Nine Star Burden

Chapter 16: Brushing Past

Xia Yan finally picked up the giant sword and tensed up her legs before stomping her foot down onto the snow. She then immediately sprung up and flew outwards!

Jiang Xiao was astonished. In the 25 years of his life, he had never witnessed such a bloody and violent sight before.

Xia Yan collided with the White Ghouls running on the left and the burning giant blade slit the coarse-skinned White Ghouls into two, causing its blood to spurt all over her face.

Xia Yan seemed accustomed to it. She flicked her beautiful chestnut-colored hair and stuck her tongue out to lick the blood on the corner of her lips, full of sexiness and wild beauty.

The death of a White Ghoul did not interrupt Xia Yan’s slaughter. The giant blade formed a huge pit in the ground when it came into contact with it. The burning flames surrounded the snow and the white fumes flowed down. Xia Yan turned around and swung her blade across horizontally.

The White Ghoul nearest to her sprung up, and given how formidable they were, they would inevitably be able to dodge the blade.

However, a White Flames Star Map appeared on Han Jiangxue’s body just behind Jiang Xiao. There were two brass, two silver, and one gold lights.

Gold!?!

Jiang Xiao knew that none of the Awakened had a Gold Technique. He wondered, How lucky must Han Jiangxue have been to obtain a Gold Technique!?!

Han Jiangxue began fumbling about and the silver star slot suddenly lit up.

—Silver Star Technique: Barren Wind

A sudden gust of wind swept over the heads of the White Ghouls, making them seem like they were pressed down forcefully by an invisible and large hand.

The sword glistened and the fires blazed.

Fresh blood dripped after they got cut off.

“Brass First Kill, +1 Skill Point.”

This message popped up in Jiang Xiao’s mind, making him slightly stunned.

Brass First Kill?

Do Skill Points come from killing? 

Does this mean that number of kills achieved by the team will be credited under me too? 

On Xia Yan’s side, the violent Star Power waves and raging flames would immediately blow the two White Ghouls at the back away, including those who were about four or five meters away from the White Ghouls at the start. Clearly, Xia Yan’s blade was formidable.

The two White Ghouls flew backward and fell heavily on the ground, after which they rolled and wailed loudly as if they had been shocked by the Star Power wave.

Two white rays of light fell on the White Ghouls, together with the strange noises coming from the snowfield.

The miserable cries of the two White Ghouls vanished and were soon replaced by the angry roars of the storm.

“White Ghoul Witch! Watch the White Ghouls.” Xia Yan instructed while dashing forwards with her giant blade. You want to surround and cage us? Dream on!

“Okay.” Han Jiangxue observed the situation of the battle and in a moment of panic, the silver star slot in her White Flames Star Map lit up again.

“Oh my god.” Jiang Xiao felt like he was suddenly engulfed by a cloud of fog and blown up by a gust of wind which propelled him forwards.

Jiang Xiao, who fell in the shape of a parabola, turned around to look behind, only to see two White Ghouls being blown away by Han Jiangxue in the same manner, while Pi Keqiu had already fought with the White Ghouls behind him.

Pi Keqiu’s Star Map was the shape of a sphere that contained 16 star slots, on which there were three Brass and three Star Techniques. At this time, the first star slot in the spherical Star Map glistened and exuded a bright ray of light. Pi Keqiu’s right fist also emitted a cyan light and he bent forward to dodge the claws of the White Ghoul before punching it right in the chest.

Bang!

A loud thud sounded.

The White Ghouls’ heavy bodies flew three meters back, not only because of Pi Keqiu’s power but also because of the impact from “Strong Strike” and “Gentle Shock”.

Before the White Ghouls even landed on the ground, Han Jiangxue darted forward and the second silver star slot in the White Flames Star Map lit up. She then cast a fireball.

—Silver Star Technique: Bursting Flames

The fireball hit the White Ghouls’ black faces with precision and exploded instantly.

The White Ghouls shrieked and wailed miserably as their non-fur-coated parts stung in pain after being scalded by the burning fireball.

