Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 1687: Chapter 692: The Secret of Sword Essence and Origin

This time, Xu Jin finally figured out the origins of the Sword Essence.

The core of the Sword Essence seems to be the core of the Divine Soul Origin.

During the process of refining the Yin Yang Star Marrow, the Divine Soul Origin was slowly strengthened, and a whole new essence condensed within the Dao Embryo and then quickly expanded.

In just two hours, the number of Sword Essences behind Xu Jin’s Dao Embryo increased from twelve to thirteen.

The thirteen Sword Essences shimmered brightly and appeared incredibly formidable.

Yet, the slow strengthening of Xu Jin’s Divine Soul Origin did not stop.

It continued.

During two continuous hours of refinement, the previously damaged Divine Soul Origin of Xu Jin not only fully recovered but kept growing.

Until a quarter-hour before Xu Jin had completely refined this piece of Yin Yang Star Marrow, an odd feeling suddenly struck his mind.

He sensed his Dao Embryo beginning to stir again, exactly like how it felt when the thirteenth Sword Essence was condensed.

It seemed as if it was about to condense the fourteenth Sword Essence.

Unfortunately, just a bit short.

Xu Jin felt that if he had a bit more time, perhaps one or two more quarter-hours to refine, the fourteenth Sword Essence would have condensed.

And it was at this instant, Xu Jin suddenly understood the relationship between the Divine Soul Origin and the Dao Embryo.

Or rather, where exactly the Divine Soul Origin manifests!

As of now, it appears that the Divine Soul Origin is closely related to either Sword Essence or Dao Essence.

The stronger the Divine Soul Origin, the greater the number of Sword Essences.

Prior, Master Emperor Fenghua had told Xu Jin about how the amount of Sword Essences is greatly related to one’s future path in Dao.

At that time, Xu Jin was still slightly confused.

The Sword Essence mainly affects the quantity of Divine Skills learned in the future.

At most, a weaker strength, how could it relate to proving the Dao?

Now it seems, the most fundamental connection is highly likely to be the Divine Soul Origin.

The Divine Soul Origin cannot be quantified, but through the Sword Essence, it can be refined.

Thus, it seems, Xu Jin’s current Divine Soul Origin is twice as powerful as that of an ordinary genius, or even more.

Ordinary geniuses, when cultivating Dao Embryos, usually condense five or six Sword Essences.

Only top-tier geniuses can condense seven or eight, or even nine.

Compared to the top-tier geniuses, Xu Jin’s advantage is still not substantial.

However, this is indeed a direction for the future.

If he discovers treasures capable of strengthening the Divine Soul Origin, he should try to acquire them.

There are so few treasures that can strengthen the Divine Soul Origin.

The Spiritual Embryo Fruit was one such treasure, but effective only with the first one consumed.

It’s uncertain if consuming a second Yin Yang Star Marrow would have any effect.

But given its rarity, even the True Monarchs are competing for it, obtaining a second one would be extremely challenging.

Afterward, Xu Jin began to tally his gains from this time.

With a thought, his Divine Thought delved into the Taixu Heart Inquiry Sword Essence.

The Taixu Seven Emotions Mirror, with its seven surfaces, each exuding a different colored aura, was emitting a faint glow there.

At a single glance, Xu Jin was delighted.

In the Taixu Seven Emotions Mirror, three surfaces were already filled, with the collected Power of Seven Emotions reaching seven thousand strands.

Among the remaining four surfaces, two had over five thousand strands of Power of Seven Emotions, while the last two had more than four thousand strands.

Although not completely filled, they had already thoroughly met Master Emperor Fenghua’s requirements for cultivating the divine skills for the Taixu Heart Inquiry Platform.

And had far exceeded them.

Emperor Fenghua’s requirement was to collect one thousand strands of Power of Seven Emotions for each.

Currently, the average stands at over four times that.

Once the divine skill from the Taixu Heart Inquiry Platform is cultivated, its might would surely be extraordinary.

And there’s the potential for further growth.

All that remains is for Xu Jin to await the end of the ranking struggle in the Dao’s sequence and find a place to receive the cultivation materials and treasures for divine skills that Master Emperor Fenghua prepared for him, to quickly succeed in cultivating this divine skill.

Enhancing his power for self-defense.

A few breaths later, Xu Jin very diligently began to meditate deeply.

