Master of Nine Stars

”Mmm...” Rong Taotao hummed softly, dazedly opening his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. The smell, however—the familiar scent of disinfectant—was not.

’Where am I?’

’Oh, right. This must be my respawn point...’

Rong Taotao glanced at the IV stand to his upper right, a bag of nutrient solution hanging from it, and couldn’t help but grin.

Jeez, in his one full year at Songjiang Soul Martial University, he’d ”respawned” here a grand total of three times.

Twice because of the Lotus Petals, and once because of the university’s internal selection tournament.

’Right, the selection tournament?’

Rong Taotao came back to his senses and glanced to his side, only to find no one there.

The hospital room was empty, and a pang of disappointment hit him.

’Where’s my sister-in-law?’

It was a perfectly normal reaction. When people are weak, especially in a hospital room, they always hope to have family or someone close by their side.

It seemed that even though Yang Chunxi and his older brother, Rong Yang, hadn’t officially registered their marriage, Rong Taotao already considered her family.

”Hiss...” Rong Taotao tried to move but couldn’t stop a pained wince. Waves of pain shot from his lower abdomen, a deeply unpleasant sensation.

He looked down and saw his waist was tightly wrapped in bandages.

”Oof~” A wisp of cloud gathered on his chest. A Cloud Dog, flapping its large, cloud-shaped ears, landed gently on Rong Taotao’s torso. It tilted its little head and whimpered softly.

Warmth spread through Rong Taotao’s heart, and a smile touched his face. ”You came to keep me company.”

”Yip~”

It was hard to say whether the Cloud Dog was clever or just silly.

Seeing Rong Taotao smile, the Cloud Dog broke into a dopey grin of its own. It stuck out its little pink tongue, panting happily, and bounced on his chest.

”Whoa, you little troublemaker, don’t jump! Get down,” Rong Taotao said hurriedly. He didn’t dare move his hands, because... well, he had IVs in both of them.

’Double the dose, double the fun!’

CLICK.

The sound of the hospital room door opening. A tall, slender figure walked in, accompanied by a familiar voice. ”Well, well~ If it isn’t Coach Rong. You’re awake?”

”Huh?” Rong Taotao turned his head to see Xia Fangran striding in with a grin on his face.

It took Rong Taotao a moment to react. Not until Xia Fangran sat down beside his bed did he hastily say, ”I’m not worthy of that title, not at all...”

”In learning, age doesn’t matter; the capable one comes first. Weren’t those the words you used to lecture Si Huan Nian?” Xia Fangran said with a laugh. A flurry of frost and snow swirled in his palm, coalescing into a Frost Flower Snowcake.

Rong Taotao blinked. ”Coach Xia learned it too!”

”Yep. All the instructors have learned it. We’re just waiting for the Snow Burning Army to finish their trials. Once summer break is over, we’ll teach it to the students next semester.” Xia Fangran sat in the chair by the bed, crossed his legs, and tilted his head, sizing Rong Taotao up and down.

Rong Taotao’s scalp tingled. It was rare to see such an intense, fiery look in Xia Fangran’s eyes.

”Not bad. You really did secure a spot in the competition,” Xia Fangran said, a hint of admiration in his voice. ”The instructors and students on campus aren’t running their mouths anymore. No one’s saying you’re too young or too weak now.”

’Just listen to him. Are those words an instructor should be using?’

Rong Taotao: ”Ah?”

Xia Fangran shrugged. ”When someone’s willing to trade their life for victory, win or lose, no one has the right to question them anymore.”

Rong Taotao gave an embarrassed smile. ”I’ve traded my life for quite a few things.”

Xia Fangran nodded in agreement. The Prison Lotus Petal inside Rong Taotao had indeed been obtained when the two of them were in a life-or-death situation.

Thinking of this, Xia Fangran started cursing again. ”What damn use are those stupid lotuses? You get beaten into this sorry state, and those two don’t even react?”

