r18novel Chapter 23 Winning Rewards
Chapter 23 Winning Rewards
The entire dormitory was completely silent.
Tang San stood rooted to the spot, his expression shifting. He could sense that if that finger strike had landed, he would have instantly lost his fighting ability. Not only was his opponent's movement technique far superior to his own, but his grasp of timing was also terrifying. Moreover… he had held back in the end, saving Tang San's face.
"I lost." Tang San took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and maintained his composure. "From now on, you are the leader of Dormitory Seven."
[Ding! First victory against the Prototype of the Plane Chosen! Special reward triggered!]
[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: the Eye of Truth!]
[Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Mysterious Heavenly Treasure Mirror!]
[Congratulations, host! You have obtained an upgrade to the Martial Soul Mimicry Training Ground!]
Wow! As expected of the protagonist of Douluo Continent, this is a huge hit! Yan Zu was secretly delighted.
Yan Zu felt the new life force in his eyes and looked at the sparrows perched on the treetops outside the window—in his eyes, the trajectory of the sparrows' wings turned into a clear line of soul power, and the trembling of every feather could not escape his observation.
"Wow! Brother Azu is amazing!" Xiao Wu was the first to cheer, skipping and jumping to Yan Zu's side, grabbing his arm, her eyes full of admiration.
That radiant smile, that unreserved intimacy, pierced Tang San's eyes like a thorn. Watching Xiao Wu cheer for Yan Zu, a feeling mixed with frustration, resentment, and some inexplicable emotion quietly grew within him. This girl… if she were mine…
He shook his head, suppressing the absurd thought, and turned to walk towards his bed, his back looking somewhat stiff.
The children in Dormitory 7 looked at each other, and finally Wang Sheng spoke first, saying to Yan Zu in a deep voice, "Boss."
Others joined in the shouting.
Yan Zu nodded, neither proud nor modest, and calmly said, "From now on, we should all look out for each other. The rules of Dormitory 7 remain unchanged: strength is paramount. But we must also remember that we work-study students should unite even more."
His voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a commanding presence that inspired confidence. The initial unease stemming from the change in leadership gradually subsided.
That night, after the lights in Dormitory 7 were turned off.
Tang San lay on the hard bed, staring at the dark ceiling with his eyes open. The scene of the battle during the day replayed in his mind repeatedly, every detail terrifyingly clear.
"His footwork... is no ordinary soul skill. And that control over the rhythm of battle..." Tang San clenched his fist, his nails digging into his palm. "My father always said there are always people stronger than you. But I never expected to encounter such an opponent at Notting Academy... and that girl too..."
Xiao Wu's charming smile reappeared in his mind, and the image of her standing side by side with Yan Zu made his chest feel tight.
He quietly got up, put on his coat, and slipped out of Dormitory 7 without a sound, heading towards the teachers' dormitory area. He needed to tell his teacher what had happened that day.
The lights were still on in Yu Xiaogang's dormitory. After listening to Tang San's account, this theoretical master frowned.
"Six years old, level seven, Qilin Martial Soul?" Yu Xiaogang paced back and forth in the cramped room. "A separated beast Martial Soul... Could it be something of the same origin as my Luo Sanpao, but of a higher level? And that girl, the Phantom Jade Rabbit, sounds like a mutated evolution..."
He whirled around, grabbed Tang San's shoulders, his eyes gleaming with excitement and obsession: "San, this Yan Zu is very important! His martial soul might confirm some of my suspicions! You need to get to know him better, ideally... become friends, so I can have the opportunity to observe and study him up close!"
Tang San lowered his head and replied, "Yes, teacher."
Friend? He silently repeated the word in his heart. Thinking of the way Xiao Wu looked at Yan Zu, and the humiliation of his crushing defeat today, a cold hostility quietly took root.
Meanwhile, inside Dormitory Seven.
Yan Zu sat leaning against the headboard, Xiao Wu already asleep beside him, still clutching the unfinished bag of spicy strips. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the girl's peaceful sleeping face.
Yan Zu began to examine the rewards he had obtained for defeating Tang San.
The techniques and hidden weapon making information in the Xuan Tian Bao Jian are not very helpful, but the pharmacology and herbal medicine illustrations are exactly what Yan Zu needs.
Let's take a look at the functions of the upgraded Martial Soul Mimicry Training Ground.
1. Increased daily usage time: Usage time increased from 4 hours to 6 hours (only 2 hours of real-world time has elapsed).
2. Scene simulation function: Preset battle environments (Starry Sky Forest, swamp wetlands, snowy mountains, etc.) to improve combat adaptability.
3. Number of invitees +1
The Eye of Truth emphasizes "analysis" and "prediction," leaning more towards combat support and skill countermeasures than direct mental attacks.
"Very good..." he murmured to himself, "From now on, Tang San's hidden weapons will have nowhere to hide from me."
On the first morning of the official start of classes, while the children in Dormitory 7 were still sleepily washing up, Tang San had already gotten ready and was silently sitting on the edge of his bed organizing his textbooks.
His gaze occasionally swept across the other end of the room—Yan Zu was gently wiping Xiao Wu's slightly messy hair with a damp cloth, his movements practiced and natural. Xiao Wu's eyes were half-closed, like a lazy cat, letting Yan Zu tidy her scorpion braid.
The scene was so heartwarming it was almost blinding.
Tang San lowered his eyes, stuffed the last book into his bag, and got up to leave. The wooden door closed behind him with a slight creak.
The lecture hall, located on the second floor of the teaching building, was about 70% full, with a capacity of 100 people. Most of the work-study students were crammed into the back rows, but Yan Zu and Xiao Wu chose a middle seat by the window—good lighting, a wide view, and not too conspicuous.
The theory teacher, Chen Qing, was a middle-aged Soul Master in his forties. His Martial Soul was a "Scroll," and he was a level 29 Great Soul Master. He cleared his throat and opened his lesson plan: "Today, we will talk about one of the basic theories of Soul Master cultivation: the limit of Soul Ring age."
A soft rustling sound of pages turning could be heard from the audience.
Teacher Chen wrote a few numbers on the blackboard: "As we all know, there is an upper limit to the number of years a Soul Master can absorb a Soul Ring. According to the research of the 'Theoretical Master' Mr. Yu Xiaogang, the limit for the first Soul Ring is 423 years."
He drew a heavy horizontal line under the number "423".
"This conclusion is based on statistics from a large number of Soul Master cases," Teacher Chen continued. "After this age limit, a Soul Master's body can no longer withstand the impact of Soul Ring energy. At best, it will damage the meridians; at worst, it will cause the body to explode and die. Therefore, one must be very careful when acquiring their first Soul Ring..."
His explanation was clear and logical, citing numerous data points and cases from Yu Xiaogang's papers, clearly demonstrating his strong belief in the theory. Most students in the classroom were diligently taking notes. Given Notting Academy's remote location, it was already difficult to secure a Soul Master teacher for instruction, so no one questioned these "authoritative conclusions."
Except for Yan Zu.
He listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the edge of the textbook. The extraordinary perception brought by the Nine Yin Manual allowed him to clearly perceive the subtle "recitation" in Teacher Chen's tone—this teacher was merely repeating others' theories without having deeply considered their internal logic.
When Teacher Chen reiterated that "the limit of 423 years is insurmountable," Yan Zu raised his hand.
The movement was very subtle, but it was noticeable enough in a classroom where almost no one asked questions.
Teacher Chen was taken aback. In his memory, most of the work-study students buried themselves in their notes and rarely spoke up. He looked at the child who had raised his hand—it was Yan Zu, the student with the very special martial spirit.