Master of Nine Stars

’Promoted! Sword Mastery, Two-Star Peak!’

Rong Yuanshan couldn’t help but shake his head in admiration. He instinctively wanted to clap but quickly stopped himself.

’Whether as his master or his father, it’s best not to let the boy get too arrogant.’

The message from his Inner Soul Map didn’t distract the fully focused warrior.

Rong Taotao planted a foot on the Fighting Star Bear’s abdomen and kicked off forcefully. As he pulled his Tang Saber free, his body shot backward through the air.

While flying backward, supine in the air, Rong Taotao continued to wave his hands. A series of beautiful, small starfalls appeared once more, then plummeted downward.

’I’m serious about finishing the job.’

Not until Rong Taotao, still flying backward, executed a backflip and landed steadily did the distant behemoth let out a final, mournful howl. With a THUD, it collapsed to the ground...

A smile crept onto Rong Yuanshan’s face as he watched Rong Taotao get to his feet.

It was a textbook example of the small overpowering the large, the fast overwhelming the slow.

Over the past month, Rong Yuanshan had corrected many aspects of Rong Taotao’s Sword Technique.

After all, Rong Taotao had originally trained with the Heaven-piercing Halberd. No matter how agile he was, it was still a long-hafted weapon.

Wielding the Heaven-piercing Halberd, Rong Taotao naturally favored a style where he planted his feet, remaining firm and unmoving while displaying his skills through a series of thrusts, parries, and slashes.

The Long Straight Saber, however, emphasized nimble footwork, an elusive Body Technique, and a relentless, unending barrage of precise attacks.

"SHIING..." With a flourish, Rong Taotao slowly sheathed his Tang Saber, settling it horizontally behind his back before turning to look at Rong Yuanshan.

"Woof~" With a tiny Star-shaped Lamp perched on its head, the Cloud Dog saw that its master’s battle was over and came running over cheerfully.

The murderous aura around Rong Taotao dissipated slightly. He knelt and held out a hand to the Cloud Dog.

"Yip~" Forgetting all about the Star-shaped Lamp, the Cloud Dog leaped into Rong Taotao’s palm, wagging its tail nonstop, a cute smile on its face.

Rong Taotao chuckled. He placed the Cloud Dog on top of his head, then formed another baseball-sized Star-shaped Lamp in his hand and offered it to the pup. Only then did he look back at Rong Yuanshan.

Rong Yuanshan took in the warm, doting gesture.

To him, it all felt surreal.

Whether it was his son’s Talent, his diligence, or his attitude and affection for his Lifebound Soul Beast, Rong Yuanshan couldn’t find a single fault.

In the end, Rong Yuanshan still knew so little about his son.

But after spending this month together, Rong Yuanshan had formed his own opinion. For the boy to have achieved so much in just six months—to be liked by his teachers and respected by his peers—was definitely not just luck. Nor was it simply due to his status as the "son of a Soul General."

’If someone like him doesn’t succeed,’ Rong Yuanshan thought, ’then the heavens truly are unjust.’

However, Rong Yuanshan did his best to maintain his image as a strict father. "That’s enough," he said. "You’ve figured out the Fighting Star Bear’s traits and combat patterns. It’s time we moved on to other training grounds."

Rong Taotao nodded. "Right now?"

"No," said Rong Yuanshan. "First, we’ll leave the Starfield Vortex and head back to Starfield Town. We’ll get a proper bath, a haircut, and a big meal."

As he spoke, Rong Yuanshan smiled and handed him a chocolate bar. "It’s been a month. You deserve at least one day of rest. If word got out, people would say this father of yours is being too strict."

Rong Taotao unwrapped the chocolate bar. He thought for a moment but didn’t refuse it.

In truth, after experiencing the bone-chilling cold of the Snow Realm, Rong Taotao didn’t feel any "hardship" at all in the warm and comfortable Starfield Vortex.

Even north of the Wall, Rong Taotao had stayed for one or two months at a time. In terms of food, clothing, or even rest, the Starfield Vortex was far superior to the Snow Realm.

’Still... it’ll be good to go back to Starfield Town. After all, I’ve been out of touch with my friends for a month.’

’I wonder if Da Wei has texted me.’

With Rong Yuanshan carrying a small, orange-red backpack and Rong Taotao shouldering the large bear while eating his chocolate, the father and son chatted quietly as they walked toward the Pasture House under the light of the brilliant galaxy.

After handing the Fighting Star Bear over to the Star Candle troops, the father and son left the Pasture House and headed for the exit of the Starfield Vortex.

