Master of Nine Stars

Night fell, and Sun Xingyu and Li Ziyi returned to their dorm, bursting in with a gust of wind and snow, their spirits high.

Sun Xingyu, in particular, couldn’t suppress the joyful smile on her face. She was so happy she’d probably wake up laughing in her dreams tonight.

It was clear she absolutely adored her Lifebound Soul Beast: Snow Night Shock.

And when this pair of... lovebirds walked into the dorm, they found that Rong Taotao wasn’t asleep either. He was sitting cross-legged on the bottom bunk in his blue and white cotton pajamas, playing with his puppy.

"Cloud Dog, go!" Rong Taotao, holding a pen cap, tossed it toward the table in the center of the room.

The little puppy in Rong Taotao’s arms flapped its two large, cloud-shaped ears, its body instantly dissolving into a cloud of mist and drifting toward the pen cap.

But due to its lack of power, the Cloud Dog had to reform into its solid body halfway there.

However, the Cloud Dog had clearly found a suitable method. Its two large, cloud-shaped ears flapped up and down like a pair of small wings, actually lifting it into the air.

Less than a second later, the Cloud Dog dissolved into mist again, and this time, it finally landed on the table.

The Cloud Dog picked up the pen cap with its little mouth and, flapping its big ears, flew wobbly back toward Rong Taotao.

"Aww!" Seeing this, Sun Xingyu’s girlish heart couldn’t take it. She rushed forward and cupped the Cloud Dog’s little paws with her hands, escorting the puppy all the way.

However, Sun Xingyu’s hands were a bit mischievous. During the escort, she curled her finger and gently tickled the Cloud Dog’s little belly.

The Cloud Dog was not pleased. It once again transformed into mist, carrying the pen cap as it floated back into Rong Taotao’s arms.

Sun Xingyu’s face was full of excitement. "It’s so adorable!"

"Hmm?" The Cloud Dog lay in Rong Taotao’s palm, tilting its little head. Its glossy black eyes watched Sun Xingyu. When it saw the girl reaching for it again, the Cloud Dog hastily dissolved into mist, floated up to Rong Taotao’s head to reform, and returned to its "kennel."

Beside them, Li Ziyi, who had just taken off his coat, commented out of the blue, "Now it truly lives up to the name."

Rong Taotao looked at Li Ziyi in confusion. "Huh?"

"Hee hee," Sun Xingyu chuckled, quickly changing the subject. "Taotao, let me play with the puppy."

Rong Taotao subconsciously looked up, felt around on his head, grabbed the little guy, and handed it to Sun Xingyu. "Be gentle. How are you two getting along with your Lifebound Soul Beasts?"

Sun Xingyu carefully cradled the Cloud Dog. Hearing his question, she seemed to want to show off. With a surge of Soul Power, she directly summoned her Snow Night Shock!

It was hard to imagine a gigantic creature, 2.5 meters tall at the shoulder and over 3 meters tall at the head, appearing so abruptly at Sun Xingyu’s side.

The moment the Snow Night Shock appeared, it looked as if it would fill the entire dorm. Its body was just that massive.

Sun Xingyu said happily, "I named it ’Ta Xue.’ It’s super obedient and so gentle with me. It’s patient and attentive, and it doesn’t get angry even when I make a mistake."

Rong Taotao shielded his face with one hand, enduring the waves of frigid air washing over him. "Xing’Er, call it off already!"

’Damn it, the dorm is one of the few warm places in Hundred Corps Pass.’ The instant the Snow Night Shock, which radiated frost and snow, appeared, the temperature in the room plummeted.

"Oh, oh, sorry, sorry! You should rest." Sun Xingyu patted the Snow Night Shock’s abdomen, and the massive dark creature finally vanished.

The couple who had just come in didn’t mind, but Rong Taotao, who had already changed into his pajamas, couldn’t take it and hastily wrapped himself in his blanket.

It was obvious that Sun Xingyu genuinely loved the Cloud Dog.

"Eee... eee..." She was currently wrinkling her little nose, touching it against the Cloud Dog’s, and shaking her head from side to side. She even made the kind of nasal sounds you’d use to play with a baby.

Nearby, Li Ziyi grabbed his toiletries from under the bed and, as he headed out, asked, "What’s it called?"

Rong Taotao: "Cloud Dog."

Li Ziyi rolled his eyes in annoyance, opened the door, and walked out.

Rong Taotao scratched his head and looked at Sun Xingyu. "What was that look for?"

Sun Xingyu pouted. "Don’t mind him. He named his Snow Night Shock ’Black Dragon Steed.’ It’s a terrible name.

Later, I had him pick a matching couple’s name with me, so now that Snow Night Shock is called ’Xun Mei.’

Ta Xue and Xun Mei. Get it? ’Treading on Snow to Seek Plum Blossoms.’ Isn’t that so poetic?"

Rong Taotao: ???

’Did you really have to say that last part?’

’Rong Taotao was so ticked off...’

He couldn’t help but retort, "’Xun Mei’? You mean ’seeking flowers’? Heh, I knew he was the type to go chasing skirts."

"Hey! You!" Sun Xingyu turned to Rong Taotao and wrinkled her little nose at him, looking displeased.

"Give it back, give it back. I’m going to sleep." Rong Taotao snatched the Cloud Dog back and pulled it directly into his blanket.

The guy who used to be all "hands in his pockets, loving no one" had finally found his lifelong companion. Of course, Rong Taotao had to hold on tight...

...

「The next morning.」

After washing up and eating breakfast in the first-floor cafeteria, the trio slung on their backpacks and headed to the stone house on East Street.

As soon as they entered, they saw that the other students had already arrived. The seating arrangement was also quite specific: three to a row, with the first and third rows already full.

