Master of Nine Stars

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Gao Lingwei asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

"Mm... it doesn’t hurt, but it’s a little numb." Rong Taotao looked up at Gao Lingwei and whispered, "Try hitting it harder."

CLANG!

Another crisp sound rang through the empty hallway, leaving faint echoes in its wake.

Hammer in hand, Gao Lingwei put more force behind her swing, bringing it down hard on Rong Taotao’s right forearm.

Covered in a thin layer of frost, Rong Taotao’s forearm rang out like striking steel under the hammer’s blow.

"This is amazing." Squatting on the floor, Rong Taotao lifted his arm. He blew on the frost covering his forearm but couldn’t see the slightest dent. "It’s a little tingly and numb, probably from the vibration, but I didn’t take any real damage. It doesn’t hurt at all."

"This is the elite-grade Soul Skill, Iron Snow Forearm. Of course it can withstand a mere hammer." Also squatting, Gao Lingwei set down the hammer and pulled Rong Taotao’s hand over to inspect it closely.

After lunch, Rong Taotao had embedded the Bandit Snow Monkey Soul Pearl that Gao Lingwei gave him. Having advanced to the Soul Warrior Stage, he could now utilize the Soul Slots on his forehead and right elbow.

The two of them were currently in the hallway, testing out the new Soul Skill.

Gao Lingwei straightened his arm, looking it over from side to side. "You have to be careful from now on," she said. "It’s best to use your forearm to block enemy attacks. The rest of you is just flesh and bone. Don’t let someone chop off your hand."

"Right, right." Rong Taotao nodded repeatedly. The frost from Iron Snow Forearm only covered the section from his elbow to his wrist.

His hand, and the area above his elbow, had no frost covering at all.

"This snow is so thin," Rong Taotao said with a laugh. "I thought it’d be a thick layer of defensive armor."

"Mm, I think the total amount of frost is probably substantial; it’s just been compressed to its limit. Try swinging your arm. See if it’s heavy," Gao Lingwei said. Just then, the apartment door behind her suddenly opened.

Rong Yang’s head peeked out. When he saw the two youngsters squatting on the ground, studying their "new toy," he couldn’t help but smile. "How’d it go? Was the embedding successful?"

"Success!" Rong Taotao raised his arm and gave it a shake, showing it off to Rong Yang.

’Hmm, my arm isn’t too heavy. Even though it’s like wearing Steel Arm Armor, the material is extremely light.’

"Come on, embed the Soul Pearl for your forehead too." Rong Yang opened the door wider, signaling for them to come in.

Rong Taotao immediately stood up. The layer of frost on his right forearm instantly shattered, rustling as it fell to the ground.

Gao Lingwei picked up the hammer, stood, and followed Rong Taotao into the apartment. She saw Rong Yang hand a Soul Pearl to Rong Taotao, and then... Rong Taotao just stood there, completely still.

"What’s wrong?" Gao Lingwei took a step forward, standing behind him, and peeked over his shoulder to curiously look at what was in his hand.

"Ah, it’s... it’s nothing. This Soul Pearl just looks really amazing," Rong Taotao said casually, vaguely brushing off her concern.

In reality, he had been reading the information transmitted from his Inner Soul Map.

"Soul Pearl Discovered: Snow Realm: Songxue Zhisou (Elite Grade, Potential Value: -)

Soul Pearl’s Soul Skill:

1, Pine Snow’s Silence: Use ice-and-snow Attribute Soul Power to stimulate the head, emitting a special Spiritual Ability to connect with a target’s mind. (Elite Grade, Potential Value: -)

Absorb?"

’Pine Snow’s Silence? Huh, what an interesting name.’

Rong Taotao’s expression was odd. This Soul Pearl was different from any he had ever seen before.

It was a snowball the size of a marble with a few pine needles mixed inside. It didn’t look like a Soul Pearl at all.

Holding the strange Soul Pearl, Rong Taotao changed into his slippers and walked into the living room.

