Master of Nine Stars

However, what truly astonished the person was how the specks of starlight swirling around Rong Taotao seemed to be cheering and dancing with such joy.

’Just how much does this kid crave happiness?’

’No, the real question is...how much does he want *them* to be happy?’

’He seems like a very kind child. But... kindness is often accompanied by a soft heart and a gentle hand. While that’s a good quality, it’s not suited for a Soul Martial Artist.’

At this thought, the person hidden on the roof sighed internally. But then, he saw someone quietly climbing onto the roof across the street. He immediately focused his attention, pressing his cheek against the rooftop and listening intently.

In the pitch-black night, Rong Taotao became the most dazzling light.

He, of course, had no idea anyone else was around. He just focused all his energy on holding the long pole, desperately controlling and compressing the mold to keep the snowflakes from scattering. Half-kneeling in the snow, he carefully shuffled backward...

Half a meter, one meter, one and a half meters, two meters...

After pulling out nearly two meters of the long shaft, Rong Taotao’s concentration was absolute, his scorching gaze fixed on the snow.

Ironspear Point, the twin crescent blades, the grid-like pattern... the edge of the blade, its curve, its thickness...

Rong Taotao’s expression suddenly froze, as if he had discovered something incredible.

’At the very end, I wasn’t just mechanically building the mold and compressing the snowflakes?’

Because in the thick snow, the grid-like pattern of the Heaven-piercing Halberd had actually assembled itself into its original form automatically.

It didn’t even need Rong Taotao to actively release Soul Power to compress it. Instead, following his thoughts, it guided his externalized Soul Power and polished itself into its proper shape...

WHOOSH!

Rong Taotao abruptly stood up and pulled out the long pole. In an instant, a flurry of snowflakes filled the air.

Rong Taotao looked up, his mouth gradually forming an "O" shape. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

’It’s beautiful. It’s just too beautiful...’

Rippling layers of Soul Power enveloped the snowflakes that had been compressed into the mold. A snow-white Heaven-piercing Halberd materialized, which Rong Taotao lifted single-handedly toward the night sky.

The swarm of White Lantern Paper Cages, like fireflies, flickered with faint light. They cheered and danced, swirling endlessly around the Heaven-piercing Halberd.

’A genius?’

’No, Rong Taotao isn’t. At least not right now.’

He was just someone who deeply loved the Heaven-piercing Halberd. This weapon had accompanied him through countless days and nights, whether in the wind, the rain, or under the scorching sun.

He knew every detail of its construction and accepted the spiritual gift it gave him.

"Cultivated Snow Realm Soul Skill: Snow Soul!

Snow Soul: Skillfully use Soul Power to connect with frost and snow, condensing individual flakes into a whole. The Snow Soul is a Soldier’s Soul (Normal Grade, Potential Value: 3 Stars)."

Rong Taotao casually swung the heavy Heaven-piercing Halberd onto his back and strode toward the storefront.

Pine Soul First Grade,

’You’ve met your match!’

’I’m definitely eating this meal today! Not even Si Huan Nian can save you. The Heaven-piercing Halberd said so...’

...

It turned out the only thing that could curb Si Huan Nian’s dining pace was the speed at which the dishes were served.

As Rong Taotao burst in, bringing a gust of wind and snow and carrying the long Heaven-piercing Halberd he’d made from snow, Si Huan Nian’s chopsticks froze mid-air, just shy of her mouth.

Rong Taotao, for his part, looked at the completely clean plates on the table.

’Are you fucking clearing one plate at a time?!’

’She eats cleaner than a dog! This completely ruins her goddess image!’

Of course, if Si Huan Nian were the Kitchen God, then it would all make sense.

Rong Taotao felt awful. Looking at Si Huan Nian, he tentatively asked, "Reporting good deeds to heaven?"

"Hmm?" Si Huan Nian raised an eyebrow slightly, not understanding.

Rong Taotao clicked his tongue, dragged the long Heaven-piercing Halberd behind him, and plopped down onto a chair.

’Damn it, the secret code didn’t match.’

