Chapter 420: Marquis Imprint

The awards ceremony of the academy finally concluded smoothly, and Li Luo, unsurprisingly, became the brightest star of the entire event.

"The selection of treasures ends here. I want to represent the academy once again in thanking you for your outstanding performance in the ticket tournament."

Before the treasury, Vice Dean Suxin watched the group of young people before her with a gentle smile, her voice like a flowing spring, making one feel an inexplicable sense of peace in their heart: "However, you should also be aware that the ticket tournament is not the end, but merely the beginning."

"Our academy's true goal is not just a ticket, but the final prize of the Grail Battle: that... Dragon Bone Holy Grail."

Hearing these four words, Gong Shenjun, the Princess, Jiang Qing'e, and the others all looked more solemn, for they understood the significance and weight that the Dragon Bone Holy Grail carried, and of course, the pressure that came with it.

Across the entire Eastern Divine Continent, all the Saint Academies and some top-tier academies that were equally powerful but had not yet been crowned with the title of 'Saint' due to seniority or other reasons, were all eyeing that Dragon Bone Holy Grail covetously, as it represented the glory of being the strongest academy in the Eastern Divine Continent, and the power it possessed also made every academy drool with envy.

The battles in this ticket tournament were already considered intense, but they all knew that compared to the battles they would face in the Grail Battle, this was still far from enough.

Li Luo also sighed inwardly. He thought of the task the Dean had entrusted to him, but as a student of the First Star Academy, what kind of role could he possibly play in a competition of that level?

"Dean, you really think too highly of me."

Li Luo muttered to himself while scratching his head in distress. If he couldn't win the Dragon Bone Holy Grail, he wouldn't be able to obtain the complete "Heavenly Sacrifice Curse," and without that, he would naturally find it difficult to fully control the "Three-Tailed Heavenly Wolf." Yet, this power was a major trump card he intended to use to deal with the "Prefecture Sacrifice."

And if he lacked this trump card, he feared he wouldn't even have the qualifications to participate in a battle like the "Prefecture Sacrifice."

If that happened, wouldn't the pressure fall entirely onto Jiang Qing'e?

This was something Li Luo did not want to see.

Therefore, it was best for him to do his utmost to assist the academy in winning back the Dragon Bone Holy Grail.

"Vice Dean, what is the mechanism of the Grail Battle?" Li Luo thought for a moment, then raised his hand to ask.

"According to past conventions, the Grail Battle is divided into two parts. The first part is the academy-level battle, where the four academy levels compete separately. From here, the four strongest of each academy level will be born—that is, the strongest First Star Academy student, Second Star Academy student, and so on, in the Eastern Divine Continent. This can be considered the highest honor for all students in the Eastern Divine Continent."

Vice Dean Suxin smiled slightly: "This title is much more impressive than our Astral Sage College's Seven Star Pillars. And what makes one happy is that our academy, this time, perhaps has a chance to obtain the title of the strongest Third Star Academy student."

When she said this, her gaze turned toward Jiang Qing'e.

Jiang Qing'e, who possessed a Ninth-Grade Light Resonance, was the most outstanding student of the Astral Sage College in recent years. With her current strength, even in the Grail Battle that encompassed countless young geniuses of the Eastern Divine Continent, she would inevitably be dazzling.

"Qing'e, if you can win the title of the strongest Third Star Academy student, then our Astral Sage College will have a chance to compete for the Dragon Bone Holy Grail this time." There was a hint of expectation in Vice Dean Suxin's eyes as she looked at Jiang Qing'e.

Jiang Qing'e's fair and delicate face remained calm as she nodded: "I will do my best to strive for it."

"Are there any rewards for obtaining that title of strongest student?"

Li Luo blinked his eyes and asked with an innocent smile: "It can't just be a boring title, right?"

"This title is not boring at all."

Vice Dean Suxin smiled: "Countless members of the younger generation across the entire Eastern Divine Continent view it as the highest honor and pursuit."

