Instructor Ning Yuchan was somewhat partial to Xu Jin, as it was said that his father, Xu Dajiang, knew her. When Xu Jin first entered the Jinshan Taoist Institute, it was through Instructor Ning Yuchan and the exchange of silver. However, such partiality was limited to occasional guidance during cultivation; she had never sought him out personally, so what could she want with him on such a late night?
"At this late hour, if you're not attending the evening class, where have you run off to?"
"Could it be that your father gave you some silver coins today and you've gone fooling around?"
Upon entering the room, Xu Jin just stood there, stunned.
Usually, Instructor Ning would wear a veil in public, revealing only her long legs – it was a shame one of them was with a limp, as her face was not clearly visible.
Yet perhaps because she was meeting Xu Jin in her private courtyard today, she wasn't wearing a veil, which allowed Xu Jin to get a clear look.
Her nose was high and straight, her eyebrows like slender willows, suggesting the shape of fine sword brows, her lips red and teeth white. She would be considered a beauty even in another life, only now her almond eyes were wide, her body leaning forward, her chest almost spilling out, which made Xu Jin glance away.
But being well aware of this fiery-tempered Instructor's demeanor, Xu Jin did not dare to look further, he swept a glance and promptly lowered his head, ready to be scolded. After Xu Jin entered the courtyard, Ning Yuchan unleashed a torrent of reprimands, furrowed brows and glaring eyes, even raising her iron crutch in a threatening manner. It looked like there was indeed a possibility that Xu Jin could get his legs broken.
The posture of a Jade Rakshasa.
Xu Jin hurriedly denied any wrongdoing, claiming he just felt a bit under the weather, but he was curious how Ning Yuchan knew Xu Dajiang had come that day.
"It's good that nothing happened.
If I find out that you are squandering your father's and your sister's hard-earned money to indulge in food and pleasure, I will break your legs myself." Ning Yuchan directly lifted her iron crutch.
"Moreover, even if you feel a little sick, you should still come out and persist in your cultivation.
What kind of man asks for sick leave?
In the journey of cultivation, perseverance is paramount.
Without perseverance, not to mention ordinary people, even geniuses will become useless.
Never give up until the very last moment!"
After another round of scolding, Xu Jin nodded eagerly, "Thank you for the lesson, Instructor, I will remember it."
"Here, take this."
After the scolding, Instructor Ning actually pulled out an elixir bottle and gave it to Xu Jin.
"Instructor, what is this?"
"This is a Mental Awakening Pill crafted by the Pill Masters in the institute. After taking it, it can refresh and awaken the mind, and to a certain extent enhance the effects of cultivation during the morning and evening classes. There are ten pills inside; you can take one before each cultivation session, which might increase your chances of Star Pointing success," said Instructor Ning.
Ning Yuchan spoke clearly, but Xu Jin hesitated to accept it right there and then.
In this world, there are no unprovoked favors. Xu Jin was aware of the Mental Awakening Pills – each worth five taels of silver. During this season's Star-pointing Season, many wealthy disciples were using them.
Some of them indeed succeeded in Star Pointing after using them.
Yet, there were many who kept using them without success.
The key was their value.
Ten pills meant fifty taels of silver; this was considered a huge sum – how could he just accept it blindly?
"Instructor, this is?"
Seeing Xu Jin's inquiry, a flicker of appreciation crossed Ning Yuchan's eyes. The boy Xu Jin was actually quite good, just that his body...
"Your father came to see me this afternoon with silver to ask me to acquire these from a Pill Master for you. During the remaining days of morning and evening classes, take one pill before class – it will be helpful to your Star Pointing."
Xu Jin felt a shock run through his heart.
Fifty taels!
Where did his father Xu Dajiang get so much silver?
Their family's farmland had been sold long ago for Xu Jin's sake.
Even the only remaining three old houses were not worth this much.
Moreover, the word 'pleading'...
"Why are you so good to me..."
"Practice your cultivation diligently and don't waste your father's painstaking efforts – strive to be successful in Star Pointing."
After thanking her, Xu Jin left with the Mental Awakening Pill. Along with a heavy heart, his resolve was stronger than ever.
He must succeed in Star Pointing.
He must survive, he must earn silver.
Returning to the dormitory bunkhouse, the lying-down Xu Jin closed his eyes and carefully contemplated the Candou Platform.
The Star Lamp seemed somewhat peculiar, but its purpose was not yet clear.
The strand of Starlight on the Candou Platform seemed to respond to Xu Jin's will, but for the time being, he didn't dare to experiment rashly.
Mid-contemplation, Xu Jin also drifted off to sleep – the day's events had been varied, and the emotional ups and downs had tired him thoroughly.
The next day, the youths were still awakened by the urgent sound of the woodblock, and they made their way to the early class plaza.
Some were full of vigor, while others felt hopeless about Star Pointing and were somewhat despondent.
"Brother Jin, there are only six days left. Do you think we can succeed in Star Pointing?" Qian Xiaohu, who stood beside Xu Jin and hadn't succeeded in Star Pointing in nearly three months, had also lost faith.
"Isn't there still six days left?"
"Do not give up on Star Pointing until the Star Pattern disappears!
As long as we work hard and persevere, there will be a harvest."
Qian Xiaohu's spirits were momentarily lifted, but Xu Jin himself was somewhat apprehensive, unsure of the effect of the Mental Awakening Pill.
"Dawn breaks, Dining Dawn Form, begin!"
