Wither (Please Bookmark)

Wither—

Those hit lost all defenses of soul power, martial soul, spirit, and body. It struck directly at the soul.

"Dean?"

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong could barely remain standing. Qian Duoduo stood behind them.

Defensive soul tools?

Huo Yuhao keenly sensed the defensive soul tools arranged around them.

However, he had no mind to care about that now as he looked at the scene ahead.

Du Weilun's entire body had turned golden. Behind him, Yan Shaozhe shielded Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.

Golden markings had spread over Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's bodies as well.

"Good kid, that martial soul fusion skill is incredible."

Qian Duoduo praised them without reservation, then turned to look at Du Weilun, who had just recovered in the distance, before finally looking at Yan Shaozhe.

An official one rank higher could crush those beneath him. Before Yan Shaozhe, Du Weilun could not speak first.

All the spectators were stunned. Two deans had actually appeared on the stage! Just how powerful were those two martial soul fusion skills?!

Why hadn't the result been announced yet?

Sensing Qian Duoduo's gaze, Yan Shaozhe shot him a cold look before smiling as he announced to all the spectators below.

"I declare that the champions of the freshman assessment elimination tournament are the team of Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao."

The entire venue erupted in an uproar.

Listening to the crowd's clamor, Dai Huabin could only grit his teeth. Feeling those golden marks on his body, he knew that if Du Weilun had not intervened, Zhu Lu and he would have been seriously injured!

But he refused to accept it!

Why had his martial soul fusion, as a Soul Elder, lost to those two?

It had to be Zhu Lu!

Naturally, Dai Huabin would never believe himself inferior to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. If Zhu Lu had been a little stronger, he would not have lost this time!

Yan Shaozhe would not normally have stepped in, but both he and Qian Duoduo had sensed something wrong within Huo Yuhao's ability. If they had not stopped it, Dai Huabin might have met with an accident.

Thus, to prevent anything from happening to the White Tiger Duke's Estate heir, Yan Shaozhe had no choice but to come down.

"We won!"

Xiao Xiao was as excited as a little butterfly, darting around Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.

"What are you so excited about? With yours truly here, wasn't victory guaranteed?"

Wang Dong propped himself up as he sat on the ground, speaking proudly. With Yuhao and him around, wasn't victory certain?

"Woohoo~"

That night, they held their usual feast, though this time there was an extra little girl: Xiao Xiao.

It was Xiao Xiao's first time tasting Huo Yuhao's grilled meat, and she simply could not stop eating.

"Yuhao, your grilled meat and grilled fish are way too delicious! How did I never know you had such skills before?!"

As they chatted, the conversation soon turned to the rewards for the tournament.

"Core disciples of the Martial Soul Department? Then can we still join the Soul Guidance Department?"

Huo Yuhao asked. He had little interest in becoming a core disciple now; soul tools interested him far more.

"Mm, basically impossible."

Tang Ya explained that once Huo Yuhao and the others became core disciples of the Martial Soul Department, the department would inevitably invest more resources into them, urging them to cultivate diligently and become stronger soul masters.

Under such circumstances, the Martial Soul Department naturally would not allow them to divide their attention by studying in the Soul Guidance Department. After all, the Martial Soul Department had always held the dominant position within Shrek Academy.

However, Huo Yuhao thought of Xian Lin'er again. She was, after all, the dean of the Soul Guidance Department. She should be able to place him there, right?

The next morning, after a thoroughly pointless speech, Du Weilun began announcing the list of core disciples.

To Huo Yuhao's surprise, his name was not on the list of core disciples. Instead, that "temporary core disciple" slot had been given to him.

What a Martial Soul Department!

Huo Yuhao was speechless at the Martial Soul Department's shameless move. They were far too snobbish.

But this was good too. This way, he could properly study soul tools. Huo Yuhao also felt that he could learn nothing from the Martial Soul Department, whereas the Soul Guidance Department gave him a sense of belonging. At the very least, they would not treat him like this.

As for martial soul cultivation, the Soul Guidance Department also had dedicated teachers. Besides, Xian Lin'er was a Title Douluo-level powerhouse. Giving Huo Yuhao a little guidance would not be difficult for her.

Next came the rewards for first place.

With the soul bone from winning the tournament and the soul bone Zhou Yi had given them, Huo Yuhao's team had two soul bones in total.

"You two don't want them?"

Xiao Xiao stared at the two soul bones in her hands in shock. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong did not want either of them? What kind of backgrounds did they have?

"No use for them."

Huo Yuhao truly had no use for them. He had not even absorbed the ten-thousand-year soul bone from his deal with Mu En or the ten-thousand-year soul bone Yan Shaozhe had given as compensation, let alone a hundred-year soul bone.

"You really don't want them?"

Xiao Xiao hesitated slightly as she looked at the two before her. Neither of them looked like they were joking.

"Don't worry, we have no use for them. Besides, they're only hundred-year soul bones."

Xiao Xiao: "..."

For the first time, she felt the aura of true wealth. They could not even be bothered with hundred-year soul bones?

"Xiao Xiao, do you want a thousand-year soul bone?"

Huo Yuhao suddenly asked. Xiao Xiao froze upon hearing that. Why were they suddenly talking about a thousand-year soul bone? Was that something she could have now?

"I have a senior who is very interested in your martial soul and wants to study it."

"My martial soul?"

Xiao Xiao froze. Martial souls were extremely private matters!

Seeing her reaction, Huo Yuhao scratched his head. Martial souls really were not easy to discuss.

