Nine Star Burden

Star Power Abundance upgraded to Silver Quality Level 2!

–

However, Jiang Xiao, sitting under the wall and cooking soup, suddenly received the information in his internal Star Map, surprising him a little.

Star Power Abundance?

Had it not been for the sudden upgrade, Jiang Xiao would have almost forgotten about that Basic Technique.

Yes, Star Power Abundance was considered a Basic Technique, and its functions were to “condense and restore Star Power.”

Jiang Xiao had a total of four Basic Techniques:

1. Freehand Combat, Silver Quality Level 4

2. Star Power Abundance, Silver Quality Level 2

3. Dagger Mastery, Silver Quality Level 4

4. Xia Family Swordsmanship, Silver Quality Level 9

Jiang Xiao’s level of Freehand Combat and Dagger Mastery had stagnated for a long time, probably because he had yet to study them much. He had just increased his Xia Family Swordsmanship by one level.

Jiang Xiao was very sure that his Freehand Combat and Dagger Mastery could be upgraded through training.

However, “Star Power Abundance” was a little different. For the time being, Jiang Xiao still didn’t know how he should train it. Does absorbing Star Power count as training? 

Jiang Xiao fumbled and entered plenty of Dimensional Spaces. Everyone could see how long and hard he had been training for.

When resting, Jiang Xiao would basically absorb Star Power on his own. In other words, the “Star Power Abundance” Basic Technique should be trained all the time. But when he was cooking soup and absorbing Star Power just now, that Basic Technique was upgraded by a small level.

Perhaps, this Basic Technique has high requirements for an upgrade? 

Jiang Xiao wasn’t too sure, and he wondered if there was a special way to train that Basic Technique and if he just hadn’t found it yet.

Anyway, the Basic Technique could be upgraded to the Silver Quality because Jiang Xiao had used his Skill Points to do so. The sudden piece of information left Jiang Xiao a little helpless.

The Basic Technique was about the speed of condensing and restoring Star Power. If the quality of the Basic Technique was high, like Gold Quality… No, Gold Quality wasn’t enough. For example, if it were of Platinum Quality or even Diamond Quality, would his Star Power be inexhaustible?

Since self-upgrading was that difficult, he would need to use plenty of Skill Points to upgrade it, which was rather costly.

“Why are you in a daze?” Xia Yan came over, half-kneeling on the ground with a bowl in her left hand. She picked up the ladle in the pot with her right hand, stirred the soup in the clockwise direction, and began to scoop herself some soup.

Everyone’s military backpack contained combat rations given by the officials. The quality of the rations produced by China was guaranteed to be high, and if they were to eat the food sparingly, it would definitely be enough to last time for 72 hours.

At this moment, the alliance had already been upgraded, and unlike the teams hiding or fleeing, the teams from Beijiang and Cainan Provinces were all in for a meal of good soup…

In the beginning, Jiang Xiao still wanted Xiong Chumo to add some petals to the soup, but the latter rolled her eyes at him.

He had to admit that her gentle eye-rolling seemed much more delicious than the soup.

Ah, she’s gorgeous~

“Since the Tianjin team left, our efficiency has become much lower.” Xia Yan held onto the bowl with her right hand and took a sip of seaweed tofu soup. She felt that the taste wasn’t too bad. She reached into the military backpack with her left hand and tossed a pack of compressed biscuits to him.

Jiang Xiao picked it up in a hurry, helped her remove the packaging of compressed biscuits, and handed it back to her. “You can’t compare our efficiency now to that of when we were on the first three floors. There were more students on the first three floors, and some teams seemed informed…”

Jiang Xiao paused and changed his tone. “At least, you must consider the environmental conditions on the fourth floor.”

Upon arriving at the fourth underground floor, Zhang Qinzhou from Tianjin was obviously no longer familiar with the terrain, causing them to encounter various obstacles.

Xia Yan took the compressed biscuits with one hand and seemed to enjoy the tacit understanding they shared. She didn’t say anything, but he knew what to do. Sure enough, he was a godlike supportive member!

Xia Yan turned around, leaned against the wall with him, and took a bite of the compressed biscuit.

The compressed biscuits were similar to mooncakes. They had flaky crusts, plenty of filling, and a hint of floral scent.

Jiang Xiao took out a can of braised pork from the military backpack after some fumbling, and his stomach was already growling even though he was only holding onto it.

Impressive. The combat ration given by the Chinese military is wonderful. 

Xia Yan took another sip of the soup, looked at Han Jiangxue and Xiong Chumo chatting far away, and said, “I initially had an unrealistic fantasy, but it now seems that I still have to go one step at a time.”

