The battle was over!
Lin Kong had won!
Looking back on it, the entire battle had been unremarkable. Everything had been under his control.
First, he had demonstrated his inexhaustible supply and lack of concern for consumption, then the home-field advantage he gained through Dark Blue Silver Grass. Once he had played enough, he used his first Soul Skill and defeated Shen Zhinian in a single move.
The fire attribute countered plants?
Did it?
There had been no sign of that whatsoever!
"Lin Kong, you were amazing!" Wu Yunsheng rushed excitedly to his side, grinning as he slung an arm around his shoulders and gave him a hard shake. "Well done, hahaha!"
Luo Enqi walked over and punched Wu Yunsheng in the shoulder. "You lucky fellow. Even I'm jealous of you having such an outstanding student."
"As you should be!" If Wu Yunsheng had possessed a tail, it would already have been sticking up into the sky.
Ding Qiuyu came over too, eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Kong. "You're incredible!"
Lin Kong smiled and nodded. "Thanks."
The group bustled cheerfully together, and the people watching them were happy too, sharing in their glory!
Except for Shen Zhinian and the head of the Shen family. Thoroughly disgraced, the two silently left with their heads lowered. The longer they stayed, the more face they would lose.
The dean spoke up. "All right, all right, that's everything. Everyone, keep eating and drinking!"
Everyone returned to their seats, but a problem arose: with Shen Zhinian and the head of the Shen family gone, two seats at the main table were empty.
The dean beckoned. "Wu Yunsheng, Lin Kong, come over here. Come, come, sit beside me. You two are this academic year's outstanding teacher and outstanding student. Of course you should sit here."
Naturally, Lin Kong and Wu Yunsheng changed seats.
The dean asked with concern, "What are your plans next? Attending an intermediate Soul Master Academy? Or finding a job?" He patted his chest. "Just say whatever's on your mind! If you want to study, I'll write you a letter of recommendation. If you want a job, you can do anything in Nuoding City. I guarantee it!"
The dean's generosity soared to the heavens!
Lin Kong was now an outstanding student, so naturally he enjoyed these privileges. All of it came from his strength-the strength to defeat Shen Zhinian before a crowd, the strength to claim victory with ease.
Lin Kong replied tactfully, "Thank you for your concern, Dean. Let me think about it."
"No problem, no problem. You have a month, so think it over as much as you like. Just come straight to me once you've decided."
Half a month later.
Mountains hundreds of meters tall stretched on without end, a lush, vibrant green as far as the eye could see. Clear, transparent rivers wound through the mountains, with fish occasionally leaping from the water. Within this painting of nature, Lin Kong was like a drop of ink dotting the scenery.
With a pack on his back and a map in hand, he followed the river upstream.
"By this point, Tang San and Tang Hao must have left Holy Soul Village, leaving Ah Yin and the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Soul Bone behind."
"According to the information, it was at a waterfall!"
During this time, as an outstanding student of Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy, Lin Kong had spent all his time in the library, studying maps to determine Ah Yin's location. Eventually, he had found his destination, with complete certainty.
Now, he advanced toward that destination step by step.
Gulp, gulp!
Lin Kong poured a mouthful of clear water into his mouth, its coolness soaking through his lungs and organs. He casually wiped his mouth, his gaze growing ever more fervent as he looked at the waterfall that appeared palm-sized a short distance away.
Lin Kong clenched his fists.
"Tang San, oh, Tang San. You never imagined this, did you!"
"You certainly never imagined your origins were so complicated, much less that I would find your mother."
"During those six years at the academy, the way you looked down on me openly and in secret, the icy looks you gave me when I spoke to Xiao Wu... hehe..."
A surge of strength seemed to appear out of nowhere within him. Invigorated, Lin Kong looked toward the waterfall ahead and strode forward.
Rumble, rumble!
Several hours later, Lin Kong stood beneath the waterfall. Damp mist washed over his face, and the sound thundered against his eardrums. The tremendous waterfall towered over a hundred meters high, and the power of heaven and earth it unleashed made him feel insignificant.
Lin Kong summoned his Dark Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and closed his eyes. His Soul Ring pulsed rhythmically, the blades swayed gently, and he activated his perception.
The Blue Silver Emperor held an immense attraction for Dark Blue Silver Grass. Perhaps he could...
"Found it!"
Lin Kong abruptly opened his eyes, wild delight filling his heart. His gaze fixed on a section of the rock wall as he declared firmly, "Ah Yin and the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Soul Bone are in there. They really are in there!"
He had been planning this since six years ago. Now it was finally about to happen, just one step away-truly just one step away!
Lin Kong took the climbing pick he had specially commissioned from a blacksmith out of his pack. First, he climbed to the mountaintop, then walked a few steps to stand above the secret chamber.
There was a fist-sized opening here. Whenever the sun was directly overhead, sunlight would shine through the opening into the secret chamber and fall on Ah Yin. It was the only sunlight she could receive as a plant, a pitifully small amount!
"Tsk, Tang Hao, oh, Tang Hao. Do you really not understand that plants need sunlight to grow? Or are you deliberately restricting Ah Yin's growing conditions, trying to kill her again?"
Lin Kong sighed with feeling, then got to work. First, he cleared away the dirt to expose the stone slab beneath, then struck it again and again with a hammer. After who knew how long, he finally smashed open a gap wide enough for one person to pass through, about half a meter across.
Lin Kong jumped inside.
The secret chamber was small, roughly a dozen or so square meters. In the middle stood a stone table with a flowerpot on it, and Ah Yin grew inside. Her blades were pale yellow and white. At a glance, it was clear that insufficient sunlight had prevented her from producing enough chlorophyll, leaving her looking severely malnourished.
Lin Kong did not rush to act. He walked around it and discovered a long, narrow box beneath the flowerpot. It was open a crack, and Ah Yin's roots extended through the gap. Rich, pure vitality and Soul Power fluctuations emanated from within. Wild delight filled his eyes. "A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone! The Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone I've longed for!"
A supreme treasure with the vitality attribute!
The Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Soul Bone!
Lin Kong walked over and lifted the entire flowerpot. He had intended to separate it from the box so he could take the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Soul Bone, but discovered that Ah Yin's roots bound them firmly together, so he stopped.
A few seconds later, the corners of Lin Kong's mouth curled upward, and he let out a laugh. "Heh-"
"If you possess reason, speak. I can talk things over with you."
"If you don't possess reason, then you're only a blade of grass, and I won't concern myself with anything else."
Three seconds later, Lin Kong began exerting force with both hands. The flowerpot and box visibly moved apart, the roots stretching taut as they were pulled from both sides. The fine roots began to snap, followed by the slightly thicker ones, until only the main root remained.
"Time to end this!"
With those final words, Lin Kong unleashed the strength in both hands, separating the flowerpot and box completely. The main root snapped in two with a crack. He checked Ah Yin and, finding no reaction, casually set her on the stone table. Holding the box in both hands, he opened it and looked inside:
A right leg Soul Bone that seemed carved from blue gemstone bore golden patterns on its surface, displaying its nobility. Smooth and whole, it had not a single flaw. Rich, pure vitality spread outward and enveloped Lin Kong, making him feel as though he had been sublimated, every part of his body cheering.
"The Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Soul Bone!"
"I've obtained it. I've finally obtained it!"
Without another word, Lin Kong immediately sat cross-legged and began absorbing it.
He was gambling, betting that no person or animal would disturb him while he absorbed the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Soul Bone, just as when he had absorbed the Ghost-Faced Netherworld Bamboo Soul Ring before.
There was no helping it. Lin Kong currently had no trump cards at all. Other than gambling, he could only gamble!