Chapter 86: Protection Star Pattern (Third Chapter: Requesting First Subscription and Monthly Tickets)

Ordinary people take a hundred days to recover from muscle and bone injuries, but even with star force accelerating healing, cultivators still need over half a month.

So Second Brother Zhang Han is still confined to bed.

Hearing Xu Jin had arrived, Second Brother Zhang Han slapped the bed with his right hand, leapt up, and leaned on a wooden cane to welcome Xu Jin into the courtyard.

“Brother, your leg still isn’t healed?”

“The Master has treated it already, but without a divine healing technique, recovery takes time. The leg is improving—I’ll be walking normally in two or three days. But my severed arm? Full recovery will take another seven or eight days.” Zhang Han smiled bitterly, reaching for tea, but Xu Jin stopped him.

“Second Brother, I need your help with something.” Xu Jin cut straight to the point.

“Brother, speak freely—I’ll give my all if I can.” At once, Zhang Han grew serious upon hearing Xu Jin needed aid.

“It’s like this, Second Brother—you mentioned last time that Jinshan County has a black market, where trading goods is easier and prices are higher. I’d like to know where it is and what the rules are.”

“This? Simple.”

A few minutes later, Xu Jin left Zhang Han’s courtyard.

After Xu Jin saved Zhang Han last time, during a later visit, they’d chatted briefly about disposing of unused star weapons seized in missions, and Zhang Han had mentioned the black market offhand.

Xu Jin hadn’t pressed for details then, but today he came specifically to ask.

Because Xu Jin was going to the black market to buy things.

According to Zhang Han, Jinshan County’s black market was essentially a free-trade hub for rogue cultivators dealing in cultivation resources, which had gradually grown into a proper scene.

So much so that disciples from major Dao academies sometimes visited the black market too.

The reason was simple: black market prices were higher.

Rogue cultivators struggled to obtain resources—star weapons, elixirs, especially high-quality ones produced by the major Dao academies—which were rare and could fetch premium prices.

Many Dao academy disciples were also willing to sell their surplus goods at the black market.

Who wouldn’t be happy to earn more silver?

And rogue cultivators’ acquired resources, some lacking official channels for sale, others selling poorly through official channels, were often brought to the black market, where they fetched better prices.

Of course, as a black market, its defining feature for both buyers and sellers was its illegality.

The authorities turned a blind eye to its existence, and rumors even claimed official involvement.

The black market was an extremely important marketplace, especially for Dao academy-produced elixirs.

Returning to his own courtyard, Xu Jin slung over his back the two unused star weapons seized during his recent mountain expedition, the two star weapons taken from Deng Longshu and Gong Wei, and the star weapon he’d casually taken from the Cloud-Feasting guardian he’d killed in the Zhao household, then headed straight for Jinshan County’s black market.

Although Xu Jin’s main purpose was to buy, he wasn’t sure if his silver would suffice, so he brought these star weapons along.

Previously, Xu Jin had just over eight thousand taels; yesterday, he’d taken a thousand gold notes and over two thousand silver notes from Zhao Weiqing’s person, but spent six thousand taels at Guan Yiqing’s place.

Altogether, he still had over fourteen thousand taels.

He’d just casually counted his gains after killing Deng Longshu and Gong Wei: Deng had over three thousand taels in silver, while Gong Wei, a pauper, had barely over a thousand.

His current cash: eighteen thousand taels.

Not little.

But for major undertakings, more silver was always better!

Along the way, Xu Jin encountered several patrols of county guards; because of the Zhao household’s major case, the entire county was tense.

But it didn’t affect him—once he flashed his badge as Chief of the Star-Patrol Unit, passage was unimpeded.

Jinshan County’s black market operated beside a brothel, guarded by a burly, fearsome man at the entrance.

As Xu Jin approached, the man opened his mouth to speak, but Xu Jin handed him five taels of silver; the man immediately tossed him a mask.

A hideous monkey-face mask.

This was the entry fee.

“Fighting inside? You die!”

After saying this, the man let Xu Jin in.

Inside, Xu Jin found nothing but roadside stalls, much like a morning market.

This black market had no prestige at all.

Few pedestrians, but many vendors—none solicited customers; some simply posted signs listing what they bought and sold, then sat in silent meditation.

Xu Jin even saw someone selling strength.

