Chapter 399 - 317: New Star
After returning from Bi Fang’s place, Su Yuan first went with Yang Yifeng to the Book Tower.
Concerning the breakthrough matters, Yang Yifeng carefully explained and advised once again.
After this, Su Yuan returned to the dormitory.
Casually taking out two bottles of Coke from the refrigerator and handing one to Ruan Ruan, Su Yuan then went straight to the Cultivation Room on the second floor.
With a flash in his hand, Su Yuan embedded the newly obtained [Three-One]and began to ponder silently.
“Star Power Refinement…”
Su Yuan recalled the words his teacher had just mentioned earlier.
The breakthrough from Gold Level to Shining Star Level was like jumping onto a stepping stone.
If you jump up and reach it, then you succeed.
If you can’t, then the breakthrough fails, and most of your previous accumulation is lost.
And to achieve the breakthrough depends mainly on three factors:
The height of the stepping stone, the target height, and the jumping height during the breakthrough.
Target height: This is determined by one’s talent. The higher the talent, the lower the target height, making it easier to jump.
Jumping height: This is the smoothness of the breakthrough process. Some skills, elixirs, and tools can make the breakthrough process smoother.
As for the height of the stepping stone: that is the current realm of the person breaking through.
Generally speaking, reaching the Gold High Stage means the Star Power Vortex has expanded to the maximum extent of the Lower Three Levels, qualifying one to attempt the Shining Star Level breakthrough.
However, Gold High Stage Star Card Masters usually don’t break through directly. They continuously enhance their capabilities until reaching the Gold Limit.
This is to increase the “height of the stepping stone,” getting closer to the Shining Star Level.
But the gap between the Gold Level and the Shining Star Level is too immense. Even reaching the Gold Limit, with no room for further Star Power improvement, few manage to breakthrough.
At this time, another way to increase the “stepping stone” height and reduce the gap to the Shining Star Level is Star Power Refinement.
After reaching the Gold Limit, refining each trace of Star Power doesn’t increase the amount of Star Power in the body. However, the new refined Star Power replaces the old one and is more condensed.
So refining each portion of Star Power raises the stepping stone a bit.
Once Star Power is fully refined once, the stepping stone noticeably elevates.
But the limit for Star Power Refinement is three times.
The further you go, the longer it takes, and the weaker the effect.
After three times, there will be no further effect.
If you feel you can break through during this process, you can try it.
If, after three refinements, you still feel unable to break through, it indicates limited talent. You can either force a breakthrough or remain in the thrice refined state for life.
“No wonder I haven’t felt a breakthrough coming; it seems I still lack something…
Star Power Refinement looks like a meticulous process, but with the Star Mist Pool, the progress can be accelerated significantly.”
Given his current physique, he could withstand the Star Mist Pool at ten or eleven times concentration without any issue.
And the academy provides 50 hours of Star Mist Pool time each month.
Besides, he had just obtained hundreds of thousands of Star Stones. With ten times concentration, spending seven to eight hours a day costs less than a hundred thousand Cent Star Stones a month. He could soak in the Star Mist Pool without worry!
“With the skill slot issue resolved, everything is ready. It’s time for the final sprint!”
Su Yuan’s eyes brightened. Without hesitation, he made some arrangements and then headed straight to the Star Mist Hall…
Cultivation knows no passage of time; more than a month passed quickly.
Every day, Su Yuan moved between the dormitory and the Star Mist Hall, only leaving to replenish food.
Even the academy’s prominent figures seldom saw Su Yuan.
However, Su Yuan had informed relevant people like Yang Yifeng and He Yanan beforehand.
But without breaking through to Shining Star Level, the teachers didn’t make it public.
The world wouldn’t stop without one person.
And without being overshadowed by Su Yuan’s brilliance, not only in Demon Capital Academy but in other academies too, numerous other geniuses began to emerge.
One day, at Demon Capital Academy, in the Dean’s office.
“Dean Cai.” Tan Songlin knocked and entered.
Dean Cai, holding a brush, practiced calligraphy, responding casually, “Songlin, what brings you here?”
Tan Songlin said, “It’s already late April. A year has quickly passed, and the national championship will be here in early June.”
Dean Cai continued without stopping, “So?”
Tan Songlin deliberated, then said slowly, “Our Demon Capital Academy hasn’t won the national championship for many years. This year, we have a chance…”
“Songlin, look at my calligraphy,” Dean Cai put down his brush.
Tan Songlin was interrupted and walked forward to see the paper with four characters: “Teacher’s Dignity.”
Tan Songlin’s expression froze, and he found himself momentarily speechless.
Cai Qinglong said slowly, “Given Su Yuan’s displayed strength, the national championship wouldn’t be difficult.
So, you want to halt Su Yuan’s sprint to Shining Star Level for him to participate in the national championship?”