The second row, left open in the middle, was clearly for Rong Taotao’s group of three.

’Are the seats also divided by team?’

Rong Taotao greeted the enthusiastic Jiao Tengda and stepped forward, only to discover that there were names in the top-right corner of the small desks.

The most terrifying thing had happened!

From back to front, the three seats were labeled: Li Ziyi, Sun Xingyu...

’Damn it!’

Rong Taotao was losing his mind. His seat was in the front row! Dead center! Right under the teacher’s nose!

’Which sadist assigned these seats?’

’How am I supposed to live like this?’

’Hmm... but then again, there are only nine students in the whole class. Does it really matter where I sit?’

Constantly trying to console himself, Rong Taotao reluctantly sat down with his backpack and looked around.

He saw the well-behaved Fan Lihua to his left, quietly reading a book, and Lu Mang to his right, staring into space and lost in thought.

"Is everyone here?" The classroom door opened, and Yang Chunxi walked in, wearing a long, gray knit cardigan. Her long hair draped over her shoulders, and a bright smile on her face radiated a damnable charm.

She walked to the front of the class and gestured to the golden lanterns hanging on the walls around the room. "I have a task for you. The first person to learn the Soul Skill: Luminous Lantern Paper Cage will be the Soul Class president."

The students all looked up, observing the paper lanterns placed and hung on all sides.

Their structure was very similar to a Kongming Lantern. Within the thin paper shell, specks of luminous light flickered continuously.

Fan Lihua frowned slightly. "Teacher, Luminous Lantern Paper Cage is the advanced form of the White Lantern Paper Cage Soul Skill."

"Mm," Yang Chunxi nodded with a smile. "I know it’s very difficult, but you’re all geniuses, aren’t you?

The expectations for you should be higher than for other students."

Hearing this, Fan Lihua nodded obediently.

Yang Chunxi smiled with satisfaction. "I am your academics teacher. I will be teaching all the subjects and textbooks in your backpacks. In a moment, the practical skills teacher will come to lead..."

Before Yang Chunxi could finish her sentence, there was a knock at the door.

Yang Chunxi called out, "Come in!"

The classroom door opened, and a tall woman in a white training uniform walked in.

A smile played on her lips as her eyes scanned everyone in the room. She strode toward the teacher’s desk with her long legs.

Rong Taotao was sitting in the middle of the front row. From behind him to the right, Jiao Tengda’s delighted voice sounded out: "Holy crap, we hit the jackpot! That’s Sugar of the Pine Soul Four Rites!

One of the top 100 famous teachers, ranked 87th!"

Rong Taotao looked at Jiao Tengda curiously. "What ranking?"

Jiao Tengda leaned forward and whispered excitedly, "The Huaxia academy teacher rankings. She holds the 87th seat."

Rong Taotao blinked. "Why only 87th?"

This time, it was Jiao Tengda’s turn to be dumbfounded.

’Only?’

’What do you mean, *only* 87th?’

’Do you have any idea how many academies there are in Huaxia? Or how many famous teachers?’

Rong Taotao turned his head, curiously watching the "Tai Chi Grandpa," Si Huan Nian, walk up to the platform.

And Si Huan Nian’s beautiful eyes also fell on Rong Taotao—or to be precise, on the Cloud Dog on top of his head.

Yang Chunxi smiled and nodded at Si Huan Nian. "You can leave your books in the classroom for now. Today’s daytime class is practical skills. Academics class is at 7 p.m. tonight."

With that, Yang Chunxi took a step back. "Coach Si, you can take your students."

Standing at the desk, Si Huan Nian looked down at Rong Taotao. The smiling look in her eyes made Rong Taotao’s scalp tingle, and he quickly lowered his head, unable to stop himself from muttering internally, ’Good lord, what an aura...’

"Fan Lihua." Si Huan Nian finally let Rong Taotao off the hook, turning her gaze to the well-behaved girl in row 1, seat 1.

"Here." Fan Lihua’s voice was soft and sweet as she quickly stood up.

"Mm." Si Huan Nian nodded and looked behind Fan Lihua. "Shi Lou, Shi Lan."

"Here!"

"Here!" The two sisters’ voices were powerful and resounding as they shot to their feet. Their height and presence, when compared to Fan Lihua, was like a college student versus an elementary schooler... The contrast was quite striking.

"You three, you have one minute. Choose your weapons and assemble at the North Gate of Hundred Corps Pass."

The moment she finished speaking, the expressions of the Shi Family Sisters changed.

’One minute? And at the North Gate?’

The trio hurriedly turned and ran out of the classroom. With no time to be picky, they grabbed their preferred weapons from the rack by the door and rushed out.

"NEIGH~"

"NEIGH..."

Outside, the neighing of a Snow Night Shock could be heard. Clearly, the trio had no choice but to travel this way.

"See you later." Si Huan Nian smiled and nodded at Yang Chunxi. With her hands behind her back, she truly looked like a Tai Chi grandpa as she leisurely strolled out.

As she stepped down from the platform and passed behind Rong Taotao, a deliberately softened voice entered his ear: "Consider yourself lucky you escaped this time. You’d better pray you don’t fall into my hands in the future."

Rong Taotao shrank back in his seat, not daring to respond.

Yang Chunxi just smiled and shook her head helplessly, watching as Si Huan Nian slowly walked out.

After she left, Rong Taotao instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

’What a relief!’

’My practical skills teacher isn’t this Si Huan Nian. Otherwise, wouldn’t she have tormented me to death?’

’If Rong Taotao had another chance,’

’He swore he would never again try to check if she was wearing long johns!!!’

Jiao Tengda leaned over curiously and whispered, "What’s up? Is there a story there?"

Rong Taotao’s smile was a bit strained. He felt more like crying as he said, "No, not a story. It was an incident..."