Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

36: Chapter 32: Dining Dawn Second Layer

36 -32: Dining Dawn Second Layer

Clang!

The sound of a long sword being unsheathed abruptly started and stopped within Tian Zhang’s quiet room.

“In the dead of night, must you scare people?

I was about to draw my sword!” Tian Zhang exclaimed, speechless.

“Then draw it, what are you afraid of?”

Tian Zhang was even more at a loss for words, silent for a few moments before asking, “What brings you to me this time?

Didn’t I arrange an identity for you to hide within the Taoist Institute?”

“Am I hiding?

Do I, Qi Shanye, need to hide?” Qi Shanye declared proudly.

Tian Zhang remained silent, waiting for Qi Shanye to continue.

“Do you have any silver?” Qi Shanye asked after a few moments.

“No.”

“Lend me five thousand taels.”

“You could go rob someone.”

“If I were willing to rob, by tomorrow I could become the wealthiest in Jinshan County, and the doorstep of your Tian Zhang’s home would be trampled to pieces,” Qi Shanye said.

The next instant, a stack of silver notes flew from Tian Zhang’s embrace towards Qi Shanye.

“Two thousand taels?

That’s not enough!” Qi Shanye counted after receiving them.

“That’s all the cash I have on hand.”

“Alright then, just prepare some more for me, I might need to come take it in a few days.”

After speaking, Qi Shanye disappeared, leaving behind a speechless Tian Zhang.

He had no choice, he owed him.

******

“Instructor, I want to ask, what methods are there in this world to enhance the power of the Divine Soul?” The green-clothed man’s eerie actions had made Xu Jin very uneasy, so after morning classes the next day, Xu Jin sought out Ning Yuchan for advice.

“There are many ways.

For example, the common Mental Awakening Pill, the Star Power-nourished Rejuvenation Pill, and even better, the Rejuvenation Pill, which ordinary people can’t afford,” Ning Yuchan said.

“Instructor, then is there a secret technique that can strengthen and raise the upper limit of the Divine Soul’s power?” Xu Jin asked.

“Daily cultivation, including engraving star patterns, can very slowly strengthen the power of the Divine Soul, accumulating over time and through the years.

But a secret technique that raises the upper limit of the Divine Soul’s power, I have never seen before.

The State Taoist Institute and the National Taoist Institute don’t have it, but it’s said that the Star Hall does, though the cultivation requirements are extremely severe.

Why, is your Divine Soul Power running low?

In cultivating a path, it’s important to persist and not to rush,” Ning Yuchan advised patiently.

As Xu Jin nodded, he took the opportunity to ask Ning Yuchan many questions about cultivation and secret techniques, many of which were strange and unusual, even making Ning Yuchan feel a bit odd.

“Instructor, is there an invisibility Star Skill in this world?”

“Invisibility Star Skills exist.

Many Star Skills can hide within light, within shadows, or are Dharma Methods that conceal one’s aura, allowing others to overlook one’s presence.

The State Taoist Institute has similar Star Skills,” Ning Yuchan said.

“Like, for example, you standing in front of me, and I can’t see you—do such Star Skills exist?”

“I’ve heard of them, but they are said to require a combination of Secret Star Patterns and Star Skills to achieve, which is very rare.”

“Instructor, is there a Star Skill that can take over another’s body?”

“What do you mean?

I don’t quite understand?” Ning Yuchan, upon hearing these terms Xu Jin had encountered in fantasy novels from his previous life, did not understand at first.

“I mean, are there Star Skills that allow a being who has cultivated to the utmost extreme, whose physical body is at the end of its lifespan, to use a Star Technique Secret Method to inject their own Divine Soul into a young body to take over?” This question arose from the aftereffects of the Clearing Soul Star Pattern the green-clothed man taught Xu Jin the previous night.

Xu Jin pondered for a long time, wondering if some old monster wanted to raise a female partner for body-snatching or something?

