Master of Nine Stars

Under the pitch-black night, the Lotus Bud, with its eight illusory petals and one corporeal petal, stood quietly in the snow, emanating a faint,幽香 fragrance.

A bewitching smile graced the Frost Beauty’s face. After her unrestrained use of the Prison Lotus, her body was exceptionally weak, which lent the air of a fragile, sickly beauty to her every move.

She ambled toward the Lotus Petal. Though her steps were somewhat unsteady, her face was a mask of triumph.

She slowly extended a hand made of illusory lines. As layers of frost spread, her palm took on a frosty outline and reached for the Cyan Lotus Bud.

Suddenly!

The triumphant look on the Frost Beauty’s face vanished without a trace. Her expression froze, her eyes shot wide open, and her Ice Palm began to tremble!

"CRACK!" For reasons unknown, the Ice Palm, which had just been coated in a frosty mist, suddenly shattered. And after it broke apart, her body, which should have been made of illusory lines, actually revealed flesh and blood?

Her fair skin was exposed. Even the illusory cloak draped over her body transformed into a corporeal Snow Cloak.

"Hah..." The Frost Beauty gasped. She clutched her chest with one hand and sank shakily to her knees, her face deathly pale and her expression utterly ghastly.

’My heart is still there, but... why does it suddenly feel like a piece is missing?’

’It’s as if... something extremely important has suddenly abandoned me...’

"POP!"

With a soft explosive sound, the Cyan Lotus Bud before her vanished. The two figures, small as ants, who had been inside the Lotus Bud, abruptly appeared in the world.

Without the Cyan Lotus Bud, the so-called "Lotus Space" ceased to exist. Rong Taotao and Xia Fangran returned to their normal size, materializing out of thin air in a very bizarre fashion.

Rong Taotao’s condition, however, was almost identical to the Frost Beauty’s. Even their posture was strikingly similar.

He, too, clutched his heart, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath, looking utterly dazed and distraught.

The only difference was that his heart had gained something, not lost it.

Xia Fangran’s clothes were tattered and he was drenched in blood. He looked absolutely wretched, but his mind was clearer than Rong Taotao’s. He immediately spotted Xiao Ziru standing silently to the side.

And Xiao Ziru’s gaze locked onto Xia Fangran at the same instant!

Pine Soul Four Rites versus Pine Soul Four Seasons!

Round two?

’Round two... my ass!’

Xia Fangran had been assaulted by a storm of petals earlier and was now covered in wounds. Gritting his teeth against the piercing pain, he snatched Rong Taotao off the ground and scrambled away, tumbling as he ran.

Xiao Ziru immediately drew the short halberd from his back and hurled it viciously in Xia Fangran’s direction.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this was a simple attack—it was lethal!

No matter how grand and imposing an assault might be, none was deadlier than a Flying Halberd buried deep in an enemy’s heart!

Xia Fangran, a True Divine General!

Despite being severely injured, he relied on his immense experience and, using an almost identical spinning motion, narrowly dodged Xiao Ziru’s fatal strike.

Of course, Xiao Ziru’s assault didn’t stop there. But just as he was about to make another move, he was suddenly interrupted by the Beauty at his side.

Xiao Ziru quickly turned to the Frost Beauty. His perpetually expressionless face actually showed a hint of concern?

"Ugh... ugh... ah... AAAAAAHHH!!!" The distraught Frost Beauty finally snapped back to her senses. She clutched her heart with one hand and grabbed her now-corporeal, snow-white hair with the other, screaming madly.

Gone was the intoxicating, bewitching tone of her voice. All that remained were shrill, bloodcurdling shrieks.

"YAAAAAH!!!" The Frost Beauty’s face, which should have been beautiful enough to topple nations, was now twisted with extreme rage, giving her the look of a madwoman.

’Unacceptable! Unforgivable!’

The prey had been at her lips, already captured within her Lotus Prison!

And the result? Not only had her prey escaped, but they had stolen her Lotus Prison as well?

’Impossible! This is impossible!!!’

Her face contorted, the Frost Beauty struggled to her feet, but her weakened body gave way and she collapsed to the ground again.

Xiao Ziru rushed forward to help her up.

The Frost Beauty shoved him away and stumbled toward the Snow Night Shock at his side, her voice shrill, "Chase them! CHASE THEM!!!"

However, her mount had barely begun to gallop when the Frost Beauty seemed to see something in the distance. Her sinister expression flickered, and she immediately wrapped her arm around Xiao Ziru’s neck. "Stop..."

As a Snow Realm Soul Beast, her eyesight was far superior to that of a human Soul Martial Artist.

The Frost Beauty gritted her teeth, watching Xia Fangran galloping wildly ahead, wishing she could skin him alive and eat his flesh. But she had no choice but to halt the pursuit...

Meanwhile, Xia Fangran, who had fled early on, had already summoned his Lifebound Soul Beast: Snow Night Shock, and was now hurtling through the snow at top speed.

Drenched in blood, his body was a ghastly tapestry of countless wounds! As the horse charged forward, crimson blood seeped through his torn clothes, painting a trail across the snow behind him.

In front of Xia Fangran, Rong Taotao was draped limply over the horse’s back, his eyes staring blankly at the ground as his vision went black in waves.

In his mind, a message from his Inner Soul Map was still echoing:

"Absorbed! Nine-Petaled Lotus: Prison Lotus! Reward: 1 Potential Value point. Current available Potential Value: 2."

"Promoted! Heart of the Snow Realm: Peak 2-Star!"

...

’Why did I only advance one small stage? Last time, when I absorbed the Sinful Lotus, my Soul Technique jumped all the way from high-tier 1-Star to mid-tier 2-Star...’

’Is it because higher-level Soul Techniques require exponentially more "EXP" to advance?’

