From the bundle of silver notes that came from Deng Hu, he obtained a sheet of paper that detailed a cultivation technique named "Blood Introduction Star Casting Technique."
The reason Xu Jin instantly determined it to be an Evil Technique was because the very first step of this "Blood Introduction Star Casting Technique" just didn't feel right.
Take a fine piece of jade, roughly carve it to resemble one's own likeness, close resemblance is sufficient, then every morning and evening apply a few drops of blood from one's heart onto it to nurture and warm for two hours, continue this for seven days. After seven days, one must soak it with a liter of heart blood from a person with Star-nourishing abilities, submerge it for one day, and the Blood Introduction is initially forged; the more Star-nourishing blood used, the better the effect of the Blood Introduction.
Then stick it to your chest, and every day, without fail, operate the Blood Introduction Star Casting technique, quickly in one year, slowly in three years, you could directly cast stars within your body.
This sheet of paper detailed the cultivation method for the Blood Introduction Star Guiding Technique.
And the so-called person with Star-nourishing abilities refers to someone who has cultivated Star Power.
Any successful Star Pointing can provide suitable heart blood, the higher the cultivation level, the better the effect.
Cold sweat beaded Xu Jin's forehead.
Judging from this Evil Technique, Deng Hu was not solely acting for the sake of his sister but was also scheming under the guise of aiding Yang to obtain Xu Jin's heart blood.
Xu Jin carefully recalled whether Deng Hu had such a Blood Jade on his chest.
It seemed that indeed, Deng Hu had a jade pendant at his chest, but whether it was a Blood Introduction piece, the lighting was rather dim at the time, and Xu Jin hadn't paid attention.
Suddenly, Xu Jin remembered something. When he first eavesdropped around the corner, Scar had mentioned that they had killed a successful Star Pointing disciple from the Tianyang Branch.
The jade pendant on Deng Hu's chest was very likely related to the cultivation of Blood Introduction.
In an instant, Xu Jin felt as if he was holding a hot potato as he clutched that piece of paper.
He hadn't expected that killing a group of ruffians intent on harming someone's entire family would tie him to evil demons.
Then a critical question arose: Was Deng Hu an evil demon?
Or was Deng Hu a descendant of an evil demon?
Or perhaps a member of an evil demon organization?
Was he a core member, or just part of the peripheral organization?
If it was the latter, the situation was not so bad, but if it was the former, then it would likely herald troublesome complications!
After careful contemplation and another examination of the sheet detailing the Evil Technique, Xu Jin's heart eventually settled.
This sheet detailing the Evil Technique was quite ordinary and was printed, not handwritten.
True secret manuals are generally only available in handwritten form or even transmitted orally.
Printing signified a lot.
Deng Hu's cultivation in this Evil Technique was incomplete; had it been complete, he would have already killed Xu Jin.
Casting stars is the realm after reaching the Seventh Layer Perfection of Dining Dawn.
Considering these factors, Xu Jin concluded that Deng Hu was at most a peripheral organization member of the evil demons tracked by Jinshan County.
He might not even be peripheral at all.
Otherwise, how could such a secret manual be printed?
However, caution was still necessary.
After pondering for a moment, Xu Jin stuffed the paper detailing the "Blood Introduction Star Casting Technique" into the furnace and burned it.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Jin faced the first light of dawn and ran to his family's courtyard.
Dining Dawn Form, begin!
Followed by the Five Battles Killing Fist.
After three rounds of the Five Battles Killing Fist, Xu Jin swallowed the last Blood Replenishing Pill, then, with a thought, drew the starlight from the Candou Platform into his body.
There had been more than half of the starlight left on the Candou Platform the previous night, and he had drawn another strand this morning.
At home, Xu Jin didn't hold back at all.
He practiced the Five Battles Killing Fist repeatedly.
Numbness, itching, pain - various sensations surged crazily up his right arm.
Under consecutive practice of the Five Battles Killing Fist, the progress of his Body Refining shot up rapidly.
He did the Five Battles Killing Fist sixteen times in a row before he was able to deplete most of the starlight from the Candou Platform.
A significant increase in Body Refining progress.
The Starlight had rapidly covered up to the middle of the upper arm, not too far from the elbow.
The Starlight hadn't been completely consumed because Xu Jin had deliberately left one-fifth of the strand as an emergency reserve.
Last night's battle had made it clear to Xu Jin that emergencies could arise at any moment.
But when an emergency arrives, it won't ask if you're prepared or not.
Therefore, Xu Jin decided that from now on, he would always leave some extra starlight on the Candou Platform for critical moments; it could be life-saving trump card.
Moreover, during the course of cultivation, Xu Jin had already made a new plan for future cultivation.
His previous plan was to accumulate ten strands of starlight and then upgrade the Candou Platform, to see what changes it brought and what benefits.
However, after yesterday's battle, Xu Jin realized that what he most urgently needed was the ability to protect himself.
He aimed to break through to the Second Layer of Dining Dawn in the shortest possible time.
At the very least, he would complete the refinement of his right arm.
At that time, whether it was Star Radiance, Star Arrow, or Star Shield, Star Ring, they could all be executed through his right arm.
Facing the situation from yesterday, it would be a breeze.
It could even be said to be an overwhelming victory.
