Chapter 56: Breakthrough and Instant Deployment

East harmonizes yin and yang, west rises from ten thousand stones, south sweeps the six directions, north shoots the Wolf Star, center holds dominion over the world.

After completing ten full rounds of the Five Stars Killing Fist, Xu Jin finally felt a profound sense of ease; the tension from two days of combat missions gradually dissolved amid his focused cultivation.

After finishing ten rounds, Xu Jin intended to draw in starlight, but the distant wailing from the training hall stirred an inexplicable emotion within him—urgent, inexplicably urgent.

So Xu Jin directly channeled the starlight from the Can Dou Platform continuously into his body, repeating the Five Stars Killing Fist until both second-rank starlight threads on the platform were fully consumed; only then did he stop, his spirit finally settling completely.

Forty-two consecutive rounds of the Five Stars Killing Fist yielded impressive body tempering progress; the tempering progress on his right leg surged by over two inches.

Far stronger than the effect of doing four separate rounds of ten rounds each.

With star energy sustaining him, Xu Jin felt no fatigue; he continued the Drinking Radiance Form, and once the star patterns within were fully replenished, he resumed cultivation.

After four rounds, the tempering progress on Xu Jin’s right leg increased by another inch and a half; he immediately swallowed a refined Stimulating Pill.

Instantly, a series of warm, cool energies surged into his head; under this impact, even the incomplete Cheng Po Star Pattern glowed brighter.

One minute later, the previously dim Cheng Po Star Pattern shone brilliantly.

The mental fatigue from four rounds of Drinking Radiance Form had vanished entirely, replaced by vigor.

A hundredfold vigor.

As if he’d taken a stimulant, Xu Jin felt more alert than ever, capable of fighting through the entire night.

Full.

One twelve-hour refined Yi Yun Stimulating Pill restored Xu Jin’s Shen Po energy completely.

Previously, ordinary Stimulating Pills could only restore half.

That is, cultivating a pill to produce one ring of aura—its effect should be identical: doubling the pill’s potency.

At least for the Star-Refilling Pill and the Stimulating Pill, this holds true.

He continued cultivation: after four rounds of Drinking Radiance Form, another forty rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist; he swallowed a Star-Refilling Pill, then five more rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist, before slowly ending his stance.

He drew starlight to observe—his right leg’s tempering progress surged another inch and a half.

Today’s total Five Stars Killing Fist rounds neared one hundred twenty; the cultivation effect was astonishing, with total tempering progress nearing five inches.

The starlight on his right leg was nearly covering his knee.

If he could maintain this intensity, Xu Jin estimated he could break through within three to five days.

Wiping sweat, he rinsed his body with cool water from the well, then returned to his dormitory.

This too was progress.

Twenty days ago, before he had activated his star patterns, Xu Jin would never have dared rinse his body with cold water.

Daring to use cold water would have left him gravely ill.

Now, it meant nothing.

The defined muscles, even Xu Jin himself liked.

He couldn’t help but touch them more often.

At the dormitory door, just as he was about to enter, the door of the adjacent single room suddenly opened—it was Qiao Ruonan, still awake and stepping out.

“Senior Xu, you train so diligently, returning only now.” Qiao Ruonan suddenly spoke.

This remark left Xu Jin momentarily confused.

Though adjacent, male and female were distinct; Xu Jin, wholly absorbed in cultivation, had rarely exchanged words with her.

“More strength means more chance to survive. This mission earned me plenty of silver and pills—I plan to convert them into strength as soon as possible, otherwise, they remain mere paper wealth.”

“Only by turning them into your own strength can they become true capital,” Xu Jin said.

“Paper wealth? Convert?”

Qiao Ruonan pondered, nodded lightly, then suddenly said, “Senior Xu, thank you! Thank you for bringing all of us in our squad back alive.”

This sudden thanks left Xu Jin speechless.

“It’s my duty—I’m the Squad Leader!”

“But you’re different!”

With that, Qiao Ruonan wished him goodnight and returned to her room.

Xu Jin smiled wryly—was he different?

Without Ning Yuchan’s gifted star pattern, without the Can Dou Platform’s ability to enhance its power, he’d be no better off.

True strength.

He still needed to grow stronger himself.

Back in his room, he sat cross-legged, waiting for the door to open.

Xu Jin had already planned—he’d demand answers the moment the green-robed man returned.

Was that green-robed man… a demon?

Clearly, the green-robed man who casually gifted a fourth-rank Dawn Star Pattern could move freely even within the academy’s sealed boundaries—he was immensely powerful.

His strength might rival or even surpass the Headmaster’s. So the question arose: could a minor city like Jin Shan harbor an ultimate expert?

Such scenarios were rare, but the recently hunted demons had been extraordinarily mysterious and powerful.

Could the green-robed man be a demon?

