"Go for it!"
Feng Ling and Feng Li mustered their courage, shouting as they charged forward.
One lifted his arms, the other his legs.
The others supported his waist and directly tossed Dugu Feng into the air.
"Dugu Feng!"
"Dugu Feng!"
The surrounding cheers grew even louder, and the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy became electrified.
Floating mid-air, Dugu Feng found himself both amused and exasperated.
Ge Ying really knew how to stir things up.
Dugu Feng could understand—it had been too long since they'd had a reason to celebrate.
After suffering consecutive humiliations for two months,
the atmosphere in all of Heaven Dou City had grown oppressive. Could it be that the vast Heaven Dou Empire couldn't produce a single genius?
Now that Dugu Feng had stepped forward and defeated Yan, he was being treated like a hero.
After what felt like an eternity, Dugu Feng was finally set back down.
The Spirit Hall's Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan had long since departed.
Only Qian Renxue remained behind.
As Dugu Feng, Feng Ling, and the others stepped down from the Soul Duel Stage, they received another round of praise from Qian Renxue.
Then, like the moon surrounded by stars, they met with the three Education Committee Members.
Dugu Feng also encountered Qin Ming.
"This is Teacher Qin, the leader of the Imperial Dou Team, responsible for preparing for the upcoming Continental Soul Master Competition in two years..."
Ge Ying introduced him to Dugu Feng.
Qin Ming appeared quite ordinary, looking like an average person without any Soul Power.
But Dugu Feng knew he was a genius among commoners—the second-youngest Soul Emperor on the continent.
"Student Dugu, with your strength, if you join the Heaven Dou Team, the academy will undoubtedly reach the finals in two years and claim the championship!"
A glint of excitement flashed in Qin Ming's eyes.
Though Dugu Feng was young and had just entered the advanced division of the Royal Academy, his strength could absolutely be the deciding factor.
Dugu Feng smiled faintly. "I'm still too young. Perhaps participating in the Continental Soul Master Competition two cycles from now would be better."
He declined.
Qin Ming froze momentarily, a look of regret crossing his face.
With Dugu Feng, everything would have been different.
Currently, the strongest members of the Imperial Dou Team were Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Shi Mo, and Shi Mo. He was confident they could reach the finals in two years, but winning the championship was impossible.
Meng Shenji, Zhi Lin, and Bai Baoshan also felt it was a pity.
But given Dugu Feng's status, they truly couldn't force him.
They could only hope he would change his mind over the next two years.
After some more small talk, Dugu Feng returned to the training grounds and resumed his cultivation.
At the same time, he reviewed the gains from this battle.
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy in Suotuo City,
Inside Tang San's dormitory, he sat bare-chested as Yu Xiaogang examined his body.
The more Yu Xiaogang inspected, the heavier his expression grew.
His pupils contracted slightly, his eyes filled with disappointment, regret, and pain.
After a long silence, he suppressed his turbulent emotions, forcing his voice to remain calm.
"Xiao San, this was indeed the work of an Evil Soul Master. That you survived at all is already a stroke of luck."
Yu Xiaogang sighed.
"Teacher, what exactly is wrong with my body? And what are those eight spider legs?"
Tang San pressed urgently.
Yu Xiaogang tapped a few spots on Tang San's back and said, "You've recovered well, primarily because your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, after obtaining its Third Soul Skill, possesses extraordinary resilience and vitality..."
"In a few more months, you'll fully recover."
He noticed that Tang San's eight weakened ribs were rapidly regenerating, a testament to his remarkable healing ability.
"What about the eight spider legs? Is there any hope they'll grow back?" Tang San asked hopefully.
Yu Xiaogang's expression turned sorrowful.
He stood up and said helplessly, "Xiao San, among all the Soul Masters I've encountered, you possess the most talent—not just in cultivation aptitude, but also in your composure, maturity, and intellect.
The higher a Soul Master's level, the more crucial an indomitable will becomes.
I believe it was this very will that helped you surpass your limits to absorb the Spirit Ring of the Man-faced Demon Spider, granting you a tremendous opportunity.
But heaven envies genius—opportunity also comes with risk, and you encountered an Evil Soul Master!"
At this point, Yu Xiaogang's eyes began to moisten.
He understood all too well the magnitude of Tang San's loss.
"Teacher, tell me. I can handle it."
Seeing his teacher's expression, Tang San already grasped how precious those eight spider legs were.
No matter how much it pained him, they were already lost. All he wanted now was to understand how he might regrow them.
What belonged to him—he would reclaim it.
"Do you remember when I told you about Soul Bones? In the Spirit Master World, they are a Soul Master's most treasured possessions.
Soul Bones not only grant additional Soul Skills but also enhance a Soul Master's attributes.
And those eight spider legs of yours were the rarest of all—an External Soul Bone!"
Tang San had some inkling about Soul Bones, but this was his first time hearing of External Soul Bones.
"What is an External Soul Bone?"
"If the chance of obtaining a regular Soul Bone from a Spirit Beast is one in a thousand, the odds for an External Soul Bone are less than one in ten thousand.
The greatest distinction of an External Soul Bone is its ability to grow.
Ordinary Soul Bones are fixed at the level of the Spirit Beast they came from.
But External Soul Bones aren't bound by the Spirit Beast's cultivation level—they evolve alongside the Soul Master's own strength.
The more they evolve, the more powerful the Soul Skills and enhancements they provide."
Tang San's heart bled. An External Soul Bone—capable of growth and evolution!
Ah...
His chest burned with fury, nearly choking him with another mouthful of blood.
Yu Xiaogang continued, "Normally, an External Soul Bone cannot be taken by others.
Ordinary Soul Bones drop when a Soul Master is killed, but External Soul Bones do not.
However, there is one exception—right after the External Soul Bone is first manifested.
At this stage, it hasn't fully fused with the Soul Master's skeleton. Xiao San, this was your situation.
You just happened to encounter an Evil Soul Master at this precise moment.
Ah, Xiao San... was this fortune or misfortune?"
Yu Xiaogang's anger had given way to resignation.
His disciple had obtained an External Soul Bone—one in ten thousand—only to cross paths with an Evil Soul Master at the worst possible time.
Had it been just a little later, once Tang San's External Soul Bone fully integrated with his body, no one could have taken it.
"If this External Soul Bone appeared during the Spirit Ring absorption, and my third Spirit Ring is still intact, can't it regrow?"
Tang San refused to accept this.
Yu Xiaogang shook his head helplessly. "This is the horror of Evil Soul Masters—he devoured all the energy of your External Soul Bone."
"Even the marrow from your eight ribs was devoured. If Xiao Wu hadn't arrived in time to rescue you, your entire body would have been completely consumed!"
Tang San gritted his teeth, recalling the nightmare he had experienced.
That must have been when the Evil Soul Master was devouring his External Soul Bone.
He hated himself for not being able to break free from that nightmare to see the Evil Soul Master's face.
So he could take his revenge.
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