Skin

Skin

Half an hour later, Jiang Xiao sat in the corner of the training room, bruised and battered.

Jiang Xiao watched the still-spirited, valiant girl sparring with the Boxing Speed Ball and felt somewhat helpless.

A genuine Awakened truly possessed Physical Fitness beyond the comparison of ordinary people.

"Delete that Weibo post," Han Jiangxue said as she struck the speed ball. Wearing Fingerless Gloves and drenched in fragrant sweat, her tall figure looked fit and toned.

"Do you mean the first sentence or the second?" Jiang Xiao asked, white light glowing from his right hand as he rubbed his bruised face.

Han Jiangxue paused, turned to look at Jiang Xiao, and shot him a cold glance. "What do you think?"

Jiang Xiao shrugged indifferently. "Who knows?"

Han Jiangxue felt the veins on her forehead twitching. She glared at Jiang Xiao viciously and said, "Looks like you've rested enough."

"Hold on." Jiang Xiao hurriedly raised both hands in a stopping gesture. "Everyone starts with the basics. Who jumps straight into actual combat?"

"Hmm, that's true." Unexpectedly, Han Jiangxue nodded. "I've hit enough too. Then let's start with the basics."

Jiang Xiao: ??? Jiang Xiao forcibly suppressed the urge to lash out. The two-hour lesson quickly came to an end, and when he opened his Inner Star Map and saw that Barehanded Combat under Basic Skills had risen to Lv.2, much of his resentment faded.

After class, Jiang Xiao took a satisfying shower. Feeling refreshed, he looked at the youthful face in the mirror and could not help feeling sentimental.

This face had a nose where a nose should be and eyes where eyes should be. Such a handsome young man, yet he had been beaten black and blue.

Jiang Xiao smoothed his buzz cut, white light emerging from his right hand as he gave himself another Blessing.

His Star Skill, Blessing, was still at a relatively low level. Though it could make someone feel extremely comfortable, its healing effects did not seem particularly impressive, and it consumed relatively little Star Power.

Of course, with Jiang Xiao's thin Star Power at the lowest Star Dust Stage, even the lowest-level Blessing could not possibly be used ten times in a row within a short period.

Using it nine times consecutively already seemed to be the limit.

Looking at the bruised "handsome" young man in the mirror, Jiang Xiao opened his Inner Star Map again.

Name: Jiang Xiao.

I. Star Map: Big Dipper Nine Stars, Star Dust Stage Lv.2.

II. Star Skills:

1. Blessing, Bronze Quality Lv.1.

2. Decoy, Bronze Quality Lv.1.

III. Basic Skills:

1. Barehanded Combat, Bronze Quality Lv.2.

2. Abundant Star Power, Bronze Quality Lv.1.

IV. Skill Points: 1.

Come to think of it, how exactly were these Skill Points obtained? While puzzled, Jiang Xiao also felt a sense of accomplishment. Barehanded Combat had finally risen by one small level.

During those two hours, Han Jiangxue had only briefly explained fighting stances and combat characteristics involving punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. She had not yet conducted any in-depth training or instruction, yet Jiang Xiao's Barehanded Combat Skill had still improved.

Objectively speaking, Jiang Xiao believed this was the result of his diligent study.

It seemed that Basic Skills could also be effectively improved through personal study and training.

Having learned this, Jiang Xiao was absolutely overjoyed.

After all, he still had no idea how to obtain those damned Skill Points.

Back in his room, Jiang Xiao worked hard to gather Star Power and used Blessing to soothe his injuries. Though the bruises on his body steadily recovered, his mind grew increasingly exhausted. In the end, he collapsed onto his small bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Around noon, Han Jiangxue, having prepared lunch, kicked Jiang Xiao's door open.

Bang! The deeply sleeping Jiang Xiao did not react at all.

Han Jiangxue reacted quickly. The moment the door opened, she saw Jiang Xiao's exhausted sleeping face. She hurriedly leaned forward, stretched out an arm, and grabbed the doorknob.

