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The two returned to the academy without incident; they encountered no assassination attempts along the way. Just as Yuwen Tuo had expected, although Dai Huabin was resentful and unwilling towards him, Yuwen Tuo, after all, hadn't made him kneel. He wouldn't resort to such a foolish act as assassinating a core disciple of Shrek Academy over some gold soul coins.
After all, Shrek was currently the foremost power on the continent in name. Even a Duke's mansion couldn't afford to offend them.
"Xiao Xiao, remember to absorb the soul bone immediately after you get back, lest someone discovers it and you fall victim to your own wealth."
Downstairs at the dormitory, before the two parted ways, Yuwen Tuo specifically admonished.
Xiao Xiao nodded, "Got it, don't worry, Tuo Tuo!"
She knew what was important. Besides, in a short while, it seemed it would be the assessment for core disciples; she had to hurry and become stronger.
Yuwen Tuo returned to his single room. Ma Xiaotao wasn't around during this time; she had gone to hunt for a soul ring to advance to Soul Sage, which made his days quite a bit more comfortable.
The seventh soul ring was related to the Martial Soul True Body, and the requirements for the soul beast's quality, age, and compatibility were extremely high. It wasn't easy to find, so Ma Xiaotao would probably be searching for some time.
He took out the sixth-grade Purple Reishi and the Whale Gel.
Yuwen Tuo planned to consume these two items together. He was well-versed in pharmacology and knew their medicinal powers were not mutually exclusive but rather complementary.
One strengthened the foundation and cultivated vital energy, boosting qi and increasing power; the other fortified muscles and bones, strengthening the physical body.
When combined, although not as potent as a ninth-grade Purple Reishi, their effect was no less than that of a ninth-grade Purple Reishi.
Placing the Whale Gel in his palm, Yuwen Tuo's fire-elemental power surged, and high temperatures gradually softened the hard Whale Gel.
Using his fingertips as a knife, Yuwen Tuo cut the Whale Gel into small pieces and then consumed them mouthful by mouthful.
Just after eating the first piece of Whale Gel, he felt a warmth rise in his chest and abdomen, filled with a comforting sensation. Streams of heat flowed towards his limbs and bones.
After eating more than half of it, Yuwen Tuo immediately consumed the sixth-grade Purple Reishi, then grabbed the remaining bit of Whale Gel and swallowed it all in one go.
The ten-thousand-year Whale Gel and the sixth-grade Purple Reishi, two potent medicinal powers, merged within Yuwen Tuo's body.
Yuwen Tuo sat cross-legged, fully circulating the Divine Fire Avatar technique to accelerate the fusion of the two medicinal powers.
His soul power began to rise, and his muscles and bones became increasingly robust.
While Yuwen Tuo was cultivating with all his might, within the Sea God Pavilion at this moment, an extremely fierce argument was taking place.
What they were arguing about was, naturally, the matter of Huo Yuhao's affiliation.
Huo Yuhao possessed exceptional talent in soul tools, and Qian Duoduo would not possibly let him go. However, he was also a once-in-a-millennium twin martial soul and an ultimate martial soul master. Yan Shaozhe was even less likely to yield; Huo Yuhao's potential was even a notch higher than that of his disciple, Ma Xiaotao.
In the end, it was Mu En who made the final decision, allowing Huo Yuhao to become a core disciple of both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department, which finally stopped the dispute.
"Alright, Huo Yuhao's affiliation issue is temporarily settled. Next, there's another person, Yuwen Tuo!" Yan Shaozhe said. "Regarding this person, it's about time we had a plan to deal with him."
"Yuwen Tuo? That brat you locked up for six years? I'm not interested in him. A pure fire martial soul eroded by evil fire for six years, even if not crippled, probably has no potential left. Even if he won the freshman tournament not long ago, the further he cultivates, his flaws will gradually be exposed, just like that Tang Ya girl's Blue Silver Grass. Now that Xiaotao's evil fire is completely cured and has even evolved into the ultimate fire, he has no value left." Qian Duoduo said, juggling the gold soul coins in his hand. "Why not give him some compensation and send him out of Shrek?"
