Master of Nine Stars

That evening, after Dong Dongdong gave Gao Lingwei one last healing treatment, he cleared her for discharge.

However, Gao Lingwei didn’t leave the school hospital, because Dong Dongdong had made it clear that Rong Taotao’s injuries still required another two days of rest.

Rong Taotao was very happy that Gao Lingwei had recovered and was being discharged. However, there was probably someone even happier than him!

That person was Xia Fangran.

At that moment, in Rong Taotao’s hospital room.

Xia Fangran’s face lit up with joy as he watched Gao Lingwei walk in. ”Ling Wei, you’re all right?”

”Thank you for taking care of me these past few days, Coach Xia.” Gao Lingwei nodded with a smile.

Xia Fangran quickly ducked into the bathroom. While looking in the mirror and styling his thick, parted hair, he said, ”Hey now, no need to be so formal, right? You’re my disciple. It’s what I should do.”

While he said that, his inner thoughts were: ’Now that Gao Lingwei’s healed, do I still have to stand watch here?’

Xia Fangran hurriedly finished fixing his hair, and upon coming out, he said, ”Well, I won’t disturb you two lovebirds. Your recovery speed is just amazing, you’ve got a strong constitution. Much better than a certain weak, hungry glutton...”

As he spoke, Xia Fangran quickly walked out of the hospital room and vanished in a flash...

Rong Taotao: ”...”

”Heh.” Gao Lingwei chuckled softly. She turned to look at Rong Taotao on the hospital bed and said, ”Are you hungry? I can go to the supermarket and get you some snacks?”

Rong Taotao: ”Huh?”

Gao Lingwei smiled. ”When I was little and got sick, my mom would always buy me canned yellow peaches. I used to think canned yellow peaches were a cure-all, that my illness would get better quickly after eating them.”

”No, no, it’s fine. The wind and snow are so heavy outside, and I ate a big dinner,” Rong Taotao said, not meaning it.

Gao Lingwei knew exactly what Rong Taotao was like. With a playful smile on her face, she glanced at him and said softly, ”Wait for me.”

With that, Gao Lingwei also turned and left the room.

”Uh.” Rong Taotao stared at the door to the room, pursing his lips.

’Canned yellow peaches, huh?’

He picked up the two small silk pouches from beside his pillow and fell into thought.

An unknown amount of time passed before Gao Lingwei returned to the hospital room, carrying a large bag of snacks and bringing a gust of wind and snow in with her.

Placing the bag on the table, Gao Lingwei took off her white down jacket and hung it on the coat rack. She looked curiously at the quietly dazed Rong Taotao and asked, ”What are you thinking about?”

Rong Taotao snapped back to his senses and looked at Gao Lingwei with a smile. ”I was thinking that during the summer break’s Outer Region placement matches, I could go home with you and visit your parents. I didn’t get to see them during the New Year.”

”Mm,” Gao Lingwei replied, walking over to the bedside and sitting down. She casually picked up a can and gently twisted it open.

”What? You think it’s not the right time yet?” Rong Taotao propped himself up, leaning against the headboard.

”No, that’s not it.” Holding a spoon, Gao Lingwei scooped up a thick slice of yellow peach and brought it to Rong Taotao’s lips. ”My dad will like you.”

Rong Taotao: ”Ah?”

A helpless smile appeared on Gao Lingwei’s face. ”Pine Soul Soul Martial has been under intense public scrutiny lately. The school had no choice but to release an edited video of our final match.”

”SLURP~” Rong Taotao bit down on the peach, sucking it into his mouth. ”And then?”

Gao Lingwei: ”My family all saw the match. It wasn’t the entire fight, but you know how it is, the clips the school edits are more... mm, spectacular.”

Rong Taotao chewed the thick slice of fruit. ”And then?”

Gao Lingwei: ”My father asked about you. I could tell from the way he spoke that he really admires you.”

”Oh, that’s good, that’s good.” Rong Taotao grinned, feeling greatly relieved.

Gao Lingwei: ”Actually, he’s more fond of our other identities.”

Rong Taotao thought for a moment. ”Twelve?”

”Mhm, I told him everything. Everything about us.” Gao Lingwei scooped up another slice of peach, this time putting it in her own mouth. She then closed her eyes in bliss, savoring the taste.

Rong Taotao had only ever seen such an expression on Si Huan Nian’s face. Gao Lingwei wasn’t one to indulge in fine foods, so it seemed the canned peaches were truly filled with memories.

Rong Taotao made a mental note of this brand of canned fruit, for the next time she was hospitalized... Pfft, pfft, pfft, ’Don’t jinx it.’

Rong Taotao pushed aside his messy thoughts and took out the two small silk pouches. ”A Pirate Leader Snow Ape Soul Pearl. It’s for the chest acupoint, a full-body Defense Soul Skill: Iron Snow Armor.

And it’s a rare elite-grade Soul Skill. After all, low-level Pirate Leader Snow Apes are extremely uncommon; they mature too quickly.”

”Mm.” Gao Lingwei put the can down on the table and accepted the small silk pouch.

Rong Taotao chuckled. ”It’s perfect for you. From now on, you can charge in and fight recklessly. I won’t need to block in front of you anymore. I can just hide by your side and be your shad... hmm...”

Gao Lingwei glanced at Rong Taotao with a smile. Pinching the small glass-like bead between her thumb and forefinger, she pressed it against her chest, at the location of her Pleiades Acupoint.

”CRACK!”

The sound of shattering echoed as the Soul Pearl broke apart into a wisp of frosty mist, which quickly merged into her body.

Rong Taotao quietly picked up the can from the table, eating while he watched Gao Lingwei, whose eyes were closed as she carefully experienced the change.

After half a minute, Gao Lingwei finally opened her eyes and let out a soft sigh.

”Try it out. Let me see,” Rong Taotao asked, his face full of curiosity.

Gao Lingwei stood up and took two steps back. Waves of ice-attribute Soul Power rippled outward from her.

The next moment, a thin layer of frost and snow coated the graceful lines of her tall frame.