Master of Nine Stars

Jiao Tengda unfolded the map and glanced up at the sun to get his bearings. ”There’s another dense forest to the north,” he said. ”Summon your Snow Night Shocks. We’ll try to reach that Snow Forest before dawn.”

”Still heading north?” Zhao Tang suddenly spoke up.

”What’s wrong?” Jiao Tengda turned to Zhao Tang, curious.

Zhao Tang gestured at the map, pointing to the very top edge. ”That Snow Forest is at the northernmost point of the Second Wall’s territory. Once we’re out of it, we’ll be able to see the Third Wall.”

”Yep.” Jiao Tengda nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then grinned. ”Don’t you want to see the Third Wall for yourself?”

Zhao Tang hesitated for a moment but said nothing more.

’Generally, it’s best not to go there. The defenses are incredibly tight, and it could easily lead to a misunderstanding... or worse.’

In fact, over the past seven days, Zhao Tang had already noticed their route. No matter how they weaved left or right, or what detours they took, the squad’s general direction was always toward the Third Wall.

And most critically, Jiao Tengda wasn’t just leading them to any random section of the Third Wall—he was taking them to the main gate!

A fortified checkpoint!

”Yeah, let’s go! I’ve always been so curious,” Fan Lihua whispered from the side.

”Exactly! Let’s go see. What’s there to be afraid of?” Sun Xingyu said, linking arms with Fan Lihua as if to back up her best friend.

Since Sun Xingyu had spoken, Li Ziyi naturally agreed. As for Lu Mang and the Shi Family Sisters, they always followed the lead of Gao Lingwei and Rong Taotao.

Gao Lingwei glanced silently at Jiao Tengda, her own mind beginning to race.

She wasn’t particularly curious about the Third Wall; she’d been there before. She’d even crossed it with the Twelfth Squad and Professor Zheng Qianqiu to carry out a mission in the lands beyond.

But... Rong Taotao had never been.

Gao Lingwei had a faint inkling of what Jiao Tengda was up to.

Most people in the Junior Class knew about Rong Taotao’s background. After spending so much time together, they all understood why he had come to the Snow Realm.

And Jiao Tengda, it seemed, was using his own special way to quietly do something for Rong Taotao.

”Let’s go. We’ll see what’s in that Snow Forest,” Gao Lingwei said, summoning her own Snow Night Shock as well.

Jiao Tengda smiled and patted Zhao Tang on the arm before picking up his walkie-talkie. ”Teachers, we’re heading out now. Just giving you a heads-up.”

”Just go. We’re following,” Xia Fangran’s listless voice came through the walkie-talkie.

”Let’s move out!”

The young Soul Martial Artists spurred their mounts. Ten people on nine steeds, they galloped wildly across the boundless Snowfield, heading straight for the north.

”Whoa, look over there!” They hadn’t been traveling for long when Sun Xingyu cried out in amazement, pointing a small hand into the distance.

Everyone followed her gaze and saw a large herd of wild Snow Night Shocks. Without exception, every single one was pure white.

The early morning sun traced a golden outline on their bodies, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

”NEIGHHH~”

”NEIGHHH...” A chorus of melodious neighs rang out as a hundred Snow Night Shocks galloped with flying hooves. They thundered past, several hundred meters to the group’s left, kicking up a storm of frost and snow, an awe-inspiring sight.

The Snow Night Shocks beneath the young Soul Martial Artists watched their wild counterparts, seeing them run free across the vast Snowfield. A flicker of envy seemed to surface in their enormous eyes.

Once they formed a pact with humans, they set upon a different path.

They would certainly grow stronger, their potential elevated to incredible heights by their masters’ aptitude, perhaps even one day becoming a Divine Pet.

They would experience all manner of things with their masters, even seeing the mountains and rivers, the grasslands and starry skies beyond the Snow Realm.

But... no matter what, they had lost the right to run wild and free with their own kind across the Snowfield.

’There are always trade-offs.’ In truth, Lifebound Soul Beasts were just like humans—the vast majority had no control over their own destiny.

Ten people, nine horses.

Aside from Fan Lihua’s Snow Night Shock, all the other students’ mounts had been captured and tamed by the Snow Burning Army.

This included Zhao Tang’s Snow Night Shock. His previous Lifebound Soul Beast had died in the line of duty, and to reward his bravery and self-sacrifice, the school had procured a fully trained Snow Night Shock from the Snow Burning Army and gifted it to him as his new Lifebound Soul Beast.

In other words, aside from Fan Lihua and her Snow Night Shock, who had chosen each other, the rest of the mounts had essentially been assigned to them.

They were docile and exceptionally attuned to human nature, making them rare and excellent companions for Soul Martial Artists.

But for that very reason, they could rarely decide their own fate.

The only comfort was that these young Soul Martial Artists were all exceptionally talented, responsible, and kindhearted. To be bound to such masters for a lifetime, bringing warmth to one another, was surely a stroke of good fortune.

The observant Fan Lihua scooted forward on her saddle, leaned down, and wrapped her small hands around her Snow Night Shock’s massive neck. She nuzzled her cheek against its soft mane, first one side, then the other.

Seemingly sensing its master’s comfort, the Snow Night Shock actually picked up its pace, throwing its head back with a neigh. ”NEIGHHH~”

And so, the ten riders on nine mounts passed the herd of over a hundred Snow Night Shocks. Amidst a chorus of neighs, the two groups galloped off in different directions.

...

The group rode on in silence. No one spoke a word until they reached the edge of the Snow Forest.

But soon, they realized something was wrong.

Normally, powerful Soul Beasts preferred to make their lairs within the Snow Forest; the more complex the terrain, the better it was for hunting and survival.