Soul Bone

"Class assignments are finished. From now on, you'll study in your newly assigned classes. Adapt as quickly as possible, and don't let being separated from your good friends affect your studies."

After giving that instruction, Du Weilun turned his gaze toward Nezha and the two girls.

"Homeroom teachers, take your students to the teaching building for class. Nezha, Ning Tian, Nanmen Yun'er, come with me to collect your additional championship reward."

With that, he turned and headed toward the faculty offices behind the upper-year teaching building.

Nezha and the two girls exchanged a glance and followed him. Behind them, Wu Feng stood in Class One's ranks, gazing wistfully at Nezha's retreating figure. Her lips stuck out in an enormous pout, making her look every inch a defeated puppy.

Du Weilun's office was on the top floor, but it had little in the way of lavish decoration. Four large bookcases covered the four walls, each packed with a wealth of books. The gilded lettering on their spines glinted faintly in the afternoon light.

Apart from those, there was only a desk and chair, along with a set of old sofas for receiving guests. It was simple, yet carried a weight that only the passage of years could lend.

Once they arrived, he wasted no words. A large ruby ring on his right hand flashed, and a leather pouch appeared in his hand.

The pouch seemed to be a Soul Tool as well, with dark patterns embroidered across its brown leather surface. Looking closely, Nezha could sense faint fluctuations of Soul Power from it. The patterns shifted slightly beneath the light, as though alive.

Du Weilun held the pouch in his palm and looked at the three students before him, his tone growing more solemn.

"Children, since you defeated two freshman teams with Martial Soul Fusion Skills in succession and ultimately won the championship, I applied to the academy for an exceptional reward for you."

He paused, his gaze passing over each of their faces.

"Although there's only one reward, and the three of you will have to decide who receives it, this is the most precious prize the academy has awarded in the Freshman Assessment in at least three hundred years. Open it and take a look."

As he spoke, he handed the pouch to Nezha.

Nezha took the pouch. It felt slightly heavy, and a warm pulse of Soul Power passed into his palm.

He pulled the drawstring opening apart without hesitation.

Without warning, a ball of yellow light emerged from the pouch. Under the three students' astonished gazes, it slowly floated into the air.

It was a small bone, seemingly no longer than a palm, suffused with a faint yellow glow. Its surface was smooth as jade, and fine patterns could vaguely be seen flowing within it.

The moment it was fully exposed to the air, a dense wave of Soul Power spread outward. Even the air throughout the office seemed to grow thick.

None of the three had ever experienced such a peculiar sensation. It was as though they stood within an invisible bank of heavy mist, every breath filled with rich Soul Power.

"Is... is this a Soul Bone?"

Ning Tian was the first to speak. Her platinum-blond hair stirred gently in the fluctuations of Soul Power, and her azure eyes were filled with shock.

Although Du Weilun had already hinted that their reward would be substantial, she had never imagined it would actually be a Soul Bone. To a Soul Master, a Soul Bone was a hundred times more precious than a Soul Ring.

A Soul Ring was an energy manifestation that appeared whenever a Soul Beast died, while the chance of a Soul Bone appearing was less than one in ten thousand.

The higher a Soul Beast's rank, the greater the likelihood of it producing a Soul Bone, but only a hundred-thousand-year soul beast was guaranteed to yield one. Any Soul Master who obtained a Soul Bone would immediately gain a considerable boost in strength, securing an enormous advantage over Soul Masters of the same level.

Each Soul Master could possess at most six Soul Bones: one for the head, one for the torso, and one for each limb. Of these six, the Torso Soul Bone was the most precious and the rarest, followed by the Head Soul Bone. Limb Soul Bones were relatively less valuable, but even so, Soul Bones were always the most precious lots in any country's auction houses. They had a price, but there were simply none available to buy.

Purchasing any Soul Bone required at least a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and more often than not, one could only be obtained through barter.

No matter how deep Shrek Academy's pockets were, its reserves of Soul Bones were bound to be limited. Only its most outstanding students, or those who had made special contributions to the academy, had any chance of receiving a Soul Bone as a reward.

Such a reward meant the academy believed that the benefits and influence they could bring it in the future would exceed the value of the Soul Bone itself.

Nanmen Yun'er stood beside Nezha with both hands covering her mouth, her lively eyes rounded wide.

Her family was only a small one. Under normal circumstances, she might never have seen a Soul Bone in her entire life. Yet Shrek Academy had awarded one for a mere Freshman Assessment. She turned to look at Nezha, then at Ning Tian. Her lips moved, but no words came out.

Du Weilun smiled faintly at their stunned expressions, his tone relaxing a little.

"You weren't expecting that, were you? That's right. Your reward is a Soul Bone. But you all know how precious Soul Bones are, so there's only one reward. You'll need to decide among yourselves who gets it after you return. However-"

His smile faded, and his tone grew more serious.

"Don't let this Soul Bone harm your friendship. Soul Bones may be hard to come by, but good companions are harder still. Let me briefly introduce this Soul Bone to you."

He raised a hand and pointed toward the floating bone without touching it.

"I chose this Soul Bone especially for you. Both power attack system and agility attack system Soul Masters can use it. It's a left leg bone, called the Voidlight Demon Leopard Left Leg Bone. Fusing with it will increase a Soul Master's speed and grant an attack skill launched through the left leg. The greatest benefit of a Soul Bone is that it produces different skills depending on the Martial Soul it fuses with, but the skill will certainly suit you."

He paused, his gaze settling on the pouch in Nezha's hand.

"I'm entrusting it to you now. You can have this pouch as well. It conceals fluctuations of Soul Power. Fuse with the bone as soon as possible after you return. The academy may be safe, but an innocent man becomes guilty by carrying a precious jade. You must also keep this Soul Bone reward confidential for the academy. I trust you know what to do."

Nezha tied the pouch shut again and tucked it inside his clothes. The lingering warmth of the Soul Bone remained in his palm, warm and steady. He turned to look at Ning Tian, then Nanmen Yun'er. Both girls were looking at him as well.

Once the Soul Bone had been put away, Du Weilun saw them to the door. The three respectfully bade him farewell and left the teaching building.

The afternoon sunlight spilled across Shrek Square, and the faint sounds of classes in session drifted over from afar.

Nezha stood on the steps with his hands in his pockets, tilting his head back and narrowing his eyes. His black hair, gathered into buns, shone with an inky luster in the sunlight.

He had a Soul Bone tucked against his chest.

He understood its value better than anyone. Back when he had read the original novel in his previous life, he had known that Soul Bones were among the rarest cultivation resources on the Douluo Continent. Countless Soul Masters went their entire lives without ever laying a hand on one. And now, he had one tucked against his chest.

He tilted his head and looked at Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er beside him.

"Let's give this Soul Bone to Yun'er."