Master of Nine Stars

The trio made their way back to the Martial Arts Arena. The outdoor field, covered in a thin layer of snow, was completely silent.

Normally, students who chose to stay at school during the summer break were a hardworking bunch. They should have been here for the accelerated training the Martial Arts Arena offered. The fact that it was completely empty could only mean one thing... it was already past 10 p.m.

Rong Taotao and the others pushed open the door to the building and saw Jiao Tengda’s delighted face behind the small window of the reception office.

"The champions are back!" Jiao Tengda exclaimed in a hushed voice, quickly sliding open the small window.

Jiao Tengda kept his voice low, which immediately caused the trio of teacher and students to go on high alert.

It was as if an invisible on-screen comment was warning everyone: Caution! Caution! You have entered Si Huan Nian’s territory! All living things, be silent!

Rong Taotao leaned over, propping his elbow on the windowsill, and chuckled softly. "Is it your turn for night watch duty today?"

"Ah, brother, this is amazing!" Jiao Tengda grabbed Rong Taotao’s hand. "Quick, let me touch the number one of the Outer Region."

As he spoke, Jiao Tengda pulled Rong Taotao’s arm through the small window and squeezed it up and down, as if checking to see how firm his muscles were...

Rong Taotao quickly pulled his hand back and gave Jiao Tengda a look of mock resentment. "I’m going back to sleep. Let’s talk tomorrow. Si Huan Nian is going to explode any second."

"Right, right," Jiao Tengda nodded repeatedly, gesturing to his phone. "Let’s talk in the group chat. We’ll talk in the group."

With that, Jiao Tengda poked his head out of the small window and whispered, "Wei! Wei!"

Gao Lingwei glanced back as she was walking away and saw Jiao Tengda’s excited face as he pumped his fist vigorously.

"Heh," Gao Lingwei chuckled and shook her head before turning to walk upstairs.

The group split up on the second floor. Gao Lingwei opened the door to the girls’ dormitory, while Rong Taotao stood hesitating in front of Si Huan Nian’s room.

’What... what do I do?’

’Evil Boss Si is definitely going to wake up, isn’t she?’

Just as Rong Taotao was hesitating, a series of soft cheers came from the girls’ dormitory behind him.

"Oh?" Rong Taotao glanced back at the girls’ dorm. ’Wei must have gone in. Her roommates are probably trying their best to cheer quietly?’

’Sigh... that damnable Evil Boss Si, she’s just... huh?’

Just as Rong Taotao was grumbling internally, the door in front of him was suddenly yanked open!

Si Huan Nian appeared, her long hair a mess and her eyes drowsy. She was wearing a white nightgown and had a look of utter impatience on her face as she stormed out...

"Hey? Hey?" Rong Taotao instinctively backed away, but he was still knocked back several steps by Si Huan Nian.

Rong Taotao was stunned!

’I’m a whole person standing right here in the doorway, and Si Huan Nian can’t see me? She just plowed right into me?’

"Hm?" Si Huan Nian also felt that she had bumped into someone and paused, stunned. She stopped, rubbed her drowsy eyes, and blinked, trying to make out the person in front of her.

"Rong Taotao?"

Leaning against the wall, Rong Taotao said softly, "Hello, Coach Si."

As he spoke, he pulled two White Rabbit candies from his pocket and offered them to her. "Here~"

Si Huan Nian’s brow furrowed. "Unwrap it for me," she said casually.

With that, she strode forward on her long legs and kicked the door of the girls’ dormitory!

THUD!

A muffled bang!

The noise inside the girls’ dorm instantly vanished...

Rong Taotao shuddered. ’Damn... a true evil boss!’

The scene was simply too bizarre.

Si Huan Nian was in a nightgown and slippers, and despite being half-asleep, she was as furious as a thunderclap. That one kick had nearly shattered the door...

GULP. Rong Taotao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He didn’t dare to move a muscle.