Rong Taotao said with a helpless expression, ”I used to be able to guide the Sinful Lotus out through Empathy, but ever since the Prison Lotus arrived, both petals have been very quiet.

”Coach Si said that once I reach the Soul Captain stage and my overall strength surpasses the standard threshold, I should be able to use them.”

Saying that, Rong Taotao quickly changed the subject. ”Where’s Da Wei?”

Xia Fangran pointed behind him. ”She’s lying down in the room next door. Her injuries are lighter than yours, though. She should be discharged in two or three days.”

Rong Taotao’s face lit up with joy. ”Okay, good... Huh?”

Before he could finish, a pure white ragdoll-like cat walked in.

It sat by the door, and the normally noble and charming little creature wore a silly grin, stuck out its tiny pink tongue, and let out a call in Rong Taotao’s direction: ”Woof~”

The Cloud Dog lying on Rong Taotao’s chest immediately whipped its head around to look at the doorway. ”Woof!”

The Snowball Cat padded forward with an elegant gait, leaped lightly onto the bed, and the Cloud Dog, as if overjoyed, bounced on Rong Taotao’s chest again.

Rong Taotao: ”...”

The next moment, the Snowball Cat’s brilliant, sapphire-like eyes were veiled in a layer of frost.

It carefully hopped onto Rong Taotao’s chest, sat down obediently, and looked down at his face.

Rong Taotao froze for a second. ’Is this... Is Da Wei looking at me through the Snowball Cat’s eyes?’

At the same time, a familiar voice echoed in Rong Taotao’s mind. ”You’re awake.”

Rong Taotao immediately latched onto that sliver of a mental connection. Although he didn’t know where Gao Lingwei was, he followed the thread of their link and established contact. ”Yeah, I’m awake. How are you?”

”I’m fine. I heard what happened afterward,” the voice in his head replied, her emotions a little complicated. ”You... Um...”

On his chest, the Snowball Cat’s little paws grew restless. As if remembering its sacred duty, it began kneading up and down on Rong Taotao.

”Yip?” The Cloud Dog watched the Snowball Cat curiously. It sat beside Rong Taotao and, mimicking the cat, also started pressing its little paws up and down.

’Double the fun again!’

Xia Fangran watched this scene with amusement, but then he heard Rong Taotao ask, ”How many days was I out?”

”Days?” Xia Fangran’s expression was odd. ”Not even a full day has passed. It’s evening now. Your and Gao Lingwei’s match was this morning.”

”Huh?” Rong Taotao was stunned. ”I was only asleep for that long?”

’What, is he underestimating my talent for passing out?’

’Every time I’ve ended up in the hospital, it’s been for half a month at least. Sleeping for a whole month is nothing!’

’I may not be able to steal Si Huan Nian’s title of ”God of Feasting,” but the ”God of Sleeping” title should definitely be mine...’

Xia Fangran teased, ”Coach Rong, maybe passing out from absorbing the Lotus Petals gave you the wrong impression, making you think you should be out for a week or two every time you close your eyes.”

”I’m still not quite used to you calling me that,” Rong Taotao said with an awkward laugh.

Xia Fangran had a playful look on his face. ”Ooh~ Getting shy, are we?”

Rong Taotao grinned mischievously. ”Then say it again?”

Xia Fangran: ”...”

On Rong Taotao’s chest, the frosty mist in the Snowball Cat’s eyes vanished, its azure irises returning. It took a step forward, nuzzled its little head against Rong Taotao’s face, and began gently licking his cheek.

Not to be outdone, the Cloud Dog scurried over to his other cheek...

”Tsk tsk...” Xia Fangran pursed his lips, watching the blissful scene of a boy with both a cat and a dog. He couldn’t help but mutter, ”You’re over here living like a king, while I’m stuck standing watch over you two...”

”Hehe,” Rong Taotao said, looking at Xia Fangran. ”Coach Xia is the best, coming here to watch over us.”

Xia Fangran looked pained. ”I only teach two students in total, and both of them end up hospitalized. If I don’t come, who will? Your sister-in-law wanted to come, but it’s finals week, and she’s got a lot on her plate too.”