Li Luo nodded in agreement: "The Vice Dean is right, this honor is definitely impressive. I was just wondering... besides this honor, is there anything else of practical value?"

Vice Dean Suxin looked at the handsome youth before her with annoyance and said: "You are quite realistic."

Duze Honglian couldn't help but snort coldly: "Why ask so much? That title of strongest student has nothing to do with you anyway."

Li Luo argued righteously: "It's enough that it has to do with Sister Qing'e. Between her and me, do we really need to distinguish between 'you' and 'me'?"

Duze Honglian curled her lips; this guy's skin was truly thick beyond measure.

Vice Dean Suxin found it a bit amusing, but she still said: "Although the Eastern Divine Continent is only an outer divine continent, and in terms of strength and scale, it is indeed far inferior to those blessed, holy-land-like inner divine continents, the Grail Battle is supported by the Academy Alliance, so the final rewards naturally won't be stingy."

"For example, one of the rewards for the winner of the strongest student title is the 'Marquis Imprint'."

"Marquis Imprint? What is that?" Li Luo continued to ask curiously.

"Simply put, it is a type of tattoo imprinted on the surface of the body," Vice Dean Suxin smiled.

"What is its function?" Li Luo wasn't immediately disappointed, because he believed that something deemed important enough for Vice Dean Suxin to mention solemnly could not be simple. He hadn't heard of it, which only meant his level wasn't high enough and he was relatively ignorant.

"The so-called Marquis Imprint is a peculiar object refined using the essence blood of a Marquis-realm expert as the main material, supplemented by many rare materials. There are many types of Marquis Imprints with various wonderful uses. For example, the 'Nine Treasures Spirit Tree Imprint' bestowed in past Grail Battles—if this imprint is branded on the body, it can accelerate the absorption and refinement of heaven and earth energy, and it does so at all times. It can be called a cultivation tool."

"Hiss!"

Li Luo gasped. This Marquis Imprint was too overbearing, right? Just the materials alone required the essence blood of a Marquis-realm expert? What kind of high-end thing was this? He had never even heard of it before!

Moreover, the function of that "Nine Treasures Spirit Tree Imprint" was too tempting. With this imprint on his body, wouldn't his cultivation be twice as effective with half the effort?

"The Nine Treasures Spirit Tree Imprint is more for assisting cultivation, but there are other Marquis Imprints that possess offensive, defensive, and life-saving capabilities. In a sense, they can be considered a special type of treasure, except these are worn on the person and cannot be plundered. However, Marquis Imprints also have a drawback: the vast majority are consumable. As time passes, the materials within gradually wear out, and the imprint loses its effect."

"In those inner divine continents, Marquis Imprints appear more frequently, but they are very rare here in the Eastern Divine Continent," Vice Dean Suxin said.

Li Luo clicked his tongue. From this, one could see how terrifying the foundation of those inner divine continents was. A Marquis-realm expert was a titan in the Great Xia; how could they be willing to extract their own essence blood to refine these Marquis Imprints, which were relatively trivial to them? Only in places like the inner divine continents would such things appear.

For people in a backwater like them, such high-end items were truly unaffordable.

It wasn't just him who thought this; Duze Honglian and the others beside him were also sighing, as they had never seen one either.

"Then, if we finally win the Dragon Bone Holy Grail, what rewards can we get?" Li Luo licked his lips and asked.

Regarding Li Luo's ambitious inquiry, Vice Dean Suxin did not mock him; instead, her face showed appreciation.

"The Dragon Bone Holy Grail is the best reward, but that is for the academy. As for you who win back the Holy Grail for the academy, what do you want?"

"Purple-eye treasures? Eighth or Ninth-Grade Spirit Water and Strange Light? Or secret source water and source light? Or a Marquis-level Art?"

Looking at the slightly stunned Li Luo, the corners of Vice Dean Suxin's lips curled into a smile.

"As long as you can really bring back the Dragon Bone Holy Grail, whatever the academy has, whatever you want, we will give it to you."