Si Huan Nian’s chest heaved, clearly still enraged. She listened intently for a few seconds, and only after hearing nothing from inside did she let out a cold snort and turn to look at Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao handed over the unwrapped White Rabbit candy and said cautiously, "Wei and I are back. She just went into her room. The students were probably celebrating."

Si Huan Nian must have been groggy from sleep. Hearing Rong Taotao’s explanation, she finally processed the situation. She casually took the candy, her anger seeming to dissipate considerably, and grunted an "Mm" before turning and walking into her room.

Rong Taotao pursed his lips.

’Heh, women. She knows she was in the wrong but won’t admit it~’

"What are you doing standing outside? Get in here!" Si Huan Nian’s voice came from inside the room. "You want to sleep in the hallway?"

"Oh, right," Rong Taotao quickly replied, entering the room.

By the light from the hallway, he could see into the dim room. Si Huan Nian was already in bed, tucked under her covers.

Rong Taotao closed the door behind him, plunging the room into darkness. He felt for the light switch and said softly, "You’re going to sleep right after eating candy, without brushing your teeth?"

Si Huan Nian’s eyes shot open!

’Did I just get played!?’

’Did this brat give me candy on purpose just to buy himself some time to sleep?’

Si Huan Nian sat up, her gaze fixed eerily on Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao grinned. ’Heh heh... At this moment, I’m on a whole other level.’

CLICK~ Rong Taotao flicked on the light. As he walked toward his own desk, he took out his phone and sent a message to the group chat:

"Tao’Er: @everyone, you can celebrate now. The evil boss won’t be sleeping for a while."

Who would have thought that just as he sent the message, before any replies came in, he would hear a cheer from the girls’ dormitory across the hall.

"Woohoo~! Long live Taotao!"

Judging by the voice, it was probably Sun Xingyu...

Hearing this, Si Huan Nian gave Rong Taotao a look that was both annoyed and amused.

Rong Taotao put his backpack on his desk and, while unzipping it, sized up Si Huan Nian. "Living pretty comfortably, huh? You haven’t changed a bit."

Si Huan Nian yawned, lazily ruffling her messy long hair. She glanced at Rong Taotao and said, "You seem to have gotten a little taller?"

"Ah... maybe," Rong Taotao said, scratching his head.

Last year, when Xia Fangran first took Gao Lingwei and Rong Taotao to the Snowfield to train, Rong Taotao had insisted on maintaining a good diet and getting enough sleep. Back then, Rong Taotao was already around 174 or 175 cm. Xia Fangran had even said that Rong Taotao was tall enough, almost catching up to him.

Now it was August, and more than half a year had passed. Rong Taotao, who should have been at an age for a growth spurt, hadn’t really grown much, perhaps because the Lotus Petals were competing with him for nutrients.

He had grown 1 or 2 cm at most, putting him at 176 or 177 cm?

In truth, Rong Taotao was a little worried. His parents had such good genes, and his older brother, Rong Yang, had set an example by shooting up to a full 185 cm. Rong Taotao always felt like he was going to bring shame to the Rong Family...

There was nothing to be done about it. These two Lotus Petals were just too demanding on his "resources"...

Si Huan Nian slipped on her slippers and walked toward the bathroom. "You did well in the Outer League. You didn’t embarrass me."

Rong Taotao reached into his backpack and pulled out a trophy. "Of course! It didn’t matter whether we won or not; I was mainly afraid I wouldn’t be allowed back in the house."

"Hah," Si Huan Nian sneered, walking back out while squeezing toothpaste onto her toothbrush.

Rong Taotao gestured with the trophy. "Look, there’s a certificate, too."

Si Huan Nian walked over, brushing her teeth, and picked up the glittering gold trophy to examine it.

It was less of a trophy and more of a figurine.

The trophy was a small golden figure. Its facial features weren’t distinct, but the lines of its body were quite elegant.

