Chapter 32: Just an Ordinary Student

“A late-stage Star Cloud Star Demon, hurry and open it. Don’t you dare act recklessly. Even if we can’t kill you, we have the ability to throw you out.”

The four of them changed expressions, not daring to say more, and quickly took out a device, pressing a button. The silver protective shield slowly rose.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Changkong leaped up, warily watching the late-stage Star Cloud Star Demon.

The Taiji Diagram emerged from his body, protecting his entire being.

The several Star Demons around did not move recklessly, waiting for the late-stage Star Cloud Star Demon to act.

Roar!

A roar echoed as the late-stage Star Cloud Star Demon lunged forward.

“Get in!”

A hurried shout came from within the protective shield, followed by a golden sword light flying out, directly targeting the Star Demon.

Jiang Changkong’s brow twitched. The silver protective shield had already risen half a meter high, so he quickly crouched and slipped inside.

Boom!

The golden sword light descended, causing the late-stage Star Cloud Star Demon to pause momentarily. Star Power overflowed, destroying the surrounding weeds.

The nearby Star Demons were also affected, forced back by the impact of the Star Power.

The silver barrier descended once more, and Jiang Changkong had already slipped inside.

Roar!

The late-stage Star Cloud Star Demon roared repeatedly, its sharp claws striking the silver protective shield again and again, but the shield remained as steady as Mount Tai.

Unable to break the shield, the Star Demon could only retreat unwillingly to the side, its savage eyes fixed intently on them.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Changkong leaned against the protective shield, panting heavily.

“You’re welcome.”

The four of them remained calm, watching him warily.

“Do you have any food and water?” Jiang Changkong asked. “Don’t worry, once we get out, all these Star Demons will be yours.”

The four exchanged glances, opened their backpacks, and handed him some dry rations and water.

Along with it, a set of clothes.

Jiang Changkong immediately wolfed down the food, also putting on the clothes. His own clothes were already torn to shreds.

Having gone a day without food or water, spending all his time killing Star Demons, he was starving.

“What happened to you? How did you get caught by Star Demons?” a woman asked.

Jiang Changkong glanced at her—it was the one who had mentioned the skull earlier.

She had a plump figure with a hint of baby fat.

She wore a black warrior’s uniform and held a golden sword hilt.

The other woman had an oval face with some freckles, and her gaze held a trace of curiosity as she looked at him.

The two men were both slender—one fair-skinned, the other slightly dark.

The fair-skinned man held a round disk in his hand; the golden sword energy earlier had been emitted from this device.

Jiang Changkong knew these four had plenty of tricks up their sleeves.

Their earlier initiative in using the sword light to block the Star Demon was clearly meant to show him they had the means to deal with him.

“It’s a long story.”

Jiang Changkong sighed and said, “Today, I went to the river to drink water and saw a surge of blood energy reaching the sky, attracting countless Star Demons.”

He certainly wouldn’t say he had messed up himself.

“By the river? A surge of blood energy reaching the sky?”

The four exchanged puzzled looks and began asking for details.

Jiang Changkong answered each question one by one. As they talked, the four also introduced themselves.

The one with baby fat was Zhang Xiaoyu, and the one with the oval face was Liu Ya.

The fair-skinned man was Lu Hong, and the dark-skinned one was Liu Jun, Liu Ya’s older brother.

All four were students of Kexiang, currently preparing for the two-year Simulation College Entrance Exam.

In Martial Arts Schools, it was three years of simulation, five years of college entrance exams.

At Kexiang School, it was two years of simulation, one year of college entrance exams.

“Your simulation exams are held outside the city, not at the school?”

Jiang Changkong was somewhat surprised.

“Our first-year simulation is at the school, but the second-year simulation is half outside the city and half inside,” Lu Hong explained. “We were following a senior student earlier, but we got separated by Star Demons. Now we need to find her.”

After the four were scattered and driven apart by the Star Demons, they were eventually cornered here.

The Star Demon that brought Jiang Changkong was originally part of this Star Demon squad.

It had gone out to search for food and happened to be drawn by the scent of blood.

Unable to handle him alone, the Star Demon could only bring him back and hand him over to the Star Cloud late-stage Star Demon.

“Changkong, you must be a top student at your Martial Arts School, right?”

Zhang Xiaoyu asked.

