Bamboo Bone Pen

"Had this little rabbit set her sights on me after eating the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo Leaf?

"Raising a hundred-thousand-year-old rabbit didn't seem like a bad choice."

Li Han's lips curled slightly. After quietly packing up his things, he turned into a narrow alley.

He took off his black robe, changed back into his usual clothes, and returned to the inn.

He hadn't tried to hide any of this from Xiao Wu.

There was no need.

Xiao Wu followed him all the way. When she saw Li Han come out of the alley, she looked surprised.

"I didn't expect him to be so young."

Xiao Wu felt much more at ease.

As long as he wasn't a powerful Soul Master, she had nothing to fear.

She watched Li Han walk into the inn, her eyes darting about before a sly smile appeared on her face.

"Heh heh, now I know where you live. We're definitely going to be friends."

In his room,

Li Han didn't give any thought to what Xiao Wu might be planning. He was busy making a talisman brush.

It needed a handle and a tip, and he already had the materials for both.

Eight-hundred-year-old Lone Bamboo and fur from a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit were more than enough to make a talisman brush.

He took out some herbs and made them into a solution, then soaked the rabbit fur in it.

Next, he took out a section of Lone Bamboo and carved the handle with a dagger.

An hour later, a jade-green handle appeared in his hand, with a few patterns carved into it.

These patterns would help Soul Power flow more easily into the tip and channel into the talisman.

By then, the rabbit fur had soaked long enough.

Li Han fitted the two pieces together and bonded them with a specially made solution.

Finally, he poured Soul Power into the brush and fused them together.

Before long, the Lone Bamboo handle and rabbit-fur tip had blended perfectly, giving off a faint glow.

"It's done!"

Li Han was delighted. He gripped the talisman brush and gave it a light twirl. It seemed to come alive, spinning back and forth between his fingers.

It was a habit he'd picked up back in school. Whenever a pen landed in his hand, he wanted to twirl it a couple of times.

He'd spent quite a while practicing that trick.

As for why he'd practiced it... well, purely so his classmates would go "Wow!" when they saw it.

Simply put, he'd wanted to show off.

"From now on, this brush will be called the Bamboo Bone Pen. Lone Bamboo and Soft Bone—they complement each other perfectly."

Li Han smiled with satisfaction. Next came making the talisman paper.

That would take some time; it couldn't be done in just an hour or two.

So Li Han took out the herbs he needed and prepared them, then put them back into his Storage Bag, planning to work on them again tomorrow.

After all, it was already getting late.

"I've been away for a while. I should head back to the academy, or people might start getting suspicious.

"Oh, right. I nearly forgot this."

Li Han seemed to suddenly remember something and hurriedly took the Soul-Nurturing Wood Bead out of his Storage Bag.

It felt cool to the touch, and a gentle energy radiated from it, flowing into Li Han's body.

Most of his fatigue vanished, and he felt refreshed and clearheaded.

"This Soul-Nurturing Wood Bead really is a treasure."

Li Han was delighted. He noticed it already had a hole in it, so he turned it into a bracelet and wore it on his left wrist.

"With the Soul-Nurturing Wood nourishing me day and night, my Divine Sense should grow much faster."

Li Han smiled with satisfaction.

Early the next morning, Li Han hired a carriage to Nuoding Academy. Just as it was about to set off, Xiao Wu came running over.

"Wait! You're going to Nuoding Academy, right? Can you take me with you?

"I'm a Work-Study Student there this year!"

Xiao Wu blinked her big, light-brown eyes and looked at Li Han with an adorable expression.

Li Han wasn't some strange old man, but even he softened a little in the face of that look.

She waited all night and finally couldn't hold back any longer?

Li Han chuckled to himself, then said, "So you're a junior, huh? Then hop on."

"Great, thank you! You're such a good person!"

Xiao Wu leaped straight into the carriage.

Li Han looked at the driver and said, "Let's go."

The driver nodded slightly and flicked his whip. The carriage started moving.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Wu and Li Han sat facing each other.

"My name's Xiao Wu. Wu, as in 'dance.' I'm six years old. What's your name?"

Xiao Wu wasn't the sort to sit quietly. As soon as she got in, she started chatting.

"Li Han. I'm seven."

"You're only seven? You're so tall! I thought you were eleven or twelve."

Xiao Wu gaped at him, her eyes wide.

"I eat a lot, so I grow fast."

"Oh, so that's how it works. Then I'll have to eat more from now on!"

Li Han looked at Xiao Wu. If he remembered correctly, this petite little girl would eventually reach a height of 186 centimeters and become a giant among little girls.

It seemed she really did eat a lot.

"Then you're a second-year student at Nuoding Academy? What are you doing here? Is Nuoding Academy fun?"

Xiao Wu fired off one question after another. She seemed curious about everything in the world.

Li Han didn't mind and answered each of them.

When she heard that Li Han had already absorbed his First Soul Ring, Xiao Wu was astonished.

He must have pretty good talent. He broke through level ten at seven. He may not have had Innate Full Soul Power, but he's still a genius.

Xiao Wu thought for a moment, then asked, "Did you come alone? Shouldn't one of the academy's teachers have accompanied you?"

"The teacher who was protecting me got eaten by a Soul Beast."

As Li Han said this, he lowered his head and put on a sorrowful expression.

Xiao Wu immediately realized she'd said the wrong thing.

"Ah? I'm sorry. I didn't know. Don't be sad. Your teacher must have been a wonderful teacher."

Xiao Wu hurried to comfort him.

But seeing Li Han bury his head between his knees, she panicked and had no idea what to do.

With his head lowered, Li Han could barely keep from laughing.

Well, he really had been a wonderful teacher. He'd known Li Han's life was hard and even left him an inheritance.

"Don't be sad anymore."

In the end, Xiao Wu could only reach out her right hand and stroke Li Han's head.

She looked exceptionally gentle.

"When I was sad, my mother would stroke my head like this, and it always made me feel better.

"I don't know if it'll help you, though."

Hearing Xiao Wu's gentle voice, Li Han suddenly felt a little guilty.

He'd actually deceived a little girl. It was downright wicked.

No, this rabbit had lived for a hundred thousand years. There was no way she could be considered a little girl.

"Thank you, Xiao Wu."

Li Han raised his head, his eyes slightly red, as if he'd only just managed to hold back his grief.

"You're welcome! I'll look after you from now on! I'll protect you just like your teacher did."

Xiao Wu thumped her chest with both hands, acting like a big sister.

"..."

That really wasn't necessary.

Li Han felt like he'd overacted.

Still, it was good practice. He'd have to put on the same act again in the dean's office.

"By the way, since you're a Work-Study Student, you'll probably live in Dorm Seven after you enter the academy, just like me.

"Nuoding Academy is a junior academy, and all the students are under twelve, so boys and girls don't live separately."

"Really? That's great! I don't know anyone at Nuoding Academy, either. It'll be nice to have you there."

Xiao Wu danced about happily.

All she wanted now was to stick with Li Han and eat the leaves of his Martial Soul.