Master of Nine Stars

"Cold Star Cover: Channels Starfield Attribute Soul Power to cover the surface of the body, imbuing it with a will of its own to fight alongside the Caster against enemies.

The stars’ response will vary according to the intensity of the Caster’s will. (Ordinary Level, Potential Value: 6 Stars.)"

Rong Taotao carefully read the information transmitted by his Inner Soul Map. At the same time, a layer of starlight successively appeared on his palm, arm, and shoulder, shimmering with a fantastical glow.

However... Rong Taotao couldn’t cover his entire body with this starlight, only one area at a time.

According to his dad’s earlier explanation, the number of areas he could cover simultaneously increased with the Quality of the Soul Skill.

In other words, for every increase in Quality, he could activate Cold Star Cover on one additional part of his body.

"What’s next? There are three left. I’ll just learn them all on our way there!" Rong Taotao said, turning to his father.

"Mm," Rong Yuanshan nodded lightly. "Cold Star Cover is considered the most difficult of the one-star Soul Techniques to master. If you can learn even that one quickly, the others won’t be a problem."

"For Douxing Qi, you need to channel Starfield Soul Power throughout your entire body. By the way, you’ve already learned Snow Dance, haven’t you?"

"Of course," Rong Taotao said.

Rong Yuanshan continued, "Mm, it’s similar to Snow Dance. Using your Dantian as the core, the Soul Power you direct downward should spiral down, while the Soul Power moving upward should spiral up.

Remember, for your arms, the Soul Power isn’t supplied by your Dantian. Instead, it comes from the Pleiades point, which channels it into both arms.

You don’t have to activate it all at once. You’re a beginner, after all. If you want to add the force of Douxing Qi to your punch, just supply the Starfield Soul Power directly from your chest, letting it coil inside your arm and channel toward your fist."

Rong Taotao raised an eyebrow slightly, tried clenching his fist, channeled Soul Power from his Pleiades point, and threw a punch.

Hmm...

Nothing happened.

Rong Yuanshan shook his head, looking rather helpless. His son really was one of a kind.

For most people, Heart Stepping Type Soul Skills were relatively difficult to learn, while other Soul Skills were easier.

But for Rong Taotao, the situation was the exact opposite...

’It seems that cultivating a child’s rich emotional life and letting him experience all aspects of life from a young age is its own special path,’ he thought.

Rong Yuanshan said, "First, make the Soul Power coil inside your arm. Let it start rotating internally."

Rong Taotao obediently extended his arm, diligently channeling Soul Power from his chest into his arm and toward his fist.

A few seconds later, thanks to his efforts, the Starfield Soul Power that had been flowing straight through his arm gradually formed a spiral, spinning faster and faster...

"Learned Starfield Soul Skill: Douxing Qi!

Douxing Qi: Channels Starfield Soul Power, causing it to spiral within the body, which then drives your movements and grants you a measure of star power. (Ordinary Level, Potential Value: 4 Stars.)"

’Only four stars?’

Rong Taotao felt a pang of disappointment, but that was quickly followed by a pleasant surprise!

’Four stars is great!’

’Other people can only train it to the four-star Master Level, where the force of a punch has a clear limit.’

’But I can increase its Potential Value!’

’If I could get it to six-star Legendary Level, or even a seven-star Epic Level, wouldn’t that be amazing?’

’In other words... even if my own power level is low, as long as my fists are hard enough and I have enough strength, I could slap Xia Fangran to death?’

Tsk tsk...

The more Rong Taotao thought about it, the happier he became. He was practically bursting with joy.

’Once I’ve mastered Douxing Qi, who says a Little Soul Warrior like me can’t beat Soul Captain Gao Lingwei in an arm wrestle?’

Rong Taotao immediately looked at Rong Yuanshan and asked, "This Soul Skill is at the Ordinary Level. What does the Excellent Level look like?"

’Oh-ho?’

’You’ve just learned to walk and you already want to run?’

Rong Yuanshan felt like retorting, but then he thought about his son’s Talent... ’Ah, forget it. I might as well tell him.’

