Life Ascension was in progress...
The next moment, an even more immense surge of heat emerged, enveloping Jiang Xiao from the inside out.
Fortunately, the discomfort came and went even faster.
It lasted less than ten seconds before retreating completely.
Jiang Xiao instinctively braced himself against the ground and tried to stand, but with a crisp crack, the brick floor beneath his palm split apart!
"?"
Life Ascension complete Primary Starry Human—Spirit Energy Affinity: Medium, Source Energy Affinity: Medium+ Talent Value (Dual Talent): 2.58 Note: Talent Value is an independent multiplier. The enhancement is measured against the universal baseline for intelligent lifeforms. For example, if Source Energy Intensity is 50 for both, a Primary Starry Human's Source Energy quality and magnitude are 2.58 times those of an Ordinary Human.
What the hell?!
Jiang Xiao's eyes widened. "What is this? The Endless Starry Sky has racial stat settings too?"
The scanning system has been upgraded. It can currently scan the tier and Talent Value of biological targets no more than two tiers above the player.
Carefully controlling his strength, Jiang Xiao slowly stood up.
"A twofold difference in Source Energy and Spirit Energy Intensity is equivalent to being at least ten points ahead in intensity. I just don't know what Talent Value the Viper Clan has. Judging by the feel of it, they don't seem much stronger than Ordinary Humans."
While adapting to his physical strength, Jiang Xiao observed the radar map.
Then it was time to bring this brief game to an end.
Chapter 13: Slaughter, Thunder Cannon Floating Cannon
Perhaps because of Origin Data, Jiang Xiao had an extremely high degree of control over his body.
In less than fifteen minutes, he had already become proficient at controlling the explosive, several-fold increase in strength. Even the surging Source Energy within his body could be circulated with ease.
Feeling that he had more or less adapted, Jiang Xiao raised his head and looked ahead.
"Personal Panel."
Player: Jiang Xiao Level: Tier 2 (Evolution: 0%) Talent Ability: Origin Data Talent Value (Dual Talent): 2.58 Dual Energy Affinity: Medium (12 Experience Points/h) Source Energy Intensity: 50 (21/1000) Spirit Energy Intensity: 10 (0/300)
Did it really take 1,000 Experience Points to raise it by one point?
"I can only take things one step at a time."
Jiang Xiao's thoughts stirred slightly, and a translucent silver-white stream of energy suddenly burst out through his body, enveloping him like a mass of blazing flames.
Source Energy Aura—the signature symbol of Tier 2!
Standing within the fierce Source Energy Aura, Jiang Xiao sensed that his physical qualities had once again surged significantly. The destructive and defensive power brought by the aura was also remarkably formidable!
A casual step left a clear footprint in the stone-brick ground.
Unlike the heavy and rigid Source Energy of a Tier 2 Viper Clan member, Jiang Xiao's Source Energy was vigorous and balanced. Its effects on offense, defense, and strength enhancement were all exceptionally ferocious.
The martial artists aboard the Doran had said that this difference came from their differing races. Ordinary Humans' Source Energy had no outstanding effects and was extremely balanced.
Martial artists of the Viper Clan and other beast-like races excelled in strength and defense.
Primary Starry Humans had evolved from Ordinary Humans, so their Source Energy naturally remained balanced. However, no matter how balanced it was, with Talent Value leading the way, its defense and strength were still far beyond what the Viper Clan's so-called "specialties" could match!
Jiang Xiao suddenly caught sight of his reflection in a battered mirror nearby.
A young man with tousled black hair, roughly 1.9 meters tall, stood there with both fists clenched. A metal visor covered the upper half of his face, leaving only his slightly gaunt lower half visible.
Had he grown two centimeters taller?
Not only that, even his pores had shrunk until they were nearly imperceptible, while the netlike texture of his skin had vanished completely.
Apart from his eyebrows, hair, and eyelashes, there wasn't a single hair on his body!
As if he had thought of something, Jiang Xiao lowered his head and looked at his palms. He smiled in satisfaction. "Nice. My fingerprints and palm lines are gone too."
It had to be said that the lifeform of a Primary Starry Human was indeed quite advanced. At the very least, its metabolism was far stronger than an Ordinary Human's.
Jiang Xiao picked up the two Source Energy Battle Blades and tried channeling Source Energy into them.
The two battle blades were Tier 1 Source Energy Equipment. Source Energy at Tier 1 Peak strength was enough to bring out their maximum performance. Even stronger Source Energy could no longer enhance them further. That was the equipment's limit.
However...
Origin Data flowed over them. The two battle blades trembled slightly as the Source Energy patterns spreading across their blades gradually changed from blue to pale yellow. At the same time, the device inside the hilts began to generate heat.
