"Master, all of it has been extracted."
As he spoke, Tang San had already retracted his Eight Spider Lances and quickly returned to Lin Mu's side, simultaneously removing the Blue Silver Emperor vines that were restraining Yu Xiaogang.
Losing his support, Yu Xiaogang crashed heavily to the ground. With a dull thud, he didn't even let out a scream; he simply curled up like a dead dog, a look of utter despair written across his face.
"Gangzi, consider this your wager paid. Just be a good piece of trash from now on."
With that, Lin Mu turned and walked out, not caring whether Yu Xiaogang was listening. Tang San followed closely behind, and soon, the rest of the Royal Fighting Team followed suit.
Since the victorious Royal Fighting Team had departed early, this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament had officially come to an end.
Some time later, Lin Mu led the team back to their inn.
It would have been inappropriate to distribute the Soul Bones in public at the Supreme Pontiff's Palace, as it would likely attract covetous eyes. Although Lin Mu was renowned, the value of a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone was simply too high; some might still be tempted to take the risk. As long as the distribution remained private, those with ill intentions would naturally be more cautious.
Furthermore, even though Yu Tianheng and the others had reached the Soul Ancestor level, it would still be difficult for them to protect a treasure as valuable as a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone on their own. Being cautious helped avoid unnecessary trouble.
In the inn room, Lin Mu looked at the three Soul Bones on the table. He suddenly raised his hand, using his Soul Power to retrieve the Spiritual Wisdom Skull. He tossed it to Tang San and said unequivocally:
"Little San, this Spiritual Wisdom Skull is most suitable for you. It can greatly enhance your soul power and may even complement your Purple Demon Eyes."
"Thank you, Master." Tang San quickly caught the skull, his eyes overflowing with gratitude.
Without his master's guidance, he could never have grown to his current level, let alone won the championship. Even joining a high-level Soul Academy would have been an ordeal. Compared to an unrelated "father figure," his master was more like a true father to him; they were family.
Yu Tianheng and the others had no objections to the distribution. They were well aware of the team's original strength; without Lin Mu, winning the championship would have been impossible, and even reaching the top three would have been a struggle. Their victory was a result of both Lin Mu's guidance and Tang San's strength, both were indispensable.
However, Lin Mu was the decisive factor. Therefore, these three ten-thousand-year Soul Bones were technically his spoils of war, and his method of distribution was perfectly reasonable.
"Of the remaining two Soul Bones, one is fire-attribute and the other is wind-attribute," Lin Mu explained. After a pause, he glanced at the group. "This fire-attribute Soul Bone isn't suitable for most of you. Yu Tianheng, you could barely use it, but the effect wouldn't be ideal."
"Teacher Lin Mu, let's forget it. If I forcibly absorb a Soul Bone that doesn't match me, it might negatively affect my future cultivation," Yu Tianheng replied, refusing the offer.
Now that the Royal Fighting Team had won the tournament, he had far surpassed his cousin, Yu Tianxin, and would inevitably be named the heir to the clan. As one of the Three Upper Sects, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan could certainly provide him with several ten-thousand-year Soul Bones. However, for Yu Tianheng to inherit the clan's specific Soul Bones, he would likely have to wait until the patriarch, Yu Yuanzhen, passed away.
Just then, Tang San had a flash of inspiration. "Master, the Holy Dragon of Light origin from Yu Xiaogang is still stored within my Eight Spider Lances. It isn't very useful to me, so why not give it to Yu Tianheng?"
"That is an option, but I don't know if there will be complications," Lin Mu said, stroking his chin. He turned to Yu Tianheng with a look of hesitation.
The origin of the Holy Dragon of Light should be compatible with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, making it an ideal supplement for Yu Tianheng. However, there was no guarantee it would trigger a full evolution into a Holy Dragon of Light.
"Teacher Lin Mu, I'm willing to try." Yu Tianheng stepped forward, his face resolute.
Since witnessing the incredible talents of Lin Mu and Tang San, he was no longer content with being an "ordinary" genius. Now that the opportunity was before him, he had to take it, regardless of the risks. Moreover, he trusted Lin Mu implicitly.
Lin Mu nodded. "While their origins are similar, one will inevitably be stronger than the other. If the Holy Dragon of Light origin is more dominant, try to evolve in that direction; otherwise, simply absorb it to strengthen your current Martial Soul."
"I understand."
At Lin Mu's signal, Tang San walked behind Yu Tianheng. The Eight Spider Lances swiftly pierced his back, injecting the purified essence of the Holy Dragon of Light into his body.
Soon, Yu Tianheng began to sweat profusely, and arcs of blue lightning began to crackle violently within his aura.
'I hope my prediction is correct,' Lin Mu thought. With Yu Tianheng's talent, a full awakening of the Holy Dragon of Light would be difficult, but the essence should at least trigger a significant transformation. While the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was a top-tier Martial Soul, it currently lacked the absolute dominance required to fight multiple opponents at once.
After a while, Yu Tianheng slowly opened his eyes, which now crackled with a brighter, more intense lightning. He stood up, knelt before Lin Mu, and kowtowed three times. "Teacher Lin Mu, I will never forget this grace."
The others looked on in astonishment. Tang San, using his Purple Demon Eyes, observed the changes in Yu Tianheng's meridians and realized the immense benefit his teammate had received.
"There is no need for such formalities," Lin Mu said, using his Soul Power to lift Yu Tianheng. "Based on merit, you deserve a Soul Bone. Since we are exchanging that reward for this dragon origin, the value is essentially equal."
Yu Tianheng shook his head. While a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone was precious, it could not transform his Martial Soul; likewise, the two were incomparable. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, despite being a top-tier Martial Soul, offered no special advantage in cultivation speed, otherwise, his family would have more than just one Titled Douluo. Now that his Martial Soul had advanced, he was almost certain to reach the Titled Douluo level in the future.
"Teacher Lin Mu, you gave me the opportunity to become truly powerful. You are like a second father to me."
"Knock it off! I'm only twenty-four years old," Lin Mu said with a mock threat. "Act normally, or I won't hesitate to slap you."
The others burst into laughter. Due to the intensity of their training, they often forgot that Lin Mu was actually quite close to them in age.
Lin Mu brought the conversation back to the main topic. "So, did your Martial Soul truly evolve?"
"It's not exactly a full evolution yet," Yu Tianheng replied, "but it has purified my True Dragon bloodline significantly. Even so, the benefits are already beyond my expectations."