First-Rank Vassals

The key to a Star Lord's own cultivation and its core was Star Power, but what was Star Power?

Star Power was not merely the spirit veins and spiritual energy on one's Natal Star; it was the origin force of the star itself. Encompassing the star's matter, life, consciousness, time, spirit veins, fortune, creation, destruction, reincarnation, and everything else, it was the Great Dao force upon the Natal Star.

From the very beginning, Star Lords contacted and cultivated the Great Dao force and origin force within their Natal Star, condensing a Dao Fruit. Only in this way could they lay the foundation for their later integration with the Dao and transcendence and ascension.

This was also the greatest gap between Star Lords and other cultivation orthodoxies within the Star Alliance world.

When Star Lords nurtured the vassals on their Natal Star, they were not only cultivating muscle and guard forces for themselves, but more importantly, they were also nurturing and elevating the origin, Great Dao, and Star Power of the Natal Star, fostering the growth of the Dao Fruit.

A star with multiplying living beings was undoubtedly stronger in its origin and Great Dao than one without multiplying life.

A star with intelligent beings far surpassed one without intelligent beings in both origin and Great Dao.

A star with extraordinary power surpassed one without extraordinary power.

The stronger the extraordinary ranks, the stronger the star's origin and Great Dao would become.

A Star Lord's cultivation path had always been divided into two branches: the first was cultivating the Natal Star and its vassals, constantly elevating their ranks and strength; the second was the Star Lord's own First-Rank Celestial cultivation path.

The first path condensed the Dao Fruit, while the second prepared the Star Lord to finally refine the Dao Fruit, integrate with the Dao, and achieve transcendence.

Only when both legs grew healthily could one walk faster and steadier.

On Dragon Soul Star, within the Half-Dragonfolk vassal settlement, a huge bonfire blazed at that moment. A large group of Half-Dragonfolk, led by a noticeably taller Dragonfolk, circled the bonfire, waving their tails and bodies, and finally bowed and prostrated themselves on the ground toward the sky.

The vassal Half-Dragonfolk on Liang Ji's Natal Star generally reached around one meter and six in height upon adulthood, which already surpassed ordinary Snake People, while that leading figure stood at least over one meter eight.

What was even more crucial, however, was that within its eyes, instead of the dullness of ordinary Half-Dragonfolk, a flicker of intelligent spiritual light shone.

This was the first vassal Half-Dragonfolk in his Natal Star to give birth to spiritual intelligence, awaken its bloodline, and advance to the First Rank.

Having awakened its bloodline and advanced to the First Rank, the Half-Dragonfolk's body would undergo secondary development and growth, becoming larger in stature, stronger in physical might, and thicker in defense.

Liang Ji personally bestowed a name upon it: Xi!

Xi meant morning light, the beginning of radiance, representing the new beginning that the vassals on his Natal Star were ushering in.

Then, under Liang Ji's guidance and influence, Xi became the shaman among the Half-Dragonfolk, leading them through a sacrificial ritual at that moment.

What they sacrificed to and believed in was the embodiment of the Great Dao who controlled the stars, heaven and earth, and everything else—the Heavenly Emperor, which was to say the Star Lord Liang Ji.

Within this lay the cultivation method of the Immortal Deity Path within the Star Alliance!

A Star Lord's cultivation path had always been all-inclusive, absorbing the essence of various cultivation orthodoxies within the Star Alliance to achieve one's own boundless nature and transcendence.

Likewise, the research and development of a Star Lord's cultivation path within the Star Alliance had long since matured.

There were already mature plans for how to nurture the vassals within a star.

Religion, politics, economy, and military were the four crucial pillars for controlling and nurturing the development of vassals.

Among these, religion came first; it was what had to be developed earliest and occupy the ruling position.

This was because the other three items were used to rule the vassals' bodies, whereas religion alone was used to rule their souls and minds—it was utterly vital!

Only by controlling the mind and soul could one completely control the vassals.

Therefore, when Star Lords in the Star Alliance cultivated and the first intelligent vassal was born on their Natal Star, they would basically guide it to become the vassal shaman and develop religion among the vassals.

With the first intelligent vassal and the civilizing influence of religion, the development of the vassal Half-Dragonfolk on Dragon Soul Star entered the fast lane once again, with more and more Half-Dragonfolk awakening their spiritual intelligence and bloodlines to advance to the First Rank.