In short: hired thugs.

You pay silver, I fight for you.

“Star weapons for sale—who’s buying?”

Having learned from Zhang Han’s advice, Xu Jin bellowed outright—immediately, three or four vendors opened their eyes and turned toward him.

Three minutes later, Xu Jin sold his five star weapons to two buyers.

This black market truly was a great place to sell silver.

Xu Jin remembered his first seized star weapon had fetched only 1,800 taels from the Forge Hall, exchanged for one piece of star meteorite.

Here, even the cheapest first-rank star weapon sold for 2,300 taels.

The most expensive was Gong Wei’s star weapon longbow.

It sold for a full 3,500 taels.

For the five star weapons, Xu Jin received 12,400 taels in cash.

Xu Jin’s current cash now exceeded thirty thousand taels, nearing thirty-one thousand.

“Who has star cores from star beasts?”

This was Xu Jin’s true reason for coming to the black market.

Previously, at the External Affairs Hall, he’d asked—star cores were not sold there, primarily because they were scarce everywhere.

“I have one upper third-rank and one lower third-rank.”

“I have two middle third-rank.”

“I have one lower fourth-rank.”

Three vendors in the entire black market responded to Xu Jin.

Xu Jin went to each one, one by one, and bought them.

The black market: expensive to sell, expensive to buy.

The Dao academy’s official valuation for a lower third-rank star core was 1,500 taels, but here it cost 2,000 taels per piece; upper third-rank demanded 4,000 taels each.

Quickly, Xu Jin acquired all four third-rank cores: the two middle-rank ones were priced at 3,000 taels each; after haggling, he got them for 5,600 taels total, spending 11,600 taels.

“Brother, how much for this lower fourth-rank star core?” Xu Jin approached the lone-armored man beneath a wide-brimmed hat, his heart already recoiling as he drew near.

Normally, Xu Jin couldn’t sense this man’s cultivation aura—but under the Mingji Star Pattern, he faintly perceived the man’s aura had surpassed Star-Refining, meaning he was a Condensing Star expert.

Most Star-Patrol Unit squad leaders were merely Star-Refining.

A fourth-rank Condensing Star expert was already a formidable figure, at least within Jinshan County.

“Ten thousand taels!” “Can you reveal what kind of star beast this core comes from?” Xu Jin asked.

“Jinghai Thunder Dragon.”

The hat-wearer’s four-word reply stunned Xu Jin.

Dragon?

Did this world have dragons?

And one had been slain and stripped of its core—apparently dragons here weren’t so impressive.

“Brother, can you lower the price?”

“Ten thousand taels. Not a single tael less!” the one-armed man said.

“But brother, this price is too high—hardly anyone can afford it. Lower it, I’ll buy it.”

“Ten thousand taels. Not a single tael less.”

One minute later, Xu Jin, deeply annoyed, paid ten thousand taels for the seemingly impressive Jinghai Thunder Dragon star core.

As soon as he took possession, a flash of starlight appeared on the Can Dou Platform; the jade tablet displayed information—Xu Jin knew he hadn’t been cheated; it was truly lower fourth-rank.

But the name was exaggerated.

“Jinghai Thunder Dragon”? It was plainly a lower fourth-rank star beast: Thunder Ray.

Xu Jin had genuinely thought it came from a dragon.

Xu Jin had just recently become a ten-thousand-tael household, and now a thirty-thousand-tael household.

But after purchasing these five star cores, he was instantly back to the thousand-tael level, with only 9,500 taels left.

Yet the gains were enormous.

The information on the Can Dou Platform jade tablet was proof enough.

【Available for Offering: Third-Rank Tiger Spirit, Third-Rank Bear Spirit, Third-Rank Leopard Spirit, Fourth-Rank Thunder Ray】

Xu Jin had bought five cores; two were identical—both Third-Rank Bear Spirits.

Xu Jin didn’t rush to leave the black market—he still didn’t know if he’d found the star core he needed.

So he casually sat down, his mind sinking into the Can Dou Platform.

With a thought, he placed the Third-Rank Tiger Spirit directly beneath the offering table, completing the offering.

The jade tablet’s information immediately changed.

