Nine Star Burden

Chapter 35: That Charming Gaze

Seven days later, along the Southeast Route in the depths of the snowfield.

“Blegh.” Jiang Xiao spat out some snow and tried his best to push the White Ghoul off of his body. At this moment, there was still a sharp dagger on the face of the White Ghoul.

In just seven days of near-death experiences, Jiang Xiao’s Freehand Combat not only rose by two small levels, to Brass Quality Level 8, but his newly learned skill Dagger Mastery had also risen by four small levels, to Brass Quality Level 5!

Such great success that had been achieved in seven days was truly worth celebrating.

Of course, the qualities of the two Basic Techniques were rather low and he was still in the beginner stage too. Once he got started, the levels would be upgraded much faster.

Jiang Xiao crawled and got up, all covered in snow. A brilliant idea suddenly popped up in his head—if only he could shake his body like a dog.

Whenever a dog swam to the surface of the water and got out, or had just taken a bath, it would often shake its body.

Not only would it help with removing the water on its body, but it would also cause great “damage” to the people around it.

At this moment, Jiang Xiao really needed this skill, because he found it really uncomfortable to get out of the snow, especially since he was wearing the tattered camouflage uniform that caused the snow to flow through his clothes and touch his body, making him shiver because of the biting cold.

Jiang Xiao skillfully cut off the head of the White Ghoul and looked into the distance. In the slightly dim world, the woman who was standing far away from him with a giant sword in her hands looked extremely outstanding.

Xia Yan’s real profession is probably a lumberjack and not a warrior, he thought.

The giant flaming blade created layers of Flame Arcs and maniacally tore through the surrounding trees, creating an ideal environment for a battle.

Jiang Xiao suddenly raised his right hand and at this moment, an aged silhouette raised his right hand too in the depths of the snow forest.

Two beams of light enveloped both parties at the same time.

Xia Yan screamed with excitement and stuck her tongue out to lick her bloody lips while feeling ecstatic and overwhelmed with excitement and pleasure. She raised her giant sword and aimed it at the tall White Ghoul that seemed to be full of energy.

The two of them were indeed very comfortable, but whoever got the last laugh would depend on their abilities.

Jiang Xiao shifted his gaze around and looked at the figure standing on a small, empty spot behind him. Space ripples surrounded her body and several corpses in the so-called Sky Smasher coffin.

The sudden disappearance of their fellow companions made the White Ghouls’ pace stagnate a little. Han Jiangxue calmly observed the surroundings and took advantage of this opportunity to blow off several White Ghouls that were the closest to her. She exclaimed coldly with a tinge of anger, “Xia Yan! This is a mission, not a game.”

“I’m sorry, but Xiaopi’s Star Technique is really great. I can’t control my emotions.” Xia Yan retreated quickly and continuously moved closer to Han Jiangxue. She exclaimed enthusiastically, “It’s! So! F***ing! Awesome!”

“Mind your language, I’m still underage,” said Jiang Xiao, who returned to Han Jiangxue’s side earlier than Xia Yan. His shoulders were shrouded in the green rays of light from Green Glow and he was facing a White Ghoul.

Xia Yan hollered. “Cut the crap!”

“It’s abnormally aggressive.” Jiang Xiao left another scar that was neither too deep nor light in the shoulder of the White Ghoul when he flipped it over.

Regardless of how angst Xia Yan may be usually, she would never behave this way.

Could it be that I gave her too much Blessing? 

Jiang Xiao secretly wondered.

“I can’t count on her anymore, I’m going to blow the White Ghoul Witch here,” Han Jiangxue said while staring at Jiang Xiao, who was stumbling and staggering towards her.

Jiang Xiao blindly trusted Han Jiangxue’s judgment.

In the past seven days, she managed to analyze and control the overall situation calmly, time and again. Hence, Jiang Xiao got an understanding of what a qualified commander should be like.

The reality was just like what he thought. As long as she didn’t kill the White Ghoul Witch, the White Ghouls would forever be dauntless, and the two of them would just be like a fragile boat floating on the ocean amidst the massive and maniacal waves, susceptible to capsizing.

“Go ahead. From the front?” Jiang Xiao asked.

