"A Titled Douluo?"
In the dean's office, Shui Yuerong's expression was cool and composed. She crossed her long, fair legs and folded her arms over her chest, her brows drawing together.
After hearing Li Jiuxuan describe the ice marrow and where it was located, she immediately regarded his story with suspicion. "How did you find out about it?"
Li Jiuxuan had been hurriedly brought to the dean's office by Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er. He put on a serious face and spun his tale. "There used to be a Soul Master in our village. He was very strong, having reached the Soul Emperor level. When he returned to the village one time, he told everyone that he'd once passed through a bitterly cold place near Dragon City. At a Cold Spring there, he'd sensed an intensely frigid spiritual energy seeping out from within the spring. That kind of frigid energy was perfectly suited to the essence of an ice-type Soul Master. After cultivating there for just one day, his Soul Power had increased. So when he returned to the village, he planned to gather all the Soul Masters from the nearby villages and explore the ice cavern beneath the spring. But not a single one of them came back..."
"So you think that beneath the ice cavern is that... what was it called, the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow..." Shui Yuerong's delicate brows remained furrowed.
She had indeed read accounts of this kind of sacred treasure in ancient books, though they said very little and were far from clear.
They only said that such ice marrow was born at the heart of an extremely frigid spiritual vein. It took a thousand years to form and ten thousand years to gather its spiritual essence. It was incredibly cold and took the shape of a translucent, jade-like pillar. It was a treasure beyond compare to ice-type Soul Masters.
But it was a rare treasure, something one could only chance upon.
If absorbed, it could completely transform an ice-type Soul Master. It could rapidly temper a Soul Bone and purify Soul Power. With enough good fortune, it could even help a Soul Douluo break through the Soul Douluo bottleneck and step into the Titled Douluo realm.
"Yes. Going by his description, I think it could be the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow." Li Jiuxuan nodded. "I think you should go and try your luck. Just be careful. If you don't succeed, you'll die trying. Even if there really isn't any Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow, the frigid energy there won't do you any harm."
"Why are you telling me all this? From what you've said, that place is extremely dangerous. No one below Soul Douluo can set foot there, and I might never come back..." Shui Yuerong's gaze sharpened as she stared at Li Jiuxuan, trying to discern his true motives.
"Dean, I'm staying at Skywater Academy for now, and the people from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan are watching me every moment. If I'm not mistaken, they'll probably have someone keeping an eye on the academy all the time. If I try to leave again, given how little you care about what happens to me, there's a good chance I'll end up without my head."
Li Jiuxuan remained calm, and his words sounded sincere. "Besides, Dean, you know that Skywater's position isn't stable these days. There's also that unwelcome guest..."
Shui Yuerong froze. She understood what Li Jiuxuan meant.
Skywater already had conflicts and grievances with the other academies in Four Elements City.
And that wasn't to mention the Elephant Armor Sect...
After this brutish sect arrived in Four Elements City, it set out to bring the three academies other than Thunder Academy under its control.
They had first targeted the weakest of them, Skywater Academy. When Shui Yuerong refused to submit, they began to undermine the academy openly and behind the scenes.
Now, with Li Jiuxuan in the picture, every top force in Four Elements City had turned its attention to Skywater Academy.
They were already grasshoppers tied to the same rope...
If Skywater fell, he would die.
If Skywater prospered, he would live.
Shui Yuerong hadn't expected Li Jiuxuan to see things so clearly. Aside from that streak of ruthlessness, he was so steady he hardly seemed like a child his age.
"If you're willing to go and take a look, Dean, perhaps you'll find an opportunity. If it can help you step straight into the Titled Douluo realm, then Skywater won't have to fear any sect on the continent!" Li Jiuxuan smiled. "And I, Li Jiuxuan, might finally be able to stop living in fear every day."
Shui Yuerong scoffed inwardly. He really does think of Skywater as his own home...
But she was genuinely tempted by Li Jiuxuan's suggestion.
If she had a chance to enter the Titled Douluo realm, it would be worth taking the risk.
With only her natural talent to rely on, she would never be able to cross that threshold in her lifetime.
"Go back. You're still young, so don't burden yourself with so many worries..." Shui Yuerong gave him no clear answer and moved to send him away.
"Then I'll go back and cultivate, Dean. Please think it over carefully."
Li Jiuxuan wasn't in a hurry. If Shui Yuerong really didn't believe him or didn't want to go, there was nothing he could do.
Shui Yuerong paid Li Jiuxuan no further attention. She crossed her other long leg over the first and lowered her head to deal with the academy's affairs.
After leaving the dean's office, Shui Yue'er spoke first. "Xiao Jiuxuan, I don't think Master believes you..."
"Let's leave it to fate..." Li Jiuxuan had done all he could.
Shui Bing'er's expression was serious. "I don't think so. On the contrary, I think Master will go and give it a try!"
"Why?" Shui Yue'er looked at Shui Bing'er.
"Because Master may seem distant and indifferent, but she cares about us disciples more than anyone. Four Elements City looks peaceful on the surface, but in reality, our Skywater Academy is weak. With the Elephant Armor Sect stirring up trouble, even Blazing Fire Academy and Godwind Academy want to trample us underfoot... We're threatened from both sides. Master won't just sit around and wait for disaster."
Shui Yue'er pondered for a moment. "But what if Master goes and never comes back?"
At those words, all three fell silent.
Shui Bing'er didn't dare think about it.
Li Jiuxuan's face was full of worry, and he sighed inwardly. If Shui Yuerong went and didn't come back, forget three years—he'd be captured in less than half a year.
So...
"Shui Yuerong, you absolutely have to come back! How am I supposed to live without you?!"
Over the next month, Li Jiuxuan returned to his usual routine of cultivating hard every day.
He didn't dare slack off. Apart from mealtimes with Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er, he spent every moment desperately trying to raise his Soul Power.
By the time he had been living at Skywater Academy for nearly three months, his Soul Power had reached level 17.
In just over a month, his Soul Power had increased by another three levels!
Shui Bing'er had risen from level 31 to level 33.
Although Shui Yue'er was a little lazy and lax in her cultivation, she too had advanced from level 28 and successfully reached the Soul Elder realm at level 30.
Recently, Xue Furong had been trying to find a time to take her to the Frozen Forest to hunt a Soul Beast.
"This is bad! Thunder Academy is here again, and this time they've brought people from the Elephant Armor Sect!"
Calm Heart Lake was a scenic lake, and students still came by during the day to stroll around, catch a breeze, and relieve some stress.
Li Jiuxuan was sitting by the lake cultivating. When he heard those words, his eyes flew open!
He turned toward the voice.
A female student came running over in a panic and told another female student, who had been strolling around moments before, "They've forced their way into Skywater Academy. They're in the main hall of Skywater Main Hall right now, and they refuse to leave!"
The girl who had been so carefree at first tensed at the news. "What do we do? Should we go inform the dean?"
"The dean left some time ago to take care of something very important. She said she'd be back as soon as possible!"
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