Chapter 714: Whose Luck Is Better?

May 27, inside the Offering Hall of Yutang Liuxia Wangcheng.

Xu Jin was making preparations for departure.

Although there was no Zhou Tian Star Dew now, and one day's cultivation could not significantly raise his cultivation base, Xu Jin still persisted in diligent practice right up to departure.

The power of daily accumulation is the greatest force in the mortal world—this fact is known to countless people.

Yet very few can actually achieve it.

Now Xu Jin was practicing it.

More than two months had passed since he emerged from the mysterious star gate at the peak of the Law Heavenly Road.

The Two-Veil Seven-Star Xuanhuang Pills had long been supplied continuously.

Two of the Two-Veil Seven-Star Xuanhuang Pills per day, combined with the Nine-Tier Star Gathering Array Plate and nine Eight-Tier Star Jade Tablets, allowed Xu Jin to condense one layer of Zhai Xing Lou every two days.

Over these two months, Xu Jin had newly condensed thirty-three layers of Zhai Xing Lou.

Yet all thirty-three layers were Space Star Towers.

The primary purpose was to facilitate the evolution of the Space Law Dao.

The evolved Space Law Dao was powerful, but consumed immense Star Power.

Within his inner vision, eight Star Towers stood like guardians around his Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower: the Space Zhai Xing Lou reached sixty-five layers, the Thunder Zhai Xing Lou thirty-two layers, the Wood Zhai Xing Lou twelve layers, and all other Star Towers stood at three layers each.

The total number of layers had already exceeded one hundred twenty.

It surpassed the number of layers in his Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower.

Thus, outsiders sensing his cultivation base believed he had reached the peak of the Eighth Tier.

But Xu Jin knew clearly that his path to the peak of the Eighth Tier had only just begun.

All eight Star Towers needed to be forged to one hundred eight layers each—that was his limit, and only then would he live up to the unprecedentedly solid foundation he had built by consuming countless resources.

Now, with departure imminent, there was still one matter he needed to handle.

In the next instant, Xu Jin spurred his Dao Embryo's spiritual sense, and all eight elemental star patterns simultaneously emitted unique rhythmic energies.

The previously depleted Nihility Void Rhythm, accounting for these two months and the eleven days he spent in the mysterious space atop the Law Heavenly Road, had now accumulated a substantial quantity.

The total reached three hundred eighty-five units.

The key to chaoticizing the Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower was Chaotic Rhythm Energy, whose foundation and core was the Nihility Void Rhythm.

It could only be accumulated slowly.

Now, however, he could trigger another surge.

With practiced ease, under the urging of Xu Jin's Dao Embryo spiritual sense, the eight elemental rhythms, centered on the Nihility Void Rhythm, interwove and mutually reinforced each other into a single mass; soon, a large cluster of Chaotic Rhythm Energy coalesced.

The Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower instantly flew out from within Xu Jin's body, and with a slight surge, the Chaotic Rhythm Energy—fused from over three hundred units of eight-element rhythms—directly merged into the Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower.

The complete assimilation process lasted three hours.

The instant assimilation finished, Xu Jin's spiritual sense plunged into the Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower to carefully observe its changes.

Externally, the Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower showed no signs of chaos, but internally—at least on its inner surfaces—it had become fully chaoticized.

A strand of Chaotic Starlight had begun to flow and flicker within the Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower.

The chaoticization of the Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower had advanced another step, and its aura had grown heavier still.

Xu Jin felt that this half-chaoticized Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower could now certainly support him in suppressing and evolving three Space Law Daos.

Unfortunately, he no longer had the opportunity.

Yet the more chaoticized Heaven-Earth Cloud Tower could now unleash greater power from the evolved Space Law Dao.

The Life-Bound Spirit Treasure and the evolved Space Law Dao inherently mutually elevate each other.

After ending his cultivation, Xu Jin removed the Starlight Shield, and the guard Xiaobaihu immediately let out a tiger's roar, signaling that someone was outside the door.

It was Zhu Zhu Linxiao—he had already sensed her.

Yet Xu Jin's gaze lingered on the Xiaobaihu for a few breaths, sensing it stood on the brink of breaking through to the Ninth Tier; next time he acquired a Metal treasure, he could give the little creature some.

Wherever he went, this little creature was someone he could absolutely trust.

"Husband, these are the two-tenths of Heaven-Earth Authority left in our hands by the Xiazhu Star Region. Cultivate them now—it will greatly aid your actions within the Xiazhu Star Region.

This Jade Tablet contains all data on the Star Region's Domain Lord, Military Lord, and key household ministers, including records of sealed mineral veins and terrain-related information.

After memorizing it, it should assist you in your endeavors."

"Husband, this is a Token of Authority forged from the primordial aura of my Life-Bound Guardian Artifact. Carry it with you. If you're in danger, activate this token—I cannot enter the Tenth-Tier Star Region with my physical body, but I can use my Dao Embryo to command my Life-Bound Guardian Artifact and enter Xiazhu directly to retrieve you," Zhu Zhu Linxiao explained.

"This is too dangerous! If your Dao Embryo leaves the protection of your body and is targeted by a specialist in soul attacks or a powerful Thunder Star Art user, one misstep and you'll die and your soul will be obliterated," Xu Jin frowned.

"Husband, rest assured—it's only a last-resort measure! Besides, compared to your safety, my safety is negligible."

"Nonsense!"

Xu Jin's expression turned grimly serious. "Your safety matters just as much. Under no circumstances, without my permission, will you do such a thing.

