the Star-Plucking Tower in Chen Guo, a small group, jestingly called by Xu Jin the luxurious cultivation elite of Chen Guo, was engaged in daily cultivation.

As Xu Jin strengthened his star patterns, he activated the starlight known as the Seven Kill True Domain—actually the Can Dou Lamp Domain—to envelop everyone.

Without Xu Jin needing to speak, even before cultivation began, each of them felt an indescribable sensation.

What had once been utterly confusing and incomprehensible during star pattern contemplation suddenly became clear and orderly.

It was as if an invisible hand had neatly organized everything for them.

Or perhaps, merely entering the Seven Kill True Domain made their minds extraordinarily sharp.

The once impossibly complex and obscure star patterns suddenly became simple.

The first to cry out in surprise was Xu Jin's teacher, Liu Zhou Qingzhu.

At present a sixth-rank fifth-layer cultivator, she was contemplating the eighth-rank lower Fire Source Star Pattern; upon success, her combat power would surge, and her probability of breaking into seventh rank would greatly increase.

Yet after a full month of prior effort, she had made little progress.

Eighth-rank star patterns were too difficult.

But on the third day of entering the so-called Seven Kill True Domain, she successfully contemplated the eighth-rank lower Fire Source Star Pattern.

She was overjoyed.

Originally, Liu Zhou Qingzhu intended to continue contemplating the eighth-rank middle Fire Source Star Pattern, but Xu Jin reminded her to first master the Fire Element Star Pattern.

If Liu Zhou Qingzhu brought the Fire Element Star Pattern to eighth-rank lower, over time it would become an absolute killing technique.

Moreover, once the Fire Element Star Pattern was mastered, the difficulty of contemplating the Fire Source Star Pattern would greatly decrease.

Though Liu Zhou Qingzhu still did not know just how strong her student was, she was certain his advice was absolutely correct.

She followed it without hesitation.

And she treasured this opportunity immensely.

As long as Xu Jin remained inside the main tower of the Star-Plucking Tower, she never left.

Liu Zhou Qingzhu's primary cultivation focused on Wind, Fire, and Earth elements; if she followed Xu Jin's advice and brought both Fire Element and Earth Element to eighth-rank lower, her future would be utterly secure—as long as she didn't squander her accumulated special energies.

In the future, she might even possess the capability to independently conquer sixth-rank star domains.

Peng Lao's breakthrough was also highly encouraging: the long-elusive eighth-rank middle Earth Element Star Pattern was finally mastered with the aid of the Can Dou True Domain.

The State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao's progress was even more impressive.

Previously, even Cheng Cheng Yuexiao required nearly a month to master a single eighth-rank middle or upper star pattern.

But with the aid of Xu Jin's Can Dou Lamp Domain, the time needed to contemplate star patterns shrank exponentially.

In just half a month, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao had already mastered three star patterns.

He had successfully contemplated the eighth-rank upper Earth Element and Earth Source Star Patterns, as well as the eighth-rank lower Metal Element Star Pattern, and was now contemplating the eighth-rank middle Metal Element Star Pattern.

The greatest improvement among them all belonged to the Headmaster Dong Zhao.

His talent and comprehension were comparable to State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao's.

But Cheng Cheng Yuexiao, burdened by state affairs, had to leave for three or four hours daily to handle imperial matters.

In contrast, Headmaster Dong Zhao had remained unwaveringly focused on contemplation these past days.

He treasured this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity immensely.

For many, even a few days of such an opportunity would be worth boasting about for life.

Yet here, under Xu Jin, they enjoyed it day after day.

The benefits were too great.

Directly resulting in Dong Zhao, a sixth-rank seventh-layer cultivator, having mastered the Earth Source Star Pattern to eighth-rank upper and the Earth Element Star Pattern to eighth-rank lower—and still advancing rapidly.

Worth noting is that Xu Jin had also brought Ying Ge into this group these past days.

Whenever the State Tutor departed to handle state affairs, Ying Ge stepped in to take his place.

With his peak fifth-rank first-layer cultivation base, he had already learned over four seventh-rank star patterns.

Especially the Object Manipulation Star Pattern.

Without consuming a single Golden Star or Brilliant Star, Xu Jin used only his own accumulated reserves and, in five days, advanced the Object Manipulation Star Pattern from seventh-rank upper to seventh-rank middle.

He then had Ying Ge learn it.

Of course, he also fed him plenty of Three-Variant Dragon Turtle Soul-Forge Pills.

But not for free: for every one Three-Variant pill given, Ying Ge had to give Xu Jin two ordinary ones.

