Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 11: The Number One Book Of Casting

Star World had a saying.

Sword of the gentleman, saber of the hegemon, spear of the leisurer, three people to cut down the stars' brilliance.

The sword, saber, and spear were considered the three most commonly used weapons of cultivators, and they were also described as weapons capable of contending against a Star General. But what was the matter with this big stick? Mother's standard was too different, to send her son a weapon that, even if it was not a gentleman's sword, it ought to have a kind of kingly air at the very least. Staring at the ladle-shaped stick, no matter how Chen Mo looked at it, he felt this was too barbarous, too humiliating.

"The Northern Dipper has not been completely forged yet. It appears that Elder Sister's departure this time was very hasty." Chen Qinghan was pensive.

This iron rod was honestly too heavy. Chen Mo required a lot of effort to lift it up. Looking it over, he could not tell what material was used to forge this rod. It seemed to be made of iron, yet it also seemed to be made of gold. In short, it was very exotic.

Chen Mo searched through the Astral Stone again and spotted a letter.

The letter had his mother's handwriting. Written inside was more or less the same as what Auntie said. Due to certain reasons, mom had no choice but to leave. Furthermore, she bade that he properly look after her little sister, Chen Qinghan. Chen Mo grumbled in his mind. Did mom get something wrong. With Auntie being so awesome, was there a need for him to look after her. On the chart of sword foundries was recorded a few matters pertaining to the "Northern Dipper." The seven notches were positions to inlay stones for the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper.

After embedding the seven Star Stones, the Northern Dipper would be considered truly forged. It appeared that this Northern Dipper Staff's final process would need to be settled by himself.

Although the stick was not easy to wield, fortunately, it was the fruit of his mom's labors.

Other than the big staff, there was still an accompanying "Northern Dipper Great Overflow"¹ cultivation method for training with the Northern Dipper.

"For my son, Mo."

Opening the cultivation manual to its first page, the words that entered his view made Chen Mo's heart shudder. They were only a few simple words, but each word and page was filled to the brim with a mother's love. Strong feelings assaulted him, leaving Chen Mo despondent.

The Northern Dipper Great Overflow was personally written by his mother, each word made his heart turn. The cultivation method was very bizarre.

The Northern Dipper Great Overflow contained the "Bowl"² body techniques and training methods for the "Northern Dipper Great Overflow Chant," as well as a set of martial skills for the Northern Dipper Seven Stars.

As the saying goes, nothing was immutable, only perfection is undefeatable.

Any object, once imbued with kinetic energy, would become exceptionally filled with destructive power. But the Northern Dipper Great Overflow was different. Its method of cultivation used the power of the stars in the heavens above to increase cultivation and forge the body's muscles and bones. Star World's Human Star warriors used qi and blood to temper their bodies, but this cultivation method completely did not require the circulation of qi and blood to be able to reach this objective. The difference lay in using the Northern Dipper Seven Stars.

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This kind of cultivation method was extremely difficult. It could only be practiced during certain times at night. As a result, the progress in cultivation would be a few times slower compared to other warriors. However, another benefit was that this method that used Star Energy to cultivate nevertheless could possess strength that was far stronger than other warriors.

The Northern Dipper Great Overflow altogether had nine levels.

The first level could excite twenty percent of the body's potential.

The second level could excite forty percent of the body's potential.

The third level could reach sixty percent.

The nine layers at perfection could reach three or four times one's original potential, equivalent to no less than a one or two difference in Realm. This was completely ten times the gain for his effort, but this was not the most outrageous part. One of the most important reasons why Star Generals could run amok throughout Star World and make people revere them was their fearsome martial arts. 

Star Generals that entered into the Earthly Stars would excite ten percent of their potential with every stage they ascended. In the end, powerful Earthly Stars were able to break the corporeal defenses of even the best Human Star warriors with a single attack. Their awareness, reactions, power, speed, and even spirit surpassed a Human Star. Human Star warriors who relied purely on magic weapons and powers could not very easily contend against this kind of human weapon. Therefore, other than other Star Maidens, Human Star warriors would find them to be extremely difficult existences to face. Earthly Stars were like this, let alone Heavenly Stars.

