Spirit Ascension Platform

Wu Changkong strode into the classroom on his long legs, swept his gaze over the assembled Cadets, and stated simply and directly, "Today, we're going to the Spirit Pagoda."

Without offering any explanation, he turned and headed out. Having spent time with him, they all understood Wu Changkong's style and hurriedly followed.

Only on the way did Wu Changkong begin to explain. "Starting today, you'll have one day each week to enter the Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Ascension Platform for cultivation. The school specifically secured this opportunity for you, so I hope you'll cherish it."

Wang Jinxi, Zhang Yangzi, and Xie Xie all looked astonished. Xie Xie exclaimed, "I didn't expect the academy to be so generous. Getting into Class Zero was definitely worth it."

Tang Wulin, looking completely confused, asked quietly, "What kind of place is the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

Xie Xie stared at him in shock. "You don't even know about the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

Tang Wulin gave Xie Xie a shove. "Hurry up and explain."

Xie Xie said, "You should know that Spirit Pagodas are spread across the entire continent. But there are only eighteen Spirit Ascension Platforms on the whole continent, and only major cities have them. A Spirit Ascension Platform is like another dimension, containing all kinds of Virtual Soul Beasts."

"The Spirit Ascension Platform was created entirely by the Spirit Pagoda. It's said that it was originally built to further research Spirit Souls, in hopes of using it to raise the level of Artificial Spirit Souls and create even stronger Spirit Souls."

"But the experiment only partly succeeded. The Spirit Ascension Platform achieved the effect of increasing a Spirit Soul's age. Although it could also raise a Spirit Soul's level, the effect wasn't especially significant and was highly uncertain."

"To avoid wasting resources, the Spirit Pagoda carried out a series of modifications to the Spirit Ascension Platform, retaining its ability to enhance Spirit Souls and turning it into a place for Soul Masters to cultivate."

"Because Soul Masters are protected by the Spirit Ascension Platform once they enter its space, the danger isn't too great. So for us, aside from increasing our Spirit Souls' age, it serves another important purpose: fighting the Soul Beasts inside to gain combat experience."

Tang Wulin nodded and asked a few more related questions, gaining a general understanding of the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Before long, they followed Wu Changkong to the Spirit Pagoda. As one of the continent's eighteen major Branch Towers, Eastsea City's Spirit Pagoda was naturally incomparable to the four-story building in a small city like Aolai City.

From far away, they could see the hundred-story tower, more than four hundred meters tall. Its appearance alone conveyed an imposing grandeur.

When they saw Long Hengxu waiting before the main entrance, they knew the school had clearly made arrangements in advance.

Long Hengxu greeted Wu Changkong, then led everyone into the Spirit Pagoda. The dark-gold stone floor, massive stone pillars, dozens-of-meters-high dome, and magnificent colored murals painted across it created a deeply awe-inspiring sight.

Seeing them stare at the murals overhead, Wu Changkong introduced them. "The murals on the Spirit Pagoda's dome record the story of the first Spirit Pagoda Master, the legendary Spirit Ice Douluo, fighting against a Soul Beast tide. What you see here is only part of the story. Only when the murals from all eighteen Spirit Pagodas are put together does the complete story emerge. The Spirit Pagoda headquarters records the story of Spirit Ice Douluo's battle against the strongest Soul Beast, Beast God Di Tian. After that battle, Spirit Ice Douluo vanished from public sight and never appeared again. But it's said that Spirit Ice Douluo won, because Beast God Di Tian never appeared again either."

It was also An Ping's first time seeing such architecture, and he could not help looking a few more times. While Wu Changkong proudly recounted Huo Yuhao's story, An Ping glanced at Gu Yuena and saw her brows knit slightly as hatred flashed through her eyes. When she heard Xie Xie and Tang Wulin discussing Tang Wutong, Gu Yuena seemed to think of something and fell into thought.

"All right, let's go." Long Hengxu interrupted them. "I was deeply shocked the first time I came here too. Once you come often enough, that feeling naturally fades. Don't waste time on this. You have more important matters to attend to."

Wu Changkong also spoke. "Director Long is right. Focus yourselves. The Spirit Ascension Platform is what matters most to you right now. Once you enter, you'll have to rely entirely on yourselves."

Tang Wulin asked curiously, "Teacher Wu, aren't you coming with us?"

Wu Changkong said, "Only Soul Masters below the fourth ring can enter the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform."

Led by Long Hengxu and Wu Changkong, they took an elevator to an underground area.

After exiting the elevator, they arrived in a spacious hall. Long Hengxu took out a peculiar card and handed it to a staff member. This was presumably the so-called invitation.

Under the staff member's guidance, they took another elevator before finally reaching the room connected to the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform. A huge Soul Guidance Screen hung on the wall, displaying a live feed of the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

The staff member conscientiously explained the precautions for entering the Spirit Ascension Platform, then pressed a button to summon metal pods from within the wall and gestured for them to lie down inside.

They lay down as instructed. Instrumental suction pads extended from all around them and pressed tightly against various parts of their bodies.

As the metal pod slid back into its original position, darkness filled An Ping's vision. Suddenly, a tingling sensation spread across his body, and before long, he began to feel drowsy.

Soon, light flashed before his eyes, and he arrived in another space. Feeling that it was unreal, An Ping sat down where he was and carefully examined his condition. He first cast a minor Trick, True Sight Eye, but discovered nothing unusual. Then, somewhat clumsily, he cast a Level One Spell, Eye of Delusion Breaking.

The scene before him changed, and An Ping fell thoughtful. Is this related to the soul? The body is a projection formed from energy.

Having understood the reason, An Ping began seriously sensing his own soul. He discovered that the connection between his soul and body remained. If intense fluctuations arose, he would return to his body.

All living things in this space were composed only of souls and energy rather than real physical entities, while everything else was formed from different kinds of energy.

"What is An Ping doing?" Long Hengxu pointed angrily at An Ping on the screen. "He sat down on the ground the moment he entered. One moment he's looking around, the next he's closing his eyes and thinking. Does he not know what they were sent in there for?"

Wu Changkong shook his head, his tone equally uncertain. "Perhaps his Spiritual Power detected something?"

Having roughly understood the composition of this space, An Ping stood and wandered casually through the forest. Along the way, he encountered several Soul Beasts. He found that after these Soul Beasts were killed, their energy-formed bodies bled like real living creatures and did not dissipate. Perhaps that made them feel more realistic.

Their souls were purified by the Spirit Ascension Platform into pure Soul Power, which would then be absorbed by Spirit Souls. An Ping understood that this was likely the fundamental principle behind enhancing Spirit Souls.