"Go ahead and absorb it. On my way here, I already destroyed the original Soul Pearl in my forehead and embedded this Songxue Zhisou Soul Pearl," Rong Yang said.

Rong Taotao immediately nodded. Nearby, sitting on the sofa, Gao Lingwei watched the two brothers with complex emotions.

Rong Taotao pressed the Songxue Zhisou Soul Pearl to his forehead. Instantly, the tiny snowball shattered, and a dense surge of Soul Power flowed into him.

"Whoa!" Stunned for a moment, Rong Taotao’s mouth hung open as he stared down at his hands in disbelief.

Beside him, Rong Yang suddenly raised a hand to cover his own mouth.

At the same time, Rong Taotao raised his own hand to cover his mouth in the exact same motion.

Rong Taotao: ???

"Not bad. You really are my little brother; you don’t have your guard up around me at all." Rong Yang lowered his hand and said with a smile.

"What do you mean? Were you just controlling my hand?" Rong Taotao whipped his head around to look at Rong Yang.

"Yes." Rong Yang nodded lightly. "Everyone is wary of others, especially Soul Martial Artists like us. The fact that I was able to influence your movements proves you trust me."

"Don’t flatter yourself~ I just didn’t have time to react." Rong Taotao pouted and changed the subject. "This must be what it’s like when Da Wei shares her vision with the Snowball Cat, right?"

Rong Yang nodded. "Yes, but this phenomenon only occurs between biological siblings, like your classmates Shi Lou and Shi Lan.

"If other Soul Martial Artists embedded this Soul Pearl, they wouldn’t be able to use this Soul Skill to share another person’s vision."

Rong Taotao nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, the description for this Soul Skill was very simple: to connect spiritually with a target.

The various extra functions he and Rong Yang could perform were likely a special benefit reserved for blood brothers.

As Rong Taotao mulled this over, his vision flickered, and suddenly he was only seeing through his own eyes.

Beside him, Rong Yang explained, "This is what happens when we intentionally maintain a mental link. If either one of us no longer wants to receive the signal, they can return to normal with a single thought.

"We can reconnect anytime, as long as we both agree, and there’s no distance limit.

"So? Isn’t this much more useful than your so-called satellite phones?"

"This world... it’s truly incredible..." Rong Taotao nodded repeatedly in amazement, but his mind was already cooking up slick schemes. "I’m telling you, this Soul Skill is a cheating Divine Artifact!"

"You dare!" Nearby, Yang Chunxi put on a stern act, but she couldn’t maintain it for long and shot Rong Taotao a smiling glare.

"Uh." Rong Taotao scratched his head in embarrassment and communicated directly with Rong Yang’s mind: ’During exams from now on, I’ll just hand over the reins. You can control my body and answer the questions for me. It couldn’t be more perfect!’

"Heh, in your dreams," Rong Yang retorted with a laugh. "Close your eyes and use my vision now."

"Okay." Rong Taotao closed his eyes. He had the strange sensation of his soul leaving his body as he looked at himself through his brother Rong Yang’s eyes.

Rong Yang suddenly said, "My field of vision is limited. Even though I’m taking in a wide picture, my gaze can only focus on one object. For instance, right now I’m looking at your face."

"Mm," Rong Taotao murmured, nodding with his eyes still closed. In the shared vision, his brother Rong Yang was indeed looking at his face.

Rong Yang continued, "But my eyes are actually recording a lot more information; I just instinctively ignore some parts of it."

Rong Taotao’s brow furrowed slightly as he instantly understood what Rong Yang meant.

’Sharing vision... isn’t the same as sharing his gaze!?’

Rong Taotao strained to look to the side, and his heart couldn’t help but start POUNDING!

Everything Rong Yang saw in his peripheral vision, all the minor details he had been ignoring... In short, Rong Taotao could see with perfect clarity anything that entered his brother’s field of view.

It was as if Rong Taotao’s soul had truly left his body. He had started by seeing from his brother Rong Yang’s position, but now, it was like he had stepped out of Rong Yang’s body and turned to look behind him.

