Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation
Chapter 171 - 109: Counter-Kill and Fourth Place (Subscription Request)_4

Chapter 171: Chapter 109: Counter-Kill and Fourth Place (Subscription Request)_4

But Xu Jin was not afraid.

The rankings would soon become apparent, and Xu Jin’s origins could not be hidden, so he might as well be forthright about them.

"I am Xu Jin from the Jinshan Taoist Institute in Yan State!"

At this statement, the more than ten people who had already reached the flag turned their attention to Xu Jin, even the supervisor couldn’t help but take another glance at him.

Being in the top ten, even if it was just the first round of the autumn exam, was not uncommon if the contestant was from a State Taoist Institute.

It happened every year.

The current seventh place was a disciple from a State Taoist Institute, but it was extremely rare for one from the lowest level, a County Taoist Institute.

One could say it was a rare sight every few years.

The last time someone from a County Taoist Institute made it into the top ten of the autumn exam was six years ago, a female, possibly named something like Yuchan.

The supervisor had some recollection of it, but could not quite remember the exact name.

"I am Meng Qingqiu, from the Dachen National Daoist Institute."

"I am Guan Li, from the Dachen National Daoist Institute."

"I am Ying Ge from the Song State Taoist Institute," this one being the seventh place.

...

"I am Fang Mingchun, from the Dachen National Taoist Institute." Following the lead of the so-called senior sister who first greeted Xu Jin, the others present also greeted him one by one, getting to know him.

"I am Miao Long, from the Yan State Taoist Institute."

"I am Ji Hongli, from the Wanyi Taoist Institute."

...

Xu Jin met each one, many people, especially those in the top twenty to thirty ranks, getting to know one another.

After all, those who broke into the top thirty in the first round were bound to be either True Inheritors or Core Disciples, with limitless futures.

This moment was ideal for networking and making new acquaintances.

Inside the Martial Arts Hall of the Dachen National Daoist Institute, a spirited young man with a hint of grimness in his eyes suddenly stood up, his eyes wide with anger, "Bastard, to actually ruin my future, bastard, bastard..."

"Lu Kun, if you want to be punished, just keep it up," said a black-clad supervisor of the Martial Arts Hall, looking at Lu Kun.

"Hmph!"

Lu Kun stomped his foot angrily and then, gripping the Star-picking Order, re-entered the Star-picking Tower.

He wanted to observe.

He wanted to know who it was that ruined his future!

In Lu Kun’s mind, he had not intended to ruin that person’s future; it was just a sequence of quick moves to see if this audacious fellow who dared to rush in front of him could handle it.

But he had never expected to provoke such a fierce retaliation.

Even now, Lu Kun believed that Xu Jin’s counterattack was too fierce, too venomous!

In the first round of the Secret Realm, the countdown high in the sky had entered the final ten breaths.

Xu Jin saw many familiar faces.

He saw Lu Xianbing, saw Wang Weisheng, saw Zhang Han, and saw Yue Daqi and Yu Xianghua, but there were also many people he did not see, like Yu Guan, probably already eliminated on the way.

And, notably, the number of those eliminated was not small.

Compared to the overwhelming crowd at the start, now, only seventy to eighty percent stood near the flag at the finish line.

Unexpectedly, just as the countdown in the sky was about to reach zero, Xu Jin saw Yu Guan.

Yu Guan and another dozen people nearly made it to the flag at the last moment.

After they rushed past, one could faintly see hundreds of people behind them showing looks of despair.

When the countdown hit zero, Xu Jin and the others vanished on the spot, and those still in the first round of the Secret Realm turned into specks of starlight and dissipated.

Upon opening his eyes again, Xu Jin found himself beneath the flag of the Jinshan Taoist Institute in Yan State.

Ning Yuchan was looking at him with a face full of surprise.

Xu Jin instinctively looked up at the leaderboard hanging in the sky of the Secret Realm.

[First Place: Meng Qingqiu]

[Second Place: Yan Chen]

[Third Place: Yuan Feiqing]

[Fourth Place: Xu Jin]

[Fifth Place: Guan Li]

[Sixth Place: Ji Hongli]

[Seventh Place: Ying Ge]

[Eighth Place: Fang Mingchun]

[Ninth Place: Miao Long]

...

[Nineteenth place: Wang Weisheng]

...

[One hundred thirty-third place: Zhang Han]

...

Surprisingly, two disciples from Jinshan Taoist Institute had made it into the top one hundred, and Jinshan Taoist Institute’s third senior, Zhang Han, had even reached the one hundred thirty-third position.

This result was already quite impressive.

Throughout the Autumn Examination Secret Realm, some cheered while others cried.

Those who cried were directly eliminated.