This was State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao's suggestion.

It carried a hint of the principle that true arts should not be passed on lightly.

Benefits could not be given outright.

The reason Xu Jin brought Ying Ge in for cultivation was twofold: first, their life-or-death bond;

second, Xu Jin had already appointed Ying Ge as the head instructor of his own deputy headmaster's study hall.

Essentially, all future teaching duties would be entrusted to Ying Ge.

Xu Jin himself would merely hold the title and appear occasionally.

In fact, the study hall was already being managed by Ying Ge.

Xu Jin's deputy headmaster's study hall was named Wu Kong Hall.

Yet among the Dao Academy, most only knew a new deputy headmaster had been added—but no one knew who it was.

Of course, over the past half-month, Xu Jin had not remained constantly inside the Star-Plucking Tower; he had made several trips to the Seven Kill Star Domain.

Hou Hou Yunzhang had arrived with his four brothers, and Xu Jin had sent them into the Seven Kill Star Domain.

The food sufficient for ten thousand people for a year, along with one thousand craftsmen and one thousand settlers, summoned by the State Tutor from all provinces and prefectures, had also been fully transported into the Seven Kill Star Domain.

The total population within the Seven Kill Star Domain, including the alien races, now exceeded five thousand.

Under Hou Hou Yunzhang's command and organization, settlement construction had begun, and suitable farmland was being sought.

The Seven Kill Star Domain must achieve self-sufficiency as soon as possible.

Xu Jin's own cultivation had not been neglected.

As of October 17, after harvesting two Golden Stars and one Brilliant Star, Xu Jin's cultivation base broke through to sixth-rank second layer.

Then, using up all four and a half seventh-rank Pure Pearls at once, and after nearly ten days of intense cultivation, Xu Jin reached the peak of sixth-rank second layer, and his second Cloud Tower was fully solidified.

Another octagonal Cloud Tower.

Both Cloud Towers were octagonal; internally, they appeared even more majestic.

If manifested externally, they would be even more astonishing.

But only Xu Jin, the creator, understood just how vast the star energy contained within the octagonal Cloud Towers truly was.

Before his breakthrough to sixth rank, Xu Jin's star energy was already comparable to that of seventh-rank first or second-layer cultivators.

After the breakthrough, though still only at the peak of sixth-rank second layer, his total cultivation base had nearly doubled.

As State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao joked, if Xu Jin built a few more octagonal Cloud Towers, he could someday simply crush opponents with them.

When challenging the Golden Stars and Brilliant Stars in the Star-Plucking Secret Realm at sixth-rank second layer, Xu Jin encountered slight difficulty—but it was merely a shift from instantly killing with a single Five Elements Divine Thunder to merely severely wounding, requiring a follow-up strike or two.

Xu Jin's remaining Golden Stars increased to nine, and his Brilliant Stars to seven.

Though their numbers had greatly increased, Xu Jin dared not use them lightly.

Once cultivation reached sixth-rank ninth-layer peak, one could no longer challenge the Star-Plucking Secret Realm.

Thus, no further opportunities to obtain Golden Stars or Brilliant Stars would arise.

But Xu Jin would have many future opportunities to use Golden Stars and Brilliant Stars.

For instance, Space Star Patterns would consume enormous quantities.

Also, the Wood Element Star Pattern, and the Water Element Star Pattern he must one day acquire.

On October 22, while others cultivated, Xu Jin intermittently contemplated and deduced over these twenty days, successfully deducing the Wood Element Star Pattern and the Star Healing Star Pattern.

Wood Element Star Pattern: fourth-rank upper; Star Healing Star Pattern: fifth-rank lower.

The moment he mastered them, Xu Jin immediately activated the Star Dome Secret Realm's Dao Contemplation time to further deduce the star patterns.

Especially the Star Healing Star Pattern.

Acquiring this star pattern was crucial.

In the future, he would never again be held hostage by the Wood Spirit Palace.

In the future, no high-level cultivator would die from untreated injuries due to lack of mid-tier Star Healing Seals!

Many injuries required sixth- or even seventh-rank Star Healing techniques to prevent deterioration or achieve healing.

But the Wood Spirit Palace was extremely stingy with sales.

Not to mention sixth-rank Star Healing Seals—even fifth-rank ones were scarce.

As for seventh-rank Star Healing techniques, only after paying a tremendous price could one persuade a Wood Spirit Palace expert to intervene.

But often, by the time the expert arrived, the injured had already succumbed to worsening wounds.

So, the moment he deduced the Star Healing technique using the bloodline inheritance of alien races' Star Healing Star Patterns, Xu Jin immediately began deducing it.

