Master of Nine Stars

Two days later, in the school hospital.

Yang Chunxi walked into the hospital room, carrying lunch.

”You’re here, Sis,” Rong Taotao said quickly, greeting her. ”Long time no see.”

”You little rascal.” Yang Chunxi gave Rong Taotao a beaming smile. ”What’s this? Are you saying I don’t care enough about you?”

Rong Taotao shook his head repeatedly. ”No, no, I know you’ve been busy proctoring exams.”

”Heh.” Yang Chunxi placed the takeout containers on the table, took off her beige trench coat, and hung it on the coat rack. As she tidied her long hair, she said, ”You certainly have a knack for timing.”

Rong Taotao raised an eyebrow slightly. ”What do you mean?”

Yang Chunxi smiled. ”The Basic Knowledge of Soul Beasts exam just finished this morning. After the students turned in their papers, I overheard Li Ziyi in the hallway complaining to Xingyu. I’m guessing he didn’t do too well.”

Rong Taotao asked, puzzled, ”What did he say?”

Yang Chunxi walked over to the bed, flicked her middle finger off her thumb, and gently tapped Rong Taotao’s forehead. ”Every time there’s a written exam, you’re always in a hospital room.”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

Yang Chunxi couldn’t help but chuckle. ”Li Ziyi also predicted that by the time the written exam week is over and the practical exams begin, you’ll probably be discharged.”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

’Well, um... I really want to argue, but...’

’Li Ziyi was actually spot on!’

In another three or four days, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei really would be discharged. It wasn’t Rong Taotao who decided how long they’d stay, but Coach Dong.

’Could it be... Coach Dong loves me that much?’

’He’s intentionally keeping me in this hospital bed until the written exams are over?’

Yang Chunxi took out one of the meals and placed it on the table. ”You eat first. I’m going to take this to Ling Wei. Oh, by the way...”

As if remembering something, Yang Chunxi pulled two small silk pouches from her pocket and placed them by Rong Taotao’s pillow. ”Guess what these are.”

Rong Taotao’s heart skipped a beat. ”A bag of brilliant schemes?”

”Heh.” Yang Chunxi didn’t answer, giving him a mysterious look before taking the other meal box to the room across the hall.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Rong Taotao grabbed one of the pouches and opened it. Inside, he saw a Soul Pearl?

Within the small glass bead, layers of frost-like mist swirled, faintly emitting wisps of energy.

Rong Taotao pursed his lips. As the self-proclaimed ”Second-Best Eater in Pine Soul,” it was a rare moment for him not to tear open his meal box immediately. Instead, he reached into the pouch and touched the strange little glass bead.

In an instant, a piece of information appeared in his Inner Soul Map:

”Soul Pearl discovered: Snow Realm Pirate Leader Snow Ape (Elite Grade, Potential Value: -)

Soul Pearl’s Soul Skill:

1. Iron Snow Armor: Gathers Ice and Snow Attribute Soul Power and releases a layer of frost that covers the body. The frost, solidified through a special method, is as hard as steel and incredibly durable. (Elite Grade, Potential Value: -)

Current Soul Slots are full. Unable to absorb.”

Rong Taotao’s mouth formed an ”O.” ’Holy cow, a Pirate Leader Snow Ape’s Soul Pearl? A chest Soul Pearl with a full-body defensive skill!’

And it’s from an Elite Grade Pirate Leader Snow Ape?

It’s not that the Soul Skill’s grade is high; it’s that it’s shockingly low!

The textbooks described the Pirate Leader Snow Ape as a species that was generally solitary. However, when necessary, they could command groups of ”Bandit Snow Monkeys” to help them hunt or fight for territory.

This unique ability to command was probably a form of racial suppression.

Pirate Leader Snow Apes are enormous. An adult’s strength is typically between Master and King Grade.

For the school to have actually obtained an Elite Grade Pirate Leader Snow Ape’s Soul Pearl... just how difficult must that have been?