Jiang Xiao grabbed the can and poured its contents into his mouth, before asking in a muffled voice, “What do you mean?”

“Save a mouthful for me,” Xia Yan said as she stuffed the compressed biscuits into his hand and grabbed the can of braised pork.

Jiang Xiao was speechless.

“Um… Um…” They were definitely meat-lovers. When Xia Yan ate the braised pork, her eyes seemed to glisten, and bliss was written all over her face.

Jiang Xiao took a bite of the biscuit and listened to her explanation. “I originally imagined that I could be in the top eight, but now it seems unrealistic.”

Jiang Xiao comforted. “Don’t be discouraged. We still have time.”

Xia Yan pursed her lips and said, “The team representing Tianjin has left for a long time, and we’re still wandering around on the fourth floor. We can’t even find the entrance to the fifth floor.”

The Ancient Imperial Mausoleum was indeed too big. Having lost their guide, Jiang Xiao and the others once again resumed walking by the wall. Until now, they had yet to find the entrance to the fifth underground floor.

The entrance to the floors above was easier to find because the guardians were guarding them. Hence, the artificially built stone chamber was large and lit up by numerous torches. It was rather eye-catching in the dim Ancient Imperial Mausoleum.

Jiang Xiao was amused and asked, “How do you know they have gone down to the fifth floor? Maybe they’re also lost.”

The crisp and clear chirping of the bird caught everyone’s attention. A yellow-green bird flew from a distance and landed on Xiong Chumo’s head, bouncing back and forth.

Xia Yan’s eyes lit up, and she looked at the beautiful girl in the distance filled with anticipation.

Xiong Chumo initially looked a little preoccupied, but when she saw the bird’s return, she suddenly gleamed with a joyous smile. Holding the bird in her hand, she stroked it gently with her fingers and rubbed her face against it.

Han Jiangxue looked at the scene in front of her and did not interrupt their reunion. She could tell that Xiong Chumo was really worried that her pet might have been injured or died.

However, it seemed that the Ancient Warriors were not interested in such a small bird. Or could it be that the bird was too agile and did not get injured?

The bird had gone out to look for the entrance to the next floor, and it would be impossible for it not to encounter any Ancient Warriors.

Xiong Chumo stretched out her palms and stared at the bird in her hands. Feeling relieved, she said, “Baby, Mommy missed you. Why were you gone for so long? You scared me…”

Before Xiong Chumo could finish speaking, the bird flew away and landed on Jiang Xiao’s head.

Xiong Chumo was speechless.

Everyone looked over, and Jiang Xiao was also a little embarrassed. He broke off a piece of the compressed biscuit and gave it to the bird.

The bird chirped and ate it.

“Have you found the entrance to the next floor?” Jiang Xiao raised his head and tried to communicate with the bird.

The yellow-green parrot jumped from the top of Jiang Xiao’s head to his forehead. No matter how Jiang Xiao shook his head, it always remained at the highest point.

After hearing Jiang Xiao’s question, the yellow-green parrot not only ignored him but also twisted its body and stopped eating the biscuit.

“Birdy, why do you behave like a woman and get angry so easily? You’re ignoring me just like that?” Jiang Xiao chastised as he looked up at the bird on his forehead.

Han Jiangxue and Xia Yan were dumbfounded.

So were Xiong Chumo and Shen Xing.

Li Weiyi, Bai Yipeng, and Qi Yan all nodded in agreement.

Jiang Xiao’s eyes lit up, and he raised his head and said, “Would you like me to… kiss, hug, and raise you high?”

Xiong Chumo glowered at him and said, “It’s not ignoring you. You asked if it found the entrance to the next floor, and it should be indicating that the direction it’s facing is where the entrance is.”

Is that so? I misunderstood you.

Jiang Xiao was a little embarrassed. He was about to say something when he heard the voice of a “human.”

“Brother.”

In an instant, the entire stone corridor fell silent.

The bird actually spoke!

Jiang Xiao looked at the bird in surprise and thought to himself that it was really spiritual.

Xiong Chumo was just as dumbfounded. She had raised it for several weeks, but she never knew it could speak!

Could this guy really be a parrot?

Immediately afterward, the yellow-green parrot twisted its head and looked at Xiong Chumo. It called, “Mommy.”

Xiong Chumo was a little stunned, and it took a long time for her to react. “Uh… huh? Ah!”

Jiang Xiao was speechless.

The bird pecked Jiang Xiao’s forehead and said, “Brother.”

It then turned to face Xiong Chumo again. “Mommy.”

Jiang Xiao was dumbfounded.

What kind of a damned bird is this? 

Are you two colluding to take advantage of me? 

Jiang Xiao grabbed the bird from his forehead and said fiercely, “Call me Daddy.”