Master of Nine Stars

In late July, Fengtian City wasn’t as hot as one might imagine; the temperature barely topped 20 degrees.

After the plane landed, the group of students, led by their teachers, changed into the white tracksuits provided by the school and then walked out of the airport.

To Rong Taotao’s astonishment, as they walked through the airport terminal, the crowd waiting for arrivals was packed with reporters. They brandished video cameras and cameras, their long lenses like an arsenal of rifles and cannons, unleashing a barrage of shutters at the Songjiang Soul Martial team.

Rong Taotao had never seen such a spectacle before.

Setting aside the entire country, just within the Outer Region, people took Songjiang Soul Martial University very seriously. After all, Songjiang Soul Martial was the undisputed leader of the Outer Region.

Carrying their bulging backpacks, the group marched out in formation. The moment they stepped out of the main airport doors, the students on the team grew excited!

This was what summer felt like!

For students who had winter and summer breaks, it was one thing. But for someone like Xia Fangran, who had been cooped up in the Snow Realm for over twenty years... Huh? Where was Xia Fangran?

Rong Taotao looked around curiously, only to see a crowd gathered a short distance from the airport entrance. They were all holding cameras, and the sound of shutters went CLICK, CLICK, CLICK.

And the person surrounded by the crowd was none other than Xia Fangran!

Xia Fangran had his arms spread wide as if to embrace the sun. His face was tilted up, eyes closed, feeling the sunlight on his skin and deeply inhaling the warm air.

”Haaa... huhhh...” Xia Fangran took a deep breath, his chest swelling, then slowly exhaled. His body trembled slightly, making him look like some kind of madman.

And his figure, standing under the sun with his body trembling, was fully captured by the reporters. When they got back, they probably wouldn’t write anything good about him...

”Rong Taotao, did you really create the Frost Flower Snow Cake Soul Skill yourself?”

”Rong Taotao, what’s your goal for the Outer League? Do you think you can make it past the first round?”

”Rong Taotao, the highlight reel of your promotion match released by Songjiang Soul Martial’s official social media—was it doctored or overly exaggerated? Do you think the contestants from other universities in the Outer Region will cooperate with you again to stage another so-called ’miracle’?”

In an instant, Rong Taotao had become the center of attention, and all the other young talents were ignored by the reporters.

Rong Taotao stopped, tempted to say a few words, but Gao Lingwei, at his side, put an arm around his shoulder and guided him toward the bus. The teachers leading the team wore expressions of disgust as they formed a barrier against the reporters, whose questions were decidedly hostile toward Rong Taotao.

It couldn’t be helped. There was a lot of hype surrounding Rong Taotao, but he was young and had yet to prove himself in a major public venue. His string of accomplishments wasn’t enough to win over the crowd.

”Don’t mind them,” Gao Lingwei said, keeping her arm around Rong Taotao and leading him toward the bus.

Most of the competing students in the line had strange expressions, their gazes occasionally flicking toward Rong Taotao.

In fact, forget outsiders; even those who had personally witnessed Rong Taotao’s breakout had their doubts, especially regarding the creation of a Soul Skill. Such an achievement was indeed a bit too astonishing.

”Get the fuck away from me!” The sun-embracing Xia Fangran suddenly ”came to life,” pushed through the crowd, and strode toward the bus, acting as an escort for Rong Taotao and the others.

He was muttering and cursing, ”My disciple was facing life and death in the Snow Realm, defending the borders, while you lot were sitting in your air-conditioned offices drinking coffee! Show us Snow Realm Soul Martial Artists some goddamn respect!”

Seeing the menacing lunatic approaching, the reporters all looked panicked and retreated.

Of course, people might shy away from a normal lunatic, but they wouldn’t be terrified. Xia Fangran, however, was a Soul School!

A genuine top-tier expert! Who could withstand his terrifying aura?

Yang Chunxi’s heart warmed. Xia Fangran’s words were inappropriate and his attitude was poor, but precisely because of that, he had drawn all the fire that should have been aimed at Rong Taotao onto himself.

As a renowned master of Pine Soul and a top-tier expert from the school permanently stationed with the Snow Burning Army, Xia Fangran’s merits were outstanding and his combat record brilliant. If the media wanted to ruin him, they’d really have to consider if they had what it takes.

Xia Fangran! The Divine Gatekeeper!

If these were paparazzi chasing celebrities, they would have shoved their microphones right into people’s mouths. Yet, with Xia Fangran standing at the bus door, no one dared to take a single step forward within a ten-meter radius...

Once all the students had boarded the bus, Xia Fangran snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping icily over the crowd. He pointed at one reporter who looked scared stiff and said, ”You! Ask a question!”

The male reporter looked panicked. ”Huh?”

Xia Fangran said, ”I’m giving you face here! I’m letting you ask one question, so you’d better write something nice about me tomorrow! The logo on your mic is for the Fengtian Daily. That’s a big-name paper, right?”

”Ah...” Under Xia Fangran’s stare, the reporter’s body trembled slightly. He said, ”You... uh, your Songjiang Soul Martial team... what is your goal this time?”

”Yo~ See? You do know how to ask a proper question,” Xia Fangran grinned. ”First place, and that’s it. In the Outer Region, there’s no such thing as second place for Songjiang Soul Martial!”

With that, Xia Fangran turned and boarded the bus.

