Soul Bones

Ma Xiaotao did not speak immediately after listening. She confirmed the information she had secretly obtained from her teacher in her mind before saying, "Yes, it is three soul bones."

Yue Ling's eyes widened, his astonishment seemingly about to spill over.

One had to know that for a soul master, soul rings were already extremely precious, as they were something every soul master had to obtain to break through their bottlenecks.

Yet, soul bones were a hundred times more precious than soul rings. Every soul master could fuse with six soul bones: the head, the torso, and the four limbs.

Each soul ring could grant a soul master one skill, while a hundred-thousand-year soul ring could grant two.

In other words, a normal soul master who cultivated to the level of a nine-ring Titled Douluo should possess nine skills.

Soul bones, however, were an entirely separate system. Each soul bone could also grant a soul master a skill and significantly enhance the physique of the body part to which it was attached.

Soul rings were inevitably produced by every soul beast, but that was not the case for soul bones; only hundred-thousand-year soul beasts had the inherent ability to produce them.

As for soul beasts below the hundred-thousand-year rank, the probability of producing a soul bone was only one in ten thousand! The appearance of any soul bone would inevitably trigger a scramble among soul masters.

There was a saying in the soul master world: if you want to become an excellent soul master, you must work hard to improve your soul power and obtain soul rings with the highest possible age.

However, if you want to become a top-tier soul master, a true powerhouse on the Douluo Continent, you must possess your own soul bones. The more soul bones you have, the stronger your strength will be.

In a sense, a soul bone was equivalent to consuming a Soul Ascension Pill without any restrictions; fusing with any soul bone would improve a soul master's soul power.

"Is the academy being too generous? Some soul masters might not even obtain a single soul bone in their entire lives, and I didn't expect the academy to just give away three."

Gongyang Mo was both surprised and delighted, starting to fantasize about whether he might also be able to obtain a soul bone.

Yue Ling furrowed his brows, calculating in his heart before speaking slowly.

"I'm afraid these soul bones aren't so easy to take."

"What do you mean?"

Ma Xiaotao was somewhat surprised.

"This is to gradually bind us to the academy on a mental level."

Yue Ling pointed at Ma Xiaotao, then at himself.

"You and I already have teachers at the academy; we were already Shrek people to begin with, but Gongyang Mo does not."

"You mean..."

He licked his somewhat dry lips and nodded gently.

"A genius auxiliary-system soul master who is not inferior to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—that is the true purpose behind their attempt to win you over."

Ma Xiaotao was stunned and just about to say something when Yue Ling glared her into silence.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit off, Gongyang Mo hesitated.

"Then, should I take this soul bone or not?"

"Take it, of course you should take it. Why refuse a reward given for free by the academy? Perhaps future rewards will be even better."

"Then what did you mean by your words just now?" Ma Xiaotao could no longer hold back; being glared at like that had made her somewhat annoyed.

"Don't be angry." After soothing Ma Xiaotao, he looked at Gongyang Mo with a serious expression.

"Gongyang Mo!"

"I'm here, I'm here."

Yue Ling looked at him with a gentle gaze, which made Gongyang Mo's scalp tingle and left him feeling somewhat nervous.

"I hope that in the future, when facing the academy, major decisions, or life-threatening dangers, you will consider yourself more and not be forced to bind yourself because of the benefits they gave you earlier."

Gongyang Mo swallowed, his dry throat relaxing as his nervous heart eased.

"So that's what it was. Don't worry, I still cherish my life quite a bit."

"The way you looked just now, I thought you were going to confess to me! You scared me!"

The gentle mood Yue Ling had just built up shattered instantly. His face turned ferocious, and he gritted his teeth as he stared at him.

"I already said, I! Am! Not!"

He lowered his head, looking a bit aggrieved and slightly embarrassed.

"But I... I was just a little scared..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gongyang Mo seemed to recall something, and he suddenly grew bold.

"But you should still be on guard... your martial soul isn't just a chrysanthemum, even your daily items are f..."

Before he could finish, Yue Ling glared at him fiercely, cutting off that word.

Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao listened with curiosity to such an explosive scene.

"You're scared? We've slept together for so many days and you tell me you're scared? Who is the one who falls asleep the fastest and snores the loudest every time...!"

Watching the two of them argue, Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Tears hung at the corners of her eyes, and her eye tails were flushed red from laughing until she cried.

Gongyang Mo and Yue Ling were stunned for a moment, and under her influence, they couldn't help but laugh as well.

Before long, the Shrek campus was filled with the joyful sounds of the three.

Students passing by glanced curiously at the laughing group, but they didn't linger and walked right past them. After all, they had their own business to attend to.

The laughter continued for a while before it finally stopped completely.

Wiping the tears from the corners of their eyes, their hearts felt much more at ease.

"Let's go, let's go back and take a shower first, just in time for dinner."

"Then I'll head off first. My teacher brought back a piece of Mystic Ice Marrow from the auction yesterday; I should be able to cultivate for a long time."

"What a cultivation maniac."

"Hmph, like you have any room to talk..."

Ma Xiaotao looked eager to try, and after speaking, she waved at them impatiently.

Just as she was about to leave, she seemed to remember something and turned back, her tone carrying a hint of warning.

"Don't forget tomorrow's elimination round. If I don't see you there... hmph."

Yue Ling's face was practically written with the word "impossible."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't oversleep for something that concerns our future."

"That's for the best." With that, she left without looking back.

Yue Ling turned to Gongyang Mo and said, "It seems it won't be easy for us to get good results in the elimination round. We'll be facing real opponents in the upcoming matches."

"Yeah."

"Let's go, let's head back to the dormitory. I'll take a shower and change, then we can eat and prepare for tomorrow's match."

"Mm." Gongyang Mo nodded, but deep in his heart, a seed had been planted.

After returning to the dormitory, Yue Ling took his clean clothes and towel to shower.

He was left alone, sitting on the bed.

"Bang." The dormitory door closed.

A light breeze bypassed the small chrysanthemum on the windowsill, slowly blowing across his long black hair and fair cheeks.

Seeming to feel a bit tired, he curled up on the bed.

Another breeze swept by; no one knew or could understand that complex train of thought.

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