Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation-Chapter 41 - 37 Nourishment Effect

Xu Jin didn’t rush to test the effects of nourishment but instead began to ponder why the Mental Awakening Pills, Blood Replenishing Pills, and Solid Foundation Pills he had received before were not among the items that could be nurtured.

Yet, the Star Refilling Pills and Rejuvenation Pills obtained today were on the list.

What was the change?

If he could understand this question, then Xu Jin would be able to deduce the basic rules of nourishable items.

Xu Jin laid out the Mental Awakening Pills, Blood Replenishing Pills, Solid Foundation Pills, Star Refilling Pills, and Rejuvenation Pills in front of him, carefully observing them.

In terms of appearance, there shouldn’t be any difference, they were all round.

Therefore, the only discernible difference so far should be one: Star Power.

According to Ning Yuchan and Tutor Gan’s previous explanations, the Mental Awakening Pills, Blood Replenishing Pills, and Solid Foundation Pills were all made from various herbs using the most common methods to create the most ordinary pills, focusing mainly on drug efficacy.

But the Star Refilling Pills and the Rejuvenation Pills, although also made from common herbs, were the products of a Star Alchemist who used special techniques to infuse Star Power, which enhanced and amplified the properties of the medicine, and contained the essence of Star Power, making them genuine Star Pills.

Thus, the first rule for nourishable items was clear: only products or items containing Star Power could be nurtured.

Then, what was the effect of nourishment?

Which pill should he try with?

Xu Jin quickly made his choice.

Among the two types of pills, there was only one Rejuvenation Pill, and although the green-clothed man had already given him two before, there were still too few samples to study.

But he had six Star Refilling Pills, all in his possession, providing enough samples for research.

He would use the Star Refilling Pills for the experiment.

The next instant, Xu Jin’s thought landed on the Jade, on the Star Refilling Pill listed under nourishable items.

In a flash, one of the Star Refilling Pills that Xu Jin held in his palm disappeared.

Hmm?

Where did it go?

Very soon, Xu Jin found the missing Star Refilling Pill.

It was on the Candou Platform.

The missing Star Refilling Pill appeared under the only lit Star Lamp on the platform, currently enveloped in the hazy Starlight emitted by the lamp.

Is this nourishment?

Amidst his confusion, Xu Jin also understood—this probably required time.

But how much time was needed for a successful nourishment?

That required observation.

Xu Jin estimated that it would probably need to be counted in days.

Observe again at the same time tomorrow.

The afternoon was still filled with grueling training, unsurprisingly.

During the battle exercises, Xu Jin could already exchange blows with Yu Guan of Dining Dawn’s Fourth Layer, and his Star Power could also be flexibly mobilized for battle.

Even without using Star Skills, he already had a significant advantage over ordinary people.

In their bouts, Yu Guan and he had even begun to integrate Star Skills for enhanced defense or damage.

An unexpected event occurred near the end of the afternoon’s group training.

Everyone was ordered to take up standard long knives and proceed to the back of the Taoist Institute to the slaughterhouse filled with hundreds of pigs and sheep.

The requirement was simple: each person must personally kill a pig or a sheep.

It had to be a complete kill.

Seeing this, Xu Jin understood that there was truly a possibility they would be sent to the battlefield.

This was to introduce these new disciples of the Taoist Institute to the reality of bloodshed.

Even if it was the blood of livestock, once they had seen such a bloody scene, the stress reaction in subsequent encounters would be much weaker.

It was like when Xu Jin killed his first hooligan, his heart raced, he panted like a cow, sweated like syrup, and his hands and feet shook uncontrollably, hardly obeying commands.

This lasted for several long seconds.

If a hooligan had come to kill him then, Xu Jin reckoned he would have been doomed.

For Xu Jin, who had killed before, slaughtering a pig was simple.

With one strike, the pig’s head was cleanly severed.

Others, like Yue Daqi, Ren Xiaoxiang, Lu Xianbing, Luo Geng, Yu Guan, especially those with higher cultivation levels and explosive strength, found it quite easy.

But those with less courage and lower cultivation levels faced a chaotic scene.

A pig that was spurting blood squealed miserably with a knife stuck in its neck, running rampant around the yard, and in the ensuing chaos, even chasing after a certain youth.

That scene…

Xu Jin estimated that this sight would become an event some people would never want to mention for the rest of their lives.

Some vomited, and some even wet themselves!

No one laughed.

On a chaotic scene where blood flowed over the tops of feet, and some pigs were chopped in half but still screaming in agony, no one could muster a laugh.

Xu Jin estimated that if he had encountered a scene like this earlier, his reflex response to killing those ruffians might have been lighter?

Xu Jin was still wondering if the Taoist Institute would actually bring death-row prisoners for them to shed blood?

Indeed they would!

Xu Jin’s guess came true on the next day, the afternoon of June 25.

But before this guess, Xu Jin had first discovered the changes in the Candou Platform’s nourishment.

During the lunch break, Xu Jin immediately plunged his thoughts into the Candou Platform to observe the changes in the Star Refilling Pill.

