Master of Nine Stars

Ever since the shackles within his body had shown signs of loosening, Rong Taotao had been experiencing a strange sensation, as if he were floating in the sky.

Drifting, drifting... swaying, swaying...

Rong Taotao lay on his dorm bed, his eyes glazed over. His blurry gaze fell upon the nearby sofa, where Si Huan Nian sat with her legs crossed, quietly savoring her tea.

Si Huan Nian poured a cup of hot tea. She brought it to her mouth and blew on it gently, a wisp of frosty mist escaping her lips to cool the scalding liquid. Then, she raised it to her lips and took a delicate sip.

As if sensing Rong Taotao’s gaze, full of ”wisdom,” Si Huan Nian turned her head. Seeing his stupefied expression, she couldn’t help but break into a gentle smile.

She asked softly, ”Feeling comfortable now?”

Rong Taotao didn’t respond. He just felt his body alternating between floating in the sky and sinking into a cloud of cotton candy—soft, warm...

He desperately wanted to frolic and roll around in it, yet he couldn’t even move a single finger.

’Sleep paralysis?’

’Uh... All in all, he was feeling a very bizarre sense of euphoria.’

He was completely paralyzed, yet he felt no fear. On the contrary, his body and mind were filled with pleasure.

Rong Taotao had broken through a Major Rank before, advancing from Soul Soldier to Soul Warrior, but that promotion hadn’t come with such a unique sensation.

Si Huan Nian looked at the limp little idiot on the bed, couldn’t resist grabbing her phone, and snapped a picture.

”The weakness is only temporary. The Soul Power within you is mustering all its available energy, gathering to break through your body’s shackles and elevate your physical strength to a new level,” Si Huan Nian said casually. She sent the picture of the idiotic Tao’Er to Yang Chunxi, then put her phone away, satisfied.

She then stood up and walked over to Rong Taotao.

Si Huan Nian came to Rong Taotao’s bedside, leaned over, and brought her curled fingers to his forehead.

FLICK~

With a light flick, her fingers tapped against Rong Taotao’s forehead. A mischievous grin spread across Si Huan Nian’s face. She tilted her head, looking at the limp Rong Taotao. ”Go on, fight back. Hmm? All quiet now? Why aren’t you sassing me?”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

However, at that moment in the Martial Arts Hall, Rong Taotao wasn’t the only idiot.

Li Zi and Pear were in the exact same situation as Tao’Er. The only difference was that they were in their respective dorm rooms, limp on their own beds, with no one around to document their embarrassing moments.

The Martial Arts Hall remained quiet all day. The other students didn’t return to their dorms, staying in the classrooms for self-study instead.

If need be, Yang Chunxi would arrange for other accommodations for them.

It wasn’t until just past seven in the evening that Si Huan Nian felt a violent surge of Soul Power. She hurried out of her room to the door of the men’s dormitory. Pushing it open with one hand, she looked up and saw Li Ziyi, who should have been lying on the bed, now sitting up. He was drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

Si Huan Nian nodded in satisfaction but held a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture. ”Shh!”

Li Ziyi’s face was ecstatic. He was staring at his palm, repeatedly clenching and unclenching it, as if to experience the exhilarating sensation of power filling his entire body, when he heard Si Huan Nian’s warning.

Li Ziyi instinctively held his breath and turned to look at Si Huan Nian by the door.

Si Huan Nian, however, pointed toward the window and said softly, ”Go on, run wild. I’ll give you the night off. You don’t have to return to your room, but if you do decide to come back, remember it’s lights-out at 10.”

”Yes... Yes.” Li Ziyi nodded repeatedly and swung himself out of bed. But as soon as he took a step, his body seemed to lose control. He staggered, and even had to grab a desk to steady himself.

The feeling of abundant power was so intense that it was as if he had to relearn how to walk.

Cautiously, Li Ziyi stumbled his way to the window. He pulled it open and vaulted right out...

Watching this, Si Huan Nian simply shook her head and smiled.

A nostalgic look flickered in her eyes. She recalled when she had advanced to Soul Captain; she had been just as excited, and just as clumsy.

On her way back to her room, Si Huan Nian pushed open the door to the women’s dormitory and saw Fan Lihua lying quietly on the bed. Si Huan Nian observed her for a long moment before closing the door and returning to her own room.

’I really didn’t expect this. Aside from Gao Lingwei and Zhao Tang, the two ’airborne’ members, Li Ziyi was actually the first of the remaining Eight Little Souls to advance.’

’It seems Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei’s trip to the competition did indeed cost him some training time.’

’Actually, I always thought Fan Lihua would be the first to advance. It’s a shame she couldn’t hold on to that top spot...’

To be fair, the fact that Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei had gone off to compete had really lit a fire under Li Ziyi.

The two of them had been classmates since junior high. Seeing his old classmate displaying incredible prowess in the Outer Region and then reigning supreme on the highest stage in the Imperial Capital, all while he was stuck in school attending lectures... How could Li Ziyi not feel the pressure?

Around nine o’clock, Si Huan Nian went out again. She checked in on the women’s dormitory, picked up the newly advanced and bewildered Fan Lihua from her bed, and tossed the girl out the window...

After that, Si Huan Nian was finally free from having to look after both of them. She sank comfortably into the sofa in her own room, silently waiting for Rong Taotao to complete his advancement.

And she waited for over an hour.