Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone as the Reward?!

On the other end of the communicator, Leng Yulai's tone carried a rare hint of temptation:

"You should know that even the Spirit Pagoda does not have much stock of soul bones at this level."

Lu Jun hesitated for a moment before asking:

"May I ask what kind of Ten Thousand Year ice-attribute soul bone it is? How can it compare to the effects of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone?"

"We never intended to hide it from you. To motivate you, the Spirit Pagoda has offered a very generous reward."

Leng Yulai chuckled softly before continuing:

"It is a soul bone once used by the ancestor Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao Ten Thousand Years Ago."

"The Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone. The Spirit Pagoda happens to have one at the Fifty Thousand Year Level in storage. It is even rarer than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."

Lu Jun's gaze shifted slightly.

It was actually the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone?

If that was the case, it really was stronger than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.

Because the Soul Bone Skill produced by this soul bone was simply too overpowered.

Ice Burst Technique!

And it was an ice-attribute soul bone that suited his martial soul perfectly.

It truly was what he needed most right now.

With Ice Burst Technique, his combat strength could rise by another huge margin.

"It seems I have no reason to refuse." Upon hearing about this soul bone, Lu Jun immediately felt tempted. "The Spirit Pagoda really is impressive. You can even get your hands on a soul bone like this."

"Of course. The Spirit Pagoda's foundation runs far deeper than you imagine," Leng Yulai said softly. "According to ancestor Huo Yuhao, this soul bone can only be absorbed by someone with an Ultimate Ice martial soul. There are hardly any people who meet that requirement, so it could only sit in storage as a collector's item."

"Now that another owner of an Ultimate Ice martial soul has appeared, naturally we must be generous."

Leng Yulai continued.

"So, are you still resistant?"

"Not anymore. Feel free to send more good things like this my way." Lu Jun was practically delighted. "How about I take first place for you?"

Leng Yulai burst into laughter.

"Don't underestimate your opponents. Well, under normal circumstances, ordinary Soul Ancestors are indeed no match for you. And the Soul Masters of the Skysea Alliance really are not much to speak of. They cannot compare at all to Mingdu or Shrek City."

"Confidence is a good thing, but do not become too arrogant. Understand?"

"I know, Aunt-Master. You know me—I keep a low profile and never act arrogant," Lu Jun replied obediently.

"If you are so low-key, you certainly did not sound low-key when they interviewed you before."

Leng Yulai teased him.

Lu Jun answered honestly, "I was just stating the facts. I did not lie."

"Haha, alright, alright. Then I am looking forward to your performance. Do your best."

"Alright, Aunt-Master."

After hanging up, Lu Jun suddenly heard a light knock on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking was neither hurried nor slow, and Lu Jun raised an eyebrow.

Who would come looking for him at this hour?

He got up and opened the door, only to see a familiar figure.

Gu Yue Na.

She stood beneath the dim hallway lights, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall, her purple eyes calm as still water and devoid of any emotion.

"Something wrong?" Lu Jun stepped aside to let her in.

Gu Yue Na entered the room, swept her gaze around it, and finally looked at Lu Jun. "The academy registered us for the Individual Competition and the Three-person Team Competition. Did you know?"

Lu Jun closed the door and nodded. "I just found out."

Gu Yue Na narrowed her eyes slightly. "Aunt-Master told you too?"

"Yeah." Lu Jun did not hide it. "She offered a reward and told me I have to place in the top three."

Gu Yue Na gave a soft laugh.

"As expected."

"This afternoon has the most popular seven-person team matches, along with the Three-person Team Competition and Individual Competition."

"In other words, we still have to compete today."

Lu Jun pulled a long face.

"If I'd known, I wouldn't have come back. I thought everything was over."

"Let's go. It might be our turn soon." Gu Yue Na led him toward the door.

At Tianhai Competition Arena, the audience seats were already packed.

Lu Jun and Gu Yue Na walked side by side toward the contestants' passageway, while the surrounding staff cast respectful looks their way.

