"Quotas are limited!"
Xu Jin had previously not understood much about the Taoist Institute's regulations, but having dined and attended classes with the successful Star Pointers each day recently, he had come to grasp them thoroughly.
The Jinshan Taoist Institute allocates a maximum of fifteen spots to enter the Middle Court each season.
Fifteen spots may seem like many, but in reality, the number of spots up for contention is not that high.
The first rule for entering the Middle Court is that B Level evaluators are admitted directly.
According to the Institute's regulations, those who succeed in Star Pointing within three days are rated A+, within ten days A, within thirty days A-, within forty days B+, within fifty days B, within sixty days B-, within seventy days C+, within eighty days C, and beyond eighty days, C-.
There are a total of three levels and nine grades of talent evaluation.
Those rated A Level should enter the Inner Court.
So far it's known that six people, who succeeded in Star Pointing within thirty to fifty days, will enter the Middle Court directly, leaving nine spots.
The second rule for entering the Middle Court is that B- evaluators who break through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn by the end of the Star-pointing Season are also admitted directly.
Among the known B- evaluators, there are also six individuals; besides one called Song Ye who has not yet broken through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn, but may do so at any moment and is very likely to achieve it by the end of the Season.
That leaves three spots remaining.
The third rule for entering the Middle Court is that Level C evaluators, if they break through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn by the end of the Star-pointing Season, may be selected to join.
This is where the competition and contention come into play.
The other youths, including Xu Jin, are all those who succeeded in Star Pointing after sixty days, which means they are rated Level C. These youths are competing for those three remaining spots.
Among the Level C rated youths, two had already broken through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn, namely Qiao Ruonan and Fang Zixing. If Xu Jin also broke through, that would fill the three spots.
The problem is, there are four days left, and in these last four days, the number of those breaking through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn would likely not be limited to just one or two.
Especially those rated C+, meaning they succeeded within seventy days, like Luo Geng and others, numbering over a dozen; many of whom are on the verge of breakthrough and frantically cultivating in hopes of making it.
If two or three more people break through in these four days, the competition would be far too fierce.
But worrying about this now is of no use; what Xu Jin needed to do was to break through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn before the end of the Star-pointing Season.
Otherwise, he wouldn't even qualify to compete.
During the morning class of June 15th, the last of the six B- evaluators, Song Ye, broke through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn, securing a spot in the Middle Court.
In the evening class of June 15th, Luo Geng, who was rated C+, also broke through to the First Layer of Dining Dawn, adding one more competitor.
On the morning of June 16th, Hong Gang, rated C+, made his breakthrough to the First Layer of Dining Dawn, increasing the number of competitors by one more, and Xu Jin had yet to break through.
However, Xu Jin, after the morning class ended, was not in a hurry at all.
Haste makes waste; this principle he understood all too well.
The more crucial the moment, the more one should not rush; one misstep could lead to errors or even delay progress.
The evening class of June 16th.
Before the class began, Ning Yuchan made a point to check on Xu Jin's Body Refining progress.
"Well, don't rush it; you are already on the cusp of a breakthrough. This step is about breaking through the invisible barrier within the body and channeling Star Power from the torso into the limbs. The focus of this step is on breaking through. I noticed that you have already grasped the essence and rhythm of the Five Battles Killing Fist; if you could harness a Star Skill to further the breakthrough with that surge of power, your chances would increase significantly."
Ning Yuchan showed considerable concern for Xu Jin, not merely because she lent him some Silver, but because she had high hopes for him.
Once Ning Yuchan had left, Xu Jin took a deep breath and began practicing the Five Battles Killing Fist.
In fact, during the morning class, Xu Jin had already sensed the invisible barrier within his body.
After four or five days of rigorous training, supplemented with Pills, he could now, with a single breath, cover his entire chest and back with Star Power, as if wearing a garment – something that would surely elicit shock if unveiled.
The youths who had succeeded in Star Pointing a few days earlier than Xu Jin only had a starlight coverage around the size of a watermelon on their chests.
In these four or five days, Xu Jin had practiced martial arts for over eight two-hour periods each day under the Star Lamp, and his proficiency in the Five Battles Killing Fist had increased dramatically.
Under the Star Lamp, all movements had attained Small Success.
The style, Yin-Yang Combining, maybe because of the enhancement from the Solid Foundation Star Skill, progressed the fastest.
Even without triggering the Solid Foundation Star Skill, he occasionally could execute the Star Shield twice in a sequence of three moves, advancing towards Great Success.
At this moment, Xu Jin was not rushing to break through, but steadily practiced the Five Battles Killing Fist, then replenished his Star Power before continuing.
In these days, as Xu Jin's hard work ensued, the upper limit of Star Power that his body could accumulate had also increased.
By the morning class that day, Xu Jin, when indicated Starlight and at full Star Power capacity, could now execute the Five Battles Killing Fist consecutively three times.
In other words, he was able to unleash Star Shield six times.
