Master of Nine Stars

However, Gao Lingwei’s movements were fluid. The instant she blasted Rong Taotao’s Heaven-piercing Halberd away, the Long Halberd in her hand was already thrusting forward.

’Is this a higher-level Snow Burst?’

’It’s still a ferocious explosion, but there’s no recoil?’

Rong Taotao had no time to think. Despite his usual aversion to jumping, he abruptly abandoned his halberd and drew his blade!

The thousands upon thousands of times he had practiced drawing his blade paid off in this very moment.

With a metallic ring, the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow was drawn from the scabbard on Rong Taotao’s lower back. It tore through the wind and snow as he, standing sideways, held it in a reverse grip to block in front of him.

CLANG! A crisp sound rang out.

The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow met the point where the Ironspear Point connected to the Half Moon Blade!

The immense force sent Rong Taotao sliding backward, kicking up a breathtakingly beautiful swirl of wind and snow.

Gao Lingwei’s eyes lit up, as if she had just discovered something incredible!

As Rong Taotao slid away, he had already sheathed his Great Xia Dragon Sparrow. His hands waved continuously through the snowstorm, conjuring one Heaven-piercing Halberd after another and hurling them at Gao Lingwei like javelins.

Gao Lingwei shifted her feet and sharply turned aside, the razor-sharp Long Halberd grazing her cheek as it flew past.

Planting her feet, Gao Lingwei spun her Long Halberd in an impenetrable flurry, no longer dodging but instead deflecting the incoming Heaven-piercing Halberds one by one.

The barrage of Flying Halberds only stopped once Rong Taotao came to a steady halt from his slide.

Holding her halberd with both hands, Gao Lingwei gazed at Rong Taotao in the distance, who was also holding a halberd in both hands. In that moment, she saw the fighting spirit burning in his eyes.

’Was all that just to stall for time because his footing was unstable?’

To Rong Taotao’s surprise, Gao Lingwei slowly relaxed her stance and tossed the Heaven-piercing Halberd in her hands into the air. It shattered, dissolving into a flurry of snow.

The sight was indescribably cool...

Rong Taotao: "What’s wrong?"

Gao Lingwei was silent for a moment before speaking. "Skill, philosophy, mindset, and heart."

Rong Taotao looked at Gao Lingwei, confused. ’What is she talking about?’

Gao Lingwei took a deep breath. "I thought I had a lot to teach you, but now I see I was being arrogant. I don’t know who your master was... but they taught you well.

I... can’t teach you."

Rong Taotao: "..."

Gao Lingwei continued, "This world is truly full of all kinds of geniuses. I awakened a full three years before you did.

And yet, it turns out I can only overpower you by relying on my Soul Skills and superior physical conditioning.

When it comes to Martial Arts, I’m not qualified to teach you.

If you had been born three years earlier, maybe our team from the Outer Region could have actually won the national championship."

’I’m screwed! I completely blew it!’

’Should I have held back a little?’

"We both know that you’re skilled with the Heaven-piercing Halberd. Over your long years of training, it must have subtly influenced you."

Gao Lingwei gazed at Rong Taotao in the distance and continued, "So, that timid, evasive look in your eyes at the beginning... it wasn’t because you were facing a strong opponent. It was because you had something else on your mind.

In other words, you have designs on me."

"Er..." Having his thoughts laid bare, Rong Taotao was genuinely embarrassed this time.

When it comes to matters of the heart, most girls are incredibly perceptive.

The girl you have feelings for isn’t oblivious to your affection; she’s most likely just pretending to be asleep, refusing to be woken.

Clearly, Gao Lingwei wasn’t looking for a "guy best friend," nor did she want a backup option.

Gao Lingwei said, "We are both wielders of the Heaven-piercing Halberd. Unlike the spear, the sword, or the blade, which encompass countless different schools of thought, the combat style of the Heaven-piercing Halberd is largely consistent.

So we both know what it turns its wielder into. I don’t think we’re a good match."

A direct call-out and a clean, decisive rejection. ’This girl is something else...’

If Gao Lingwei hadn’t shown up today, Rong Taotao would have undoubtedly continued to focus solely on his Martial Arts, striving to become stronger.

But now that she was here and had seen right through him, Rong Taotao, finding himself on the back foot, certainly wasn’t going to give up so easily.

"We’re different, aren’t we? In that fight just now, you were all about pressing forward, unwilling to retreat even half a step. Whereas I..." Rong Taotao shrugged, the implication obvious. "I’m pretty flexible."

"Heh." Gao Lingwei couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

It was a perfectly normal statement, but between two Spearmen, it became an inside joke that an ordinary person would struggle to understand.

Rong Taotao thought for a moment before continuing, "It’s not easy to find someone else who uses a Heaven-piercing Halberd. We should have a lot to talk about."

Gao Lingwei nodded in agreement. She had to admit he had a point.

Rong Taotao pressed, "Train together? We can just treat it as sparring, a way to exchange pointers."

Gao Lingwei seemed to consider this seriously. A corner of her mouth lifted as she tilted her head slightly. "Is it really just about exchanging pointers on our skills?"

Rong Taotao pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

Gao Lingwei’s expression gradually grew serious. She looked at Rong Taotao quietly. With the Heaven-piercing Halberd as their common ground, it seemed both of them had let their guards down.

It was just as the saying goes: people testing people is far less direct than a Soul Skill testing a person.

Rong Taotao’s Soul Skill: Snow Soul was of such a low level, yet the Heaven-piercing Halberd it constructed was so exquisite. That alone spoke volumes.

Now that they were being blunt, her eyes became fiercely aggressive, finally matching her name, and her halberd.

At this moment, she no longer had that flawless perfection she displayed on the podium, nor the gentle friendliness from the coffee shop.

All that remained was a faint, detached coldness.

The Martial Arts Arena fell silent, leaving only the sound of the whistling wind.

After a long silence, Gao Lingwei spoke coolly, "We’ve only met once. You don’t know me at all. Why do you want to pursue me? Is it because of my looks?"

"Well..." Rong Taotao hesitated for a moment before telling the truth. "Actually, it was through the Heaven-piercing Halberd that I found you."

"Oh?" That answer clearly took Gao Lingwei by surprise. She fell silent for a moment before saying softly, "That’s an interesting answer."

Despite her words, she began to step backward. "Even though I can’t teach you, it’s difficult for me to see you as an equal. I can’t lie to myself. When you can stand before me as a true challenger, then regardless of the outcome, I will seriously consider your proposal."

As she spoke, her tall figure gradually faded into the vast, swirling snow...

Rong Taotao thought for a moment. Putting himself in her shoes, he could understand a Spearman’s persistence, or even their obsession.

He nodded thoughtfully and said, "That day isn’t far off."

Faintly, her parting words drifted back through the snowstorm: "I’ve seen your Talent and your diligence. I believe in you, and I look forward to it..."

...