Master of Nine Stars

Rong Taotao galloped onward. Along the way, he saw many other Practitioners, each accompanied by soldiers from the Star Candle Army.

After riding far from the Pasture House, Rong Taotao finally spotted a Star Battle Vine Master that wasn’t being disturbed.

He turned to Ye Nanxi. "How about that one?"

However, Ye Nanxi completely ignored Rong Taotao. She remained on her horse, her lovely short hair fluttering in the wind, and suddenly threw open her arms as if to embrace the night sky.

Starfield Soul Skill · Elite Grade · Lone Star Fall!

The next moment, a colossal astral meteorite descended from the sky with overwhelming momentum, crashing toward the ground.

"Groo?"

The distant Star Battle Vine Master let out a strange sound and hastily dodged to its left.

At the same time, the vines coiled around its body detached and rapidly assembled on its right side, forming a Vine Shield.

With a deafening BANG, the very earth seemed to tremble. The Lone Star Fall gouged a huge crater in the prairie, sending starlit fragments flying everywhere.

However, the rolling shockwave and exploding starlight all crashed against the Vine Shield, leaving the Star Battle Vine Master largely unaffected.

"Hiss..." Although the Star Battle Vine Master’s body was a mass of tangled vines, it still had eyes and a mouth. It emitted a dangerous warning hiss, its pair of brilliant Star Eyes locked onto the intruders.

Rong Taotao started to say, "Which of us... huh?"

Acting as if Rong Taotao wasn’t even there, Ye Nanxi dismounted. A small, bright star immediately began to orbit her body.

Starfield Soul Skill · Elite Grade · Star Spin!

While surrounded by this small star, any Starfield Soul Skill the Caster uses receives a boost to its Quality.

Of course, while it was called a Quality bonus, it rarely resulted in a true qualitative leap. This kind of Soul Skill was the type that was at its peak from the very beginning; its Potential Value ceiling was already maxed out, and it could only slightly increase the power of other Starfield Soul Skills.

For other Starfield Soul Martial Artists, it was better than nothing.

’But strictly speaking,’ he thought, ’this is exactly the kind of Soul Skill I should be using my Potential Value on to raise its limit.’

’The returns would be huge! If I improved this one Soul Skill, the Quality of all my other skills would increase!’

’Too bad this Soul Skill requires a three-star Soul Technique to learn. For me, right now, it’s just a dream...’

Rong Taotao immediately dismounted and shouted, "What’s wrong with you, can’t you talk? How are we supposed to team up if you don’t communicate?"

CRACK! A whip snapped through the air, leaving a deep gash in the grass!

In the distance, the vines layered around the over-eight-foot-tall Star Battle Vine Master suddenly burst outward, transforming into innumerable Vine Whips. The sight was momentarily horrifying.

Among the countless Vine Whips, one that unfurled transformed from its normal grayish-green into a dazzling, frosty starlight hue!

"Be quiet and stay out of my way," Ye Nanxi snorted coldly, nimbly dodging the onslaught of Vine Whips while her hands moved in a blur.

Tiny stars rained down from the sky, hurtling toward the Star Battle Vine Master.

The vines on the Star Battle Vine Master reassembled, forming a Vine Umbrella two meters above its head that completely shielded it from the shower of tiny falling stars.

The Star Battle Vine Master was by no means slow, yet it disdained to even move...

Rong Taotao said sarcastically, "Well, aren’t you something special~"

Ye Nanxi shot Rong Taotao a cold glance, her tall, slender figure weaving and dodging through the dense barrage of Vine Whips as she tried to close in on the Star Battle Vine Master.

’What Rong Yuanshan said earlier made sense. For this kind of Starfield Soul Beast, it didn’t make much difference whether it was fought by one person or two.’

’The Star Battle Vine Master specialized in area-of-effect attacks. As long as you entered its range, its sprawling vines would make sure to "welcome" every single enemy.’

Rong Taotao advanced, intending to pincer the creature with Ye Nanxi, but he had miscalculated.

’Does this Star Battle Vine Master have a multi-core processor for a brain or something?’

’It’s clearly lashing out at Ye Nanxi on the right, so how can it also manage the battlefield on the left?’

’In fact, judging by its attack patterns, it was like it was using Left-Right Mutual Combat. The vines ravaging both sides of the battlefield were acting independently, not interfering with each other in the slightest.’

Rong Taotao took a step back, deciding against a rash advance. Taking aim at a sweeping Star Vine Whip, he gripped the hilt of the saber at his back and drew it in a flash!

A fierce upward slash!

’Let’s test the toughness of these vines!’

SCRAAPE~

The sharp Tang Saber sliced shallowly into the sweeping Star Vine Whip, but it only managed to cut about a third of the way through. To sever this Star Trace Whip completely, Rong Taotao figured he’d need to strike the same spot two or three more times.

Although Rong Taotao’s slash intercepted the Star Trace Whip, the vine was flexible. Pivoting around the point of contact with the Tang Saber, the remaining length of the whip lashed back toward him.

Rong Taotao hastily withdrew his saber and ducked. The Star Trace Whip whistled over his back, and the sheer force of the air it displaced gave him a fright!

’Even after being parried, the whip still has this much force?’

’Or perhaps... when you parry the middle of a sweeping whip, the tip does accelerate because of inertia...’

’If it takes three or four strikes to cut through a Star Trace Whip, this is going to be tricky.’

Rong Taotao’s expression grew grim. He knew he had to change his strategy. He was still on the periphery of the battle, and the Star Battle Vine Master was only attacking him perfunctorily. Rong Taotao was certain that if he advanced any further, he would be completely entangled.