"Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!"
Huo Yuhao and Hua Huo exclaimed in unison, exchanging glances before rolling their eyes.
Such a precious item...
To them, it was merely the remains of a soul beast, possessing some collectible value but virtually no practical use.
However, there was one significant advantage.
It was clear that Shrek Academy now trusted them!
Once they had gained the trust of the academy's higher-ups, their next steps would be much simpler.
"Then we won't hold back," Huo Yuhao said, not bothering to open the box. He casually pushed one box toward Hua Huo and stored the other in his ring-shaped soul tool that was a gift from Mu En.
Hua Huo also stored her box in her soul tool, then, mimicking Huo Yuhao, she looked expectantly at Lin Huiqun.
The others were puzzled, but Elder Lin seemed to understand.
With a resigned smile, she took out a gold soul coin card, placed it on the table, and slid it toward Huo Yuhao.
The value of a single Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone was beyond imagination.
Yet, these two youngsters were still fixated on the five million gold soul coins.
"Next time, you'll need to report in advance for gatherings!" Elder Lin joked, also informing everyone about the purpose of the funds.
"We can't have a repeat of today's events!"
"The consumption of qi and spirit power, if it happens again, even I won't be able to handle it!" Huo Yuhao said, spreading his hands in resignation.
His words only made everyone look at him even more strangely.
Ordinary self-created soul skills were one thing.
But Huo Yuhao's self-created soul skill had fused qi, spirit power, soul skills, and willpower, even involving spatial forces.
Whether there were other elements at play, they couldn't be sure.
Moreover, Huo Yuhao's self-created soul skill wasn't some half-baked attempt!
This was truly terrifying!
Comparing oneself to others could be maddening.
Next to Huo Yuhao, figures like Yan Shaoze, Xian Lin'er, Qian Duoduo, and Cai Mei'er seemed almost like failures.
All were students of Mu En, yet none had managed to master his self-created soul skill: "Sovereign's Descent."
Only Yan Shaoze had grasped a bit, but even that was half-hearted.
No wonder not only that esteemed figure favored Huo Yuhao, but even the little princess from the divine realm had taken a liking to him.
Who wouldn't like him?
Except for his enemies...
"Haha..." Everyone laughed awkwardly, shaking their heads. "We definitely won't let something like this happen again."
If it did, and Huo Yuhao were truly incapacitated, what would they do?
Such a monstrous talent couldn't be allowed to fall.
After a short while, Hua Huo and Huo Yuhao left the Sea God Pavilion, heading toward the outer academy dormitory.
As for the elders of the Sea God Pavilion, they continued their meeting with grave expressions.
"We must find a way to deal with Xiaotao's situation!"
"What happened today must never occur again!" Mu En said firmly, leaning on the armrest of his rocking chair.
"Elder Mu, there are only three ways to solve Ma Xiaotao's evil fire problem," someone said.
"First, find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and see if it contains the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower Immortal Herb."
"Ten thousand years ago, Ancestor Ma Hongjun used this herb to completely eradicate his evil fire."
Everyone nodded. This wasn't a secret within Shrek Academy; they were all aware of it.
"Second, find a male soul master with the Ultimate Ice attribute to become Ma Xiaotao's partner."
"With the Ultimate Ice suppressing it, Ma Xiaotao's evil fire will surely be resolved."
Hearing this, everyone's eyes twitched. This was even less feasible than the first option.
Ultimate Ice, how easy was it to find such a person?
"Third, have Ma Xiaotao temporarily halt her cultivation..."
Asking a soul master to stop cultivating was akin to killing them, especially with that competition approaching!
They all knew why Ma Xiaotao had risked losing her sanity to cultivate, it was all for that competition!
To protect the honor of Shrek Academy!
That was also why, despite the trouble she had caused, Ma Xiaotao hadn't been punished.
Ma Xiaotao had the academy in her heart and was the leader of the current generation of Shrek's Seven Monsters. She was a good child!
After some thought, Mu En spoke, "Inform Shaoze to have Xiaotao temporarily halt her cultivation. Compared to the academy's honor, her well-being is more important!"
"Secondly, mobilize the academy's connections to find the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!"
"Even if the continent has changed, I believe the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well remains within the Heaven Dou or Douluo Empires. We must find it!"
"Shrek Academy may just be an academy, but we are a family. We cannot abandon any of our children, no matter how slim the hope. We must do our utmost!"
"Yes, Elder Mu!"
With Mu En at the helm, Shrek Academy had a strong backbone.
As long as Mu En stood firm, Shrek Academy would remain unshakable.
His wisdom, strategy, and vision were far beyond what figures like Yan Shaoze could match.
"As for someone with the Ultimate Ice attribute, let's try to find one as well..."
Ultimate attributes, they hadn't appeared in many years.
Xu Sanshi from the outer academy had awakened the Black Tortoise, which, while not an Ultimate Martial Soul, was close to one. However... he had been beaten by Huo Yuhao.
Let's hope this child doesn't lose heart.
In this era of burgeoning geniuses, losing heart means losing the chance to become a powerhouse.
Meanwhile, in Ma Xiaotao's courtyard.
Unlike the collective dormitories of the outer academy, inner academy students each had their own independent houses.
Ma Xiaotao, who had been unconscious, opened her eyes, feeling pain in her neck and as if her waist had been elbowed.
Her clothes were in tatters, resembling a beggar's attire!
Du Weilun and Yan Shaoze, being male, naturally couldn't change her ruined clothes.
"I... cough... what happened to me?" Ma Xiaotao coughed up a mouthful of blood, muttering.
It had been a long time since she had experienced such severe injuries.
"What happened?" Yan Shaoze stood with his back to her, his voice filled with sorrow and anger.
"You nearly caused a catastrophe!"
Hearing this, Ma Xiaotao noticed Yan Shaoze. She tried to get up, but the pain in her waist immobilized her.
"Xiaotao, I've told you many times, cultivation must be moderate, cultivation must be moderate. You must not overdo it."
"Do you know what you almost did this time?" Yan Shaoze sighed, his tone desolate.
"I..."
"An entire freshman class of nine, including the young master of the Clear Sky Sect and the young master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, as well as two future pillars of Shrek Academy!"
Ma Xiaotao swallowed hard, finding it hard to believe.
"If it weren't for Huo Yuhao's second awakening of his body and the use of a secret technique to interrupt your sixth soul skill, you would have taken the lives of at least seventy to eighty people!"
"Because of you, I've lost my position as dean..."
Yan Shaoze recounted the events to Ma Xiaotao, who, after listening, was overwhelmed with grief and anger.
She pulled out a long sword from her storage soul tool and slashed it toward her own neck…