Xu Jin felt the Star Power in his body being drawn by the Five Battles Killing Fist, spreading from the Star Pattern at the center of his chest towards all directions within his torso.
The intangible barrier, Xu Jin had already sensed it.
It was approximately located at the joints where the limbs connected with the body, an invisible layer of barrier that couldn't be touched or seen, but the surging Star Power could strike against it.
Just like the tide hitting the shore, every time it could impact this invisible barrier, but it just wouldn't break through.
However, Xu Jin wasn't in a hurry at all.
Very steady.
During the morning lesson, he had completed the three forms and one move of Yin-Yang Combining before he could touch this invisible barrier even once.
But now, the frequency at which the Star Power inside him impacted this invisible barrier was increasing.
By the time he finished the second round of the Five Battles Killing Fist three times, the Star Power fluctuations brought by each move of the Five Battles Killing Fist could impact this invisible barrier.
When he finished the third round of the Five Battles Killing Fist three times, there was still no breakthrough, but Xu Jin's perception of this invisible barrier became even clearer.
Swallowing a Mental Awakening Pill, his mind cleared in an instant, and Xu Jin began to circulate the Drinking Radiance Style, drawing in Starlight to recover his Star Power.
After more than twenty minutes, with his Star Power fully stored, Xu Jin took a deep breath and first consumed a Blood Replenishing Pill, then a Solid Foundation Pill, and once again assumed the stance of the Five Battles Killing Fist.
Three rounds over, the Star Power within the Star Pattern was depleted, and with just a thought, the Star Power in the Star Pattern was instantly replenished by the Starlight on the Candou Platform.
Continuing the Five Battles Killing Fist.
By the end of the sixth round, Xu Jin felt that he could touch that layer of invisible barrier with the Star Power without having to draw it out.
With a thought, the Starlight on the Candou Platform moved slightly, and the Star Pattern was once again filled with Star Power.
The seventh round of the Five Battles Killing Fist.
But on this seventh round of the Five Battles Killing Fist, Xu Jin slightly changed the rhythm.
Previously, to avoid using up Star Power with each Star Shield, Xu Jin deliberately slowed his fist speed, but this time, he returned to normal.
Fast and slow combined, fists sealed continuously.
Snap!
With a thought, a shining Star Shield suddenly appeared on Xu Jin's right shoulder.
The moment the Star Shield appeared on his right shoulder, Xu Jin felt the invisible barrier at that spot shatter instantly.
After practicing hard for so many days, Xu Jin had fully comprehended it.
To break through, not only did he need the persistent accumulation like dripping water carving through stone, but also an instant burst of power.
Star Skill was the accumulation and burst of Star Power.
If one could comprehend and execute a Star Skill, then breaking through would become simple.
Thus, Xu Jin's breakthrough could be said to follow as a matter of course, naturally forming.
Almost simultaneously with the appearance of the Star Shield, under the night sky, the shining Star Shield immediately caught the attention of the youngsters all around, who immediately looked over.
These days, whether someone executed a Star Skill or broke through to the first layer of Dining Dawn, countless envious eyes would be drawn.
"Look quickly, Xu Jin has executed a basic Star Shield."
"His Five Battles Killing Fist has achieved Small Success!"
"I remember Xu Jin only succeeded in Star Pointing eighty-three days ago, right? It's only been six days, and the Killing Fist has achieved Small Success already?" Luo Geng also stopped his fist movements to look at Xu Jin.
"No, it's probably more than just Small Success for the Killing Fist."
Song Ye, who had already broken through to the first layer of Dining Dawn and had a B - rating, fixated on Xu Jin and said, "Look at the position of the basic Star Shield, at the right shoulder. Usually, only after breaking through to the first layer of Dining Dawn, can someone execute the Star Shield to that position."
"What, Xu Jin has actually broken through to the first layer of Dining Dawn? How many days has it been since he succeeded in Star Pointing?"
Fang Zixing looked surprised, while Luo Geng's expression turned gloomy in an instant.
He had one more competitor in the race for Middle Court.
A moment later, Fang Zixing's face also turned unsightly, as he belatedly reacted.
"Brother Jin, did you just execute a basic Star Shield? Are they saying you've broken through?" Qian Xiaohu, who had also moved to this area for cultivation, asked in surprise upon seeing this scene.
Xu Jin didn't hide anything, nodding openly.
After all, wasn't all this diligent practicing aimed at achieving a breakthrough?
The next instant, with a slight thought, the Star Shield abruptly dissipated, and the Five Battles Killing Fist resumed, with sensations of heat, numbness, itchiness, and pain spreading from his right shoulder down to his right arm.
He had indeed broken through, but cultivation could not stop.
Meanwhile, Sha Youtian, who had succeeded in Star Pointing only two days after Xu Jin, looked at his own chest, which was only covered by Starlight the size of a watermelon and still underdeveloped. Then, looking at Xu Jin, he felt somewhat confused.
This gap, wasn't it a bit too big?