Master of Nine Stars

Just a moment ago, while the two sides on the field were talking, Dai Liunian and Su Wan had been listening intently without interrupting. Now, as the battle began, the two finally started their commentary.

Su Wan spoke first. "Rong Taotao has rejected Wanqi Wu’s proposal. It’s clear he’s determined to fight!"

Dai Liunian: "And rightly so! Wanqi Wu may have had good intentions, but the result was him asking Rong Taotao to surrender. How could that be possible?

Once you step onto the battlefield, you are enemies! This is a Soul Martial competition, not some other sport! This is a true, life-or-death battle, not a friendly spar!"

Su Wan: "Ah! They’ve engaged!"

"CLANG!"

A strange sound rang out as the furiously burning Ma Shuo clashed heavily with the Heaven-piercing Halberd!

To everyone’s surprise, Rong Taotao had always been known for his masterful technique of using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds. His skill with smooth, redirecting strikes was astonishingly exquisite.

But this time, the intricate, lattice-like head of the Heaven-piercing Halberd firmly locked onto the long-shafted Ma Shuo.

Rong Taotao’s arms were filled with Douxing Qi, and he actually met Wanqi Wu’s might head-on, not losing an inch!

The Snow Halberd and the burning Ma Shuo were pressed against each other, neither giving way. Enveloped in immense Soul Power, the fiery weapon was not extinguished, and the icy one did not melt.

"Hah!" With a sharp cry, Gao Lingwei shot out from Rong Taotao’s side, thrusting her halberd toward Wanqi Wu’s chest.

"Heh." A cold sneer suddenly sounded. Just as Gao Lingwei lunged at Wanqi Wu, another furiously burning Ma Shuo shot out from Wanqi Wu’s other side. But it wasn’t aimed to intercept Gao Lingwei’s Snow Halberd—it was aimed at her face!

The shocking scene made everyone’s heart pound in their chest!

This Wanqi Yan...

One of Wanqi Yan’s eyes had already turned a scorching, crimson red. It was obvious that by observing the minute movements all over Gao Lingwei’s body, she had predicted what Gao Lingwei was going to do and where she was going to attack a step ahead!

Gao Lingwei clenched her jaw. In that critical moment, she didn’t even have time to dodge and instantly activated her Iron Snow Armor!

Wanqi Yan’s timing was too perfect. The Ma Shuo stabbed out at the exact instant Gao Lingwei sprang forward!

’Is this her Eye Soul Skill?’

"DING!" Wanqi Yan’s flaming Ma Shuo struck Gao Lingwei squarely in the face, just as expected!

Gao Lingwei staggered back several steps. From her head, which was wreathed in frost and snow, a Patterned Mask suddenly materialized on her face, and the illusory mask immediately shot forward!

But... as Gao Lingwei retreated, Wanqi Yan’s eyes narrowed. She keenly noticed Gao Lingwei tilt her head slightly, as if locking onto a target?

Such a tiny aiming motion might have gone completely unnoticed by anyone else, but Wanqi Yan saw it all.

"Rong!" She suddenly swung her right hand, and in an instant, a burning rock projectile shot out!

Magma Soul Skill: Flaming Rock Cannon!

Rong Taotao was still locked in a struggle of strength with Wanqi Wu, but he was also wary of Wanqi Yan’s movements. When he saw her wave her hand toward his side out of the corner of his eye, he sensed something was wrong. Besides... Wanqi Yan was actually kind enough to warn him?

’What does that mean?’

Not only did Wanqi Yan kindly warn Rong Taotao, but the trajectory of the Flaming Rock Cannon was also slightly off. It was clearly aimed at Rong Taotao’s left shoulder?

Rong Taotao hastily disengaged his Heaven-piercing Halberd and dodged to his right.

And in the instant he dodged right, the Frost Fearful Face from Gao Lingwei behind him whistled past, grazing Rong Taotao’s right shoulder and passing through his arm as it charged forward.

"Hssss..." Rong Taotao couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath. His heart trembled violently, and a sudden wave of terror instantly threw him into complete disarray!

"Taotao!?" At the same moment Gao Lingwei launched the Frost Fearful Face, the frost covering her face automatically dispersed to reveal her eyes. She never expected to see such a scene!

Rong Taotao fought to suppress the fear in his heart, but under the effect of the Soul Skill, he subconsciously took a step back...

How could Wanqi Wu let such an opportunity pass? He thrust his Ma Shuo straight at Rong Taotao’s face!

