"It was only what I should do as a junior." Lu Wu reached out and set the bracelet on the bedside table. "This is the Stardust Magic Tool you took out earlier, Senior."
"That Stardust Magic Tool is yours," Luo Long said casually.
Although a Spirit Grade Stardust Magic Tool was indeed worth a great deal, Luo Long had never intended to take this one back.
"This is too valuable." Lu Wu knew full well how precious it was.
The others had also received fairly generous rewards, but those were all money, not even worth one percent of this Stardust Magic Tool.
What was more, this was something money could not necessarily buy.
"Keep it, keep it. I casually refined that back when I was young. It can't independently assist your cultivation." Seeing Lu Wu refuse, Shen Shitian simply told him to keep it.
Although they had not killed that Azure Crow Overlord this time, that creature could not possibly be doing well.
With one sharp claw severed and its abdomen badly wounded, the Azure Crow Overlord would not have an easy time of it in the days ahead.
After all, the Azure Crow Overlord was not the only ruler deep within Mount Wuyi.
"In that case, thank you, Elder Luo," Lu Wu said gratefully. With this Spirit Grade Stardust Magic Tool on hand, his cultivation speed would multiply.
"Keep the Thought Stone safe. From now on, you mustn't take it out in front of anyone, not even Nu Jiao," Shen Shitian instructed.
Old Luo had given his grandson a gift, so he certainly could not fall behind.
Since he currently had no magic equipment or magic tools Lu Wu could use, he would give him the Thought Stone.
Once Lu Wu's mental strength broke through to the second realm, he could break through the Thought Stone's barrier and use the nourishing essence contained within.
Even Advanced Level and Super Level mages would covet something this precious, so naturally, he could not let Lu Wu take it out carelessly.
"Hey, you've already accepted Old Luo's Stardust Magic Tool. Surely you won't refuse your grandpa's Thought Stone?" Before Lu Wu could speak, Shen Shitian headed off any thought of refusal.
Lu Wu was naturally not so precious about such things. He nodded. "Don't worry, Grandpa Shen. I'll protect myself and these things."
Even before his Magic Awakening, Grandpa Shen had told him not to take temporary jobs.
In the past, he had thought that since he had nothing to do besides studying, he might as well work temporary jobs. Things were different now. He needed to cultivate and strengthen himself, and since Grandpa Shen wanted to help him, he should not refuse too much.
He should make good use of these resources to become stronger, so that if the opportunity arose in the future, he could help them do what they wanted to do.
As for keeping the Thought Stone a secret from Mu Nujiao, Lu Wu was actually not worried about her knowing.
Although they had only spent two years together, they already understood each other very well.
He was not worried that Mu Nujiao would sell him out.
But since he had promised Grandpa Shen, he naturally would not reveal it casually.
He understood the principle of keeping one's wealth out of sight.
Although the magical world had magical conventions and various magical organizations, sometimes, being guilty merely for carrying a precious jade was still a very common occurrence.
Besides, before absolute strength, all restraints were mere decorations.
"Then head back and cultivate diligently." Shen Shitian waved a hand.
Seeing that the three old men before him seemed to have something to discuss, Lu Wu said goodbye again, then went to find Mu Nujiao before leaving Rongcheng directly.
"Will you take the assessment when we get back?" Mu Nujiao asked on the way to the station.
With Lu Wu's current strength, he already had second-tier Basic Level magic before his first year of high school was even over. That was history-making for the whole of Magic City Seventh Magic High School!
Whether he took that assessment or not made no difference to Lu Wu.
Besides, Mu Nujiao knew Lu Wu had that spirit-grade Stardust Magic Tool with him. After all, he wore it right on his wrist.
Those who did not know might think it was jewelry, but Mu Nujiao knew very well what it was.
The resources the magic high school distributed were Stardust Magic Tools, which Lu Wu likewise did not need.
"Of course I will." Lu Wu fiddled with his phone as he spoke, not even lifting his head. "I'll go with you."
"Why go with me? Aren't you going to eat someone else's grilled meat skewers?" Mu Nujiao said with a hint of reproach.