In this case, it wasn’t the higher quality Soul Pearls that were rarer, but the lower quality ones.

Among Snow Realm creatures, aside from the exceptionally special Humanoid Soul Beasts, most beast-type Soul Beasts like this one grew very quickly.

”The headmaster loves me!”

’From now on, my Da Wei won’t have to get her kidneys stabbed through anymore!’

”Ugh, HISS...” In his excitement, Rong Taotao felt a dull ache in his lower abdomen again.

Right, he wasn’t even healed himself, and he was already worrying about his girlfriend’s kidneys...

”Heh.” Yang Chunxi walked back in with a smile. Seeing the joyful look on Rong Taotao’s face as he held the open pouch, she said, ”Don’t get too excited just yet. If you knew what Soul Beasts these two Soul Pearls came from and what Soul Skills they contain, you’d probably jump for joy.”

Of course, Yang Chunxi didn’t know about Rong Taotao’s ability. She thought he was just happy to see Soul Pearls. How could she have known that he’d already identified one of them as a real treasure!

”Mhm, mhm.” Rong Taotao nodded eagerly, displaying the professionalism of a good Actor. ”Sis, what are these two Soul Pearls?”

Yang Chunxi sat down, her eyes twinkling. ”This is a perfect chance to test you. What’s the strength level of a Pirate Leader Snow Ape? And what Soul Pearl Soul Skills does it have?”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

’A freebie question?’

’I just reviewed this three seconds ago!’

Rong Taotao reached out again, touching the Pirate Leader Snow Ape’s Soul Pearl. He grinned. ”I’m a top student, you know. I know the material from the books backward and forward. I don’t even have to think about it. It’s like the answer is right in front of me, and I’m just reading it aloud.”

Yang Chunxi laughed and chided him, ”All you do is brag. Hurry up and answer!”

Rong Taotao began, ”Pirate Leader Snow Ape, Master to King Grade. Soul Skill: Iron Snow Armor. Gathers Ice and Snow Attribute...”

”Mm, not bad, not bad.” Yang Chunxi nodded repeatedly. ’Good Taotao, you’ve really studied well. You can even recite the Soul Skill’s description.’

Tsk tsk...

The more Yang Chunxi listened, the more delighted she became. ’Taotao isn’t just reciting the Soul Skill’s description; he’s getting it word for word, as if he were reading from a textbook... So smooth!’

In the entire Junior Soul Class, probably only Fan Lihua could do that, right?

After hearing Rong Taotao’s perfect answer, Yang Chunxi looked completely satisfied. ”Very good. Even though you’re always running around, you haven’t neglected your studies. When I get back, I’m going to give Li Ziyi a good talking-to!”

Yang Chunxi continued, ”The other Soul Pearl is a bit beyond the curriculum for you. It’s from a Snow Prison Warrior.”

’Snow Prison Warrior?’

Rong Taotao’s interest was piqued. ”You mean the Snow Prison Warrior that’s classified as a Neutral Creature and is illegal to hunt?”

”Correct.” Yang Chunxi nodded. ”As you know, the environment of the Snow Realm Vortex is extremely harsh. The blizzards raging within sometimes blow creatures out into our world on Earth.

Over the past sixty years, many from the Snow Prison Warrior tribe have accidentally ended up on Earth. However, they possess a degree of intelligence and are willing to communicate with us humans.

Snow Prison Warriors are naturally combative, but they have their own concept of good and evil. Aside from hunting to eat, they disdain bullying the weak and will only seek duels with creatures of the same level as them, or even stronger.

With help from us humans, the Snow Prison Warrior tribe has established a small village for their people outside the three walls.”

Rong Taotao grew curious. This was the first he’d heard of this. He couldn’t help but ask, ”Can you use them as sparring partners? This species... they sound like they have a lot of martial virtue.”

