Chapter 77 - 76: Zhao Xiangji, the Leaker Extraordinaire - Why Has My Dan Heng Turned Out Like This?!

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm translating. I upload at least 2 times daily for each novel. Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff ****** March 7th swiftly opened her phone and bundled all the photos she had taken earlier, along with Stelle's video footage, for immediate upload. She created a dedicated thread on the forum: ["Honkai: Star Rail" Insider Scoop Revealed!] With Stelle's guidance, she added some additional flair: [Still fretting over who might be in the next card pool? Worried about planning your Stellar Jade usage? Concerned about the Astral Express Crew's tumultuous fate?] [Let the internet's first insider—Zhao Xiangji—give you an exclusive sneak peek at upcoming characters in "Honkai: Star Rail"!] As soon as the post went live, it instantly drew in numerous players. *** "WTF! There's an insider for Honkai: Star Rail?! For real?" "Hey, Twitter friend 'Zhao Xiangji,' what makes you claim to be an insider? Are you actually an employee at Feathered Spirit Studio?" "I don't believe it! The Feathered Spirit boss is practically divine! How could there be leaks from some insider?" However, the first image uploaded next left players utterly stunned! Dan Heng stood on a lotus pedestal, hands clasped behind his back. But this Dan Heng was quite different from the one everyone knew! His long hair flowed freely down his back, and a pair of dragon horns protruded from his forehead! He glared sideways at the camera with an intimidating gaze! "???" "That's Dan Heng?!" "What happened to Dan Heng?! Why does he look like this?" "Holy shit! Why do I feel like he's about to burst out of the screen and stab me?" Two more photos were uploaded. The first depicted Dan Heng wielding the Abyssal Orb, shattering a Voidranger: Trampler with a single strike. The second was a close-up shot from the front, allowing for a clear view of Dan Heng's expression—cold and tinged with dissatisfaction. Even his red eyeshadow was distinctly visible! "Not only has he grown dragon horns, but his ears have become pointed too!" "T-These are characteristics of the Vidyadhara race!" "My goodness! How did you manage to capture these photos? I'd believe you if you claimed to be March 7th!" "Dan Heng, what exactly have you been through?!" "If you're being held captive, just nod your head!" "I absolutely love that gaze like it's about to cut me down!" "Holy smokes! Dan Heng truly possesses hidden powers!" "Just like our protagonist, is this a new form?!?" "Zhao Xiangji, the photography master! I declare you the top scoop-leaker on the entire web! Please, give us more insights!" More and more players rushed to join the discussion. Soon, this post skyrocketed in popularity, becoming one of the top threads on the forum, pinned for all to see! The number of likes and followers continued to grow exponentially, as everyone was astounded by Dan Heng's new form. At that moment... Zhao Xiangji posted fresh content once again! This time, it was unexpectedly a video lasting over ten seconds! In the footage, Dragon-form Dan Heng stood aloft, with a water dragon coiling around him. With a swift gesture forward, he unleashed a torrential assault on the surrounding black shadow enemies. As the water dragon surged forth, it resembled an unstoppable steel tide, crushing everything in its path! Instantly, the screen cleared of foes. The videographer clearly seemed like a novice; the footage was not very clear and exhibited noticeable shaking. As the camera zoomed in, seemingly aiming for a close-up of Dan Heng, Dan Heng suddenly turned his head. His eyes gleamed with azure light! It appeared as if he had detected the cameraperson. With a final jolt, the video abruptly ended. "Zhao Xiangji, you've outdone yourself!" "He's risking his life to give us this scoop!" "The hidden power! Incredible!" "Controlling dragons in battle?! Holy shit, that's so badass!!" "I must have this Feathered Spirit item right now!" "Feathered Spirit, hurry up and add it to the game already!" "Aaaaaahhhhhh!! (Dan Heng fan going insane)" Within Little Gui's live stream: Guinaifen had already disrupted three instances of the Tree of Foundation entanglement, weakening the Abundant Ebon Deer's ability to regenerate infinitely. She returned to the location of the Creation Furnace. This time, she prepared her characters accordingly in advance. Swiftly, they pushed the Abundant Ebon Deer into its second phase. In this stage, the deer summoned a new type of Tree of Foundation branch adorned with several fruits—shiny golden and plump. March 7th observed, "It bears fruit? Those peaches look huge... I kind of want to pick one and taste it." "March," Old Yang cautioned sternly. "I don't mean anything by it; just seems a waste for them to hang there and get destroyed." After their dialogue triggered, a notification popped up on the screen— [The Abundant Ebon Deer's [Spotted Dragon Touch] has fully charged!] With a startling noise, strands of golden light converged above the Black Deer. Once fully condensed, it fired! A beam as thick as a barrel pierced through the team... "...I didn't want...to be alone..." March 7th was instantly defeated! "But I'm...a doctor..." Natasha fell too! Guinaifen was stunned. Wow, this boss deals massive damage! Fortunately, Himeko and Asta remained standing. Their fire attribute attacks successfully exploited the Abundant Ebon Deer's weakness! With one final burst of output, they finally defeated it! Welt remarked, "General Jing Yuan said that the Tree of Foundation possesses extraordinary immortal powers..." "That deer appeared no different from ordinary lifeforms, yet even with fatal wounds, it instantly healed. Now I understand why the Xianzhou people pursued The Hunt to eradicate Abundance." "An indestructible entity, if allowed to propagate unchecked, would utterly collapse the world's ecosystem—" "No wonder the Xianzhou people roam the universe with their starships, never settling on any single planet..." Master Gongshu sighed, "Mister Yang has profound insights. Unfortunately, eight thousand years ago, our ancestors as Elixir Seekers could not foresee this underlying concern— "Perhaps some among them did realize it and rejected the Plagues Author's 'gifts.' However, can an entire civilization truly resist the allure of eternal life?" "How ironic: the wise lie beneath the earth, while fools endure forever..." This scene unfolded before Guinaifen and Sushang's eyes, both watching intently. One was an outlander, and the other, a barely educated young girl. They had limited knowledge of Xianzhou's history and didn't fully grasp why its people pursued "The Hunt" to eradicate "Abundance." This sequence served as an excellent primer for them. Guinaifen opened the chat window, curious about how Luofu players were reacting to this segment. However, she discovered that their discussions seemed entirely unrelated to the current plotline! "Why is everyone saying it's Dan Heng?! I don't think he even resembles him!" "Dan Heng uses a spear, but this person controls dragons. There's no clear connection at all!" "Just finished watching, and wow, he's precious now! Dan Heng has transformed into someone far beyond my reach!" "Forget reminiscing, Little Gui! Hurry up and check the pinned thread on the forums! It might disappear soon!" Guinaifen blinked, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment. "What are you guys talking about?" "Did something significant happen while I was progressing through the story?" "Have I missed another major revelation again?!"