First Meeting with Gu Yue

Li Jinsheng walked out of East Sea Junior Academy and looked at Xie Xie beside him, who was acting unusually familiar. Confused, he asked, "Xie Xie, why do you keep staring at me?"

"There are only two people in the class with Innate Full Soul Power—you and me. Of course I'm curious!"

Flecks of light glittered in Xie Xie's eyes as he curiously sized up Li Jinsheng.

"What's there to look at? Everyone has two eyes, two ears, one nose, and one mouth."

Helplessness hung on Li Jinsheng's face as he began to ponder. Since his Martial Soul had a life attribute, if he could slow the rate at which his own life force faded—or replenish it—could he achieve immortality?

As long as he lay low for Ten Thousand Years, he could become a god. As for facing Tang San ten thousand years later, it was fine—he would die soon enough. Li Jinsheng had ten thousand years to do whatever he wanted!

Even the Dragon God Bloodline could be plotted for.

"You're really boring!" Xie Xie curled his lip, a trace of disdain in his eyes.

As he spoke, he climbed into his family's car. A woman was already seated inside, her brown hair tied up, her ponytail draped over the front of her shoulder.

When she saw Xie Xie get in, the woman turned around and gently pulled him into her arms.

"Xie Xie, what did you learn at school today? Did you make any new friends?"

Xie Xie's childish voice came from her embrace. "Mom, I made a friend."

He looked out the window. Noticing the two of them looking over, Li Jinsheng stopped and politely said, "Hello, Auntie!"

"Hello!" Xie Xie's mother looked at him warmly. "Are you Xie Xie's friend?"

"Yes." Li Jinsheng answered crisply. Just then, a black car silently pulled up by the roadside. The boy glanced at it, then politely dipped his head. "Auntie, the person picking me up is here. I'll be going now. Goodbye."

"Goodbye!" Xie Xie's mother bade him farewell gently, then looked down at her son in her arms and softly began humming a warm nursery rhyme.

Their car slowly drove away from East Sea Junior Academy.

Li Jinsheng also got into the car, which headed toward the East Sea Spirit Pagoda.

As he watched the setting sun gradually sink beyond the window, the shops on both sides of the street lit up one after another with warm yellow lights. As the evening glow faded westward, Eastsea City's bustling splendor came alive.

Before long, the vehicle slowly entered the Spirit Pagoda.

A staff member was waiting by the elevator. Upon seeing Li Jinsheng, he said, "Li Jinsheng, the Tower Master wants to see you."

"Me?" The boy was slightly stunned. What did the Tower Master want with him? He had no offensive abilities, so it would not be appropriate to send him alone into the Spirit Ascension Platform!

Could it be that suitable teammates had been arranged for him?

He followed the staff member into the elevator and arrived at the office of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda's Tower Master.

The moment he entered, he noticed two figures on the sofa, one older and one younger. His eyes were filled with confusion. He did not know them, yet he had the distinct feeling that both were very powerful.

"Li Jinsheng, you're finally here." Xiao Yu pointed at the two on the sofa and introduced them. "This is the Purple Dragon Douluo, and this is Gu Yue. They both wish to join the Spirit Pagoda. They come from a reclusive family in East Sea."

"Hello!" Li Jinsheng greeted them politely, though his gaze was grave. He had never imagined that, at six years old, he would encounter an incarnation containing seventy percent of the Silver Dragon King's power.

Why had the Silver Dragon King split ahead of time? Where was the remaining thirty percent of her power?

Had the God King set her up?

But the thought vanished in an instant. Tang Wulin's blood could sustain Ling Zichen for ten thousand years—who knew what effects Gu Yue might have!

Later, he could steal Ling Zichen's research results, and after being frozen for ten thousand years, he would go steal Ling Zichen's research results.

The suffering of flesh; the ascension of machines.

"Hello!" Gu Yue's black eyes turned toward Li Jinsheng. Seeing the dense life force around him, she could tell with certainty that he was an auxiliary-type Soul Master!

Yet even the life force contained within Bi Ji was not as dense as that within this child.

She did not pay it much mind. At most, he was an auxiliary-type Soul Master. As long as he did not interfere with her plans, that was enough.

Moreover, she had a feeling that if she made a move, not a single person present would survive!

And she would climb step by step to the top, take the position of Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda, seize control of the entire Spirit Pagoda, and control every Soul Master on Douluo Continent.

Then she would lead the Soul Beast race to rise again and ascend to the God Realm once more.

