Master of Nine Stars

Chapter 573: Chapter 348: The Blizzard is Imminent

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the sun was setting.

In Songbai Town, atop an old residential building’s rooftop, the ceaseless CLANG CLANG CLANG of weapons colliding rang out.

Beneath a blur of flashing blades was a fierce battle, fought between two drenched-in-sweat, diligent Martial Artists.

To the side, standing on the rooftop’s retaining wall, was a Little General less than a meter tall. Its snow-made cape whipped and snapped in the biting wind.

In Rong Ling’s hands was also a Great Xia Dragon Sparrow made of snow. Clearly, his understanding of Swordsmanship Skill had progressed by leaps and bounds; at the very least, he could now form a Great Xia Dragon Sparrow using his Snow Soul.

And his pair of candle-like eyes were fixed on the battle, watching his two masters fight so fiercely that his own heart pounded in alarm!

A Soul Beast like Rong Ling was a Snow General Candle, capable of entering the battlefield and leading an army of thousands!

If even he found it heart-pounding, one could only imagine the level of the fight on the rooftop!

And it was true. In the center of the rooftop, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei both seemed a little “unhinged.”

Their Body Technique was incredibly swift, and their Sword Technique was terrifyingly sharp!

Due to the limited space, the two had set a rule back when they first sparred on New Year’s Day: no using Soul Skills.

And when facing Gao Lingwei, Rong Taotao couldn’t possibly use his Lotus Petals, so…

Alright, he had once used a Lotus Petal to “cut down a girl,” but that was an accident. Yes, an accident~

Now that he had advanced to the mid-tier of a Soul Captain, he could control his Lotus Petals and would certainly not let that kind of accident happen again.

Since they had agreed not to use Soul Skills, Rong Taotao also refrained from using Douxing Qi. In reality, a Soul Skill like Douxing Qi could be hidden, and Rong Taotao could have secretly cheated and broken the rules.

But to avoid hindering the development of Gao Lingwei’s sharp and valiant style, Rong Taotao didn’t use Douxing Qi to counter this female general’s grand, sweeping style.

Not using it was Rong Taotao’s final act of kindness.

And the result of this kindness was…

Rong Taotao’s movements came to a sudden halt as the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow in Gao Lingwei’s hand pressed against his neck. Its sharp edge even left a faint, bloody mark on his skin.

“CLANG~”

That was the sound of Rong Taotao’s Great Xia Dragon Sparrow slapping flat against the distant retaining wall.

Just a moment ago, the hilt of his Great Xia Dragon Sparrow had been winding around his wrist, fluttering up and down like a butterfly. Unfortunately, its owner failed to catch the spinning hilt, and the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow went flying away.

“Hah… hah…” Gao Lingwei’s chest heaved violently, her forehead covered in sweat. Her beautiful eyes were bright and full of spirit as she looked at the person before her, who was also gasping for breath, and said, “You lose.”

“Hah…” Rong Taotao gasped for air, his entire body soaked through as if he had just been pulled out of water. One could only imagine how long and how fiercely they had fought.

On the distant wall, Rong Ling excitedly jumped down and trotted over, its body of Shuangxue buzzing as it ran. “Da Wei! Da Wei! Da Wei!”

A world clad in silver, under the setting sun.

The post-battle scene should have been epic and stylish.

But the hopping and skipping Rong Ling shattered the mood. Its snow-made cape fluttered behind it as it circled Gao Lingwei, shouting excitedly.

“Da Wei! Da Wei! Da Wei!”

Gao Lingwei couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She reached down, grabbed the circling Rong Ling, and clamped her hand on its Snow-made Helmet, lifting it up by its head.

Rong Ling: “Eh?”

But Gao Lingwei seemed to flip her palm, turning Rong Ling’s body around and sending it off to the side, only then raising her eyes to look at Rong Taotao again.

Rong Taotao glanced at the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow resting on his neck. After a moment’s hesitation, he finally grit his teeth, stomped his foot, and declared, “Just kill me!”

Gao Lingwei: ???

He was like a fierce general from ancient times who, after being captured, showed no intention of begging for mercy. “Kill me or cut me to pieces, do as you please!”

Gao Lingwei raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her face. Tilting the hilt, she used the flat of the icy blade to gently pat Rong Taotao’s cheek. “Nice acting.”

Rong Taotao kept his eyes closed and mumbled, “Tell Da Wei… I love her…”

Gao Lingwei’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. She placed the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow against Rong Taotao’s neck again and gently drew it across.

HSSS…

In an instant, a shallow cut appeared on Rong Taotao’s neck, and beads of crimson blood welled up.

Just then, a gently glowing petal of Huilian covered Rong Taotao’s neck.

At that moment, Rong Taotao finally opened his eyes. The superficial, exaggerated acting vanished, replaced by a heartfelt, award-winning performance.

No, this was no longer in the realm of performance, but Rong Taotao’s true feelings.

He smiled at Gao Lingwei, his eyes filled with a trace of fatherly love, his expression full of affection. “Your condition has improved a lot.”

Gao Lingwei looked at this “father to the whole world” before her. She gave a helpless smile, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and asked, “You weren’t holding back, were you?”

Rong Taotao said, “Why ask others? You should quiet your mind and listen to the voice within.”

Gao Lingwei: “…”

She curled her fingers and tapped her forehead in frustration. To be honest, she regretted cutting Rong Taotao’s neck. It seemed to be the switch that activated another one of his personalities…

Before her, as the Lotus Petal on Rong Taotao’s neck vanished, the wound disappeared as well, not even a trace of blood remaining.

The “world-loving affection” in Rong Taotao’s eyes faded considerably. He blinked his glistening dark eyes and looked at her with a strange expression. “I just realized, Da Wei, you’ve really scored!”

