Senior Zhu Ziguang (Seeking Investment! Seeking Monthly Tickets! Seeking Recommendation Tickets!)

"Junior Jing, it seems we're quite fated."

Just as Jing Shaoyu was immersed in the fresh atmosphere of the primeval forest, a familiar voice reached his ears.

Jing Shaoyu looked over and saw a boy holding a golden scythe, with a miniature lion perched on his shoulder, walking toward him with a smile.

"Senior Zhu." Jing Shaoyu froze for a moment, then immediately greeted him with a smile.

The boy was Zhu Ziguang, the Cadet with the highest soul power among the seven of them.

"It's your first time entering the Spirit Ascension Platform, so stick with me for now. I'll help you get familiar with the environment here and what we need to do," Zhu Ziguang said warmly.

"No problem. Then I'll have to trouble you, Senior Zhu." Jing Shaoyu did not refuse and readily agreed.

"Mm, just call me A Guang," Zhu Ziguang said with a smile. "Can I call you Shaoyu?"

"Of course," Jing Shaoyu said.

"Alright, then let's go." Zhu Ziguang smiled in satisfaction. "Inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, our main task is to hone our combat skills and gather as much Spirit Power as possible. A Shi, go scout ahead."

The latter sentence was clearly directed at his Soul Spirit. The little lion on his shoulder immediately darted off. Seeing this, Jing Shaoyu promptly summoned Red Jade. "Red Jade, you go too."

"Chirp, chirp~" Red Jade flapped its wings, cried out, and flew ahead as well.

"Is that little bird your Soul Spirit?" Zhu Ziguang watched Red Jade fly away, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "It looks so lively—far livelier than my A Shi."

"Maybe Red Jade is just naturally energetic." Jing Shaoyu smiled. "Senior A Guang, your A Shi should be a Holy Light Lion, right?"

"That's right." Zhu Ziguang nodded somewhat proudly. "My A Shi is a three-hundred-year Holy Light Lion, though it has now advanced to four hundred years."

"Really? Then you're quite impressive!" Jing Shaoyu could not help but praise him.

"It's alright. Mainly, I've just been lucky." Zhu Ziguang scratched his head and smiled. "Oh, right. It seems you know the rules for raising Soul Spirits in the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

"I've heard a little, but I don't know much." Jing Shaoyu smiled. "Senior A Guang, could you explain it to me in detail?"

"Sure." Zhu Ziguang explained, "You should know that the Spirit Ascension Platform simulates the Star Dou Great Forest from ancient times, so there are many soul beasts inside. After we hunt those soul beasts, we obtain Spirit Power equal to one-tenth of their cultivation. That Spirit Power is absorbed by our Soul Rings, increasing their age. Since Soul Rings come from Soul Spirits, when the Soul Ring age increases, it feeds back into the Soul Spirit and raises its cultivation as well."

"Mm! I know that much." Jing Shaoyu nodded.

"Alright, take me as an example," Zhu Ziguang continued. "My A Shi Soul Spirit currently has four hundred years of cultivation, which is already close to the limit I can endure. If I want to continue raising my Soul Spirit's cultivation and Soul Ring age, I can only wait until I break through to two rings. But after I have two rings, the Spirit Power collected in the Spirit Ascension Platform will be split evenly between both Soul Rings. In other words, if I kill a hundred-year soul beast and obtain ten years of Spirit Power, each of my two Soul Rings will only receive five years.

"If I want A Shi to evolve into a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit, I first have to raise both of my Soul Rings into Thousand-Year Soul Rings before A Shi can evolve to a thousand years. That means that, on the surface, A Shi is only six hundred years away from becoming a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit, but in reality, it requires twelve hundred years!"

"I understand." A look of realization appeared on Jing Shaoyu's face.

"Unfortunately, I know my own limits," Zhu Ziguang sighed at last. "If I want A Shi to evolve into a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit, I'll probably have to wait until I become a Soul Elder. By then, it'll only be even more troublesome!"

"Senior A Guang, there's no need to put yourself down," Jing Shaoyu comforted him. "You're only level fifteen now. There's no need to draw conclusions so early. Maybe you'll encounter some lucky opportunity in the future."

"Haha, Shaoyu, thank you for the kind words. I hope I encounter a lucky opportunity in the future too," Zhu Ziguang laughed. "Like obtaining a Soul Bone or something. That should increase my body's strength a little more. Sigh, I really envy you Beast Martial Soul Masters. Your bodies are naturally stronger than ours Item Martial Soul Masters!"

"Hehe, I suppose it's not bad," Jing Shaoyu said with a smile.

"You brat!" Zhu Ziguang laughed and scolded.