Behind him was only a void—the blind spot in Rong Yang’s vision.

"How do I control your body?" Rong Taotao asked.

"We have to work together. You push the Soul Skill to strengthen the mental link, and I’ll lower my guard and let you..." Before Rong Yang could finish, he raised a hand, rubbed his own buzz cut, and a goofy smile spread across his face.

Sitting on the sofa, Yang Chunxi buried her face in her hands. Her tall, handsome boyfriend really did not suit this dopey, simpleton look...

"Rong Yang" spoke, "Hey, Bro, your buzz cut feels pretty nice, huh?"

"Hah..." Sitting on the sofa, Rong Taotao sucked in a sharp breath and his eyes flew open.

A short distance away, Rong Yang, having regained control of his body, shot Rong Taotao a fierce glare.

But Rong Taotao wasn’t the least bit scared. Instead, he jumped to his feet excitedly. "Bro, are you at the Soul School stage? Can I use your body to get a sneak peek of what it’s like?"

The corner of Rong Yang’s mouth twitched awkwardly...

’A... a sneak peek?’

"Is there any chance it could work?" Rong Taotao asked, his face full of anticipation.

"Your knowledge base is insufficient, and your mental fortitude isn’t high enough. You can’t handle the Soul School level for now," Rong Yang said irritably.

"Then teach me! Your Soul School body is top-tier! We’ve got the hardware, you just need to install the software in my head, and we... Hey, don’t hit me, don’t... Sis-in-law, he’s hitting me, can’t you do something...?"

In an instant, the house erupted into chaos.

The normally mild-mannered Rong Yang had finally snapped...

Yang Chunxi watched the scene with a broad smile. It had been a long time since she’d seen Rong Yang lose his temper. He was usually so calm and composed; it was nice to see him finally show a bit of fire.

However, this happiness belonged to only three of them, not to the owner of the house.

Gao Lingwei bit her lip, trying her best not to look too crestfallen, but her heart ached with sadness.

She had an older sister, too.

’All of this... I should have had this.’

’I should have been the one to have a mental link with my sister, to enjoy her care and guidance.’

’I should have been the one to grow up with her, relying on her, sharing our deepest secrets, even whispering under the covers at night about what happened at school that day.’

But she had none of it.

For his little brother’s sake, Rong Yang had even destroyed his original high-quality Spiritual Soul Pearl and embedded a lower-quality one of the same type, all just to protect Rong Taotao and stay by his side.

But her sister... her sister had become a criminal, one who constantly tormented her, frayed her fragile nerves, and trampled her dignity again and again.

In the living room, the roughhousing brothers finally stopped. Yang Chunxi, ever perceptive, noticed Gao Lingwei’s somber expression. After a moment’s thought, she understood what must have happened and couldn’t help but sigh to herself.

Yang Chunxi turned and gave a slight, subtle tilt of her head, gesturing toward Gao Lingwei.

Rong Taotao froze for a second, then realization dawned. He smoothed out his naturally curly hair, which had been ruffled into a complete mess, and quickly walked over to the sofa to look down at the silent Gao Lingwei.

Rong Taotao immediately spoke up. "Hey, Da Wei, let’s go out for a walk. It gets dark early, so the night market should be opening soon, right?"

Pulled from her daze, Gao Lingwei looked up and saw Rong Taotao’s smiling face.

She hesitated for a moment before saying, "You should learn your other Soul Skills first. You were so focused on lunch that you didn’t learn any."

"Eh! There’s plenty of time for Soul Skills." Rong Taotao waved his hand dismissively, but as it came down, he grabbed Gao Lingwei’s hand and pulled her right up from the sofa. "Come on, let’s go for a walk. Since it’s the New Year, there should be plenty of afternoon activities, right?"

"Yes, there should be," Gao Lingwei nodded lightly.

"Let’s go, let’s go~ Time for a stroll."

"Alright, alright, slow down! I need to put my shoes on..."