Master of Nine Stars

The handful of freshmen hung their heads, scurrying past the dorm auntie in embarrassment, not daring to even breathe a word...

Jiao Tengda, all smiles, waved to her and said, "Sorry for the trouble, ma’am. My apologies. I’ll make sure he never comes back again."

"Hmph." The dorm auntie snorted coldly, as if she’d already seen through their act. She didn’t press the issue, simply turning and leaving with her broom in hand.

Not only did she leave, but when she reached the entrance to the hallway, she actually placed that infuriating notice board right in the middle of the entryway...

Jiao Tengda quickly pushed Rong Taotao into dorm room 123.

Lu Mang also snorted coldly and shut the door. "And here I thought they were from the Junior Class. Those guys from the Martial Arts Class... not a single one of them is any good."

"Peace and harmony, my friends, peace and harmony," Jiao Tengda chuckled, holding out his phone for Lu Mang to see.

Lu Mang’s expression instantly froze. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"What’s up?" Rong Taotao leaned over curiously, only to see the online profile for Zhao Tang.

Rong Taotao couldn’t help but gape. "Holy shit... Northwest Division High School League Champion, and fifth in the National High School League!"

Jiao Tengda asked curiously, "You guys don’t watch the tournaments?"

Lu Mang and Rong Taotao’s answers were surprisingly in sync as they both shook their heads. "No time."

"Hey," a somewhat gloomy voice cut in.

Rong Taotao turned to see Xu Taiping taking off his headphones with one hand. He looked at Rong Taotao and said, "Pick a bed. I need to rest."

Rong Taotao’s gaze fell on Li Ziyi, who was leaning out the window while still on the phone. Just then, Li Ziyi propped the Long Spear he was holding against a nearby wall.

’Why are you holding a spear while on the phone... oh, is he preparing for a potential conflict?’ Rong Taotao thought with a strange look on his face.

Rong Taotao looked at the bunks and walked to the far end of the room, to the spot by the window and the sink. He tossed his things onto the desk. "I’ll take this one."

Lu Mang chose the spot across from Rong Taotao, the bunk next to the bathroom.

Apparently, neither of them wanted to be near the door.

With the beds assigned, Jiao Tengda took a middle bunk, while Li Ziyi and Xu Taiping chose the two bunks by the door.

This meant that Xu Taiping and Lu Mang were in the same row—one by the door, one by the window—with an empty bunk between them...

However, after everyone had chosen their spots, Jiao Tengda saw the arrangement and switched. He chose the empty bunk, positioning himself between Lu Mang and Xu Taiping, with Xu Taiping’s bed toward his head and Lu Mang’s toward his feet.

No one said anything; they just went about unpacking their own things.

Only Jiao Tengda seemed like a typical college student. After making his bed, he pulled a laptop from his luggage, set it on his desk, and started watching tournament videos, muttering things like, "The internet speed is so fast."

BUZZ... BUZZ...

A series of phones started vibrating. The students all picked them up to see they’d been added to a new group chat.

The group was created by Sun Xingyu, who had added all the students from their class.

The group name was also interesting... "Fruit Salad."

A few of Sun Xingyu’s close friends were quick to show their support. They must have been roommates and had already planned it, as they all changed their nicknames to: Xing’Er, Pear, Big Pomegranate, and Little Pomegranate.

"Come on, guys, get with the program," Li Ziyi said as he changed his own nickname.

Jiao Tengda picked up his phone and immediately changed his to "Banana." Xu Taiping, on the other hand...

He just left the group chat!

Then he was immediately added back by Sun Xingyu.

Xu Taiping left again. Sun Xingyu added him again.

This went back and forth five times. Finally, Xu Taiping stared down at his phone, utterly exasperated. Not only did he stop leaving, but he even changed his nickname in the group to "Apple."

That whole scene was... um... well, it was very... peculiar...

Xing’Er: "The opening ceremony for new students is tomorrow at 8 a.m. in the stadium. Don’t forget, everyone. Our Junior Class counts as new students, so attendance is mandatory."

Xing’Er: "Also, Taotao. The freshmen have to do a month of military training. The situation is special this year, so the school won’t be closed for the October 1st holiday. The campus will remain sealed.

The school is planning a welcome gala after the military training ends, and the Junior Class has to put on two acts. Professor Yang Chunxi has requested that our Soul Class provide one, and the Martial Arts Class provide the other."

Rong Taotao scratched his head, his fingers flying across the screen as he typed, "Why are you asking me? I’m good at fighting, not at putting on a show."

Xing’Er: "Lu Mang says you sing ’Forget-me-not’ beautifully~"

Rong Taotao’s face froze. He turned his head to glare at Lu Mang, who was lying on the opposite bunk.

As if feeling that baleful stare, Lu Mang slowly rolled over to face the wall, leaving Rong Taotao with nothing but a view of his back...

Xing’Er: "We were classmates for three years and I never discovered you had this talent. Mango also said you love to sing, and that you’ll put a single song on repeat and sing it all day long."

Peach: "That’s because Si Huan Nian drove me crazy!!!"

Xing’Er: "Heehee, I don’t care~"

Peach: "Xu Taiping is probably a good singer too. He’s been wearing headphones ever since I got to the dorm."

Who would’ve thought... Xu Taiping just shared a link.

Apple: "[Audio Link] - Key Provisions, Theories, and Cases of the Huaxia Criminal Law (Soul Martial Chapter)"

Mango: "Not bad. Going on stage to educate everyone on the law would be an excellent choice."

Apple: "[Public Account Link] - ’Is It Always Illegal for a Soul Martial Artist to Kill? In the Following Situations, Feel Free to Act!’"

Xing’Er: "The group owner has muted all members."

Her move of typing out "The group owner has muted all members" as if it were a system notification was such a flex it made Rong Taotao’s scalp tingle...