A figure suddenly dashed out from the side of the road, startling Xu Jin. As he retreated, he immediately assumed the stance of Five Battles Killing Fist.
"Brother Jin, it's me!" the shadow suddenly stepped forward and spoke.
Lit by the starlight, Xu Jin recognized who it was, "Liu Ji?"
"Brother Jin, it's me! Brother Jin, please help me too. I want to succeed in Star Pointing," Liu Ji pleaded urgently.
"Hmm? I've told you all my experiences with Star Pointing, honestly, I haven't held anything back!" Xu Jin sincerely said.
Seeing Liu Ji's anxious appearance, Xu Jin roughly understood. In the past few days, Qian Xiaohu, Sha Youtian and others had successively succeeded in Star Pointing, which made Liu Ji, who had always claimed he was about to try Star Pointing, somewhat desperate.
"Brother Jin, I beg you, help me! If I can't succeed in Star Pointing, I'm finished!"
Liu Ji, in his desperation, was about to kowtow to Xu Jin right on the spot, but Xu Jin quickly stopped him. That was a gesture he could not lightly accept.
After some thought, Xu Jin carefully said, "Liu Ji, according to what those who have successfully completed Star Pointing said, taking Mental Awakening Pills might help a little with Star Pointing. You could buy a few and try."
Liu Ji's face was filled with woe, "I've bought them, and I've already taken four, but I still haven't succeeded in Star Pointing."
"This... then I really only know so much. Keep persevering, there are still several days left. You've been working so hard, you should be able to succeed in Star Pointing," Xu Jin offered some encouragement.
"Brother Jin, Senior Brother Luo and the others said that if you take one Mental Awakening Pill before each morning and evening class in the last few days, the chances of succeeding in Star Pointing are still pretty high. Please help me out!" Liu Ji suddenly said.
Xu Jin was taken aback, then suddenly realized what was going on.
This kid knew about the Mental Awakening Pill, had already taken four, and was still coming to find him. So, he wasn't asking for experience or advice—he was coming to borrow Silver.
"Liu Ji, you know my family's situation as well. We hardly have any spare wealth. I would like to help you, but I simply can't," Xu Jin earnestly said.
Xu Jin did have a few Mental Awakening Pills on hand, but they were his cultivation resources, crucial to his future and the safety of his family. They could not possibly be lent out.
If he had the means, Xu Jin would help others, but he would never play the good Samaritan to a fault.
"No, Brother Jin, if you want to help me, you can help me," Liu Ji insisted urgently.
Xu Jin looked puzzled, not understanding.
"The Heavenly River Gang from the county city has already made it known that anyone who has succeeded in Star Pointing can endorse or guarantee a loan of one hundred taels of Silver directly, without any collateral.
Brother Jin, you've succeeded in Star Pointing, you're eligible now. You just need to show up, and that would be a great help to me, please!" Liu Ji rushed.
"I'll pay you back as soon as I succeed in Star Pointing!" Liu Ji added.
Xu Jin looked steadily at Liu Ji, his expression suddenly turned cold.
Damn, he hadn't expected that Liu Ji, his own dorm-mate, would turn out to be such a scammer.
Going to the Heavenly River Gang for a guaranteed loan was not helping; it was selling Xu Jin out to help himself, Liu Ji.
And to act as a guarantor, why not ask Luo Geng who pointed you in the right direction?
"You think I'm stupid, get lost!"
Xu Jin outright turned his back, pushing Liu Ji away, causing him to stumble.
You have to say, just starting Body Refining for two days, along with Blood Replenishing Pills and Solid Foundation Pills, Xu Jin's slight frame was rapidly becoming stronger.
"Brother Jin, please!"
Liu Ji intended to kneel and plead again, but Xu Jin walked straight into the dormitory without looking back, denying him the opportunity.
Watching Xu Jin's retreating figure, Liu Ji, who had almost knelt, slowly stood up, his face gloomy.
"Brother Jin, Brother Jin, Liu Ji asked me to help him borrow Silver, saying that anyone who has succeeded in Star Pointing can immediately borrow one hundred taels of Silver from the Heavenly River Gang, just by signing a note. I was going to refuse, but when he was about to kowtow to me, I couldn't bear to turn him down..."
"You agreed?" Xu Jin, who had just laid down, opened his eyes wide upon hearing Qian Xiaohu's words.
"Not yet, just said I'd consider it, talk about it tomorrow," Qian Xiaohu mumbled.
"You thinking of agreeing?" Xu Jin asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Seeing him so pitiful..."