With Golden Stars—literally throwing them away.

One Golden Star elevated the Star Healing Star Pattern from fifth-rank lower to sixth-rank upper.

A full five sub-ranks increased.

But Xu Jin did not stop; he threw another Golden Star and continued deducing, for he harbored a grand ambition!

The second Golden Star pushed the sixth-rank upper Star Healing directly to seventh-rank upper, and even partially deduced eighth-rank lower Star Healing.

Star Patterns entering eighth rank saw difficulty sharply increase.

After consideration, Xu Jin activated a Brilliant Star.

The Brilliant Star's inherent high-rank single-step Dao Extension instantly propelled the Star Healing Star Pattern from seventh-rank upper to just beyond eighth-rank middle, then boosted it by one additional sub-rank.

The eighth-rank Star Healing star pattern was freshly forged.

But Xu Jin felt no joy—instead, a faint hint of disappointment.

At the eighth rank, Star Healing produced a special star technique, but only one appeared—and it was not the one Xu Jin wanted.

The special star technique granted by eighth-rank Star Healing was Purification.

Its specific function was to dissolve negative star force and harmful states.

The scope of this effect was quite complex.

For example, detoxification.

Xu Jin immediately thought of purifying elixir toxins, including the side effects of the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Elixir.

But everything required testing.

Unfortunately, the star technique Xu Jin desired did not appear.

If there existed a star technique capable of regenerating severed limbs, it would surely have emerged among the special techniques of eighth-rank Star Healing.

Xu Jin had pushed Star Healing all the way to the eighth rank precisely for this purpose.

Unfortunately, the technique he wanted did not appear.

It seemed he would have to rely on seventh- or eighth-rank heavenly and earthly medicinal herbs of the recovery and nourishment type to cure Ning Ning Yuchan's and Ying Ge's disabilities.

Thinking about it, that made sense.

To create something from nothing, relying purely on star force, was simply too difficult!

On October 26, after days of intense cultivation, Xu Jin's cultivation base barely broke through to Sixth Rank, Third Layer.

Xu Jin then promptly harvested two Golden Stars and one Brilliant Star.

But at the same time, he also consumed two Golden Stars and one Brilliant Star, pushing the Wood Element star pattern to the eighth rank.

Under these circumstances, although Xu Jin had accumulated six Golden Stars and three Brilliant Stars over the past few days, his consumption was substantial.

Currently, he had seven Golden Stars and six Brilliant Stars remaining.

"Tomorrow is the day of Emperor Gan'an's funeral. Focus on your cultivation—if all goes well, we may launch a major operation after it ends!" On the night of the 26th, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao ended his seclusion.

With the state mourning imminent, he had to get busy.

"State Tutor, before you leave, I have good news." Xu Jin suddenly said.

"Good news?"

State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao was startled. "Are you about to break through? But that doesn't seem right—you just reached Sixth Rank, Third Layer?"

Suddenly, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao raised an eyebrow. "Have you pushed another star pattern?"

He spoke aloud, but his expression showed no excitement.

He had simply seen too much of it.

To say Xu Jin was the second-best star pattern forecasting expert in the world would be to deny anyone else the right to claim first.

State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao agreed entirely.

"Correct, State Tutor, take a look." Xu Jin didn't delay—he handed over a jade tablet.

Cheng Cheng Yuexiao accepted it with a smile, slightly expectant.

But in an instant, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao leapt to his feet, staring at Xu Jin in utter shock. "You—you pushed this one out too?"

"State Tutor, how's this surprise?" Xu Jin smiled.

In the next instant, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao's face and eyes overflowed with unrestrained joy.

"Heaven aids Chen Guo!

Truly, heaven aids Chen Guo!"

"This treasure must be immediately organized for widespread promotion and study! We must roll it out as quickly as possible—you must act fast too!

Xu Jin, get those few others to learn it too!

Remember to seal their spiritual cores!" After giving these hurried instructions, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao vanished instantly from the top floor of the Star-Picking Tower, leaving Meng Meng Yanhui, Ji Bang, Liu Zhou Qingzhu, and Dong Zhao staring at Xu Jin in utter bewilderment.

What had Xu Jin done now?

What could possibly have shocked and delighted the State Tutor so?

The next instant, when Xu Jin handed each of them a seventh-rank-or-lower Star Healing star pattern jade tablet, everyone froze.

As if turned to stone!

To receive this!

It wasn't merely heaven aiding Chen Guo!

It was destiny itself favoring Chen Guo!

(End of Chapter)