Master of Nine Stars

”Here, juniors, get your gear.” Mao Rabbit urged her horse forward, pulling three balaclavas from her military pack and handing them to the youngsters one by one. ”We’re probably the only squad in the entire Snow Burning Army that provides these. Make sure you put them on before we start the mission.”

’Is this Miss Mao Rabbit some kind of supply officer? Earlier, Fu Tiance did tell Rong Yang to talk to her about masks.’

Gao Lingwei took the black balaclava, a complicated smile on her face. ”Is this still necessary? I was completely covered last time, but my identity was still exposed.”

It couldn’t be helped. Frost Night Xuerong was simply too special. It was one of a kind in the entire Snow Realm, and likely the only one in the whole world.

Rong Taotao had just been about to play the part of a Firebird Warrior, but after hearing Gao Lingwei’s words, he put down his balaclava too. ”We’re just catching a few scoundrels. We don’t need these. I’m with you!”

Frost Night Xuerong had already been revealed, and Gao Lingwei was bound to keep using it. So, since she was already on the Poacher Organization’s list, it really didn’t matter whether she wore a balaclava or not.

As long as Frost Night Xuerong existed, Gao Lingwei would be a thorn in the Poacher Organization’s side.

There are many problems in this world that can be solved in one way.

Strength!

At this very moment, Rong Taotao craved strength more than anything.

Because both of them had huge problems. As long as the Lotus Petal existed inside his body... he was a living treasure.

’So, is this the true meaning of ”Treasure Boy”?’

...

”NEIGH~”

”NEIGH...” Several Snow Night Shocks whinnied, their front hooves rearing high before landing on the ground without kicking up a single snowflake.

A woman in a black balaclava greeted a few Snow Burning Army soldiers before turning to the group. ”You’re here.”

Fu Tiance swung himself off his horse and nodded. ”What’s the situation?”

The middle-aged woman snorted. ”We caught one last night. Based on the intel that old geezer gave us, we’ve already arrested all the Poachers.”

”You got here just in time. We just rounded them all up. Want to go in and see the results of our work?”

Fu Tiance: ”...”

As she finished speaking, the middle-aged woman nodded at Gao Lingwei.

”Hello, Auntie She.” Gao Lingwei, still on her horse, looked down at the woman and nodded with a smile.

The woman codenamed Snake, however, said, ”I heard about what happened on New Year’s Eve.”

”It’s fine.” Gao Lingwei just smiled. ”A little pressure is a good thing. It reminds me to stay vigilant and avoid getting complacent. It’ll be a great help to my growth.”

”Hm?” Snake looked up at Gao Lingwei, only to see that the girl’s expression didn’t seem forced. And she really wasn’t wearing a balaclava. Her captivating face, illuminated by the sunlight, was devastatingly beautiful...

Snake turned to Fu Tiance and asked, ”Are her parents’ arrangements sorted out?”

Fu Tiance: ”They were sorted out long ago. Are you the captain or am I? Is everything wrapped up here?”

Snake: ”It’s wrapped up. Do you have a new mission? If not, I’m heading back to Hundred Corps Pass to rest.”

”Er...” Fu Tiance looked at the Snow Burning Army soldiers who were already withdrawing, an awkward expression on his face as he nodded. ”Good work, Snake. Go back and get some rest.”

Snake ignored Fu Tiance and instead glanced at Rong Taotao, who was on his horse behind Gao Lingwei. ”So this is the guy you were so fixated on?”

”Hya!” Gao Lingwei abruptly turned her head away, lightly squeezed her horse’s sides with her legs, and guided her Snow Night Shock to the side, moving away from Snake...

”Hey! Captain Fu!” Rong Taotao propped himself up with his hands on the saddle, spun around nimbly, and now sat facing backward on his horse. ”You said earlier that after the mission was done, you’d enjoy the scenery with us along the way...”

”You little rascal, you really called me on it. You think I’d lie to you?” Fu Tiance said with a laugh, summoning a Snow Night Shock. ”Ugly Ox, Mao Rabbit, Sheep, with me. We’ll escort these kids back to Hundred Corps Pass.”

