Master of Nine Stars

After seeing Gao Lingwei in person, Rong Taotao knew that Sun Xingyu hadn’t been exaggerating. Xing’Er really should be jealous of her.

In this moment, Gao Lingwei lacked the imposing and sharp aura from the match recordings. Instead, she had a gentle and quiet air about her as she chatted softly with the companion across from her.

Inside the cafe, the girl sitting opposite Gao Lingwei didn’t turn her head, but she had clearly noticed something.

The companion tilted her head slightly, a small movement, and said, "Probably one of your fans. Looks like he’s hesitating about whether to come in for an autograph!"

Gao Lingwei held the paper cup with both hands, took a small sip of warm milk, and smiled. "You just love to tease me."

Her companion, Gan Lin, finally couldn’t resist and turned to look, her expression turning a little strange.

The person outside didn’t look like a university student. He looked more like a fifteen or sixteen-year-old high schooler.

’Is he another one of those geniuses who got into Pine Soul Soul Martial on a special exception?’

Since enrolling, Gan Lin had seen all sorts of geniuses and was already growing numb to it.

She, who had been somewhat famous in her hometown, had realized she was nothing special after a few days of walking around the Martial Arts Arena...

At Pine Soul Soul Martial, it was truly a case of "geniuses are a dime a dozen, and Great Gods are everywhere."

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!" Gan Lin tapped on the glass. Looking at the guy outside with the Cloud Dog on his head, she smiled and beckoned him over. "Come on in."

"Uh..." Rong Taotao hesitated for a moment, but still turned and walked into the cafe.

Gan Lin looked at Rong Taotao with a grin. "If you want an autograph, just say so. Boys should be bold. By the way, what’s that on your head?"

Her distinctive accent, with its particular "sea-oyster" flavor, revealed she was likely from Fengtian.

There are three provinces in the Outer Region.

From north to south, they are Songjiang Province, Baishan Province, and Fengtian Province.

The accent of the Fengtian-Liaolian region is quite unique and very different from the traditional northeastern dialect. They are practically two different dialects.

The Cloud Dog clung to Rong Taotao’s naturally curly hair, its small, dark eyes staring curiously at Gan Lin.

"Whoa!" Gan Lin clicked her tongue in amazement. Even Gao Lingwei, sitting across from her, had her beautiful eyes light up as she curiously studied the Cloud Dog.

"Can I, uh..." Gan Lin was a little embarrassed. She wanted to touch the Cloud Dog but stopped herself.

"Sure." Rong Taotao grabbed the Cloud Dog and placed it in Gan Lin’s palm.

Gan Lin carefully cupped the Cloud Dog in her hands, looking at it from all angles with curiosity.

Seeing her companion so absorbed, and with this unfamiliar fan being so generous, Gao Lingwei could only offer a helpless smile. She looked at Rong Taotao and asked, "Where should I sign?"

Rong Taotao: ???

’Sign where?’

’She thinks I’m here for an autograph?’

Gao Lingwei raised a slight eyebrow, a hint of inquiry in her beautiful eyes. "Did you not bring a pen?"

"Ah... ah!" Rong Taotao snapped back to reality and went along with it. "I didn’t bring one."

"Here..." Gan Lin took a carbon-ink pen out of her small bag and placed it on the table without even turning her head.

She kept her eyes fixed on the Cloud Dog, looking absolutely delighted. She was completely melting from its cuteness and even rubbed her nose against the Cloud Dog’s tiny one.

Gao Lingwei leaned over to pick up the pen, grabbed a napkin, and asked as she started writing, "Are you a student here too? Did you skip some grades? Awaken a few years earlier than most?"

Rong Taotao: "No, I’m in the Junior Class."

Gao Lingwei had just written "Wishing you success..." when she heard his reply. A little surprised, she looked up at Rong Taotao. "The Junior Class that just started this year?"

Rong Taotao looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah."

’Damn it, Rong Taotao, you’re so pathetic!’

’When have you ever avoided someone’s gaze in your entire life...?’

’Could... could this be love at first sight?’

