Master of Nine Stars

"Defend or break out?" Lu Mang asked.

Rong Taotao was delighted. "Just hold our ground. Do you have a long-handled weapon?"

Lu Mang: "I’ve only been learning for half a year. My skill isn’t refined."

Rong Taotao pulled Lu Mang behind him. "In this situation, it’s better than using a longsword."

"Mm." Lu Mang crouched down. A moment later, he pulled a giant axe from the deep snow.

Rong Taotao: ???

’Holy crap, a giant axe?’

The giant axe was three meters long. The shaft was 1.5 meters, and the remaining 1.5 meters was entirely the axe head, which was incredibly wide and thick. If you laid the axe on its side, you could probably fit two or three people standing on it!

Rong Taotao was stunned!

Lu Mang had a typical "idol’s body"—tall, thin, and very easy on the eyes. But from a Soul Martial Artist’s perspective, Lu Mang was just a "beanpole."

His build was a complete mismatch for the giant axe in his hands.

"Did Li Lie train you to do this? Weren’t you still learning Spear Technique from Si Huan Nian over the summer?" After a quick glance at the giant axe, Rong Taotao warily scanned their surroundings.

Ever since the lead Snowflake Wolf retreated with serious injuries, the pack had quieted down considerably. It seemed they were preparing to take these two seriously.

The surrounding Pine Forest was filled with the darting figures of Snowflake Wolves. They could launch their attack at any moment.

Lu Mang: "I was only with Coach Si for about ten days, so I didn’t learn much. But I’ve been with Coach Li for over half a year, training together every day."

Rong Taotao nodded. Since Lu Mang could create a giant axe with his Snow Soul, it meant his axe skills were at least two-star level, maybe even higher.

"I guess I haven’t been paying enough attention to you," Rong Taotao said, seemingly teasing him to diffuse the tension of being surrounded.

The day Rong Taotao returned to school and was discharged from the hospital was the day of the final exams. In the days that followed, he had seen Lu Mang using a sword in the Martial Arts Arena, but he had never once seen him pick up a giant axe.

Lu Mang and Rong Taotao stood back-to-back. Lu Mang spoke quietly, "Mm, your eyes are only for her."

Rong Taotao: "..."

"They’re coming!" Lu Mang grunted. "Hmph, they’re treating me as the weak point."

Rong Taotao: "Goes to show they have some intelligence."

Lu Mang: "I..."

"Switch!" Pressing his back against Lu Mang’s, Rong Taotao showed a domineering attitude he never had when teaming up with Gao Lingwei, instantly seizing command of their duo.

After they switched, the Snowflake Wolves that should have been charging Lu Mang were now facing Rong Taotao!

Seeing several Snowflake Wolves charging toward him, Rong Taotao suddenly smiled...

’Old friends, it’s been a few months. How have you been?~’

’I know you all so well. Thank you for accompanying me through a month and a half of darkness!’

Meanwhile, atop a distant, giant pine tree, hidden among the dense branches.

Fu Tiance stood on a high branch, a strange look on his face as he watched the battlefield below. "Sheep, is your little brother a battle junkie?"

Rong Yang: "Huh?"

Fu Tiance: "Why is he smiling in such a critical situation?"

Rong Tao: "Maybe... uh..."

Fu Tiance’s eyes suddenly lit up. "Whoa, he’s got some skills!"

He saw Rong Taotao’s battle halberd flashing about. Sticking and yielding, wiping and leading, in the blink of an eye, two or three exchanges had passed. Rong Taotao hadn’t pierced a single enemy head-on. Every one of his movements was about redirecting force and using the enemy’s momentum.

Fu Tiance had never seen Rong Taotao’s one-on-one skills, but in a one-on-many fight... Rong Taotao was practically a ruthless defensive machine!

Following, sticking, wiping, leading... Fu Tiance was overjoyed watching this.

’What a good Seedling! A truly great Seedling!’

’In terms of skill alone, he’s probably not a Seedling anymore. He’s already a seasoned pro!’

Ugly Ox, who had been rather indifferent until now, also wore a serious expression. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Ugly Ox watched Rong Taotao’s incredibly fluid and clever fighting style intently. After a long moment, he said in a deep voice, "You can tell he’s put in the hard work."

"Have you noticed? His defensive arc isn’t 180°, it’s 360°. If he didn’t have a partner at his back, he’d actually have an easier time."

Rong Yang pouted but didn’t say anything. He felt a sweet warmth inside, though. ’My little brother is being praised by this cold-faced, brutish ox. How rare...’

Mao Rabbit spoke with a hint of worry, "The Wolf King looks like it’s getting restless. Should we intervene?"

Fu Tiance stuck a finger into the eyehole of his hood, widening it. He said excitedly, "No rush, no rush. Let’s watch a little longer~ Oh, right, when we get back, swap this hood out for a mask for me. Get me a cool dragon head."

Mao Rabbit: "..."

"HYA~!" A sharp cry came from the distance.

Fu Tiance pushed aside the pine branches next to him with one hand and looked into the distance.

He saw Gao Lingwei flick an Ice Crystal Squirrel into the sky with her battle halberd. The next moment, Gao Lingwei’s figure also shot up from the giant pine tree, soaring toward the heavens!

"SCREE!" The Ice Crystal Squirrel snarled, baring its teeth and even revealing two ice-crystal fangs. It looked utterly ferocious. Its eyes locked onto Gao Lingwei viciously as it used its Pupil Technique again!

However... Gao Lingwei, soaring straight into the air, had her eyes closed and was completely unaffected.

Although her eyes were closed, among the nearby pine branches, Frost Night Xuerong’s eyes were wide open.

The Snowball Cat was constantly providing Gao Lingwei with vision.

At that moment, Gao Lingwei was undergoing a peculiar combat experience.

The "camera angle" provided by the Snowball Cat was a side view. With her eyes closed, Gao Lingwei watched the girl in that view, estimating the distance between herself and the ferocious squirrel.