Master of Nine Stars

「The next morning.」

On the sixth floor, in Gao Lingwei’s room.

Rong Taotao was splayed out on the bed, the blanket kicked to the floor. He was sound asleep, and his long, steady breaths were strangely reassuring to hear.

Rong Yang quietly opened the door. Peeking through the crack, he looked at the person on the bed with a strange expression. He held back for a moment, but finally called out softly, ”Taotao?”

”Hm?” Rong Taotao’s sleepy eyes fluttered open, and he looked dazedly toward the door.

Seeing Rong Taotao’s dopey look, Rong Yang couldn’t help but chuckle. ”It’s almost ten. Time to get up. We’re going down for breakfast, and it’s not good to keep Ling Wei’s family waiting.”

”Ah! It’s already ten o’clock?” Rong Taotao shot up. They had gotten back late last night, and on top of that, he had gone through a breakthrough, so he had indeed gone to bed very late.

Right now, in his Inner Soul Map, his Soul Power Realm had reached the mid-tier of Soul Captain!

And his Soul Technique, Heart of the Snow Realm, had also reached Four Stars, Mid-rank!

”Heh heh.” Rong Taotao looked at the information in his Inner Soul Map and couldn’t help but chuckle. ’This New Year’s is just too comfortable.’

’Da Wei’s room really is a lucky place. I think I broke through to a new realm tier in her room once before, didn’t I?’

Rong Taotao was in a great mood. As he got out of bed, he hummed a little tune: ”Don’t just see me as a little sheep~”

Rong Yang’s expression stiffened. ’???’

”Hey, it’s snowing.” Rong Taotao looked out the window. The world was a blanket of white. Since he was on the top floor, he had a wide view. Overnight, Songbai Town had been draped in a silver coat.

Uh... well, it wasn’t really anything special. After all, this place was covered in heavy, swirling snow all year round.

”Hurry up and get washed. Chunxi already went downstairs to help. We should go down for breakfast too,” Rong Yang said, returning to the living room and sitting on the sofa.

”You got it~” Rong Taotao quickly ran into the bathroom.

A dozen or so minutes later, the two brothers went down to the first floor. The moment he stepped inside, Rong Taotao was greeted by waves of a fragrant aroma.

He greeted Gao Qingchen as he followed the scent to the kitchen.

There, he saw not only the busy figures of Cheng Yuan and Yang Chunxi, but also Gao Lingwei, who was standing in the balcony doorway, arms crossed, one shoulder leaning against the frame.

She was silently watching her mother, lost in thought, her mind a mystery.

The balcony and kitchen of this house were connected. With Gao Lingwei standing there on the threshold, she was actually blocking the light a little...

Rong Taotao walked over and whispered, ”What’re you doing? Playing Gate God?”

Hearing him, Gao Lingwei snapped out of her daze and said with a soft laugh, ”Waiting to serve the dishes.”

For some reason, her smile seemed a little forced to Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao looked at her suspiciously. ”What’s wrong with you?”

Gao Lingwei: ”What do you mean, ’what’s wrong’?”

Although Rong Taotao still wasn’t as tall as Rong Yang, he had grown quite a bit in the past two years. By now, he was about the same height as Gao Lingwei.

But since she was standing on the threshold, Rong Taotao had to tilt his head up. He looked her over, his brow furrowed slightly. ”Didn’t you sleep well? You don’t seem to be in good shape.”

Gao Lingwei was usually so full of life. Even after pulling an all-nighter to kill enemies, she would be bursting with energy the next day. Her poor condition now clearly meant something was on her mind.

”Yeah, had a nightmare,” Gao Lingwei said, waving her hand dismissively.

Rong Taotao found it novel that a nightmare could affect her state.

’With her personality, if she had a nightmare and ran into any monsters or demons, wouldn’t she just rush forward and tear them to shreds?’

’Could you even call that a nightmare?’

’Wouldn’t that just be a first-person VR combat game? The fully immersive kind?’

Rong Taotao whispered, ”Do you remember it? Tell me about it.”

Gao Lingwei, however, glanced toward her mother. Rong Taotao immediately understood the subtle gesture and didn’t press further.

Gao Lingwei said, ”Your brother and sister-in-law are returning to Songjiang Soul Martial after the meal.”

”Oh? What about it?”

Gao Lingwei: ”Are you going back with them?”

Rong Taotao raised an eyebrow slightly and asked instead, ”What’s this? You want to stay home a few more days?”

”Mhm.” Gao Lingwei nodded lightly. ”I don’t get to see my parents many times a year. I want to stay a little longer.”

”Okay!” Rong Taotao nodded eagerly. ”Count me in. Aunt Cheng’s cooking is to die for~”

”Hehe~” Nearby, Cheng Yuan, who was mixing a cold dish with chopsticks, turned to look at Rong Taotao and said, ”Stay here, then. Auntie will make you delicious food every day.”

”Aunt Cheng, you’d better be careful,” Yang Chunxi said, using a ladle to stir the dumplings counter-clockwise in the pot. ”Taotao’s mouth isn’t just for show. He’s a big eater and a smooth talker. Don’t let him sweet-talk you into a daze.”

”Hehe.” Hearing this, Cheng Yuan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Yang Chunxi glanced at Rong Taotao and said irritably, ”Here, take the dumplings.”

”Aye.” Rong Taotao hurried forward.

Yang Chunxi filled a plate with dumplings, gave it a little shake, and handed it to Rong Taotao. ”If your brother was half as perceptive as you, I wouldn’t have to be secretly fuming at him every day.”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

A few minutes later, the meal was ready.

The meal could be called ”brunch.” After eating the dumplings for the first day of the Lunar New Year, Rong Yang and Yang Chunxi set off.

Yes... as per the headmaster’s request, they returned to Songjiang Soul Martial.

In fact, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei were also supposed to return to the school, but at Gao Lingwei’s request, Yang Chunxi didn’t force her to go back.