Becoming a Researcher

Su Hao spoke slowly:

"Go ahead without me. I need to make a trip to the Spirit Pagoda this afternoon."

Hearing that Su Hao was going to the Spirit Pagoda, Ma Tianyu and the other two beside him all asked in confusion:

"Boss, aren't you already level twenty-two? You don't need to obtain a Soul Ring right now, so what are you going to the Spirit Pagoda for?"

Seeing their confusion, Su Hao explained to the three of them:

"It's nothing major. When I first awakened my Martial Soul, the Spirit Pagoda invited me to join them. I agreed, but I was too young at the time, so they told me that after I started middle school, I had to set aside one day a week to study at the Spirit Pagoda. Other than going there to obtain Soul Spirits, I never went back.

"Now that I've entered East Sea Junior Academy and have nothing to do this afternoon, I thought I'd go take a look and have them make arrangements for me.

"After all, they gave me these two Soul Spirits. I can't just take their benefits without doing any work, can I?"

Upon hearing that Su Hao had already joined the Spirit Pagoda, Ma Tianyu and the other two, who had just been wondering where to have fun that afternoon, immediately forgot all about it. Instead, they crowded around Su Hao, asking what benefits came with joining the Spirit Pagoda, whether they could join too, and whether he could take them in for a look.

Seeing them surround him with question after question, Su Hao hurriedly stopped them and began answering them one by one.

"When I joined the Spirit Pagoda, it was because I had Innate Full Soul Power, a Body Martial Soul that had mutated in a positive direction, and I joined right after awakening my Martial Soul.

"So the benefits they gave me were two Hundred-Year Spirits, as well as one chance every week to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform before I reached Three Rings.

"As for the benefits for other people, I don't really know.

"And whether you can join the Spirit Pagoda or whether I can bring you in for a look isn't something I can decide. You can ask at a nearby Spirit Pagoda, or wait until I'm more familiar with the place and tell you later."

Upon hearing that Su Hao had entered the Spirit Ascension Platform once every week ever since awakening his Martial Soul, Ma Tianyu and the other two once again began chattering over one another.

"Boss, have you gone in every week ever since you awakened your Martial Soul?"

"Boss, what's the Spirit Ascension Platform like inside? I heard it's just a forest, and there are Soul Beasts in it."

"Yeah, Boss. I heard that killing Soul Beasts in there can even raise the age of your Soul Rings, right?"

Hearing the three of them bombard him with questions again, Su Hao rubbed his forehead and explained:

"I've entered the Spirit Ascension Platform once every week ever since I awakened my Martial Soul.

"The forest inside is the Star Dou Great Forest from our textbooks, and there really are Soul Beasts in it.

"They're all simulated, though. Killing those simulated Soul Beasts drops Spirit Power, and Soul Spirits can indeed increase their age by absorbing it.

"Because of my current physical limitations, I can only absorb Soul Spirits around fifteen hundred years old. With my father's help, both of my Soul Spirits are now around fifteen hundred years old.

"As for my recent visits to the Spirit Ascension Platform, they've mainly been for honing my combat abilities."

Hearing that Su Hao's two Soul Rings were both already over a thousand years old, Ma Tianyu and the other two were extremely envious of his ability to join the Spirit Pagoda. By the time they finished talking, Su Hao had already reached the school gate.

Seeing that they had reached the gate, Su Hao said goodbye to Ma Tianyu and the other two.

Finally, beneath the three boys' envious gazes, Su Hao took a car to the Spirit Pagoda in East Sea.

After arriving at the Spirit Pagoda, Su Hao headed straight inside. Once in the building, he found a staff member and said:

"Hello. When I joined the Spirit Pagoda, the person who handled my enrollment told me to come back after starting middle school and work here once a week.

"What should I do?"

After hearing this, the staff member looked Su Hao over and said:

"Please take out the Work Badge the Spirit Pagoda gave you. There's a number on it. Scan it with this machine, and it will tell you what you need to do."

After saying that, the staff member led Su Hao to an unfamiliar machine nearby, pointed to the card slot on it, and spoke to him.

Su Hao took out his Work Badge and swiped it through the machine. Before long, a large amount of text appeared on the screen.

Su Hao stepped forward to read it and discovered that it was actually a work form. After reading it through, he found that the form primarily conveyed two points.

After joining the Spirit Pagoda, did he wish to become combat personnel or a Researcher? After thinking briefly, Su Hao selected Researcher on the form. A silver card then popped out from the card dispenser below, and the screen immediately displayed instructions for him to study under someone named Cao Hongwen.

Su Hao then asked the staff member beside him who Cao Hongwen was. Upon hearing the name, the staff member said, "He is the Pagoda Master of our East Sea Spirit Pagoda, as well as a Level 8 Soul Tool Master. He is responsible for many of the Spirit Pagoda's important research projects."

Su Hao then asked where he could find Cao Hongwen. The staff member asked what business he had with Pagoda Master Cao, and Su Hao replied that Spirit Pagoda Headquarters had told him to study under Pagoda Master Cao.

Upon hearing that the headquarters had sent him to study under Pagoda Master Cao, the staff member immediately said, "I'll take you to Pagoda Master Cao."

The staff member then led Su Hao to the top floor to meet Pagoda Master Cao while introducing himself, saying that his surname was Qin and his name was Qin An.

Before long, they arrived at the top floor. Qin An led Su Hao to a room, knocked on the door, and entered after receiving permission from within.

"Pagoda Master, this is a new Spirit Messenger who has joined our Spirit Pagoda. He said he has come to study under you."

Cao Hongwen looked at Su Hao after hearing this. He told the staff member that he understood and dismissed him. Once the staff member had left, Cao Hongwen spoke.

"Su Hao, you became a Spirit Messenger three years ago. After you filled out the form just now, the headquarters assigned you to study under me. Is that correct?"

Hearing Cao Hongwen's words, Su Hao replied calmly:

"That's right, Pagoda Master Cao."

Upon hearing Su Hao's response, Cao Hongwen said:

"Starting next week, come to the Spirit Pagoda every Saturday to study research techniques under me. Don't worry, I won't teach you anything too difficult. I'll start with the basics. That's all. And remember to take these books with you when you leave. Don't forget to read them. Next Saturday, I'll test you and see how much is appropriate to teach you.

"That's all. You may go back now."

Cao Hongwen pointed at several books beside him as he spoke to Su Hao.

After hearing this, Su Hao stepped forward, took the books Cao Hongwen had mentioned, bid him farewell, and left the Spirit Pagoda.