’If Si Huan Nian had just replied with "and returning to your palace to bring good fortune," that would have confirmed her identity. In that case, Rong Taotao would have just let her have all six dishes.’

’Heck, he might have even grabbed the nearby pack of Smoke, pulled out three, and lit them for her as an offering...’

Si Huan Nian put down her chopsticks, her expression serious, and said, "How much time passed from when you created the weapon to when you returned?"

"Huh?" Rong Taotao looked at the spotless plate and said, "Not even a few seconds. I came right back after making it. A matter of 3 or 5 seconds."

Si Huan Nian: "In other words, from when you first started learning to your successful result, the total time was about 50 seconds."

Rong Taotao thought for a moment and said, "I wasn’t really paying attention to the time."

Si Huan Nian’s expression was serious as she said, "After school starts, report this data to your class advisor to be entered into your file. I will be your witness."

"Oh? Did I break another record?" Rong Taotao asked curiously.

Si Huan Nian’s expression faltered. "Another?"

Rong Taotao nodded. "Teacher Xia Fangran also wants to be my witness. He told me to report the time it took me to learn Snow Burst after school starts."

"Good, good!" Si Huan Nian’s beautiful eyes flashed with amazement, and she nodded lightly.

The Junior Class was established to gather geniuses from all over Huaxia, give these students intensive special training, provide them with the most top-tier educational resources, and then wait in anticipation to see what they might achieve in the future.

But judging from Rong Taotao’s current performance, even placing him in this top-tier Junior Class seemed like a waste of his talent!

Fortunately, Songjiang Soul Martial University was more than large enough to accommodate a talent of his caliber.

Rong Taotao’s Initial Soul Slot count was 6, so of course he was among the Soul Martial Artists with the most top-tier talent in the world.

His speed of cultivating Soul Power was definitely first-class.

But even so, Si Huan Nian seemed to have discovered a fact... Rong Taotao’s Soul Power Realm growth speed was far from keeping up with his Soul Skill learning speed.

The ability to learn is the fundamental thing that distinguishes Soul Martial Artists from the vast majority of Soul Beasts and allows them to gain a foothold in this world.

And Rong Taotao’s learning ability...

In fact, at this moment, Rong Taotao still had some misunderstandings about the Soul Skill: Snow Soul.

If he had tried to save trouble and really just condensed a long staff, the snowflakes would indeed be compressed by the mold made of Soul Power. But once the Soul Martial Artist pulled the weapon out of the snow, it would fall apart in a few seconds.

So... if Rong Taotao had abandoned the head of the Heaven-piercing Halberd and only made the shaft, the result would inevitably have been it shattering.

Because the condensed frost and snow would only have a body, but no soul.

Soul Skills are very subtle arts, even the lowest-level ones.

Just like the Soul Skill: White Lantern Paper Cage, its mysteries can only be understood through personal experience.

The Soul Skill: Snow Soul was the same.

Si Huan Nian’s instructions weren’t wrong; she had Rong Taotao release his Soul Power into the snow and try to connect with the frost and snow.

But the Soul Power mold could only shape the weapon’s body. It couldn’t last long and would shatter at a touch.

What truly allowed the specks of frost and snow to condense and become one was the weapon’s soul.

The shaping of the soul is a two-way choice.

This was the most difficult part of this Soul Skill.

Emotions are mutual, and so is the test.

Si Huan Nian knew very well that for Rong Taotao to be able to walk in with the weapon so quickly, it definitely wasn’t his own achievement alone.

The patch of snow he connected with, and the outline of the Heaven-piercing Halberd drawn in the snow, must have acted on their own initiative, proactively transforming the frost and snow into a Soldier’s Soul.

That was why it looked as it did now.

This wasn’t something that could be achieved in a single day.

When Rong Taotao first entered the school, Si Huan Nian had tested his Martial Arts. At the time, she just thought the little guy’s skills were good, but she never expected...

This child, who seemed mischievous on the surface, apparently had many other qualities hidden in his heart.

A test administered by a person could never be as direct and revealing as a test from a Soul Skill!