Master of Nine Stars

Chapter 6: Chapter 5: Inner Soul Map

A one-in-tens-of-thousands chance. You think that’s something you can just stumble upon?

Heh, well, you’ve run into one today!

Diagonally behind Rong Taotao, over thirty meters away, another tall young man stood with his head hung low, his expression pained.

He was clearly trying his best to endure the pain. Judging by his movements, the source of it was likely his left shoulder.

There were four people in total on the grassy field. To still be standing, they had to have opened at least four Soul Slots.

Just as a faint vortex began to appear on the young man’s shoulder, the other two students on the field were suddenly stopped, their awakening ceremony over. They both collapsed onto the ground.

It was a pity. The two students had endured for the same amount of time and suffered the same agonizing torment, but only the girl had successfully awakened a fifth Soul Slot. The boy, however, remained at four, failing to break through.

The two young men left standing on the field instantly became the center of attention.

On the main platform, from behind his thick glasses, the principal’s eyes shone with excitement and delight.

’A student with five Initial Soul Slots?’

’And two students with six Initial Soul Slots?’

’Holy shit, am I dreaming?’

’In past years, all of New Danxi City might not have produced even one six-slot genius, and today I get two in one go?’

’And they’re both from my school?’

’What kind of insane luck is this? This is like hitting the jackpot, isn’t it? I’m definitely buying a lottery ticket later...’

’Although it has nothing directly to do with me... No, that’s not right! How is it not my business!?’

’It must be our school’s scientifically sound schedule, the perfect balance of work and rest. And the cafeteria’s wide variety of nutritious, well-balanced meals! That’s what created the excellent physical conditions for my students!’

’That’s why these three students have achieved what they have today!’

’Yes! That must be it!’

’Eh? That kid... is he Rong Taotao from Class 7? Xu Fenghua’s son?’

’No wonder, no wonder...’

As he mused, the principal glanced at the people sitting beside him. These representatives from the top high schools were mostly here for Rong Taotao.

As the old saying goes, dragons beget dragons, and phoenixes beget phoenixes.

And who was Rong Taotao!?

He was the son of the Outer Region’s number one Soul General!

How bad could he possibly be!?

Even if the kid only awakened two or three Soul Slots, they had to recruit him. The publicity from having a celebrity’s son could be put to good use.

Besides, Soul Slots could be increased through hard work later in life. Moreover, a fair number of Soul Skills had already been deciphered by human Soul Martial Scholars. They could be learned and used directly, without the need to embed a Soul Pearl into a Soul Slot.

In short, the awakening ceremony was just an initial screening, not a final verdict on one’s life. Countless people had surpassed natural geniuses through sheer hard work later on.

On the platform, the dean of students hurriedly reported the three students’ situations to the assembled dignitaries.

While Rong Taotao’s results were to be expected, the other young man was a complete surprise to everyone.

According to the information provided on his family background, this young man named Li Ziyi’s parents were not Soul Martial Artists!

The records showed that Li Ziyi’s parents had been ordinary people who both died in a car crash years ago. Li Ziyi had been adopted by a family, and this family was...

The dean took the file from the homeroom teacher, his voice growing quieter as he read, ”This family... the South City Sun Family. Li Ziyi was adopted by Sun Xingyu’s parents.”

”Sun Xingyu?”

”Ah...” The dean, a bit stunned, explained, ”She’s the... the girl who just collapsed at the last second. The one who awakened five Soul Slots. That’s Sun Xingyu. Her parents are both Soul Martial Artists.”

For a moment, everyone on the platform looked at each other, utterly bewildered.

Children of ordinary parents already have a low chance of awakening. Could... could being adopted by a Soul Martial Artist family actually increase those odds?

Was this the legendary power of influence by osmosis?

As the people on the platform whispered among themselves, down on the grassy field, Rong Taotao was rubbing his left eye. He really couldn’t hold on much longer!

He could feel it. Ever since the Soul Slot in his left eye opened, his entire body felt like a rapidly inflating balloon. Rong Taotao felt like he was going to explode at any moment...

”Focus!” the soldier’s voice was stern. ”You still have potential left to dig up!”

But clearly, Rong Taotao was a spent force. Both he and the soldier felt a pang of disappointment as that wisp of Soul Power flowed down from his left eye, bypassing the space on his chest.

Rong Taotao’s potential was nearly exhausted. If a Soul Slot didn’t open in his chest as the wisp of Soul Power passed through, the energy would dissipate before it had time to reach the next potential location.

