Chapter 48: Assessment Ends, Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Bone
Du Weiren opened the folder and read out clearly,
"After the academy's final review based on the freshmen's comprehensive performance in the assessment, the first batch to be granted the status of Outer Academy core disciples are Lin Xuan, Ning Tian, Xie Huanyue, and Dai Huabin."
No one had any objections to these four names.
This was only right; core disciples should be Soul Elders. If a Great Soul Master were actually included, even if others didn't object, that person would likely feel embarrassed themselves.
Du Weiren's voice rang out again,
"At the same time, because the following students showed excellent performance despite having some deficiencies in talent or ability, the academy has decided to let them temporarily enjoy core disciple treatment and resource allocation for a one-academic-year observation period."
"At the end of the academic year, they will be re-evaluated based on their performance to decide whether they will be formally promoted to Outer Academy core disciples."
He then read out a string of names, "Wu Feng, Dugu Qing, Zhu Lu, Cui Yajie, Cao Jinxuan... Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao..."
The list wasn't short, covering many students who had performed brilliantly or possessed special potential during the assessment.
When the last name was read, Du Weiren closed the folder, his gaze becoming serious,
"Being a core disciple is both an honor and a responsibility and spur. I hope you will guard against arrogance and impetuosity, practice diligently without ceasing, and not fail the academy's expectations. As for the other students, there is no need to be discouraged; the gates of Shrek are always open to those who possess both hard work and talent!"
Enthusiastic applause rang through the square once more, but the jubilation in that applause had nothing to do with Huo Yuhao in the crowd.
He stood dazed on the spot, as if everything around him was rapidly fading and losing sound.
He looked up blankly, his gaze empty as he stared at the high platform over ten meters above the ground.
There were three people in the team, and both Wang Dong's and Xiao Xiao's names had appeared on that 'probationary core disciple' list.
Only he, Huo Yuhao, was missing.
A mixture of embarrassment, loss, resentment, and anger submerged him like a cold tide.
This was a classic case of not worrying about scarcity but about inequality.
Huo Yuhao could accept not being on the list, but he couldn't accept that he was the only one in the team who didn't make it.
Wouldn't this confirm that he had been relying on his teammates all along?
Although in reality, no one cared about such a small matter as two people being selected and one being left out from the Freshman Class One three-person team.
But in Huo Yuhao's extremely sensitive ears at this moment, the surging applause and the low conversations all around seemed to turn into mocking whispers aimed at him.
Why? On what grounds?!
A voice shrieked in the depths of his heart.
There were clearly three people in the team! I also gave it my all!
My Spirit Eyes are a Body Martial Soul, and a rare mental attribute at that! The sweat I've shed is no less than anyone else's!
I'm just... just starting from a lower point than them... Right! It's all the White Tiger Duke Mansion! It's all Dai Hao! They're the ones who caused this! They took everything from me, leaving me to struggle from the very bottom!
Huo Yuhao lowered his head deeply, his eyes wide and rapidly filling with bloodshot veins. He stared fixedly at the rough ground beneath his feet, his nails digging deep into his palms and causing sharp pain, yet it couldn't suppress the evil fire in his heart that felt ready to explode.
If... if I could have a normal growth environment and sufficient resources like Dai Huabin and Lin Xuan... I wouldn't necessarily be worse than them!
I should have... I should have been standing there too!
Beside him, Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong quickly noticed Huo Yuhao's abnormality.
Amidst the joyful or envious discussions of the surrounding classmates, he alone was like a silent statue, emitting a discordant low pressure.
Xiao Xiao hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and gently patting Huo Yuhao's shoulder, trying to comfort him,
"Yu Hao, don't be too..."
"Don't touch me!"
Before she could finish, Huo Yuhao jerked away violently, his arm swinging out crudely to brush off Xiao Xiao's hand.
Xiao Xiao looked up in shock and met Huo Yuhao's face as he turned around.
Those eyes, usually gentle and even somewhat timid, were now bloodshot and churning with a nearly savage ferocity and paranoia she had never seen before.
Xiao Xiao's face turned pale with fright, and she instinctively took half a step back.
"Inexplicable..."
She muttered under her breath, the bit of sympathy in her heart quickly replaced by dissatisfaction and a hint of fear. She pursed her lips and simply turned away to distance herself from Huo Yuhao.
Wang Dong saw all of this, her brows furrowing tightly.
Looking at Huo Yuhao's almost demonic state, immersed in his own World of resentment, the slight thought of consolation she originally had vanished without a trace.
A waste is a waste; when they fail, they only know how to take it out on others.
She didn't bother wasting any more words, walking to the side and leaving Huo Yuhao with only her back.
Huo Yuhao stood isolated on the spot, as if cut off by an invisible barrier.
