Nine Star Burden

Character: Jiang Xiao.

1) Star Map:

Big Dipper, Stardust Stage Level 3

 2) Star Technique:

1. Blessing, Brass Quality Level 1

 52. Decoy, Brass Quality Level 1

 3. Green Glow, Brass Quality Level 5

 4. Endurance, Brass Quality Level 5

 3) Basic Technique:

1. Freehand Combat, Brass Quality Level 5

 2. Star Power Abundance, Brass Quality Level 2

4) Skill Points: 3

 –

 “Are you blind?” Xia Yan cussed in displeasure. She wrapped her hands around her chest and leaned against a big tree while staring at the White Ghoul crouching below the tree that was not far away from them.

“We will be teammates in the future, Xia Yan, be polite.” Jiang Xiao squatted down behind the tree carefully. He understood what Xia Yan meant. He knew that it meant that the White Ghoul had already appeared in their field of vision, but…

Jiang Xiao did not discover its presence.

It was rather awkward.

“I’m your teacher now,” Xia Yan said with a tinge of annoyance in her tone. It was as if she expected better from him. She continued, “Besides, I already think my decision is wrong.”

 “That’s good, I’m not desperate to join your squad.” Jiang Xiao frowned and scrutinized the woods in front of him. Where’s the White Ghoul? he wondered.

There’s actually someone who’s slier than me?

“On the tree! On the tree! At your 11 o’clock, on the tree!” Xia Yan exclaimed after gritting her teeth angrily. “It has been staring at you for a long time!”

 “Oh?” Jiang Xiao popped his head out and looked up to see that there was a pair of bloodshot eyes on the tree branch that was covered with thick snow, staring at him quietly.

Jiang Xiao got up and walked out, after which he curled his finger at the White Ghoul.

Since the White Ghoul had already been discovered, it could not be considered a sneak attack.

 To their surprise, the White Ghoul ignored Jiang Xiao and instead continued staring at him while hiding behind the branch that was covered in thick snow.

I’m staring right at you.

 Are you not going to take your eyes away?

Jiang Xiao scratched his head and wondered, Is this guy mocking me?

Jiang Xiao carefully scrutinized his surroundings and walked towards the tree after confirming that there were no other White Ghouls around. He then kicked the huge pine tree.

 *Rustles*

 A thick layer of snow fell onto the ground, but Jiang Xiao fortunately managed to escape fast. Otherwise, he would have been buried alive.

Xia Yan placed a hand on her forehead and exclaimed, “Behind you! Behind you!”

 While running, Jiang Xiao’s hand began to emit a green ray of light. He suddenly turned around and threw a punch forwards!

He began to work his technique!

However, Jiang Xiao slipped and fell back onto the snow.

Whoosh!

The fierce White Ghoul immediately flew over Jiang Xiao’s head and rolled on the ground before agilely unloading its strength. It then grasped the ground with its limbs and slowly stopped.

The White Ghoul winced and spit out some mist while glowering at Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao hurriedly got up and shook the snow off his body. He then got into the standard fighting stance and walked forward slowly. However, he stopped when he reached a spot between two trees.

Xia Yan looked at the spot that Jiang Xiao had chosen and nodded. She thought, That’s more like it. 

The White Ghoul seemed to have understood what Jiang Xiao meant. Its dark face was terrifyingly menacing and it subconsciously roared before crawling towards Jiang Xiao rapidly.

Leave~

 Jiang Xiao’s right hand was covered with the green light as he struck his fist at the White Ghoul that was leaping towards him.

Xia Yan watched as the strong and menacing White Ghoul pinned the skinny Jiang Xiao onto the ground, after which the two of them began rolling in the snow and fighting each other. They seemed to be having a whale of a time as the rays of Green Glow clashed.

Xia Yan’s heart wrenched up and she stepped forward while holding onto the handle of the sword.

 A fiery red glow flashed together with the landing of the heavy giant blade. The White Ghoul’s head then rolled onto the ground.

Finally, one of the two “children” rolling in the snow died and peace was restored.

