Master of Nine Stars

Rong Taotao barely dodged, the churning emotions in his heart finally boiling over. He viciously threw his halberd. "I’ve never owed anyone a damn thing!"

’What right do you have to lecture me!?’

’Xia Fangran, Yang Chunxi, not even the Yuan Brothers themselves ever complained, so what right do you have to lecture me!?’

’I owe Pine Soul Soul Martial a championship!?’

’Principal Mei Hongyu didn’t say a fucking word, so who! The hell! Do you! Think! You! Are!?’

’Publicly executing me in the Outer Region finals, under the eyes of the entire nation?’

’Saying I owe Pine Soul Soul Martial a championship!?’

’Are you trying to nail me to some so-called pillar of shame?’

WHOOSH...

In that instant, the charging Guan Qiong came to a sudden halt.

From the chest of the enraged Rong Taotao, a cyan butterfly had actually emerged?

’Is that... a butterfly?’

’Why is only one wing flying, dragging the other behind it...’

’No, that’s not a butterfly. It looks like two v-shaped Lotus petals?’

"Gao Lingwei and I want to take first place in the Outer Region! Is! That! Wrong!?" In his towering rage, Rong Taotao hadn’t even noticed the Lotus Petals floating before him...

Clutching a hand to her frost-covered abdomen, Gao Lingwei struggled to her feet. "Taotao..."

’Who the hell are you!!! Lecturing me in front of the whole world?’

Rong Taotao drew a Long Halberd. "The reason we’re standing on this finals field is because we traded our lives—"

Rong Taotao’s words came to an abrupt halt!

Because... in time with the emotional storm raging in his chest, the two Lotus petals floating before him had danced up to his forehead.

He stared blankly, tilting his head up to watch the swaying Lotus Petals. His gaze grew hazy as he murmured softly, "Alright. Maybe... I won’t have to owe anything after all!"

On the sidelines, Xia Fangran’s expression changed. He shot to his feet, but instead of looking at his own team, he turned to the coaches on the other side of the field and yelled, "Hey! You lot, pay attention! Don’t hesitate when it’s time to surrender. People could die!"

The expressions of the Baishan Soul Martial University coaches turned grim. To be leading their team on this campaign, they were high-level enough to know—especially since they had been paying close attention to Rong Taotao—exactly what those Lotus Petals were...

On the green field, Rong Taotao said softly, "Wei."

"Hm?"

"Got any strength left?"

From behind him came Gao Lingwei’s strained voice. "I’m alive. I can still move."

"Kill?"

"Yeah. I’m with you!"

Rong Taotao thrust his halberd forward, and in an instant, the Lotus Petals entwined around its Ironspear Point shot out!

"WHOOSH~!"

Guan Qiong had never faced a Snow Realm Treasure like this before. Not daring to be arrogant, he hastily sidestepped to dodge.

The two spinning Lotus petals were blindingly fast, grazing past his chest.

"TSSSS..."

In an instant, two large gashes were torn in Guan Qiong’s clothes, and two shallow, bloody lines appeared on his chest.

Instantly, a layer of cold sweat broke out on Guan Qiong’s forehead!

’What... what is this!?’

’The intel did say Rong Taotao possessed a Snow Realm Treasure. Is it this butterfly-like Cyan Lotus Petal?’

"Stop!" Guan Cang roared, thrusting out a mangled, bloody palm!

Elite-Tier: Star Wave Stream!

"Go! Go!! Taotao!" Gao Lingwei, propping up her staggering body, viciously slammed a shoulder into Rong Taotao.

At the same time, a layer of Shuangxue appeared on her body.

With a tremendous shove, Rong Taotao was sent flying toward Guan Qiong. Behind him, Gao Lingwei, who had just been covered in Shuangxue, was once again blasted away by Guan Cang’s Star Wave Stream.

’Maybe... that was the most she could do...’

"Oh my god, my god!" In the Huaxia Main Channel commentary booth, Su Wan clutched her chest, her eyes even turning a little red. "You can’t ask any more of her!

Gao Lingwei, the contestant who has always been overshadowed by Rong Taotao’s brilliance, the former high school King of Guanwai..."

"Guan Qiong is at a disadvantage! This is the first time he’s been at a disadvantage!" The usually gentle and refined Dai Liunian couldn’t help but shout in excitement.

On the field, Rong Taotao thrust his halberd at Guan Qiong.

Guan Qiong could only dodge in a panic, not because of the charging Rong Taotao, but because of the Lotus Petals that had grazed his chest moments before!

That’s right—the Lotus Petals were spinning back toward him!

SWISH...

Guan Qiong dodged frantically, but the returning Lotus Petals passed him and sank into Rong Taotao’s body?

’Weren’t those Lotus Petals incredibly sharp? Why did they merge silently into Rong Taotao’s body?’

Rong Taotao immediately lunged forward with a thrust!

Guan Qiong had just turned around after dodging the Lotus Petals. His reaction was lightning-fast; a cluster of cold stars materialized in his palm as he grabbed the Ironspear Point of the Heaven-piercing Halberd!

In a pure contest of strength, Rong Taotao was no match for him.

He had Douxing Qi, but as a Starfield Soul Martial Artist, Guan Qiong had it too!

But Rong Taotao’s mind was crystal clear. He instantly abandoned the halberd, stepped forward, and in a fluid upward slash, drew the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow with extraordinary flair!

"In your dreams!" Guan Qiong shouted, his arm once again covered in cold stars. He was actually going to block Rong Taotao’s Great Xia Dragon Sparrow with his bare arm.

Clearly, for a man who fought like a mad dog, he couldn’t just keep dodging. He intended to use this block to regain his footing and turn defense into offense!

"TSSSS..."

Even with his arm covered by cold stars, Cold Star Cover wasn’t a defensive Soul Skill. The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow still tore right through his star-covered sleeve!

This time, the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow made solid contact, cutting into his flesh and instantly ripping open a huge, bloody gash!

’Where! Is! My! Lotus!?’