[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-star-martial-era":3,"chapter-the-star-martial-era-the-star-martial-era-chapter-77":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Star Martial Era",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2274935,4448,"Chapter 77: 『Choose Any』Mystery","the-star-martial-era-chapter-77",77,"\u003Cp>Far off, Xu Jin saw the broad, imposing back of a tall, muscular man, slightly dark-skinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he drew closer, he confirmed it was Zheng Jiaoxi of the Dao Academy—the talkative, loose-lipped instructor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Instructor Zheng, I’ve come to submit my harvest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jiaoxi, who had been sorting harvest, spun around like a whirlwind, saw the many disciples trailing behind Xu Jin, paused slightly, then grinned at him: “Ah, it’s you, Xu Jin. You didn’t forget to dig out star cores these past two days, did you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin: “.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Instructor Zheng really had a knack for picking the wrong moment—though Xu Jin knew he meant well, with so many people around—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Instructor Zheng, what do you mean Xu Jin forgot to dig out star cores?” A disciple immediately asked, curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Jin here took down a third-rank star beast, a green snake—but forgot to dig out its star core! What a fool! Threw away 1,500 taels like that! Don’t make the same mistake!” Zheng Jiaoxi chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin rubbed his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire group of Dao Academy disciples stared at Xu Jin in stunned disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forgetting to dig out star cores was funny—but behind the humor lay something terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Xu Jin, a Meal-Mist Fifth Layer disciple, really have slain a third-rank star beast?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meal-Mist was first rank, Star-Cast was second, Star-Refining was third, Star-Condensing was fourth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Star-Cast was merely a transitional realm, it was still a major realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elite Meal-Mist disciples challenging Star-Cast disciples weren’t rare—but slaying a third-rank star beast? Extremely rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone instinctively glanced at Senior Brother Wang Weisheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The implication was clear: Could Senior Brother have done the same?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You forgot? Last April, Senior Brother slew a third-rank below Baoxiong !” One of Wang Weisheng’s followers immediately reminded them, adding, “Senior Brother did it entirely with his own strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The implication: Xu Jin likely used external aids to slay the third-rank star beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin didn’t argue. There was nothing to dispute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more you argued, the more you exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what if he used a rune seal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a rune seal wasn’t shameful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The catch? You had to have one first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Instructor Zheng, please count this.” Xu Jin quickly handed over his large backpack, diverting everyone’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, this scene alone might make him seem to be in quiet opposition to Senior Brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t afraid of Wang Weisheng—but he didn’t want to waste time on pointless matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jiaoxi took it and couldn’t stop exclaiming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good lad! You even harvested Purple Earth Fungus, second-rank! Impressive, impressive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“1,600 taels—this is Snake Gall Grass, first-rank. Not bad, not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shattered Star Mushrooms—so many first-rank ones! Impressive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jiaoxi counted while praising, making Xu Jin feel slightly annoyed—he just wanted to quietly get rich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Zheng Jiaoxi counted quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your total harvest this time is 4,864 taels,” Zheng Jiaoxi finally announced to Xu Jin. “Any objections?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that number, all the surrounding disciples exhaled in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good, good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin only sounded terrifying—but in actual harvest, he fell short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was only slightly better than Lu Xianbing and Yue Daqi, ranked around sixty-something—not even top fifty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others like Lu Xianbing, Luo Geng, and Yu Guan were also disappointed—they’d hoped Xu Jin would prove them right, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, adding your noon submission of 3,700 taels two days ago, your total harvest is 8,564 taels,” Zheng Jiaoxi said slowly after recalculating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” All disciples’ eyes snapped wide open—they’d already submitted once!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My god, I’m so unlucky! I just got pushed out of the top ten!” A Dao Academy disciple wailed immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been tenth—but Xu Jin’s harvest instantly knocked him out of the top ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reward gap between tenth and below was substantial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xianbing, Luo Geng, Yu Guan, and others cheered; Qian Xiaohu and others shouted even louder: “Senior Brother Xu is amazing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some past-year seniors were slightly annoyed—but the harvest numbers spoke for themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I’ve got one more small bag.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone was still stunned, Xu Jin suddenly pulled a small pouch from his waist and handed it over: “Instructor Zheng, these are Rooster Branches—fragile, so I packed them separately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jiaoxi opened the pouch and his eyes bulged: “Oh my! Rooster Branches—sixty-two plants!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twenty-eight are first-rank, twelve are second-rank!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Jin, did you find some legendary treasure spot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Zheng Jiaoxi was stunned by a single pouch of Rooster Branches—the disciples were utterly dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First-rank ones were understandable—but twelve second-rank ones?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally, for any herb or rare treasure, finding one or two second-rank or higher was sheer luck—but twelve at once? This was unbelievable—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While others marveled, some seniors were already calculating—and wailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their rankings had been pushed down by Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, Instructor, I just got lucky…” Xu Jin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fourth now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m third now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Ming and Yu Xianghua both grimaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the past half-year, they’d held third and fourth place—until this July’s harvest, when Zhang Han, who’d been second, was severely injured and withdrew early, letting them rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One rose to second, the other to third.