Chapter 7: Help Request

“Jin Ge, please help me.”

Xu Jin returned to his empty dormitory to rest, and was startled by Qian Xiaohu jumping out at him.

“Jin Ge, please pass on your Star-Pointing experience to me—I’ll repay you for sure.”

“Jin Ge, if I can’t point the star, I’ll have to go home and work the fields or do hard labor—spending my whole life hungry and cold.”

“Jin Ge, I want to succeed at Star-Pointing—I want my parents to live well. Please, help me.” As Qian Xiaohu spoke, his eyes turned red, and he moved to kneel before Xu Jin.

Xu Jin reacted swiftly and caught him before he could kneel.

“Xiaohu, you’ve taken care of me several times—I’m truly grateful. But I already told you everything I know about succeeding at Star-Pointing this morning. Not a single detail was held back.”

“Really?” Qian Xiaohu refused to give up.

Xu Jin had indeed explained his Star-Pointing experience to him that morning, but it was nearly identical to what the drillmaster taught—offering little real help to Qian Xiaohu at this stage.

“Yes.”

Upon hearing the definite answer, Qian Xiaohu’s eyes dimmed. Watching the light fade from his gaze, Xu Jin felt helpless.

For over two months, Xu Jin had fallen ill several times, nearly died, and even been bedridden twice from weakness—all of which Qian Xiaohu had cared for, bringing him meals and water.

After a moment’s thought, Xu Jin hesitated. “But there’s another method you could try.”

“What method? Tell me, Jin Ge!” Qian Xiaohu’s eyes suddenly blazed with hope, and he grabbed Xu Jin’s arm.

Xu Jin briefly explained the Awakening Pill, saying he had succeeded at Star-Pointing after taking one.

“Xiaohu, but Drillmaster Ning also said the Awakening Pill, while it sharpens the mind, offers minimal help for Star-Pointing—this has been confirmed by the Dao Academy. Still, I think you should give it a try.”

Upon hearing “Awakening Pill,” the light in Qian Xiaohu’s eyes faded again. “Jin Ge, I know what the Awakening Pill is—but the alchemy room sells one for five taels of silver. I can’t afford it.”

Xu Jin frowned, but this was normal. Qian Xiaohu’s family was no better off than his own—maybe slightly better, but still unable to afford it.

“How much silver do you have?” Xu Jin suddenly asked.

Qian Xiaohu’s eyes lit up again. “Jin Ge, are you going to lend me silver? I’ve saved for a long time—I’ve got one tael and seven mace. If you lend me three taels and three mace, that’ll be enough.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, he let out a bitter laugh. They’d shared a bed for so long—he knew exactly what Xu Jin’s situation was.

One or two taels, maybe.

Three or four taels? No.

His eyes dimmed again.

Xu Jin thought carefully, then suddenly pulled out an Awakening Pill. “Xiaohu, I still have one Awakening Pill left.”

Qian Xiaohu’s face lit up with joy, the light returning to his eyes.

“But Xiaohu, you know this Awakening Pill was bought with my father’s blood and sweat—I can’t give it to you for free!”

“I’ll borrow it!”

“Jin Ge, I’ll borrow it—I’ll pay market interest.”

“What if you still fail at Star-Pointing?” Xu Jin suddenly asked.

Qian Xiaohu froze, then suddenly grinned. “Then it’s fate!”

“I’ll accept it!”

“But Jin Ge, don’t worry—even if I fail, I’ll repay every bit of silver you lend me!”

“At the docks of our county town, if you’re willing to work hard, after food and drink, you can still save a tael of silver a month. In five or six months, I’ll pay you back.”

Shuowan ， Qianxiaohuzhijiejiangyigexiaoxinghebaodidaolexujindeshouli ，「 Zheliyouyiliangliuqian ， Jingenixianshouzhu 。」

“Good. I’ll take this money—it’s my father’s blood and sweat. But between brothers, we won’t mention interest.”

Xu Jin solemnly handed the Awakening Pill to Qian Xiaohu. “Xiaohu, don’t use it today. Take it tomorrow morning. After a full night’s sleep, your mind will be sharpest—best for cultivation.”

“Thank you, Jin Ge! Whether I succeed or fail, you’re my real big brother.”

“Mm. Work hard—I believe you’ll succeed tomorrow.”

Qian Xiaohu nodded vigorously, carefully tucked the pill away, and hurried off to eat.

After Qian Xiaohu left, Xu Jin, thinking about his own predicament, was suddenly inspired by him.

He needed to take the initiative.

He needed to use his past-life thinking.

No silver? Then find a capitalist—seek funding, venture capital, or at least a loan.

Saving up slowly—when would he ever afford a house?

Who was the capitalist?

With the knowledge he’d absorbed in his past life, if he was willing to endure hardship, earning a little money over a few years was possible.

Earning more was possible too—but he’d likely lose it.

In this world, wealth needed strength to protect it.

