Tower Climbing, Begin!

"Distress Signal Device? Could we encounter some kind of danger in there?"

The staff member explained, "The Ascension Spirit Platform itself can be considered another world, employing a great deal of spatial technology. So it is not a completely virtual world, but half virtual and half real, because much of the virtual data relies on real feedback."

"The Ascension Spirit Platform is virtual, but in some ways, it is also real. Everything you perceive inside is exactly the same as in reality. Therefore, when you are injured, the sensation is the same as well."

"So although you will not truly be hurt, you will vividly feel the feedback from any injuries sustained in battle. The stronger the feedback, the more likely it is to impact your Sea of Consciousness. Therefore, if you sense danger beyond what you can endure, you may use the Distress Signal Device inside the Spirit Platform. It will synchronize with the outside world and immediately remove you from the Spirit Platform. Do you understand?"

"Understood," Tang Chenfeng and the other two hurriedly replied.

The staff member nodded. "You can experience the rest for yourselves inside. This is your first time entering the Ascension Spirit Platform, so good luck. Now, get ready."

After hearing the staff member's introduction, the three children were all eager to give it a try. For them, this would undoubtedly be an incredibly novel experience.

Entering the Ascension Spirit Platform required linking their consciousness. What would that feel like?

The staff member pressed a button on the control console, and three capsule chambers slowly emerged from the wall. The chambers lay horizontally, each with a groove inside for one person to lie in.

"All right, lie down."

The three obeyed and lay down one after another. The unfamiliar environment still made them somewhat nervous.

Instrument suction cups rapidly emerged from within the chambers and quickly attached themselves to their bodies. The Ascension Spirit Platform began operating.

The staff member spoke to them from outside. "It's about to begin. Get ready. You may experience some physical discomfort the first time you enter, but it will pass quickly. Bear with it."

As soon as the staff member finished speaking, the Ascension Spirit Platform retracted into the wall, and Tang Chenfeng and the other two were plunged into darkness.

Inside the Ascension Spirit Platform, Tang Chenfeng felt a tingling numbness coming from all around him, as if currents of electricity were passing through his body. The Soul Power within him was stimulated into fluctuating on its own. The sensation grew increasingly intense until he felt unable to move at all.

After an unknown amount of time, Tang Chenfeng felt his entire body shudder, and then he woke up. The capsule chamber was gone, and the surroundings had brightened.

The numb sensation had vanished as well. Only the Distress Signal Device on his wrist had changed from a wristband into a metal device with a conspicuous red button on it.

He found himself standing in an enormous hall. Massive stone pillars surrounded him, seemingly supporting the entire space. The vast area spanned several thousand square meters, with bluish-gray stone bricks covering the floor. It had an ancient, solemn air, like an old palace hall. Before him stood a golden gate, above which hung a plaque bearing three glittering golden words: Soul Spirit Tower.

At the same time, Ye Hongling and Ze Ping appeared beside him from who knew where.

"It looks like Tower Climbing begins once we pass through that door. Ze Ping, both of us are assault-type Soul Masters. You and I will block the front together. Ling'er, you can support us from behind." Tang Chenfeng immediately laid out their tactics and countermeasures.

Then the three of them walked toward the gate.

They merely touched it lightly when their vision suddenly blurred. After a burst of intense light, they found themselves in an octagonal hall.

The hall was extremely spacious, with a diameter of at least three hundred meters. Eight metal gates stood around it, each at least ten meters tall and five meters wide. Their sheer appearance conveyed overwhelming grandeur.

"Everyone, get ready." As Tang Chenfeng spoke, he released his Soul Ring.

A purple Soul Ring rose from beneath Tang Chenfeng's feet. At the same time, his body rapidly swelled, transforming him into a giant over two meters tall. His previously loose clothing was stretched tight by his muscles, as if it might burst apart at any moment.

On the other side, two purple Soul Rings rose beneath Ye Hongling's feet. At the same time, her beautiful long black hair swiftly turned a vibrant emerald green before the naked eye, as did her eyes. The aura of life radiated from her body, making everyone feel extremely comfortable.

Wow... Boss and the others have gotten stronger again. Ze Ping thought.

Ze Ping had never given up on his dream of becoming a powerful Soul Master, but ever since he had met Tang Chenfeng and the others, he had understood that he would never be able to surpass them. Even so, he still wanted to work hard and chase after their backs.

At that moment, one of the metal gates slowly opened, and the roar of a beast drifted out from within.

The first thing the three saw was a shadow that was not particularly large, but was very lean and long. Its spotted markings and agile body already revealed what it was.

"It seems to be a Spotted Leopard, a Soul Beast known for its speed. Judging by its size, it should be a hundred-year Soul Beast." Tang Chenfeng shouted.

At that moment, Ye Hongling's Second Soul Ring flashed. Two slender phantom vines wrapped around Tang Chenfeng's and Ze Ping's waists before sinking into their bodies.

This was Ye Hongling's Second Soul Skill, Life Link.

With Ye Hongling herself as the core, it connected nearby companions, providing continuous healing. It could also share Soul Power and distribute received damage. It was an extremely useful Soul Skill.

The Spotted Leopard gradually approached until it was five meters away from Tang Chenfeng and the others.

Suddenly, the Spotted Leopard pounced at them with lightning speed, targeting Tang Chenfeng and Ze Ping at the front.

Faced with the Spotted Leopard's frontal attack, Tang Chenfeng and Ze Ping immediately met it with their fists. Ze Ping even charged ahead first.

