Master of Nine Stars

Noticing everyone’s teasing gazes, Rong Taotao quickly changed the subject. He gestured to the two teachers and said, ”Coach Xia, Coach Yang. My two esteemed teachers.”

Ye Nanxi blinked, grumbling to herself, ’Teachers are just teachers, what’s with this ”esteemed teachers” business?’

’I’ve rarely heard that term. Is Taotao afraid I won’t respect them?’

She had to admit, Ye Nanxi was quite self-aware. A sweet smile blossomed on her face as she greeted each of them, ”Hello, teachers~”

Tsk... When she wasn’t running her mouth, her image was quite impressive. It certainly lived up to her beautiful Tulip persona...

Xia Fangran gave a slight nod in greeting. ”Lady Nan Cheng’s daughter?” he asked.

”Yes. You know my mom?” Ye Nanxi asked curiously.

Xia Fangran smiled. ”I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting her, but her name is legendary.”

”Mhm,” Ye Nanxi replied dismissively, as if she’d been through this countless times.

Beside them, Rong Taotao asked, ”By the way, Nanxi, what level is your Douxing Qi?”

’See? Look at that. The topic’s changed, just like that~’

Ye Nanxi looked at Rong Taotao, her smile returning. She asked cheekily, ”Excellent Level. Why?”

Her attitude toward Rong Taotao was clearly different from how she treated Xia Fangran. Even a fool could see it!

Xia Fangran was so mad his nose was practically crooked. ’I’m a dignified Great Soul School... ahem, never mind. Forget I said anything.’

Hearing Ye Nanxi’s reply, Rong Taotao nodded thoughtfully. ”Excellent Level? You’re a junior—no, you’re already in your senior year, and your Douxing Qi is still only at the Excellent Level?”

”Yeah,” Ye Nanxi said, as if it were obvious. ”Most of my other Soul Skills are at the Elite Level, but this Douxing Qi is a bit tricky. It’s widely recognized as the hardest Starfield Soul Skill to master.”

”Besides, my two Great God teammates’ Douxing Qi is also at the Excellent Level...”

”Pfft~” Rong Taotao curled his lip in disdain. ”Great God teammates? Would a Great God really end up at one of the Imperial Capital Four Institutes?”

”Hey, don’t test my temper...” Ye Nanxi’s eyebrows shot up, but then she seemed to remember something. She gave Gao Lingwei a subtle glance and cleared her throat. ”Ahem, right.”

”It’s fine. No need to hold back on my account,” Gao Lingwei said with a soft laugh.

Ye Nanxi snuck a peek at the two coaches. ”Forget it. There are too many people here. This young lady will maintain her image~”

Though she spoke of maintaining her image, Ye Nanxi put her hands on her hips and glared fiercely at Rong Taotao, looking completely self-righteous. ”My two teammates are super strong! Calling them Great Gods is no exaggeration. Didn’t you just watch the match?”

”Mhm, mhm,” Rong Taotao nodded repeatedly, his dismissive air a perfect imitation of Ye Nanxi’s.

Ye Nanxi’s expression turned strange. ”They just don’t like studying. Ever since they were kids, they’ve been stirring up trouble everywhere, getting into fights. They ended up paying their way into the institute...”

Rong Taotao: ???

’Wow, so it’s true that birds of a feather flock together!?’

’The three of you getting together... what does that make you? The campus Bully Team?’

’And if people are divided by their kind...’

An idea struck Rong Taotao. ”Don’t tell me their parents are also Soul Generals?”

Ye Nanxi scoffed. ”You think Soul Generals are a dime a dozen? That they’re everywhere?”

Rong Taotao: ”Oh.”

Ye Nanxi suddenly changed her tune. ”Their fathers, however, are Great Soul Schools, and they also serve in the Star Candle Army.”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

’You guys are the real Twelve Zodiacs team! A real den of vipers!’

’Not just the Bully Team, but a team of arrogant rich kids...’

’No wonder they could pass the qualifiers and break into the national competition. They’re all problem kids with insane combat skills who paid their way into the institute.’

”Alright, alright, let’s not talk about them,” Rong Taotao said. ”I’m currently researching the Excellent Level of Douxing Qi. Do you have any tips? How did you break through?”

”Huh?” Ye Nanxi frowned slightly. After thinking for a long while, she scratched her hair in frustration. ”I can’t quite remember. I think it just happened naturally. There wasn’t really a trick to it?”

Rong Taotao pressed his lips together. ”Well, good for you~”

”Should I call them over? Their grades are terrible, but they spend all day studying how to fight. They should be able to explain it, right?” Ye Nanxi said, a little uncertain, as she pulled out her phone.

”Xiang Li, you and your brother come to the first-floor dining area. Hurry up, I need to ask you something!” Ye Nanxi’s tone was quite brusque.

Witnessing this, Gao Lingwei couldn’t help but click her tongue in amazement.

Ye Nanxi clearly considered her two teammates ”Great Gods,” yet her tone was completely bossy.

Even with Xia Fangran just now, she had been dismissive.

But when it came to Rong Taotao, Ye Nanxi’s attitude was exceptionally good. This...

Gao Lingwei probed, ”Something interesting must have happened when you two first met, right?”

’Ye Nanxi’s personality is what it is, and Rong Taotao is someone who responds to kindness, not coercion. Gao Lingwei couldn’t believe the two of them could become friends. It just didn’t make sense.’

’So, did they have a life-or-death experience together? Is that why they tolerate each other now?’

’No, that’s not right either. Rong Taotao said in the locker room this morning that the Starfield Vortex wasn’t dangerous. It couldn’t possibly have forged the kind of solid emotional foundation that a Snow Realm Corpse Tide could...’

Hearing Gao Lingwei’s question, Ye Nanxi just laughed. ”What else could have happened? We couldn’t have become friends without a fight, could we?”

As she spoke, Ye Nanxi nudged Gao Lingwei with her elbow. ”Your little boyfriend there looks so well-behaved and harmless, but when he fights, he’s like a mad dog.”

Rong Taotao: ”You...”

”Hee hee,” Ye Nanxi said with a bright smile. ”He really does have some skills. It was a real eye-opener for me that day. A mere Soul Warrior nearly took me out, and right in front of my mother, too...”