【Offered Spirit Item Two: Third-Rank Lower Tiger Spirit. Consuming one strand of starlight grants access to or exchange of protective spirit. When fully charged with star force, it unleashes the spirit’s peak attack, accompanied by slight soul assault; after activation, the spirit vanishes.】

【Available Protection: Tiger Roar Star Pattern】

Upon reading the protection offered by the lower third-rank Tiger Spirit, Xu Jin immediately switched to the next star core.

Unsatisfied.

After acquiring the Tiger Spirit’s protection, Xu Jin could unleash Tiger Roar via star force vibrations—a sonic attack with slight soul-attacking power, a form of area-of-effect technique—but not what he was seeking.

Then Xu Jin removed the third-rank lower-grade Tiger Spirit and replaced it with the third-rank middle-grade Bear Spirit.

To Xu Jin’s surprise, this third-rank middle-grade Bear Spirit offered him three protective constellations.

【Available Protections: Mighty Strength Constellation, Spirit Smell Constellation, Earth Fury Constellation】

The first two were conventional constellations, but the third—Earth Fury Constellation—made Xu Jin’s pupils contract.

Transcendent.

This third constellation represented true transcendent power.

Earth Fury Constellation, through stellar force, triggers violent upheavals in the earth, responsive to one’s will.

Merely from its description, Earth Fury Constellation was an extremely practical constellation; had he not been in the Black Market, Xu Jin would have tested it right then.

What puzzled Xu Jin was that the two third-rank middle-grade Bear Spirits offered different protections—the second Bear Spirit lacked Earth Fury Constellation entirely.

It seemed that even identical star beasts could possess different constellations.

Then Xu Jin replaced it with the fourth star core: the third-rank upper-grade Leopard Spirit.

【Available Protection: Swift Lightning Constellation】

This third-rank upper-grade Leopard Spirit offered only one protective constellation.

But this Swift Lightning Constellation made Xu Jin’s eyes light up.

Swift Lightning Constellation greatly enhances speed, enabling movement like lightning and turns as swift as thunder.

Just these two constellations—Swift Lightning and Earth Fury—made Xu Jin feel the trip was worth it; the twenty thousand silver taels spent in the Black Market were well spent.

Moreover, there was still one higher-rank fourth-grade “Jinghai Thunder Dragon” star core left unexamined.

In the next instant, Xu Jin placed the fourth-rank lower-grade Thunder Ray star core into the Can Dou Platform, and instantly, information appeared upon it.

【Available Protections: Thunder Serpent Constellation, Water Command Constellation】

When Xu Jin saw Thunder Serpent Constellation, his eyes brightened.

After gaining Thunder Serpent Constellation’s protection, one can unleash stellar force in the form of thunder—weak, serpentine, hence called Thunder Serpent Constellation.

Water Command Constellation was simpler: after gaining its protection, entering water feels like returning home, with all aquatic states significantly enhanced.

Worth it.

Just this one Thunder Serpent Constellation made the ten thousand taels well spent.

This was precisely why Xu Jin came to the Black Market.

Because his cultivation base couldn’t be rapidly increased in a short time, but his combat power could.

Previously, by offering the Snake Spirit to the Can Dou Platform, he gained Spirit Smell Constellation, greatly boosting his combat capability.

A second-rank Can Dou Platform can host two spirit objects, granting two constellation protections.

Previously, Xu Jin had only one; he came here specifically to acquire another constellation protection and enhance his combat power.

After acquiring a star core, one not only gains constellation protection but can also directly channel stellar force to unleash the spirit object’s strongest attack in its lifetime.

Equivalent to a one-time talisman.

If so, today Xu Jin acquired five star cores—equivalent to possessing five explosive talismans.

Especially the fourth-rank lower-grade Thunder Ray star core; if unleashed, it would equal a fourth-grade Condensing Star realm attack—extremely powerful.

But Xu Jin hadn’t expected to acquire so many star cores here, gaining several useful constellation protections in succession.

Currently, the constellations Xu Jin favored most were Earth Fury Constellation, Thunder Serpent Constellation, and Swift Lightning Constellation—each could greatly enhance his combat power; in comparison, Swift Lightning Constellation not only boosted his combat power but also comprehensively improved his survivability.

Speed, sometimes, is life or death.

But the best defense is offense.

Yet Xu Jin’s Can Dou Platform could currently host only one more spirit object—so which of these three constellation protections should he choose?

(End of Chapter)