But soon, a gleam flashed through Huo Yuhao's eyes, and he raised the offer again.

"A special ten-thousand-year soul bone, one chance for your martial soul to evolve, and I'll help you obtain a ten-thousand-year soul ring for your fourth ring."

After he said that, even Wang Dong beside him was stunned. What was Huo Yuhao talking about?

Xiao Xiao: "..."

Was her martial soul really worth that much?

Leaving aside the ten-thousand-year soul bone, could martial soul evolution really be controlled by a person?

"I agree!"

Xiao Xiao was overwhelmed by the rewards and agreed at once. She would have agreed for that ten-thousand-year soul bone alone.

"Alright. Release your martial soul."

Hearing Xiao Xiao agree, Huo Yuhao breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now?"

"Mm."

They found an open space, and Xiao Xiao summoned her martial soul.

"Is this enough?"

Xiao Xiao asked. She had twin martial souls. Did she need to release them both?

"Yes, this is enough."

At that moment, Xia Liang began his work as well.

Huo Yuhao placed one hand on one of the massive cauldrons, and Xia Liang began sensing the aura within.

There really was the power of fate, but it was imprisoned within this martial soul?

As Xia Liang sensed the power of fate inside, he suddenly noticed a watchful gaze.

Spying? Dream on.

Xia Liang used his Authority with all his might, blurring Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao from perception.

At that moment, a trident mark appeared on Wang Dong's forehead in the distance. It seemed to be attempting something; the mark flickered once before fading away.

Wang Dong suddenly grew very sleepy and fell asleep directly on a reclining chair nearby.

They had bound the Star Luo Empire's national fortune here and brought it close to Huo Yuhao, ensuring that the empire's fortune would not decline while strengthening Huo Yuhao's own luck.

A clever scheme indeed. But with Huo Yuhao's current luck, he had no need for it at all. Xia Liang reached out and extracted the imprisoned power of fortune.

Xiao Xiao felt as though something was missing, yet she could not say what it was.

"Done. Take the ten-thousand-year soul bone, and this potion too. Drip it directly onto that little girl's martial soul, then have her eat this Golden Apple. As for the fourth ten-thousand-year soul ring, wait until she reaches four rings."

After extracting the fortune, Xia Liang tossed down the rewards and returned to Huo Yuhao's sea of spirit to continue his research.

"Done."

"That's it?"

She had not felt anything yet. How had it ended so quickly?

"Mm, it's done. This is the payment from my senior."

Huo Yuhao took out the ten-thousand-year soul bone, but the moment he did, he sensed something was wrong.

Dozens of incomprehensible runes had appeared on the originally dull soul bone, each one radiating a holy aura.

That was precisely why Xia Liang had added the word "special" before ten-thousand-year soul bone.

While Electrolux studied this soul bone, he occasionally inscribed rune arrays from his world onto it. Over time, this soul bone had turned into a mobile magic array. However, Electrolux had assured him that it was no different from an ordinary soul bone and could still be absorbed, with the added benefit of a holy attribute.

He handed the box containing the soul bone to Xiao Xiao. When she accepted it, she still felt like she was dreaming.

"As for the martial soul evolution, we... uh?"

Huo Yuhao saw Wang Dong asleep in the distance. Seriously, how long had it been? He had clearly been full of energy just moments ago.

With no other choice, the two of them first took Wang Dong back to the dormitory, then came before Mu En at the dorm entrance.

"Martial soul evolution?"

Hearing this, Mu En found it rather intriguing. Having lived to such an age, he had naturally seen quite a few cases of martial soul evolution.

"Little girl, what is your name?"

"Xiao Xiao."

Mu En was right at the dorm entrance, so although she had never spoken to him, Xiao Xiao had naturally seen him before. What she had not expected was that this old dorm keeper was actually a powerhouse.

Though Xiao Xiao did not know exactly how strong he was, he should at least be a Soul Douluo, right?

"Stay here. I'll keep watch for you. No one will come."

Mu En lightly tapped with his finger, and an invisible barrier sealed off the surroundings.

"Mm. Xiao Xiao, first drip this potion into your martial soul, then eat this."

Huo Yuhao took out the Golden Apple, then produced a strange bottle of potion. The potion was purple, and a dense power surged from within it.

The Authority-Forged Divine Turtle Potion. When dripped onto a defensive tool-type martial soul, it could reinforce the martial soul and increase its defense and resilience. Together with the Golden Apple, it should be enough to let Xiao Xiao's martial soul evolve once.

"Mm..."

That apple again?

Although Mu En had long guessed it, he could not help feeling puzzled. Just what faction did Huo Yuhao belong to? Mu En had been watching from nearby when Xia Liang appeared last time, yet even he could not identify which sect or school Xia Liang's methods came from.

"Alright."

Xiao Xiao sat cross-legged and summoned her martial soul before her. She gently poured in the Divine Turtle Potion, then ate the Golden Apple.

She only felt a strange power erupt from within her body. Then, whether by coincidence or something else, the box containing the soul bone that had been stored in her backpack somehow fell out. The box opened as it hit the ground, exposing the aura of the soul bone.

Then a clear phoenix cry rang out, and Xiao Xiao's second martial soul appeared above her head.

Both martial souls were changing?

"Where did this fortune come from?"

Xia Liang sensed a trace of fortune fluctuation that belonged to someone else within the sea of spirit. At that moment, the fluctuation of fortune was extremely intense.