Tan Songlin tenaciously said, “Dean, it’s a rare opportunity. We can offer him extensive resources afterward.”
“Nonsense!”
Cai Qinglong blew his beard in anger.
“Cultivation and breakthroughs rely on the right state. Su Yuan has been sprinting for over a month, and his state is at its peak.
After refining Star Power once, he could naturally breakthrough.
Calling him out now would not only waste over a month but also make regaining this state difficult!”
Tan Songlin hurriedly said, “Please calm down, Dean.”
Cai Qinglong coldly snorted, “Our academy uses obtained resources to nurture more students, not to exploit them for more benefits. Your thinking is completely misguided!
Especially for such a genius student, rare in centuries, who might be a pillar of our Great Flame in the future. You want to drag him down for a national championship?”
Cai Qinglong stared intensely at Tan Songlin. The overwhelming Star Power pressure filled the office, turning countless papers into snowflakes instantly.
“Songlin, remember, you are a teacher first and the Academy’s Director of Teaching second. Don’t forget your original purpose! This matter is no longer to be discussed. Leave!”
Tan Songlin felt Cai Qinglong was unusually furious this time.
Under the King Level’s pressure, sweat broke out on Tan Songlin’s forehead as he nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes! I’ll take my leave now…”
Bowing, Tan Songlin then retreated.
…
In a flash, another half month passed.
At the Star Mist Pool, accompanied by slight fluctuations, the Star Power in Su Yuan became stronger than before.
“Finally completed the first round of Star Power Refinement!”
Su Yuan opened his eyes, showing joy.
The fully refined Star Power was much more condensed than before.
No need to further refine more Star Power; Su Yuan could clearly feel it was enough!
In the following days, Su Yuan neither went to the Star Mist Hall nor cultivated further.
Instead, he guided Ruan Ruan in her cultivation, slept and woke early, burned incense, and bathed, constantly adjusting his state.
On this day, Su Yuan sat cross-legged in the Cultivation Room on the second floor, gazing at the distant Soul-binding Divine Tree, feeling his Essence Qi Spirit had reached its peak!
“It’s almost time…”
With this thought flashing in his mind, Su Yuan’s casual gaze sharpened. He withdrew Ruan Ruan, who was practicing, and closed his eyes.
With a thought, the myriad of Star Power Vortexes inside him surged intensely.
Countless Star Powers converged, boiled, entwined, compressed, and gathered… undergoing a full force transmutation and ascension.
Time flew by; it was unclear how long it took, but the Star Power Vortex trembled slightly.
Amidst the surging Star Power, a drop of liquid suddenly appeared, emitting a powerful fluctuation far exceeding the surrounding Star Power!
This was the beginning. As one drop of liquid Star Power appeared, more and more liquid Star Power began to form…
Gradually, most of the Star Power Vortex turned into liquid, but the pace slowed down significantly.
Without hesitation, Su Yuan took out and swallowed the Condensed Liquid Pill.
Once the elixir entered his body, the Star Power dissolved it.
Soon, its effect merged into the Star Power Vortex, which seemed recharged, accelerating its condensation process…
Time passed bit by bit, and the process went smoothly under the elixir’s effect.
After a long while, the last trace of Star Power also completed its liquefaction, with large amounts of transparent liquid Star Power swirling in the Star Power Vortex. It seemed to trigger something, causing the vortex to tremble and begin to evolve and transform.
At the same time, with a “chirp chirp” sound, the Azure Sky Phoenix Soul Card shone brightly.
Dense Space Power enveloped the entire card, and the form of the Azure Sky Phoenix became blurred, undergoing some kind of transmutation…
After a while, Su Yuan’s body trembled slightly. The original Star Power Vortex completely transformed into a dynamic Star Sea, with countless liquid Star Powers swirling and flowing.
Meanwhile, with the Star Power Vortex as the foundation, the soul card evolution reached its final stage.
“Chirp chirp!”
Phoenix cries rang out, space vibrated, and a giant black phoenix flew up from Su Yuan’s back, emitting a tinkling sound!
Despite using talismans to isolate and block, at this moment, the King Levels in the academy, including Yang Yifeng, felt it.
“Did he breakthrough?” Cai Qinglong turned southward, smiling and nodding.
“Good! Very good! Fantastic!” At the Book Tower, Yang Yifeng’s face was full of joy, excitement, and relief.
He Yanan, Zheng Chusheng, and others looked toward the southern dormitory, exclaiming.
“What a monstrous talent—reaching Shining Star Realm in less than two years. Unprecedented!”
At the southern dormitory, the black phoenix returned to Su Yuan, and his aura frenziedly surged.
After a while, Su Yuan opened his eyes.
They sparkled brightly, emanating Divine Light; his whole body distorted space, with Mystic Light flickering!
“Shining Star!”
As if following fate, even during the day, a bright star could be seen in the high sky.
To the south, a brilliant new star rose…