If he pushed any further, Rong Taotao’s body truly wouldn’t be able to withstand the destructive force of the Soul Power.

To unlock more potential and open more Soul Slots, he would have to wait for his body to grow and mature, for his physical constitution to improve further.

In theory, it would be better for males to undergo their awakening after reaching adulthood. But fate is fickle, and countless painful lessons had proven that once adolescence passed, the probability of a person awakening as a Soul Martial Artist dropped drastically.

But it didn’t matter. As long as one became a Soul Martial Artist, with diligent training in the future, what was meant to be theirs would still be theirs. It’s not like their body would just stop growing.

”HUH... HUH... HUH...” Rong Taotao gasped for breath, his body drenched in cold sweat.

The soldier in front of him stood up, and a look of immense gratification replaced the stern expression on his face.

The soldier gently patted Rong Taotao’s shoulder, guiding him, ”Control your breathing. Slower. Bring the pace down. Even slower...”

In between gasps, Rong Taotao wanted to thank the soldier, but a message suddenly appeared in his mind:

”Analyzing body. Analyzing Soul Power. Analyzing Soul Techniques...

...

...

Inner Soul Map, initiating!”

”Huh...” Rong Taotao couldn’t help but blink. The breathing he had just managed to control immediately fell into disarray again.

’What just happened?’

’Inner Soul Map?’

As he thought this, a phantasmal diagram of the human body suddenly appeared in his mind’s eye.

A faint, illusory human silhouette materialized against the backdrop of a deep, starry sky.

On the silhouette’s left wrist, forehead, right elbow, left ankle, right knee, and left eye, there was a swirling vortex pattern formed from wisps of Soul Power.

The ethereal, phantasmal image left Rong Taotao at a complete loss.

He was clearly looking at the green grass beneath his feet, yet this so-called ”Inner Soul Map” was what appeared in his mind!?

Against the beautiful, starry background, several lines of text were clearly visible beneath the illusory human silhouette:

Name: Rong Taotao.

Lifebound Soul Beast: None.

1. Soul Power: Soul Soldier, Early Stage (Potential: 6 Stars)

2. Soul Techniques: None.

3. Soul Skills: None.

4. Martial Arts:

1. Hand-to-Hand Combat, 2-Star High-Tier (Potential: 4 Stars)

2. Heaven-piercing Halberd Mastery, 3-Star, Maxed (Potential Value: 3 Stars)

5. Available Potential Value: 0.

...

Rong Taotao: ???

Rong Taotao had so many questions, but the most baffling one was the evaluation of his Heaven-piercing Halberd Mastery under ”Martial Arts”!

’What’s this about 3-Star, Maxed?’

’What does that even mean?’

’Am I already at the pinnacle of the mortal realm? Is there no need to ascend to the heavens?’

’That can’t be right. My master thrashes me as easily as spanking a child. He makes it look so effortless. How could I possibly be maxed out at three stars?’

’But then again,’ Rong Taotao thought, ’despite all my bitter training recently... even though I’ve been physically exhausted but spiritually fulfilled, have I really felt any improvement in my Heaven-piercing Halberd technique?’

’Could it be...’

Rong Taotao scratched his hair in frustration, turning his soft, natural curls into a bird’s nest.

’Am I just not cut out to practice the Heaven-piercing Halberd? Is it impossible for me to improve any further in this skill?’

’Maybe I’m better suited for the blade or the sword?’

Such situations were very real. There are many things in this world that you can’t master just because you want to. One had to admit how formidable a thing ”Talent” was.

Rong Taotao had awakened six Soul Slots, making him a genius among geniuses in the world of Soul Martial Artists. He was perfectly suited to cultivating Soul Power. But when it came to the martial art of the Heaven-piercing Halberd, perhaps he truly wasn’t a good fit...

In contrast, his Talent for Hand-to-Hand Combat was clearly higher than for the Heaven-piercing Halberd.

Rong Taotao’s heart ached. ’Do I have to choose a new cold weapon to practice? How many years would that take...?’

’No! I can’t! I’m too damn stubborn! I have to see this through to the end!’

’I must master the Heaven-piercing Halberd and go stab my master-father!’

’This Heaven-piercing Halberd... it was practically made for patricide!’

As he was thinking, Rong Taotao’s eyes fell on the ”Available Potential Value” line at the very bottom of his Inner Soul Map.

’Maybe I can raise the cap on my ”Heaven-piercing Halberd Mastery” by gaining potential?’

’That... should be how it works, right?’

’So the question is, how do I get more potential...?’

’Meow meow meow?’