"Pitiful?"
Xu Jin scoffed coldly, "Then think about it, what if he doesn't succeed in Star Pointing?"
Qian Xiaohu's expression chilled, just as he was about to say something, Xu Jin continued, "Also, do you think, the Heavenly River Gang would lend you one hundred taels of Silver just based on your note? Because Qian Xiaohu has a big face? Or a strong background? Or are they showing you favor for your strength? Or is it for that small bit of interest?"
"Brother Jin, I understand, thank you for the reminder." Qian Xiaohu, now enlightened, was full of gratitude.
Understanding was good. Xu Jin's reminder to Qian Xiaohu had to stop there. If he still wouldn't listen, there was nothing more to be done.
It was only now that Xu Jin fully understood: Liu Ji was not treating him like a fool, but rather was casting a net into the sea, hoping to catch a fool. Fooling just one would be considered a success.
Such a person not only had to be kept at a distance in the future, but one also had to be wary of any interaction.
***
Classes on June 14 went as usual in the morning, but after the lunch break, Qian Xiaohu called Xu Jin early to head to the Martial Arts Hall of the Outer Court of the Taoist Institute.
After succeeding in Star Pointing, some of the content of the Star Martial Six Arts classes was different and conducted separately.
The Star Martial Six Arts consisted of Slaughter, Tracking, Forging, Medicine Inquiry, Beast Taming, and Sea Exploration.
Currently, only the first four Arts were being taught, and for the courses of Slaughter and Tracking, those who had succeeded in Star Pointing and those who had not did not attend together.
Xu Jin arrived with Qian Xiaohu fairly early, but within the Outer Court Martial Arts Hall, there were already more than a dozen youths seated. After Xu Jin and Qian Xiaohu found a place to sit, about ten minutes later, Instructor Cui Tianqi arrived.
Instructor Cui Tianqi had a full beard and an extremely burly physique, resembling a bear-man, which was intimidating at first glance.
Xu Jin counted, a total of sixty-three people had arrived.
That is to say, of the four hundred and sixty-plus people in this Star-pointing Season, up to now, only sixty-three had succeeded in Star Pointing. The rate of success was less than twenty percent, which was quite low.
"Hmm, seven more people have succeeded in Star Pointing, not bad." The gaze of Instructor Cui Tianqi swept past Xu Jin, showing a touch of surprise. He had a vivid memory of that boy who had been escorted back by the county guard.
Especially the reason, 'Despair of Star Pointing, weighed down with sorrow,' at that time, Instructor Cui had even thought of giving him a beating.
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He hadn't expected to actually succeed in Star Pointing.
"Since we have newcomers, today's lesson will still be about the most fundamental method of using Star Power with the Five Battles Killing Fist. It will remain so until this season of Star Pointing ends. Those who aren't interested may leave now," Cui Tianqi said.
Upon hearing this, Yue Daqi, who had been sitting alone, stood up, bowed to Cui Tianqi with a fist clasped in his palm, and left. Following him, the second and third of the Star Pointing, Ren Xiaoxiang and Zhou Du, also paid their respects and departed.
Only three people left.
"Good, Lu Xianbing, you go ahead and show these new junior brothers your Five Battles Killing Fist," Instructor Cui said.
Lu Xianbing was a tall youth with long arms and legs, a determined face, and a robust figure, clearly coming from a well-to-do family.
Upon hearing these words, he first bowed to the instructor and the crowd of youths, then staggered his feet and struck the starting pose of the Five Battles Killing Fist. In an instant, starlight appeared on his neck, both hands, and left ankle beneath his clothes.
"Fourth Layer!"
"He's reached Dining Dawn Fourth Layer!"
"So quickly!"
The youths exclaimed in surprise, with Xu Jin and Qian Xiaohu looking on enviously.
A Dining Dawn Fourth Layer Star Warrior was highly sought after in the county city.
"Yin-Yang Combining!"
With a low shout, Lu Xianbing swiftly blocked with his hands, suddenly producing a semicircular Starlight Shield in front of him.
As if demonstrating, Instructor Cui casually picked up a long spear and thrust it at Lu Xianbing's Star Shield with extreme force, causing a whooshing sound as it broke through the air.
Lu Xianbing merely supported his Star Shield slightly and the spear was held firmly in place before falling to the ground.
The next move was Lifting Ten Thousand Stones.
Each punch and kick was followed by a layer of starlight, whether on the tip of a foot or the face of a fist, that would disperse once it struck solid matter.
