I Want Them All

I Want Them All

The two ate in silence, until Han Jiangxue finally broke the awkward atmosphere.

As Han Jiangxue picked at her food, she casually asked, "Does it still hurt?"

"Uh..." Jiang Xiao happily ate his Braised Pork. He had been marveling at Miss's wonderful cooking when Han Jiangxue suddenly asked him that. After hesitating for a moment, he replied, "A little."

A change finally appeared on Han Jiangxue's expressionless face. She seemed somewhat distressed, but unwilling to show it. Her lips parted slightly, and after a long while, she resumed her indifferent manner. "Don't make videos like that again."

"Okay." Jiang Xiao ate another piece of Braised Pork, then took a huge mouthful of rice. He was so happy he nearly cried.

Who would have thought that such a young girl could cook so incredibly well? Was this one of her Star Skills?

This Braised Pork was rich without being greasy, utterly delicious.

The sight of Jiang Xiao eating with his head down made Han Jiangxue feel a little sorry for him. Her little brother had probably been scared by her beating. In her anger earlier, she really had not held back.

With that thought, Han Jiangxue put down her bowl and chopsticks, rose, and walked out of the kitchen.

Jiang Xiao paused, watching Miss's flowing white dress disappear. Was she done already?

She ate so little? What a waste.

Even if you weren't thinking about yourself, shouldn't you at least think about that flat chest? After finishing a bowl of rice, Jiang Xiao looked at the small half-bowl of rice Han Jiangxue had left across the table. After hesitating, he pulled it over and continued stuffing himself.

As time passed, the memories in his mind gradually merged, and he grew increasingly at ease.

Rationally, he knew he had no connection to this family whatsoever.

Emotionally, however, Jiang Xiao was gradually settling into the role.

And the result of settling into the role was... leaving the bowls and chopsticks behind after eating and walking away.

As for doing the dishes?

Heh. Not happening.

Jiang Xiao dismissed the idea of simply leaving after eating. He was not Jiang Xiaopi, after all. The differences in personality, behavior, and speech would eventually be noticed.

In that case, why not start changing through the little things? It would also make it easier for Han Jiangxue to accept him.

Then he would start with the dishes.

"Where's my food?" A cool voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

That sort of voice always felt strangely out of place to Jiang Xiao. Her ethereal temperament and voice contrasted completely with the mundane words she spoke.

"I thought you weren't eating anymore." Jiang Xiao paused while clearing the dishes.

"Mm." Han Jiangxue seemed to simply be that sort of person. She did not explain herself and did not care much about many things. She merely gestured to Jiang Xiao. "Sit down."

"Oh." Jiang Xiao sat down. Was this a meeting? Since he was here, he might as well make the best of it. He intended to blend into the role as much as possible, so he obediently sat down.

"Here." Han Jiangxue opened her pale palm, revealing a bead that shimmered with bronze-colored light before Jiang Xiao's eyes.

"This is... a Star Pearl?" Jiang Xiao's eyes lit up. He was no stranger to Star Pearls. In Jiang Xiaopi's memories, Han Jiangxue had given him three Star Pearls before. That was also why Jiang Xiaopi's Star Power had reached Star Dust Stage Lv. 2.

Unfortunately, Jiang Xiaopi's aptitude had been poor. Most of the energy contained within those three Bronze Quality Star Pearls had been wasted by him.

Of course, Han Jiangxue had not given Jiang Xiaopi the Star Pearls merely to strengthen his Star Power. She had wanted him to obtain Star Skills.

Star Pearls came from Different Dimension Creatures, though not every Different Dimension Creature would form one.

Absorbing the Star Pearls of Different Dimension Creatures to obtain their abilities was the only way to acquire Star Skills.

What saddened people was that even if one obtained a Star Pearl and knew perfectly well that it contained a Different Dimension Creature's abilities, the odds of drawing out a Star Skill from it were absurdly low.

Therefore, acquiring Star Skills was far from easy.

More importantly, Awakened could only absorb Star Skills as their Star Power increased.

Star Power levels were divided into: Star Dust Stage, Star Cloud Stage, Star River Stage, Star Sea Stage, Starry Sky Stage, and perhaps even higher realms.

No matter how many Star Slots someone possessed or how talented they were, while their Star Power remained at the Star Dust Stage, they could embed at most four Star Pearls into their Star Map. In other words, they could possess only four Star Skills.

Once their total Star Power reached the Star Cloud Stage, they could absorb another four Star Skills.

When their total Star Power reached the Star River Stage, a qualitative transformation would occur, allowing them to gain another eight Star Skills, and so on.

All of that was still far too distant for Jiang Xiao.

