Chapter 473: The Foolish and the Slaying of the Eighth-Rank (Ten Thousand Words, Seeking Votes)

The war in Xihai Zhou was now fully stabilized.

Due to Xu Jin's appearance, the Xihai Zhou branch of the Sun Star Palace was toppled within fifteen minutes, allowing the elite forces of the Great Chen State Academy's Xihai Zhou branch to be freed immediately and dispatched to subordinate commanderies, each sending several top-tier fifth- or sixth-rank warriors for additional support.

The Sun Star Palace's branch temples across all commanderies of Xihai Zhou were systematically breached.

Yet the results were not as flawless as in the state capital—under desperate last stands, Great Chen's elite suffered casualties.

But compared to the losses suffered by the Sun Star Palace, Great Chen's casualties were negligible.

As for Xu Jin, he was recovering his condition inside the Xihai Zhou Star-Plucking Tower's branch outpost, quietly awaiting his next order.

【Xu Jin, go assist your master in Yanzhou.】

【Understood, State Tutor. How is the situation in other provinces?】Xu Jin asked casually.

【Ji Bang is leading the assault on Jingzhou, and Meng Meng Yanhui on Leizhou—both state capital branch temples are on the verge of falling; the overall situation will stabilize soon. Your master's assault on Yanzhou should normally pose no issue, but since the Temple Protection Array has been activated, breaching it will likely take over half an hour, with heavy casualties.】

【As for Danzhou, Fang Xuezheng is leading the attack—the results are assured; it's just a matter of casualties.】

【First, resolve the problem on your master's front!】

【Be cautious in Yanzhou—it borders Da Hong. The Sun Star Palace has already mobilized; reinforcements may be the first to arrive.】State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao said.

【Understood.】

In the next instant, Xu Jin gave instructions to Dean Lou and Yang Miao and others, then instantly activated teleportation.

Official teleportation is free!

Due to the main tower and branch tower structure, he first teleported back to the Great Chen Star-Plucking Tower's main tower, then to the Yanzhou branch tower.

Simultaneously, as Xu Jin headed for Yanzhou, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao's Star-Plucking Order flickered with urgent starlight, one emergency message after another.

The Spring Rain Bureau and Danxia Guard, long deployed to the frontlines, had all spotted Sun Star Palace eighth-rank warriors and reinforcements.

Aside from Xihai Zhou and Dachen Wan Yi, the Sun Star Palace had dispatched reinforcements to every other province.

Eighth-rank warriors had been deployed en masse.

Although Star-Plucking Tower teleportation within Great Chen's borders had been sealed, usable only by select personnel,

Sun Star Palace warriors could still teleport to the nearest Star-Plucking Tower branch temple belonging to their own faction, so their speed remained extremely fast.

Most flight distances were within six hundred li—far from slow.

Yet Cheng Cheng Yuexiao was not the least alarmed.

Their operational contingency plans had been simulated hundreds of times; this was all anticipated.

The only intelligence confirmed so far was that the Sun Star True Person's aura was unmistakably heading toward Leizhou, where Meng Meng Yanhui was leading the assault—he must go to Leizhou.

Now, they must exploit timing and perception gaps.

Especially Peng Lao and Xu Jin—they should deliver them a tremendous surprise!

State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao sent warning messages to all frontline commanders, advising caution.

If an eighth-rank warrior is spotted, retreat immediately to your branch academy, raise the academy protection array, and reinforcements will arrive.

From this moment on, the battle entered its most critical phase.

In the next instant, State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao stepped forward and vanished within the Star-Plucking Tower, heading for Leizhou.

Sun Star Palace Yanzhou Branch Temple.

A swirling array of starlight enveloped the entire branch temple.

Both sides were locked in battle across this Temple Protection Array.

This Temple Protection Array was not the traditional type of shield-like luminous barrier.

Instead, by activating the array, it weakened enemy attacks by one to several tenths, depending on the array's rank and the star energy supplied.

Simultaneously, it amplified allied ranged attacks by one to several tenths.

The Yanzhou branch temple used a mid-grade Temple Protection Array, reducing enemy attacks by two tenths and amplifying allied attacks by two tenths.

This one-way reduction and one-way amplification created a four-tenths power differential.

Its power was immense.

Of course, its consumption was enormous.

Every instant, hundreds of fifth- and sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets within the array turned to dust.

A single major battle routinely consumed tens of thousands of fifth- and sixth-rank Star Jade Tablets—sometimes more.

