Master of Nine Stars

In the afternoon, Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei put on a small disguise and followed Yang Chunxi and Xia Fangran to the Imperial Capital City Fengtai District Sports Center.

Their "disguise" was nothing more than a baseball cap with the brim pulled down low. Wearing big sunglasses would have only attracted more attention.

Rong Taotao had thought tickets would be hard to get, but as a participating team, they received a perk from the organizers. Even if a team was eliminated, as long as they remained in Imperial Capital City, they could register to watch any match.

Unfortunately, the four of them didn't have seats. Their spot was on the third-tier platform, equivalent to standing-room-only tickets.

The bird's-eye view was great, making the situation on the field clear at a glance. The drawback, of course, was that you couldn't see the competitors clearly at all.

But it didn't matter. The arena had large projection screens that broadcast live footage for the audience.

"So many people," Rong Taotao whispered. Competing on the field and watching from the stands felt completely different.

It was a sea of people, especially in the third-tier stands, which were all standing-room only. You'd either be crushed to death or die from the heat.

"Let's stand further back, where it's less crowded," Yang Chunxi said loudly.

"Okay, let's go, let's go~" Rong Taotao quickly agreed. 'Damn,' he thought, 'I'm never coming to watch a match again. There are way too many people.'

The top-tier Soul Martial tournament was indeed incredibly popular. Especially in Huaxia, the biennial national tournament was, without a doubt, a celebratory festival for the people.

The group of four made their way to the last row and finally breathed a sigh of relief. There was much more space.

Just as Rong Taotao found his spot, he heard two people in front of him talking loudly.

"This team has a Great God—from the Imperial Capital Fourth Soul Martial Academy. The daughter of a Soul General!"

"Oh, I know her. Ye Nanxi, right? She's gorgeous, but I hear she has a terrible personality—a real tyrant."

"Well, her mom's a Soul General. Doesn't that mean she gets whatever she wants?"

"Tch. In the doubles bracket, that Rong Taotao is the son of a Soul General too, and I haven't heard anyone say he's a lawless tyrant, have you?"

In the noisy stands, people's voices were loud, and Rong Taotao heard every word.

'Heh heh...'

Rong Taotao subconsciously pulled the brim of his cap a little lower, but he was secretly pleased. 'Looks like my public reputation is pretty good, huh?'

'Times sure have changed.'

'The days of being constantly doubted and berated are long gone.'

Ye Nanxi's match was scheduled as the first one of the afternoon. After waiting for a full half hour, Rong Taotao finally saw the competing students from both teams enter the arena.

"You don't realize it until you're a spectator, but watching a match is exhausting," Rong Taotao grumbled, his voice drowned out by waves of thunderous cheers.

'They're a little *too* enthusiastic.'

'Maybe... among all these ordinary people, many dreamed of becoming Soul Martial Artists but couldn't achieve their goal, so all they could do was come and watch...'

From his vantage point, the two teams on the field looked like ants, terrifyingly small. Thanks to the arena's large screens, however, he could see close-ups of the competitors.

'Damn, the Imperial Capital Fourth Soul Martial Academy is really something else,' he thought. 'Their uniforms are orange-red?'

'Makes them look like they're wearing the standard-issue combat uniforms from the Starfield Vortex. Then again, the color does suit Ye Nanxi, that "Tulip" of theirs.'

It looked fine on the girl, but Ye Nanxi's two teammates were tall, burly men, and the color clashed horribly with them.

Rong Taotao leaned close to Gao Lingwei's ear and said, "Those twin brothers were probably supposed to compete in the doubles bracket. They might have even been our opponents. Then Ye Nanxi got parachuted in and dragged them into the triples bracket."

"Yes, she told me before." Gao Lingwei nodded lightly. "She's an interesting person. Very frank. She said her mother forced her onto the team."

Rong Taotao said, "To make it into the national tournament, those brothers must be incredibly strong. The North China Region is a major division; making it to the top eight there is no small feat. If those two were in the doubles bracket with us, they'd prob... Huh?"

As Rong Taotao spoke, his words came to an abrupt halt.

Immediately after, Gao Lingwei keenly sensed a fluctuation of Soul Power coming from Rong Taotao.

"What's wrong?" Gao Lingwei asked urgently.

"Starfield Soul Technique... Starfield Soul Technique..." Rong Taotao muttered, pressing his lips together, only to be knocked aside by someone next to him.

Frowning, Rong Taotao looked to his side. The middle-aged man next to him was waving his arms frantically, screaming, "GO! GO! SANJIN SOUL MARTIAL, GO FOR IT! AAAAAH!!!"

"Let's get out of here," Gao Lingwei said, placing a hand on Rong Taotao's shoulder and pushing him out of the crowd. With the slight force she applied, who could possibly stop her?

Soul Martial Artists generally chose not to bully ordinary people, but if they really wanted to push someone aside, it was an effortless task.

The two of them quickly reached the stairwell at the side of the stands. Once a match started, it was the only passageway completely clear of people.

At the bottom of the stairs, a staff member quickly walked over and said, "Please either leave or return to your viewing area. You're not allowed to loiter in the stairwell."

"Just a moment, this will be quick. My Soul Technique is leveling up," Rong Taotao said, waving a hand dismissively. He then crouched down, grabbing the railing with one hand and lowering his head, looking for all the world like a drunk man about to vomit.

The security guard froze for a second. Something about the situation felt off. He tilted his head to look at the girl standing protectively beside Rong Taotao. Her profile...

"You... you're..."

"Shh." Gao Lingwei turned her head, pressing a finger to her lips in a gesture for silence.

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