Master of Nine Stars

Nightfall. The men’s dormitory of the Martial Arts Hall at Pine Soul Soul Martial.

Amid Zhao Tang’s snores, Lu Mang tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The entire building was silent, save for the sound of Zhao Tang’s snoring. Si Huan Nian was a reasonable person. He’d never kicked down Zhao Tang’s door over something as uncontrollable as snoring.

Suddenly, in the pitch-black dorm, the phone by Lu Mang’s pillow lit up.

Already agitated, Lu Mang turned to look, only to find... ’Rong Taotao posted something?’

’Posting this late at night? What for?’

’Are you like me, tossing and turning, unable to sleep after watching today’s matches?’

’Hmm... Right. After all, I’m just someone watching quietly from the sidelines, while you’re the one in the center of the Vortex.’

Lu Mang picked up and unlocked his phone. As he opened the post, his expression froze. He almost cursed out loud...

’I’m wide awake in the middle of the night, worried sick that you’ll be eliminated in the semifinals after seeing how strong those three other teams are. And you?’

’You’re out shopping with Gao Lingwei and eating cotton candy?!’

’Damn it, are you really that laid-back, or do you just not give a damn about your opponents?’

Lu Mang had always had an almost blind faith in Rong Taotao. This confidence wasn’t built on words; it came from following Rong Taotao all this time, watching with his own eyes as he fought his way to the top.

Even during the round of 14, when the Junior Class was acting as Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei’s support group, plenty of their classmates in the dorm had predicted their failure. But Lu Mang had always believed in their strength and was certain they could overcome their Attribute disadvantage to win!

As it turned out, Rong Taotao hadn’t disappointed Lu Mang’s hopes and trust. He had even claimed a bloodless victory, overpowering Dajiang Soul Martial’s second team.

But... after watching today’s matches—Imperial Capital Soul Martial vs. Modu Soul Martial, Jingchu Soul Martial vs. Nanyue Soul Martial, and Yan Zhao Soul Martial vs. Dajiang Soul Martial...

Seeing the three victorious teams—Imperial Capital Soul Martial, Dajiang Soul Martial, and Jingchu Soul Martial—and the immense combat prowess they displayed, Lu Mang’s confidence wavered for the first time.

He wasn’t a man of many words. He had wanted to message Rong Taotao a few times to offer some encouragement but never knew what to say.

Finally, late at night, his opportunity came in the form of Rong Taotao’s post. And yet...

’Great. So he’s not tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He’s having the time of his life at Starfield Theme Park!’

The photo looked like a candid shot. Gao Lingwei stood before a stall glittering with colorful lights, holding a stick of cotton candy and taking a bite.

She pulled the cotton candy away from her mouth, but a string of it stretched out, getting longer and longer. Gao Lingwei’s face was a picture of surprise as the candy stretched nearly a foot from her face... a moment perfectly captured by Rong Taotao.

Her biggest fan was also her biggest troll.

A rare moment where Gao Lingwei’s goddess-like image crumbled, and it was posted by Rong Taotao himself...

While Lu Mang stared in a daze, comments were already flooding in below the post.

It was two in the morning. Pine Soul Soul Martial was ”asleep,” but in the world outside, the night was still young.

”Wow, so this is the legendary Goddess Wei? She has such an adorable, dorky side. I love it, I love it...”

”Damn you, Rong Taotao! My wife has an image to maintain! This is going to go down in her dark history, delete it!”

”Shocking! The great King of Guanwai is picking a fight with cotton candy!”

”I was there. I am the cotton candy. (´▽`)ﾉ”

”Bro, it’s two in the morning, aren’t you sleeping? From the background, that looks like Starfield Town, right? That place is a city that never sleeps, with a dazzling amount of food and fun. Don’t go too wild, you still have a match in a couple of days...”

Lu Mang thought for a moment, then carefully tapped on his screen, trying not to make a sound. His heart was full of concern, but his words came out cold.

Lu Mang: ”You’re not sleeping at this hour. What does this mean? Are you already prepared?”

Xing’Er: ”Oh? Little Mango, you have post notifications on for Taotao too?”

Lu Mang didn’t get a reply from Rong Taotao. Instead, he saw that Sun Xingyu from the girls’ dorm next door had replied first...

’She’s still awake at this hour, too?’

「Meanwhile, far away in Starfield Town, in the west of Imperial Capital City.」

Rong Taotao looked at the comments from his friends with a strange expression. ”Evil Boss Si is slipping, huh? Shouldn’t they all be asleep by now?”

”AHHHH!!!”

”WOOHOO~!” As he spoke, a rollercoaster whizzed past them. Xia Fangran was leading the charge, sitting in the front car dressed in a tank top and shorts, shouting at the top of his lungs...

Indeed, the cotton candy was ten minutes ago. After seeing how loudly people were screaming on the rollercoaster, Xia Fangran had decided to give it a try himself.

Xia Fangran was truly making the most of this amusement park trip. He’d skipped the carousel, but he had just been on the bumper cars, ramming into Rong Taotao with a vengeance...

He wasn’t a Soul School teacher; he was clearly a 500-month-old baby.

One could only imagine what the bitter cold of the Snow Realm had done to Xia Fangran. He wanted to try everything he saw.

Rong Taotao leaned back against the railing, thought for a moment, and then his fingers flew across his phone screen.

Nourishing People: ”@Lu Mang, no test, no play; small test, small play; big test, big play.”

Xing’Er: ”Taotao, post a few more photos! Ziyi and I want to go during the holidays~ Oh, and where are the handsome boys from Black and White? Where are the hand pics?”

Rong Taotao pursed his lips. ’Hand pics? As if. You’re getting spoiled!’