Yang Chunxi shook her head. ”Not only are they combative, but they also love the snow and wind. They aren’t willing to leave the area near the Snow Realm Vortex.

Of course, perhaps what they really like is the dense Soul Power there.”

Rong Taotao nodded. ”Then this Soul Pearl?”

Yang Chunxi smiled. ”This was from the Snow Burning Army’s inventory. It’s contraband confiscated from Poachers, which was then added to the army’s repository.

It seems that old Headmaster Mei Hongyu has truly high expectations for you and Gao Lingwei.”

Rong Taotao pursed his lips and opened the other pouch, revealing a strangely shaped Soul Pearl.

It was a small snowball, not a glass bead, and it was covered in sharp-looking flecks of crushed ice.

Curiously, Rong Taotao reached out and gently touched the Snow Prison Warrior’s Soul Pearl.

Yang Chunxi stood up. As she helped Rong Taotao open the bag and the meal box, she said, ”Eat first. I’ll tell you about the Snow Prison Warrior’s Soul Pearl and its Soul Skill. Here you go, Taotao.”

Yang Chunxi handed him the meal box, only to see him staring blankly.

Yang Chunxi: ”Taotao?”

Rong Taotao: ”Ah!”

Rong Taotao snapped back to his senses, his fingers trembling as he pulled the pouch’s drawstring closed and took the meal box.

Yang Chunxi looked at him suspiciously. ”What’s wrong with you?”

Rong Taotao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. ”I was just trying to remember what the Snow Prison Warrior’s Soul Skill was. The memory was so fuzzy, but I think... I think I just remembered...”

”Yes.” Yang Chunxi sat back down, the smile on her face gradually fading. She sighed. ”It is. It’s a very powerful Soul Skill, but it’s a double-edged sword. If you don’t use it well, it’s easy to break yourself with it.

However, this Snow Prison Warrior Soul Pearl of yours is Elite Grade. The Warrior was killed by a Poacher before it reached maturity, so the Soul Skill’s effects won’t be especially powerful.

This also means that if you win the duel, your opponent’s mind won’t be too severely damaged. And if you lose, the backlash won’t injure you too badly either.”

”Mm,” Rong Taotao nodded silently. Just a moment ago, the instant he touched the Snow Prison Warrior’s Soul Pearl, another piece of information had appeared in his Inner Soul Map:

”Soul Pearl discovered: Snow Realm Snow Prison Warrior (Elite Grade, Potential Value: -)

Soul Pearl’s Soul Skill:

1. Snow Prison Arena: Consumes a large amount of Ice and Snow Attribute Soul Power to stimulate the mind, opening a Snow Prison Spirit Arena and dragging the target’s spirit into it.

Once the Arena is opened, the target is forced to fight and cannot retreat.

Unless both duelists willingly shake hands and make peace, if either side flees without permission or is defeated, their brain will suffer a certain degree of trauma.

Compared to the physical level, a contest of spirit and will is the ultimate battlefield where victory and defeat are decided. (Elite Grade, Potential Value: -)

Current Soul Slots are full. Unable to absorb.”

A worried look also appeared on Yang Chunxi’s face. She was soft-hearted by nature, and to her, the students of the Junior Class were like her own children. A double-edged Soul Skill like this was genuinely concerning.

She said, ”I don’t know how you plan to assign this Soul Pearl, but regardless, I have to give you a warning first.”

Rong Taotao: ”Hm?”

Yang Chunxi: ”This Soul Skill is extremely special. The physical aspect becomes a secondary factor, while one’s spirit and will become the key to victory.

In the Arena, your willpower is your body and your weapon.

Therefore, if you can defeat an enemy under normal circumstances, you should not rashly open the Snow Prison Arena.”

Rong Taotao nodded slightly and took a bite of braised pork. At this moment, only one thought remained in his mind: ’The headmaster loves me!!!’

As for willpower...

Both Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei were the kind of people who would stab themselves to achieve their goals!

...