Master of Nine Stars

’The Soul Power consumption is huge...’

Rong Taotao was basking in the feeling of being a "Creator." The experience was certainly exhilarating, but his Soul Power was being consumed chunk by chunk.

Ever since obtaining the Lotus Petal, Rong Taotao had basically been able to cut loose and use his Snow Realm Soul Skills at will. He rarely had to be frugal with his Soul Power like other Soul Martial Artists, who would make every wisp of it count.

Even Gao Lingwei, who was used to being meticulous and calculating, had been enjoying the benefits of a faster Soul Power replenishment and absorption rate since teaming up with Rong Taotao, allowing her to unleash all sorts of Soul Skills with abandon.

But now, this terrifying Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon Soul Skill was making Rong Taotao re-experience the feeling of his output exceeding his input.

Rong Taotao held Rong Ling in his arms and brought him out of the world of Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon.

However...

In the Illusion World, Rong Taotao had been holding Rong Ling.

But when he exited the Illusion World and returned to the real world with Rong Ling, Rong Taotao was still sitting on the sofa, leaning forward and looking into Rong Ling’s eyes.

And Rong Ling was also still standing on the coffee table, not having moved an inch.

"Uh," Rong Taotao murmured. This time, he understood how Yang Chunxi must have felt.

Back when they were arresting Poachers in the Snowfield, his sister-in-law had only been gone for five minutes, but when she returned, she was radiating a terrifyingly dense, hostile aura, as if she had become a different person.

This clearly involved the issue of time flow within the Illusion World.

And at that time, his sister-in-law’s mental state wasn’t very good either; she had looked extremely exhausted.

Now, Rong Taotao also felt a hint of fatigue, likely due to the consumption of his Spiritual Power.

After all, Rong Taotao had been half-asleep all last night and wasn’t exactly full of energy to begin with. Combined with experimenting with the Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon Soul Skill, he was actually starting to feel a wave of drowsiness...

’Well, it’s not like I’m about to pass out. It’s still tolerable. After all, Rong Ling and I didn’t spend that much time in the world of Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon.’

Rong Ling looked left and right, finding himself back in the dorm room, standing on the coffee table. He tilted his little head, seemingly still trying to process what had just happened.

"Go on and train," Rong Taotao said softly, reaching out to pat Rong Ling’s small, levitating helmet. "You’ve already learned the Snow Soul. Not bad!"

"Yes!" Rong Ling replied. His body dissolved into a frosty mist and drifted toward the windowsill. After struggling to open the window, he finally floated out.

Rong Taotao got up and walked to the bathroom, planning to take a hot shower to both soothe his mind and ponder his next move.

He definitely had to embed the Pine Snow’s Wise Elder Soul Pearl. Next, he should ask Xia Fangran for guidance on the Ice Barrier and A Snowy Ocean Soul Skills.

’Hmm...’

’No time like the present!’

While showering, Rong Taotao went ahead and shattered the Soul Pearl on his forehead.

After stepping out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed, he went straight to the sofa, took the Soul Pearl out of his brocade pouch with one hand, and pressed it to his head.

CRACK~ The Pine Snow’s Wise Elder Soul Pearl shattered.

A moment later, that familiar feeling returned.

It was a feeling... of being faintly connected to someone.

The sensation was wonderful, and knowing the person he was spiritually connected to was his own brother made him feel even more at ease.

’It would have been nice to experience this "I’m always here when you need me" feeling back in middle school.’

Now, Rong Taotao had his own friends, his own social circle, and his Little Souls who were with him day and night, so he wasn’t exactly lonely.

Rong Taotao sighed softly. With a towel in one hand, he dried his wet, naturally curly hair. He glanced at the time and, after a moment of hesitation, decided not to disturb his brother, Rong Yang, in the wee hours of the morning.

"Taotao?" Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Huh?" Rong Taotao froze for a second. "You’re up so early?"

Rong Yang let out a soft chuckle. "Heh, it seems your Soul Technique has advanced to four-star. Congratulations."

Rong Taotao replied, "Well, of course! I’m... huh?"

The thought hadn’t even fully formed in his mind when Rong Taotao felt as if someone had appeared beside him.

He quickly turned his head, only to see Rong Yang sitting next to him on the sofa, surveying the dorm room.

Rong Taotao was completely baffled. ’What’s going on?’

’Teleportation?’

Rong Yang looked at the snacks on the coffee table and said, "Is this your breakfast? It’s probably not enough, is it?"

Rong Taotao pointed a finger at Rong Yang. "You, you, you..."

Rong Yang smiled. "An Elite-grade Pine Snow’s Wise Elder Soul Pearl is different from a Master-grade one. For blood siblings, the hidden benefits are terrifying."

Rong Taotao calmed himself down. "I can see you, but other people can’t, right?"

"Correct. I’m always in your mind," Rong Yang said softly. "After a spiritual connection-type Soul Skill reaches Master-grade, I gain a bit more freedom. Of course, this benefit is mutual; you have a bit more freedom as well."

Rong Taotao asked, puzzled, "For example?"

Rong Yang gestured around the room. "For example, I can move beyond your line of sight and observe the surrounding environment."

Rong Taotao: "That’s..."

Rong Yang: "However, the environment I’m observing now isn’t from this exact second. It’s the room as you’ve previously seen it.

"In other words, I’m retrieving images you’ve previously recorded in your brain."

As he spoke, Rong Yang clenched and unclenched his fist. "My physical form here is just a manifestation. It has no actual combat ability. If I truly wanted to fight, I would still have to seize control of your body."