Master of Nine Stars

The second day seemed about to pass just like that.

The group rested in the cave for a day. Well-fed, warmly dressed, and gathered around a bonfire, they were quite comfortable and at ease.

Lu Mang quietly nursed his wounds, and Sun Xingyu’s condition had also recovered significantly, perhaps thanks to Li Ziyi, who had been constantly by her side.

When it was time for the night watch again, they could only have one person on duty at a time.

To accommodate the injured Lu Mang, Sun Xingyu had him take the first shift.

The hours from 9 to 11 p.m. passed uneventfully. At Lu Mang’s call, Sun Xingyu got up to prepare for the second shift.

However, just after midnight, a few more people, braving the wind and snow, arrived at the cave...

"Hello! Is anyone there?"

It was another male voice, friendly in tone and filled with pleasant surprise.

It was all just like a scene from the day before.

Sun Xingyu stood at the entrance, her Long Spear cradled in her arms. Beneath her red winter hat, a pair of beautiful, large eyes quietly watched the newcomers.

The warmth from yesterday was gone from her face.

"Hello?" The shorter of the boys stepped forward. His face was flushed red from the cold, but he did his best to offer a smile. Sun Xingyu could hear his teeth chattering.

Sun Xingyu pursed her lips, her gaze shifting to the two tall figures standing a few steps behind the boy.

Three people...

"It’s alright. If this is inconvenient, we’ll leave right away," the boy suddenly said, which only made Sun Xingyu more hesitant.

After a moment of hesitation, Sun Xingyu finally turned and walked back into the cave. "Wait here a moment."

Stepping inside, Sun Xingyu called out, "Taotao."

"Huh?" Rong Taotao, still groggy with sleep, couldn’t help but yawn. "Is it 3 o’clock? My turn?"

Sun Xingyu’s voice also woke Li Ziyi and Lu Mang, who had been sleeping lightly.

Sun Xingyu said, "There are three students outside. It looks like they want to stay the night."

Rong Taotao rubbed his eyes and mumbled, "We’re not taking groups."

At the cave entrance, the male student, who had been straining to hear them, shouted loudly, "We’re walk-ins!"

Rong Taotao: "..."

’This guy’s got a quick wit. How did he even catch that?’

Rong Taotao asked, "How many?"

Sun Xingyu pouted. "Three. Based on their figures, it looks like two of them are girls."

’Oh, my dear Xing’Er, what does them being girls have to do with it?’

’We’re all here for the Soul Martial assessment. They’re not your average, delicate young ladies. They’ll fight and kill without hesitation if they have to...’

"Lanlan, come back!" Just then, a clear female voice called from outside.

"Hey! It really is Juanjuan!" The girl called Lanlan moved quickly, already stepping into the cave and waving excitedly at Rong Taotao.

As the situation unfolded, everyone inside the cave got to their feet.

But Rong Taotao, one hand resting on his Heaven-piercing Halberd, was a little taken aback when he heard what she called him.

Juanjuan?

’What does that mean?’

Rong Taotao pointed a finger at his own nose. "Are you talking to me?"

Rong Taotao had been sleeping with his winter hat on. There was no way for her to see his naturally curly hair, so how did she know?

"Yeah, Juanjuan! I can’t believe I ran into you here. It must be fate!" The girl’s happiness seemed genuine. She took off her colorful goggles, revealing a pair of long, narrow eyes.

Whoa...

Those slanted, phoenix-like eyes, paired with her slightly upturned, sword-like eyebrows, gave her a valiant and heroic air.

If she weren’t smiling as she spoke, she would probably look quite fierce.

Rong Taotao stared for a full two seconds before it clicked. ’Isn’t that... what’s-her-name...’

’That one... one of the girls who was sparring in the Martial Arts Arena that morning.’

A few days ago, on the very morning that Rong Taotao had been thrashed by Teacher Si Huan Nian, a pair of twin girls had been sparring fiercely in the outdoor Martial Arts Arena nearby, drawing a large crowd of spectators.

’Crap!’

Rong Taotao suddenly realized the gravity of the situation.

He considered his own Martial Arts to be decent, and he had a good grasp of Sun Xingyu’s and Li Ziyi’s skills as well.

But Rong Taotao had seen these twin girls fight with his own eyes. They were not to be trifled with!

At first, Rong Taotao had mistaken them for university students. For one, they had certainly developed a bit early. For another, their ferocious, swift, and sharp attacks made it hard to believe they were just junior high graduates.

It takes an expert to know one.

With Lu Mang dragging an injured leg, their combat strength had plummeted. If a conflict broke out, or if the newcomers had any ill intentions, things were going to get "interesting."

While he was thinking, the other tall girl also walked in. It seemed, however, that she intended to drag her twin sister back out.

But it was one thing to be outside. The moment she stepped in, the girl saw the piles of bags stacked in the corner.

Instantly, the second girl looked at Rong Taotao, pointed to the supplies in the corner, and said, "Is this why you only take ’walk-ins’? Is this some kind of trap?"

Rong Taotao shrugged. "What if I told you that last night, we kindly took in a team, but this morning, they tried to kick us out and take this shelter for themselves? Would you believe me?"