’He’s my son, but the kid’s a freak. He masters everything instantly. It’s just not fair...’

Rong Yuanshan said, "A double helix."

"What do you mean?"

Rong Yuanshan explained, "Right now, you have a single spiral of Soul Power coiling around the bone in your arm and surging forward."

Rong Taotao nodded. "Yeah."

Rong Yuanshan’s gaze drifted into the distance, toward the fence at the edge of the training grounds. "Excellent Level Douxing Qi is a double helix. By the same token, Elite Level is a triple helix, and Master Level is a quadruple helix."

A thought struck Rong Taotao. "Has anyone ever managed a five or six-helix version?"

"No," Rong Yuanshan said with absolute certainty. "Don’t underestimate a single spiral of Soul Power. The difficulty increases severalfold with each one you add. It requires an extremely high level of control from the Caster."

As he spoke, Rong Yuanshan looked at Rong Taotao with a hint of anticipation, as if he were waiting for something...

After half a minute, Rong Taotao, his face scrunched in a grimace, pouted. Only then did he notice his father’s expectant gaze.

An odd look crossed his face. "What are you looking at? You don’t actually think I can pull off a double helix right now, do you?"

Rong Yuanshan snorted. "Aren’t you a genius?"

Rong Taotao scratched his head, a goofy grin spreading across his face. "If you put it that way, I’m not gonna argue~"

Rong Yuanshan was left speechless by Rong Taotao’s constant retorts. He tried to maintain a stern fatherly expression, but he was probably on the verge of becoming just like Si Huan Nian. In a few days, he’d likely resort to kicking him too.

He thought he finally understood how his colleague must have felt back then. He now had an inkling of why that colleague had insisted on beating Rong Taotao until he cried ’daddy’...

"Sigh." Rong Yuanshan took a deep breath, composing himself.

’Still, mm... my eldest son is better. So respectful, dignified, and composed...’

"Quick, quick! There’s still Star-shaped Lamp and Little Starfall!" Rong Taotao said, putting on an eager, knowledge-hungry expression as he pleaded for more lessons.

"Let’s head into the training ground first. Master these two Soul Skills before you learn the others." Rong Yuanshan gestured toward the distant Pasture House, then pointed to an information plaque by the door. "Go get acquainted with your opponent."

"Oh." Rong Taotao hurried forward and saw that the plaque listed only one type of Starfield Soul Beast.

"Fighting Star Bear?" Rong Taotao raised an eyebrow. The picture on the sign showed a huge black bear. It was standing upright in the photo, but unlike a black bear from Earth, it had four arms growing from its shoulders, complete with four sets of sharp claws.

Rong Taotao carefully read the description: "Excellent to Elite Level Soul Beast, bear-type.

Possesses Soul Skill: Cold Star Cover.

Has immense strength but slow movement speed. Suitable for Practitioners at the Soul Warrior Stage. Practitioners at the Soul Soldier Stage require the supervision of two or more professionals to train.

Note: This training ground does not accommodate Soul Martial Artists at the Soul Captain rank or higher."

"Damn, this is nice..." Rong Taotao couldn’t help but sigh.

SMACK! Rong Yuanshan finally lost his patience and slapped Rong Taotao on the shoulder. "Watch your mouth."

Rong Taotao put on an obedient expression. "Mm-hm."

’Argh, so frustrating!’

’The Star Candle Army even lists which Soul Beast grounds are suitable for which rank of Soul Martial Artist. And then you look at the Snow Realm!’

’The Wall! Suitable for everyone!’

’The motto of our Snow Burning Army is: ’Come in or don’t. If you’re not coming in, scram! Don’t get in the way of me standing guard, patrolling, and enjoying this lovely wind and snow...’

"Let’s go!"

The two entered the large room of the Pasture House. The first thing they saw was a small diner, complete with dining tables, a bar, a rest area, and a weapons and equipment section. It had everything.

"Go on, pick a weapon."

"Hey, Dad, you’re a saber user, right? Like my brother?"

"I am. Why?" Rong Yuanshan replied.