It held its right arm high, index finger extended. It was hard to tell if it was pointing to the sky or simply making a "1" gesture.

Undoubtedly, it wasn’t solid gold—just plated—but it was exquisite enough.

Si Huan Nian turned the trophy over a few times before placing it on the desk. "Where are the Soul Pearls?" she asked, her voice muffled as she continued brushing her teeth.

Rong Taotao said, "We’ve already applied for them. They said they’ll be delivered to Pine Soul Soul Martial in a while. Wei and I asked for a forehead Soul Pearl and an Eye Soul Pearl, an offensive psychic type and an Illusion Technique Type."

"Mm," Si Huan Nian nodded, seeming quite satisfied with Rong Taotao’s decision.

Rong Taotao continued, "By the way, Coach Si, Coach Xia is taking Wei and me to the Second Wall to train tomorrow. I’m just letting you know. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Si Huan Nian walked back into the bathroom, spat out a mouthful of toothpaste foam, rinsed her mouth, and said, "Don’t die."

Rong Taotao: "..."

’A student comes back as the number one of the Outer Region, and what teacher wouldn’t be full of praise? But you? The only thing you’ve said that even counts as a compliment from start to finish was that I didn’t embarrass you?’

Rong Taotao felt a pang of disappointment. He pulled another White Rabbit candy from his pocket and unwrapped it.

When Si Huan Nian finished washing up and walked back out, Rong Taotao held up the candy and pushed it toward her mouth. "Thank you for the advice, Coach Si. Wei and I will definitely be careful."

"Mm, Li Lie told me he’ll be going too, to keep you safe. Just follow the coaches’ arrangements and you’ll be fine," Si Huan Nian said casually, subconsciously opening her mouth and accepting the candy.

The moment the candy entered her mouth, Si Huan Nian felt that something was wrong!

’What’s wrong?’

’The taste is wrong!’

It was indeed a milk candy, but her mouth was still full of the taste of toothpaste!

Si Huan Nian froze for a second, then whipped her head around to glare at Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao silently took a step back, but Si Huan Nian suddenly shot out a hand, grabbed him by the collar, and hauled him right in front of her.

Her eyes narrowed, filled with a dangerous glint. "Haven’t seen you for half a month, you little brat. You’ve got an itch for a beating?"

Rong Taotao gave an awkward laugh. "It’s been too long since I last fed you. I was just worried you were hungry, worried you... hey? Hey... don’t hit me, don’t..."

"Wait, something’s happening!" In the girls’ dorm diagonally across the hall, Sun Xingyu held a finger to her lips. "Shhh..."

The room instantly fell silent, and in that quiet, they could hear Rong Taotao’s miserable cries even more clearly.

"Aww~" Sun Xingyu pouted, sighing. "Poor Taotao. He got beaten by Coach Si again just so we could have a happy get-together."

Hearing the cries of pain from across the hall, Shi Lan couldn’t help but shiver, as if remembering the times she had been dominated by the evil boss. "Juanjuan is finally back," she murmured. "Finally, there’s someone to share the burden with me. This is great..."

Nearby, Gao Lingwei, who was packing her bag, said, "He and I are going to the Third Wall tomorrow."

"Ah?" Shi Lan wailed, subconsciously rubbing her backside. "No way, stay for a couple more days..."

"Heh heh." Seeing Shi Lan’s pitiful expression, Gao Lingwei couldn’t help but reach out and gently flick her on the forehead.

"Oof." Shi Lan clutched her forehead with one hand while grabbing Gao Lingwei’s sleeve with the other. "Wei, why don’t you take me with you? I’ll go with you guys to Hundred Corps Pass! Take me with you, boo hoo... Take me with you!"

Nearby, her sister, Shi Lou, remarked faintly, "Hah. Just what I’d expect from my dear sister."

Hearing this, Fan Lihua, who was lying obediently in her bed, couldn’t help but cover her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Hee hee..."