This woman is really strong. The White Ghoul was riding on my back and yet, Xia Yan managed to cut its head off neatly without harming me at all, even though we were so close to each other. 

Her precision and spatial awareness were truly superb.

“I thought you could sustain at least two rounds of exchanging strikes,” she said, sounding extremely disappointed.

As the White Ghoul’s head fell onto the ground, Jiang Xiao painstakingly tried to move the headless body off of his back, only to be greeted with Xia Yan’s look of disappointment.

 Compared to that expression, Jiang Xiao would rather bear with her scoldings and insults.

For people like Jiang Xiao, insults and mockery could never hurt him, even if the verbal attacks were launched in his face. Regardless of how contemptuous and derisive they may be, Jiang Xiao could never be frustrated.

4The only way to hurt Jiang Xiao was through emotional attacks.

At this moment, Xia Yan’s look of disappointment made Jiang Xiao a little confused and uneasy.

 “We’ll take the Star Beads and leave. The smell of blood will attract a lot of White Ghouls.” Xia Yan put the long blade behind her and turned around to leave, leaving Jiang Xiao to look at her back.

Jiang Xiao pursed his lips and tried his best to get up. Sensing the red welt on his face and staring at his clothes which had already become tattered and torn, he quickly gave himself a Blessing.

1Jiang Xiao quickly walked towards the head of the White Ghoul, only to see the black face and the pool of snow that had been stained with blood.

 The world was dark and the black face of the Ghoul seemed even more intimidating under the dreamy aurora.

As a person who had never even killed a chicken before, how could Jiang Xiao possibly dissect the head of a White Ghoul that resembled a human-ape?

 5Jiang Xiao took out the dagger from the side pocket of his military bag, extended his left arm and turned the head of the White Ghoul before pressing its face onto the ground.

“I’m only going to teach you once,” said a voice which gave Jiang Xiao a great shock.

Why doesn’t she make any sounds when she walks? 

How did you make it here quietly when the snow is so thick? he wondered.

Xia Yan tilted the sword on her back and squatted down before whipping out a dagger from the side of her left thigh. She spun it on her finger and stabbed it into the back of the White Ghoul’s head, causing it to split open.

She then stuck her fair and tender finger into the bloodied head to retrieve a Star Bead.

Xia Yan tossed the Star Bead to Jiang Xiao before grabbing a handful of snow and rubbing it in her blood-stained palm. She then got up and left.

 Jiang Xiao felt the groundbreaking change in Xia Yan’s attitude and heaved a sigh of relief. He then picked up the Star Bead and quickly chased after her.

1It was August 30, 2015, at 9:15 AM, the first day that they had entered the snowfield.

It was also the first White Ghoul that the two of them had run into.

15 minutes later, Xia Yan suddenly stopped in her tracks while Jiang Xiao dropped his military bag, picked up the dagger, and looked around alertly.

 Xia Yan retreated slowly and leaned against the tree in the same stance, folded her arms and remained silent.

Jiang Xiao quickly searched and scanned his surroundings. His hands began to tremble while holding onto the dagger, though it was not because of his nervousness or the temperature.

“Try to bring the battle to the open space and avoid letting them near any trees,” said Xia Yan, finally breaking her silence.

Jiang Xiao nodded. He did understand that logic, for these ape-like creatures of another dimension would have an increased combat power when in dense forests.

However, they were already in a snow forest. Even if he were to find an empty and open space, the area would still be extremely small.

 Finally, Jiang Xiao found the pair of crimson eyes and slowly moved to the right.

 Jiang Xiao could stand Xia Yan’s sarcasm and scoldings, but he couldn’t stand the look of disappointment in her eyes at all. He stopped joking and began to buck up by being more serious than he had ever been. He then whistled at the black shadow behind the tree.

2He seemed to have succeeded at provoking the shadow.

The tall and large White Ghoul seemed to have understood what Jiang Xiao meant as it slowly strode towards him.

The two of them were instantly triggered.

At the moment when the battle started, a message suddenly popped up in Jiang Xiao’s mind.

“Basic Technique Enabled: Dagger Mastery.”

 3