"I’ve started practicing the saber too, so this is a perfect chance for you to give me some pointers," Rong Taotao said casually as he walked toward the weapons rack.

Rong Yuanshan had thought his son would choose the Heaven-piercing Halberd. After all, he knew of Rong Taotao’s obsession with it. He hadn’t expected the boy to have started practicing with a saber.

With that thought, he walked straight toward the main door of the pasture on the opposite side.

Rong Taotao arrived at the weapons area. He scanned the wall covered in weapons for a long time but couldn’t find a Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, so in the end, he had to settle for a Tang Saber.

He took off his backpack, carefully adjusted the saber’s position, and secured it horizontally across the small of his back.

"Mm," Rong Taotao nodded in satisfaction. Holding his backpack, he looked at Rong Yuanshan and asked tentatively, "How about... you carry this for me for a bit?"

Rong Yuanshan: "..."

A dozen or so seconds later, the back door of the large wooden house swung open.

With the Tang Saber secured at his back, Rong Taotao followed his father—who was dressed in a sharp suit and now carrying a small, orange-red backpack—out onto the vast prairie.

Rong Taotao didn’t know how big the training ground was, but as far as he could see, there was no sign of a boundary fence.

A few hundred meters away, he spotted another student locked in a life-or-death battle with a large, pure black bear.

The scene was a bit brutal.

That kid had to be at least at the Soul Warrior Stage!

Rong Taotao saw him use the two-star Soul Skill, Star-Stepping Split!

But the moment the Fighting Star Bear was knocked back, a brilliant starlight erupted from the four paws on its shoulders as it swiped out viciously!

WHOOSH... The young man was sent flying, tumbling and sliding across the prairie.

"Hiss... Brutal!" Rong Taotao winced. What kind of power was that?

The Fighting Star Bear, which stood over two meters tall, planted its six paws on the ground to steady itself before rising again. Its four shoulder-paws flailed wildly as it opened its huge maw and let out a heaven-shaking roar, "ROAR!!!"

Its presence was overwhelming!

Two soldiers standing nearby rushed forward, hoisted the young man up, and started carrying him toward the Pasture House.

Behind them, the Fighting Star Bear gave chase relentlessly. However, unlike black bears on Earth, its movement speed was truly quite slow. Even when it ran on all six limbs, it looked rather clumsy.

"Judging by its power and speed, it should be an Excellent Level, probably close to promoting to Elite," Rong Yuanshan said, adjusting the small, orange-red backpack on his shoulders. "Let’s go."

"I’ll give it a try!" Rong Taotao charged forward, placed two fingers under his tongue, and let out a sharp whistle. "FWEET~"

Rong Yuanshan froze for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to call him back, but ultimately said nothing.

In his line of sight, Rong Taotao was already charging toward the enormous figure.

"Gruh?" The Fighting Star Bear whipped its head around. Not fond of being on all sixes, it immediately rose to its feet again, waiting for its prey to deliver itself.

Rong Taotao sprinted forward. As he stared at the snarling, claw-waving behemoth, a vortex suddenly swirled to life around his left wrist!

’A small support skill isn’t going too far, right? I’m not using Snow Fury, much less Snow Dance...’

With a loud BANG, Rong Taotao launched himself into the air just as the Snow Burst Ball in his hand exploded!

His forward momentum instantly and violently accelerated!

A sudden shroud of night enveloped his fist, and within his skin, countless stars began to twinkle.

At the same time, from the Pleiades point on Rong Taotao’s chest, a spiraling line of Soul Power frantically channeled into his right arm.

Cold Star Cover plus Douxing Qi!

’Come on, let’s have a good fight!’

The sudden change in speed clearly took the Fighting Star Bear by surprise.

Still in the middle of roaring, posturing, and building its momentum, it failed to realize how swift its enemy’s attack would be...

THUD! A muffled impact rang out!

The instant Rong Taotao’s right fist made contact with the Fighting Star Bear’s belly, a shower of shattered starlight burst forth...

Hello, Starfield!

I am a snowflake from the north,

And for these three months, I will pluck the stars of this heartland!

...

Please spare some votes~