Will you obey me?" His final words carried a sharp reprimand. Zhu Zhu Linxiao showed no anger; a faint smile even glimmered in her eyes. "Husband, your command outweighs all else. I will obey without fail."

"Good girl."

Watching the obedient, docile Zhu Zhu Linxiao, Xu Jin absentmindedly brushed her hair aside; she, in turn, lowered her head and began to suck on his member.

Xu Jin was stunned.

She had misunderstood him.

But if she misunderstood, so be it—this was also a man's pleasure.

Wasn't it?

Throughout the Eastern Chu Xuan Star Realm, True Person and Tianyang Xingjun families controlled vast numbers of small-world star regions, and had established systematic methods to manage them.

Each small world had two authorities: the Domain Lord and the Military Lord.

The Domain Lord oversaw civil administration, the transmission of star region academies, and the selection of cultivators, holding partial elite military power.

The Military Lord commanded all military affairs, laws, authority, and wielded immense martial strength.

The Domain Lord and Military Lord's powers were intricately intertwined, mutually supporting yet mutually restraining.

Simultaneously, their cultivation levels were generally equal, and both were typically granted two-tenths of Heaven-Earth Authority.

With the Heaven-Earth Authority enhancing them, their combined strength could repel external invaders.

The remaining majority of Heaven-Earth Authority remained under the control of the True Person Mansion or Tianyang Xingjun Mansion, for centralized control.

This was the general convention.

But the Xiazhu Star Region under the Yutang True Person Mansion was different.

Because the Yutang True Person Mansion had recently weakened and could not send sufficient reinforcements, to ensure the Xiazhu Star Region had enough strength to defend itself against external invasions,

Over ten years ago, the Yutang True Person Mansion took another two-tenths from its own four-tenths of Heaven-Earth Authority and granted it to the Xiazhu Star Region's Domain Lord and Military Lord.

Under these conditions, with the Domain Lord and Military Lord both at peak Eighth Tier strength, combined with three-tenths of Heaven-Earth Authority and local forces, they could handle two or three minor Star Lords.

Precisely because of this, the Yutang True Person Mansion suspected that a traitor must exist among the Xiazhu Star Region's Domain Lord or Military Lord.

No one would admit to being a traitor.

Thus, a dilemma now faced Xu Jin, who had just assimilated two-tenths of Heaven-Earth Authority:

Which star gate should he use to enter the Xiazhu Star Region?

To facilitate control of star regions, the Eastern Chu Xuan Star Realm had established two fixed star gates for each small-world star region.

One gate was guarded by the Xiazhu Star Region's Domain Lord, Fang Fang Ziqing; the other by the Military Lord, Wei Song.

So which gate should Xu Jin enter?

"Prince, haven't you built secret teleportation star gates to guard against accidents? Or established a covert intelligence agency to monitor the star regions' movements?" Xu Jin frowned in the Star Gate Hall of the Prince's Mansion.

Zhu Zhu Shizhen sighed helplessly. "Brother-in-law, we did consider secret teleportation star gates—but for anyone holding Heaven-Earth Authority, star gates are never secret.

As for a secret intelligence agency, we do have one.

The Yutang Guard.

But those capable of such covert operations are low in cultivation and rank, and their intelligence-gathering against Ninth-Tier cultivators is extremely limited!

So…"

Hearing this, Xu Jin nodded. "So, after I arrive, I have a fifty percent chance of encountering a traitor."

"It could be one hundred percent," Zhu Zhu Shizhen said gravely, then hesitated. "Brother-in-law, maybe we should just abandon it? Let the star region fall."

"How can we abandon it? I must go."

"But the situation is too dire! Brother-in-law, why not let Xiao Tianyang Xingjun Zhu Zhu Fuze accompany you?" said Prince Zhu Zhu Shizhen.

Xu Jin shook his head again. "Bringing him would be a burden to me.

What I meant earlier was—you must give me some token or item.

If I get the chance, I'll naturally kill any traitor.

But I can't execute every single person connected to the Xiazhu Star Region, can I?

That would make me a butcher."

Prince Zhu Zhu Shizhen finally understood, a flash of starlight appeared in his palm, and he handed Xu Jin a token. "Brother-in-law, this is the Yutang True Person Token. Whoever holds it is the Yutang True Person's Special Envoy—all Domain Lords and Military Lords must submit to his orders.

Those who disobey may be deemed traitors.

The first thing every official or commander appointed under the Yutang True Person Mansion must learn is to recognize this token.

Brother-in-law, use it as you see fit!

I believe that even if both the Military Lord and Domain Lord of Xiazhu have betrayed us, most officers and officials still remain loyal to the Yutang True Person Mansion.

These years, our Yutang True Person Mansion has lightened taxes and burdens—the people's support remains high," said Prince Zhu Zhu Shizhen.

Xu Jin took the Yutang True Person Token, then bowed to Zhu Zhu Linxiao and Zhu Zhu Shizhen. "I'm leaving. Tell others I'm in seclusion."

To prevent accidents, Xu Jin's journey to the Xiazhu Star Region was top secret.

Only Zhu Zhu Shizhen and Zhu Zhu Linxiao knew.

In the next instant, Xu Jin casually chose one of the Star Gates and stepped through, vanishing!

Since it was impossible to determine who the traitor was, he chose not to determine at all.

Leave it to luck!

Of course, not Xu Jin's luck—but the luck of those two!

(End of Chapter)