Nine Star Burden

Chapter 119: Hypocritical!

Ever since Xia Yan broke through the middle of the Nebula Stage and reached the late Nebula Stage, she had been in a particularly good mood.

Although she didn’t mention it on the surface, Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue could tell that she was utterly grateful towards them.

Her mentality also caused her to be extremely serious and strict in teaching Jiang Xiao swordsmanship.

For the past two days, the siblings had been living in Xia Yan’s house. Han Jiangxue was considered a sparring partner for Xia Yan and Jiang Xiao.

At this moment, Jiang Xiao was holding onto the wooden giant sword and carrying out the basic movements taught by Xia Yan. He stepped forward, swung it down, flicked his wrist, moved forth…

Three days ago, Xia Yan began teaching Jiang Xiao, and ever since then, he gained one more skill in his Basic Technique tab.

The Xia Family Swordsmanship.

Impressive.

It was actually named after their family.

Back then, Xia Yan was still joking about Xia Shanhai buying that technique. However, it seemed that it was an heirloom technique. Or did the elders create it?

Did Xia Yan create it herself?

Does she have such a high IQ and qualifications?

However, Xia Yan’s Star Map was a double-handled Chinese sword and not a Western one.

If she really turns her swordsmanship into a Star Technique in the future, will she have to change her routine and strategy?

In that case…

Jiang Xiao’s eyes lit up and he thought, Regardless of who the creator of the Xia Family Swordsmanship is, his Star Map must be in the shape of the sword.

Xia Shanhai’s Star Map must be so!

In the beginning, Jiang Xiao even tried to hold the steel giant sword. Later on…

He gave up because he realized that he couldn’t quite handle the giant sword due to his weak arms.

The steel giant blade weighed at least 30 kg. After holding it for a while, Jiang Xiao’s movements began to change.

Xia Yan also seemed to have expected that as she immediately took out the wooden giant sword. According to her, she also started with a wooden sword when she first started to practice.

He realized that there was still a difference in levels and physical qualities amongst the Awakened. Before Jiang Xiao began practicing swordsmanship, he never thought that there was such a huge difference. But after he started, he finally realized how explosive and powerful Xia Yan’s slender arms were.

Xia Yan was extremely strict in teaching Jiang Xiao, placing strict requirements on basic posture, stance, and wielding. It took her two whole days to teach him those basics. School would be reopening tomorrow, but Xia Yan was still patiently correcting every physical detail.

Jiang Xiao didn’t think she was that enthusiastic of a person and he reckoned that it might be because of that Galaxy Stage Star Bead that he had given her. Hence, she was paying more attention because she was grateful to him.

Before the three of them parted, Xia Yan revealed the truth.

During the final exam of the first semester for the Year Three students, they would have to go for a bonus competition of the college entrance examination—the Beijiang Province High School League.

Unlike regular students, the Awakened had to sit for exams for cultural subjects, as well as register for the Beijiang Province High School League.

Of course, if they chose not to sign up, they could also go through the regular procedures and take part in the final exam for practical combat. However, there would be no bonus regardless of how well they did.

If one were to do well during this competition, they would not only be able to obtain higher scores, but they would also receive an entrance ticket to the National High School League.

In other words, the competition that took place before the New Year was not optional but mandatory for the team!

They must get into the top two in order to participate in the National High School League before the college entrance examination.

Although the names of the two events seemed rather similar, they took place in two stages.

The missions of the first stage were all conducted in Dimensional Spaces, which could be considered the preliminary round. The top eight teams with the highest scores would enter the semi-finals.

The eight teams entering the semi-finals would get to challenge another team, and the winning team would receive Star Beads from the Provincial Department Of Awakened Education as rewards, as well as some bonus marks for the college entrance examination.

Although both the preliminary round and semi-finals were supervised by teachers, students would resort to interesting methods to emerge victoriously and earn more points.

One could imagine how dangerous the competition would be.

Since they had decided to strive for stellar achievements and stand out from the rest, they would have to bear the risks and consequences.

