Summary (Part 1)

"Ah, it hurts! It hurts so much!"

In the dormitory, Nan Fusheng opened his eyes and could not help sucking in a cold breath, making his own contribution to global warming across the Federation.

"Are top-tier Soul Beasts all this short-tempered? It attacked without a word? Then again, it was only a beast. How could I judge it with human reasoning?"

Nan Fusheng summarized this journey into the Spirit Ascension Platform, taking stock of his own condition while possessing the Blue Bird and whether he had overlooked anything. In the end, he inevitably recalled the scene of being torn to pieces.

"Getting killed was no big deal. But I still need to figure out whether that Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was simply enraged, or whether it noticed something unusual about the Blue Bird I possessed."

This was Nan Fusheng's first time using Deep Parasitism on another living creature. He had to find out whether his First Soul Skill had any flaws. Otherwise, if something went wrong later, he would not even have anywhere to cry about it.

After thinking for a while, Nan Fusheng put the matter aside. He could just test it again in the Spirit Ascension Platform later. This trip had also given him a new understanding of both the Spirit Ascension Platform and his First Soul Skill.

First was the Spirit Ascension Platform. Nan Fusheng was certain that the Soul Beasts inside were not entirely virtual. Perhaps they were Soul Spirits, perhaps they were half-virtual and half-real, but he was sure that those Soul Beasts possessed souls, at the very least.

Nan Fusheng's First Soul Skill was a simplified version of his pathway's Sequence 4: Parasite.

It could parasitize other living creatures and even microorganisms. Of course, the current Nan Fusheng could not yet parasitize microorganisms.

Nor could it yet reach the point of parasitizing even "inorganic matter." Perhaps he could accomplish that after becoming a True God, but it was impossible for him now. Since those Soul Beasts in the Spirit Ascension Platform could be parasitized, they definitely were not lifeless objects.

Next came his First Soul Skill: Parasitism. His true Spirit Skill, which he had kept hidden away.

Shallow Parasitism aside, when Nan Fusheng used Deep Parasitism, it could be divided into several states:

The first was completely erasing the consciousness of the parasitized target, allowing him to gain total control over that body.

The second was coexisting with the target's consciousness, hiding within the target's soul. Normally, the target's consciousness would take the lead, but he could seize control of the body at any time.

He could guide or influence the target's emotions, though there was also a certain risk of resistance from the target.

However, due to Deep Parasitism, all emotions and thoughts between him and the parasitized target were synchronized. The moment the other party developed thoughts of resistance, he would know immediately.

The third was fusing with the parasitized target's soul. In that case, the other party would also be Nan Fusheng's Doppelganger, but because their soul had fused with that of the target—

Its personality would undergo considerable changes as well. The stronger the parasitized target was, the more the resulting personality would lean toward the target's original character, and vice versa.

However, its core would still remain centered on Nan Fusheng. That would not change!

That was what Nan Fusheng had felt while possessing the Blue Bird. He could choose among three methods—elimination, coexistence, and fusion—to decide how he would parasitize the Blue Bird.

That night, Nan Fusheng thought about many things.

The next day, because he had thought too much, he was unable to focus fully on cultivation. Nan Fusheng left the dormitory early.

It was still early, and the sky outside had only just begun to brighten. After washing up, he headed near the field to clear his mind.

The moment he arrived, he saw Tang Wulin sprinting wildly around the field alone. With both arms spread wide, Tang Wulin raced at high speed around the track. How should he put it? He did not look entirely sane.

Although a Soul Spirit's evolution was something worth celebrating, seeing Tang Wulin dance about on the field made Nan Fusheng silently stop before stepping onto it.

Only after a pink figure appeared beside the field did Tang Wulin slowly return to normal.

Nan Fusheng did not bother with Tang Wulin's enthusiastic interaction with the senior girl. He headed straight to the cafeteria, ate, and then went to the classroom.

"Tell me how each of you felt about yesterday's Spirit Ascension Platform." Wu Changkong stood behind the podium and spoke calmly to the six students in the classroom.

Zhang Yangzi had dark circles under his eyes today. Clearly, he had not slept well the previous night. Wang Jinxi was the same. The difference was that Zhang Yangzi had been upset,

while Wang Jinxi had suffered nightmares. He was probably the most miserable of them all. He had directly encountered the Man Faced Demon Spider, which had devoured him in an exceptionally cruel manner. He still had not recovered from it.

Xie Xie did not look much better either. Though yesterday's bloody battle had not left him with many injuries because of Nan Fusheng, it had drained his stamina severely.

Moreover, he had not felt it at the time, but once he returned to rest at night, his mind kept filling with Green Wolves pouncing at him. He could not calm down enough to enter Meditation. Before midnight, he had jolted awake and rolled straight off his bed onto the floor.

Tang Wulin was the only one with an excited expression. What could possibly make someone happier than a Soul Spirit evolving?

Nan Fusheng and Gu Yue looked fairly normal, as though nothing had happened.

"We'll go by the order in which you left the battlefield yesterday. Zhang Yangzi!" Seeing that no one intended to speak voluntarily, Wu Changkong called on someone directly.

"Yes!" Zhang Yangzi answered somewhat awkwardly. Rising to his feet, he said, "My performance yesterday was simply terrible. Teacher Wu, I was wrong."

Wu Changkong waved a hand. "There is no need to admit your mistake to me. Your life is your own. You still have a chance to admit fault now. If yesterday had truly taken place in the Soul Beast Forest, you would be nothing but a corpse by now. You might not even have any bones left. Tell us how you felt. About the Spirit Ascension Platform, or about yourself."

The muscles in Zhang Yangzi's face twitched awkwardly. "The world inside the Spirit Ascension Platform was too real. I could not sense even the slightest trace of illusion within it.

"So when I first entered, I was especially curious. I climbed the tree because I wanted to see farther. My Martial Soul also has some gliding ability. I thought that from the top of the tree, I could fly in several directions while getting a better view of everything around me."

"So at the beginning, I did nothing wrong. My mistake was underestimating the enemy and being too arrogant. I failed to observe the surrounding situation clearly, attacked rashly, became the target of everyone, and was eliminated from the battlefield."

"The next time I enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, I will be especially careful and preserve myself as much as possible. I'll try to survive longer."

After saying that, he sat back down.

Wu Changkong offered no comment and turned to Wang Jinxi. "What about you?"

Wang Jinxi gave a bitter smile. "Teacher Wu, I do not remember much else clearly anymore. I only remember that face dropping down from above my head, followed by that coldness that seemed to freeze my soul. They are like nightmares, constantly binding me. I don't know what will happen if I encounter it again next time."