Just as everyone was guessing what the unprecedented reward Bibi Dong mentioned was, a brilliant beam of light erupted from her hand.
The dazzling brilliance made many people hold their breath.
It was an exquisitely beautiful bone, like a piece of art, and judging by its appearance, it was a left arm bone.
"Soul bone!"
"And it's a left arm bone!"
"Judging by its quality, it's at least ten thousand years old!"
Heavy breaths swept across the square. While obtaining soul rings was difficult, it was not impossible as long as one was willing to pay the price. However, soul bones were rare, appearing by chance and sought by fate.
Most importantly, soul bones continuously strengthened with the soul master's growth, and each soul bone provided an additional soul skill, giving the soul master an extra means of attack or even survival.
Every single person present, be they teacher or student, had eyes filled with fervent desire.
"That's right, this is the prize I've prepared for you!"
"If you can defeat Wang Zhong three times in the annual year-end grand competition within five years, then this soul bone from a hundred-thousand-year soul beast will belong to him!"
"Of course, if no one manages to achieve this within the entire five years, then this soul bone will go to Wang Zhong!"
Bibi Dong's calm words stirred up a tempest in everyone's hearts.
A soul bone from a hundred-thousand-year soul beast!
Soul bones were also graded: ten-year, hundred-year, thousand-year, ten-thousand-year, hundred-thousand-year. Soul bones could be produced by soul beasts of any of these age ranges, and like soul rings, the older the soul beast, the more powerful the soul bone.
This meant that by obtaining this soul bone, one would gain a hundred-thousand-year soul skill!
The allure of such a soul bone was irresistible to anyone.
Even the homeroom teachers of Class A, Ying Yanyang, Shuang Yuelian, Xia Xuan, and even Yue Shan, looked at Wang Zhong strangely.
Not to mention teachers from other classes like Zhao She, Li Ge, and Hong Wu Xiong.
"Yanyang, it seems the Pope is serious this time."
"A hundred-thousand-year soul bone! It makes my heart ache with desire!"
Xia Xuan licked his slightly dry lips, a hint of eagerness in his words.
Ying Yanyang glanced at Xia Xuan with a smile, asking with a half-smile, "Oh, really!"
"So, you want to be Wang Zhong's whetstone!"
Yes, Ying Yanyang saw through Bibi Dong's intention at a glance. She was finding a goal, an opponent, even an enemy for Wang Zhong, something that could constantly motivate, even pressure him to advance!
With his recent battle against Lu Xiaoshuang, Wang Zhong had already displayed his unparalleled talent. He was now like a piece of fine jade, or perhaps a perfect iron ingot.
But jade needed to be carved to reveal its exquisite beauty, and an iron ingot needed to be tempered to truly become a peerless divine weapon.
The soul bone was merely a catalyst, and the people who, driven by the desire for the soul bone, continuously challenged Wang Zhong, would be the carving tools, the furnaces, and the hammers for tempering.
As long as one coveted this soul bone, whether they willed it or not, they would ultimately become the whetstone for Wang Zhong's ascent to greater heights and power!
A whetstone, once the knife was sharpened, would no longer have any use. The first to test the blade's sharpness would be the whetstone itself!
"Haha, just kidding. With Wang Zhong's talent, becoming a Titled Douluo won't be his limit. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have the qualifications."
"Looking at the entire school, all of us here are just small hills and potholes to him. Who has the ability to sharpen such a blade?"
Xia Xuan shook his head, the fervent desire in his eyes receding, his expression returning to its previous flippancy.
"This soul bone comes from a hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit, which the Ghost Douluo, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and I jointly killed years ago."
"And, if I'm not mistaken, the soul skill provided by this soul bone should be 'Invincible Golden Body.' It allows the soul master to be immune to all damage for a certain period!"
Bibi Dong's calm narration sent waves of excitement through everyone, pushing their emotions to a crescendo.
However, the commotion this caused was far less than the storm brewing within one person.
That person was Ying Yanyang!
Ying Yanyang's fifth soul skill was named Burning Fuel. Although it was only a hundred-year soul ring, it provided an endless boost to his martial soul's flame ability.
But this boost came with a side effect. When the Burning Fuel skill reached a certain level, the flame's power became unbearable even for Ying Yanyang himself. If he forced it further, he might be burned to death by his own flames.
For years, Ying Yanyang had been desperately seeking a solution to this limitation, but to no avail. Even the methods he found to enhance his own resilience were like trying to quench a wildfire with a single drop of water.
Some methods even required him to obtain another soul ring that was completely contrary to his original plan!
While such a method could temporarily alleviate the limitations of his fifth soul ring, the improvement was still limited, and it greatly restricted Ying Yanyang's future development, something he absolutely could not accept.
Now, Bibi Dong was presenting a soul bone that almost perfectly matched his needs, making it impossible for Ying Yanyang to remain calm.
Hearing Bibi Dong's explanation, Yue Shan, Shuang Yuelian, and Xia Xuan simultaneously thought, "Not good!"
They were all well aware of Ying Yanyang's predicament!
Shuang Yuelian chuckled bitterly, her beautiful face filled with desolation and helplessness.
"So, the Pope had already chosen the whetstone!"
"How could she..."
"Xiao Lian!" Yue Shan suddenly spoke, interrupting her words and shaking his head vigorously at Shuang Yuelian, signaling her to stop.
On the edge of the broken stones of the arena, Wang Zhong looked at the soul bone floating in mid-air in Bibi Dong's hand, his eyes suddenly brightening.
In the Eight Inner Gates, the final gate was the Death Gate!
This was the most powerful gate of the Eight Inner Gates. Opening this gate would elevate one's strength to an unimaginable level.
But the reason it was called the Death Gate was because once it was opened, Wang Zhong would inevitably die!
However, this soul bone gave Wang Zhong a sudden flash of inspiration.
"You know, if I were to open the Death Gate while under the effect of 'Invincible Golden Body,' would I be able to be immune to that inevitable death?"
If so, Wang Zhong would have a trump card that was virtually unbeatable for anyone.
With Wang Zhong's own strength, amplified by the unknown multiplier of opening the final Death Gate, who on the entire continent could withstand even three of his punches and kicks without dying!
Thinking of such a future, a look of excitement and joy spread across Wang Zhong's face. This would be another qualitative leap in his strength.