But for survival, who cared about consumption?

If the battle dragged on until the temple's reserves were exhausted, every individual would spare no cost to contribute their own Star Jade Tablets.

At this moment, Liu Zhou Qingzhu, newly promoted to University Director just days ago, was relentlessly striking the Yanzhou branch temple's Temple Protection Array, slightly frustrated.

Originally, she had intended to seize control of the Temple Protection Array immediately.

Unexpectedly, a deputy temple director of the Yanzhou branch temple had sacrificed his life to block her for three breaths.

That allowed the Temple Protection Array to activate successfully.

Greatly increasing the difficulty of the assault.

Now they were locked in a grueling stalemate.

Fortunately, their side had overwhelming numerical superiority—otherwise, whether they could even breach it remained uncertain.

As for forcing entry into the Temple Protection Array, that was even harder.

Once activated, outsiders without array talismans entering the array felt as if trapped in mud.

The suppression they endured inside was greater than outside.

They could only concentrate firepower to wear down its strength.

Yet the progress was frustrating Liu Zhou Qingzhu.

If Sun Star Palace reinforcements arrived—especially if an eighth-rank warrior came—her team would have to retreat to the branch academy and defend desperately.

Then the advantage would shift entirely.

Losses would be far greater.

Suddenly, a streak of meteoric light raced up from behind. The moment Liu Zhou Qingzhu recognized the figure, her eyes lit into crescent smiles.

The Sun Star Palace reinforcements hadn't arrived—her reinforcements had.

"Have you finished your side?" Liu Zhou Qingzhu asked Xu Jin.

"Finished."

"You're astonishingly fast," Liu Zhou Qingzhu said, utterly awed by her disciple.

She used to dare call him "Jin'er"—now she was too embarrassed to even say it.

"Master, rest a while—I'll take over!" Xu Jin said, gazing at the elite warriors encased within the dense Temple Protection Array of the Sun Star Palace's Yanzhou branch temple.

"Let's fight together—it'll ease your burden," Liu Zhou Qingzhu said.

"Alright!"

In the next instant, Xu Jin's expression hardened. Under Liu Zhou Qingzhu's guidance, he instantly locked onto the position of the Yanzhou branch temple's director.

He also estimated the array's effect.

Reduce attacks by two tenths, amplify ours by two tenths?

Four tenths.

With a thought, Xu Jin activated the Five Element Divine Thunder!

BOOM!

Through the array, the five-colored divine thunder instantly slammed toward the branch temple director, whose cultivation base reached sixth-rank fifth layer!

The director cast a cold glance, then casually unleashed a fire-based star technique toward the thunder. Instantly, under the array's amplification, the fire technique's power swelled by two tenths.

But at that very moment, as the thunder collided with the fire, the director's face turned pale.

He turned terrified!

His fire technique—even amplified—vanished completely before the thunder.

It was obliterated into nothingness!

Then the thunder descended upon the director's head, in his own horrified gaze.

All defensive star techniques, all protective starlight, all star-armors—every single one was reduced to ash in an instant!

Liu Zhou Qingzhu, poised to follow up with a finishing strike, froze in shock, her chest trembling slightly.

"That's a one-shot kill."

She knew Xu Jin was strong!

She knew he was far stronger than her!

But she never imagined he'd be this much stronger!

The gap was more than ten times what she had imagined!

With the array's boost, the sixth-rank fifth-layer director could match her evenly—she could barely gain the upper hand.

She had expected Xu Jin's strike to severely wound the director.

But she never expected—total annihilation!

Instantly vaporized into dust!

In the next instant, as Liu Zhou Qingzhu remained stunned, Xu Jin's thunder wings flashed, and he instantly plunged into the Sun Star Palace Yanzhou branch temple's Temple Protection Array.

The moment he entered, he felt as if sinking into thick mud.

The Temple Protection Array suppressed attackers by two tenths outside, but by at least four tenths inside!

His speed dropped by nearly half!

"Be careful!" Liu Zhou Qingzhu cried out.

Almost simultaneously, over a dozen elite warriors who spotted Xu Jin's entry unleashed a concentrated barrage upon him.

As for the death of their hall master, many had not yet realized it.

It was simply too fast!

Five Elemental Divine Thunder, in succession!

While directly annihilating five fifth-rank cultivators, Xu Jin absorbed all other attacks head-on; his thunder wings flashed once more, and he surged toward the Array Core Pavilion near the protective array of the branch temple.

At the same time, Xu Jin spotted the sixth-rank cultivator commanding the array!