It wasn’t that Xu Jin read too many fantasy novels.

It was worry—being taught Star Patterns that enhance the Divine Soul right off the bat, and the type that sought him out to do so.

Wasn’t this a pie falling from the sky?

“This is indeed a novel idea!”

Ning Yuchan shook her head.

“There’s a legend that a Star Hall Master turned into a star and gained eternal life before his death, but a body-snatching Star Skill, I have never heard of.

Of course, this also has to do with my limited experiences,” Ning Yuchan said, then curiously added, “What do you spend all day thinking about these for?

Have you broken through to the second layer of Dining Dawn?

Remember, if you don’t reach the fifth layer of Dining Dawn in fifty-five days, you owe me three thousand taels.”

“No, no, I was just chatting with fellow disciples, I’ll remember!” Xu Jin left in a fluster.

Ning Yuchan’s answers gave Xu Jin some relief.

The worst possibility was being refined and taken over by that mysterious green-clothed man.

Having asked about it, the likelihood seemed much lower.

But Xu Jin was still anxious, what really was the green-clothed man after?

New disciples within seven days of entering the institute had no menial chores and could fully dedicate themselves to cultivation.

These last few days, Xu Jin diligently practiced every morning and evening, and all the Starlight accumulated from the Candou Platform was completely expended.

The only difference was that most of his free time was spent engraving Star Patterns within the Star Lamp; his time spent on martial learning within it decreased.

Night.

Xu Jin was practicing the Five Battles Killing Fist on a secluded spot behind the dormitory.

As the third repetition of the Drinking Radiance Style concluded, Xu Jin channeled the Starlight accumulated from the Candou Platform into the Star Pattern, time and time again.

Five Battles Killing Fist, over and over.

By the seventh repetition, as the first move of the Yin-Yang Fist was executed, a basic Star Shield emerged on his forearm.

Retreating, he executed the second move, the fist protecting the elbow, and another Star Shield appeared at the tip of his elbow.

One move, three forms, and each form produced a basic Star Shield.

Xu Jin was overjoyed.

Great Success.

This was a sign that the first move of the Five Battles Killing Fist, the Yin-Yang Fist, had reached Great Success.

As the instructor had said, achieving Great Success in the Five Battles Killing Fist would exponentially enhance one’s practical combat ability.

The Five Battles Killing Fist at Great Success still required the momentum of the punch to cast a basic Star Skill, but it was several times stronger than at Small Success.

After all, at Small Success, you had to complete a full sequence of three forms to cast one basic Star Skill.

Who has time to properly position yourself during actual combat?

But achieving Great Success is different.

Of course, reaching Perfection is even more so.

One can unleash Star Skills with a mere gesture.

On the rooftop, the green-clothed Qi Shanye also furrowed his brow as he watched Xu Jin cultivate.

“This kid hasn’t perfected his Five Battles Killing Fist?

He’s only achieved Great Success with the first move?

Could it be that he has only perfected the second move, Lifting Ten Thousand Stones?

That’s also possible.

But to achieve Great Success in the Star Pointing after twelve days, and to have one move reach Perfection, is still incredibly genius.”

Next, Qi Shanye watched Xu Jin cultivate and suddenly froze again in surprise.

“Has this kid performed the Five Battles Killing Fist ten times in one breath?

How robust is the internal Star Power?

I remember that at the First Layer of Dining Dawn, one can normally perform it three times consecutively, and after each breakthrough, perform one more repetition of the Five Battles Killing Fist.

Ten times?

Could it be that the Small Star Gathering Pattern from their Taoist Institute has been completed?”

The next instant, Xu Jin began the eleventh repetition, and Qi Shanye stood on the rooftop with arms folded, somewhat curious.

The twelfth, the thirteenth, the fourteenth, the fifteenth.

During the fifteenth repetition, when performing the fourth move, Northern Shooting Sky Wolf, Xu Jin suddenly unleashed a punch.