Having already absorbed three Star Pearls, Jiang Xiaopi had naturally become one of the countless ordinary people. From three Star Pearls, he had not obtained a single Star Skill.

"Yesterday, I encountered a group of White Ghosts in the Snowfield. This Star Pearl came from a White Ghoul Witch." It was exceptionally rare for Han Jiangxue to say an entire sentence.

After that explanation, she said nothing more and placed the Star Pearl, no larger than a fingernail, on the table before Jiang Xiao.

A White Ghoul Pack?

And this Star Pearl did not come from a White Ghost, but from the rarer species—a White Ghoul Witch?

"Absorb it. After all, people have different constitutions. Some people may awaken the Star Map within their bodies, yet still fail to obtain a Star Skill for their entire lives." Han Jiangxue spoke another long sentence.

Was she trying to comfort him?

Jiang Xiao's expression turned strange. After merging with the memories and understanding the value of the Star Pearl before him, he quietly sighed inwardly.

Seeing that Jiang Xiao did not move, Han Jiangxue sensed his pressure and continued comforting him. "Your aptitude isn't high. Your Star Map has only nine stars, which already determines your limit. Even if you fail to obtain a Star Skill, you don't need to be too upset. It's fine."

Jiang Xiao: ???

Jiang Xiao finally raised his head and looked at Han Jiangxue helplessly. He knew the girl meant well, but why were her words so infuriating?

Indeed, Jiang Xiao's Star Map was the "Big Dipper Nine Stars." The nine dim stars represented nine Star Skills, and likewise represented the limit of his growth.

Put simply, those nine stars represented nine skill slots. No matter what tricks Jiang Xiao pulled, he could obtain at most nine Star Skills.

Generally speaking, the number of star slots represented a person's aptitude. It not only distinguished how many Star Skills an Awakened could acquire, but also directly showed their room for development.

This was a standard established by human society after countless experiments and tests.

When facing Star Pearls of the same quality, an Awakened with twenty Star Slots could acquire Star Skills much more easily than an Awakened with only one Star Slot.

Jiang Xiao's Star Map was the "Big Dipper Nine Stars," while Han Jiangxue's Star Map was a blazing White Flame.

Through the connections between the Star Slots, along with the distribution and rendering of Star Power, the Star Map Han Jiangxue displayed in battle was simply terrifying.

A full thirty Star Slots! This represented both the number of Star Skills she could acquire and her potential for growth!

Jiang Xiao picked up the Star Pearl from the dining table. Before he could absorb it, an image suddenly appeared in his mind.

"White Ghost Witch Star Bead (Bronze Quality) possesses Star Skills:

1. Blessing: Slowly restores the target's Life Force. (Bronze Quality, upgradeable)

2. Decoy: Creates an illusion to confuse enemies. (Bronze Quality, upgradeable)

Merge and absorb?"

What did that mean? Absorb it? And what did "merge and absorb" mean? Did it mean putting two skills into one Star Slot? Other people might possess Star Pearls and still fail to absorb even a single Star Skill in their entire lives, yet he could absorb them directly?

And there was that "upgradeable" label. Other people, even after absorbing a Star Skill, would have it fixed at the quality it possessed when absorbed. It could not be improved.

Yet Jiang Xiao could raise a skill's quality? What kind of Golden Finger was that!?

Was it because the system had introduced everything to Jiang Xiaopi three days ago that his mentality had completely collapsed? Damn, he really was a Chosen One!

"Don't regret it. Absorb it. I can go hunt another one." Han Jiangxue said impatiently, waving her hand indifferently. She knew Jiang Xiao's aptitude and knew her little brother was a hopeless case.

Han Jiangxue continued, "The White Ghoul Witch has two Star Skills. One heals the injuries of teammates, while the other creates illusions. Both abilities are quite good..."

As she spoke, Han Jiangxue saw Jiang Xiao, who had been hesitating all this time, suddenly light up. The Star Pearl in his hand transformed into specks of starlight and drilled into his chest.

No matter how indifferent Han Jiangxue was, she felt a trace of anticipation at that moment. Tilting her head, she asked, "Did you obtain a Star Skill?"

Jiang Xiao felt the specks of starlight flooding into his body. He opened his eyes and nodded.

Han Jiangxue's beautiful eyes brightened. As her frosty expression softened slightly, it felt as though the entire world had warmed.

Looking at the bright-eyed girl before him, Jiang Xiao's mood improved as well.

Han Jiangxue softly asked, "Which Star Skill did you obtain?"

Which Star Skill?

Jiang Xiaopi had never had a choice before. But I, Jiang Xiao, want them all! The tentative update schedule will be one chapter each at 6 PM and 8 PM.