It had been a full day since he placed the Star Refilling Pill into the platform yesterday at noon.

Under the only lit Star Lamp of the Candou Platform, a Star Refilling Pill lay quietly there, and with a thought from Xu Jin, the pill, which had been nourished for a day, appeared in Xu Jin’s hand.

Xu Jin took the other five Star Refilling Pills and carefully compared the changes.

At first glance, there seemed to be no change.

But after looking carefully a few times, Xu Jin noticed that the pill, which had been nourished for a day, had acquired a faint Star Halo.

This halo required close inspection to be noticed.

This was the change in the pill after nourishment.

But it was only a change in appearance.

It was still unclear if there was any change in the pill’s efficacy.

It was a time of urgency at noon, not suitable for testing.

Xu Jin already had a plan, to take one Star Refilling Pill and one nourished Star Refilling Pill tonight to test their effects.

The afternoon training at the Martial Arts Hall continued as usual.

Three days of training and yesterday’s slaughterhouse-like scene had brought about a transformation in most of the youths, significantly enhancing their practical combat ability so they wouldn’t panic in the face of danger.

The group of youths thought today’s training would end here, especially since many believed that yesterday’s gruesome training was already the extreme.

But just before the training session ended, one of Tian Zhang’s trusted aides suddenly brought in twenty-four people, all dressed in prison garb.

As the group of youths watched, servants brought in vast amounts of food and drink for these prisoners to feast on, and then each was given a long knife.

“Among these youths before you, kill one, and your death sentence will be commuted to exile.

Kill two, and you are released on the spot!”

Instantly, the prisoners’ eyes changed.

They became crazed and bloodthirsty.

Suddenly, these youths clad in leather armor seemed like fat sheep to them.

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A wolf-like gaze started to scan the youths, eyeing their exposed vulnerabilities, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, choosing their targets.

The group of youths, hearing Governor Tian Zhang’s words, were stunned.

The next moment, Governor Tian Zhang pointed at the first prisoner and said, “Death-row convict Fang Da, incestuous and fratricidal, drowned his own nephew who witnessed the crime!

Death-row convict Zhao Er, addicted to gambling, sold his wife to cover his debts, killed his father in a dispute, and when his brother pursued him, he killed him too!

Death-row convict Bian Hu, a fake porter, committed highway robbery, calculatingly murdered twenty-one people—youths, elders, and children.

Death-row convict Li Qi, an inside man for bandits, caused the death of more than ten households in Li’s Village.

After the crime was exposed, he personally murdered seven people from Li’s Village.

….”

Governor Tian Zhang finished detailing the crimes of the twenty-four death-row convicts one by one.

During this process, none of the convicts bowed their heads; all were staring wolf-like at the seventy-three youths.

“To train you all in actual combat, next, these death-row convicts will fight with you in two separate batches, and neither I nor the instructors will intervene.

As I said before, if they kill one of you, their death penalty turns into hard labor.

If they kill two, they’re released on the spot!

Among you, whoever efficiently slays one of them will be rewarded with ten taels of silver and will transfer directly from the reserves to become an active member of the Star Patrol Guard, receiving a monthly salary.

Those who perform excellently will be directly promoted to squad leader of the Star Patrol Guard!

Do you understand?” Tian Zhang shouted.

The youths were in an uproar; some were excited, some nervous, and others shouted out loud, “Governor, what if we’re truly slain?”

“Then you will have died in battle!

I will report to your families that you died in battle, and there will be compensation.” Tian Zhang said coldly.

All the youths drew in a sharp breath.

This was serious!

Some were fearful, but others’ eyes lit up with eagerness!

Like Song Ye, Luo Geng, and like Xu Jin.

Tian Zhang’s offer was actually very lucrative.

The reward of ten taels of silver was generous, but even more valuable were the active positions in the Star Patrol Guard and the identity of a squad leader.

In Dachen, the military ranking of the County Taoist Institutes’ Star Patrol Guard was at least one tier higher than the county guard.

In other words, an ordinary Star Patrol Guard was at least equivalent to a squad leader in the county guard, and a Star Patrol Guard squad leader was at least equivalent to a team leader in the county guard.

There’s no way that the salary could be low.

The crucial point was, once one became a squad leader of the Star Patrol Guard, it meant a complete change in status.

According to Xu Jin’s understanding, it was like turning from a common laborer directly into the chief of a police station.

Xu Jin had already decided, he must compete!

He must give it a try!

“None of you grew eggs?” Luo Kexing suddenly pointed at the group of youths and started cursing.

“Thirty-six to twelve, they are just ordinary people who have killed and committed crimes, while you all have Cultivation Levels and armor.

If you’re afraid even with these advantages, stop cultivating at once and go home to wash your wives’ feet!”

Luo Kexing’s scolding caused many youths to laugh, which greatly reduced their fear and boosted their morale.

“Switch to regulation long knives, prepare for combat!” Tian Zhang’s thunderous shout made all the youths stand at attention!