Master of Nine Stars

Fu Tiance finally felt a bit better hearing that.

After all, Ugly Ox was an upright and disciplined man who rarely praised anyone.

Rong Taotao asked curiously, "Software?"

He watched as the burly man, Ugly Ox, raised a thick finger and tapped his temple.

’Oh...’ Rong Taotao pursed his lips. ’So you’re saying my hardware is no good?’

’With a flower in each hand, I’ll pierce right through your kidneys. Then you’ll know just how strong my hardware is!’

Of course, Rong Taotao was just thinking this to himself. He figured what Ugly Ox meant by "hardware" was his physical body.

After all, Rong Taotao was still just a Soul Warrior, so he couldn’t really argue when a Great God said something like that.

Fu Tiance said, "Go on back. Be on standby and get some rest while you can. It’s not unheard of to get sent out on two or three missions in a single night."

"Yah!" Gao Lingwei urged her horse forward, her actions crisp and decisive.

Behind them, Rong Yang blinked. He hadn’t even had a chance to speak...

But then he saw Rong Taotao turn around in his saddle to face him, riding backward as he waved.

Fu Tiance chuckled. "Heh, see? The kid’s not affected at all. You can rest easy."

"Hmm... right." Rong Yang murmured, nodding thoughtfully.

The first time Rong Taotao had hurt someone was on New Year’s Eve. Poachers had cornered him in a noodle shop and attacked him viciously, but Rong Taotao had ended up killing them in self-defense. Tonight was the second time he’d harmed someone.

In fact, Rong Yang was actually a little gratified. His younger brother’s actions proved that he had a clear head and a precise understanding of combat.

Rong Taotao returning from the Snowfield with the Free Person whose wounds he’d treated was the best example of this.

Rong Taotao truly understood what he was doing.

Fu Tiance said, "When Mao Rabbit gets back, have him send the forehead Soul Pearls to those two. Their performance tonight was genuinely good. They deserve a reward.

But since they haven’t enlisted, we can’t add anything to their official record. Think about it, what else does your brother need?"

Rong Yang thought for a moment. "Thank you, Captain Fu. I’ll think it over."

"Mm."

The trio turned and headed for the soldiers’ barracks, while Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei arrived at the foot of the Social Practitioners’ dormitory. They unsummoned their Snow Night Shocks, shouldered their army packs, and hurried inside.

As Rong Taotao carefully unlocked and opened the door, he saw that Lu Mang was still sitting cross-legged on his bed, waves of Soul Power pulsing powerfully around him.

The two tiptoed inside. Gao Lingwei gestured toward the bathroom, and Rong Taotao replied directly in her mind, "You go first."

But Gao Lingwei just mouthed the words, "You first. Be quick."

Rong Taotao: ...

’Oh, well thank you so much!’

Living up to Gao Lingwei’s expectations, Rong Taotao emerged, refreshed, in under ten minutes. He jumped in surprise, however, to find Gao Lingwei standing right outside the door, waiting for him.

When Rong Taotao came out, Gao Lingwei studied him intently, her gaze drifting up to his damp, naturally curly hair.

Rong Taotao raised an eyebrow, activating the Soul Skill on his forehead to ask, "What’s wrong?"

Gao Lingwei just shook her head without responding. She walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Rong Taotao looked bewildered. ’What’s with her?’

’So weird...’

Of course, he had no idea what had gone through Gao Lingwei’s mind for that brief moment back on the Snowfield.

Rong Taotao walked over to his bed, drying his hair. He grabbed his phone from the top bunk, intending to check the time, but was surprised to see a message from Rong Yang.

"Taotao, I’d like to talk. If you’re up for it, reply to me. If you’re tired, don’t worry about it and get some rest."

Rong Taotao paused, hesitating for a moment before typing on his screen, "Now? Where?"

Rong Yang’s reply came back quickly. "The first floor of your dorm building. I’m heading over now."

Rong Taotao finished buttoning his pajamas, grabbed his white down jacket from the top bunk, and draped it over his shoulders. He activated his Pine Snow’s Silence Soul Skill, directing it at the bathroom. "My brother wants to talk. We’ll be on the first floor. I’ll be back up in a bit."

Wrapped in his down jacket, Rong Taotao went down to the first floor and saw Rong Yang sitting on a sofa in the lobby.

Rong Taotao asked curiously, "What’s up?"

"Sit." Rong Yang patted the sofa beside him.

Watching his little brother sit down, Rong Yang thought for a moment before speaking. "Taotao, are you willing to join the Snow Burning Army? Is that part of your plan for the future?"