"I had originally thought so too," Yan Shaozhe said in a low voice. "But firstly, at least so far, his pure fire martial soul hasn't shown any signs of contamination, and he is, after all, innately at level twenty. Perhaps there's still value in cultivating him. Secondly, that child Xiaotao seems to have already developed feelings for Yuwen Tuo, and would be even less likely to allow him to leave."
"Then cultivate him. That's your Martial Soul Department's business, it has nothing to do with our Soul Tool Department," Xian Lin'er said. "Is such a small matter necessary to discuss at a Sea God Pavilion meeting?"
"Anyway, Huo Yuhao's issue has been resolved. As for that Yuwen Tuo, do as you see fit."
With that, Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo, husband and wife, left the Sea God Pavilion. The most important thing on their minds now was to complete the Soul Tool Department's ultimate individual soldier plan.
In their view, Huo Yuhao was the best candidate.
"Sigh, if only things were as simple as Old Qian and the others think," Yan Shaozhe sighed.
How could he not see that Yuwen Tuo harbored resentment towards Shrek? Cultivate him? Cultivate him so he could take revenge on them?
Let him go? Yan Shaozhe had indeed entertained such a benevolent thought, but he knew Ma Xiaotao wouldn't agree. If he really let Yuwen Tuo leave, his disciple, even without the evil fire, would probably go mad and turn Shrek City upside down to find Yuwen Tuo.
Cripple him? That would be a perfect solution, but it was no different from killing him.
Yan Shaozhe was basically sure that Ma Xiaotao was fine. The academy's best healing-type soul master had examined her several times; the evil fire was highly unlikely to recur. It was just a matter of being prepared for the worst, just in case.
Therefore, even if Yuwen Tuo truly died or was crippled, it wouldn't matter.
If there truly was a good way to deal with Yuwen Tuo, he would definitely not miss it.
But now, he couldn't bring himself to cultivate him wholeheartedly, nor could he bring himself to personally kill or cripple him, and he certainly couldn't let him go. He just felt that Yuwen Tuo was a hot potato.
"Why not let things take their course!" Just then, Yan Shaozhe's wife, Cai Mei'er, said, "Shaozhe, in a short while, won't the reserve team for the Shrek Seven Devils be selected? Yuwen Tuo is also a core disciple. With his strength, it shouldn't be difficult for him to make it into the top seven. Perhaps, when he fights bearing Shrek's glory, he might change his view of us Shrek."
Yan Shaozhe closed his eyes and nodded, "Let's hope so. Sometimes, I actually wish this fellow's aptitude was a bit worse."
If Yuwen Tuo's innate soul power hadn't been as high as level twenty, or if his martial soul had simply been crippled by Ma Xiaotao's evil fire during these six years, then he wouldn't have to be so conflicted.
After all, an ordinary person with no threat could just be handed over to Ma Xiaotao to deal with herself; whether to confine or release him would be Ma Xiaotao's decision.
But now, he couldn't help but be concerned about this guy with supreme aptitude and monstrous combat abilities.
And the most crucial point: Yuwen Tuo did not like his disciple; on the contrary, he was extremely disgusted by her. If this continued, it would sooner or later affect Ma Xiaotao's state of mind.
He understood his disciple. Even without the evil fire, she was just as paranoid, arrogant, and possessive.
If Yuwen Tuo continued to treat her this way, it would only cause her pain.
But he couldn't bring himself to personally act, or have Shrek's people act, to kill or cripple Yuwen Tuo.
Yuwen Tuo had shown kindness to him and his disciple. To repay kindness with enmity, his conscience wouldn't allow it, and it would greatly damage Shrek's reputation for justice.
In the end, he could only adopt his wife's method, playing both sides again. Let Yuwen Tuo first experience what Shrek's honor truly is. When he shares that honor with other students, perhaps he will then understand how great their Shrek's ten-thousand-year glory is.
"Honor? That's right..." Yan Shaozhe's eyes turned cold, as if he had thought of something. He didn't say the rest of his words out loud.
Although his martial soul was the Bright Phoenix, the most glorious and righteous kind of martial soul, his bloodline, in reality, was not truly so clean.