Gao Lingwei murmured in admiration. She took a new napkin and once again put pen to paper, writing a line of text: "Ride forth in your youth and live without regret—Gao Lingwei."

Gao Lingwei handed the napkin to Rong Taotao and said politely, "Sorry, we’ve never seen a Soul Beast like this before. We’ve troubled you."

"Oh," Rong Taotao replied nonchalantly. ’This young lady is so gentle and polite, completely different from the domineering person in the match recordings.’

However, once Rong Taotao took the napkin, his opinion did a complete one-eighty!

He wasn’t sure if the sentence on the napkin was a wish for his future or praise for his current achievements.

But regardless, this young lady’s handwriting was just so fierce.

Her characters were like dragons and snakes dancing across the page, each stroke like a hook of silver or a line of iron.

The large, gilded characters at the school gate were free-spirited and elegant, but Gao Lingwei’s characters... they were truly sharp and angular. The aura of clashing halberds and armored cavalry rushed out at him, leaving Rong Taotao stunned.

’How old is she?’

’Is she too young to know how to hide her edge?’

’The killing intent in her writing is so intense! How many battlefields must she have been on, how many Soul Beasts must she have killed, to write with such a powerful aura...?’

And to top it off, she’d written it on a flimsy napkin. That was truly rare.

’Speaking of which... people say one’s handwriting reflects their character. If Gao Lingwei can write like this, doesn’t that prove her current gentle and quiet appearance is all just an act?’

Rong Taotao pursed his lips. ’Women are all liars, that’s a timeless truth.’ "Your handwriting has more presence than you do."

"Thank you. I enjoy practicing calligraphy," Gao Lingwei replied with a polite smile and a nod.

Rong Taotao stuffed the napkin into his pocket, glanced at the girl playing with the Cloud Dog, and said, "It’s a creature from Cloud Peak. Its name is White Clouds and Grey Dogs. I gave it a nickname, Cloud Dog."

"A Cloud Peak creature, just as I thought!" Gan Lin looked up at Rong Taotao, her face practically screaming, ’You must be a rich kid!’

’No, that’s not right!’

Gan Lin immediately dismissed the thought. This was a Cloud Peak creature from the Arctic Circle. It couldn’t be bought with money!

"BZZZT..."

His phone vibrated. Rong Taotao quickly pulled it out and saw a WeChat message from Si Nianhua. It was just one word: Eat!

’Damn it, one word, and she even adds an exclamation mark?’

’What kind of lousy teacher is this? She’s totally getting in the way of my budding romance... ’

"Um, I have to go," Rong Taotao said.

"Okay, bye-bye." Gao Lingwei smiled and nodded, but under the table, she kicked Gan Lin’s shoe. "Give the Soul Beast back."

"Oh... oh!" Gan Lin finally snapped out of it and reluctantly held out her hand, intending to give the Cloud Dog back to Rong Taotao.

But the Cloud Dog in her palm dissolved into mist, floated over to Rong Taotao’s head, and settled onto his curly hair, coalescing back into its physical form. Gan Lin watched, clicking her tongue in wonder.

Rong Taotao waved and hurried away.

Gan Lin couldn’t help but sigh. "Pine Soul Soul Martial really is something else. Full of geniuses, packed with Great Gods... even a random passerby has a Soul Beast from Cloud Peak."

"The outside world is so much more exciting. If I’d stayed cooped up at home, I probably would have never seen a Cloud Peak Soul Beast in my life."

Gao Lingwei gazed at the departing figure outside the window. "Didn’t you hear his introduction earlier?"

Gan Lin: "Huh?"

Gao Lingwei: "He said he’s in the Junior Class."

Gan Lin’s mouth hung slightly open. After a long moment, she finally managed to say, "No wonder. He’s in the Junior Class. Even the passersby at Pine Soul Soul Martial University are extraordinary..."

However, "Passerby Tao," as he’d been dubbed, didn’t hear this evaluation at all. He was currently rushing to the inner section of the cafeteria to get food for the Pine Soul Four Rites...

