"Do you want it, Little Xiao?"
Wang Lin asked with a smile. This Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear soul bone was extremely compatible in attribute with Xiao Hongchen, whose Martial Soul was the Three-legged Golden Toad. Coupled with the fact that it was an external soul bone, although only a thousand-year one, its value to Xiao Hongchen far surpassed that of an ordinary hundred-thousand-year soul bone.
"You're not going to give it to me, are you? This is an external soul bone. Even though the attribute doesn't match, you can absorb it too."
Xiao Hongchen instinctively wanted to refuse. This soul bone was too precious; even with his status, it was something one could only wish for. But to say he didn't want it was a lie. He looked at Wang Lin with a solemn expression and said seriously:
"If you are willing to give me this soul bone, when you need it, I will ask Grandfather to help you hunt a hundred-thousand-year Evil Eye. Everything obtained will be yours."
Wang Lin looked at Xiao Hongchen, knowing he wasn't joking; he was serious. Trading a three-thousand-year external soul bone for a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and an unknown hundred-thousand-year soul bone part was a deal that looked advantageous no matter how you saw it. But Wang Lin was not one to take advantage. He placed the soul bone in Xiao Hongchen's hand and waved it off.
"Forget about the hundred-thousand-year Evil Eye. The Heart of the Ocean for the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Right Palm Bone—I'm not losing out, Little Xiao..."
Wang Lin hadn't finished speaking when Xiao Hongchen stuffed the soul bone back into Wang Lin's hand, his expression incredibly serious and non-negotiable.
"No! The Heart of the Ocean has been in my family for nearly a thousand years, and not one person has successfully absorbed it in a thousand years. That's not fair to you. If you insist on this, I cannot accept it!"
"Small problem. I'm a genius that comes along once in a generation."
Saying this, Wang Lin mimicked Xiao Hongchen's usual arrogant manner, lifting his head. Four spirit rings—Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black—each denser than the last, rose and circled around him.
Raising an eyebrow at Xiao Hongchen, a faint dragon might permeated Wang Lin's body. Pieces of golden dragon scales appeared on Wang Lin's right hand.
He tossed the soul bone in his palm to the astonished Xiao Hongchen, and used his right hand, which had become a dragon claw, to take out a piece of Soul Tool metal from his storage soul tool.
Crack! Wang Lin squeezed hard, and the tough Soul Tool metal instantly shattered in his grip, the small pieces sliding down. Invisible telekinesis caught the metal fragments in mid-air and tucked them into the special storage Soul Tool containing the Toad Treasure Golden Mushroom.
Waving the golden-glowing dragon claw, Wang Lin smiled and said: "Most importantly, I already have one that's much stronger than this Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Right Palm Bone."
Xiao Hongchen didn't retort. With his mouth agape, he stared at Wang Lin's right hand, his eyes unfocused. He knew Wang Lin's two Martial Souls were the Brain and the Staff of Life, neither of which had the Dragon bloodline.
Therefore, the dragon might permeating Wang Lin could only come from the external soul bone he mentioned. Yet, the dragon might emanating from this soul bone was actually able to make him, who possessed a divine beast bloodline, feel suppressed. This undoubtedly proved that the bloodline level of Wang Lin's unknown soul bone was extremely high, surely coming from a top-tier giant dragon.
"You, fellow, you're hiding a lot!"
Xiao Hongchen was genuinely happy for Wang Lin. The look in his eyes even grew somewhat eager.
Originally, due to the difference in cultivation, Xiao Hongchen had not regarded Wang Lin as an opponent, but the current Wang Lin undoubtedly had the qualifications to be his rival.
"Hold it right there. If you want a rival, I'll find you a real monster in a couple of days."
Wang Lin, being Xiao Hongchen's only friend, instantly saw what this guy was thinking. He glossed over the subject and said in a deep voice.
"Alright, do you believe now that I have the aptitude to absorb the Heart of the Ocean? If you're still worried, forget about your grandfather—I want you, Xiao Hongchen, to help me hunt a hundred-thousand-year Evil Eye. Little Xiao, can you do that?"