Unlike in the Snow Realm, where the Snow Burning Army would buy back the Snowflake Wolves Rong Taotao hunted, here in the Starfield Vortex, within the training grounds established by the Star Candle troops, any Soul Beast you hunted had to be turned in unconditionally.

The reasoning was clear: if you entered a training ground, you were there to train, not to make money.

’The Soul Beasts you hunt are the very ones we, the Star Candle troops, painstakingly transported here. After you kill one, we have to restock it to provide training for other Practitioners. You should be glad we don’t charge you for it...’

Of course, it wasn’t impossible to make money within the Vortex. As long as you stayed out of the designated training grounds and ventured into the wilds, any resources you acquired were yours to keep. The Starfield was vast, teeming with Soul Beasts and resources; no one would stop you if you wanted to earn some cash.

"NEIGH~" The sound of a horse’s cry rang out as two tall horses slowed to a stop before them.

Rong Yuanshan was in the middle of saying something to Rong Taotao. He had already noticed the two fine horses galloping toward them but hadn’t paid them much mind. It was only when they suddenly stopped that he looked up.

Atop the two mounts, which resembled charcoal-red Hissing Wind Crimson Hares, sat two women. One had an exceptional air about her; a sharp glint in her eyes gave her a commanding presence.

The other... well, she was a pretty, short-haired young woman. With an arrogant expression, she glanced down at the father and son, her gaze lingering on the Cloud Dog atop Rong Taotao’s head.

When she noticed Rong Taotao looking at her, she immediately averted her eyes. Turning to gaze at the distant, night-shrouded plains, she tilted her chin up slightly in a gesture of pure arrogance.

The woman in the black combat suit softened her imposing demeanor. Looking down at Rong Yuanshan, she asked with some uncertainty, "Mr. Rong?"

"Hm?" Rong Yuanshan paused. By the light of the Star-shaped Lamp that the Cloud Dog was playing with on Rong Taotao’s head, he was able to make out the rider’s face.

A smile touched Rong Yuanshan’s face. "Lady Nan Cheng, a pleasure to see you."

"It really is you, Mr. Rong. I wasn’t entirely sure." A smile spread across the woman’s face as she dismounted, and to Rong Yuanshan’s surprise, she gave him a crisp military salute.

Rong Yuanshan quickly returned the gesture, his expression both friendly and respectful.

"And this must be your son?" the woman, Nan Cheng, asked with a smile, turning her gaze to the young man behind Rong Yuanshan.

After confirming his identity, Nan Cheng’s attitude softened considerably within a few short sentences, her imposing and solemn demeanor melting away.

"Ah, haha, yes. I brought my son here for some training," Rong Yuanshan said with a laugh, patting Rong Taotao on the shoulder and giving him a pointed look.

Rong Taotao spoke up. "Hello, Auntie Nan."

Rong Taotao’s polite response, however, earned a sneer from the young woman who remained on her horse. Her heart filled with disdain.

"Hello," Nan Cheng said with a smiling nod. "What year are you in high school? Which school do you attend?"

"Uh..." Rong Taotao blinked. "I’m a first-year in college. Or, to be more precise, in the Junior Class at Songjiang Soul Martial University."

"Oh?" Nan Cheng’s surprise was evident as she turned to Rong Yuanshan. "He went to Songjiang Soul Martial in the Snow Realm?"

Rong Yuanshan tried his best not to sound too proud. "Yes. The boy wants to be a Snow Realm Soul Martial Artist, and they happened to be recruiting the first-ever Junior Class, so he went and gave it a shot."

Nan Cheng didn’t ask why Rong Taotao wasn’t in school. Instead, she gestured toward the Cloud Dog on his head. "Cloud Peak?"

"Yes, Cloud Peak," Rong Taotao confirmed. He lifted the Star-shaped Lamp from his head with both hands, bringing the Cloud Dog down with it. "White Clouds and Grey Dogs."

"Excellent. You have a limitless future." Nan Cheng’s smile was as genuine as her words.

"Does Lady Nan have some free time on her hands?" Rong Yuanshan asked, genuinely curious.

"Hah." Nan Cheng gave a weary laugh and shook her head. "My daughter got into trouble at school again. I’m usually too busy with work and have been neglecting her upbringing. It’s about time I took her in hand for some proper discipline."

"Mom~" the girl whined from atop her Hissing Wind Crimson Hare.

"Get off your horse! You’re old enough to know better. Where are your manners? Address him as Uncle Rong!" Nan Cheng’s expression turned stern as she looked at her daughter. "You’re both children of Soul Generals. Look at him! Does he have your arrogant, domineering, and conceited attitude?"

"Child of a Soul General?"

"Child of a Soul General?" For a moment, the boy and the girl spoke in unison.

...