Liu Erlong generously stuffed a heavy money bag into each of their hands. "A poor family means a rich journey! Take it all! Don't you dare try to save it for me!"
Dugu Bo, for once, didn't make any sarcastic remarks. He simply sent a private message to Ye Yin. "Kid, the politics over in the Star Luo Empire run very deep. Be smart. If you really run into some old freak you can't handle, mentioning my name… forget it, it probably won't do much good. Just be careful."
He then quietly slipped a few small, inconspicuous jade bottles into Ye Yin's hand. "Take these for self-defense. They're filled with a lethal poison that kills instantly on contact with blood. Use them sparingly."
Finally, Flender raised his wine glass, his voice a little choked with emotion. "Remember! No matter where you go, Shrek Academy will always be your home! We are, and always will be, family! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Wine glasses clinked together, and ale splashed onto the ground. The bonfire illuminated their young faces, lighting up both the anticipation for the future and the sadness of parting that shone in their eyes.
As the night deepened, the bonfire gradually died down to embers. Ye Yin looked at his companions around him; some were drunk and asleep, while others were still talking in low voices. He gazed at the blurred outline of Shrek Academy in the distance, a gentle smile on his lips.
The sorrow of their farewell and the excitement for their new journey were intertwined in everyone's hearts. But for now, there was something more important to do: absorb the Spirit Bones.
Ye Yin sat cross-legged in his room. The Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull in his hand felt warm like jade and shimmered with an intelligent white light, emitting a powerful wave of mental force. He gently pressed the skull to the center of his forehead.
Buzz!
The Spirit Bone seemed to melt, instantly merging into his head. A vast, pure mental force, like a great ocean, surged into his Sea of Consciousness. The absorption process was quick, taking only an hour to complete.
After he was done, Ye Yin didn't stop. He turned his attention to the system panel. "Consume resentment points to increase the age of the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull! Increase it directly to one hundred thousand years."
Although the Spirit Bone was good, its fifty-thousand-year limit was far from enough for him. A massive amount of resentment points, accumulated over a long time, began to flow away. The energy within the bone surged, its age climbing rapidly from fifty thousand years… to sixty… then seventy… past eighty and ninety thousand years, until it finally broke the ultimate barrier.
A one-hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone!
When the upgrade was complete, Ye Yin felt a tremendous increase in his mental power. His already formidable perception instantly spread out to cover the entire Shrek Academy. Not only that, but the hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone had also granted him a second spirit ability. The original skill was Mental Shock, and now it was joined by a new one: Weakness Detection. The new ability consumed very little spirit power and allowed him to easily see the flaws in anything. As a test, he glanced at his own flaw and saw two glaring words: Lustful!
At the same time, in Zhu Zhuqing's room, she sat cross-legged with the light blue speed-type Spirit Bone attached to her left leg. The bone dissolved into countless tiny particles of blue light, flowing like a stream into her meridians. She felt as if her body had suddenly lost all its weight. When the fusion was complete, her strength had taken a massive leap forward.
Ma Hongjun's room, on the other hand, was ablaze. His absorption of the Flame Right Arm Bone was far more violent. Burning hot energy, like lava, surged into his right arm. His face turned crimson and veins bulged on his skin. Finally, when the flames subsided, his right arm looked as if it were covered in a layer of crimson crystal armor, filled with explosive power. The strength and purity of his Phoenix Flame had increased significantly.
Three days later, outside Heaven Dou City, several plain but sturdy carriages stood ready by the main road. Ye Yin, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo, Dai Mubai, and Tang San stood beside them, prepared to depart.
Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Jiang Zhu, and Tai Long, along with Flender, Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Zhao Wuji, had all come to see them off.
"Yin Ge, Boss Dai, Zhuqing, Rongrong, Xiao Wu, Little San!" Ma Hongjun waved vigorously. He had a forced smile on his chubby face, but his eyes were red. "Have a safe journey! When you get to the Star Luo Empire, beat up that bastard Dai Weisi a few extra times for me!"
Oscar shouted, "Exactly! And that Zhu Zhuyun! How dare she bully our sister Zhuqing? Make her regret it!"
Dai Mubai laughed heartily and clapped the Fatty's shoulder. "Don't worry! They'll get everything that's coming to them!"
Zhu Zhuqing simply nodded slightly to everyone. Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu ran over to hug Jiang Zhu one last time.
Flender took a deep breath as he looked at the group of students who made him so proud, yet whom he was so reluctant to see leave. "Remember! When you're out there, safety comes first! Talk things over when you run into problems, and don't act rashly!"
Yu Xiaogang added in his deep voice, "The situation in the Star Luo Empire is complex. Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun have powerful forces behind them. You must proceed with caution."
Liu Erlong waved her hand boldly. "Alright, alright! Stop being so sentimental! Get going! The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back!"
Zhao Wuji rumbled, "If anyone dares to bully you, come back and tell me! I'll bring a whole crew to flatten their mountain!"
Amidst the reluctant goodbyes and final words of advice, Ye Yin and the others boarded the carriages. The coachman cracked his whip, and the wheels began to roll, carrying them away from Heaven Dou City toward an unknown journey. Their first stop was not the distant Star Luo Empire, but their new fiefdoms located on the southwestern border: Yin Feng Territory, Youying Territory, Liuli Territory, and Spirit Rabbit City.
The carriages traveled southwest, and the scenery gradually changed from bustling towns to vast plains, and then to rolling mountains. After several days, the main road became less smooth, and the prosperous villages gave way to more desolate hills and forests. The air itself seemed to carry the rugged coolness of the borderlands.
Ye Yin, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu shared the most spacious carriage. Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo sat in the one behind them, while Dai Mubai and Tang San rode on horseback, guarding the convoy's flanks. Inside the carriage, Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu were chattering excitedly about what they would do when they reached their territories, debating whether to build castles or plan trade routes. Zhu Zhuqing listened quietly, a slight smile on her lips.
Ye Yin leaned against the window, pretending to be asleep. In reality, his mental force was spread out like an invisible spiderweb, keeping him alert to everything in their surroundings. The perception granted by his hundred-thousand-year skull was terrifyingly powerful; every rustle of wind and grass for miles around could not escape his notice.
Suddenly, his eyes opened just a sliver, and a cold smile touched his lips.
"We have guests," Ye Yin said softly. His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the entire carriage.
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