Bibi Dong handed the brocade plate, which held the three Spirit Bones, over to Ye Yin.
Ye Yin accepted it with both hands. It felt surprisingly heavy, and the three Spirit Bones pulsed with an energy that made one's heart race.
"Thank you, Your Holiness."
He bowed slightly once more before turning around. Under the fervent stares of countless onlookers, he walked back to the Shrek encampment, holding the plate carefully.
The rest of the Shrek members immediately swarmed around him. As they looked at the three iridescent Spirit Bones radiating a powerful aura, their eyes filled with excitement and longing.
Flender rubbed his hands together, his voice trembling with excitement. "We're rich! We're rich! We're really rich this time!"
Yu Xiaogang, however, was much calmer. He carefully examined the three Spirit Bones and said in a deep voice, "These three have different attributes. They need to be distributed carefully to maximize the team's overall strength."
His eyes moved to the first bone. "This light blue left leg bone has a nimble aura and gives off wind attribute fluctuations. It's clearly a speed-type Spirit Bone, which is most suitable for an agility-attack system Spirit Master."
His gaze then fell on Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, your Hell Civet martial spirit excels in speed. This Spirit Bone is the most compatible with you."
A small ripple of emotion appeared in Zhu Zhuqing's normally cool eyes. She nodded, not refusing the offer. Ye Yin took the light blue Spirit Bone from the plate and handed it to her. It felt cool to the touch, and the bone seemed to hum in resonance with her own spirit power.
"This right arm bone is entirely crimson and radiates a scorching heat. It's a fire-attribute Spirit Bone," Yu Xiaogang continued, now looking at Ma Hongjun. Although the Fatty was still recovering, Flender had already woken him up, and he was watching with eager eyes.
"Ma Hongjun, your Phoenix flame is fierce and overbearing. This Spirit Bone belongs to you."
"Hehe! Thank you, Grandmaster! Thank you, Yin Ge!" Ma Hongjun grinned widely as he excitedly took the scorching Spirit Bone, holding it like a precious treasure.
Finally, Yu Xiaogang's gaze fell on the last Spirit Bone on the tray. It was a skull that glowed with a soft white light, shaped vaguely like a brain. It emitted strange mental energy fluctuations—it was the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull.
"As for this Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull…" Yu Xiaogang's voice became solemn, laced with a hint of hesitation.
The value of this Spirit Bone was without a doubt the highest of the three. It could greatly enhance a person's mental force and improve their comprehension, making it a priceless treasure for any Spirit Master.
Grandmaster's gaze swept over the remaining members of the team. Ning Rongrong, with her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, already had strong mental force, and this Spirit Bone would boost her support abilities immensely. Tang San, a control system master with twin spirits, also relied heavily on mental force for his combat style; this bone would make him even more formidable. Then there was Ye Yin, whose methods were mysterious and whose mental strength seemed bottomless. As the team's captain and the one who had contributed the most, he was also a qualified candidate.
Yu Xiaogang struggled internally. Logically, giving the Spirit Bone to either Ning Rongrong or Ye Yin might provide a more balanced improvement for the team as a whole. But emotionally, he desperately wanted this incredible prize to go to his own disciple, Tang San.
Tang San saw the struggle in his teacher's eyes, then looked at the alluring Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull. His own heart was filled with an intense desire for it. But he knew that his contribution in the final match had been limited. Most of the time, he had just been a cheerleader on the sidelines.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward, putting on a generous smile. "Teacher, I think this Spirit Bone should be given to someone who needs it more." He looked toward Ning Rongrong and Ye Yin. "Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda requires powerful mental support, and Yin Ge's techniques rely on mental manipulation. Giving it to either of them will maximize its value."
He paused, straightened his chest, and tried his best to make his expression look completely sincere. "I, Tang San, am willing to withdraw from the competition for this Spirit Bone!"
His words sounded grand and noble. Ning Rongrong was stunned for a moment. Although she also wanted it, seeing Tang San's honorable character—and remembering that as the princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, she didn't lack resources—she immediately spoke up. "Little San is right! This Spirit Bone is most suitable for Yin Ge! He was the key to our victory!" She then gave Ye Yin a playful wink.
Yu Xiaogang looked at his humble disciple, a hint of relief in his eyes. That's my disciple, he thought proudly. Since you have humbly yielded, Ye Yin will have to decline as well. After he declines, it will naturally fall back to Tang San. It's settled! He was just about to follow this script and offer the bone to Ye Yin.
But just at that moment, the gentle, harmless smile on Ye Yin's face bloomed into a brilliant grin. He immediately reached out and snatched the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull from the plate.
Then, turning to the stunned Tang San, he flashed an incredibly sincere smile and said in a lighthearted tone, "Oh, dear! Little San, you guys are just too polite! Since you're all so generously giving it up, I won't be polite either! Thank you, thank you!"
As he spoke, he even cupped his hands in a traditional gesture of thanks towards Tang San. His actions and tone made it seem as if he was genuinely grateful for Tang San's generosity.
Tang San's world stopped.
[Resentment from Tang San +99!]
The generous smile on his face froze instantly. His eyes went wide, and his mouth fell slightly agape, large enough to fit an egg. A loud buzzing sound echoed in his head.
What's going on? I was just being polite! According to common sense, shouldn't we all politely refuse a few times? Then the teacher would make a final decision, or Ye Yin would also refuse, and it would reluctantly fall to me in the end! How could he just take it? And thank me for it so easily?
Tang San felt blood rush to his head, and his vision began to blur. He wished he could slap himself right then and there. Let you pretend! Let you act humble! What noble character were you faking? Now look! The prize that was right in your grasp just flew away!
That was the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull! It was worth a fortune! For a control system Spirit Master, it was practically a divine artifact! And just like that, it was gone. Tang San could feel his heart bleeding as his stomach churned with regret. His gaze was glued to the Spirit Bone in Ye Yin's hand, filled with endless heartache.
Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, and the others were also stunned for a moment before their expressions became extremely strange. Ma Hongjun, who had just put his own Spirit Bone away, nearly burst out laughing and had to quickly cover his mouth. A small twitch appeared at the corner of Zhu Zhuqing's lips.
Yu Xiaogang was also completely dumbfounded. He stared at the Spirit Bone in Ye Yin's hand, then at his disciple's face, which looked like he wanted to bang his head against a wall. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Ye Yin didn't seem to care what any of them thought. He happily tossed the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull in his hand, feeling the immense mental energy contained within it, and his smile grew even brighter. He then deliberately dangled the Spirit Bone in front of the dumbfounded Tang San.
"Little San, what's wrong? You look so pale," he asked with fake concern. "Were you too tired from the competition? Do you want Jiang Zhu to take a look at you? Or Rongrong could help you heal."
[Resentment from Tang San +99!]
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