In the instant shock flashed across the latter's eyes, he immediately activated the array to launch an assault against Xu Jin with its power!

Shatter the Evil!

A vast surge of spiritual essence rippled—this sixth-rank, third-layer cultivator instantly spewed blood from all seven orifices and collapsed unconscious.

BOOM!

Thunder poured down, striking directly upon the array's core.

As the core was obliterated into ash, the entire protective array collapsed.

In that same instant, the starlight reinforcing the elite of the Yang Star Temple branch temple vanished instantly!

"Kill!"

Liu Zhou Qingzhu let out a sharp cry and led the charge inside.

Only now did the Yang Star Temple elites begin searching for their hall master.

The array had been breached—fight or retreat?

But when they looked toward their hall master's position, they found only a pile of ash—and a single Star-Plucking Token!

Instantly, their faces turned ashen, each expression filled with despair.

The protective array was broken, their hall master was dead, and reinforcements had not yet arrived.

Morale collapsed in an instant.

Moreover, Xu Jin had already eliminated their main force; what followed was a one-sided slaughter.

At this point, Xu Jin no longer intervened.

Many disciples of the National Dao Academy needed such battlefield trials.

"Everyone, hold fast—end this battle within fifteen minutes!" Xu Jin barked.

The battle ended faster than expected.

It was over in seven and a half minutes.

Once the die-hard elites of the Yang Star Temple were dead, the ordinary disciples surrendered at a single shout.

After all, most ordinary disciples were born among the common people of Chen Guo.

With their hall master dead, surrender became inevitable.

As for their future disposition, that was the State Tutor's concern.

In Leizhou, the State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao and the Yang Star Jun were already locked in battle high in the sky.

Yet after merely hundreds of breaths of exchange, they instantly separated, facing each other a hundred meters apart. "State Tutor Cheng, in just one month, your cultivation has advanced further," the Yang Star Jun sneered.

"I was fortunate to obtain a divine dao truth; though it did not help me break through to the ninth rank, my combat power has surged greatly!"

"Still, it cannot compare to you, Star Jun Zhuang."

"Star Jun Zhuang's century-long accumulation as an eighth-rank cultivator is truly extraordinary," Cheng Cheng Yuexiao smiled.

Though he had not yet used the divine dao truth, saying so now was meant to deceive the Yang Star Jun.

After a hundred breaths of combat, both had roughly probed each other's true strength.

The Yang Star Jun felt that unless he fought to the death and revealed his ultimate trump card, he could not kill Cheng Cheng Yuexiao.

But to fight to the death and take Cheng Cheng Yuexiao now would leave him gravely wounded.

That would be extremely unwise!

Especially before the internal threats within the Yang Star Temple were cleared, he would never risk a life-or-death struggle with Cheng Cheng Yuexiao.

Otherwise, he would merely enrich someone else.

As for Cheng Cheng Yuexiao, he felt his true combat power was still inferior to the Yang Star Jun's.

As he himself had said, the Yang Star Jun's combat power, built over a century of eighth-rank accumulation, was extraordinary.

Yet if he unleashed all the hundreds of Nine Heaven Thunder Rhythms he had accumulated, he might have a chance to severely wound the Yang Star Jun—though killing him remained highly unlikely.

And this was only if the Yang Star Jun had no other hidden techniques.

Naturally, this stalemate formed.

Victory or defeat would depend on how things unfolded elsewhere.

"State Tutor Cheng, I must admit—I truly admire how diligently you've worked these past years to strengthen Chen Guo!"

"But I still think it was unwise of you to choose today to strike!" the Yang Star Jun Zhuang Zhen sneered.

"Oh? Please enlighten me, Star Jun."

"Chen Guo has only three eighth-ranks in the mortal realm—how can you possibly stand against me?"

"You have no chance to recall any eighth-ranks from the Star River Battlefield!"

"Meanwhile, my Yang Star Temple can deploy nine eighth-ranks at once!"

"What do you have to resist with?" the Yang Star Jun sneered.

"Nine?"

Cheng Cheng Yuexiao's heart shifted slightly—the Yang Star Temple had deployed one more eighth-rank than he'd anticipated; casualties might increase.

Yet on his face, Cheng Cheng Yuexiao merely said, "Then wait, Star Jun Zhuang—soon, you shall be given a surprise!"

"Very well—I shall see what this surprise is!" the Yang Star Jun sneered.

In the next instant, both plunged their consciousness into the Star-Plucking Tokens and sent starlight messages.