Whoosh!

A sharp sound of tearing through the air rang out.

A streak of Starlight, like an arrow, shot out from Xu Jin’s fist, and after traveling two meters, it dissipated.

At the same moment, an indescribable sensation of fluency appeared in Xu Jin’s entire right arm.

With just a thought, the entire right arm, including the fist, was covered in dim Starlight.

Xu Jin’s face lit up with joy.

With a slight flick of his fist, a burst of Star Radiance erupted.

Success—he had broken through to the Second Layer of Dining Dawn.

A basic ability to protect himself was now in hand.

If Xu Jin were to face Deng Hu and those five ruffians again, he would not find himself in such a helpless situation as before.

If he could exchange the Star Skill solidified in the Star Lamp for a basic Star Arrow beforehand, killing would be even easier.

After an instantaneous release, this Star Arrow would be like a point-shooting handgun with a range of only two meters.

Against ordinary people without Star Power, this thing could easily cause either a fracture or a serious injury with a random shot, and if aimed at a vital spot, there would be just one outcome—death!

“Breaking through to the Second Layer of Dining Dawn in eleven days, this cultivation speed is extremely rare even within the Star Hall, let alone its branches and subsidiaries.” On the rooftop, Qi Shanye watched with increasing satisfaction.

As for the robustness of the Star Power, Qi Shanye had already come up with an explanation in his mind; it was possible that Xu Jin had an innate talent.

Like himself, who was innately talented in the aspect of Divine Soul Power.

After completing three cycles of Star Power induction with the Drinking Radiance Style and cultivating the Five Battles Killing Fist, Xu Jin did not take the Mental Awakening Pill to continue restoring Divine Soul Power.

Xu Jin planned to save the Mental Awakening Pill for the Star Patterns.

After countless repetitions over two days, Xu Jin had already managed to perfectly engrave the Small Star Gathering Pattern with Star Power inside the Star Lamp.

One could say that the hardest part had been completed inside the Star Lamp.

Next, it was time to control the Star Power and engrave it onto his chest.

To put it more vividly, if the Small Star Gathering Pattern was likened to copying, after completing the engraving inside the Star Lamp, Xu Jin had moved from copy to trace.

The difficulty was greatly reduced.

Xu Jin felt that his Small Star Gathering Pattern was likely to be a success soon.

However, when Xu Jin returned to his dormitory, he did not immediately consume the Rejuvenation Pill; he was a bit afraid.

Would the mysterious dying green-clothed man come tonight?

It would be better if he didn’t.

Just as Xu Jin was contemplating, the mysterious voice rang in Xu Jin’s ear, “Learned your lesson today, waiting for me?”

Xu Jin was speechless.

He really came again.

The next instant, the bolted door flew open by itself, and the door opened; Xu Jin felt someone enter.

At that moment, Xu Jin really wanted to throw a bag of lime out of his arms to make the genius reveal himself.

Before Xu Jin could react, a large hand once again covered Xu Jin’s forehead.

Xu Jin was speechless and frowned.

“Can’t you stop being creepy and be more normal, don’t scare me.”

“You were about to throw lime at me, you’re so bold, and yet you get scared?” Qi Shanye laughed, revealing his form, but Xu Jin still could not see his full appearance.

“Just like yesterday, continue.”

The warm and slow Divine Soul Power flowed into Xu Jin’s head like water, and under such circumstances, Xu Jin could only cooperate.

But an hour later, Xu Jin opened his eyes, “My head is starting to hurt, my Divine Soul Power is nearly depleted.”

“No problem, I’ve prepared this for you.”

A Pill appeared in front of Xu Jin.

“Rejuvenation Pill, it can directly restore Divine Soul Power, and its effect is three times that of the Mental Awakening Pill,” said Qi Shanye.

Xu Jin was speechless.

Could you be any more thoughtful?