Master of Nine Stars

「Early the next morning.」

Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei stood atop the cliff, looking down at the Snow Corpses scattered across the valley floor.

Overnight, the horde of Snow Corpses would have normally dispersed, but thanks to Xia Fangran and Li Lie’s efforts, nearly 300 of them had once again gathered at the bottom of the valley.

"CRUNCH, CRUNCH." Rong Taotao stuffed the remaining half of a chocolate bar into his mouth. Despite crunching on peanuts, his expression was vicious, as if he were chewing on the bones of a Snow Corpse.

Gao Lingwei stood with her hands clasped behind her back. In the biting wind, her long ponytail whipped about. With bandages still wrapped around her arms and ankles, she looked every bit the part of a majestic, battle-hardened general.

"I’ve found it," Gao Lingwei said suddenly, her gaze fixed on the valley below.

Rong Taotao: "Yeah. It’s time for it to die."

The corners of Gao Lingwei’s mouth turned up slightly. "I’m looking forward to it."

Rong Taotao stuffed the chocolate bar wrapper into his pocket. "When I serve it up to you, don’t hold back."

Gao Lingwei: "I don’t hold back. Not for anyone."

Rong Taotao gave her a strange look and turned his head. "Including me?"

Gao Lingwei shot Rong Taotao a cool glance.

Rong Taotao chuckled. "Heh heh."

Gao Lingwei: "Keep this up, and you’ll find out soon enough."

Rong Taotao cracked a grin. ’Jeez... She’s really reached her limit. I’d better not provoke her right now.’

SWOOSH...

Li Lie and Xia Fangran returned to the clifftop. Seeing the two of them geared up and ready for action, Li Lie smiled. "You two are in high spirits. Very imposing."

Xia Fangran plopped down on the edge of the cliff. "Get down there. A beautiful day begins with accepting your own mediocrity."

Rong Taotao planted a foot on the cliff’s edge. "And what if we actually succeed?"

Xia Fangran retorted, "You trying to get credit before you’ve even done the work? Succeed first, then we’ll talk!"

Standing at the cliff’s edge, Rong Taotao spun around. As he leaned back over the precipice, he stretched out his right hand.

The move... was unbelievably cool.

Gao Lingwei stepped forward and grabbed his hand. Their movements were decisive as they plunged off the cliff together.

Unsurprisingly, a hand made of snow burst from the cliff’s edge, shooting down to catch the falling pair.

"Tch," Xia Fangran mumbled. "His actual strength is another question, but that kid’s certainly got more and more flair..."

Li Lie chuckled. "You really don’t want them to succeed, do you?"

Xia Fangran shot Li Lie an annoyed look. "Our training plan is three months, not three days!"

Li Lie: "..."

’Well... Xia Fangran did have a point, didn’t he?’

Escorted by the hand of snow, the pair landed safely on the valley floor. Without a word, they both crouched down, simultaneously setting Snow Traps on the ground with their feet while using Ice Pillars to disrupt the dense formation of the distant Corpse Tide.

"Steady! Patience! Fall back!" Rong Taotao yelled, fighting as he retreated.

"HISS... ROAR!!!" A ferocious roar echoed through the valley.

Seeing Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei employ their old tactics, the one-armed Snow Corpse retaliated in kind!

The hissing roar was clearly an order. At once, the Snow Corpses began grabbing their comrades and hurling them toward Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei!

"Huh?" Gao Lingwei’s expression changed as she watched the swarm of Snow Corpses being hurled from afar. It was a dense, overwhelming barrage, a truly spectacular sight!

To an observer, the sight might have been spectacular, but for Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei, it was utterly terrifying!

"Charge!" Rong Taotao suddenly commanded. The order clearly stunned Gao Lingwei for a second. Although her mind reeled in shock, Goddess Wei’s body reacted on pure instinct, charging forward with Rong Taotao!

Up on the cliff, Li Lie watched their maneuver and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

’Advancing instead of retreating!?’

’What a choice... Tsk, tsk. Excellent improvisation! A brilliant call!’

The nearly three hundred Snow Corpses quickly split into two groups.

Some Snow Corpses didn’t just throw a single comrade; they swung their arms repeatedly, hurling one after another!

In this situation, the "Snow Corpse Rain" blotting out the sky actually grew denser, while the group of Snow Corpses remaining behind to throw them grew smaller!

"We have no way back!" Gao Lingwei shouted. She knew that the moment she had obeyed Rong Taotao’s command and charged madly forward, they had indeed cut off all paths of retreat.

THUD... THUD... THUD... Behind them, Snow Corpses rained down, slamming into the ground. But Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei’s speed was astonishing; they had already broken through and were charging ahead.

"We don’t need a retreat!" Rong Taotao roared, thrusting a hand forward!

WHOOSH...

A Snow Ghost Hand abruptly shot out from the ground far ahead, right under the roaring, one-armed Snow Corpse, and snagged its ankle.

"You like throwing corpses, huh? Let me help you!" Rong Taotao clenched his left fist and viciously yanked it backward!

In an instant, the Snow Ghost Hand flung the one-armed Snow Corpse straight at them!

It wasn’t tossed in a high parabola, but shot forward like a missile, a blur of reckless speed!

"ROAR!!!"

Gao Lingwei’s eyes narrowed, her expression terrifyingly grim. As she watched the one-armed Snow Corpse rocket toward her, the ghastly scenes from yesterday replayed in her mind.

’Today, I will repay that humiliation twofold!’

"Kill!" Gao Lingwei hissed the single word from between her teeth, her presence explosive. A Snow Burst Ball rapidly formed at her feet.

She bent low, then shot forward. The Heaven-piercing Halberd in her hands swung from back to front, carving a full moon through the air!

"ROAR!" the one-armed Snow Corpse bellowed, its presence no less imposing. Relying on its sharp talons, it swiped a claw at the descending Heaven-piercing Halberd.