Bonus Chapter. Enjoy!
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"A third Martial Soul?!"
Skydream Ice Worm's voice exploded within the Sea of Consciousness.
"No way... Electrolux, you just became the third Martial Soul like that? I've been busy working my tail off for so long, sacrificing myself and providing support, yet you just take it so easily..."
"Enough."
Electrolux's voice remained steady, interrupting Skydream Ice Worm's wailing.
"I haven't finished speaking."
Skydream Ice Worm's voice came to an abrupt halt.
Electrolux continued, his tone carrying a hint of calmness.
"Yuhao, although I have become your third Martial Soul, I... cannot add any Spirit Rings."
Huo Yuhao was slightly stunned.
"Cannot add Spirit Rings?"
"Correct."
Electrolux's voice rang out slowly.
"Furthermore, for the current you, all I can bring is a slight enhancement to your Mental Force."
"As for my remaining powers, such as Necromancy and the like, you have not mastered them and cannot use them yet."
"So, do not place too much expectation on me."
Hearing this, the Skydream Ice Worm immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew..."
Skydream Ice Worm's chubby body wiggled in the Sea of Consciousness.
"So that's how it is... No Spirit Rings, only a bit of Mental Force enhancement, and no Necromancy..."
"To put it bluntly, you're just a decoration then?"
"I'm still the amazing one! I gave him a Million-Year First Spirit Ring and a blank second Martial Soul."
Listening to Skydream Ice Worm's self-consolation, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but reveal a helpless smile.
He ignored Skydream Ice Worm's mumbling and asked Electrolux in his mind.
"Elder Yi, then you..."
"I will slumber within your Eye of Life."
Electrolux's voice carried a hint of exhaustion.
"This piece of Life Gold has given me a stable dwelling. From now on, my Soul will no longer slowly dissipate as it did before."
He paused before adding.
"Once my Soul has mostly recovered, perhaps I can have you inherit my mantle."
"Until then..."
His voice grew lower and lower, filled with weariness.
"Yuhao, Cultivate well, do not be slack."
As soon as he finished speaking, Electrolux's aura slowly fell silent, sinking into the depths of the Eye of Life on Huo Yuhao's forehead.
"Elder Yi, thank you."
Huo Yuhao spoke his thanks. One could say he had benefited greatly from this Life Gold; if not for Electrolux, he might have missed out on it.
After some time, the air in the room suddenly fluctuated slightly.
Huo Yuhao's pupils constricted sharply!
His Spirit Eyes Martial Soul operated subconsciously, and his Mental Force swept toward the source of the fluctuation like a tide to investigate!
But... there was nothing.
The fluctuation came fast and went fast, as if it were merely Huo Yuhao's hallucination.
However, just as Huo Yuhao thought he was being paranoid, a figure appeared out of thin air in the room.
The figure appeared without any warning, as if he had been standing there all along, and Huo Yuhao simply hadn't seen him.
Huo Yuhao's body tensed up instantly, subconsciously about to release his Martial Soul!
But when he saw the figure clearly, he was stunned.
"Tea... Teacher Han?!"
Standing in the room was indeed Teacher Han Tianyi.
He stood quietly by the desk, as if he had been there for a long time.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on Huo Yuhao's forehead.
When did Teacher Han Tianyi arrive?
Why hadn't he sensed it at all?
Not just Huo Yuhao, even Skydream Ice Worm in the Sea of Consciousness was currently full of shock.
"Holy crap?!"
Skydream Ice Worm's voice was filled with disbelief.
"When did this guy get here? Why didn't my Spiritual Detection react at all?!"
"Isn't he... isn't he supposed to be back at the academy? How did he suddenly appear here?!"
Skydream Ice Worm's brow was furrowed tightly. It could clearly perceive every corner of the surroundings, yet Teacher Han Tianyi was standing right there, and Skydream Ice Worm could perceive nothing.
"This is impossible..."
Skydream Ice Worm muttered to itself, its voice carrying a sense of defeat.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart, stood up, and looked at Teacher Han Tianyi respectfully.
"Teacher Han, why are you here?"
Teacher Han Tianyi did not answer.
His gaze fell upon Huo Yuhao's forehead.
"I saw everything you just did."
Huo Yuhao's heart sank abruptly.
"Pressing the soul-eating carving knife against your forehead, letting that thing fuse into your body..."
Teacher Han Tianyi's tone remained calm, but his eyes held a hint of severity.
"Yuhao, don't you think you're being a bit too bold?"
Huo Yuhao opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
Teacher Han Tianyi didn't give him a chance to speak, but continued.
"You trust that Soul entity named Electrolux?"
"You trust that ominous knife that brought death to all thirty-seven of its previous owners?"
"You just pressed it against your forehead like that and let it fuse into your body?"
"Have you considered what you would do if some curse still remained inside, or if that Soul entity in your Sea of Consciousness harbored ill intentions toward you?"