’Or was it because absorbing a Lotus Petal for the first time gives a massive boost to the Soul Technique Heart?’

’This time, since I’ve already been nourished by a Lotus Petal, absorbing another one of the same type doesn’t provide as big of a boost?’

As Rong Taotao pondered this, he couldn’t help but let out a groan. "Ugh... ah..."

He could feel the two Lotus Petals tangling together inside his body. It was as if they knew each other, but having been separated for so long, they were strangers.

The two Lotus Petals roamed freely within Rong Taotao’s body, probing and twirling around each other as if exchanging friendly greetings...

The petals’ friendly conversation was fine for them, but it was agony for Rong Taotao!

Having absorbed the new Lotus Petal, Rong Taotao’s body was rapidly drained. His head spun, and a profound weakness and exhaustion washed over him.

The only thing keeping him from passing out was the terrifying sensation that his body was about to explode!

This feeling of impending explosion made him afraid to move even a muscle.

Wherever the two Lotus Petals roamed, that part of Rong Taotao’s body would "swell," threatening to burst open at any moment.

The sensation... well, it was quite magical.

"Hang on, just hang on, Rong Taotao! Where’s that Arrogant streak you had earlier? Huh? Show it to me, don’t you dare pass out!" Xia Fangran wiped his face, smearing a mixture of blood and grime onto Rong Taotao’s forehead.

"You think I want to pass out...? I... I’m hungry..." Rong Taotao said, breathless, having turned into a complete jellyfish, no different from the Frost Beauty.

Of course, the Frost Beauty was far stronger than Rong Taotao. Give her a little time, and she could still get back on her feet.

Physically, the Frost Beauty would recover faster than Rong Taotao. But mentally...

That world-toppling northern Beauty was probably going to be driven to her grave by pure rage!

"Drink! I’ve got plenty of blood! Drink it all! Just hang in there!" The palm of Xia Fangran’s left hand already had a large gash. It had started to freeze over with frost, sealing the wound, but hearing Rong Taotao’s words, he crushed the ice and pressed his left hand directly onto Rong Taotao’s mouth.

Rong Taotao: ???

’Xia Fangran, you’re a goddamn real man!’

’I’m completely in awe of you today...’

In fact, Xia Fangran was also in awe of Rong Taotao. He had never imagined that he, a mighty member of the Pine Soul Four Seasons, would one day be saved by a child...

Rong Taotao struggled to turn his head, stammering, "It’s fine, Coach Xia. Last time I absorbed... a Lotus, I... fainted too. Don’t worry... I won’t... die in my sleep..."

Before Rong Taotao could finish, a shout carried through the distant snowstorm, "Coach Xia! Is that you, Coach Xia?"

Xia Fangran’s eyes lit up. He yelled back, "I’m over here! The Frost Beauty is behind us, everyone be careful!"

As he spoke, Xia Fangran galloped his horse wildly, brushing past a squad of the Snow Burning Army.

The Snow Burning Army was completely stunned. As Xia Fangran tore through their ranks, he sprayed them all with his blood...

’What’s going on? It’s common sense for Snow Realm Soul Martial Artists to get a superficial wound, cover it with frost, and perform simple first aid.’

’How could a master of Coach Xia’s level not know a simple trick like that? Just how relentlessly is the enemy behind him pursuing them that he doesn’t even have a moment to freeze his wounds?’

Xia Fangran taught within the Third Wall’s perimeter year-round and was the Vanguard dispatched by Songjiang Soul Martial University to guard the Third Wall. His reputation was immense; there wasn’t a single soldier who didn’t know his name.

When had any of them ever seen Xia Fangran in such a sorry state?

’Is it because of the legendary Frost Beauty?’

Horrified, the soldiers immediately fell into formation. While a few were dispatched to escort Xia Fangran, the main force prepared for battle.

The soldiers of the Snow Burning Army wore incredibly grim expressions. They faced the vast, snowy expanse and waited for a long time, but saw no sign of any pursuers.

Where were they?

Where was the Frost Beauty?

Xia Fangran, however, paid them no mind. With his small escort, he raced madly toward Hundred Corps Pass...

"Rong Taotao, Rong Taotao? Sleep, my ass! Get up, stay with me!" Xia Fangran slapped Rong Taotao’s butt, cursing.

"Ugh, stop pawing at me..." Rong Taotao mumbled, half-conscious.

"You want to sleep? I’ll show you..."

"Coach Xia, please don’t move around so much," one of the Snow Burning Army soldiers, also galloping beside them, pleaded as he leaned over. His palm was covered in a white glow, trying his best to heal Xia Fangran’s wounds with Snow Prayer Radiance.

Xia Fangran’s constant movements were tearing open the wounds that the Snow Prayer Radiance had yet to close, as well as the ones sealed by frost.

Xia Fangran was frantic. "Do you have any food? Anything! My apprentice is starving to death!"

The Snow Burning Army was completely baffled...

’Hungry?’

’At a time like this? You’re about to bleed to death, and you’re worried about your apprentice being hungry?’

’You really are a model Pine Soul teacher, aren’t you!’

"SMACK!" Xia Fangran slapped Rong Taotao’s butt again. "Five minutes! I promise I’ll toss you into the Snow Burning Army’s mess hall. Wake up!"

"Fish-flavored shredded pork, double-cooked pork, smashed cucumber, fried peanuts, and a couple ounces of liquor... mmm..."

As he spoke, Xia Fangran found himself swallowing a mouthful of saliva...

...

I’d like to recommend a friend’s book, "Elf Leader." It’s a very good Pocket Monster-style story. If you’re interested, you can check it out.

Also, there will be four updates today. The next ones are at 5 PM and 8 PM. I’m writing them now, working hard.