But shortly after starting, Xu Jin opened his eyes.

After this strengthening of the Divine Soul Origin, there was a distinct sense of change.

Especially in the perception of everything seemed to have altered, yet it was still unclear.

"Perhaps my Divine Soul Origin needs to be strengthened to a threshold, to clearly sense this change."

Divine Thought swept over the Jade sent by Yutang King Zhu Shizhen, the information inside was already familiar to Xu Jin.

Xu Jin also began to consider the strategy for tomorrow’s battle for the Dao’s sequence.

Don’t be misled by Xu Jin being first in the three series of the first stage and again first in the second stage of the Dao selection; the ranking battle in the Dao sequence is unpredictable.

The primary issue is the disparity in cultivation levels.

For instance, the one most favored to seize the first place, naturally, is Yuan Chengfa from the Yuanling True Monarch Mansion.

This person is not only a top-tier genius but also has a cultivation level reaching the Late Period of the Ninth Tier.

According to intelligence, he was able to defeat experts in the Little Star Monarch Realm during the Middle Period of the Ninth Tier.

He’s a top-tier genius capable of challenging across entire Great Realms.

Likewise, everyone listed by Yutang King Zhu Shizhen can challenge across Great Realms, being absolute geniuses.

Such candidates number over thirty.

The lowest cultivation level is the Early Period of the Ninth Tier, while there are five in the Late Period of the Ninth Tier.

These people will be Xu Jin’s formidable rivals.

After all, the Early Period of the Eighth Tier is Xu Jin’s greatest weakness.

Defeating enemies across one entire Great Realm means Early Period of the Ninth Tier.

Even though in Kunling Domain, Xu Jin easily slew experts of the Late Period of the Ninth Tier, theoretically, they were just ordinary cultivators.

But tomorrow, those competing with him for rankings will be absolute geniuses sieved through the layers within the Dongxuan Star Realm.

It’s known that besides the local Great World, Dongxuan Star Realm has five Middle Worlds beneath, with thousands of Small Worlds, and even if one absolute genius emerges from every hundred Small Worlds, the numbers are still staggering.

Thus, theoretically, absolute geniuses like Yuan Chengfa at the Late Period of the Ninth Tier probably possess combat power at the Great Star Monarch level.

Xu Jin’s odds of winning might be quite slim.

To win, it would take an unexpected and explosive approach.

"Tomorrow will depend on the specific situation, revealing all one’s trump cards is not a wise move..."

With a thought, Xu Jin summoned a trace of Divine Dao True Intent, starting to deduce and comprehend the Wood Origin Star Pattern, preparing for Body Refinement.

After the ranking battle of the Viscount sequence concludes, Xu Jin plans to find a stable environment to focus on cultivation for some time.

Strength is the most reliable source of confidence.

******

February 4, hour of Chen, 15 minutes past.

While cultivating, Xu Jin was awakened by the bell of the Dongxuan Dao Palace, accompanied by the deep voice transmission of True Monarch Tianzhang.

[All newly selected Viscounts of this session, arrive at the Dao Palace’s Martial Learning field within 15 minutes for the sequence ranking battle. Those who fail to arrive will be deemed to have forfeited and placed last.]

With 15 minutes, Xu Jin was not in a rush. After washing up, he brought the food box placed at the courtyard entrance inside, preparing to eat casually.

During the six or seven days of staying at the Dao Palace, maidservants have been delivering three meals a day but only leaving them at the courtyard gate; whether to eat or not was his choice.

Xu Jin is now just a cultivator and not an Immortal, eating is still necessary.

Eating once a day is not much.

Eating once every two or three days is not much either.

The breakfast prepared by the Dao Palace is very simple, plain porridge and small dishes, but it’s very exquisite and taste quite good.

When fetching the food box, Xu Jin’s gaze suddenly noticed another food box at the door.

One was the standard food box of the Dao Palace, the other was a bit larger and more delicate, with small lettering engraved on the edges.

Yutang Royal Mansion.

Xu Jin looked and felt moved.

Did Yutang King Zhu Shizhen send this?

Doesn’t seem likely!

His personality is good, but if he were so meticulous, he wouldn’t have waited until today to do this.

It must be that person: Zhu Linxiao!

"Considerate indeed."

A sumptuous breakfast is truly delightful.