Xu Jin didn’t want to suffer too much in daily life, yet he wanted silver quickly—for cultivation, to repay Xu Dajiang, and to buy beautiful clothes for his sister Xu Jiang. He needed outside capital.

But securing investment or a loan in this world was hellishly difficult.

If Xu Jin went to some wealthy merchant or moneylender and started talking, he’d likely be thrown out.

After thinking long and hard, Xu Jin realized his only possible target was one person—the drillmaster, Ning Yuchan.

Three reasons: First, the Dao Academy’s drillmasters received good pay—rumor said dozens of taels a month. Ning Yuchan likely had some capital.

Second, Xu Jin could speak to Ning Yuchan—he knew her. She had helped him buy the Awakening Pill before, and even told him about using it to aid Star-Pointing.

Someone who helps you usually helps again. But someone you’ve helped may not help you.

Third, Xu Jin took eighty-three days to succeed at Star-Pointing—others saw little future potential in him. But if he showed something, Ning Yuchan might recognize his hidden potential—and offer investment (help).

Target (capitalist), credibility (value), return cycle, return rate—Xu Jin pondered these four key points at length before deciding.

First, he needed to demonstrate value—but he couldn’t say it outright.

That would be like the old woman selling melons.

The best way to show value was to have the other person discover it themselves.

With this in mind, at noon, Xu Jin knocked again on Ning Yuchan’s small courtyard.

“Xu Jin?”

“What is it?”

Inside the courtyard, Ning Yuchan, without her veil, opened the door. Her fair face bore a faint chill—clearly annoyed by this unannounced visit at midday.

“Drillmaster, I have a cultivation question I’d like to ask you,” Xu Jin said quickly.

“A cultivation question?” Ning Yuchan frowned. “Why not ask during morning or evening practice?”

“It came up right after morning practice. I feared it might return during evening practice, so I came to disturb your rest.”

Ning Yuchan studied Xu Jin, tapped her iron cane, and instantly appeared seated on the courtyard’s stone bench. “Come in.”

Xu Jin hurried inside. “Drillmaster, this is it: on my way back from morning practice, I suddenly felt ravenous. I ran all the way to the dining hall. Normally, one bowl fills me—but today, I ate four bowls before I felt better.”

“You’re experiencing Extreme Hunger?” Ning Yuchan stood up at once, studying Xu Jin with an odd expression.

This shouldn’t happen.

According to Dao Academy experience during Star-Pointing season, Extreme Hunger only occurred in teenage geniuses who succeeded within ten days.

Xu Jin took eighty-three days—he shouldn’t have experienced Extreme Hunger. That’s why she never mentioned it.

But if combined with his Star-Pointing success on the very first day, it made sense.

Because his first-day success was nearly comparable to Yue Daqi, the top Star-Pointing student of this cohort.

“How many Awakening Pills did you take this morning?”

“One.”

“Hmm. If you experience Extreme Hunger, you must eat more—and take replenishing pills. The alchemy room’s Blood-Replenishing and Foundation-Strengthening Pills—you can take a few.”

“But if Extreme Hunger persists without replenishment, it damages your foundation.”

“For now, during morning and evening practice, don’t use your remaining Awakening Pills. Don’t let Extreme Hunger grow too severe and harm your foundation.”

“Thank you, Drillmaster, for your guidance. I’ve disturbed you.”

Xu Jin bowed, said nothing more, and turned to leave. Ning Yuchan remained, lost in thought.

Ning Yuchan knew Xu Jin’s family’s financial situation. She only pointed out the solution, offering no help or aid—because the reason was simple.

Cultivation resources—everyone lacked them.

Everyone lacked them.

As a drillmaster, she taught so many students—how many weren’t struggling?

Just among the remaining three hundred students who hadn’t succeeded at Star-Pointing—if each received two or three Awakening Pills, at least one in five might succeed and change their fate.

But could she afford to help them?

No, she couldn’t.

The Dao Academy needed geniuses and talented youths. Those at the bottom, who needed Awakening Pills just to barely succeed at Star-Pointing, were left to fate.

Yet Xu Jin, who took eighty-three days to succeed, now showed Extreme Hunger.

That wasn’t normal.

Ning Yuchan carefully recalled Xu Jin’s Star-Pointing process—but it hadn’t been pleasant.

On his first evening practice, he collapsed, nearly dead.

Though a student’s death didn’t greatly affect her, it was still bad—especially since he was the son of someone she knew.

He fell ill repeatedly afterward, until he finally succeeded.

Suddenly, Ning Yuchan’s brows twitched.

Could it be that Xu Jin’s innate talent was actually excellent—but his congenital heart illness had held him back, forcing him to take eighty-three days?

Now that he’d succeeded at Star-Pointing, his congenital illness was healed—and his true cultivation potential had finally emerged?

If that's the case?

Then what is Xu Jin's true cultivation talent?

(End of Chapter)