The doors closed, and the driver quickly started the vehicle, driving away from the airport.

Xia Fangran stood next to the driver, looked at the students on the bus, and said, ”Don’t you dare embarrass me! For years, your upperclassmen have kept first place at Songjiang Soul Martial. Don’t you dare be the ones to screw it up!”

In a seat at the back of the bus, Rong Taotao rested his elbow on the window frame, watching the street scenery recede outside. His mind began to churn.

’First place, huh?’

Whether it was Si Huan Nian or Jiao Tengda, or even many of the people around them, their expectation for Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei was just to make the top eight and secure a ticket to the national tournament.

’But if we really took first place...’

’Would that make me ’Number One in the Outer Region,’ just like Mom?’

In the seat beside him, Gao Lingwei tilted her head and said softly, ”Let’s buy Coach Xia a set of clothes later.”

”Hm?” Rong Taotao turned his head to look at her, curious.

”He looks out for us,” Gao Lingwei said with a small smile. ”Before we left Songjiang Soul Martial, didn’t he say he missed wearing a tank top, shorts, and flip-flops?”

Girls really were more thoughtful and considerate. It seemed Gao Lingwei wanted to show some appreciation for Xia Fangran’s act of drawing fire earlier.

The gift didn’t need to be expensive; it was the thought that counted.

”Okay.” Rong Taotao nodded, but then he looked down at his own tracksuit.

It was issued by Songjiang Soul Martial University. It was pure white, with a line of small black text on the left chest and large black text on the back, all reading ”Songjiang Soul Martial.”

It was said that of all the schools in the entire Outer Region, only Songjiang Soul Martial was allowed to wear pure white.

This was the privilege of the Outer Region’s undisputed leader.

White also symbolized frost and snow, representing where they came from.

With the tournament so close, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei obviously couldn’t go shopping. They could just buy it online with their phones.

After checking into the hotel, Gao Lingwei and Rong Taotao were automatically split up. She went to stay with Yang Chunxi, and he went to stay with Xia Fangran.

Led by Xia Fangran, the two swiped a keycard to open the door. The moment it closed behind them, Rong Taotao grinned and said, ”Coach Xia, you were awesome!”

Xia Fangran gave the keycard in his hand a strange look, then turned to Rong Taotao. ”I just opened a door. How is that awesome?”

Rong Taotao said, ”I was talking about what you did at the airport.”

”Ah, don’t worry about them,” Xia Fangran said casually, but then he added a warning, ”I can say whatever arrogant crap I want; they won’t dare write anything. But you have to be careful. Don’t fall into their traps, and don’t speak carelessly in front of the cameras.

After all, you’re still young, you haven’t earned your stripes yet, and you’re already the focus of public discussion.”

”Heh.” Rong Taotao grinned, tossed his backpack onto a chair, and said, ”Since I chose to compete now, I was already prepared to face this kind of situation.

Besides, even if I competed two years from now, as long as I stepped out of the Snow Realm and into the public eye, I’d be saddled with the title ’Son of the Outer Region’s Number One Soul General.’ I’d inevitably be caught in a vortex of public opinion.”

”Tsk...” Xia Fangran plopped down on the bed and chuckled. ”You seem to have a pretty philosophical view of it, huh?”

”I’m used to it.” Rong Taotao hung his jacket on the back of the chair. ”Growing up, everyone around me knew whose son I was. It’s a good thing my Talent is high and I was accepted into the Junior Class.

If my aptitude had been a bit lower, or if I hadn’t awakened at all, I’d probably be even more famous than I am now. The people around me would probably all laugh at me during their after-dinner chats.”

Xia Fangran nodded in agreement. It was a harsh reality. For anyone, the world was never as friendly as one imagined.

Rong Taotao took a Little Rascal from his backpack, unwrapped it, and said, ”I can’t afford to lose.”

”No. You’re still young, don’t say things like that.” Unexpectedly, Xia Fangran’s expression turned serious, and he spoke with great earnestness. ”Life is definitely not just a single battle.”

Rong Taotao: ”Hm?”

Xia Fangran: ”It’s a continuous, unending battle.”

”CRUNCH, CRUNCH.” Rong Taotao chewed the candy in his mouth, silent for a long moment. He then took out another Little Rascal and handed it to Xia Fangran. ”Here~ Have a candy.”

Xia Fangran took the candy, his attitude still serious. ”You can afford to lose. You can very much afford to lose. You’re only sixteen, and you have a long life ahead of you.”

For some reason, it was as if Xia Fangran had become a different person. His usual Yin-Yang Strange Qi was gone, as were the harsh words he’d used with the other students on the bus.

Si Huan Nian had told him top eight was enough. Yang Chunxi had implied between the lines that just putting on a good show would be fine. And now, Xia Fangran was also showing his concern for Rong Taotao in his own unique way.

In the Snow Realm, every teacher had been extremely strict with Rong Taotao’s training and combat.

But now that he was out of the Snow Realm and in the outside world, every teacher was trying to relieve his pressure and provide him with a safety net.

’I’m so incredibly fortunate for what I have.’

’However, do you all really think I’m willing to be a stepping stone for others?’

Just now on the bus, Rong Taotao had figured something out.

No matter what, the top spot in this Outer Region qualifying tournament was called ”Number One in the Outer Region.”