"Of course, I can."
Xiao Hongchen held the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear soul bone in his hand and finally stopped refusing, putting it into his storage soul tool.
Clearly unable to wait to go back and absorb this soul bone, he turned to leave, instructing Wang Lin before he did.
"A Lin, if I'm late because of absorbing the soul bone, remember to ask Teacher Xuan for leave for me. I'm going to Grandfather to have him protect me."
"Got it, Little Xiao." Wang Lin didn't try to keep him.
...
...
...
Near noon, the intense sunlight passed through the lab window, shining on Wang Lin, who was leaning over the workbench.
Unlike Ju Zi and Ke Ke, who were carving Soul Tool arrays beside him, Wang Lin was writing and drawing on paper. He was working on the basic principles and ideas for the wireless telegraph.
Wang Lin had already made a decision: he planned to release one thesis per week, slowly putting out all the knowledge in his mind until it was completely gone.
Clang!
The metal door of the Third Laboratory suddenly slid open. Xiao Hongchen, who hadn't appeared all morning, walked into the lab with a refreshed look on his face.
It was obvious without him saying anything. Just looking at his slightly unstable aura and arrogant expression, one could tell he had successfully absorbed the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Right Palm Bone.
Xiao Hongchen returned to his spot, took out a piece of tough Soul Tool metal, and flicked out a golden sharp claw from his fingertip, lightly drawing a line.
Just like cutting tofu, the Soul Tool metal was effortlessly sliced in half.
Unfortunately, Ju Zi's and Ke Ke's attention was focused on the Soul Tool arrays in their hands. Xuan Ziwen was absent. Wang Lin knew Xiao Hongchen's personality and deliberately didn't look.
Realizing no one was watching him, Xiao Hongchen awkwardly retracted the golden sharp claw on his fingertip, holding the two sliced pieces of Soul Tool metal in his palm.
Close to lunchtime, Ju Zi and Ke Ke quickly put down the Soul Tool arrays in their hands, not noticing the extremely smooth cross-section of the Soul Tool metal in Xiao Hongchen's hand.
After greeting them, they left the lab directly, clearly heading out to eat.
Wang Lin also put down his pen at this time. Xiao Hongchen finally found an opportunity to show off and demonstrated the Soul Bone Soul Skill of his newly absorbed palm bone to Wang Lin.
"Amazing, amazing..." Wang Lin gave a perfunctory compliment and put away the half-written thesis.
"Let's go. Pick up Little Meng and go eat!"
"Little Meng?" Xiao Hongchen looked confused when he heard that. As Wang Lin walked out of the lab, he followed him, bewildered.
On the way to the cafeteria, Xiao Hongchen was surprised to find that his little sister was actually waiting for them downstairs at the Fourth-Year Teaching Building.
Of course, he didn't think too much about it, and instead showed off his newly absorbed soul bone to his sister.
Unlike Wang Lin, Meng Hongchen was very considerate, giving a sincere compliment about how amazing it was, which made Xiao Hongchen's tail practically wag in the sky.
"You're the best, my good sister." Xiao Hongchen said emotionally.
After some conversation, the three went to the cafeteria and finished lunch. On the way back, Meng Hongchen suddenly spoke to Wang Lin.
"Since Brother got the palm bone, this is for you!"
The young girl said, taking out two small pouches made of dark brown leather from her storage soul tool and handing them to Wang Lin, tucking them into his hands.
The surface of the brown leather pouches had faint dark patterns and subtle soul power fluctuations.
"What are these?"
Wang Lin held a pouch in each hand. Invisible telekinesis landed on the small pouches. Under the effect of telekinesis, the pouches opened, and two crystal-clear soul bones flew out of them.
One of the skull bones exuded a faint dragon might, carrying a powerful mental force within the dragon might. The entire skull bone was like purple crystal, radiating a terrifying, flickering aura.
The other one looked much more ordinary, generally emitting a faint yellow light. If not for the yellow light, this soul bone, which exuded a dense bloody aura, looked like an ordinary human skull bone.