Some were commands, others warnings.

Especially the State Tutor of Chen Guo, Cheng Cheng Yuexiao, silently sent a starlight message to someone specific.

【Go to Jingzhou, act according to circumstances—do not fight unless absolutely necessary.】

【Received.】

In Yanzhouzhoucheng.

The Yang Star Temple branch temple had been utterly crushed.

The participating forces were now transporting and inventorying supplies; the Star-Patrol Guards had begun escorting prisoners back to the branch academy for detention.

Suddenly, Xu Jin snapped his head upward toward the southern sky.

Three starlights, one ahead and two behind, were hurtling toward them at incredible speed, radiating overwhelming aura!

In the next instant, Liu Zhou Qingzhu also looked up, her face turning pale.

"Reinforcements have arrived! An eighth-rank!"

Instinctively, Liu Zhou Qingzhu's gaze turned to Xu Jin.

Others might not know, but she was certain: Xu Jin was the strongest here.

"These reinforcements came quickly indeed! Come, Master, let's go meet them." As he spoke, Xu Jin stepped into the starlight, standing shoulder to shoulder with Liu Zhou Qingzhu.

At the same time, the three reinforcements' auras were clearly sensed.

One eighth-rank, early stage.

The very earliest kind of eighth-rank.

One who had just broken through.

But even a newly broken eighth-rank was still an eighth-rank.

Two seventh-ranks: one at seventh-rank fourth layer, one at seventh-rank sixth layer.

This reinforcement team was impressively elite.

After all, rapid reinforcements required only top-tier strength.

A full army would only slow them down.

"Just the two of us?" Liu Zhou Qingzhu exclaimed.

"Of course—add the Dean Cao." As he spoke, Xu Jin called out.

Dean Cao was the head of the Yanzhou branch of the National Dao Academy, cultivation at sixth-rank seventh layer.

His cultivation was decent, but his combat power? Mediocre.

He was far inferior to Liu Zhou Qingzhu.

"Just the three of us—"

Dean Cao, just summoned, was also uneasy: three sixth-ranks facing one eighth-rank and two seventh-ranks. Though Xu Jin, the Deputy Academic Director, was extraordinarily powerful, he was still only a sixth-rank.

He had seen too many brilliant, overconfident geniuses.

Who ended up killing themselves—and others.

Now, he was genuinely afraid.

"Those two seventh-ranks—you two handle one each."

"Handle? Impossible!" Dean Cao cried.

"Not handle—each of you delays one, giving me five breaths. Is that possible?" Xu Jin said.

"Five breaths? You don't mean you'll kill this eighth-rank within five breaths?"

"Don't joke!"

"Better order an immediate retreat to the academy and fortify! The academy's protective array is already active—retreating now is still possible," Dean Cao said.

The protective array of the branch academy has already been activated; if we withdraw now, it's still timely," said Academy Director Cao.

"I can."

For his own disciple, Liu Zhou Qingzhu was fully supportive.

But Cao Dean stared at the two of them, his expression grim, saying nothing.

Xu Jin saw this and laughed, "Cao Dean, it's certainly not me who'll finish this eighth-rank in five breaths! I mean, reinforcements from an eighth-rank will arrive between five and ten breaths—I've already contacted them!" Xu Jin shook the Star-Taking Token in his hand!

"You should've said so earlier! If it's just holding them for five to ten breaths, no problem!"

"Good! Then let's go!"

Almost the instant Cao Dean agreed, Xu Jin's back flared with Lei Yi's wings, and he shot toward the eighth-rank.

Liu Zhou Qingzhu also stepped forth among the stars, following closely behind Xu Jin as they charged.

"So direct? No strategy discussion?" Cao Dean was stunned, yet still charged forward!

Opposite them, Luo Yi, the newly promoted eighth-rank of the Lord Tianyang Star Temple, frowned at the three charging toward him, activated his Yuan Ling, and immediately spread his vast spiritual sense in all directions, searching for any hidden experts.

After all, three sixth-ranks confronting them—without backup, who would believe it?

No one would believe it!

But after sweeping his vast spiritual sense across the surroundings and observing every angle, he found nothing.

It was truly only these three coming to fight their three.

Then there was only one possibility: the Chen Guo eighth-rank was on the way, arriving any moment.

These three were here to delay them!

"Go! Quick fight, quick end—we must slay these three in the shortest time, then wipe out the Yanzhou Branch of the Chen Guo Dao Academy, and that's a great achievement!" With a sharp cry, the eighth-rank Luo Yi suddenly accelerated.