Mao Rabbit watched wide-eyed as Gao Lingwei rode into the Snow Forest and couldn’t help but speak up. ”Captain Fu, Hundred Corps Pass is to the south. They’re going the wrong way. That’s the direction of the Second Wall.”

”Mao Rabbit,” Rong Yang’s voice suddenly came from the side.

”Hm? What is it?” Mao Rabbit looked at Sheep beside her.

Rong Yang said softly, ”The Earth is round.”

Mao Rabbit: ”...”

”Hahahaha,” Fu Tiance couldn’t help but burst out laughing. ”Let’s go.”

’Ah, this is the life!’

’Using a mission as an excuse to go looking for Soul Beasts in the Snow Forest with a group of top-tier bodyguards!’

’Rare Soul Beasts! Powerful Soul Pearls!’

’It’s practically a pick-your-own-prize shop!’

The more Rong Taotao thought about it, the more excited he got. He propped himself up on the saddle again and turned to face forward.

”Hya!” With Frost Night Xuerong on her head, Gao Lingwei studied the two views before her, searching her surroundings with great effort.

When she trained with just Rong Taotao, she never dared to venture rashly into the Snow Forest. But things were different now. Her eyes darted around rapidly, the perfect embodiment of someone racing against the clock.

”No, this part of the Snow Forest won’t work,” Gao Lingwei said suddenly. ”The Snow Burning Army was just on a mission here, so most of the Soul Beasts have fled. We need to find another spot.”

”Okay, okay, let’s go, let’s go! Towards the Second Wall,” Rong Taotao said excitedly. The moment the words left his mouth, Gao Lingwei gave a sharp cry, ”Hya!”

Lu Mang hurried to keep up, and the troop of riders galloped across the Snowfield.

Less than half an hour later, Gao Lingwei suddenly patted her horse’s back. Hu Bugui, who had been with her for over three years, was extremely perceptive and could understand the meaning behind its master’s slightest movements.

Meanwhile, atop Gao Lingwei’s head, the Snowball Cat stared intently in one direction, its fluffy, bushy tail tapping gently against Gao Lingwei’s back.

A Divine Pet, indeed!

Not only could it spot targets, but it would also proactively alert its master!

”See that? Over there, stuck to the tree, a Snow Stone Pupa,” Gao Lingwei said. ”Lu Mang, do you want it? It’s a Wrist Soul Pearl, an Excellent Level Soul Skill. It releases Snow Silk Thread to bind opponents. It’s quite flexible, but the range is very short. Only suitable for close-quarters combat.”

Lu Mang thought for a moment, then said, ”No, thanks.”

”Let’s go.” Gao Lingwei spurred her horse on again, moving forward quickly.

Rong Taotao: ???

”Hey... why didn’t you ask if I wanted it?” Rong Taotao asked meekly.

Gao Lingwei’s eyes scanned their surroundings rapidly as she murmured, ”What I get for you will definitely be an Elite Quality Soul Pearl and Soul Skill.”

At the side, Lu Mang was already stunned!

He couldn’t help but ask, ”Taotao, is your Soul Technique already at the three-star level?”

”Yeah,” Rong Taotao grunted, then mumbled in Gao Lingwei’s direction, ”You’re so bossy.”

’But... hmm, I like it a lot...’

Lu Mang tried to hold it in, but finally spoke up again, ”You...”

”Don’t be noisy,” Rong Taotao said, looking at Lu Mang with dissatisfaction. ”Can’t you just shut up and absorb Soul Power? Can’t you feel the absorption speed?”

Lu Mang: ”...”

Gao Lingwei patted her horse’s back again, frowning slightly. ”Another Snowflake Wolf Pack. What a waste of time.”

Rong Taotao comforted her, ”The Snowflake Wolf Packs are too widespread, and there are so many of them...”

Lu Mang hurriedly said, ”I want one! I’m about to reach the Soul Warrior Stage, I could use a Snow Burst for my ankle slot!”

”You... huh?” As Gao Lingwei turned her head to look at Lu Mang, her expression suddenly froze.

Lu Mang didn’t know what was happening, but Gao Lingwei’s beautiful eyes were fixed on him, making him feel a little awkward.