The distancing of his companions was like pouring a ladle of hot oil onto his burning heart; he gritted his teeth hard, his chest heaving violently.
But no one cared about his feelings at this moment. There were originally two people with him, but he had pushed them away with his own hands... After the subsequent class division ceremony ended, Lin Xuan's trio followed Du Weiren all the way to his office as the dean of students.
"Take a seat anywhere, no need to be formal," Du Weiren said gently to Lin Xuan's trio, pointing to the sofa.
After the three were seated, Du Weiren lightly brushed a ring on his right index finger and took out a leather pouch, placing it on the table.
The pouch also seemed to be a spirit tool; there were some dark patterns on the brown leather, and it emitted subtle Soul Power fluctuations.
"This is the championship reward I prepared for you. There is only one reward, so the three of you need to decide who to give it to. Don't think the academy is stingy; this is already the most valuable reward the academy has given out in nearly a thousand years."
Hearing this, Dugu Qing and Wu Feng were instantly curious, but both instinctively looked toward Lin Xuan.
"Open it and take a look," Du Weiren said with a smile.
Lin Xuan nodded, took the pouch, and opened it. A ball of white light then emerged from within, floating in mid-air.
It was a strangely shaped, irregular bone, golden-yellow all over, looking like a piece of gold.
"This... this is a Soul Bone?!" Dugu Qing exclaimed in shock, his gaze fixed on it, unable to look away.
The value of a Soul Bone naturally went without saying, but for Dugu Qing, a Soul Bone was not just a supreme treasure for cultivation, but the only life-saving straw that could save him!
Even Wu Feng, who came from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, couldn't help but be somewhat surprised at the sight.
Interesting... Du Weiren thought to himself as he watched Lin Xuan, whose expression hadn't changed at all. He then began to introduce the Soul Bone.
"This is your championship reward. This Soul Bone is a left arm bone, approximately ten thousand six hundred years old, taken from a metal-attribute Soul Beast called the Gengjin Star Wolf..."
Even without Du Weiren's introduction, everyone present understood exactly how high the value of a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone was.
Dugu Qing swallowed hard, seemingly using all his strength to force his gaze away from the Soul Bone and toward Lin Xuan.
"Lin Xuan, this championship was won almost entirely by your strength alone. Who should absorb this Soul Bone... it should be decided by you."
"I agree," Wu Feng nodded curtly, her gaze clear and without greed.
Lin Xuan looked at Dugu Qing's eyes, which were full of plea and struggle yet tried to maintain restraint, then glanced at Wu Feng's calm expression, and suddenly smiled,
"Since you're letting me decide, don't regret it."
Before his voice had even faded, he had already reached out, grasped the Soul Bone, and handed it directly to Dugu Qing.
"For... for me?" Dugu Qing was stunned, pointing at himself in disbelief.
"Yes, for you." Lin Xuan's tone was flat as he turned to look at Wu Feng. "Wu Feng, I'm giving it to Dugu Qing. You don't have any objections, do you?"
Wu Feng crossed her arms, her chin slightly raised with an arrogant look,
"Hmph, it's just a mere ten-thousand-plus-year Soul Bone. It's not like our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School doesn't have them. I don't care for it."
Looking at the Soul Bone with its flowing golden light, then at Lin Xuan's calm smile and Wu Feng's turned-away face, Dugu Qing felt as if something was blocking his chest.
He pressed his dry lips together hard. In the end, he didn't say much else, only reaching out his slightly trembling hands to solemnly take the incredibly heavy gift and nodding heavily.
"Thank you... thank you both."
"Take this pouch as well," Du Weiren pointed to the empty pouch,
"It can effectively mask the Soul Power fluctuations emitted by the Soul Bone. Find a safe place to fuse it as soon as you get back. An ordinary man is innocent, but treasuring a jade ring becomes a crime; even within Shrek, there's no guarantee there aren't madmen who would take risks."
His tone turned serious. "Furthermore, regarding the existence and ownership of this Soul Bone, I hope the three of you can keep it a secret. It's for the best of everyone."
"Yes, Director Du," the three responded in unison, standing up to bow and prepare to take their leave.
"Lin Xuan," Du Weiren suddenly spoke up, "stay for a moment. I have a few words to say to you alone."
Lin Xuan paused, somewhat surprised, then nodded to Dugu Qing and Wu Feng.
The two understood and left first, closing the heavy wooden door of the office.
Only the two remained in the room. Du Weiren leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the smooth tabletop, a deeper smile appearing on his face than before.
"I saw long ago that your standards are very high, but I didn't expect that even a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone wouldn't cause any change in your expression."
Lin Xuan just kept smiling and didn't answer.
Du Weiren didn't press further, suddenly changing the subject,
"Since a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone isn't enough to move your heart, then how about this?"
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