Master of Nine Stars

Chapter 577: Chapter 350: Rare Soul Beast – Snow Devourer?

Seven people on six mounts charged out of Wan’an Pass’s North Gate, plunging straight into the vast, snowy gale.

Cheng Jiangjie spoke up, “Captain Fu, requesting permission. Should I deploy the Snow Soul Banner?”

Fu Tiance replied, “Not yet. Your Cyan Mountain Army’s Soul Skill, the Snow Soul Banner, consumes a great deal of Soul Power. Wait until we encounter a Soul Beast…”

Fu Tiance stopped mid-sentence. He thought for a moment, then said, “Go ahead. Cyan Mountain Army, raise your Snow Soul Banners. Pig.”

Rong Taotao responded, “Here!”

Fu Tiance ordered, “Activate your Lotus Petal and ensure the Cyan Mountain Army has an ample supply of Soul Power.”

Rong Taotao said, “Yes, sir!”

Rong Taotao immediately began absorbing Soul Power. Naturally, the Lotus Petals located in his Dantian also started to greedily draw in the Soul Power from the world around them.

As Rong Taotao absorbed a massive amount of Soul Power, everyone around him inevitably benefited. The concentration of Soul Power became so terrifyingly high that they no longer had to worry about the cost of using any kind of Soul Skill.

“Alright!” Cheng Jiangjie’s muffled voice came from behind his half-mask.

It was clear that Cheng Jiangjie was keen to test Rong Taotao’s Lotus Petal. He immediately followed Fu Tiance’s order and shouted, “Cyan Mountain Army, raise the banners!”

The next moment, three Cyan Mountain soldiers waved their hands, and a massive banner appeared in each of their grips!

Although it was called the Snow Soul Banner, it was shaped more like a proper flag!

The enormous banner was at least two-and-a-half meters long and a meter-and-a-half wide!

Unlike conventional Snow Realm Soul Skills, which were typically made of snow, these great banners actually emanated a blood-red light.

Moreover, the banners were translucent, fluttering wildly in the biting cold wind, swaying with a graceful rhythm.

The very instant the Snow Soul Banners appeared, Rong Taotao felt the surrounding wind and snow abruptly freeze in place!

‘What kind of bizarre Soul Skill is this?’

Rong Taotao had encountered a similar Soul Skill before, one with an equally extraordinary effect!

It was a year and a half ago, on the night Songjiang Soul Martial University was attacked. Captain Huang Kuanren of the Songjiang Soul Police had struck the ground with his Zen Staff and activated the Soul Skill: Micro Snow Realm!

After he used that Soul Skill, the howling gales across the entire Songjiang Soul Martial University campus suddenly ceased, and the drifting snowflakes all froze in mid-air, as if the whole world had stopped!

Then, the suspended snowflakes soared upward into the night sky, while the frost and snow already on the ground remained settled, obediently blanketing the earth. The view across the entire Songjiang Soul Martial University campus opened up completely!

Now, three Cyan Mountain soldiers formed an arrowhead, flanking Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei to the front, left, and right. As their three translucent, blood-red banners snapped in the wind, the gales instantly died, and the swirling frost and snow froze in mid-air!

Instantly, the group’s field of vision expanded significantly.

If this were daytime, their visibility would have increased even more.

Before they knew it, the team’s formation had shifted. Cheng Jiangjie took the lead, the other two Cyan Mountain soldiers flanked Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei, and Chenlong and Snake fell to the rear.

“My God…” Rong Taotao, surrounded in the center of the formation, stared at the blood-red banners dancing in the wind around him. For a moment, he was at a loss for words to describe the scene.

‘So, is this a Soul Skill unique to the Cyan Mountain Army?’

It was obvious. Fu Tiance had said, “Your Cyan Mountain Army’s Snow Soul Banner.” ‘This Soul Skill must be incredibly rare, which is why it was given to a specialized military branch—to the very teams meant to explore the Snow Realm Vortexes.’

‘And… judging from Fu Tiance’s words, this Soul Skill must consume an enormous amount of Soul Power!’

Rong Taotao was certain that these three Cyan Mountain soldiers were at least at the Soul School Rank. For soldiers of that rank, in an environment so close to a Snow Realm Vortex, to still have to worry about the Soul Power consumption of “raising the banners” was a major issue.