She stopped the damage in time, preventing the door from hitting the wall and making a second sound.

Han Jiangxue lowered her head and looked at Jiang Xiao sleeping soundly. Her icy expression slowly softened. For once, he had not gone out to fool around before coming home and sleeping like the dead.

He had finally grown sensible. Han Jiangxue turned back toward the training room, which had once been their parents' bedroom, as if she could see the Wedding Photo hanging inside through the wall.

After a long silence, Han Jiangxue gently closed the door and returned to her own bedroom.

Since Jiang Xiao was not eating, she had no appetite either.

Gathering and cultivating Star Power could indeed replenish the body's energy, but mental exhaustion was more effectively restored through normal sleep. Only then could the brain receive sufficient rest.

Though Han Jiangxue looked detached from worldly matters, she was fundamentally a modern person, no different from other girls her age. Before her nap, she played on her phone for a while and browsed some news about Jiangbin City.

The major event of the past few days seemed to be the energy fluctuations that had appeared in the northern suburbs of Jiangbin City early that morning. Since the site had already been sealed off, an interdimensional Portal had probably opened there.

Han Jiangxue scrolled through Weibo for a while, thought it over, and posted a status update to record her life.

Straw Hat Man: "He's finally changed a little. I'm very happy."

That Weibo post was frighteningly straightforward.

Han Jiangxue thought it over again and opened her specially followed account—Jiang Xiaopi Pi Bu Pi.

There was still only one Weibo post on it.

What a lonely, boring night. I really want to go out and have fun. I'll hold out for another ten minutes. If I still can't take it, then... PS: Day 1 of liking Little Jiang Xue.

Han Jiangxue read the contents of the "PS" over and over several times. Her expression shifted unpredictably, and it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or annoyed.

You dare like me? Why did you only start liking me now? You dare call me Little Jiang Xue? You... Hm? A new reply? Han Jiangxue opened her notifications. A string of replies had already appeared beneath the Weibo post she had just published.

Hong Yan: Who is he?

Hong Yan: What happened? Hong Yan: Why are you happy? Hong Yan: You don't love me anymore.

Hong Yan: Do you have someone else out there?

Hong Yan: Have you gotten too full of yourself, or can I no longer wield my blade? Hong Yan: Heh, woman, your name is heartless.

Han Jiangxue looked at the string of replies with utter disgust and directly responded with one word: "Get lost."

Hong Yan: "Who exactly is he?"

Han Jiangxue simply tossed her phone aside. After thinking for a moment, she picked it back up. Beneath that icy exterior, there seemed to be a little devil in her heart, one that emerged whenever she faced certain people.

So Han Jiangxue deliberately posted another Weibo update.

Straw Hat Man: Day 1 of liking him.

Hong Yan: Are you fucking trying to piss me off!? Hong Yan: Are you doing this on purpose?

Hong Yan: Answer the phone! Hong Yan: Reply to my messages! Answer the phone! If you hang up on me again, I'm getting mad!

Running Pork Belly: I caught the live broadcast! A massive breakup scene! Senior, I love you! Hong Yan: You! Better! Answer! The! Phone!

Pigs of the World: Here early to eat melon, oh yeah! Jiang Xiaopi Pi Bu Pi: @Hong Yan She's already asleep.

Han Jiangxue suddenly froze, as though she had seen something strange.

Jiang Xiaopi Pi Bu Pi!? This brat was pretending to sleep!?

Han Jiangxue immediately climbed out of bed.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xiao was looking at the replies on his phone. Hong Yan had actually replied to him directly?

Hong Yan: Oh, so you're the little brother. You two were just messing with me? You scared your big sister half to death.

She actually called herself big sister? Hong Yan was a girl? Good heavens, this was something else. At that moment, with a bang, the bedroom door was kicked open, accompanied by an angry voice: "Jiang Xiaopi!!"