More than a dozen dishes, both vegetarian and meat, sweet and salty varieties, Xu Jin ate with comfort.

More than half a quarter-hour later, feeling the time was about right, Xu Jin’s Thunder Wing vibrated behind him, instantly transforming into starlight and rushing out of the courtyard. With just one whirl, he arrived at the Martial Learning field.

Nearly four thousand newly selected Viscounts had already gathered here, Yutang King Zhu Shizhen waved at Xu Jin from afar, but this Viscount sequence ranking battle didn’t favor him this time either as he had to participate.

Currently, the Viscount sequence ranking battle is entirely different from the previous two rounds of major selection.

The two rounds of major selection were public.

But this Viscount sequence ranking battle is an internal battle.

Therefore, gathered here are only the newly selected Viscounts, Dao Palace guards, and the Star Lords stationed at the Dao Palace.

Xu Jin noticed many Star Lords.

More than 40 of them.

This surprised Xu Jin somewhat.

The numbers were far greater than he imagined.

But strangely, only eight Star Lords were suspended high above, while the remaining nearly forty Star Lords stayed together with the experts at the Peak of Ninth Rank.

Among them, one person stood proudly, suspended above everyone, overlooking the newly selected Viscounts.

The moment Xu Jin landed, this person’s gaze shot towards him like an arrow, examining Xu Jin from top to bottom, making him rather uncomfortable.

"Who is that?"

"Oh, that’s the Viscounts from the previous session!

According to the rules of our Dongxuan Dao Palace, each session’s Viscounts can only enjoy the Dao Palace cultivation materials for ten years, except for those ranked in the top hundred of the Viscount sequence, who can enjoy twenty years of cultivation materials in the Dao Palace.

Those people probably regard the talents among this session’s Viscounts as competitors." Yutang King Zhu Shizhen said.

After speaking, Zhu Shizhen continued, "As for the one who makes people uncomfortable, that’s Song Ju, the champion from ten years ago, who broke through to Little Star Monarch a few years ago and is said to be just a step away from breaking through to Great Star Monarch!

At the same time, he is a strong contender for true inheritance at the Imperial Palace," Zhu Shizhen said.

Xu Jin nodded slightly, "Are you familiar with the rules?"

"Shouldn’t be much different from previous years, each Viscount receives cultivation materials at the Dao Palace based on ranking, split into eight tiers, should be announced soon," Zhu Shizhen said.

Almost simultaneously, True Monarch Tianzhang’s voice echoed, "To motivate your cultivation, within the Dao Palace, Viscount sequence ranking varies, affecting the cultivation resources received.

The cultivation resources within Dongxuan Dao Palace are divided into eight tiers, take a look at the rules!"

With a wave of his hand, a light curtain emerged in the sky.

With one glance, Xu Jin’s expression slightly changed.

The ranking at Dongxuan Dao Palace really can make one feel competitive.

One thousandth and below, enjoy eighth-tier cultivation resources.

One thousandth to hundredth, seventh-tier.

Hundredth to fiftieth, sixth-tier.

Fiftieth to eleventh, fifth-tier.

Tenth to fourth, fourth-tier.

Third place, third-tier.

Second place, second-tier.

First place, first-tier.

Then, Xu Jin noticed an interesting supplementary clause, feeling it seemed tailored to him!

In the first round of the Viscount major selection, those who reach the top three in any law series enjoy an extra tier of cultivation resources, but not cumulative.

Xu Jin sensed these last four words added due to Dongxuan Dao Palace’s previous losses.

In the second round of the Viscount major selection, those achieving the top ten can enjoy an extra tier of cultivation resources.

Xu Jin realized these were bonus points.

But what Xu Jin found most interesting was what followed.

Additional rewards from the two rounds of Viscount major selection can be cumulative.

First in two series can receive an extra tier of cultivation resources!

This means these rules are actually favoring Viscounts like Xu Jin, who have high talent and cultivation levels at a peerless genius level.

These rules seem quite comprehensive.

At least Xu Jin, after reviewing, didn’t find any loopholes to exploit.

But when Xu Jin finished reviewing the differences listed by True Monarch Tianzhang between the eight-tier treatment of Dongxuan Dao Palace Viscounts, he couldn’t help but let out a light whistle.

The difference between these eight-tier treatments is indeed — vast and distinct!