Rong Taotao pursed his lips, Cheng Jiangjie’s command still echoing in his ears: “Cyan Mountain Army, raise the banners…”

‘What a badass slogan!’

‘Years ago, before the Cyan Mountain Army was shattered, did they charge forward just like this, brandishing their blood-red banners, fearless in the vast snowstorms of the Snow Realm Vortexes?’

Gao Lingwei, also surrounded by the soldiers in the center, held her White Lantern Paper Cage, which glowed softly. She was hunched over, studying a map intently. On top of her head, the Snowball Cat poked its head out, peering all around.

Its large, mist-filled eyes pierced through the specks of frozen frost and snow, observing the surroundings. Unsurprisingly, it spotted the figures of many, many Soul Beasts.

If the Snowball Cat’s vision were linked to Rong Taotao right now, he would probably be dumbfounded!

Such a diverse array of Snow Realm Soul Beasts, many of them rarely seen on a normal day, was not a sight one could witness just by wishing for it.

Clearly, Gao Lingwei was very composed. She knew she was on a mission and remained completely focused.

Rong Taotao glanced to his right rear, his eyes falling on the slender figure of Xu Yiyu.

Her stylish short hair danced in the wind. The translucent, blood-red banner above cast a faint glow, bathing her white, gray, and black snow-patterned camouflage uniform in a dim crimson light.

It was a dreamlike, breathtakingly beautiful sight.

Rong Taotao hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Thank you, Xu. Thank you for getting my gifts and trophy back for me. They’re very important to me.”

Xu Yiyu merely lifted her head to look at the blood-red banner fluttering wildly above. Her voice was cool. “Your Lotus Petal is decent. It can replenish the Soul Power I’m using.”

Rong Taotao mumbled, “Uh, yeah…”

Xu Yiyu turned to look at Rong Taotao, her expression blank. She spoke flatly, “But it’s a little too late. The Nine-Petaled Lotus is too late, and the Frost Night Xuerong is too late. The Cyan Mountain Army isn’t recruiting anymore.

“We’ve failed too many people, and we won’t be getting any more missions. Once the last of the Cyan Mountain Army dies, this unit designation will be history.”

Gao Lingwei, who had been looking down at her map, suddenly spoke up, her voice even colder than Xu Yiyu’s. “Don’t say such disheartening things in front of the old commander’s daughter.”

Hearing this, Rong Taotao was taken aback. ‘Perhaps it’s because Da Wei is always so reserved around me, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen this domineering side of Gao Lingwei…’

The three Cyan Mountain soldiers to Rong Taotao’s left, right, and front all turned their heads. They looked toward the ferocious wolf-dog mask and the woman wearing it, Gao Lingwei, who was poring over the map.

Gao Lingwei said, “Hold your Cyan Mountain Banners steady. This is only our first mission together.”

Xu Yiyu watched Gao Lingwei silently. With the wolf-dog mask on, the girl’s expression was completely hidden, but her way of speaking gave Xu Yiyu a faint glimpse of Gao Qingchen.

In spite of herself, the corners of Xu Yiyu’s mouth turned up slightly, but her half-mask concealed the faint smile perfectly.

At the rear, Fu Tiance opened his mouth, wanting to say something…

Just then, Gao Lingwei suddenly said, “Snow Devourer.”

Fu Tiance’s expression froze. “What?”

In an instant, everyone’s faces changed. What had they just heard?

Gao Lingwei had already seen many kinds of Soul Beasts, including some rare ones, but she knew she was on a mission and had never mentioned them. But…

But upon seeing the figure of a Snow Devourer, she had to speak up!

This was a creature so rare it was outrageous! It was a Soul Beast that humanity dreamed of acquiring! Its very existence was of strategic value!

Rong Taotao frowned slightly. He felt like he had heard that name somewhere before. ‘Wait… didn’t my sister-in-law mention the Snow Devourer back when I first enrolled in school?’

Gao Lingwei confirmed, “Snow Realm Soul Beast: Snow Devourer. Ten o’clock, 800 to 900 meters, at the edge of the Snow Forest.”

GULP. Fu Tiance’s Adam’s apple bobbed…

…

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