Chapter 25: The First Battle
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The newcomer stood roughly two and a quarter meters tall, with thick brows and large eyes. He retained the elephant race’s distinctive long trunk and enormous ears, with broad shoulders and a long, powerful build. The faint outlines of eight-pack abs could be seen beneath his skin. Just looking at him, one could sense the tremendous strength hidden within that body.
The most terrifying aspect of the Earthshaking Divine Elephant race was not merely their strength, but also their astonishing physical defenses.
Most members of the Earthshaking Divine Elephant race awakened earth-based abilities.
Moreover, they possessed a unique method of cultivation: using earth-based powers to strengthen their own bodies. It was said that the patriarch of their race had once directly withstood an insectoid whose bite was unrivaled, even shattering an entire row of its excellent teeth.
The newcomer was Guo Yanfeng of the Earthshaking Divine Elephant race.
Among his people, his talent was considered slightly below average.
“Your judgment is terrible!” Guo Yanfeng looked at Zang Shuying with a half-smile. “The guy beside you is obviously working with the male who bullied that female!”
Zang Shuying froze and turned to Zang Zexin. “Zexin, you...”
The answer he received was Zang Zexin’s fist.
Zang Shuying twisted aside and dodged it.
“Zang Zexin! What are you doing?!” Zang Shuying roared. “You’re actually working with a male who bullied a female! I’m ashamed to stand beside you!”
“Ah!”
Nearby, Zang Shuying’s two companions suddenly let out agonized screams.
Zang Shuying whipped around and saw an unfamiliar... panda eliminate his companions from the game.
Only two boxes remained where they had stood.
Guo Yanfeng watched Feng Jingxuan, who had suddenly rushed out, with keen interest. The people behind him regarded Feng Jingxuan’s actions with equal indifference.
Zang Shuying stood stunned as a gust of fist wind swept past his ear.
When he realized what had happened, he stared at Zang Zexin, nearly exploding with rage. “You used me!”
And he had eliminated his companions, too!
Zang Shuying gasped heavily, so furious that he was practically starved of oxygen.
He glared at his cousin, who had possessed extraordinary talent since childhood.
Zang Zexin remained expressionless. “I’m sorry, Brother. I’m a warrior. A warrior cannot betray his companions.”
Zang Shuying was rendered speechless, his breathing still unsteady.
Under federal law, disrespecting a female and betraying one’s companions were equally serious offenses.
He could only choose one.
Clearly, Zang Zexin had already made his choice.
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Besides, it was only a game. No one would use their true appearance, and their social lives would basically be unaffected once they left.
—A female’s partner would always find a way to coax her into a good mood.
Besides, most females in the interstellar world were pampered but not unreasonable. Duan Yilin simply could not accept it for the moment; she would soon be able to let it go.
“You’re the other companion of that male, aren’t you? Since both of you are here, I assume he’s here as well.” Guo Yanfeng paid no attention to the Zang brothers’ quarrel. His eyes swept across the surroundings as he tried to locate Xiao Ningxue. “That fellow is quite capable. He actually managed to evade my teammate’s senses. Come out. I’d like to test myself against him.”
Guo Yanfeng was enormous, and his voice was especially deep and resonant.
Xiao Ningxue had never left. Her spatial ability allowed her to sense changes in her surroundings at any moment.
Naturally, she knew that Guo Yanfeng had arrived.
Now that she heard him mention her, Xiao Ningxue stepped out.
“Sorry, but if you want to fight, shouldn’t you ask for my opinion first?”
Only after Xiao Ningxue appeared did the others sense her presence.
She allowed them to examine her openly and without the slightest hesitation.
Zang Zexin and Feng Jingxuan exchanged a glance.
It seemed their roommate was not at all ordinary.
One of the beastmen behind Guo Yanfeng stared at her in astonishment. “How is that possible? I can’t sense your presence at all!”
His ability was related to detecting auras.
Xiao Ningxue smiled. “There is always someone better, and there is always a higher sky. You have confidence in your talent, and I have just as much confidence in mine.”
The beastman was about to say something more, but Guo Yanfeng raised a hand and stopped him.
“You’re right. That only proves you’re good at surviving. But if all you know how to do is hide, like a cowardly burrowing insect, surely hiding is not all you can do?” Guo Yanfeng looked at Xiao Ningxue provocatively. “Are you planning to shrink into the earth for the rest of your life?”
“Burrowing coward” was similar to the insult “turtle hiding its head” from Blue Star.
However, since there really was a turtle race in the interstellar world, beastmen could only use the insectoid race as an insult.
The burrowing coward was precisely the most timid branch of the insectoid race. Their greatest uses were reconnaissance and locating targets. Whenever war broke out, they would panic and bury themselves in the earth.
They occupied the lowest rung of the insectoid race.
No beastman could tolerate such an insult.
Unfortunately, Xiao Ningxue refused to be provoked. She simply opened her mouth and retorted.
“I think all you know how to do is think with your muscles! Simple-minded and overdeveloped, and you still think such an obvious trick can make me angry? You truly are a brainless idiot!”
Xiao Ningxue was not angered.
Guo Yanfeng was.
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“Very well!” he said with an enraged laugh. “Since that’s the case, let me see what you’re capable of!”
Guo Yanfeng threw back his head and let out an angry roar. Then, with a single step, he charged forward.
His frame was massive and his strength immense. No one present dared meet the force of that charge head-on.
Xiao Ningxue naturally did not dare, either.
She performed a sideways aerial flip to evade him, then landed with a quick step at the spot where Guo Yanfeng would plant his foot. She raised her leg high, intending to kick him away.
At that moment, Xiao Ningxue saw a cold smile appear at the corner of Guo Yanfeng’s mouth.
Something was wrong!
Sure enough, Guo Yanfeng adjusted his position in midair, seized Xiao Ningxue’s raised leg, and used the momentum of his own leap to swing her away.
The tremendous force sent Xiao Ningxue crashing into two trees before she finally came to a stop.
“Cough, cough!”
Xiao Ningxue knelt on one knee, her internal organs burning with pain.
If this had not been a game world, blood might already have trickled from the corner of her mouth.
“With strength like that, you still dare provoke me? You overestimate yourself.” Having confirmed that Xiao Ningxue was merely a male who knew how to make grand boasts, Guo Yanfeng said disdainfully, “All right. Since that’s the case, you can leave the game. In a moment, Female Duan Yilin will see the announcement that I eliminated you. Perhaps she’ll even say a few words to me.”
A male who only knew how to boast was unworthy of a female’s attention.
“Xue!”
“Xue!”
To avoid exposing Xiao Ningxue’s identity, Feng Jingxuan and Zang Zexin both called her by her online name.
The two rushed to Xiao Ningxue’s side, carefully helping her to her feet as they looked at her with concern.
Seeing the injuries on her body, Feng Jingxuan shouted angrily at Guo Yanfeng, “What are you doing? Do you know—”
“Wait!” Feng Jingxuan could not bring himself to call out Xiao Ningxue’s online name, so she simply skipped over it.
Zang Zexin looked at her anxiously. “Xue.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry. As expected, fighting strength with strength isn’t suited to me.” Xiao Ningxue pushed away Zang Zexin and Feng Jingxuan, who were supporting her, and discreetly used her wood-based ability to ease the pain in her internal organs. Then she slowly assumed a strange stance. “You two, step aside. I haven’t lost yet!”
One palm faced downward while one arm extended to the side. Her other hand was clenched into a fist beside her body, and her torso twisted.
If anyone from Blue Star had been present, they would have recognized it as the opening stance of Tai Chi.
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