Heavenly Spirit level Star Generals viewed the dynasty as nothing, the Human Sovereign as a bug.

This Northern Dipper Great Overflow that his mother left behind precisely used the power of the stars as a driver to contend against Star Generals. Across all of Star World, other than the Central Celestial Star Field, the Outer Star Field and Inner Star Fields had never heard of this type of formidable cultivation.

If Chen Mo could still maintain his composure over the Northern Dipper Great Overflow, then the next book his mother left for him would leave him no way to remain calm, "Book Of Casting."³

The "Book Of Casting" was a record for the casting of weapons. The contents were split into various chapters including, "weapons chapter," "essence stone chapter," "spirit sands chapter," "geography chapter," "casting chapter," "forging chapter," "insight chapter," "Star Weapons chapter," and more.

Each section separately introduced the differences and details of all of Star World's weapons; the distribution of various spirit ores, their qualities, and their uses; the gathering of some spirit sands, their characteristics, and their properties. 

Then, it introduced the geographical particulars of Star World and the places some spirit ores could be found. Then it introduced step by step how to cast, forge, and upgrade weapons, tools, etc.

Finally, even more packed was the insight and knowledge gained from the experience of casting weapons.

In Star World, Star Maidens all had their own unique Star Weapon. This was the distinctive feature of their identity as well as their important partner in battle. As a result, upgrading Star Weapons was a matter of utmost importance. Each successful level of forging was marked by a star. The more stars there were, the stronger the Star Weapon. High level Star Weapons could even defeat Star Generals of a higher realm.

Other than Star Maidens who would place particular emphasis on upgrading Star Weapons, other warriors were the same as well. Chen Mo was aware that the troops under his father, the Lord Chang'an, had a type of long saber. Each person was equipped with a three meter long, double-sided long saber known as "Blood Drinker." Each of these long sabers had four stars. Even against mounted cavalry, these blades could cut them clean in half. They were extremely fierce.

But upgrading as Star Weapons was considerably difficult. There were many very demanding conditions, and in the case of failure, not only would the Star Weapon be damaged, it could even break.

Upgrading and casting weapons required a casting master. Becoming a casting master was not an easy thing. Casting and forging a weapon required melting from the "sun" then cooling from the "moon." After yin and yang flowed together, the forging would take shape. Control over yin and yang needed to be extremely detailed. Yin and yang were innate opposed. To completely combine them together, only a casting master that possessed the "Without Ultimate Meridians"⁴ was skilled enough. Average casting masters could be engulfed and destroyed by the yin and yang if they were inattentive.

In the Great Chong Dynasty, amazing casting masters were even rarer than pill concocting masters, their statuses even more sublime. The Great Casting Master, Zhu Yuanzhen, of the Great Chong Dynasty's sword-casting villa sat on the same level as the Son of Heaven. A first-rate casting master was sufficient to forge a weapon that could compete with a nation's powerful army.

Looking at the "Book Of Casting" records, perhaps there was no need to have a casting master with Without Ultimate Meridians to be able to reach the level of a great master.

"Auntie, is this everything my mother left for me?" Chen Mo was amazed. Judging from the Northern Dipper Great Overflow, Mother apparently knew he was unable to circulate his qi and blood, and so she took an alternate route, devising a unique and unmatched cultivation method. And that Book Of Casting would help him become like a tiger that grew wings.

But it could not be said that he personally created a powerful cultivation method. Just this "Book Of Casting" alone had the qualifications to be placed on equal terms with the "Four Books and Five Classics."

Mom surprisingly had very formidable ability to be able to write such a thing, or perhaps it should be said she obtained this from somewhere?

"Elder Sister's considerations are actually thorough. You becoming Auntie's Servant Star has actually wronged you." Auntie smiled.

"Auntie, don't tell me my mother is a Star General?"⁵ Chen Mo felt this was a kind of possibility.