「...」

「In the afternoon.」

Rong Taotao, in his role as the mailroom’s "old grandpa," sat at his desk holding the napkin with the sharp, angular characters written on it.

The more he looked at it, the more envious he became, and the more he liked it.

At this moment, he felt the same way Sun Xingyu did: jealous.

’How many years of calligraphy classes would it take to develop handwriting like this...?’

’It’s too perfect! Alright, target acquired!’

’So now the question is, how do I pursue such an outstanding young lady?’

’Should I start by winning over her best friend?’

’Gao Lingwei’s companion seemed to really like the Cloud Dog. Could that be my way in?’

Thinking of this, Rong Taotao took the Cloud Dog from his head and placed it on the desk. "The happiness for the rest of my life depends on you!"

The Cloud Dog looked at Rong Taotao curiously, not understanding.

Rong Taotao took a Little Rascal candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and placed the Cubed Sugar on the desk. "Eat up. Once our little scheme succeeds, there’ll be a big reward for you!"

"KNOCK KNOCK!"

A sound came from the small window of the mailroom.

Rong Taotao looked up and saw Si Huan Nian yawning and beckoning to him.

"What’s up?" Rong Taotao slid open the small mailroom window and asked curiously.

Hearing this, Si Huan Nian almost laughed out of exasperation.

’I just woke up from my nap and rushed right over to give you special training, and what are you doing? Slacking off, playing with a dog in the mailroom. Do you really think you’re the night watchman grandpa here?’

"Get out here. Training," Si Huan Nian said sternly.

The harshness of her voice not only startled Rong Taotao, but it even startled herself fully awake!

Now wide awake, Si Huan Nian realized that she was the one who had just said that...

’Sure enough, no matter how many years I’ve been a teacher, hearing that kind of voice always brings back some psychological trauma.’

’In the end, I’ve become the person I always hated...’

Si Huan Nian sighed inwardly as Rong Taotao came out.

"Go upstairs and pick a saber. I’ll wait for you at the outdoor Martial Arts Arena," Si Huan Nian said before turning and leaving on her own.

Rong Taotao hurried upstairs and looked left and right at the weapon rack. Finally, a long, slender saber caught his eye.

When he arrived at the outdoor Martial Arts Arena, Si Huan Nian saw him carrying the saber and laughed. "You certainly know how to pick ’em."

"Ah," Rong Taotao scratched his head. "Is this one okay?"

Si Huan Nian nodded lightly. "It’s fine. Do you know its name?"

Rong Taotao looked curiously at the slender saber in his hand and said tentatively, "A Tang Saber? A Samurai Saber?"

Si Huan Nian shook her head. "Its form is that of a Ring-Headed Saber. This particular saber is called the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow."

"During the Han Dynasty, it once reached the pinnacle, renowned as the deadliest close-quarters cold weapon."

Rong Taotao blinked. "Great Xia Dragon Sparrow? What a cool name!"

Si Huan Nian pointed. "See that ring-head?"

Rong Taotao looked at the pommel of the saber. There was indeed a gilded ring.

Si Huan Nian continued, "You can see the coiling dragon pattern on the ring."

Rong Taotao examined the gilded ring and nodded lightly.

The fine carvings on the gilded ring were incredibly ornate.

Si Huan Nian: "The pattern shows a dragon’s body and a bird’s head, hence the name Dragon Sparrow."

Rong Taotao nodded dumbly. He had just picked it because it looked long, straight, and very sharp. He hadn’t expected it to have such a history.

’Yup, that’s right. He definitely didn’t pick it for the gilded ring...’

Si Huan Nian: "Dragon Sparrow has another meaning: magnificent. Since you’ve chosen such a magnificent and famous saber, your Martial Arts must also be worthy of its name."

Rong Taotao slipped his finger through the gilded ring at the end of the pommel, twirled the slender blade, and nodded thoughtfully.

Si Huan Nian: "Everything must start from the very basics. I will first teach you the most fundamental movements for using a saber."

With that, Si Huan Nian clasped her hands behind her back, moved behind Rong Taotao, and said, "First, how to hold the saber..."