Yesterday, he could only use his shoulder to burst forth with Star Radiance, achieving the possibility of severely injuring or even killing the enemy, the timing had to be too precise, and it was incredibly limiting.
Breaking through to the Second Layer of Dining Dawn in the shortest time, then save up ten strands of starlight, collect the materials for upgrading, and elevate the Candou Platform to the Second-tier to see its new changes.
This was the short-term goal Xu Jin had set for himself.
Suddenly, a rumble like thunder echoed from his belly.
Hungry.
The kind of hungry that overwhelms.
Xu Jin wiped off his sweat, ready to look for something to eat, when he turned back and saw his father, Xu Dajiang, staring at him with bright eyes and a smile.
"Morning, Dad."
"Finished training already? Come have breakfast, I've already prepared it."
Breakfast was millet porridge with pickled vegetables and soft, roasted flatbreads.
Xu Jin was truly starved.
He drank two large bowls of millet porridge, finished off six flatbreads, and even polished off the leftover peanuts from last night.
Xu Dajiang beamed with joy.
"It's my fault for making too little, my fault! I'll cook more from now on; as long as you can eat, Dad is happy."
While saying this, Xu Dajiang became reflective, "Back in the day, I was afraid you wouldn't have enough to eat. Whenever you didn't eat enough, I feared I couldn't provide for you..."
"Dad, things have gotten better."
Xu Jin knew he was experiencing intense hunger again.
Although he had taken a Blood Replenishing Pill before training today, he had also practiced the Five Battles Killing Fist a record-breaking sixteen times.
The number of times he trained in one go was nearly equal to what others trained in a whole day.
It was normal for him to feel intense hunger.
After the meal, Xu Jin calculated the Silver he had on hand.
Yesterday, he repaid more than twenty taels to relatives and neighbors, got back the Silver he had paid to Deng Hu, and even earned a good amount.
Currently, he still had four hundred and seventeen taels.
If he wasn't training, he'd consider himself quite wealthy.
"Dad, about Jiang'er's matter, let's break the contract. If we really have to compensate five hundred taels of Silver, let's just figure out how to do it. We can't let Jiang'er suffer..." Xu Jin thought, with his current Silver, saving up five hundred taels would take only four or five months.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Xu Dajiang fiercely slapped the table, "Five hundred taels; our farmer family could never save up that much in a lifetime! How could we just talk about compensating it like that?" Then Xu Dajiang's tone softened slightly, "That Mr. Zhao, known as Philanthropist Zhao, has a good reputation for treating workers well. Besides, Jiang'er is growing up. Even if she doesn't work there, she has to find a job.
Our farmer's children can't just sit idle."
"Then how about we wait for Jiang'er to come back in a month, we can ask about her situation and listen to her opinions before we make a final decision?" Xu Jin suggested.
Actually, it was mainly because he didn't have enough Silver.
Nor enough strength.
If he had six or seven hundred taels in hand right now, he would go straight to Master Zhao to break the contract regardless of his father's opinion.
If he were strong enough, it would be just a matter of speaking.
"Hmm, that's fine."
During the conversation, Xu Jin handed over one hundred and seventeen taels to Xu Dajiang, "Dad, you keep these. Once the debt is repaid, use the rest for your expenses."
Xu Jin kept three hundred taels for himself.
Mainly for Cultivation.
Ning Yuchan requested that he break through to the Fifth Layer of Dining Dawn within two months, which would still require the aid of Pills.
Otherwise, paying back tenfold after a year wasn't a joke he could afford.
Xu Dajiang kept only seven taels and pushed the rest back to Xu Jin.
"What nonsense are you talking, my boy? I'll be out of debt and free of burden. We have food and drink at home, and my only concern will be to save, not to spend.
Keep this for your Cultivation.
I know Cultivation costs Silver.
I'm still waiting for you to bring glory to our ancestors and to hold your sons," Xu Dajiang said with a laugh.
After several back-and-forths, Xu Jin reluctantly pushed ten taels towards his father, "Dad, keep this Silver to buy some meat and strengthen yourself. Now that I'm in the Middle Court, my monthly salary is ten taels, and it will only increase, not decrease.
Eat well for me; I want you to live a long life."
Hearing these words, Xu Dajiang's eyes suddenly reddened, he turned away quickly and, while wiping his eyes, laughed, "My boy has grown up, my boy has really grown up.
Alright, I'll eat meat.
I have to live a long life to see my grandsons."
...
On the way back to the Taoist Institute from home, Xu Jin felt that at this moment, he had truly integrated into this identity, into this family!
Before entering the county city, he happened to pass by the West City dock.
The way to the dock was bustling with people; nothing seemed amiss.
Xu Jin didn't go in for a closer look, just glanced around a few times as he passed by.
There was no major commotion.
It seemed that Deng Hu's death hadn't been discovered yet.
The later it's discovered, the safer Xu Jin and his father would be.
However, as he was about to enter the western gate of the county city, Xu Jin's expression subtly changed.
The county city's Guard had increased.
Not only had the number of county guards at the gate doubled, but they had also started to check identities, asking everyone where they came from and where they were going, pulling aside anyone slightly suspicious for questioning.
Xu Jin's face grew solemn.
Had the incident been discovered?