Chapter 836 The Pressure Relief

In the afternoon, in Jiang Xiao and Gu Shi'an's room.

The four-person team from Imperial Capital Star Warriors, led by their teacher Chen Dapang and two coaching staff members, were studying their opponents and the tactics for tomorrow's battle.

Jiang Xiao listened to the coach's endless chatter about the captain of the Russian Federation's Steel Legion, his teeth aching and his flesh throbbing. The coach was practically singing the guy's praises, and Jiang Xiao wondered if he was trying to put pressure on the Imperial Capital Star Warriors team or sound a warning.

It wasn't until almost dinner time that everyone left. Jiang Xiao didn't receive any special treatment; in the individual competition, he was required to stay in his room, and his meals were delivered.

Here, however, it was good. Jiang Xiao could eat with everyone.

As soon as the others left the room, Jiang Xiao pulled a napkin out of his pocket and handed it to Gu Shi'an. "Here."

Gu Shi'an took it curiously. "What's this?"

Jiang Xiao said, "I'm giving you a marriage opportunity."

Gu Shi'an: ???

Jiang Xiao: "A小姐 from the Republic of意志, quite pretty, in her early twenties, big eyes, double eyelids, oval face, quite in line with Eastern aesthetics."

Gu Shi'an looked at Jiang Xiao with disdain. "Do you think I'm that kind of person?"

Jiang Xiao stuffed the napkin into his pocket. "It's still early. When it's late at night and you're tossing and turning in bed, you won't think that way."

Gu Shi'an immediately protested. "Didn't you say I snore? I specifically wait until you fall asleep before I sleep. You're saying I toss and turn? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?"

"Holy crap!?" Jiang Xiao was stunned. He pointed at Gu Shi'an's nose and said, "You're actually a warm man? What a waste of your渣男 looks!" (Zhan Nan: scumbag)

"I'm......" Gu Shi'an stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Jiang Xiao's neck, and rubbed his buzz cut head like crazy with his other hand.

The buzz cut comes through once again!

As long as my hair is short enough, you can't pull it out!

The door suddenly burst open, and Han Jiangxue stood in the doorway, looking at the two of them expressionlessly. The chaotic scene became much more harmonious.

Han Jiangxue's cold voice came over: "We were only gone for 20 seconds."

Jiang Xiao: "I'm relieving his stress. Look how serious his face is. He acts like the end of the world is coming when he meets the Russian Federation. If nothing else, he'll smoke a pack of cigarettes again tonight."

Han Jiangxue frowned slightly. "Dinner's ready."

Jiang Xiao: "Oh."

Gu Shi'an pursed his lips, released Jiang Xiao, and walked out.

Next to Han Jiangxue, Xia Yan smiled and stepped aside, whispering, "Feels pretty good, right?"

Gu Shi'an: "Uh......"

"Next time, don't pull his hair, just flick his forehead." Xia Yan happily imparted her experience to Gu Shi'an. "Come on, Little Pi, let's demonstrate."

Jiang Xiao looked resentful. "Just because I haven't hit you in a few days, you've forgotten I'm your Little Pi Brother?"

"Hmph." Xia Yan snorted proudly, strode forward, and headed for the elevator.

Jiang Xiao felt that her reaction was off, not in line with her usual temperament.

Jiang Xiao curiously followed her and leaned in close to her. "What's wrong? Why are you in such a good mood?"

The four of them entered the elevator, and Xia Yan, with her back to the camera, covered her mouth and whispered, "I feel the restriction of my realm loosening."

Jiang Xiao was startled, and a few seconds later, his face lit up with joy. "Really?"

Xia Yan nodded repeatedly, smiling so wide that her mouth couldn't close. "Of course, I've been working very hard."

"Ding!"

The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors slowly opened.

Jiang Xiao clenched his fist. This was great!

Xia Yan's efforts in the Blame Shadow training space were clear for all to see. Although she hadn't been training in it recently, she had used the foundation of her past hard work to finally touch the threshold of the Star Sea stage.

Jiang Xiao had long been at the peak of the Star River stage, even half a step into the Star Sea stage, but it was all just a facade. It was purely based on skill points.

Similarly, Jiang Xiao could immediately use skill points to reach the peak of the Star Sea stage when he first entered it, and directly enter the half-step Starry Sky stage, but what was the point? It was just pretty data and a bit more Star Power. Jiang Xiao was still a blank slate when it came to cultivation and understanding of that stage.

Now, Xia Yan, who wasn't lacking in talent, had finally caught up. How could Jiang Xiao not be happy?

Under the current situation, the Earth version had been "updated," and all kinds of once-precious and rare other-dimensional spaces were now frequently opening. Xia Yan entering the Star Sea stage at this time, with eight more Star Slots, would definitely allow her strength to leap forward!

What's more, with the current level of strength of Jiang Xiao and the others, they really couldn't look at ordinary Star Beads and Star Techniques for the level of other-dimensional spaces they were in contact with.

When Xia Yan truly entered the Star Sea stage and absorbed the Star Pet that Jiang Xiao had prepared for her, and then found an opportunity to equip the Star Techniques in the Dragon Cave, and then found some other once-precious and rare Star Beads to fill in the gaps, wouldn't that once-majestic female warrior be back?

Xia Yan walked happily side by side with Jiang Xiao, but suddenly thought of something, and her beautiful face drooped slightly.

Jiang Xiao quickly asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Xia Yan's cherry lips approached Jiang Xiao's ear, and she whispered, "It's a pity, if I could have kept training in the space, I might have already entered the Star Sea stage by now."