Rong Taotao: ”How long until I can leave? Did Coach Dong say anything?”

Xia Fangran: ”Every day, they’ll unwrap your wound and have Dong Dongdong use Snow Prayer Radiance on you. You’ll be fully healed in a few days.”

”Right, Coach Xia, since Da Wei and I have qualified, can we apply to the university for Soul Pearls now?” Rong Taotao asked eagerly.

”Of course. What do you want to apply for? You can specify the Soul Slot location,” Xia Fangran said, curious.

Rong Taotao said quickly, ”An elite-grade chest Soul Slot. Oh, and can I specify the effect?”

Xia Fangran’s expression turned a bit strange. ”Under normal circumstances, the university letting you specify the Soul Slot location is already showing you the utmost consideration. It’s impossible for them to let you specify the Soul Pearl’s effect as well. However...”

Rong Taotao’s heart leaped. ’A twist?’

He quickly asked, ”However what?”

Xia Fangran glanced at Rong Taotao. ”Given how much Old Ghost Mei likes you, if you were to specify the Soul Pearl’s effect, he might actually agree to it.”

Rong Taotao nodded repeatedly. ”The principal is super fond of me! He even gave me a piece of his calligraphy.”

”Hah.” Xia Fangran nodded. ”What do you want? I can submit the request for you.”

But Rong Taotao said, ”A Soul Pearl for the forehead slot. Preferably an offensive type, or one with a special effect for combat.”

”Hmm?” Xia Fangran froze, confused. ”Isn’t the Soul Pearl in your forehead slot the same as your brother’s? You want to replace it?”

Rong Taotao shook his head. ”It’s for Da Wei!”

Xia Fangran looked at Rong Taotao thoughtfully. ’Is this kid planning on using his chance to request a Soul Pearl on Gao Lingwei?’

Rong Taotao continued, ”Communicating mentally is indeed extremely useful on the battlefield, as it prevents enemies from eavesdropping on our tactics. But as the commander, it’s enough for me to communicate one-way with Gao Lingwei.

”After all, we don’t have the same perks as twins; we can’t share vision or control each other’s bodies.

”For Gao Lingwei, the Pine Snow’s Silence Soul Skill is purely for mental communication. I think we can swap it for a more offensive Soul Pearl so we can go further in the Outer League.”

”You can replace your Iron Snow Forearm. You rarely use it on the battlefield,” Gao Lingwei’s voice came through in his mind.

Rong Taotao replied directly, ”Are you kidding? How could we waste such a great opportunity to request a Soul Pearl on an arm Soul Pearl? It has to be for a rare Soul Pearl in the forehead, eye, or chest slot.”

Gao Lingwei: ”Mmm...”

While replying, Rong Taotao opened his Inner Soul Map and reviewed the Soul Skills he currently possessed.

’Snow Step, Snow Burst...’

’Eh? Wait a minute, how did I get another Potential Point?’

’Available Potential Value: 3?’

’Where did this reward come from? Is it a bonus point for successfully qualifying to represent Songjiang Soul Martial in the tournament?’

Rong Taotao thought it over, and that seemed to be the only possibility. After all, before the match that morning, his available Potential Value was still 2.

Xia Fangran’s voice pulled Rong Taotao back from his thoughts. ”It’s one way to strengthen your team, I suppose. But an offensive-type Spiritual Soul Pearl for the forehead slot... those are very hard to come by.

”What’s more, Gao Lingwei’s Heart of the Snow Realm is only three-star. Adapting an elite-grade Soul Skill won’t be easy.”

As he spoke, Xia Fangran suddenly chuckled. ”Hehe.”

Rong Taotao glanced over at Xia Fangran. ”What are you laughing at?”

Xia Fangran shrugged and suavely smoothed his parted hair. ”It’s time to test just how much Old Ghost Mei really likes you.”

Rong Taotao nodded eagerly.

’The principal loves me!’

...