Once eliminated, they no longer had the qualifications to continue participating in the autumn exam.

All those who passed the first stage of the autumn exam, especially the disciples from the County Taoist Institutes, were visibly delighted.

Because they had achieved their first goal.

According to the rules of the autumn exam, particularly for those from County Taoist Institutes, anyone who passed the first stage automatically qualified to be selected into the State Taoist Institute.

At the end of the autumn exam, as long as they succeeded in Star Casting, they could continue to study and cultivate at the State Taoist Institute and further their path.

According to the rules of the Da Chen National Taoist Institute, all disciples from County Taoist Institutes could only study in the institute for a maximum of two years. Within those two years, as long as they succeeded in Star Casting, they had to leave the institute, either to join the military, the local troops, or to undertake the Taoist Institute’s assorted duties.

Next, they could only cultivate while performing their duties.

If they could enter the State Taoist Institute, the total study time available within the State Taoist Institute was still two years.

During these two years, apart from the disciples selected into the National Taoist Institute, and a very few exceptional cases, most would be assigned duties once their cultivation level reached the early period of Refining Star.

According to Xu Jin’s understanding, this was akin to being forced into employment.

The army, local troops, special organizations, and the like, were all career paths where they had to work while continuing to cultivate.

However, being selected into the National Taoist Institute was different.

Those who were chosen for the National Taoist Institute had a minimum of three years of study time, and the forced employment restriction was raised to the Star Condensing Realm.

Generally, upon reaching the Star Condensing Realm, they would be assigned a placement.

If they hadn’t broken through to the Star Condensing Realm within three years, they would also be assigned a placement.

However, the positions arranged for disciples coming from the National Taoist Institute were very advantageous, such as the Chief Instructor of the Taoist Institute, some mid-level officers, etc., providing them with more free time to cultivate while carrying out tasks.

Even some were continuously nurtured as the future core cadre.

Such a systemic arrangement naturally decided the upper limit of cultivation for each Taoist Institute.

Therefore, for geniuses, if they were unable to enter the National Taoist Institute, it essentially meant the end of their path.

Because, apart from being able to access a vast amount of cultivation resources in the National Taoist Institute, most of the time for all disciples was spent on cultivation.

On the other hand, if they could not enter, they would need to take on various duties early and also secure their own resources for cultivation.

The gap was not just substantial—it was enormous.

At this moment, under the banner of the Jinshan Taoist Institute, twenty-five disciples remained.

This filled Ning Yuchan with both joy and concern.

The joy was because surprisingly, two had made it into the top hundred, with Xu Jin even holding the fourth position—a tremendous delight.

The concern was that just at the first stage, ten disciples from Jinshan Taoist Institute had been eliminated, nearly thirty percent, which was far above the overall elimination rate of twenty percent at the first stage.

A few more stages down the line, it was uncertain how many disciples from Jinshan Taoist Institute would remain.

"Esteemed State Preceptor, a total of 7,612 people passed the first stage of the autumn exam," reported Yu Da, the Chief Instructor from the Martial Observation Platform where the end of the first stage had been declared.

"7,612 people, Elder Chen, what do you think about this first stage?" Cheng Yuxiao, the State Preceptor, turned to Superintendent Chen Liao.

"Not bad! However, I find Jinshan Taoist Institute quite impressive. A disciple from a County Taoist Institute made it into the top ten of the first stage, which is really good!

After all, not even one from the top ten of many State Taoist Institutes made it through.

By the way, when was the last time a disciple from a County Taoist Institute broke into the top ten?" Chen Liao commented as he spoke.

"Esteemed Supervisor, six years ago, Ning Yuchan, a disciple from Jinshan Taoist Institute, reached seventh place in the first stage of the autumn exam," Chief Instructor Yu Da clearly remembered.

"From Jinshan Taoist Institute again?" Superintendent Chen Liao asked with a chuckling query that seemed both intentional and casual. "Esteemed State Preceptor, another disciple from Jinshan Taoist Institute has risen again, two consecutive times.

It seems that we have underestimated Dong Zhao by placing him at Jinshan Taoist Institute."

A hint of recommendation was apparent.

"Yes, I think he should be appointed as one of the Four Great Academicians in our National Taoist Institute, befitting Dong Zhao’s stature!" Right Libationer Song Bing also suggested with a smile.

Yet, as soon as this suggestion was made, everyone on the Martial Observation Platform fell silent.

Within the National Taoist Institute, the State Preceptor, the Supervisor, the two Libationers on the left and right, and then the Four Great Academicians were the power magnates.

By suggesting this, Song Bing was not merely making a recommendation; he was setting a dangerous precedent.

Cheng Yuxiao, the State Preceptor, simply smiled. "Yu Da, prepare for the second stage!"