After that exchange, the two became much closer.

Red Jade and A Shi returned, each reporting the situation to their respective master. Jing Shaoyu looked at Zhu Ziguang, who nodded decisively. "Let's go!"

The two hurried forward. About a hundred meters later, they spotted the soul beast the Soul Spirits had mentioned.

A Wind Baboon! Jing Shaoyu's expression instantly became strange. Wasn't this the Wind? A terrifying existence that had nearly solo-killed a God King. How had it become so pathetic after ten thousand years?

"Shaoyu, stand farther back. It's only a ten-year Wind Baboon. I'm enough on my own!" Zhu Ziguang called out to Jing Shaoyu, then charged forward with his long, massive golden scythe.

"Uh, I'm being underestimated." Jing Shaoyu could not help but smile bitterly. Yet he did not follow Zhu Ziguang's suggestion. Instead, he stepped forward and extended both hands, palms facing down. A faint green glow flickered, and in an instant, the grass on the ground surged wildly, transforming into thick, long vines that slithered forward along the ground like snakes at the motion of Jing Shaoyu's fingers.

Plant Control!

Holy Light Slash! By then, Zhu Ziguang had already rushed before the Wind Baboon. The Soul Ring behind him lit up, golden brilliance covered his scythe, and he fiercely brought it down upon the Wind Baboon.

Terror flashed through the Wind Baboon's eyes. Just as it tried to retreat and evade, it discovered that its legs would not move. Looking down, it found that vines from nowhere had already tightly bound its legs, leaving it utterly unable to budge.

The enormous scythe blade fell, cutting away half the Wind Baboon's body on the spot. Its eyes immediately lost their light, and it was clearly about to die.

"Shaoyu, come finish it off." Zhu Ziguang did not take the chance to end the Wind Baboon himself, instead calling to Jing Shaoyu.

"Huh? Is that really alright?" Jing Shaoyu froze, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "I barely did anything."

"There's no question of whether it's alright or not." Zhu Ziguang waved his hand generously. "We're companions now, and you're a healing-type Soul Master. There's no need to fuss over this."

"Alright, then. Thank you." Jing Shaoyu did not decline again. He walked to the dying Wind Baboon and raised a hand. A vine wrapped around its neck. As his hand fell, the vine instantly tightened and snapped the Wind Baboon's neck.

"Huh?" Only then did Zhu Ziguang realize what had happened. He asked in surprise, "Shaoyu, so you were controlling those plants! I was wondering why that Wind Baboon was so stupid that it trapped itself. I never expected it was your doing! Aren't you a healing-type Soul Master? How can you control plants too?"

"Hehe, I guess it's an innate ability of my Martial Soul." Jing Shaoyu watched a white Soul Ring float from the Wind Baboon's body. It was formed from Spirit Power, and Red Jade swallowed it in one gulp. Then Jing Shaoyu smiled at Zhu Ziguang. "My Martial Soul is called the Origin Spirit. It is naturally the master of the forest."

"So that's how it is!" Zhu Ziguang suddenly understood. Then he said enviously, "Is this the top-tier Martial Soul of Innate Full Soul Power? It truly is extraordinary!"

"Let's keep moving," Jing Shaoyu said with a smile. "I'll handle the control, and Senior A Guang can handle the attacks. How does that sound?"

"No problem!" Zhu Ziguang's eyes lit up. "To be honest, my Martial Soul is good in every way except that it isn't very agile. But don't worry—as long as you can restrain them, I won't have any issues!"

Thus, the two worked together as they advanced through the forest.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Xu Xiaoyan clutched her Star Wheel Ice Staff. Her face was pale as she curled up amid a clump of bushes, her little face filled with fear and terror.

Not far from her was a pack of Black Wolves with green light glowing in their eyes. The vicious Black Wolves continuously circled around Xu Xiaoyan, occasionally letting out chilling howls. They bared their fangs, waiting to tear apart any prey.

Xu Xiaoyan was truly unlucky. The moment she appeared, she fell into a wolf pack. If she hadn't reacted quickly, randomly freezing one of the wolves and taking the chance to escape, her journey through the Spirit Ascension Platform would probably have ended already.

Even so, the pack of Black Wolves had set their sights on her. All she could do now was hide in the bushes and hope they wouldn't find her. But wolves had keen noses; it was only a matter of time before she was discovered.

Xu Xiaoyan felt somewhat despairing.

"Little Yu Brother, come save me!"

This new book is a tender seedling and desperately needs care! Seeking Investment, Seeking Monthly Ticket, Seeking Recommendation Ticket! Many thanks to all the big shots!