Soul Bone!
After opening countless blind boxes, it finally appeared. Even Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
This was no ordinary soul bone—it was the soul bone of a 90,000-year-old Azure Sky Lion Beast.
As every soul master knows, the most coveted treasures are the 100,000-year soul ring and the 100,000-year soul bone.
Though the Azure Sky Lion Beast hadn't reached the 100,000-year mark, its value was comparable to that of an ordinary 100,000-year soul beast.
Not only had it provided Han Ruoruo with a perfectly suited soul ring, but it had also generously bestowed a soul bone. Its thoughtfulness was truly touching.
Zhang Lexuan smiled and said to Han Ruoruo, "Ruoruo, go and take a look."
Han Ruoruo nodded, following the fluctuations of soul power. She manipulated the Dazzling Golden Rope to extract a soul bone from the Azure Sky Lion Beast's front paw.
A brilliant blue light erupted, followed by a sharp, piercing aura. Wrapped in dense soul power, a peculiar soul bone, resembling a miniature human left arm, floated quietly within.
'90,000-year-old Azure Sky Lion Beast Left Arm Bone!'
The soul bone was a stunning blend of blue and gold, translucent like a precious gem. Its internal light shimmered, emitting an alluring pulse of soul power. The bone was remarkably intact, indicating its exceptionally high quality.
"It's a soul bone!" Even Cai Mei'er, the vice-dean of Shrek Academy, couldn't hide her excitement.
Han Ruoruo was equally overwhelmed. The sheer magnitude of her good fortune nearly made her faint.
As a senior inner court disciple, she had fused several soul bones before, but none could compare to this one in quality or age.
A 10,000-year soul bone was already a treasure that could incite a frenzy among soul masters, even within Shrek's inner court.
A 100,000-year soul bone was priceless, a heirloom of unparalleled value.
In the entire inner court, only Zhang Lexuan was known to have fused one. This 90,000-year soul bone was undoubtedly on par with a 100,000-year one in terms of rarity and worth.
Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan remained relatively calm. After all, they were both well-versed in such matters.
Huo Yuhao even seized the moment to advise, "Sister Ruoruo, the soul ring and soul bone from the same soul beast can only reach their full potential when absorbed by the same person. You should take this soul bone."
Zhang Lexuan glanced at Huo Yuhao with admiration. Faced with such a treasure, he had remained true to his character, proving himself worthy of their trust and the high regard of Elder Mu.
She then added, "Ruoruo, take it. You can fuse it when we return to the academy."
With that, the ownership of the soul bone was settled.
The Azure Sky Lion Beast had been slain by Zhang Lexuan, Huo Yuhao, and Han Ruoruo together, so the soul bone belonged to all three. Since Huo Yuhao and Zhang Lexuan had both relinquished their claims, it was only fair that Han Ruoruo receive it.
Cai Mei'er nodded in agreement. "I have no objections."
Seeing Han Ruoruo still in a daze, Huo Yuhao teased, "Sister Ruoruo, you haven't already fused a left arm bone, have you? If so, that would be such a pity."
Han Ruoruo shook her head, then took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Yuhao, Lexuan, thank you so much!"
Cai Mei'er smiled at the harmonious scene. "Alright, the soul bone belongs to Ruoruo. Let's leave the Star Dou Forest first."
The three nodded in agreement.
Huo Yuhao had no real interest in the soul bone. It didn't suit him, and he had his sights set on the future Ice Jade Scorpion Empress Left Arm Bone. Moreover, as soon as Han Ruoruo successfully integrated her eighth soul ring, his third task was also completed.
[Achievement Triggered!]
[Achieved Han Ruoruo's 'Eighth Soul Ring' achievement and received the reward: Immobilization Gu.]
[Immobilization Gu: A fourth-turn Gu worm capable of immobilizing a soul master. The duration depends on the difference in soul power.]
[Evaluation: Immobilization Technique!]
Huo Yuhao had always accepted the system's Gu worms without hesitation, and the arrival of the Immobilization Gu filled him with joy.
