Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring

Yes, Han Li's future.

Yu Zhen had lived for over fifty years; he still had that much discernment.

Based on the talent Han Li had displayed so far...

He would surely become a powerful Title Douluo in the future, perhaps even a Limit Douluo!

Although a Title Douluo was already among the continent's foremost figures.

A Limit Douluo was a legend standing at the pinnacle of humanity.

If Eastsea City could obtain the protection of a Limit Douluo, this city's status within the Federation would soar.

One had to know that there were only a handful of Six-Ring Soul Emperors in all of Eastsea City.

Five-Ring Soul Kings were already considered high-level combat power in the city. Six-Ring Soul Emperors were few enough to count on one's fingers, and there was not a single Seven-Ring Soul Saint.

But now, they had hope.

Hope of gaining the friendship of a Limit Douluo.

An investment with such enormous returns...

Who could resist being tempted?

Spend a city's resources to nurture a future Limit Douluo—anyone could do that math.

Yu Zhen promptly spoke, his tone carrying unprecedented enthusiasm and solemnity.

"Student Han's talent is simply unparalleled in all of history."

"I have never seen anything like it in my life. I don't even know how I should teach you."

"So, if Student Han has any needs, you can tell me. I will definitely fulfill them."

"Even if I can't, I can go to Eastsea City's governor."

Yu Zhen's words were flawless.

He first sincerely praised Han Li and demonstrated his goodwill, then immediately offered a whole host of benefits, humbling himself to the utmost.

The core meaning behind his words was simple.

As long as you stay at Eastsea Academy, I can agree to any condition.

He was treating Han Li as the academy's greatest treasure.

At that moment, a trace of shock flashed through Ye Yingluo's eyes, but she quickly regained her calm.

Looking at Yu Zhen's smiling face, she did not even find it surprising.

After the results of the earlier strength test had come out, she had already vaguely sensed it...

For a genius of Han Li's caliber, the academy would absolutely spare no effort to keep him.

Yu Zhen's reaction had been quick.

But it was entirely within her expectations.

After all, if they did not seize the chance to befriend and invest in such a genius while he was still young, it might become difficult to even meet him in the future.

Though Ye Yingluo was young, she had spent several years navigating this field and had seen quite a lot.

The growth rate of geniuses was terrifying.

Today, you could still speak to him as an equal. Tomorrow, he might already stand at a height you could not even look up to.

At the same time, her heart was brimming with excitement.

Because no matter where Han Li went in the future, she had once been his homeroom teacher.

That identity alone would be enough for her to bask in his glory for the rest of her life.

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie looked at Han Li with envy.

Yet neither of them felt any jealousy.

It was not that they did not want to be jealous. The gap was simply too vast—so vast that it was impossible to feel jealousy.

Would you envy an ant for carrying one more bread crumb than you?

No, because an ant and you were not beings on the same level at all.

To them, Han Li was now that kind of existence.

At that moment, Han Li looked at Yu Zhen and gave a slight nod.

"Thank you, Headmaster."

His tone was calm, neither servile nor overbearing.

He was neither wildly delighted by the promise nor smug from receiving such excessive attention.

Seeing Han Li's composed demeanor, Yu Zhen's assessment of him rose another few notches.

For someone his age to possess such temperament, his future achievements would likely surpass even Yu Zhen's expectations.

Thus, Yu Zhen waved his hands repeatedly.

"No trouble, no trouble."

As he spoke, he looked at Ye Yingluo.

"Teacher Ye, I'll have to trouble you to keep a closer eye on Student Han."

"I'll be leaving first."

Without waiting for Ye Yingluo's response, he turned and quickly left the room.

With age came wisdom.

Yu Zhen knew.

If he kept talking to Han Li, offering too many pleasantries and promises, he would only make the boy grow annoyed.

Young geniuses were usually proud and aloof. They did not like excessive flattery or pestering.

So rather than staying behind to ramble...

It was better to leave decisively and find Han Li something genuinely useful.

After all, tangible benefits could earn someone's approval far more easily than a hundred pretty words.

As Yu Zhen departed, the others who had finished their tests also left the room one after another.

On the way back...

Xie Xie kept his head lowered, silent.

Tang Wulin walked beside him, occasionally glancing at him without knowing what to say.

Gu Yue walked at the front, neither hurried nor slow.

Han Li walked at the back, no different from usual.

In the days that followed, Ye Yingluo and Wu Changkong focused their attention on Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue. As for Han Li, they chose to let him do as he pleased.

There was no helping it. With talent like Han Li's, they could no longer provide answers or cultivation plans for him.

His spiritual power and physical fitness had both far surpassed what someone his age should possess.

Whether it was Ye Yingluo or Wu Changkong.

Han Li had already mastered what they could teach, while he had learned on his own what they could not.

Rather than forcefully guiding him and possibly leading him astray, it was better to let him proceed at his own pace.

What was more, even Wu Changkong, a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, did not dare take Han Li's full-strength punch head-on.

He had seen countless geniuses at Shrek, as well as quite a few monster-level students.

But someone like Han Li, who could throw a punch with over a hundred thousand jin of force at nine years old, was something he had never even heard of.

This equality in strength made it impossible for them to make a move...

Teach someone whose strength was roughly equal to their own?

No matter how one looked at it, it seemed rather strange.

As for Han Li, he was more than happy to have the peace and quiet.

After all, he had his own plans.

Every day, he meditated on schedule, cultivated on schedule, nurtured Plant Soul Beasts on schedule, steadily accumulated resources, then waited for the right opportunity to break through the next layer of the Golden Dragon King Seal.

Ye Yingluo and Wu Changkong did not interfere with him.

Instead, it gave him more freedom and space.

The end of the term arrived quickly as well.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

On Eastsea Academy's campus, leaves turned yellow and green again, while people came and went across the training grounds.

The four students of Zero Class continued to grow along their respective paths.

In half a year.

Han Li's Soul Power had reached level thirty-two.

Level thirty-two, a Three-Ring Great Soul Master.

But his actual combat strength far exceeded his rank.

Thus...

He chose to turn that Twelve-Thousand-Year Plant Soul Beast into his third Soul Ring.

He had cultivated that Ten-Thousand-Year Plant Soul Beast long ago and had kept it safely stored in his Storage Bracelet.

He had originally planned to use it later, but his physical fitness was now sufficiently formidable.

The reinforcement from two layers of the Golden Dragon King Seal had made his body far surpass that of ordinary people...

Even a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring could be absorbed safely.

And the absorption process of the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring went even more smoothly than Han Li had expected.