His record of crushing the Skysea Alliance runner-up in seventeen seconds had already made Lu Jun the most watched dark horse of this competition.

"So, who is the third person for the Three-person Team Competition?" Lu Jun suddenly asked.

Without turning her head, Gu Yue Na said:

"Guess."

Lu Jun frowned and was just about to press further when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded behind him.

"Brother Lu! Wait for me!"

Long Chen caught up to them, panting, sweat still beading on his forehead. "Why were you two walking so fast? I searched for you in the hotel for ages."

Lu Jun understood at once.

"So it's you."

Long Chen scratched his head and grinned foolishly. "Hehe, the academy said I'm the same age as Brother Lu and Sister Gu Yue, so they want me to train hard alongside you two. That's why they arranged for me to come."

Just as the three of them finished registering, an announcement suddenly rang out:

"Contestant Lu Jun of Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, please proceed immediately to Arena Number Three to prepare for the Individual Competition."

"Repeating, contestant Lu Jun..."

"My first match already?"

Lu Jun raised an eyebrow.

Long Chen excitedly waved his fist.

"Brother Lu, go for it! Show them what a complete crushing looks like!"

The instant Lu Jun stepped onto Arena Number Three, spotlights abruptly shone down upon him.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We are now bringing you a live broadcast of the first round of the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition Individual Competition!"

The host's passionate voice rang throughout the arena through the Soul Guide Loudspeaker.

"The first to appear is the legendary contestant who ended his match in seventeen seconds, Lu Jun of Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy!"

On the giant screen, a close-up of Lu Jun's cold, stern face filled the display, and the audience immediately erupted into tidal cheers.

At the same time, inside a restaurant somewhere in Skysea City.

Xu Lizhi had just swallowed a mouthful of food when he shakily pointed his chubby finger at the Live Broadcast Screen on the wall. "Th-that isn't... someone from Sun Moon Royal? Why did they register for the Individual Competition too?"

Tang Wulin, seated across from him, leaned closer curiously.

"Huh? I didn't expect the Sun Moon Royal team to register for the competition too. What about your Shrek Academy?"

Tang Wulin had met Xu Lizhi before the Exhibition Match began.

He had given him some food, and they had exchanged communicator numbers.

They had then arranged to have dinner together that night.

He had not expected there to be matches to watch while they ate.

Tang Wulin was normally quite focused when eating, but he did not want to miss this match either.

After all, he had personally witnessed Lu Jun's strength earlier that day.

He wanted to learn more about him.

"I-I don't know either." Xu Lizhi scratched his head. "But if Captain and the others see that Sun Moon Royal registered for the Individual Competition too, they will probably join as well."

"After all, we really do not get along with Sun Moon Royal."

"...The grudge between your two academies runs pretty deep." As soon as Tang Wulin said that, he noticed that the match was about to begin.

On the arena, Lu Jun's opponent was a Three Ring Soul Elder from the Skysea Alliance.

The outcome needed no explanation.

Everyone silently mourned this rather unlucky Soul Elder.

Meeting a contestant with the potential to win the championship in the first round—his luck was truly terrible.

"Match begin!"

The moment the referee spoke, the Soul Elder used a Soul Skill and immediately took to the air, trying to widen the distance.

However, before his Soul Skill could fully activate, the temperature across the entire arena plummeted.

An icy-blue halo instantly spread outward from Lu Jun, freezing even the air wherever it passed.

The Soul Elder discovered in horror that ice crystals had somehow already crawled all over his body.

"What is th—aargh!"

Before he could finish speaking, his entire body froze into an ice sculpture and crashed heavily onto the arena.

The battle was over.

The referee opened his mouth, then dryly announced, "Th-the match is over. Lu Jun wins! Time taken... three seconds!"

"Well, that was a complete crushing." Tang Wulin curled his lip as he watched the broadcast, then lowered his head and continued wolfing down his food.

As he ate, he suddenly realized something.

Wait, he had registered for the Individual Competition too. What if he ran into him...

At that thought, Tang Wulin's chopsticks stopped in midair, and the food in his mouth suddenly no longer tasted so good.