The previous stage was the national team training camp. Although it was a little inconvenient, Xia Yan's words weren't accurate. In fact, during the national team training camp, Xia Yan went to Jiang Xiao's training space quite a bit at night.

With Han Jiangxue and Jiang Xiao covering for her, and the fact that they were siblings, no one came to bother them.

The siblings' status within the national team was indeed quite transcendent.

"Don't think like that." Jiang Xiao quickly comforted her, whispering, "Keep working hard, wonderful Star Pets and Star Techniques are waiting for you. It's better to come at the right time than early. Save all your Star Slots for me, I have great use for them."

Xia Yan blinked her eyes. "Eh?"

Jiang Xiao nodded heavily, winking hard, thinking that he had sent out the signal, but Xia Yan elbowed him in the ribs.

Xia Yan pouted and said, "I'm your teammate, not your Star Pet."

"Right, right, right, you're not a Star Pet, you're a teammate, a teammate." Jiang Xiao reached out and gently ruffled Xia Yan's slightly curly chestnut short hair, his eyes full of smiles.

Whether you are or not, it's not up to you to decide, Xia Erha (Second Husky) classmate...

I am your supporting daddy!

I used to have to be a刀 (Dao: knife/damage dealer) to take care of the team.

Now that you've all grown up and can be knives, it's time for me to retire and go back to my old job.

Xia Yan frowned, shook her head hard, broke free from Jiang Xiao's hand, and looked at his happy smile. Xia Yan couldn't get angry even if she wanted to.

She could feel that Jiang Xiao was really happy for her.

As for the meaning hidden behind that sincere smile, Xia Yan didn't sense it...

Xia Yan pouted and said, "I don't care, come to my room tonight, I'm in a hurry."

"Alright." Jiang Xiao also pouted.

In fact, Jiang Xiao always fantasized about the day when he wouldn't need to charge into battle anymore, but would be strategizing and commanding, or sitting in the army, with a bunch of damage dealers going out to cut people.

Jiang Xiao would be watching the battlefield from afar, under layers of protection, healing his teammates and healing his opponents. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Jiang Xiao became more and more intoxicated with the meal. After returning to the room, Jiang Xiao slipped into Han Jiangxue's room.

Regardless of whether this was the World Cup contestant hotel, regardless of whether anyone was watching, even if there was, Han Jiangxue had the Shattered Space Star Technique, and she could cover up spatial fluctuations.

If he could use this World Cup battle to completely boost Xia Yan's Star Power realm, that would be perfect!

Jiang Xiao grabbed Xia Yan's hand and ran directly into the bathroom, bringing her into his Blame Shadow World, and flashing to find the gardener Pi.

"It's repaired so quickly?" In the Blame Shadow World, Jiang Xiao and Xia Yan's figures flashed, standing in front of a huge city.

The ancient city-like building, with its 15-meter-high city walls rising from the ground, was incredibly majestic, making Xia Yan marvel. It had only been a few days since she had last been here, and this guy had built another city?

On top of the city wall, a vine extending from a crack in the wall wrapped around the gardener Pi's body and sent him down.

"邺古塔?" Xia Yan looked curiously at the words engraved above the city gate, and murmured softly. (Ye Gu Ta: Transliteration based on pronunciation)

Jiang Xiao had never mentioned the name "邺古塔" to anyone, but from these words, one could seem to see Jiang Xiao's ambition...

"Of course we have to work hard. Maybe one day, people will live here, so it's better to be prepared." Jiang Xiao said with a smile, without explaining the specific origin of the name.

Xia Yan was a regular here and obviously knew more information. She asked, "Where is this? Where is that treehouse city located?"

Jiang Xiao pointed in a direction. "The forest tree city is over there, about a hundred kilometers away."

Xia Yan nodded. "It's been a long time since I've been to that natural oxygen bar. By the way, how is it inside here? Is everything fully decorated?"

Jiang Xiao said, "It's just an empty shell. Some courtyards and martial arts training grounds have been built, but things will only be complete when someone lives here."

As he spoke, the gardener Pi had already opened the door to the Blame Shadow training space and walked in first.

Due to Xia Yan's arrival, the gardener Pi temporarily stopped the city-building plan and accompanied Xia Yan into the training space to be a messenger.

Jiang Xiao also stayed in Han Jiangxue's room, watching TV with her, eating fruit, and chatting about recent events.

Gu Shi'an was a little confused. He thought Jiang Xiao would be back to sleep, but at seven o'clock in the evening, he received a text message from Jiang Xiao saying that he wouldn't be back...

Gu Shi'an wasn't sure if Jiang Xiao had sneaked out or stayed in Han Jiangxue's room.

This had happened occasionally during the national team training camp, but that was at least in the country. This was abroad, and during the actual World Cup competition...

Gu Shi'an leaned against the headboard, watching TV, with a look of melancholy.

It was only seven o'clock in the evening, not yet the time to toss and turn, but Gu Shi'an accidentally touched the napkin in his pocket.

"Hmm..." Gu Shi'an didn't hesitate at all. He casually threw the napkin into the trash can, and then reached into his pocket again to take out what he really wanted: the fake snake.

It's good to sleep alone, I don't have to go to the bathroom to smoke.

Gu Shi'an put a cigarette in his mouth.

"Pa~" The wheel of the metal lighter sparked, lighting the cigarette.

You have your happiness,

I have my loneliness,

It's not bitter, it's even kind of cool~

"Hoo~" Gu Shi'an exhaled a puff of smoke, feeling comfortable...