“Ah~ Ah~”

A white ray of light descended from the sky and landed on the White Ghouls that were rolling around on the ground while covering their faces.

In the snow forest, a slender humanoid behind the tree revealed a cold and menacing face. It also had thick white fur on its body, but its face was pale, bloodless and dry like it had withered.

“Come out.” Han Jiangxue suddenly stopped moving rapidly and glided about half a meter in the snow, raking up a large amount of snow. She then pointed her long and slender index finger at the humanoid at the boundaries of the snow forest.

The White Ghouls at the boundaries were blown away by the strong and overbearing wind.

Xia Yan pressed her hand against the burning blade while holding onto the handle with her other hand. The White Ghouls rushed forward while their claws emitted a green glow. They then slammed themselves against the blade, causing Xia Yan to retreat.

“You guys…” Xia Yan, who was about to fight back, felt that she was losing control of her body as she flew up into the sky and past the numerous White Ghouls that were surrounding them. She then plunged into the snow forest not too far away.

Now that she was high above, Xia Yan finally knew who her target was!

It was the White Ghoul Witch that was also out of control and flying towards her!

Han Jiangxue stood rooted to the ground with no emotions in her icy cold eyes. She seemed to have forgotten that she was on a dangerous battlefield as she lowered her arms naturally and directed her hands at the two figures levitating in the sky, carefully controlling everything.

Xia Yan licked her lips as a look of wildness glowed in her eyes. She held the handle tightly, forming a perfect arc with her arms.

At the same time, the fourth star slot in the two-handed sword Star Map also emitted a silver glow.

—Silver Star Technique: Flame Arc

She wielded the sword and made a clean cut!

Although the distance between Xia Yan and the White Ghoul Witch was less than 20 meters, Xia Yan nonetheless hacked it with her giant blade.

At the instant that the cut was made, a reddish arc darted out of the burning sword and quickly shuttled through the dim sky, lighting up the entire world and crushing the White Ghouls’ coarse and withering bodies.

Bang!

The sound of explosions was pleasing to the ear and Xia Yan stumbled onto the ground, stabbing her sword into it as she glided forward by several meters, dragging her sword along with her. She finally regained her balance after a while.

She raised her head and glanced at Han Jiangxue with glistening and starry eyes, seemingly trying to look out for a tinge of amazement in her eyes, but…

“Be…” Before Xia Yan could even tell her to be careful, the White Ghoul behind Han Jiangxue was hindered from its course of action.

The figure was not fast, and she could tell that he should have been paying attention to Han Jiangxue since a long time ago and did not just decide to save her all of a sudden.

Moreover, the figure did not keep a low profile and instead, collided with the White Ghouls while emitting a white glow.

It was none other than Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao, who had been blown away by Han Jiangxue just now, rolled around on the ground and initially wanted to catch up with Xia Yan according to plan. He wanted to rush out of the circle, but Xia Yan was thrown into the air by Han Jiangxue. Han Jiangxue had also stopped, and at the same time, it also seemed difficult to control Xia Yan’s and the White Ghoul Witch’s bodies because it required a steady footing and concentration.

That made Jiang Xiao panic as he frantically scurried back. Pi Keqiu could only help Han Jiangxue defend one side and not all the attacks.

Jiang Xiao finally managed to make it.

The White Ghouls’ sharp claws gleamed with cyan light that was similar to the one being emitted by Jiang Xiao’s fist. The only difference was that the White Ghouls were attacking Han Jiangxue while Jiang Xiao’s target was the White Ghouls.

Jiang Xiao’s power could not stop the raging White Ghouls, but his Star Technique Green Glow was rather effective in resisting and causing the White Ghouls to retreat!

Jiang Xiao’s fist landed directly on the White Ghoul’s liver, causing his body to slant towards the side and rebound tens of centimeters away because of the impact that caused it to change its “route”.

With a “whoosh”, the White Ghoul flew over Han Jiangxue and brushed past her.