Since it was his own brother, Rong Taotao had nothing to hide. He thought for a moment and said, "I do want to join the Snow Burning Army, but you know that enlisting is just a means to an end for me.

It’s difficult for me to go beyond the Third Wall in any other capacity, right?"

Rong Taotao shrugged, speaking frankly. "I want to achieve some things as a student first.

That way, I’ll have a bit more leverage. When I join the Snow Burning Army, maybe I can get into a special unit.

I want to join a unit with more freedom, one with a lot of discretionary time, that can go beyond the Third Wall... and ideally, one that can enter the Snow Realm Vortex..."

As he spoke, a strange look came over Rong Taotao’s face.

’Damn,’ he thought. ’Turns out I’m one of those "Free People" too...’

Rong Yang paused, surprised. "The Snow Realm Vortex?"

He knew why Rong Taotao wanted to go beyond the Third Wall, but the Snow Realm Vortex?

"Yeah." Rong Taotao thought for a moment, then leaned close to Rong Yang’s ear. "You know I have two Lotus Petals."

Rong Yang nodded at once. "I do."

Rong Taotao continued, "I talked to Si Huan Nian about it. The Prison Lotus petal inside me can likely track the other Lotus Petals.

Since they’re all petals of a Snow Realm Treasure, the other ones are most likely inside the Snow Realm Vortex. Once I reach the Soul School level, I want to go treasure hunting in the Vortex.

Seriously, you have no idea how powerful the Nine-Petaled Lotus is, or how incredible its abilities are!

If I can collect all the pieces of this treasure, I’ll be ridiculously strong. I’ll be able to strut around the Snow Realm like I own the place. I’d like to see anyone try and stop me..."

Rong Yang: "Uh..."

Rong Taotao’s face was flushed with excitement as he got lost in his wonderful fantasy. "Maybe I’ll even be able to unravel the mysteries of the Snow Realm Vortex and put a complete end to this northern war that’s dragged on for decades!

Then my life will be set! I’ll absolutely go down in history, my name glorious for millennia!"

’Damn, this kid’s got some serious ambition, huh?’ Rong Yang thought, his expression a sight to behold.

People’s goals always change as they grow and see more of the world.

Rong Taotao had never given up on his goal of going beyond the Third Wall.

And now that he had two Lotus Petals, it was only natural that he wanted to collect them all.

In short, who wouldn’t want to become stronger?

Power was leverage.

He had truly gained so much since entering Songjiang Soul Martial.

He never again wanted to see Gao Lingwei tormented by her own mind, clutching her head and crying out in agony.

Likewise, there was his gentle and considerate sister-in-law, his brother right in front of him, Si Huan Nian who protected him in secret, Xia Fangran who taught him, and all his comrades in the Junior Soul Class...

...he didn’t want anything bad to happen to any of them.

These were the things Rong Taotao had gained as he grew up. And now that he had them, he was unwilling to lose them.

"Ahem." Rong Yang coughed, pulling the dreaming boy back to reality.

Rong Yang said, "Let’s get back to the topic of the Snow Burning Army. Since you want a unit with more autonomy and free time, then our Unit Twelve really isn’t a good fit. As long as the Poachers exist, we can’t rest. We have no discretionary time to speak of."

Rong Taotao nodded. "So, are there any units in the Snow Burning Army like that? Ones that can freely travel beyond the Third Wall, or even into the Snow Realm Vortex?"

It was a practical concern. Social Practitioners couldn’t even get past the Second Wall, let alone the Third Wall, and it wasn’t like Rong Taotao was going to become a criminal...

Rong Yang: "There used to be."

Rong Taotao: "Hmm?"

Rong Yang: "But it’s now defunct—exists in name only. The unit was founded in the year 2000 with the primary mission of exploring the Snow Realm Vortex.

But the Snow Realm Vortex is just too dangerous. They lost a huge number of soldiers over countless expeditions. Those casualty reports weren’t just numbers; they were living, breathing people...

So, five years after its founding, in 2005, the unit’s operations were halted. It was subsequently absorbed into the Third Wall’s Guard Army.

Now, all that’s left of them is their unit designation."

Rong Taotao raised an eyebrow. "If they’re not running missions anymore and were absorbed into the City Wall Guard Army, then why does the unit still exist? Why keep the designation?"

Rong Yang pressed his lips together, silent for a long moment. "Because a few members of that unit are still alive," he said, "and they still carry the memories of their fallen comrades.

They still have their dignity, their beliefs... and an unfinished mission."

"What was the unit called?"

"Cyan Mountain."