Although she had stopped being angry after Lu Wu apologized, she could still use it to tease him.
"Listen to you. Haven't chili peppers always been my favorite?"
They flew back to Magic City to save time, although planes were more dangerous and could easily be attacked by fiercely territorial demon beasts.
Fortunately, however, the journey went very smoothly, and Lu Wu returned to Magic City.
In the days that followed, both Lu Wu and Mu Nujiao kept cultivating. Lu Wu was in no hurry to continue cultivating his Fire Element, instead focusing his attention on his Wind Element.
Although they were not in the same class, Lu Wu returned to school with Mu Nujiao.
It had been nearly a week since they returned from Rongcheng. Hearing that the assessment would begin soon, Lu Wu came to school.
"The guy standing with Mu Nujiao is Lu Wu, right? The one who's skipped more than half a year of classes in less than a year?"
"That's right, that's him. I heard he passed out on awakening day and kept skipping class after that."
"Lu Wu did really well in middle school, and he even worked temporary jobs after class. Why would he skip school?"
"Who knows?"
Lu Wu had not expected so many people at school to know about him. Even as he walked with Mu Nujiao, people were talking about him.
Besides discussing him, many male students also shot him jealous, murderous looks.
"I didn't expect walking beside you to be so dangerous. Look at their eyes. Every one of them looks like they'd love to eat me alive." Noticing what was going on around them, Lu Wu spoke directly to Mu Nujiao. "Rein in that charm of yours when you've got nothing else to do."
"It's obviously because you've hardly shown your face since awakening. You're notorious throughout the school." Mu Nujiao rolled her eyes at Lu Wu.
How had this become her fault?
Magic City Seventh Magic High School had quite good resources, ranking among the best in all of Magic City.
It had direct ties to Pearl Academy and, along with several other schools, could be considered something of an affiliated high school of Pearl Academy. It was only called Seventh Magic High School because it had its own board of directors.
There was no shortage of children from magical families, great and small, studying here. After all, even in major families, not everyone received preferential resource allocations.
Within a family, the scales of cultivation resources were even less likely to be balanced.
Yet that single roll of Mu Nujiao's eyes immediately made Lu Wu sense hostility shooting toward him from all around.
"These guys had better know what's good for them and not come provoke me. Otherwise, I won't hold back," Lu Wu muttered.
Hearing this, Mu Nujiao knew that if anyone really came looking for trouble with Lu Wu, they would probably suffer badly.
"To think a thug who only knows how to fight could skip class for so long without being expelled."
As ill luck would have it, an ill-timed voice came from behind them.
Mu Nujiao had not intended to pay it any attention, but Lu Wu had already turned around leisurely.
Hearing that familiar voice, Lu Wu felt a little like laughing. Seriously, how had this guy failed to see what was in front of him yet again?
Three people had approached, all about Lu Wu's age, with one relatively burly among them.
"Liu Tong, you really do remember your meals but forget your beatings." Lu Wu looked at the person in the middle, the only one of the three he knew.
Liu Tong. An old friend.
They had known each other back in middle school, and Lu Wu had beaten him up a few times.
Of course, strictly speaking, they had beaten each other up. Lu Wu had suffered quite a bit too; Liu Tong had merely come off a little worse.
"Lu Wu, don't tell me you still think I'm the Liu Tong I used to be." Liu Tong sneered. "My cultivation is advancing rapidly now, and I'm no longer someone you can afford to provoke."
"What, did you pay for a couple of hired thugs?" Lu Wu looked at the two people beside Liu Tong.
"Hired thugs? After all these years in Magic City, you should know the Dongfang Family, right? I, Liu Tong, am now one of their people." Liu Tong laughed.
This Lu Wu really did not know how high the heavens were or how deep the earth ran.
Although Mu Nujiao and Lu Wu were on good terms, as far as he knew, the Mu Family had many direct descendants, and Mu Nujiao was a daughter. Even if they had resources, they could not possibly keep favoring her forever!
Lu Wu had no backer at all.