"This is an answer you must go find yourself. Right now, Auntie has already done what should have been done. Your growth speed is faster than Auntie anticipated. Your future path depends on you yourself. With things as they are now, the first thing is to stand out at the Divine Warrior Examination, to make Elder Sister proud." Chen Qinghan slowly said.

Chen Mo seriously and earnestly nodded.

The Heavenly General Star slightly smiled then turned around.

"Auntie, are you leaving just like this?" Chen Mo chased after her.

He had only taken two steps when his legs froze all of a sudden.

"Do you still want to make Auntie shelter you?" Chen Qinghan shot him an ice-cold, expressionless look.

Chen Mo promptly shook his head. He did not want to be misunderstood as a weak man that required his aunt to shield him.

To part like this without knowing when they might next meet, his grand plan had fizzled out. "Nephew is only reluctant to part from Auntie. Only Auntie has cared this much about Nephew." Saying this, Chen Mo felt increasingly hurt.

"You go away!"

These three words already showed Chen Qinghan's resolution.

Any further conversation would merely be a waste of his breath. Chen Mo knew that what his Auntie wanted was not his pain, nor was it this kind of affection. She needed him to get stronger. That was it.

In the end, Chen Mo carefully descended the mountain. His eyes were far more determined than when he first entered Azure Dragon Mountain.

The White Robed General sent Chen Mo off with eyes, not uttering a single word. The mountain's scene was frozen in her eyes.

Entirely dressed in three strips, looped together are nine stars.⁶

Chen Mo lifted his head to gaze at the night sky. Millions of stars twinkled together. The beauty of the starry sky was unique. According to the Northern Dipper Great Overflow's text, Chen Mo brought out the "Northern Dipper" rod.

This rod was very heavy. Even with his Qi And Blood Six Turns strength, he was somewhat unable to bear holding it. Chen Mo's mind moved, and a swell immediately whirled in his dantian. This was another use of the Nose Locking Art. Ordinarily, even while sleeping, it could also concentrate qi to cultivate. Sometimes, it would store excess qi into the dantian.

By doing so, it could be used at critical moments. Calling upon it, the qi and blood in Chen Mo's body was even more vigorous. His organs immediately filled with power. Chen Mo lifted the large stick in his hands.

While he practiced the bowl steps, he wielded the Northern Dipper to cultivate this Great Overflow secret art.

The very first few hours of cultivation were very uninteresting. Each swing of the Northern Dipper was more difficult than brandishing a full power punch. It was comparable to playing go against Xiyi.

While he waved it around, in the night sky, several stars began to shimmer. Visible sparkling green lights shot out from the stars, cool and serene, just like the dew of immortals. In those fluttering heights, they were blown all over the place by a clear breeze. Finally, they became raindrop-like silver lights that fell.

The Northern Dipper was like a lightning rod, drawing these starlights into Chen Mo's body. That heavy feeling of fatigue on his body was immediately eased bit by bit.

Chen Mo's heart was delighted. Indeed, the Northern Dipper Great Overflow his mother left him was useful.

An hour later, the starlights finally dimmed, and the cells in Chen Mo's body already concentrated the essence of the Star Energy they absorbed. Chen Mo put away the Northern Dipper, using the Great Overflow's absorption art to begin making the Star Energy in his cells temper his body. This was different from the Qi And Blood Nine Turns.

The process of Star Energy tempering was extremely slow.

After a long while, only a wisp of Star Energy was refined. Chen Mo was already drained, no will to continue.

"I never imagined this Northern Dipper Great Overflow would be so hard. With this kind of speed, who knows how long this first level will take." Chen Mo was depressed to death. Cultivating the Northern Dipper Great Overflow at the same time would waste his energy. In this case, the cultivation of Qi And Blood Nine Turns would be delayed.

Indeed, it looked like he could not have both at the same time.

1. 北斗大衍 ↩
2. 璇璣, referring to the 4 stars that form the "bowl" part of the Big Dipper. ↩
3. 鑄經, as in "casting metals" ↩
4. 無極經脈 ↩
5. Oh… ↩
6. 整服乘三素，旋綱躡九星 A poem describing the Big Dipper as well as two more auxiliary stars. ↩