“How so?” Gao Lingwei looked at Rong Taotao, knowing he was back to normal, his emotions no longer influenced by Huilian.

Rong Taotao said with great seriousness, “I’m a multifaceted boyfriend! I can switch between at least three or four different personalities!”

Hearing this, Gao Lingwei was utterly speechless. She looked at Rong Taotao, not knowing whether to be angry or amused. For a moment, she had no idea what to say.

‘What does it mean to be a Treasure Boy, you ask?’

Sinful Lotus·Tao: Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill! Not even Jesus can save you, I’m telling you! If Jesus keeps running his mouth, I’ll go kill him too!

Prison Lotus·Tao: Mine! The treasure is mine! It’s all miiiine!

Huilian·Tao: My child, Papa loves you…

‘Damn,’ Rong Taotao thought, shocked at himself. ‘Aren’t I a little *too* much of a Treasure Boy?’

Seeing Rong Taotao lost in thought, Gao Lingwei stepped forward, raised her arm, and used the sleeve of her woolen sweater to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Come on,” she said, “let’s go back for dinner.”

“Yeah, yeah, time for dinner.” Rong Taotao snapped out of it and spoke quickly, heading for the door. “Rong Ling~ let’s go home!”

As he spoke, Rong Taotao suddenly stopped and turned his head to look to the northwest.

Gao Lingwei also paused, seeming to realize something as well.

From New Year’s Day to the third day of the New Year, the two had trained and fought on the rooftop every day. Regardless of whether Rong Taotao was fighting as a “sparring partner,” Gao Lingwei truly felt that she was improving rapidly.

In just three short days, she even had a feeling of sudden enlightenment, believing her understanding of the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow had improved significantly.

And yesterday afternoon, as they finished training and headed home, they had inadvertently spotted a flash of deep red.

Lost in thought, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei both walked to the northwest corner of the rooftop and looked out at the mountain forest in the distance.

Gao Lingwei’s home was just a street away from Songbai Town High School. To the north of Songbai Town, there was a park built on a small mountain, which housed a famous monument.

The monument commemorated the old headmaster who single-handedly founded Songbai Town Soul Martial High School: Xiao Li.

And in that small park on the mountain…

Rong Taotao placed his hands on the stone retaining wall of the rooftop and gazed into the distance. Sure enough, he saw that flash of deep red again.

It was that woman, the one wearing a long red robe that resembled a wedding dress.

During the New Year last year, when Rong Taotao first came to Songbai Town, Gao Lingwei had taken him to visit her alma mater. They hadn’t been able to enter the campus and ended up going to the small park on the northern mountain to look down at the school.

It was there that Rong Taotao had first seen the woman who waited so painfully.

And this year…

Day after day, year after year.

Rong Taotao’s world was exciting enough. This past year, he had traveled all over, studying, competing, training, and fighting.

He felt that time passed quickly, very quickly. But for that woman in red…

Perhaps every minute and every second of her life was an agony.

Rong Taotao pursed his lips. For some reason, Gao Lingwei, who was beside him, reached out and gently held his arm.

“Taotao, what, are you, looking at?” Beside them, Rong Ling floated onto the stone railing, curiously looking down at the town.

“An unfortunate person,” Rong Taotao said, then paused and added, “A faithful person.”

“Oh.” Rong Ling’s candle-like eyes flickered, not quite understanding the meaning of Rong Taotao’s words.

“Let’s go. It’s windy up here, you’ll catch a cold,” Gao Lingwei said softly, pulling Rong Taotao toward the rooftop entrance.

Rong Ling looked left and right but still couldn’t find the “person” its master was looking at in the vast cityscape.

It turned, hopped off the wall, and trotted after its two masters.

Arriving at the sixth-floor apartment, Rong Taotao took the laundry basket Mrs. Gao, Cheng Yuan, had prepared for him, which contained clean clothes, and walked into the bathroom.

However, Gao Lingwei didn’t leave as she usually did. Instead, she followed him to the bathroom door and helped him close it. “I’m going to the first floor to wash up. You be quick too.”

“Ah, okay.”

Gao Lingwei leaned her shoulder against the door and said softly, “Don’t sneak back to the rooftop to look at her, and don’t dwell on it. We’ll see Xiao Ziru again one day.”

“Mm… mm.”

After getting an affirmative reply, Gao Lingwei finally started to leave. She turned, patted Rong Ling’s little helmet, and said, “Keep an eye on your master. After he’s done showering, bring him down for dinner.”

Rong Ling looked up at Gao Lingwei, its body of Shuangxue vibrating gently. “Okay~”

“Taotao.”

Warm water showered down. Just as Rong Taotao squeezed out some shampoo and started rubbing it into his hair, he heard a voice from his side.

“Ah?” Rong Taotao jumped in surprise, quickly turning to look behind him. “I’m taking a shower!”

Rong Yang’s illusory figure stood to the side. He ignored Rong Taotao and said in a heavy voice, “The Snow Realm Vortex has started to stir up a blizzard.”

Rong Taotao was puzzled. “Hasn’t there always been a blizzard?”

Rong Yang said, “Something’s not right. The blizzard is getting stronger and stronger.”

Rong Taotao froze for a moment, staring blankly at Rong Yang. A bad premonition surfaced in his heart as he said, “You mean…”

Rong Yang nodded expressionlessly. “Captain Fu couldn’t reach you just now. He asked me to tell you to set out immediately. Wait at the entrance of Songbai Town, rendezvous with Snake, and return to Hundred Corps Pass.”

Rong Taotao was silent for a moment. With his hands full of foam, he placed them under the showerhead, rinsing them off as he nodded. “Alright.”