Nine Star Burden

Chapter 118: Breakthrough!

Under the warm rays of the sun during sunset, the two tall girls stood quietly in the garden of Xia Yan’s mansion, clad in sportswear.

Auntie Zhou was busy whipping up the dishes she was good at preparing on the first floor while Jiang Xiao idled about. He was the only free and was sitting on the stone steps in boredom, looking at the two beautiful figures in the distance.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast streaks of red across the clouds in the sky.

It also gave the beautiful figures a reddish glow.

Han Jiangxue stood with her eyes closed and her hands behind her back, crushing a Star Bead with her right hand.

Xia Yan’s posture was much more casual and the breeze blew her short chestnut-colored hair, making her look even more sluggish.

She had pinched the Star Bead before Han Jiangxue did and so felt the great surge of power before the latter.

Originally, Jiang Xiao didn’t think much about their breakthroughs, but now that he had seen the power surging around Xia Yan, which was causing Han Jiangxue’s hair to fly, Jiang Xiao suddenly felt that they should not attempt to break through together.

Clearly, one would affect the other.

Xia Yan lifted her face slightly with her eyes half-closed. She looked at the setting sun in the distant hills while Star Power surged through her body, making stardust linger around her body, forming a beautiful scene.

However, in this beautiful scene, her beautiful face began to change and she no longer looked as sluggish as before. A sullen expression appeared on her face, and she seemed to be... a little frustrated?

At this moment, Han Jiangxue’s Star Bead was crushed and broken.

Of course, Star Beads were difficult to crush, even with Second Last’s fire.

The only thing that genuinely caused it to be ruptured was Han Jiangxue’s decision to absorb it.

On the other hand, the stardust around Xia Yan’s body proliferated at their peak and seemed to be declining. Meanwhile, Star Power burst out of Han Jiangxue and seemed to have spread all over, covering the whole backyard.

Xia Yan closed her eyes subconsciously and her double-handled sword Star Map finally began to loom on her body.

The Star Power on her Star Map was rich and flowing fast, pouring in from the tip of the blade, all the way to the hilt and below it. It then continued to circulate endlessly.

Unlike Xia Yan, Han Jiangxue’s White Flames Star Map had already begun to loom on her body at the moment that she crushed the Star Bead.

If Xia Yan’s double-handled sword was considered to be relatively fixed with a flashing blade, Han Jiangxue’s White Flames Star Map would be considered dynamic, as if there was really a flame burning.

A few seconds later, Xia Yan opened her eyes with a tinge of disappointment in her gaze. She kept her Star Map and said, “Don’t bother about me.”

Han Jiangxue still had her eyes closed and the flames were burning even more brightly, seemingly burning the Star Power around her.

She seemed to have become a black hole that was burning the stardust around her.

The surging Star Power seemed to be nourishment that quickly rushed to the White Flames before finally becoming the material for combustion.

Jiang Xiao gasped and watched everything unfold in shock.

She’s just breaking through the mid-Nebula Stage and yet, she’s already created such a huge storm?

Jiang Xiao recalled the time when Second Last suddenly broke through when they were in the snowfield back then. However, Jiang Xiao didn’t get much visual enjoyment from her breakthrough, perhaps because it varied from person to person. Instead, he felt an impact on his soul.

Whoosh!

Han Jiangxue opened her eyes slowly and there seemed to be a tinge of flames in her eyes that quickly overwhelmed her. She turned her head and immediately looked at Jiang Xiao, who was sitting on the stone steps in front of the door.

Jiang Xiao looked at Han Jiangxue curiously.

A smile formed on Han Jiangxue’s cold face as she nodded gently.

“Wow, Jiangxue is awesome!” Jiang Xiao shouted excitedly.

“Hush.” Han Jiangxue raised a finger and gestured for him to keep quiet while shooting him a peculiar glance. She then walked towards Xia Yan.

Xia Yan had a bittersweet smile on her face and felt crestfallen.

“Give it another shot while the Star Power is still being accumulated here,” Han Jiangxue said while taking out another Star Bead from Sky Smasher.

“No, how can I take Li Weiyi’s Star Bead?” Although Xia Yan was feeling dejected, she refused very firmly.

“I will give Li Weiyi his Star Bead. This one belongs to Xiaopi,” Han Jiangxue said as she placed the Star Bead on Xia Yan’s palm.

“Eh?” Xia Yan tilted her head and looked at Jiang Xiao seated on the stone steps.

Jiang Xiao panicked and thought, That’s indeed my Star Bead, but it’s meant for Jiangxue to absorb after breaking through the Nebula Stage. Why is she giving it to Xia Yan?

Han Jiangxue also turned around and stared at Jiang Xiao with melancholy.

Jiang Xiao waved his hand and said, “I’m a weak chicken. It’s useless for me to keep it. There are no Medical Star Techniques in it, anyway. Stop wasting time and seize the opportunity. The Star Power will be gone soon.”

“Hehe.” Xia Yan was a little touched and flicked her hair back with reddened eyes. However, her laughter was still hearty, and she immediately crushed it.

Clad in an apron, Auntie Zhou stared at Xia Yan worriedly while continuously praying.

On the hill in the distance, the sun had already disappeared, leaving only some crimson clouds in the sky.

The sky gradually dimmed, and starlight began to surge out of Xia Yan’s slender body again.

The specks of stardust flew around and surrounded her like fireflies in the summer night.

Han Jiangxue stepped back slowly and returned to Jiang Xiao’s side. She leaned forward slightly and reached out to rub his head, though he was unsure if she was rewarding him or affirming him.

Jiang Xiao tilted his head and said, “I have a round head, but it’s not for your stroking pleasure.”

Unexpectedly, Han Jiangxue did not respond and simply looked down at Jiang Xiao quietly before taking a seat.

He could tell that she was really in a good mood.

Jiang Xiao could feel her leaning towards him and resting her shoulders on his arm.

He pressed his elbows on his knees and stared at the distance with glassy eyes, enjoying the feeling of her leaning against him.

If it weren’t because of the circumstances that one was born in, who would be willing to put on a strong front?

If I can be stronger, she’d probably have it easier.

“Hey! You two!” Xia Yan exclaimed while a burst of Star Power surged through her. Her beautiful eyes gleamed, slowly returning to their original color.

She stared at Jiang Xiao and Han Jiangxue with a proud smile on her face. Obviously, she had succeeded. “Can you smell the rancid odor of love between siblings?”

Han Jiangxue quickly sat up straight. After all, she was a shy girl who could not stand being teased by Xia Yan.

Jiang Xiao thought to himself angrily, I just gave you my share of the Star Beads and you’ve forgotten that now that you’ve broken through.

You ingrate, you’re worse than a husky...

Jiang Xiao stared at Xia Yan quietly and blurted. “Please act like a human.”