Book 2: Academy of Monsters
Chapter 14.3: Skydream Points
“Really?” Huo Yuhao was overjoyed. Ever since he’d come to Shrek Academy, he’d started to understand how insignificant he was. After meeting so many experts, his thirst for strength had grown even greater. However, due to his poor talent, he could only secretly work even harder. Now, even the Skydream Iceworm had praised him, so how could he not be happy?
The Skydream Iceworm spoke with a very depressed tone. “However, this Brother has used some of his Origin Energy. This is my Origin Consciousness, which can also be considered the intelligence that’s been added onto your soul ring. It’s because of this that I was able to protect your body before using my power. Furthermore, after that attack, your body won’t be able to be possessed by me for at least a year. You’ll have to be extremely careful. If you meet another undefeatable enemy like this one, we’re both finished. Okay, I won’t tarry on any longer. I’m going to keep sleeping. You have to quickly work harder. Once you’ve gotten a second soul ring, you won’t have to constantly bother this Brother anymore.”
The Skydream Iceworm was always rushed whenever he appeared. Huo Yuhao had originally planned to ask him a few questions regarding the control of his soul skills, but the Skydream Iceworm already fallen back into a deep sleep, and everything surrounding him had turned dark.
……
Wang Dong was the first one to wake up. When he opened his eyes, he saw a white-clothed middle-aged man in front of him. However, before he could speak, Huo Yuhao, who was to his side, let out a muffled groan and slowly opened his eyes.
Because he wasn’t as clear as Huo Yuhao regarding the general situation, Wang Dong’s mind was blank. He angrily said, “Just what’s going on? What was that monster earlier?”
The white-clothed middle-aged man indifferently replied, “You’re both fine now. About the thing that you guys just saw, please forget about it. If you don’t, you’ll be expelled from the academy. I’ll give you two these as compensation. I believe that you’re both smart people.” As he spoke, he threw two green objects towards Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
The two subconsciously raised their hands to catch them. At the same time, the white-clothed middle-aged man had already risen up into the sky, and was flying towards Sea God Lake. “Go to class. Remember, it’s best that you forget everything you just saw.”
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong looked at each other. They were left in a daze for quite a while.
“Huo Yuhao, what do you think’s going on?” Wang Dong asked him in a low voice.
Huo Yuhao shook his head. “I don’t know. It seems like we’ve come across a madman.”
Wang Dong lowered his head to see what the green object in his hand was, and immediately became stunned. Following that, his face became filled with a happy expression. “Wah, we’ve struck gold! It’s a Soul Advancement Pill! It’s actually a Soul Advancement Pill.”
Huo Yuhao looked towards the green lump in his hand with puzzlement. It was a green pill that was about the size of a walnut, and it was releasing a faint fragrant odor. Its surface was dark-green in colour, and there seemed to be a faint halo of light circulating within it. It was sparkling and translucent, and was also filled with an aura of life.
“What’s a Soul Advancement Pill? Is it a type of pill, like the Mysterious Water Pill?”
Wang Dong replied, “Yeah! Furthermore, it’s a pill that’s of the same rank as the Mysterious Water Pill! However, the Mysterious Water Pill is a bit more precious than the Soul Advancement Pill because it has a cleansing effect on one’s muscles and marrow. But, to soul masters above the thirtieth rank, whose muscles and marrow have already been thoroughly cleansed, the Soul Advancement Pill is better than the Mysterious Water Pill. Due to this, the price of the two pills are about the same. You have to take care of it. It’s supposedly extremely hard to refine this sort of pill. I didn’t expect that teacher to give us something so extraordinary as hush money. I’ve decided to forget everything that I saw earlier.”
Huo Yuhao asked impatiently, “Can you speak more clearly? Just what use does this Soul Advancement Pill have?”
Wang Dong let out a cunning laugh and replied, “I’m not telling! Beg me!” After he finished his sentence, he turned around and ran towards the freshmen's school building.
Huo Yuhao was left speechless. After carefully putting the Soul Advancement Pill into his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges, he chased after Wang Dong. While running, he shouted, “If you don’t tell me, I’ll just ask my eldest senior brother. He definitely knows what it does. If you tell me now, I’ll treat you to lunch.”
Wang Dong slowed down and waited for him to catch up. “Then, I’ll be eating something tasty.”
Huo Yuhao took out all of his savings and said, “I’m a homeless orphan anyway. These are all of my savings, do whatever you want with them.”
Wang Dong was stunned for a moment. “You... you’re an orphan?”
Huo Yuhao nodded his head.
Wang Dong spoke again, “The reason that you don’t even have any bedding on your bed, isn’t it because you just want to assiduously cultivate? Isn’t it because you’re simply not willing to spend money on some bedding?”
Huo Yuhao replied, “It’s because I feel that having some money left to eat with is more important than buying bedding. The food in the canteen is rather expensive after all.”
Wang Dong unwittingly stopped, causing Huo Yuhao to naturally stop along with him. “What’re you doing? It’s almost time for class. We need to hurry up.”
Wang Dong pursed his lips tightly and stared at Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao, who was currently being stared at, felt goosebumps rise on his back. “What’s happened to you? Was your brain fried by that guy earlier?”
Wang Dong inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. “Huo Yuhao, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you were an orphan. I shouldn’t have bullied you.”
Huo Yuhao chuckled and replied, “Your bullying didn’t work, did it?”
Wang Dong somewhat resentfully slapped his shoulder. “Can you not interrupt me when I’m in the middle of feeling moved? Let’s hurry to class. I’ll pay for your meals from now on.”
Huo Yuhao shook his head and said, “You don’t need to. Teacher Xiao Ya found a way for me to make some money. From now on, I’ll be selling roasted fish everyday after school. That’ll be enough for me to get my living expenses. I’ll treat you to some roasted fish later tonight.”
As he spoke, the two walked towards the freshmen's school building. As they walked, Wang Dong explained the use of the Soul Advancement Pill to him.
The main use of the Soul Advancement Pill was to increase one’s soulforce; it was refined from a few heavenly treasures. Soul master could only use a single Soul Advancement Pill during their entire lifetime, and the increase in soulforce one would receive from the pill was roughly equivalent to the soulforce that a soul master at the thirtieth rank needed to advance to the thirty-first rank. This was a pill that could raise one’s soulforce by an entire rank! This was truly something that was hard to come by. However, one’s future cultivation potential would be affected if more than one were taken.
Furthermore, the Soul Advancement Pill and the Mysterious Water Pill were somewhat similar, as their main function was to stimulate a person’s potential to provide more nourishment to the body. Because of this, their medicinal properties were relatively gentle; soul masters that were only above the tenth rank could consume them.
“Then, how large would the increase in my soulforce be if I were to eat it now?” Huo Yuhao asked probingly.
Wang Dong shook his head and said, “I don’t know. I’ve never heard of anyone willing to eat it at the twelfth rank. No matter how highly ranked an auction is, this pill is always considered a good thing. Moreover, very few people will choose to sell it. Supposedly, only an extremely small number of plant-type soul masters can refine it, and a year’s supply won’t exceed twenty. This time, we really had some crappy luck. It seems that the school is fair, as even though that fellow threatened our lives, we still got something this good.”
Unlike Wang Dong, who was praising the school for giving them the pill, Huo Yuhao’s mood wasn’t too happy. This was because he clearly knew how he and Wang Dong would’ve been charcoal right now, were it not for the existence of the Skydream Iceworm. Even if they were to receive a pill then, it wouldn’t be of any use to them.