“Just an ordinary student.”

Jiang Changkong smiled and said, “I’m not much different from you all. I was originally with my senior sister and senior brother, but now this happened.”

The four of them looked unconvinced. You fought through a horde of Star Demons for half a day, and you call yourself an ordinary student?

Even a super genius probably couldn’t do that, right?

Even at their Kexiang School, where mechas are the main focus, the physical exertion is immense, making it impossible to fight for half a day straight.

“How is your defense so strong?”

Liu Jun asked, and the other three also looked at him curiously.

Even the fangs and claws of the Star Demons shattered against him—their school’s mechas couldn’t compare!

“I practiced Iron Shirt.”

Jiang Changkong said with a simple, honest expression, “I don’t know why, but my fist and foot techniques just keep getting better.”

“Iron Shirt?”

The four of them were stunned. Could Iron Shirt be trained to this level?

Fist and foot techniques keep getting better?

And he doesn’t know why?

Could he be a prodigy in fist and foot techniques?

“Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore. I need to recover first.”

After saying this, Jiang Changkong sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to recover.

The Star Power in his body had already recovered somewhat. He circulated the Tai Chi Fist Scripture to restore his Star Power.

Among his three martial arts, Iron Shirt focused on defense, while the Three Blades Without Trace emphasized killing.

The Tai Chi Fist Scripture nurtured the body, tempered it, and was best for recovery.

Before cultivating, he also checked his data.

After half a day of killing, he had no idea how many Star Demons he had slain. He allocated all the gains to the Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique.

He hadn’t had time to check earlier, as he was being dragged around by the Star Demons.

Jiang Changkong: Star Cloud Mid-Stage

Low-Grade Mid-Tier Martial Arts:

Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique: Minor Achievement 3908/4000

Tai Chi Fist Scripture: Minor Achievement 3/4000

Three Blades Without Trace: Minor Achievement 1/4000

Essence: 0

Half a day of non-stop slaughter had brought his Bronze Skin Iron Bone Technique close to Major Achievement.

The Tai Chi Fist Scripture had improved by two points—too little to feel any noticeable difference.

As Jiang Changkong recovered, the four huddled together in silence, not disturbing him, only keeping a vigilant watch.

Outside the Protective Shield, the Star Demons watched intently but could do nothing against it.

Time passed until late at night when Jiang Changkong finally opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath.

“Are you fully recovered?”

The four asked, their faces lighting up with joy.

Jiang Changkong’s face flushed slightly, “I’ve recovered, but I’m still a bit hungry.”

His stamina and Star Power were restored, and he felt energetic, but his stomach was still empty.

Earlier, he had only eaten some dry rations and drunk a bottle of water.

Zhang Xiaoyu took out a large flatbread and handed it to him, “We don’t have much left either, so we can only give you one piece.”

“I’m already very grateful.”

Jiang Changkong took a bite of the flatbread and said, “I’m fine now. When do you want to make a move?”

“At dawn,” Lu Hong whispered.

Jiang Changkong nodded. The Star Desolate Grasslands at night were fraught with danger.

Taking action now could easily attract more Star Demons.

Moreover, even if they killed the Star Demons now, they had nowhere to go. Dawn was the best choice.

“Let’s discuss how to proceed when we make our move.”

Liu Jun said solemnly, “The means we have can temporarily hold off that Star Cloud late-stage Star Demon.

But once we use them, we won’t have any way to find our senior sister.”

These words clearly indicated they didn’t want to deal with the Star Cloud stage Star Demon.

However, he didn’t mind.

Jiang Changkong pondered for a moment and said, “You’ve already extended help and provided food, how could I ask you to take action again?”

The four felt a sudden unease—was he angry? Was this sarcasm?

“Brother, that’s not what we meant. We can help you hold off the Star Cloud stage Star Demon.”

The four hurriedly explained, “It’s just that we can’t exhaust all our means.”

“I really can handle it. We agreed earlier—you saved me, and I’ll save you.”

Jiang Changkong waved his hand and said, “It’s settled then. At dawn, open the Protective Shield, I’ll charge out, and you wait for me to finish off the Star Demons.”

If they truly exhausted all their means, he’d likely have to act as a bodyguard again and escort them.

“But…”

Jiang Changkong cut them off firmly, “No need to say more. It’s settled. Let’s rest.”