Huo Yuhao was silent for a moment, then lowered his head and spoke slowly.
"Teacher Han, I'm sorry."
"It was a lack of consideration on my part."
He looked up at Teacher Han Tianyi, his tone carrying a hint of sincerity.
"However... I had reasons for doing these things."
"Because Teacher Mu Ye told me that Elder Yi and I are in a state where we share both glory and ruin, and he wouldn't harm me."
"Furthermore... the teacher also gave me an item, saying that if Elder Yi intended to harm me, that item would be passively triggered to ensure my safety."
As Huo Yuhao said this, a bitter smile appeared on his face.
Teacher Han Tianyi listened quietly, the expression on his face not changing in the slightest.
Only after Huo Yuhao finished did he speak slowly.
"So, you feel that because you have that item from the academy as a safety net, you can just trust anyone?"
Huo Yuhao opened his mouth to argue, but realized Teacher Han Tianyi was right.
"The item the academy gave you can indeed ensure your safety."
Teacher Han Tianyi's voice was still calm, but the severity in his tone did not diminish.
"But, Yuhao, that is no reason for you to trust others so carelessly."
"It is right not to harbor malice toward others, but..."
He paused, his gaze looking directly into Huo Yuhao's eyes.
"You cannot let down your guard."
"When you pressed that Life Gold to your forehead, did you think about contacting the academy to confirm first?"
"Did purifying that Life Gold have to happen today?"
"Did fusing with the Life Gold have to be done in the Sun Moon Empire? Could it not have been done after returning to the academy?"
More sweat broke out on Huo Yuhao's forehead.
"Did you not think about any of this at the time?"
"Or was it..."
"That you were worried if you delayed, the academy would keep your item for themselves?"
"No!"
Huo Yuhao shook his head hurriedly, his voice carrying a hint of urgency.
"I never thought that!"
"Then what were you thinking?"
Teacher Han Tianyi asked. Huo Yuhao opened his mouth but found that his reasons seemed so flimsy in the face of Teacher Han Tianyi's questioning.
He was silent for a long time, finally lowering his head slowly.
"Teacher Han... I'm sorry."
His voice was filled with guilt.
"I didn't think it through."
Teacher Han Tianyi looked at him without speaking.
The room was quiet for a long time.
Finally, Teacher Han Tianyi sighed softly.
"Fine."
His tone finally softened a bit.
"You were lucky this time; nothing went wrong, and you even gained some benefits."
"But, Yuhao, luck won't always be on your side."
He paused and then added.
"In the future, before doing anything, think more and ask more."
"Don't let yourself fall into unnecessary danger."
Huo Yuhao nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Teacher Han, I'll remember."
...
Seeing Huo Yuhao's attitude in admitting his mistake, Teacher Han Tianyi's expression finally softened.
"Alright."
He waved his hand.
"Next, you need to make up for your grades properly."
"I've docked your points for this trial."
Huo Yuhao nodded quickly.
"Yes, I will work hard. Then Elder Yi..."
"You can rest assured about that; he won't pose a danger to you. The academy's safety net is still there."
Hearing this, Skydream Ice Worm couldn't help but speak up.
"Isn't that exactly your reason, Yuhao? Why are points being docked now that it's your turn?"
But Huo Yuhao understood that what Teacher Han Tianyi meant was that he hadn't communicated with the academy before fusing with the Life Gold.
He lacked caution.
Teacher Han Tianyi glanced at him and said no more.
He raised his hand and lightly tapped the air with his fingertip.
A silver-white button appeared out of thin air in front of him.
Teacher Han Tianyi pressed the button.
Buzz—
A soft light surged from the button, enveloping Teacher Han Tianyi entirely.
In the next second, Teacher Han Tianyi's figure vanished directly from the room.
As if he had never been there.
...
The room fell silent once again.
Huo Yuhao looked at the spot where Teacher Han Tianyi had vanished, his eyes full of shock.
"This..."
His voice carried a hint of disbelief.
"What kind of Spirit Tool is this? How... could I not feel any fluctuations at all?"
In the Sea of Consciousness, Skydream Ice Worm was also completely bewildered.
"No way... why is my Spiritual Detection completely useless?"
"I didn't notice when that guy appeared, and I didn't notice when he left!"
"This is too bizarre!"
Skydream Ice Worm frantically operated its Spiritual Detection, trying to find any trace left by Teacher Han Tianyi.
"This is impossible..."
Skydream Ice Worm's voice was full of defeat.
"I'm a Million-Year Soul Beast!"
Huo Yuhao gave a bitter smile, ignoring Skydream Ice Worm's wailing, and began to reflect on his actions; he truly had been inconsiderate.
There was a problem with his mindset. Because his strength had increased and he had the academy's backing, his vigilance had lowered.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath. Next... he had to think carefully about how to make up his trial points.
However... he hadn't been told how the trial points were evaluated, so he could only figure it out on his own.
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
1 Review = 1 Bonus Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.