Lu Mang glanced at Rong Taotao, thought for a moment, and finally said in a small voice, ”It’s okay if I don’t get one...”

”No, I’m not looking at you.” Gao Lingwei closed her eyes, carefully observing the image in her mind’s ”eye.” ”An Ice Crystal Squirrel. Is that an Ice Crystal Squirrel?”

Rong Taotao’s face lit up with joy. ”Really?”

Gao Lingwei whipped her head around to look behind her. ”Captain Fu, an Ice Crystal Squirrel! Can we... um...”

”You can,” came Fu Tiance’s grumbling voice from a distance. ”You kids are really lucky, finding an Ice Crystal Squirrel like this.”

Mao Rabbit muttered under her breath, ”We’re already very close to the Second Wall...”

But Rong Yang laughed. ”It’s just that Frost Night Xuerong’s abilities are too powerful. If it were anyone else, even us, we probably would have walked right past the Ice Crystal Squirrel without noticing.”

Hearing this, Fu Tiance nodded in agreement. ”That’s true. Sigh... That girl’s Soul Pet is one of a kind. She’s a perfect fit for our team, we have to recruit her!

”Sheep, make sure your little brother gets along well with that girl. In the future, we’ll pull them both into our squad.

”If she doesn’t like Xu Dog or Pig, we’ll give her Mao Rabbit’s codename. Little girls like codenames like that.”

Mao Rabbit: ???

Meanwhile, Gao Lingwei, the subject of Fu Tiance’s muttering, was flushed with excitement, her fighting spirit ignited. ”Xuerong, hold it down! Don’t let it escape!”

The Snowball Cat blinked its big, beautiful eyes. ”Meow?”

’What is Master saying?’

’Say it one... word... at... a... time. I don’t understand such long sentences.’

But Gao Lingwei had no time to worry about that. She spurred her horse into a gallop, her head tilted back as she stared at a huge snow-covered pine tree in the far distance.

On a thick branch piled high with snow, a small mound of white had formed. As a gentle breeze blew past, the little snow mound on the branch revealed a few tiny ice crystals.

Without Frost Night Xuerong, no one would have ever been able to spot it!

Rong Taotao and Lu Mang, however, were completely lost. ’Where are we going? Where’s the target?’

”There.” With a casual wave of her hand, Gao Lingwei summoned her Snow-made Heaven-piercing Halberd and pointed it toward the towering pine tree in the distance.

”AWOOO!!!”

”AWOOOO~~~” At the same time, the howls of the Snowflake Wolf Pack suddenly rang out. Rong Taotao, who was very familiar with the cries of Snowflake Wolves, immediately understood that the Snowflake Wolf King was marshalling its pack to surround their prey.

”Since there’s a Wolf King, this pack can’t be small, and the Wolf King itself is probably Elite Quality.” Rong Taotao was overjoyed. ”Mango, let’s go kill to our hearts’ content!”

Lu Mang immediately replied, ”Alright!”

Rong Taotao: ”An Elite Quality Soul Pearl is useless to you. The Wolf King Soul Pearl is mine. You can have one from the smaller wolves.”

Lu Mang: ”...”

”Watch out, I’m starting the fight. The Ice Crystal Squirrel’s Soul Skill is an Eye Soul Skill, an Illusion Technique Type. You two be careful. Don’t make eye contact with it,” Gao Lingwei shouted.

The moment she finished speaking, she leaped into the air. A sheet of Shuangxue swept out from under her feet, and Snow Dance activated instantly.

Her tall figure was ramrod straight, like a javelin. Her jet-black ponytail danced in the wind as she thrust the sharp Heaven-piercing Halberd straight toward the branch.

Rong Taotao propped himself up on his horse’s back with one hand and leaped lightly, landing in a crouch on Hu Bugui’s spine. He looked up toward the spot Gao Lingwei was aiming for, and with a wave of his left hand, a Great Xia Dragon Sparrow quickly took shape.

’An Eye Soul Pearl! An Illusion Technique Type!’

’Gao Lingwei’s right eye is finally going to be filled!’