If he was?

Xu Jin had already planned his questions, but after waiting a full quarter-hour, the door remained shut and the green-robed man never appeared.

This made Xu Jin wonder—was the green-robed man truly a demon?

Had he fled?

He thought about it, but knew idle speculation was useless; he swallowed a Wakeful Spirit Pill, strengthened his Cheng Po Star Pattern for fifteen minutes, then spent half an hour attempting to inscribe the Great Gathering Star Pattern within the star lamp before falling into deep sleep.

But before sleeping, Xu Jin replaced all the pills beneath the Can Dou Platform’s star lamp with Stimulating Pills.

He would no longer test the effects of cultivating Star-Refilling Pills for two, three, or even five days.

The deaths of so many academy disciples had shaken him.

Xu Jin now had only one goal: train with all his might, push hard toward Meal Dew Fourth or even Fifth Realm, then forge his star as soon as possible.

During this intense push, cultivating Stimulating Pills offered the highest cost-effectiveness—one pill each morning and evening could grant Xu Jin nearly double the cultivation time of other disciples.

On the 28th, Xu Jin had planned—if the academy lifted its internal and external lockdown—he’d leave the city to visit his father, then find a way to resolve his sister’s situation and bring Jiang Er back.

Unfortunately, the academy’s lockdown remained in place, yet Xu Jin received a new mission.

Xu Jin and three other junior brothers were assigned to escort the coffin of a fallen disciple back to his hometown.

They must wear the full uniform of the Star-Patrol Guards, remain at the home for three days after delivery to guard the spirit.

Guarding the spirit meant Xu Jin and the three others would stay in the deceased junior brother’s home until the funeral rites concluded.

They need not participate, need not express condolences—only their presence was required, to show the academy’s stance.

It was no wonder the Jin Shan Academy enjoyed considerable public support within Jin Shan Prefecture.

For any ordinary family, losing a young adult son was a devastating blow, followed by even greater social consequences.

Their rights among local villagers would be encroached upon or oppressed due to the absence of a strong male heir.

Some village bullies or ruffians might even maliciously seize their property.

The academy’s action stood by these families—anyone who dared harass them afterward would think twice.

Conversely, it also built the academy’s reputation; villagers would send more of their children to the academy to activate star patterns.

During the three days guarding the spirit at the fallen junior brother’s home, Xu Jin and his companions were treated as the most honored guests.

Though called “guarding the spirit,” they only needed to appear for a few hours each day.

The rest of the time could be used for cultivation.

Yet during the spirit-guarding, Xu Jin heard much news.

For example, Zhou Du.

Though the academy imposed no formal punishment, there was punishment nonetheless.

No compensation money, no official condolence decree, no academy disciples sent to guard the spirit.

No compensation, no spirit-guarding—this was already the harshest punishment.

For these three days, Xu Jin trained relentlessly.

Morning session: four rounds of Meal Dew Form, forty rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist, then one refined Stimulating Pill and one Star-Refilling Pill, followed by another forty-five rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist—tempering progress surged three inches.

Evening session: four rounds of Drinking Radiance Form, forty rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist, then one refined Stimulating Pill and one ordinary Star-Refilling Pill, plus channeling both second-rank starlight threads from the Can Dou Platform—nearly one hundred twenty rounds of Five Stars Killing Fist—tempering progress surged over five inches.

Then one Wakeful Spirit Pill, strengthening the Cheng Po Star Pattern for fifteen minutes, followed by another inscription attempt on the Great Gathering Star Pattern.

In all other moments—even while standing guard—instead of practicing in the star lamp, he was attempting to inscribe the Great Gathering Star Pattern within it.

On the final night of spirit-guarding, as Xu Jin reached the halfway point of his eightieth round of Five Stars Killing Fist, he kicked out—and a sudden sensation of clarity surged; a star arrow shot from his right toe, flying four feet before vanishing.

One chi beyond the body.

At Meal Dew Fourth Realm, star arrows can leave the body by four chi.

On June 30th, Xu Jin broke through to Meal Dew Fourth Realm.

Only five days since his breakthrough to Meal Dew Third Realm!

With his cultivation base breaking through again, Xu Jin felt exhilarated; he immediately resumed the Five Stars Killing Fist, his mind clearer than ever, and the effects of his days spent practicing in the star lamp now manifested.

Suddenly, Xu Jin halted.

His shoulder shifted—and a star shield instantly appeared upon it.

His chest shifted—and a star shield immediately appeared.

Abdomen, back, knees, calves, thighs—where his mind went, the star shield appeared.

Xu Jin rejoiced!

Instantaneous deployment!

The Five Bushels Killing Fist’s Yin-Yang Strike, when cultivated to perfection, instantly achieves the Foundation Star Art: Star Shield!

(End of Chapter)