Master of Nine Stars

Rong Taotao nodded lightly.

Xiang Ming said, ”Take your legs, for example. When the Douxing Qi emerges from your Dantian, the two streams of qi must twist together, but they also have to remain clearly distinct. Once they reach the top of your thigh, use the leg bone as a guide and wrap them tightly as you send them downward.

”Don’t exert any force from the Soul Slots in your knees and ankles. Let them pass through all Soul Slots without any adjustments or interference. Don’t mess up the rhythm of the two threads, or they’ll easily shatter.”

His older brother, Xiang Li, said, ”For now, just practice the starting point. They have to emerge as two distinct threads. If they merge even a little, disperse the qi and start over.

”Get to it. This is going to take a while.”

Rong Taotao’s expression turned serious. He nodded, clearly entering a state of training.

Seeing Rong Taotao get in the zone, the Xiang Brothers stopped disturbing him. They turned to Gao Lingwei and smiled. ”If Ye Nanxi hadn’t inserted herself, we probably would have met in the doubles bracket.”

”Hmph, men,” Ye Nanxi said, displeased. ”Is this the same person who was drooling over my Soul Skills back then?”

Xiang Li laughed heartily. ”If you ask me, you’re just too conservative. If I had your set of Soul Pearls and Soul Skills, I’d have gone solo in the individual competition ages ago!”

But Ye Nanxi just tilted her head toward Gao Lingwei and said, ”Have you seen her list of Soul Skills?”

Xiang Li shook his head. Since she wasn’t an opponent, he hadn’t paid much attention.

Ye Nanxi pulled out her phone, did a quick search online, and placed the phone on the table, sliding it in front of the Xiang Brothers. ”Here~”

”Whoa~”

”Whoa~” The two brothers exclaimed in unison. Not only were their expressions identical, but even their sighs of admiration were the same, showing their perfect synchronization...

Xiang Ming picked up the phone, looking from side to side before raising his eyes to Gao Lingwei. ”Let me tell you, the only reason I’m not competing solo is because I’m stuck with my brother.

”Even with my set of Soul Skills, I want to go solo in the individual competition. And you, with this...

”It’s a real shame you’re not going solo. How badass would the ’King of Duels’ title be?”

Xiang Li slapped the back of Xiang Ming’s head, his large, greasy hand fresh from finishing a hamburger. ”You think I want to be with you?”

Gao Lingwei smiled and shook her head, gesturing to Rong Taotao beside her. ”He gave them all to me.”

Xiang Li and Xiang Ming: ”Huh?”

Gao Lingwei said softly, ”From the internal school qualifiers, to the Outer League, and even the Soul Pearls and Soul Skills from various missions, he gave almost all of them to me.”

”Tsk.” The younger brother, Xiang Ming, nodded in understanding. ”Raise up a powerhouse, then cling on for dear life. I guess that’s one way to live.”

Gao Lingwei, however, shook her head. ”No, he’s stronger than me.”

Xiang Li: ”Hmm... His Martial Arts are quite good, that’s plain to see.”

”It’s more than that.”

Xiang Li said, ”At the end of the day, he’s just a Soul Warrior. His fundamental stats are still lacking. In what other way could he be stronger than you?”

Gao Lingwei raised a finger and tapped her temple.

Xiang Li was clearly stunned for a moment, then he broke into a smile. ”True. A good commander is incredibly rare. They can really carry their teammates to victory.”

Gao Lingwei didn’t refute him. In truth, she was referring to more than just his mind.

Ye Nanxi, however, nodded in agreement. ”If I hadn’t spent three months in the Vortex with Rong Taotao, being commanded by him for all that time and getting a taste of what a good leader is like, do you two really think I would have bothered looking for a team?”

”SLAM!” Xiang Ming slapped his hand on the table. ”So all the torment we brothers have suffered at your hands is because of this kid!?”

”Ah~” Rong Taotao suddenly looked up.

Xiang Ming thought Rong Taotao was upset, but to his surprise, Rong Taotao’s face was lit up with joy. He looked at his palm and gently clenched his fist.

Beside him, Gao Lingwei smiled. ”Did you do it?”

”Yeah!” Rong Taotao nodded. ”Two threads! Excellent Level Douxing Qi!”

On his Inner Soul Map, the information was displayed with perfect clarity.

”Promotion! Starfield Soul Skill: Douxing Qi, Excellent Level!”

Xiang Li and Xiang Ming stared dumbfounded at Rong Taotao, their mouths hanging open...

’He... he did it?’

But then they saw Rong Taotao stand up, grab the back of Ye Nanxi’s neck with one hand, and lift the young woman up as if she were a bamboo rat.

’Whoa~ I’m so strong!’ Rong Taotao rejoiced internally. ’This is a qualitative leap!’

The young woman was over five-foot-eleven. On top of that, she was a Soul Martial Artist who trained year-round and had an athletic build. She had to weigh at least 140 or 150 pounds, right?

Lifting her felt like child’s play~

”RONG! TAO! TAO!!!”

Rong Taotao panicked and quickly let go.

Ye Nanxi glared at Rong Taotao, annoyed. ”Don’t I have a reputation to maintain?!”

Rong Taotao guiltily sat back down.

Fortunately, Ye Nanxi’s reaction stopped Rong Taotao in his tracks. Otherwise, he really would have tried to lift Gao Lingwei up too...

Rong Taotao said weakly, ”Well, I can’t exactly lift Xia...”

Xia Fangran had been happily enjoying life. Hearing this, the clattering of his typing fingers stopped, and his expression froze slightly. ???

Ye Nanxi stared furiously at Rong Taotao. Being brutally honest, she didn’t hold back at all. ”If we weren’t surrounded by Snow Realm Soul Martial Artists, I’d send your ass flying with a Star-Stepping Split!!!”

Xia Fangran, who had just been looking at Rong Taotao with confusion, now turned to stare blankly at Ye Nanxi.

’As expected of the children of Soul Generals, they’re all cut from the same cloth! Each one is more reckless than the last!’

Rong Taotao quickly changed the subject, looking at Xiang Ming. ”What about Elite Level Douxing Qi? Three threads! Teach me the trick for three threads!”

Xiang Ming: ???

’Bro, isn’t that a bit much?’

’Is this punk really going to level up twice right in front of me?’

’I’m a goddamn Senior Year student, and I just barely got my Douxing Qi to the Elite Level. And you...’

’I’m your new friend, not your enemy!’

’Why are you taunting me right in my ear? Why are you dissing me right to my face?’

...

Another 5,000 words to come, please keep the votes coming~!