Instructor Ning's voice rang out, and the mass of youths started to move their hips and take up the Dining Dawn Form, but Xu Jin first swallowed a pill.
Qian Xiaohu and a few other youths nearby saw, but nobody was surprised.
It was very normal for Xu Jin, who was always weak, to take medicine.
But today, Xu Jin had taken a Mental Awakening Pill.
It was not just the Mental Awakening Pill, after swallowing it, Xu Jin also took one of his life-saving Heart-saving Pills that he usually reserved.
He decided to try both simultaneously.
In an instant, a cool sensation rushed straight to his forehead, feeling like he had eaten mint. Xu Jin's mind was clearer than ever before, and his spirits were uplifted to an unprecedented level.
The effect of the Mental Awakening Pill seemed quite impressive.
Xu Jin immediately entered a state of cultivation. As he inhaled and exhaled, he focused on the Star Pattern in his chest and visualized the morning dawn light drawn from Heaven and Earth being absorbed through his mouth and nose, channeling towards the Star Pattern.
After three or four breaths, the Star Pattern on Xu Jin's chest began to flash.
This was much faster than before.
The Mental Awakening Pill really worked.
In less than ten minutes, Xu Jin felt the Star Pattern on his chest start to heat up, and it began to shine continuously instead of just flashing.
Xu Jin was elated.
This was a sign that he was about to succeed in Star Pointing.
The Star Pattern started to heat up and then became scorching, slowly branding itself into the skin and even the bones, beginning to shine continuously.
Usually, as long as the Star Pattern remained continuously lit for 15 minutes, it would permanently solidify the Star Pattern on the chest, marking a successful Star Pointing.
The Star Pattern on Xu Jin's chest became hotter and hotter, and the time it remained continuously lit quickly passed 100 breaths, then 200, and then 300.
From a distance, Instructor Ning Yuchan landed her iron crutch soundlessly on the ground and slowly approached Xu Jin, her eyes filled with anticipation.
400 breaths, 500 breaths, 600 breaths.
The Star Pattern on Xu Jin's chest became hotter and hotter but also increasingly comfortable, almost seeping into his bones.
Xu Jin focused even more.
There was a very high hope of success in Star Pointing today.
Especially since, so far, Xu Jin had not had an attack.
This could likely be due to taking the Heart-saving Pill beforehand.
But in that very moment, Xu Jin suddenly felt the heat from the Star Pattern in his chest strangely flow outward, moving towards his heart on the left side.
In an instant, a sharp pain struck his heart.
Xu Jin tensed up, noticing the originally bright Star Pattern on his chest suddenly dim.
Especially as the heat from the Star Pattern continued flowing towards the heart, the once continuously lit pattern became dimmer and started to flash again.
Instructor Ning, who was approaching from a distance, suddenly stopped, a look of helplessness appearing in her eyes.
Was it a failure again?
"No!"
In his nervousness, Xu Jin tried his hardest to run the Dining Dawn Form to absorb more Star Dawn light into his body, but the more nervous and forceful he became, the worse the absorption of Star Dawn light.
Thump thump thump!
Xu Jin's heart suddenly started pounding wildly, like beating drums.
"Here it comes again!"
Xu Jin inwardly lamented, but he didn't panic, instead focusing his mind to draw on a strand of Starlight that was floating above the Candou Platform.
He had tried it last night, and found that this strand of Starlight, called forth by his thoughts, was similar in nature to the Star Dawn light he had absorbed; it was just purer and in greater quantities.
The next moment, Xu Jin guided the strand of Starlight from the Candou Platform directly into the Star Pattern on his chest.
Almost simultaneously, the dulled Star Pattern on Xu Jin's chest blazed with brightness, becoming glaringly radiant, and his chest burned fiercely hot.
Instructor Ning, who was observing Xu Jin, even felt her eyes dazzle from the brilliance of the Star Pattern.
At the same time, the overloaded Star Pattern burst forth a great surge of Starlight, rushing toward Xu Jin's heart on the left side.
Xu Jin's heart first felt warm, then scorching, followed by excruciating pain. After an involuntary pained grunt, his vision darkened, and he collapsed, fainting to the ground.
However, the Star Pattern on the unconscious Xu Jin's chest still remained brightly lit.
"Brother Jin!"
Qian Xiaohu, who was practicing nearby, stopped his cultivation and rushed over, intending to feed Xu Jin some medicine, but was stopped by Instructor Ning, who had quickly arrived at the scene.
"Do not touch him, continue with your cultivation."
"Oh."
The other youths who were startled by the incident also noticed the peculiarity; Xu Jin had fainted, yet his Star Pattern remained lit.
Had he succeeded in Star Pointing?
Many of them looked on with envy.
However, as time passed, after several hundred breaths, the Star Pattern on Xu Jin's chest gradually went out, and a look of confusion appeared in everyone's eyes.
Did he succeed in Star Pointing or not?
Instructor Ning bent down, placed two fingers on Xu Jin's neck pulse, and felt Xu Jin's increasingly strong pulse, a look of joy surfacing in her expression.
Whether the Star Pointing was successful or not, she couldn't determine by feeling the pulse.
But what she could confirm was that this morning's training session had cured Xu Jin of his innate condition.
She had taken his pulse several times before, and although he was young, his pulse had always been weak and feeble, never as vigorous as this time.
It seemed that the advice from the famous doctor to Xu Dajiang was true.
Attempting Star Pointing could indeed cure an Innate condition!