That Wanqi Yan... she was horrifyingly good. With just a few predictions and a few movements, she had managed to turn the tables so completely!

This was only the first exchange!

Rong Taotao had already been forced into a hopeless situation...

’A hopeless situation?’

No!

Gao Lingwei hastily swung her halberd. With no time for a Charged Snow Burst, she flipped her Heaven-piercing Halberd and immediately smacked Rong Taotao, sending him flying away from the battlefield to regroup.

But Wanqi Yan, seeing Gao Lingwei raise the lattice-like head of her Heaven-piercing Halberd, had already pulled one hand back!

"Heheh~" A cold smile touched Wanqi Yan’s lips. As she took two steps back, she had Wanqi Wu shield her front. Her drawn-back hand adjusted its angle, her eyes locked onto Rong Taotao’s body.

Just as she expected!

Rong Taotao was indeed sent flying by Gao Lingwei’s strike, and in Wanqi Yan’s drawn-back palm, Soul Power erupted violently!

"WHOOSH..." The airborne Rong Taotao performed a nimble roll to dissipate the force and get to his feet. But in truth, this was muscle memory, a natural physical reaction. Given the level of terror in his heart, it would have been difficult for him to perform such an action consciously; his body was barely responding to his commands.

"Ah!"

"It’s over... It’s all over!"

"No way, it’s only been a few exchanges and he’s about to be eliminated!?" For a moment, gasps of alarm came from all directions.

Because just as Rong Taotao got to his feet, Wanqi Yan had already finished charging her attack and viciously thrust her drawn-back hand forward!

"Rong Taotao!!!" Wanqi Yan’s sharp cry echoed through the air. This time, it was also a "warning" for Rong Taotao, but it was no longer a deceptive ploy. It was more like the roar of a victor about to conquer her opponent.

As Wanqi Yan punched her drawn-back hand forward, countless Flaming Rock Cannons rapidly formed to her left, her right, and above her head. Like a dense, overwhelming shower of shattered meteorites, they blanketed the area and blasted toward Rong Taotao’s position!

Magma Soul Skill, Elite-Tier: Molten Rock Shattering Cannon!

Gao Lingwei’s expression changed dramatically!

She completely ignored Wanqi Wu’s Fire Shuo in front of her. Stomping down hard, she shot toward Rong Taotao!

Her body was knocked aside by Wanqi Wu’s thrust, but it didn’t matter. The Iron Snow Armor was her greatest defense.

"Taotao!" Gao Lingwei’s staggering body pushed off the ground again, launching herself nearly parallel to the floor. She shot straight for Rong Taotao, a Snow Burst Ball rapidly forming in one hand.

Over there, Rong Taotao, about to be baptized by the Molten Rock Shattering Cannon, was certainly not just sitting and waiting for death. He tried to dodge, but the attack’s area of effect was simply too large.

It was like countless small meteorites falling from the sky—and not just vertically, but horizontally and diagonally from above!

The Molten Rock Shattering Cannon could cover a quarter of their entire side of the field... How could Rong Taotao possibly dodge?

While Wanqi Yan was drawing her hand back and charging her Soul Skill, Rong Taotao could have escaped its range. But the situation had unfolded in an instant. The moment Rong Taotao rolled to his feet, Wanqi Yan had already finished charging and was already bombarding him with a sky full of shattered meteorites!

"BANG!" With an explosive burst, Gao Lingwei’s forward-charging figure changed course, her speed suddenly increasing. She snatched Rong Taotao and pinned him tightly beneath her!

Their momentum didn’t even decrease. Pinned under Gao Lingwei, Rong Taotao’s cheek was scraped against the scorched earth, blackening it with soot. The intense friction and pressure even tore the skin on his face...

"RUMBLE..."

CRACKLE... CRACKLE...

The Molten Rock Shattering Cannon rained down, dense and overwhelming. It was no exaggeration to call it a carpet bombing!

With her Iron Snow Armor active, Gao Lingwei desperately shielded Rong Taotao beneath her, enduring the pain of the impacts and the force of the explosive shockwaves all over her body.

The small Flame Stone Blocks fell as densely as raindrops, their destructive power astonishingly high.

Gao Lingwei grit her teeth, doing her best to charge the Snow Burst Ball in her hand. She knew that if this continued, even her Iron Snow Armor would shatter!

...

Author’s Note: Three Chapters today, or perhaps more.