Under Liang Ji's control, guided by Xi and religion, they practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, engaged in hunting and animal husbandry, built houses, and gathered into tribes.

Economy, military, and politics arose among the vassal Half-Dragonfolk under the command of religion.

The political leader, the chief of the Half-Dragonfolk tribe, was crowned by religion and named by Liang Ji: King.

The military leader, the tallest and strongest among the Half-Dragonfolk, was granted the right to lead the army by religion and named by Liang Ji: Chi.

The economic leader, the one most skilled in farming and animal husbandry among the Half-Dragonfolk tribe, gained the recognition of religion and was named by Liang Ji: Mu.

The formation of religion, politics, military, and economy represented the thorough stabilization of the foundation of the vassals on Liang Ji's Natal Star, bringing the development of the vassals and the star into a new stage, equipped with basic abilities to defend themselves and launch external aggression.

Naturally, abilities varied in strength.

Presently, the vassals on his Natal Star were basically just blank slates with limited capabilities, requiring Liang Ji, their Star Lord, to add inheritances, equipment, skills, and so on for them.

After all, a Star Lord's Natal Star could not compare with the main star that nurtured humans; the Great Dao and origin contained within it were relatively thin, especially when they were low-rank Star Lords like Liang Ji, making it even weaker.

Consequently, the vassal Half-Demon folk born on the Natal Star naturally could not compare to humans; their souls and origins were even more fragile. The most obvious manifestation was that although they could give birth to spiritual intelligence, their wisdom was limited, and they particularly lacked creativity.

Religion, politics, military, economy, and other aspects among the vassals required the Star Lord to guide and develop them, not solely because the Star Lord needed to control the vassals, but also because these vassals possessed limited intelligence and lacked creativity. Without the Star Lord's guidance and control, they might have struggled for countless years without developing any effective civilization.

Of course, this lack of intelligence and creativity was also advantageous for the Star Lord in controlling the vassals, counting as more benefits than drawbacks.

Precisely because of this, however, wanting to raise the combat effectiveness of these vassals by relying on them to develop their bloodlines and create cultivation inheritances and skills was basically impossible; all of it required the Star Lord to provide them with suitable inheritances and skills to develop their bloodlines and elevate their cultivation realms and strength.

Within the Star Alliance, as the Path of the Star Lord had developed for countless years, the development of various vassal bloodlines and the inheritance of cultivation skills were naturally extremely complete.

Just as the Star Lords on Sky Snake Star mostly had Half-Demon Snake People as vassals, Sky Snake Star naturally boasted the greatest abundance of developments, inheritances, and skills concerning various Snake People bloodlines.

Liang Ji's sole concern was whether the vassals on his Natal Star, having mutated due to the influence of the Dragon Soul and changed from Half-Demon Snake People into Half-Dragonfolk, could still adapt to the snake-people nurturing programs, bloodline inheritances, and skills researched by the numerous Star Lords on Sky Snake Star.

However, these were matters for the second semester of the senior year.

The study and cultivation of a Star Lord's senior year were in the foundation-building stage. The first semester laid the foundation for the Star Lord's Natal Star and the formation of vassals, while the second semester laid the foundation for the vassals' cultivation and advancement.

As for the present, Liang Ji welcomed a brief holiday.

The data on the Starlight Treasure Mirror had also received further updates:

Star Lord: Liang Ji.

Cultivation Realm: Nine-Rank Body Refining (Skin and Flesh Refining 80%).

Natal Star: Dragon Soul Star.

Star Diameter: 1,086 kilometers.

Star Composition: Earth (41%), Metal (15%), Water (22%), Wood (12%), Fire (5%), Gas (5%).

Spirit Vein: First Rank (1%).

Vassals: Half-Demon Snake People (Mutated).

Dao Fruit: 0.05%.

Vassals: Half-Demon Snake People (Mutated).

Rank: First Rank.

Quantity: 2,894 (First Rank: 208, Zero Rank: 2,686)

Religion: Heavenly Emperor Faith (Shaman: Xi).

Politics: Small Tribe (Chief: King).

Economy: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry (Leader: Mu).

Military: Hunting Team (Commander: Chi).

Skills: None.

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