However, just as the Spotted Leopard was about to collide with Ze Ping, its body suddenly turned into a yellow flash and vanished before him. The flash then appeared in front of Ye Hongling.

Leopard Flash. This was the Spotted Leopard's innate skill, somewhat similar to a spatial skill. It allowed the Spotted Leopard to move at extremely high speed within a certain range. This Spotted Leopard was clever. It chose to bypass Tang Chenfeng and Ze Ping directly and attack Ye Hongling, who had little ability to fight back.

But could it really succeed?

Just as the Spotted Leopard's claws were about to land on Ye Hongling, she suddenly moved swiftly to the side.

Tang Chenfeng grabbed the vine that Ye Hongling had previously wrapped around him and pulled her back instead.

They had planned this defensive measure in advance, specifically to deal with enemies that directly targeted the team's support.

At the same time Tang Chenfeng pulled Ye Hongling back, he charged forward himself. After using Leopard Flash, the Spotted Leopard would enter a fatigued state. This was its weakest moment, and the key opportunity to end its life.

Tang Chenfeng shot straight toward the Spotted Leopard like a cannonball, swinging his right fist into its head.

Crack! Accompanied by a crisp shattering sound, the Spotted Leopard's body flew backward and slammed heavily into the ground. It would never rise again.

"First floor of the Soul Spirit Tower cleared. You may choose whether to absorb the hundred-year Spotted Leopard Spirit Soul or proceed to the next floor." An electronic voice echoed from all directions. At the same time, a golden gate of light appeared before the three of them.

"Let's go. We'll head straight to the next floor." Tang Chenfeng took the lead and entered the gate of light.

The Spotted Leopard specialized in speed, and the Soul Ring it produced would most likely grant a speed-related Soul Skill. Clearly, that was not particularly important for Ze Ping's Steel Claw Tiger Martial Soul. Therefore, continuing their Tower Climbing was the best choice.

As they entered the gate of light, their vision shifted. In the next instant, they appeared in a hall identical to the previous one. There seemed to be no difference at all: the same octagonal hall and the same eight gates.

The gates opened once more, but this time, all eight opened simultaneously.

"It looks like a large group of Soul Beasts will appear this time. We'll have to adapt as we go." Tang Chenfeng directed.

Ye Hongling continued to connect the three of them as the team's core. Beyond that, Tang Chenfeng did not attack immediately. Instead, he assessed what Soul Beasts might emerge from behind the gates and considered various countermeasures.

The eight gates opened completely, and the howls and roars of beasts followed one after another. The three first saw pairs of dark green eyes appear behind the gates, followed by wolf-type Soul Beasts clad in wooden exoskeletal armor.

"Wood Wolves!" Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling exclaimed in unison.

Wood Wolves were already very familiar Soul Beasts to Tang Chenfeng and Ye Hongling. After all, the Wood Wolf King in the Sunset Great Forest had left an unforgettable impression on them.

Before long, the three were surrounded by the wolf pack. Most were ten-year Soul Beasts, with three hundred-year Wood Wolves among them. There were around fifty in total. A single Wood Wolf was not frightening, but this was a wolf pack. They absolutely could not underestimate it.

"Boss, what do we do next?" Ze Ping's voice sounded somewhat panicked. He had never seen Soul Beasts before. This was his first time witnessing such a scene.

"Of course we charge forward and meet them. The armor around a Wood Wolf's waist and abdomen is relatively weak, so aim your attacks there." Tang Chenfeng seemed not to notice Ze Ping's panic and merely offered advice.

At the same time, the Wood Wolves began converging from every direction. Two had already pounced straight at Tang Chenfeng.

Tang Chenfeng's body seemed to swell a little further as he charged directly toward the two Wood Wolves. At the same time, Ye Hongling's First Soul Ring lit up. Life Domain blossomed, enveloping Tang Chenfeng within it.

Strangely, when the Wood Wolves stepped into the Life Domain, they seemed to lose their strength, and their momentum weakened considerably.

Tang Chenfeng now stood at least two meters and thirty centimeters tall, his muscles massively swollen. He raised both fists and lunged at the two Wood Wolves, striking their abdomens without hesitation. Their wooden armor cracked apart on impact, and the two Wood Wolves died instantly.

Afterward, Tang Chenfeng seemed to notice something and shouted to Ze Ping, "Ze Ping, I'll deal with those three alpha wolves. Protect Ling'er!" Then he charged straight into the wolf pack.

"Okay!" Ze Ping had barely responded before Tang Chenfeng vanished from sight. What followed was a disturbance within the wolf pack, along with several Wood Wolves pouncing toward him.

Ze Ping did not even have a Soul Ring. Under normal circumstances, he would struggle even against ten-year Soul Beasts. But with Ye Hongling's connection, he was effectively sharing Tang Chenfeng's and Ye Hongling's Soul Power. He had no problem dealing with ordinary hundred-year Soul Beasts; he merely lacked combat experience.

Then, under the suppression of Ye Hongling's Life Domain, the wolf pack was utterly fragile. Even Ze Ping killed several Wood Wolves with his own strength. Tang Chenfeng was even fiercer, charging in and out of the wolf pack repeatedly and eliminating the three hundred-year Wood Wolves on his own. After that, the remaining Wood Wolves actually tucked their tails and fled back through the gates, disappearing.

"Second floor of the Soul Spirit Tower cleared." The prompt sounded across the arena. Tang Chenfeng and the others did not immediately proceed to the next floor as they had before, but rested where they were to recover their Soul Power.