The two girls were visibly stunned. Since the reckless "Lanlan," who had rushed in first, had already taken off her goggles, her expression was clear.

Lanlan looked surprised for a moment, then broke into a smile. "So you won! You kicked out those ungrateful bastards, right?"

Rong Taotao nodded. "If you believe us."

"I believe you," the shorter boy said from behind as he walked in.

Rong Taotao: "Oh? And why’s that?"

The boy replied, "Maybe it’s because you have a trustworthy face. You look pretty innocent, not like a liar."

Rong Taotao looked completely baffled. "And I needed you to tell me that?"

The boy chuckled. "Fate works in mysterious ways."

Rong Taotao and his friends exchanged glances. He noticed the slightly complicated expression on Sun Xingyu’s face.

At her core, Sun Xingyu was kind. Even after the vicious fight they had just been through, she still wanted to make what she felt was the right choice.

Rong Taotao glanced at Li Ziyi, and then at Lu Mang, who remained silent. He then spoke to the newcomers. "So, what’s the deal? Are you also just staying for one night and leaving in the morning?"

The boy took off his goggles, revealing, unexpectedly, a pair of glasses underneath. Due to the temperature difference, the lenses were already covered in a layer of frost.

Rong Taotao was instantly annoyed. ’Fate, my ass.’

’Could you even see me just now?’

As the boy wiped his lenses, he said, "We’re solo travelers. I don’t know if your team has lost any members, but right now, you’re clearly short-handed, and you have an injured person."

"I think I can join your team."

Sun Xingyu looked startled and asked curiously, "Our team has an injured person?"

The boy smiled. Perhaps because he’d taken off his glasses, he squinted as he gestured toward Lu Mang, who was still wrapped in his sleeping bag. "He’s injured, isn’t he?"

With that, the boy finally put his glasses back on and looked at everyone in the cave. "We’re outsiders, and what’s more, we’re competitors. The normal reaction would be for the three of you to stand up with your weapons at the ready."

"But this person is still lying in his sleeping bag. He seems to have some trouble moving, so he must be injured. Did he get hurt during the fight between the two teams this morning?"

"Well, well, you’re pretty interesting for a guy with a buzz cut, huh?" Lanlan said, looking at the boy with glasses in surprise, as if she’d discovered a new continent.

Her reaction seemed to indirectly confirm that they were indeed solo travelers; at the very least, Lanlan wasn’t very familiar with this boy.

The boy looked at Lu Mang’s grim expression. "Judging by his face, I seem to have guessed right."

Rong Taotao pursed his lips. ’This kid seems to have excellent observation skills and a sharp mind. He’s got something to him.’

He tilted his head slightly toward the boy. "Where’s your weapon?"

The boy gave an embarrassed smile. "I lost it while running from a Soul Beast."

Rong Taotao was noncommittal. "And your team?"

The boy looked a bit awkward. "I wish I had a team..."

"Hmph. He’s been tailing us for two days. We can’t shake him off. He sticks to us like glue," Lanlan said with a pout.

"Lanlan," the other girl, who still hadn’t taken off her goggles, chided in a stern, low voice.

But Rong Taotao just smiled. "What, you wanted to latch on to them, but the sisters wouldn’t take you?"

The boy smiled awkwardly. "My name is Jiao Tengda. And you are?"

"Rong Taotao," he replied casually, his gaze shifting back to Li Ziyi and Sun Xingyu.

After Sun Xingyu nodded, Rong Taotao said, "You guys find a place to bed down. Jiao Tengda, right? You and I will take the watch. We won’t go outside; we’ll just guard from in here."

Then, Rong Taotao added, "Xing’Er, you don’t have to stand watch. Go get some sleep."

"Juanjuan, my name is Shi Lan." The tall girl called Lanlan, who clearly had a lively and cheerful personality, wrapped an arm around the girl beside her. "This is my older sister, Shi Lou."

Shi Lou, Shi Lan?

Loulan?

’Nice. Good names!’

Rong Taotao gave them a friendly nod. Compared to the outgoing Shi Lan, Shi Lou was clearly much quieter.

The older sister, Shi Lou, didn’t seem to have let down her guard either. She silently took off her goggles and winter hat, revealing a face just as valiant as her sister’s. "Lanlan, you go to sleep first. I’ll stand watch with them."

Shi Lan put down her backpack. "But I can’t sleep! I’m too excited! Aren’t you excited?"

Shi Lou: "..."

Shi Lan looked at Rong Taotao with a delighted expression. "You have no idea! After seeing you spar with your teacher that morning, both of us have been dying to have a go with you!"

Rong Taotao: "Er..."

Shi Lan then sighed helplessly. "What a shame. Before we could get a chance to spar with you, you got kicked into a curled-up little shrimp by that female teacher. Tsk, tsk, how pathetic~"

Rong Taotao said irritably, "Could you please shut up and go to sleep?"

Shi Lan covered her mouth with one hand. "Hehe~"

Rong Taotao’s face soured. ’Damn it, I’m starting to lose my cool...’