Combined with the fifth-turn Mind-Grabbing Gu (previously Heart-Grabbing Gu), Huo Yuhao could now effectively function as a control-type soul master.
With a diverse array of Gu worms and the ever-changing Spiritual Engraving soul skill, Huo Yuhao was steadily evolving into a versatile, all-around soul master.
Of course, he wouldn't abandon the Blue Water Field for now. Although the soul skill couldn't be perfectly engraved due to age limitations, it complemented his two domain skills quite well.
He could only hope that as his cultivation advanced, the Spiritual Engraving Soul skill would bring him more pleasant surprises.
…
That day, the four of them hurried out of the Star Dou Forest at top speed.
Along the way, they encountered several waves of soul beasts but faced no real danger. Compared to their journey into the forest, their exit was much quicker. They only rested once in the mixed area, and within less than a day, Huo Yuhao and his companions had emerged from the forest.
As they stepped out onto the vast plains, a sense of relief washed over them. Without the constant threat of ambush, everyone relaxed.
Unlike Wu Ming and his group, who had left earlier, Huo Yuhao and his companions had spent nearly a week in the Star Dou Forest, with almost half that time in the perilous core area. Now, the feeling of freedom and safety brought visible relief to everyone's faces, even Vice-Dean Cai Mei'er's.
Although their mission had been successful, it hadn't been without its challenges.
While everyone who needed a soul ring had obtained a suitable one, and Han Ruoruo had even acquired a high-quality soul bone, they couldn't forget the encounter with the evil soul masters at the end.
When Han Ruoruo learned of the encounter, she broke into a cold sweat. If not for Huo Yuhao's quick thinking, they might not have made it out alive.
Both Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo were elites of Shrek's inner court and members of the Supervisory Group, tasked with eradicating evil soul masters and maintaining order on the Douluo Continent.
They were well aware of the dangers posed by such individuals. Having encountered evil soul masters during her missions, Han Ruoruo had witnessed their cruelty and malice firsthand. She held no mercy for them.
All evil soul masters were enemies.
Thus, when she heard how decisively Huo Yuhao had acted, she was both grateful and full of praise.
Of course, the three dead evil soul masters had also dropped some loot. Upon their deaths, Huo Yuhao had seized three high-grade storage soul guides and a few soul bones.
Huo Yuhao, however, had little interest in the soul bones, which had chaotic attributes and were of mediocre quality (the best being only 10,000 years). He handed them over to Zhang Lexuan, content to wait for his share of the gold soul coins.
Cai Mei'er smiled and said, "Alright, don't relax too much. Judging by the time, we should be able to make it back to the academy before nightfall. Let's hurry up. You can rest once we're back."
"Yes!" The three nodded in unison.
The group moved quickly along the next stretch of road. By dusk, they had reached the familiar city gates.
At the entrance to Shrek Academy, Cai Mei'er bid the three farewell and hurried off, likely to report the news about Xuan Zi.
"We're back," Han Ruoruo sighed. She had gained the most from this trip, not only obtaining a suitable soul ring and officially advancing to Soul Douluo but also acquiring such a high-quality soul bone.
As for Huo Yuhao, though his gains were less significant, he had obtained three high-level Gu Worms, which made up for some of the shortcomings. Beyond that, he was quite satisfied with his fourth soul skill.
While his first three soul skills were primarily focused on control and support, the Spiritual Engraving skill added a new layer of flexibility to his combat style. The Blue Water Field alone was a perfect match for his attack methods.
"It's good to be back safely," Huo Yuhao replied casually.
Zhang Lexuan smiled. "Rest early. It's time to relax."
"Indeed," Huo Yuhao agreed.
The three walked side by side, chatting about their upcoming vacation.
Han Ruoruo looked at Huo Yuhao and asked softly, "Yuhao, the vacation is less than half over. Do you have any plans for the future?"
For Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo, Shrek Academy was their home. Given their age and strength, they could have graduated from the inner court long ago. However, their deep affection for Shrek and lack of external backing had led them to stay, officially joining the inner court and even serving as assistant teachers. They, too, had vacations.
"Hmm," Huo Yuhao hesitated.
Though it was a rare break, he hadn't given much thought to how to spend it. The technological focus of the Douluo Continent was on soul guides, which primarily served soul masters. There were few entertainment options.
After a moment's thought, Huo Yuhao replied, "I'll probably continue practicing."
Zhang Lexuan smiled. "Yuhao, even practice requires a balance of relaxation and intensity. At your current level of soul power and strength, there's no need to rush."
"Lexuan's right," Han Ruoruo added. "Your strength has already surpassed your peers, and you've joined the inner court ahead of schedule. You don't need to worry about the outer court assessments."
Her eyes softened with nostalgia as she recalled her own days in the outer court—studying with Zhang Lexuan, the freshman competitions, running laps on the field, the upgrade assessments, and the soul master tournaments. Back then, everyone was driven by the pressure of time, pushing themselves to improve their strength.
Han Ruoruo nodded seriously. "Yuhao, don't push yourself too hard. Visit the library more often to relax."
Huo Yuhao chuckled. "You're right."
He wasn't one of those who practiced relentlessly just to pass exams. Why should he spend his entire vacation training? Perhaps it was time to head to the Extreme North.
It was a pity that Electrolux's soul research was still in its early stages, or rather, he was still busy repairing his consciousness.
Although Huo Yuhao had obtained the Life Gold, purifying the Ominous Soul-Devouring Knife and nurturing his consciousness would take time. By now, Electrolux should be ready to focus on his research.
It would be the perfect opportunity to venture out alone and gather materials for Electrolux's research without drawing unwanted attention. Otherwise, people might mistake him for an evil soul master.
Upon reaching Sea God Island, the three parted ways.
Zhang Lexuan was busy with final tasks, Han Ruoruo planned to absorb the soul bone, and Huo Yuhao headed to the inner court cafeteria for a meal. After a week of dry rations, he had missed the academy's food.
After eating, he returned to his dormitory to continue his cultivation.
The night passed quietly.
…
The next day, Xuan Zi rushed back from the Star Dou Forest, his face filled with anxiety.
At Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, Xuan Zi asked urgently, "Mu En, have Yuhao and the others returned?"
After his battle with the Red King, Xuan Zi hadn't been truly angered. He had simply left after satisfying his curiosity.
He had spent the rest of his time searching for Huo Yuhao and the others in the Star Dou Forest, only to return empty-handed. He could only hope they had returned safely.
"They came back yesterday afternoon," Mu En replied calmly from his rocking chair.
"That's good," Xuan Zi sighed in relief.
"Good?" Elder Mu's voice rose slightly. "Mei'er, told me everything. Xuan Zi, did you neglect your duty again and fail to protect the students? Explain yourself."
"Huh?" Xuan Zi was stunned.
"I went to find a Silverbrave Soul Beast suitable for Huo Yuhao, and finally…" At this point, Xuan Zi's confidence wavered.
"What happened in the end?"
Xuan Zi recounted his encounter with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and his battle with the Red King, adding with some regret, "I should have acted faster at the start. I might have caught the auspicious beast."
Mu En sighed. "You...!"
"Yuhao probably hasn't obtained a soul ring yet. I finally caught a 30,000-year-old Silverbrave Soul Beast and placed it in the arena. The Inscription Soul Skill is indeed very suitable for spiritual attribute martial souls…" Xuan Zi quickly changed the subject, praising the skill.
"You don't need to worry about that. Yuhao has already obtained a suitable soul ring," Mu En replied, his expression turning serious. "Xuan Zi, do you realize that your absence led to Yuhao and the others encountering three Soul Douluo-level evil soul masters?"
"What? Three Soul Douluo-level evil soul masters?!" Xuan Zi broke into a cold sweat.
Had Huo Yuhao and the others truly returned safely? Was there going to be another incident?
Wait, why did he say "again"?
…
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