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, they’d been accepting congratulations from fellow disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially Zhang Ming, who’d just become third—now he’d been pushed down to fourth. The reward gap between third and fourth was huge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rooster Branches total 2,410 taels in harvest. Xu Jin’s cumulative harvest for this harvest season is—10,974 taels.” Zheng Jiaoxi carefully recalculated before giving the final number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final number made Senior Brother Wang Weisheng quietly exhale in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good—he hadn’t been surpassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His first-place harvest was secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still the undisputed Senior Brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he led by a wide margin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Weisheng’s July harvest set a record: 11,763 taels—over seven hundred taels ahead of Xu Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than half an hour later, all disciples arrived. After a hearty meal, they left the outer academy and returned to the Dao Academy in a large, noisy group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, Xu Jin learned another piece of news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three disciples were killed by Blood God Sect demons; one went missing; eleven were severely injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deadliest harvest season so far this year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the dead and missing—they were all elite Meal-Mist Sixth and Seventh Layer disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most had been injured just beyond the safety margins marked on the Academy’s maps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief moment of solemnity, most disciples chatted and laughed as they returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Death was only tragic for oneself and one’s closest kin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For others, it was just a name—or a number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Jin-ge, you almost took first place this time,” Lu Xianbing said, joining him with a hint of regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First or second doesn’t really matter,” Xu Jin said casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xianbing’s eyes widened. “Wait, Jin-ge—do you really not know, or are you pretending?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What don’t I know?” Xu Jin was puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The reward difference between first and second,” Lu Xianbing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know—it’s ten strands of starlight, a thousand taels. That’s a lot, but not worth stressing over,” Xu Jin replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xianbing stared, speechless. “Jin-ge… you really don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The biggest difference between first and second isn’t the silver or starlight—it’s the four characters: ‘Choose Any Star Weapon.’ That’s the real prize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Choose Any Star Weapon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin suddenly understood. “Choose Any Star Weapon—does that mean the rank is fixed, but the type varies?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Xianbing slapped his thigh. “Jin-ge, a first-rank weapon-type star weapon—except for spears, most cost around two thousand taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But do you know how much a first-rank armor, boots, or bracers cost?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Xu Jin understood Lu Xianbing’s meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First-rank bracers? Four thousand taels a pair. Boots? Five to six thousand taels on the market. Armor? Eight thousand to twenty thousand taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key is—you can’t usually buy them. They’re insanely popular, break more easily than weapons, and barely circulate on the market!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The External Affairs Hall doesn’t even sell them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin had fully understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had originally thought the difference between first and second place in the Harvest was only ten strands of starlight, as if the rewards weren’t much different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, hearing Lu Xianbing’s explanation, he fully grasped—the difference lay in the words “free choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you chose armor, its value started at eight thousand taels!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If calculated this way, the value of first place in the Harvest was truly immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Xu Jin realized something: Wang Weisheng had held first place for seven months—his personal wealth must be extraordinarily substantial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next time, I’ll just have to try harder next time!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jin could only sigh helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no hidden reserves; he had already produced all the medicinal herbs nurtured in his Star Lamp, yet still failed to surpass the top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right! Next time, I’ll try harder! Next month, I’ll have more experience and stronger strength—I’m definitely going to break into the top ten!” Lu Xianbing cheered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than half an hour later, the large group returned to Jinshan Dao Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon returning to Jinshan Dao Academy, all disciples except those severely injured gathered in the Training Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jinshan Dao Academy’s efficiency was still extremely high—no delays whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Harvest rankings would be announced and rewards distributed the same day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Training Hall, over three hundred disciples stood below the dais.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the dais, Vice Head Feng Shu, Supervising Abbot Cao Chun, Director Tian Zhang, and Chief Instructor Ning Yuchan all waited in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headmaster Dong Zhao always personally handled the distribution of rewards and encouragement to disciples—never delegating it to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a hundred heartbeats, Headmaster Dong Zhao arrived from afar, stepping on starlight, floating like an immortal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All of you, you’ve worked hard!” Headmaster Dong Zhao bowed in greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the Dao Academy, it’s no hardship!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Headmaster Dong Zhao took out his Star-Picking Token, focused his mind, waved his hand, and instantly, a projection of light appeared on the left side of the Training Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>July Harvest, First Place: Xu Jin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment these first words appeared, the disciples below the dais erupted in uproar!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Correction: The green snake previously slain should be classified as Third-Rank Lower, not Second-Rank Lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oversight—previous text has been corrected; please forgive us, esteemed patrons!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1687,"2026-06-19T23:56:29.689Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","924be3ff5cdf0ba9c79d6fff6dafa7cef71484cc88107d743b889e8d3b0f9a3d","the-star-martial-era-chapter-78","the-star-martial-era-chapter-76",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-star-martial-era-cover.jpg"]