Master of Nine Stars

Their hometown happened to be located right next to a Starfield Vortex.

Throughout middle school, before they had even become Soul Martial Artists, they were already fighting low-level Starfield Soul Beasts under their parents’ protection.

This alone showed that the upbringing of Starfield Soul Martial Artists was a hundred times better than that of Snow Realm Soul Martial Artists!

The Huaxia Army was stationed inside the Starfield Vortex near their hometown, and the army would intentionally release low-level Soul Beasts for civilian Soul Martial Artists to train against.

The two sisters had spent years casually fighting Starfield Soul Beasts,

placing them leagues above those ignorant and clueless middle school graduates...

"Just show me the full extent of your abilities. Don’t feel too much pressure." On the field, Si Huan Nian spoke. Her lazy tone sounded somewhat gentle, stunning the surrounding students who were well aware of her cruelty.

’What’s going on?’

’Did she eat too much sugar? Why is Teacher Si in such a good mood today?’

Of course, the students didn’t know that Rong Taotao, as a candidate for the Junior Class assessment, was different from those middle schoolers who had snuck out to tour the school.

What the students knew even less was that in Si Huan Nian’s mind, the student she was about to assess wasn’t Rong Taotao, but... Xu Fenghua’s son!

Filled with anticipation, Si Huan Nian flung her hands out. A flurry of snowflakes swirled from within her wide, snow-white sleeves. The next moment, two Great Sabers pieced together from snowflakes shot out from her sleeves, and they even "grew" sharp Snow Blades.

Rong Taotao held his halberd in one hand behind his back and said, "You need Dual Sabers just to beat up a little kid?"

Hearing this, Si Huan Nian raised an eyebrow. ’Faced with my powerful aura, he’s not intimidated at all!’

’So, a newborn calf has no fear of a tiger?’

’Not only is he not afraid, this little brat is actually quite clever, trying to use words to distract his opponent.’

’Hmm, not a bad tactic. A little interesting.’

But Si Huan Nian said nothing, merely tossing one of the sabers casually to the ground.

Without the support of Soul Power, the snow-forged battle blade quickly disintegrated, scattering in the cold wind like something from a dream.

Rong Taotao crouched slightly, waiting for his opponent to strike.

This posture was, of course, the signal to begin.

Si Huan Nian strode forward. No fancy footwork, no feints; she just walked straight toward Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao, as well as the students watching from the sidelines, all stumbled back several steps.

Waves of chilling air washed over them, making Rong Taotao shiver uncontrollably.

’Holy crap, what is this?’

Rong Taotao’s face was pale and his body was trembling, but his words were as sharp as ever: "A respectable teacher like you is using Soul Power suppression to beat up a little kid?"

Although Si Huan Nian’s expression didn’t change, she was delighted inside. ’Not bad! Not a shred of fear!’

’His body is shivering—an uncontrollable, natural reaction to the cold wind—but his words are still meant to distract his opponent.’

Si Huan Nian watched Rong Taotao with great interest and, quite cooperatively, reined in some of her aura.

Rong Taotao immediately changed tactics. Having retreated several steps, he stomped his foot, then surged forward instead of back, lunging with his halberd.

Rong Taotao planted himself in a stable lunge and, taking advantage of his Heaven-piercing Halberd’s length, thrust directly at her chest from over two meters away.

"CLANG!"

With a crisp ring, Si Huan Nian swung her blade down in a swift, clean arc, the snow-white weapon striking the icy Ironspear Point.

The force was so immense that Rong Taotao was completely overpowered.

The Ironspear Point of the Long Halberd he had thrust from his lunge was knocked directly to the ground. Si Huan Nian stepped right on the cross-shaped head of the Heaven-piercing Halberd, and she didn’t even break her stride!

The next moment, her other foot landed on the Halberd Shaft.

It was obvious she was intentionally holding back. Otherwise, the Heaven-piercing Halberd would have surely been knocked from Rong Taotao’s hands and pinned to the ground beneath her foot.

She took another step, continuing to walk along the long Heaven-piercing Halberd!

Rong Taotao dug his heels in and, once again, surged forward instead of retreating!

His every move defied the onlookers’ expectations.

Rong Taotao gripped the Heaven-piercing Halberd with all his might, bracing the Halberd Shaft against his shoulder as he stepped forward and suddenly heaved it upward!

It was a classic "lever prying a boulder" move!

Given that Si Huan Nian was intentionally holding back, the brilliant principle of leverage immediately took effect.

Rong Taotao used every ounce of his strength and was finally rewarded! Si Huan Nian, who had been standing on the Halberd Shaft, was actually thrown backward into the air.

Si Huan Nian’s eyebrow twitched. She smoothly transitioned into a backflip, simultaneously flinging the Snow Blade from her right hand straight at Rong Taotao!

"GASP..."

"Ah!"

"Holy shit!"

A wave of gasps erupted. It made sense for Si Huan Nian—flipping backward mid-air with no footing—to throw her weapon to buy time to land.

’But... that rapidly spinning Snow Blade... is she trying to kill him!?’

Rong Taotao had no time to think. His body moved on its own, instinct guiding his actions.

The fruits of his long, arduous training and his spars with his master were on full display in that instant!

With the halberd shaft still braced on his shoulder, Rong Taotao suddenly sidestepped, gripping the shaft with both hands and angling it diagonally in front of him to block!

"PUFF..."

The rapidly spinning Snow Blade struck the Halberd Shaft in front of Rong Taotao after all.

But the instant it touched the Halberd Shaft, the Snow Blade shattered into a flurry of snowflakes.