Soul Bone and Attack on the Road!

Watching Fu Shiyan's Caomu Huashen turn the tables with a wave of his hand, toy with the Soul Saint Shi Nian in the palm of his hand, and finally leave his fate to Tang San, the observing Tang San could not help but feel stirred.

This master's decisive, ruthless nature and extreme protectiveness toward his own made him once again deeply feel the warmth and security of being unreservedly sheltered by an elder. It was an emotion he had rarely experienced in either the Tang Sect of his previous life or his childhood in this one.

Meanwhile, the Tang San in the simulation had turned completely icy-eyed. Looking at Shi Nian, thoroughly bound by the Void Reality Illusion Domain like a lamb awaiting slaughter, there was no pity in his gaze, only the indifference one reserved for the dead.

He had no intention of using any elaborate or cruel method to torment him. Against such a vile man who intended to slaughter geniuses and acted with such venom, he chose the most direct method, one that best suited his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

"You enjoy slaughtering geniuses, do you?"

Tang San's voice was terrifyingly calm as he slowly raised his right hand.

"Then let your own body become nourishment for life."

Before his words had even faded, and without any visible activation of Soul Power, countless dark-blue Blue Silver Grass vines suddenly burst forth from Shi Nian's tightly bound body!

These vines were thicker than before, filled with a hunger to devour and grow.

Like giant pythons, they wrapped around Shi Nian layer upon layer, tightening before suddenly taking root in the illusion controlled by Fu Shiyan!

"No—!!!"

Shi Nian let out one final, incomparably shrill scream, filled with endless terror and agony.

Under the stunned gaze of the observing Tang San, the dark-blue vines used Shi Nian's body as their core and frantically absorbed everything from him—his Soul Power, his flesh, and his blood!

The vines rapidly swelled, intertwined, and became woody... In merely a few breaths, a strange tree several meters tall had grown there, its entire body an eerie dark blue!

The trunk faintly bore the twisted outline of a human face, as if recording Shi Nian's despair at the moment of his death.

A Soul Saint-level powerhouse had been completely transformed into nourishment for this monstrous tree, body and soul utterly destroyed!

Yet at the tree's roots, a speck of seven-colored light quietly lit up, dispersing the surrounding gloom.

With a thought, Tang San controlled a vine and sent it deftly into the roots, pulling out an object.

It was a round piece of bone, roughly three inches in diameter. It shimmered with soft, dreamlike seven-colored light and resembled an exquisite miniature skull.

A powerful mental fluctuation radiated from it.

"Master, this is... a Spirit Bone?"

Though the Tang San in the simulation had already guessed as much, he still looked with some surprise toward Fu Shiyan, who stood nearby with his hands behind his back, calm and untroubled.

Fu Shiyan glanced at the seven-colored skull, his eyes as still as an ancient well, as if he were merely looking at an ordinary stone.

"Yes, a rather rare head Spirit Bone. It contains some illusion abilities and has some affinity with you. Keep it."

Tang San had wanted to refuse. Such a precious Spirit Bone seemed more deserving of being offered to his master.

But Fu Shiyan gave him no chance to speak. With a light sweep of his sleeve, the body formed from grass and wood seeds gradually became transparent.

In the end, it turned into specks of crystalline blue radiance and dissipated into the air, leaving behind only a faint reminder that echoed in Tang San's heart.

"Cultivate diligently. Do not slack off."

The Tang San in the simulation could only bow deeply once more in the direction where his master had vanished, then carefully tuck the precious seven-colored head Spirit Bone into his robes.

The observing Tang San was equally stirred. He knew full well how rare and powerful a head Spirit Bone was, yet his master had given it to his disciple so casually. That unreserved love and trust made him silently say in his heart:

Thank you, Master.

As Fu Shiyan's body dissipated, the illusion gradually faded as well, revealing the true scene.

In the days that followed, the simulated scenes rapidly flashed past Tang San's eyes.

The preliminary rounds and advancement rounds of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament proceeded one after another.

In the battle against Blazing Fire Academy, Tang San once again displayed his role as the team's core, dominating the fight with his exquisite control and explosive power. Though Blazing Fire Academy put considerable pressure on Shrek, it ultimately could not withstand their momentum.

Then, against Canghui Academy, the illusion-type attack of their carefully prepared Seven-in-One Fusion Skill indeed taught the proud members of Shrek a profound lesson, throwing the team into chaos for a time.

But at the critical moment, Tang San still relied on his formidable mental strength and insight into the battle to lead the team in steadying itself. He ultimately found the flaw in the illusion and shattered it in one stroke, breaking the troublesome fusion skill.

In the later matches, Tang San encountered a formidable opponent who left an extremely deep impression on him—Shui Bing'er of Skywater Academy.

The Martial Soul Fusion Skill she unleashed with her teammate Xue Wu, Ice Phoenix of Ice and Snow Fluttering, possessed earth-shaking power. Its extreme cold and destructive storm posed the greatest pressure Tang San had faced since entering the tournament, even driving him into a desperate situation and nearly defeating him.

In the end, he had to use every method at his disposal to barely claim victory.

This battle also earned Tang San's sincere recognition and respect for Shui Bing'er, that calm and powerful opponent.

Of course, the journey was not entirely smooth.

In a fierce confrontation, facing the Self-Created Soul Skill Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes of the Gale Demon Wolf unleashed by an Innate Full Soul Power Soul Master named Feng Xiaotian, the immense pressure forced Tang San to use his second Martial Soul—the Clear Sky Hammer—before he could finally win with great difficulty.

The exposure of the Clear Sky Hammer undoubtedly caused a huge sensation both inside and outside the arena, bringing him even more attention and potential trouble.

After overcoming countless challenges, Shrek Academy finally stood out and earned the qualification to travel to Spirit City for the finals!

At the start of the journey, everything appeared calm.

The convoy, guarded by five hundred Heaven Dou Empire Royal Knights, traveled grandly along the official road, encountering no trouble for the first ten days.

The royal stipend and favorable treatment even caused everyone to lower their guard somewhat.

However, on the eleventh day of travel, as the convoy entered a narrow stretch of road flanked by mountains on both sides, disaster suddenly struck!

First came rumbling booms from the hills on either side!

Countless massive boulders poured down like a rainstorm, clearly aimed at the convoy below!

Fortunately, the Royal Knights reacted swiftly and worked in perfect coordination, using shields and Spirit Skills to form a defensive line that barely blocked the first wave of the attack.

"Enemy attack! All academy members, get off immediately! Follow your team leaders and break out quickly!"

The captain of the Royal Knights shouted.