The freshman assessment awards ceremony was held on a sunny morning.
When enemies met, their eyes burned with hatred. Dai Huabin glared at Lin Shuo with venom in his eyes, his face still visibly bruised and swollen with purple marks. This was the guy who had made him look like a fool on the competition field. Lin Shuo didn't even spare him a proper glance.
Du Weilun personally announced the top three from the center of the room, then revealed their rewards: whenever they needed a Soul Ring, the school would help them obtain the most suitable one they could withstand.
"Additionally, for the champion team, the school has decided to present a special reward. You'll receive it with me after the class assignments." After Du Weilun finished speaking, he felt a little curious himself. He didn't know what the reward was either. Yan Shaozhe would be presenting it, and Du Weilun was only taking them to meet Dean Yan.
"In view of the outstanding freshmen who emerged in this year's freshman competition, the academy has specially approved the following students as core disciples of the outer court. Core disciples will receive the academy's full support. Almost all inner-court disciples were core disciples before joining the inner court. I'll now announce the names."
"Lin Shuo, Wang Dong'er, Huo Yu'er, Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, Ning Tian, Wu Feng." Wang Dong'er and Huo Yu'er were both a little excited to hear their names—not only because they had both become core disciples, but also because they were looking forward to the special reward.
Lin Shuo looked thoughtful when he heard that.
After the full list had been announced, the students were assigned to classes. The Control System and Power Attack System students were placed in the same class. Lin Shuo, Wang Dong'er, and Huo Yu'er naturally ended up together, with Wang Yan as their homeroom teacher.
"All right, return to your classrooms according to your assignments. The three members of Lin Shuo's team, come with me to collect your reward." Du Weilun walked straight over to the three of them.
Du Weilun didn't take them to his own office. Instead, he headed straight for Yan Shaozhe's office.
Du Weilun was walking in front when he suddenly slowed down and glanced at Huo Yu'er. His gaze wasn't sharp, but it carried a thoughtful scrutiny.
"Student Huo Yu'er, your Soul Power Level is the lowest among the core disciples. You should be well aware of that yourself."
Huo Yu'er's steps faltered slightly, and she lowered her head. A hint of unease flickered through her deep blue eyes. Her fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, and she spoke softly. "Yes, Director Du. I know."
Seeing her like that, Du Weilun's tone softened a little.
"Don't be nervous. I'm not criticizing you. On the contrary, the academy made an exception by granting you core disciple status. While part of that was because you're a member of the champion team, it also shows that we recognize your potential. Still, as Director of Education, I have to remind you—being a core disciple will bring you more resources, but it will also draw more attention. Your Soul Power Level will give others a reason to question you. All you can do is use your strength to shut them up." Du Weilun paused, then continued.
"Before the second-year promotion, anyone below the second ring will be expelled. There are only nine months left until the promotion assessment. So work hard."
Huo Yu'er raised her head, a complicated tide of emotions surging in her deep blue eyes. She nodded firmly, her voice more resolute than before. "I understand, Director Du. I won't let the academy down."
Lin Shuo walked at the back, listening to the exchange without showing anything on his face.
Du Weilun stopped in front of Yan Shaozhe's office and knocked on the door.
"Dean Yan, Lin Shuo and the others are here."
"Come in."
The voice from inside was warm and rich. Du Weilun opened the door, gestured for the three of them to enter, then turned and left.
The office was much plainer than they had expected. There was a broad wooden desk, several bookshelves packed with books, and a hand-drawn map of Shrek Academy hanging on the wall. The curtains were half drawn, and sunlight streamed through the gap, casting a golden shaft across the desktop. Tiny specks of dust drifted slowly through the light.
Yan Shaozhe sat behind the desk in a simple white robe, a gentle smile on his handsome face. When the three entered, he set down his pen and looked each of them over in turn, finally settling his gaze on Lin Shuo. His eyes held undisguised admiration, yet it was restrained just enough not to feel intrusive.
"Sit down. Make yourselves comfortable."
The three sat on the sofa. Wang Dong'er sat up straight, Huo Yu'er placed her hands properly on her knees, and Lin Shuo leaned back against the sofa, calmly surveying the office.
Yan Shaozhe skipped the pleasantries and took a leather pouch from his Storage Soul Tool. The brown pouch was patterned with dark markings and carried a faint trace of Soul Power.
"Shrek Academy has never given such a valuable reward for the freshman assessment." Yan Shaozhe sighed, then took out a torso bone. The Soul Bone was pale blue, with frost flowers faintly visible across its surface. As soon as it appeared, the temperature in the entire office plunged, and a faint icy mist filled the air.
When Lin Shuo saw the pouch, he had already curled his lip. Soul Bones might be precious to other Soul Masters, but to him they were the most useless things in the world. If he wanted to absorb one, he could take one from the Star Dou Great Forest's many years of accumulated treasures or from one of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts. But neither Nana's advice nor Lin Shuo's own wishes favored absorbing a Soul Bone. The Dragon God Bloodline was already the most exalted bloodline in the world. The Soul Bone Shrek had offered was even less useful to him.
"This is the torso bone of a 60,000-year-old Ice Dragon, obtained when one of Shrek Academy's predecessors killed it. You should know that the dragon was a true dragon! Even among the treasures kept by Shrek Academy, this Soul Bone ranks among the very best."
"But Ice-attribute Soul Masters are rare to begin with, and powerful ones rarer still. So this Soul Bone has been gathering dust all this time."
"We're presenting it now as a reward for talent. But there's only one, so you'll have to discuss among yourselves who should receive it. I hope you won't let the school down."
Yan Shaozhe had practically spelled it out: Lin Shuo was the only one there with a Dragon Martial Soul. Lin Shuo guessed that word of him freezing Xu Sanshi outside the academy had reached the Sea God Pavilion, so they had chosen this Soul Bone as a gift for their team.
Wang Dong'er's eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect circle. Though she had grown up in luxury, she had never seen something like a 60,000-year True Dragon Soul Bone. Huo Yu'er had never seen a Soul Bone before either, but she could tell it was precious from Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's reaction in her Sea of Consciousness.
Under the table, Wang Dong'er nudged his leg with her knee, signaling for him to hurry up and accept it. This Soul Bone was practically tailor-made for him.