During this period, Xia Yan and Han Jiangxue both broke through the middle of the Nebula Stage, which was great news.

During the college entrance examination, the level of Star Power was also part of the evaluation rubrics.

Despite being stuck in the middle of the Nebula Stage, Xia Yan didn’t take the Beijiang Province High School League seriously. However, if she wanted to get a good ranking in the National High School League, she would have to upgrade her Star Power.

There were plenty of people in China. Hence, there were also plenty of Awakened.

There had never been a lack of talent on this magical land.

The students in the previous Year Three cohorts of Jiangbin High School broke through in Beijiang Province and successfully passed the preliminary round. At last, they emerged as the first runners-up. However, they failed to do well in the final National High School League.

Although there would always be winners and losers during competitions, the competition last year brought shame to Jiangbin High School.

The truth was just that harsh at times.

The standards of development in Beijiang Province were indeed inferior.

Beijiang could not be compared to the other provinces in terms of economic level, education, medical care, personal development, and opportunities.

The various reasons resulted in serious consequences, such as the severe brain drain in Beijiang which debilitated it every year. Meanwhile, there were major influxes of Awakened talents in other provinces that were doing well economically.

The Awakened who came from affluent families were all sent to better academies and schools, regardless of the distance they had to travel.

That resulted in the top rankings of the National High School League being monopolized by schools from major provinces and cities.

Now that Xia Yan had crossed the threshold, she definitely had better chances. Putting aside the elimination trials within the province, there were about seven months to go before the start of the National High School League. If Xia Yan could break through the late Nebula Stage and advance to the peak, she would achieve success.

Without a doubt, very few of the elite Chinese High School students in the National High School League were in the Galaxy Stage.

In the past few years, the strongest individual Awakened was mostly at the peak of the Nebula Stage.

There were four thresholds in each Star Power level, and breaking through the last one was of top priority.

Apart from the prodigies, most of the Chinese students would at most reach the peak of the Nebula Stage, regardless of how talented they may be.

Did that mean that there were limits to the abilities of eighteen-year-olds and nineteen-year-olds?

That view was rather debatable, but the truth was obvious.

Xia Yan had seven months to prepare for the competition and she felt that she had a good chance to reach her fullest potential and limits.

Putting aside winning glory for the school and doing her parents proud, she was determined to achieve her goals and do well for her own sake.

Now, Jiang Xiao’s Star Bead had cleared the obstacle in front of her, giving her several more months to break through the late Nebula Stage. How could she not be grateful?

Perhaps, she would still be stuck in the middle of the Nebula Stage right before the final exam without that Star Bead.

The Star Beads of human beings, especially those of the Awakened in the Galaxy Stage, were out of reach for students like Xia Yan.

Regardless of whether Jiang Xiao was willing to accept it or not, he knew that he was about to suffer soon.

Xia Yan was all ready to produce a strong and powerful warrior this time.

Jiang Xiao had been ordered to sleep, eat, and go to school with the wooden giant sword and to nurture some feelings for it.

The previous Jiang Xiaopi would probably find it cool to lug the sword around.

However, Jiang Xiao found it to be extremely silly and foolish. As the “Toxic Healer” of Year One, he was already catching enough attention. Yet, she wanted him to bring the giant sword around.

Jiang Xiao put in all of his efforts and resorted to all means to convince Xia Yan to give in. However, in exchange, Jiang Xiao would have to schedule some time for practicing his swordsmanship during combat lessons every afternoon. He would also have to go home with Xia Yan and practice after evening lessons.

To Jiang Xiao’s bewilderment, Han Jiangxue actually agreed. She even planned to move into Xia Yan’s large mansion to accompany him.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiao stared at Han Jiangxue solemnly before turning to look at Xia Yan with joy.

Jiang Xiao smacked his forehead and thought, I fell for the trick!

I sent myself to the lion’s den!

I’ve fallen into Demoness Xia’s trap!

Isn’t this the same as sending the tender white sheep, Han Jiangxue, into Xia Yan’s mouth?

Hypocrite!