The last strike saw Lu Xianbing's fist directly targeting the greenstone beside the Martial Arts Hall.
Boom!
Stone chips flew everywhere.
A fist imprint an inch deep was made in the greenstone, startling several youths sitting nearby into retreating.
"This is called Star Radiance, including the first move of Yin-Yang Combining that produces the Star Shield. These are the actual combat techniques of the Five Battles Killing Fist, the most basic and low-tier foundational Star Skill, but they can only be stirred by Star Martial moves.
But don't underestimate it because it's a foundational Star Skill; the most basic is the most important, particularly in critical situations," Instructor Cui said, taking the opportunity to lecture while Lu Xianbing awed everyone.
The Five Battles Killing Fist has four realms: Beginner, Small Success, Great Success, and Perfection.
These realms are primarily classified by whether one can produce Star Radiance or not. Completing three moves of a form to produce Star Radiance or a Star Shield counts as Small Success. If one can produce Star Radiance with any single move, that is considered Great Success, and if one can produce the corresponding Star Radiance or Star Shield with any casual movement, without needing specific moves, that is Perfection.
But Small Success is easy, Great Success is hard, and reaching Perfection is doubly difficult!
Those with exceptional talent might reach Small Success in three to five days, Great Success in two to three months, but achieving Perfection would require years of tough training.
For most, achieving Small Success could take a couple of months, possible Great Success in a few years, but Perfection is uncertain.
If one could cultivate the Five Battles Killing Fist to Small Success, not only would combat effectiveness greatly increase, but so would the speed of Body Refining. If one could practice one or two moves to the realm of Small Success, the time required to break through to Dining Dawn Fifth Layer would be significantly reduced.
Subsequently, Instructor Cui personally demonstrated the Five Battles Killing Fist. With each movement, Star Shield and Star Radiance appeared effortlessly in any position, astonishing Xu Jin greatly.
Is this not a humanoid Gundam?
Watching the youths' amazed expressions, Bearded Cui thoroughly enjoyed seeing their shock and admiration. He explained plenty of details about the Five Battles Killing Fist and the application of power, especially the speed and sequencing of power in Body Refining, which left many baffled. Xu Jin, however, listened intently and was thrilled.
This confirmed his own experiences while training under the Star Lamp, clearing up many of his doubts.
Many youths started practicing on site, taking the chance to ask for Instructor Cui's guidance.
After listening for a while, Xu Jin simply immersed his consciousness into the Star Lamp and commenced martial learning within it.
Practicing on the spot was quite draining on one's Star Power, plus prior to reaching Dining Dawn First Layer, one couldn't produce foundational Star Skills, including the Star Shield.
Inside the Star Lamp, Xu Jin could practice without worrying about Star Power depletion, allowing him to give his all. Whenever he encountered a blockage in his Star Power or something unclear, Xu Jin would promptly run over to ask Cui Tianqi, pose a few times as if absorbing the lesson, then submerge his consciousness back into the Star Lamp for further martial learning.
In such a state, time flew by quickly, but Xu Jin's progress was substantial.
After more than two hours of persistent questioning and training, Xu Jin was able to use the Five Battles Killing Fist's move Yin-Yang Combining within the Star Lamp to consistently produce a Star Shield.
Of course, he had to complete the three moves of the first form before he could produce a Star Shield. This signaled that he had achieved Small Success in the first move of the Five Battles Killing Fist, Yin-Yang Combining. He was almost at that stage with the second move, Lifting Ten Thousand Stones as well.
"Alright, I will end today's session here. If you have any questions, you can find me privately," Bearded Cui instructed before leaving, but many of the youths continued to train diligently on the spot.
Another hour passed, and Xu Jin, feeling that he had made enough progress and that mealtime was approaching, prepared to leave.
As his consciousness exited the Star Lamp and returned to the Candou Platform, Xu Jin glanced at the Jade unconsciously.
Suddenly, he noticed that new words had appeared on the Jade of the Candou Platform.
[First Tier Candou Platform]
[Fighting Master: Xu Jin]
[Receive Star Favor, one obeisance per day, can obtain one strand of Starlight]
[Star Lamp: one]
[Nourishable Items: none]
[Star Skill: Basic Star Shield, can be solidified]
[Upgrade Available]
Xu Jin understood all about the foundational Star Skill Basic Star Shield, but what exactly did "can be solidified" mean?
Instinctively, Xu Jin wasn't in a hurry to grab a meal anymore. Instead, he plunged his consciousness back in to research further.
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