"Hello!" After Zi Ji returned the greeting politely, she turned her gaze back to Xiao Yu. "Tower Master Xiao, can we continue discussing our joining the Spirit Pagoda? If you cannot make a decision, we can go elsewhere."

Xiao Yu nodded. "Naturally, we welcome you to join our Spirit Pagoda. But my authority extends only to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda."

Zi Ji and Gu Yue exchanged a glance. It was as brief as a dragonfly touching water, yet it conveyed a thousand unspoken words.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Zi Ji's eyes flickered slightly as she softly said, "That will be enough."

The three words fell lightly, but Gu Yue had other plans in mind.

First, take control of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda. Then move on to Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.

Upon hearing that, Xiao Yu seemed to let out a breath of relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly. He turned toward the boy standing in the shadows and beckoned.

"Jinsheng! Come here!"

A hint of pride entered his voice. "He is a rare genius that East Sea has not seen in many years, with Innate Full Soul Power."

The boy stepped forward. Light fell across his youthful cheeks. His frame was somewhat slender, yet he stood straight as a pine.

"A one-of-a-kind Life Element Martial Soul!" Xiao Yu continued the introduction. "He specializes in support and control!"

Li Jinsheng gave a slight nod, his calm gaze sweeping over the two of them. Now that he stood closer, he could more keenly sense the unfathomable aura surrounding Zi Ji.

He felt that if she showed even the slightest displeasure, she could easily crush him to death.

Just then, Gu Yue, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly stood up.

Though she currently looked like nothing more than a six-year-old child, her eyes held a depth utterly at odds with her age.

A question flashed through her heart. A human could actually awaken the Life Element as a Martial Soul?

Taking a step forward, she asked in a clear voice, "May I see your Martial Soul?"

Li Jinsheng nodded and slowly raised his left hand. With his movement, a gentle halo began gathering in his palm, forming an emerald green orb of light.

Its radiance was not as blazing as fire, nor as icy as frost, yet it carried a warmth as gentle as sunlight.

Gu Yue's eyes narrowed as she studied it more closely than anyone else. Within that emerald light was undoubtedly the purest essence of the Life Element.

Even the Gold of Life within the Lake of Life could only barely compare.

Could it be that most of the life force that had vanished from Douluo Continent had all gathered within this child?!

Was he not afraid of things going too far and rebounding in the opposite direction?

At that moment, Xiao Yu curiously asked Gu Yue, "Miss Gu Yue, may I ask what your Martial Soul is? If it is an offensive Martial Soul, I can provide you with a free opportunity to raise your soul in the Spirit Ascension Platform."

"The Spirit Ascension Platform? What is that?" Gu Yue asked in confusion.

Xiao Yu was briefly taken aback, then cheerfully explained, "The Spirit Ascension Platform was created entirely by our Spirit Pagoda. It is a place for Soul Masters to train, improve their individual strength, and experience the charm of the Soul Master world from ancient times. More than ten Titled Douluo participated in its initial construction, along with a great number of top researchers. The Spirit Pagoda paid a considerable price to finally complete it."

"When Soul Masters enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, it is like entering another space. However, they are protected by the platform itself, so the danger is limited. They can battle Soul Beasts within it and improve their Actual Combat experience. Some particularly fortunate Soul Masters can even perfect their Soul Spirits in the Spirit Ascension Platform and achieve soul ascension."

"I see!" Gu Yue said, sounding as though she only half understood. "I am a Control System Soul Master, and I specialize in Multi-Element Control. I would also like to experience the Spirit Ascension Platform."

"Then I have a presumptuous request. Could you bring this child along for soul ascension as well? He does not have many offensive methods," Xiao Yu pleaded. There truly was no more suitable candidate, and the first ring was the best time for soul ascension.

When a Soul Master killed a Soul Beast in the Spirit Ascension Platform, they could absorb ten percent of its energy.

If they killed a Century Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, for instance, their First Soul Ring would immediately gain ten years of cultivation. If a Titled Douluo killed it instead, the energy would be distributed among all nine Soul Rings, increasing each by roughly one year on average.

Therefore, raising the age limit of one's first ring was an opportunity that was almost impossible to come by. After all, very few people could reach the Spirit Connection Realm in Spiritual Power while still at the first ring.

Death within the Spirit Ascension Platform could not truly harm Li Jinsheng.

"Of course," Gu Yue agreed without refusing. Bringing along a little brother was no issue for her.

"Thank you," Li Jinsheng said gratefully, his fingertips inconspicuously brushing the Soul Tool at his waist. Inside was a pile of commercially available tools meant to protect himself.