Master of Nine Stars

”Qianshan...” Outside the Second Wall, Rong Taotao tilted his head back, gazing at the name emblazoned on the majestic pass and muttering softly.

The first wall, named Hundred Corps Pass, commemorated the battle decades ago where over a hundred teams swept through the north in a single night, laying the foundation for the northern Snow Realm.

And this second wall was named Qianshan Pass...

Up ahead, Xia Fangran was talking with the soldiers on guard at the city gate. Rong Taotao looked to Li Lie at his side and asked, ”Coach Li, is there a story behind the name Qianshan Pass?”

Li Lie thought for a moment before explaining, ”The three walls were built one at a time. In other words, this so-called Second Wall was once the front line for a period of time.

Once you pass through the gates of the Second Wall, you’ll understand why it’s called Qianshan. The weather is good today, so you’ll be able to see it more clearly.”

’So... if I stand at the gate of the Second Wall and look north, will I see a thousand mountains?’

While he was lost in thought, Xia Fangran turned around and waved them over. The trio quickly spurred their horses forward.

Xia Fangran said, ”Credentials. Show them. Also, Taotao and Ling Wei, your statuses are special, so both of your IDs will be checked.”

”Oh,” Rong Taotao responded, taking the backpack off his shoulders. He rummaged through a side pocket and pulled out not only his Pine Soul Soul Martial student ID but also a small, black leather wallet.

Beside him, Li Lie casually glanced at their IDs, but his gaze fixed on the small, black leather wallet.

It was an ordinary leather wallet, yet it sent shockwaves through Li Lie’s heart!

’Is that... a Snow Burning Army ID?’

’And it’s not a standard Snow Burning Army ID, either. That’s clearly the ID case of a special unit within the Snow Burning Army!’

’These two kids...’

Gao Lingwei swung herself off her horse, pulling Rong Taotao along with her.

The soldiers’ inspection was extremely strict. After carefully verifying their identities, they gave Gao Lingwei and Rong Taotao a military salute.

The two hastily returned the salute. Although Rong Taotao had never served, he’d seen it done plenty of times, and his salute looked quite proper.

It was just that the way the Qianshan Pass warriors looked at Rong Taotao... was very different.

’Gratitude? Awe? Excitement? Or perhaps a sense of shared honor?’

’Rong Taotao knew in his heart that his title as the King of Guanwai gave him an aura of prestige, but that kind of aura meant nothing to the Snow Burning Army. What truly moved them must be the defensive Soul Skill he created: Frost Flower Snowcake.’

’If all went as expected, the Frost Flower Snowcake Soul Skill should have been widely adopted by the Snow Burning Army by now. Hopefully, with the help of Frost Flower Snowcake, the soldiers’ chances of survival have increased a little.’

The young soldiers returned their IDs one by one, explaining the relevant precautions.

The Second Wall was not open to the public, so there were no Social Practitioners here. Rong Taotao also overheard the phrase ”Snow Burning Army drills,” and figured that some military units must be training outside the Second Wall.

Finally, the soldiers let them pass. The warriors’ intense gazes were almost all locked on him, following him until he entered the city of Qianshan Pass.

Inside the city of Qianshan Pass, things were largely the same as in Hundred Corps Pass. It was another city pass with classic, ancient architecture, only the atmosphere was more solemn.

Following the soldiers’ directions, the group of four didn’t linger at all, heading directly from the South Gate to the North Gate.

”Tsk, tsk...” Rong Taotao clicked his tongue in amazement. Standing at the city gate and looking north, he saw an endless, undulating range of snow-capped mountains in the distance.

The weather was excellent today, with little wind or snow. The winter sun, shrouded in a cold mist, hung in the sky, giving Rong Taotao a relatively clear view.

The sky felt very low.

It was impossible to tell if the wisps swirling around the high peaks were clouds or frost-mist. People often spoke of the horizon where sea and sky met, but here, it was where mountains and mist became one.

The white, snow-covered mountains blended seamlessly with the layers of dense frost-mist. If you stared long enough, it became impossible to find a clear dividing line.

Qianshan... A thousand mountains...

’So, the question is, back when this second wall was first built and served as the front line, when the soldiers looked north from here and saw such a magnificent vista...’

’Did they ever imagine that one day, another wall would be erected even farther north, amidst those even more perilous mountain ranges?’

”Impressive.” At his side, Li Lie’s voice held a trace of admiration and approval. ”Even here, in this remote and bitterly cold land, within the isolated Second Wall, people still recognize you.”

Rong Taotao snapped out of his reverie and looked at Li Lie.

Li Lie clapped a hand on Rong Taotao’s shoulder and remarked, ”This is even more important than your ’Number One of the Outer Region’ trophy.”

Rong Taotao pressed his lips together, offering a noncommittal response.

’In truth, he just didn’t want to openly contradict Li Lie. The title of ”Number One in the Outer Region” was just as meaningful to him.’

’Entering the Second Wall was the closest he had ever been to her, geographically.’

’And becoming ”Number One in the Outer Region” was the closest he had ever come to her on his journey of growth and struggle.’

’He had never forgotten why he came here.’

As Xia Fangran rode ahead, he suddenly spoke up, ”Old Ghost Mei said you should swap your Snow Fury for Snow Ghost Hand. What do you think?”

Rong Taotao snapped back to the present, frowning in thought. ”Snow Ghost Hand?”

”That’s right. You don’t lack damage output, you lack control,” Xia Fangran said, cautiously surveying their surroundings. ”If you accept the headmaster’s suggestion, we’ll go find a Snow Charm Demon first.”

”Okay, let’s see how it works,” Rong Taotao agreed immediately.