Rong Taotao waited for a while, but when Lu Mang didn’t reply, he put his phone away and turned to Gao Lingwei beside him.

He could tell her mood had improved considerably.

Though she usually appeared calm and unfazed, really letting loose and having fun always lifted her spirits.

The three top-tier teams they were about to face were a source of considerable pressure. Yang Chunxi kept saying that winning or losing didn’t matter, that they were already in the top four and had proven themselves outstanding.

’But... we’ve come this far. The championship is within reach. How could we just give up?’

Of the three remaining teams, two were Starfield and one was Molten Rock...

’Heh, no point in holding out hope this time. No matter who we draw, we’ll be countered. The disadvantage is set in stone. Now it all comes down to strategy.’

At this thought, Rong Taotao turned to look at Yang Chunxi. Although their last strategy had been a joint effort between her and Xia Fangran, Yang Chunxi had taken the lead and deserved most of the credit.

’I hope my dear sister-in-law comes up with something brilliant this time, too.’

Beside him, Gao Lingwei’s voice suddenly broke the silence. ”Maybe... I shouldn’t have given up the Snow Prison Arena.”

”Hmm?” Rong Taotao turned to look. Though Gao Lingwei’s eyes were following the rollercoaster and a faint smile graced her lips, her mind had clearly drifted back to the competition.

Gao Lingwei said softly, ”It’s a Divine Skill for turning the tide when you’re at a disadvantage. I shouldn’t have replaced Snow Prison Arena.”

Rong Taotao, however, said, ”You didn’t replace it. I’m the one who told you to.”

After a moment’s thought, Rong Taotao continued, ”Your Frost Fearful Face’s Spiritual Attack is just as powerful, and you don’t have to pay a price to use it. None of the three remaining teams have a Spiritual Defense Soul Skill.”

”Remember, if your mask so much as grazes one of them, we can seize that opportunity and lock down the win. I have faith in our ability to capitalize on our chances.”

Gao Lingwei propped her elbows on the railing and leaned forward, her eyes following the rollercoaster. She let out a soft ”mm-hm.”

Nearby, Yang Chunxi voiced her concern. ”No matter how fast Frost Fearful Face is, you’ll still have to get close to land a hit on opponents of that caliber. But with two Starfield teams and one Molten Rock team left, fighting at close range will be difficult...”

Leaning back against the railing with his elbows propped up behind him, Rong Taotao suddenly arched backward, tilting his head to look at Gao Lingwei. ”Are you afraid of pain?”

Gao Lingwei turned her head. ”What?”

Rong Taotao repeated, ”Are you afraid of pain?”

Gao Lingwei suddenly smiled. ”Are you kidding me?”

Rong Taotao tilted his head toward the other side. ”Our sister-in-law started it.”

Beside them, Yang Chunxi almost laughed in exasperation. She reached out and patted Rong Taotao’s stomach. ”You little brat! You’re asking for a smack!”

”Hehe...”

...

The four of them—two students and two teachers—had a good time that night. The next day, Yang Chunxi dove into her work.

Although the day of the draw hadn’t arrived and they didn’t know their specific opponent, there were only three teams left to study. Yang Chunxi had the energy to research all of them, and within a single day, she had already formulated different strategies for the duo to use against each potential adversary.

「The next morning, the drawing ceremony finally began.」

Since all brackets were now in the semifinals, the draw was quick. The ceremonies for the solo, duo, and trio divisions were combined into one.

Notably, Rong Taotao didn’t see Ye Nanxi’s team on the list for the trio bracket.

Apparently, she had been eliminated in the third round and was now fighting her way through the loser’s bracket. The results would be out today. Whether she would emerge as the winner of the loser’s bracket to claim the eighth spot in the trio division, or her tournament journey would come to an end—it would all be decided today.

With four teams in the semifinals, drawing a single pair would be enough to determine both matchups.

When the sharply dressed man on the television screen pulled out the card for the ”Outer Region Division,” everyone in the room held their breath.

Even though the remaining three opponents were all strong counters to Snow Realm Soul Martial Artists, there was still one team that Yang Chunxi really didn’t want to face.

For example, those two generational talents from Dajiang Soul Martial...

”Our opponent is the Huazhong Division!” Yang Chunxi’s eyes lit up. In the semifinals, every team was top-tier, so she shouldn’t have been this happy. But frankly, compared to facing Imperial Capital Soul Martial or Dajiang Soul Martial... drawing Jingchu Soul Martial was a blessing in disguise!

Of the four top universities, three had teams in the semifinals. The only one that didn’t make it was Modu Soul Martial, which had been eliminated by Imperial Capital Soul Martial...

In truth, many people felt it was unfair. After all, this was a pure Starfield home-field, and the terrain disadvantage for Ocean Soul Martial Artists was simply too great.

If the match had been held in the ocean, Modu Soul Martial would have made short work of Imperial Capital Soul Martial...

Yang Chunxi continued, ”And it’s a Snow Realm home field! We finally drew a Snow Realm home field!”

”Well, speak of the devil. Chen Zhaowu and Chen Muge? Aren’t those the two who provoked you in front of the entire nation?” Xia Fangran looked at Rong Taotao, clearly ready to enjoy the show.

Yang Chunxi added, ”They’re also the ones who eliminated our very own Yuan Brothers from Pine Soul Soul Martial.”

”What’s so surprising about it?” Rong Taotao snorted. ”There are only four teams and two matches. The odds of facing them were pretty high.”

Chen Zhaowu. Chen Muge.

’Good. Very good!’

’My, Rong Taotao’s, V.I.P. treatment has been waiting for you for a long time!’