Among the six, because Luo Yi, the eighth-rank, charged fastest, and Xu Jin charged just as fast, there was no doubt—they collided instantly.

Almost the moment they clashed, Luo Yi, the eighth-rank, instantly activated his strongest Star Art, aiming to obliterate this sixth-rank in one blow.

But at that very same instant,

Luo Yi suddenly felt his body plunge downward.

Earthly Magnetic Field!

Falling Star!

A single point of starlight appeared in the sky and instantly slammed toward him.

The overwhelming aura startled him—he had no choice but to shift his Star Art to strike Xu Jin's Falling Star!

BOOM!

Simultaneously, the Five Element Divine Thunder crashed down!

The moment thunder echoed, the Five Element Divine Thunder poured directly onto the head of eighth-rank Luo Yi.

Luo Yi's protective starlight shattered instantly.

Luo Yi was stunned—his top-grade Seven-Star Spirit Armor instantly materialized, absorbing the residual force. His gaze toward Xu Jin was now filled with extreme caution.

But Xu Jin had already tested Luo Yi's true strength with just one strike.

He was no match for him!

He could defeat—even kill—him.

But it would take time. A long, grueling battle.

Maybe half a minute. Maybe a full minute. Or longer!

Of course, all this assumed he didn't use any special powers.

But now, Xu Jin needed time.

The next instant, Xu Jin's Lei Yuan, Lei Xiang, and the Five Element Star Patterns—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—all rotated simultaneously. As the Five Element Divine Thunder appeared, twenty Nine-Heaven Thunder Rhythms poured into this single strike at once!

The instant Xu Jin used the Fish Curtain Golden Bell to block Luo Yi's attack, the Five Element Divine Thunder struck again!

Thunder roared. Remembering his prior experience, eighth-rank Luo Yi braced himself fully.

But the moment the thunder struck, Luo Yi's face changed again.

This thunder was stronger!

Much stronger!

Instantly, Luo Yi pushed his defensive Star Art to its absolute limit!

SIZZLE!

Beneath the thunder, his protective starlight, defensive techniques, and Seven-Star Spirit Armor shattered layer by layer!

Even his top-grade Seven-Star Spirit Armor was directly shattered into fragments!

Luo Yi's entire body, crackling with lightning, was blasted toward the ground.

But he was only severely wounded,

not dead!

The next instant, Xu Jin merely raised his hand slightly.

Dozens of Furious Spears shot skyward and pierced straight into Luo Yi's body.

Simultaneously, the Five Element Divine Thunder struck again!

Just ordinary Five Element Divine Thunder.

Amid continuous waves of five-colored lightning, Luo Yi, pierced by the Furious Spears, was instantly reduced to charred ash—his body shattered.

The instant his body shattered and his Yuan Ling fled,

another Five Element Divine Thunder slammed down.

His Yuan Ling vanished instantly!

Two breaths!

Eighth-rank Luo Yi of the Lord Tianyang Star Temple was dead!

"Cao Dean, reinforcements haven't arrived yet—but this eighth-rank is already dead!" Xu Jin called out loudly, his Lei Yi wings flaring violently as he shot like lightning toward the seventh-rank battling Cao Dean.

Cao Dean and the seventh-rank turned their heads—and saw the charred, shattered corpse of eighth-rank Luo Yi!

In that moment of shock, the seventh-stage fourth-rank expert who had been fighting Chief Cao turned and fled without hesitation!

In that stunned moment, the seventh-rank fourth-layer who had been fighting Cao Dean turned and fled without hesitation!

Amidst the rolling thunder, the Five Elements Divine Thunder suddenly crashed down!

Amid rolling thunder, the Five Element Divine Thunder crashed down—this seventh-rank fourth-layer of the Lord Tianyang Star Temple was reduced to a ball of lightning-fire, plummeting to the ground, alive or dead, unknown.

The seventh-rank sixth-layer fighting Liu Zhou Qingzhu was also stunned.

In shock, he pulled out a Spatial Rune, intending to escape.

But the next instant, a subtle spatial fluctuation appeared behind him.

The moment it appeared, a vast spiritual soul surge rose.

An invisible blade of light flashed.

The seventh-rank sixth-layer instantly spewed blood from all seven orifices and crashed to the ground.

His spiritual soul aura was gone.

Special Spiritual Soul Star Art: Mind Blade Burst.

(End of Chapter)