Mechanical enhancement!
"The enhancement is much greater than when I was Tier 1. Any further, and it'll start wearing down the weapons..."
That was enough. Time to settle the score!
Jiang Xiao stopped dawdling, glanced at the radar map, and darted away.
At the same time, Guda stood on the first floor of the building with a dark expression.
The two squads of Viper Clan martial artists kept their heads lowered, not daring to make a sound.
"One martial artist was killed, and you didn't even see the other party's figure. How could the Viper Clan produce trash like you?!"
The layers of flesh on Guda's head trembled. He was clearly furious.
Outside Prison Star, the Viper Clan was a notorious pirate race. Powerful Pirate Groups emerged one after another. They had robbed everything from commercial ships and civilian airliners to Resource Stars belonging to Intermediate Civilizations. What hadn't they done?
It wasn't that he had never suffered defeat, but he had never felt as aggrieved as he did today.
"Lord Guda, why don't we wait until nightfall and use thermal imaging to search? Without the relevant equipment, he can't possibly conceal his body heat, right?"
Seeing that Guda was furious, the Tier 1 Peak martial artist who had entered the building with him at the beginning spoke cautiously.
Hearing this, Guda's anger subsided slightly. Seeing that there was no better solution, he snorted and left first.
"Then we'll do that. Leave the building complex for now and act again tonight."
Along the weed-choked road through the ruins, Guda glided forward with a cold expression. His initial ease and confidence had vanished completely.
When he had received the vice gang leader's order, he had guaranteed that he would deal with the human martial artist within a day. After all, judging from the video of the Iron Fist Brothers' deaths, the opponent was at most an Ordinary Human who had just broken through to Tier 2.
More likely, he was a Tier 1 Peak martial artist who was about to enter Tier 2.
In Guda's view, if the opponent really was a Tier 2 martial artist, then even without equipment, he wouldn't need any schemes to deal with an injured Tier 1 Peak opponent.
Who could have expected that after confidently accepting the mission, he would encounter setbacks right from the start?
First, he had been openly provoked and toyed with. Then, three gang members had been secretly killed. From beginning to end, he hadn't even seen the other party's shadow!
As far as he was concerned, this mission had already failed.
At the very least, in the eyes of the gang's higher-ups, he would probably leave behind an impression of incompetence.
"Damn rat! How dare you humiliate me!"
Guda snapped the utility pole blocking his path with one punch, and the fury in his heart grew increasingly intense.
"Oioioi, the weak are meant to be thoroughly humiliated by the strong!"
A clear voice came from ahead. Guda, burning with rage, froze for a moment, then immediately retreated several meters and warily focused his gaze.
A slightly slender human youth in a full-body combat suit had appeared ahead without him noticing.
The two battle blades spun into arcs, their metal visors reflecting a cold gleam, while his exposed lower face wore a brilliant smile.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Guda's expression immediately twisted and began to tremble.
"You actually dared to appear in front of me!"
Jiang Xiao tightened his grip on the battle blades and chuckled. "That ugly-headed Viper, you blocked the entrance half a day early to welcome me. Wouldn't it be a waste of your hospitality if I didn't show up?"
Guda (Viper Clan) Talent Value: 1.23 Source Energy Intensity: 58 (Tier 2) Spirit Energy Intensity: 1 (No Ability)
In terms of Source Energy Intensity alone, a Tier 2 Viper Clan member was nearly on par with him. In other aspects, however, the gap was rather large.
The reason Jiang Xiao had chosen to provoke Guda head-on instead of launching a sneak attack was mainly because he wanted to test his current combat strength.
He still had only a vague understanding of the actual enhancement brought by Datafication.
Guda couldn't be bothered with words. His pale-brown aura exploded outward, the several-meter-high flames generating a powerful shock wave that shook the surrounding buildings as smoke and dust billowed.
The ground beneath his serpentine tail cracked into a web. In an instant, Guda crossed more than ten zhang, and a long staff appeared in his hand!
Jiang Xiao immediately enhanced his battle blades and dodged the attack. One blade slashed toward Guda's legs, while the other thrust upward toward his armpit.
At the same time, the surging Origin Data stream followed the Source Energy Aura and poured into the long staff in Guda's hand!
The long staff was not a Tier 2 Source Energy weapon. It was only Tier 1 in strength, but it was still far more lethal than fighting bare-handed.
The clash of metal echoed. Guda angled his staff to block one blade, then rapidly gathered his aura toward his shoulder, intending to withstand the slash and trade injuries for an opportunity to attack.
However, the instant the yellow-glowing blade touched the aura around his shoulder, his expression suddenly changed.
He hurriedly redirected the force and retreated at top speed.
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