Afterward, led by Li Yuan, Tian Chen and his group naturally met with the so-called dean of Spirit Hall Academy.
After an exchange of polite formalities, Tian Chen collected the reward for this trial.
It was the sandalwood box he held in his hands.
He had already learned from Li Yuan that the reward was a Soul Bone, so he did not lose his composure the way Li Kai and Zhang Ping did.
By now, Tian Chen was sitting in the carriage returning to Spirit City, with Li Kai and Zhang Ping accompanying him.
No matter what, Li Kai and Zhang Ping were entitled to a share of this reward, even if the two had been nothing but deadweight coasting along.
Of course, if Tian Chen wanted to keep this Soul Bone all to himself, neither would have anything to say.
It would have been impossible to say they did not covet this Soul Bone. After all, not everyone had a Level 98 Super Douluo grandfather like Tian Chen.
To them, Soul Bones were treasures one could only stumble upon, not seek out, even if this Soul Bone had only come from a five-thousand-year-old Soul Beast.
But Tian Chen had no intention of absorbing this Soul Bone. With his standards, it was not good enough to catch his eye.
Watching the two keep stealing glances at the wooden box in his hands, Tian Chen could not help finding it amusing. He promptly said to them,
"All right, this Soul Bone isn't good enough for me. Let's see who it suits, and that person can absorb it."
After some thought, Tian Chen made this decision. As someone in a position of authority, he could not possibly handle everything himself, and he would not fail to appreciate such a good opportunity to win over his subordinates.
Of course, the price was within what he could afford. A Soul Bone from a Soul Beast with around five thousand years of cultivation was only worth a few hundred thousand gold coins-a single hair off nine oxen to him.
Li Kai's and Zhang Ping's eyes both lit up at Tian Chen's words, but neither offered any insincere pleasantries.
After spending these past few days together, they understood Tian Chen's personality quite well. Since he had said how this Soul Bone would be handled, he would not go back on his word.
All three pairs of eyes were now fixed on the wooden box in Tian Chen's hands. Tian Chen was no different from usual. After all, he had already seen a hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone and successfully absorbed it.
Li Kai and Zhang Ping, on the other hand, were even breathing a little faster.
Tian Chen did not keep them in suspense and quickly opened the wooden box. He also wanted to know exactly what type of Soul Bone it was.
A faint, dusky purple light instantly spread through the already cramped space inside the carriage.
Lying quietly inside the wooden box was a bone resembling a miniature human left arm bone, dark purple throughout and giving off strange fluctuations of Soul Power.
However, this Soul Bone was not as complete as the right leg bone Tian Chen had absorbed before. It consisted of only the forearm bone and looked somewhat incomplete. Its Soul Power fluctuations were also nowhere near those of Tian Chen's Soul Bone.
Looking at the Soul Bone, Tian Chen quickly identified its type.
Although he did not know what kind of Soul Beast it had come from, there was no doubt that this was a strength-type Soul Bone.
Looking at the excitement on Li Kai's face, Tian Chen did not linger over it and handed the wooden box straight to him.
"All right, this Soul Bone is yours. Absorb it as soon as you get back."
"Yes, Young Master Tian!"
His face full of excitement, Li Kai put the Soul Bone into his Soul Tool.
Tian Chen did notice the disappointment that flashed across Zhang Ping's face. But there was nothing he could do. There was only one Soul Bone, and Li Kai was closer to him as well.
Before long, the three returned to Spirit City once more. As Zhang Ping came from a commoner family, she could not live inside Spirit City and instead lived in a village not far outside it. Still, she was heading the same way as Tian Chen and Li Kai.
After entering Spirit City, Tian Chen returned to his family's manor as usual.
Finding that his grandfather was not at the manor, Tian Chen was not surprised.
As Spirit Hall's Second Worship, he spent his years cultivating in the Worship Hall, paying no attention to worldly affairs. Tian Chen believed that Tian E would not leave the Worship Hall at all if not for matters concerning him.
Tian Chen first instructed the maids to prepare a medicinal bath and enjoyed a pleasant soak. Only after washing himself did he sit in the main hall, swallowing large mouthfuls of delicious dishes made from various Soul Beasts while enjoying a massage from the maids.
After eating and drinking his fill, Tian Chen had a glass of fruit juice to cut through the grease, then returned to his room to cultivate again.
Less than half a year of his cultivation life at Spirit Hall Academy had passed, yet his Soul Power had already reached level seventeen. He did not intend to spend too much time at Spirit Hall Academy. He planned to take his grandfather to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to have some fun with Dugu Bo after reaching level thirty.
Only then could his plan formally begin.
Moreover, he believed that, at his cultivation speed, he would definitely reach level thirty before turning twelve. Then he would have ample time to prepare.