“That works, keep a lookout,” Han Jiangxue hurriedly answered. Her Gold Quality Star Technique, Sky Smasher, could be launched at a close range. But if combined with the Silver Quality Star Technique, Barren Wind, the combined effect of the Star Techniques would be doubled.

Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue pressed their backs against each other. Since guarding had become his top priority, he quickly inserted the dagger into the sheath on the side of the leg, clenched both his fists that emitted strong Green Glow and looked around vigilantly at the White Ghouls that were eager to attack.

Han Jiangxue leaned against Jiang Xiao’s back, and for a moment, she felt rather heartened for the first time.

She did not feel stable or safe because she knew Jiang Xiao’s ability.

However, she felt rather heartened at this moment.

If someone told Han Jiangxue half a month ago that her notorious and incompetent brother would stand behind her to defend and protect her from the siege of tens of White Ghouls…

Han Jiangxue would have never believed it.

If someone were to tell Han Jiangxue now that her younger brother not only had the courage to stand behind her but would also be able to kill the group of White Ghouls, would she believe it?

Han Jiangxue’s Star Map loomed and her Star Power was like a dreamy Nebula as it distributed across her Star Map. It lingered around the shiny star slots and paved a pattern of White Flames.

She waved her left hand and caused ripples to rise in the space in front of her. Her fingers spread open and a vortex suddenly formed beneath the feet of the White Ghoul, covering the White Ghoul Witch’s body and pulling it towards them.

The White Ghoul Witch shrieked in terror and its peculiar and miserable cry seemed to become the last sign of its final charge, causing the group of White Ghouls to go crazy and barge towards the prey in front of them.

“Damn it.” Xia Yan faced obstruction in her path, and the White Ghouls that had just been shocked by her power seemed to have lost their rationality and charged towards her.

Xia Yan had no choice but to put away her flaming sword and pulled out a fiery-red sword arc.

The fiery-red sword arc lit up the entire route and seemed to have lit up the dim sky too. Snowflakes floated in the air and the Star Power fluctuated, after which it chopped plenty of White Ghouls. However, it still did not manage to enter the area surrounded by the White Ghouls.

Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue were the ones being surrounded.

“Crazy.” Jiang Xiao took out a Star Bead from his pocket and smashed it immediately, after which stardust appeared around him and entered his body. At the same time, a Sacred light fell from the sky and cast on Jiang Xiao’s head.

Jiang Xiao trembled continuously in pleasure and tried his best to clench his fists while getting into a standard fighting stance. He then stepped forward and rushed to the leading White Ghoul all of a sudden.

Sensing a chill in her spine, Han Jiangxue turned her head to the side and watched Jiang Xiao’s movements through her peripheral vision. She raised her left hand and a fireball appeared in her cold palm.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sounds of punching came from behind Han Jiangxue, extremely nerve-wracking.

Facing the White Ghouls’ continuous angry yelling, Jiang Xiao decided to take it on without hesitation.

Jiang Xiao, whose hands were covered in Green Glow, dodged and moved forward.

He punched a huge White Ghoul and kicked another shrilling ghoul!

Even though they could not be struck massively, the Retreat effect of the Silver Quality Star Technique, Green Glow, was enough to blast them all away.

The situation of the battle in front was unknown, but Jiang Xiao managed to stop all the White Ghouls that wanted to pounce onto Han Jiangxue from behind. Not only did he stop them, but he also kicked them away too.

Jiang Xiao punched the claws of a White Ghoul and drove another White Ghoul back. He then whipped out a Star Bead from his pocket and crushed it.

It was not the time to save now!

Han Jiangxue found the muffled sound behind her to be rather melodious.

In the sky, the White Ghoul Witch was driven into the coffin by the snow tornado.

Han Jiangxue painstakingly tried to control the direction of the wind with her right hand, after which she pushed the fireball out with her left hand.

On her right, a White Ghoul was blown away forcefully by a fist shrouded in Green Glow.

“Two seconds,” Han Jiangxue said.

There was only one second left.

Jiang Xiao could not be bothered to retreat and instead turned around and exclaimed, “Rua!”

–

Star Power upgraded! Stardust Stage Level 4!

Freehand Combat Upgraded! Brass Quality Level 9!