Ascension

That morning.

"Today, we're going to the Spirit Pagoda."

Wu Changkong's tone was concise. As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in Zero Class looked puzzled, unable to understand the purpose of the trip.

Someone looked at Gu Yue Na'er.

They assumed that Gu Yue Na'er had broken through to Rank 30 and needed to obtain a Soul Spirit.

But she already had a Thousand Year Soul Spirit, didn't she? She did not need a new Soul Spirit for her third Soul Ring.

Su Qiu, however, had long known that they were going there for Spirit Ascension.

He had often visited the Spirit Ascension Platform before. Later, he realized that making repeated trips was too troublesome. The improvements were minor for him, and it was a waste of time. He might as well focus fully on raising his rank first.

So, after raising his Soul Spirit to six thousand years, he stopped going. Once he had time in the future, he would make a serious run at it and raise it directly to ten thousand years.

Only on the way there did Wu Changkong slowly explain, "Starting today, you will have one day every week to cultivate in the Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Ascension Platform. The academy fought to secure these slots. They are also Zero Class's most precious resource, so you must cherish them."

"The Spirit Ascension Platform?" Tang Wulin looked completely bewildered.

Gu Yue Na'er remained calm.

Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi, however, were utterly shocked. Xie Xie exclaimed, "The academy actually has this kind of pull! Joining Zero Class really was the right choice!"

"What is the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

Seeing Tang Wulin press for answers, Xie Xie explained, "The Spirit Ascension Platform is a top-tier Training Ground created by the Spirit Pagoda. There are only eighteen across the entire continent, and each requires more than ten Titled Douluo and top scientific researchers to build. It was originally intended to research ways to raise the level of artificial Soul Spirits. Although the results were limited, it was later transformed into a treasured place for Soul Masters to train."

He continued, "It gathers the continent's finest Soul Tools and scientific achievements. After entering, a Soul Master feels as though they have entered another dimension. They can battle Soul Beasts within safe limits to gain practical combat experience. If they are lucky, they may even increase their Soul Spirit's age. However, the higher the Soul Spirit's level, the lower the chance of improving it."

Tang Wulin's heart burned with excitement.

His Soul Spirit was only ten years old and was already nearly unable to keep up with his cultivation.

If he could raise it to a hundred years, both his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and Soul Skills would grow stronger. It would also save him a huge sum on buying future Soul Spirits.

"What are the requirements to enter?"

Xie Xie answered, "You need money and a slot. The Primary Spirit Ascension Platform costs five hundred thousand Federal Coins per visit. That part is the easiest."

"The truly difficult thing is getting a slot. The Primary Spirit Ascension Platform has only a thousand slots per month, while there are over a million Soul Masters across the continent. The slots are extremely scarce. Intermediate and advanced Spirit Ascension Platforms have even fewer slots, and their costs are sky-high."

Tang Wulin did not understand anything about slots or the like. All he could think about was that enormous expense.

At the same time, he felt fortunate that he had joined Zero Class. Otherwise, he had no idea when he would ever have gotten a chance to visit the Spirit Ascension Platform.

As one of the Spirit Pagoda's Eighteen Pillars, the Eastsea City Spirit Pagoda was an imposing structure.

This octagonal building rose over four hundred meters high, with a broad base.

Every ten floors, it narrowed inward until it reached the pointed spire at the top. Even amid all the skyscrapers of Eastsea City, it was an exceptionally eye-catching landmark.

When they arrived, the academy's director of instruction, Long Hengxu, was already waiting at the entrance and led them into the Spirit Pagoda.

At that moment, Su Qiu stepped forward and began introducing the place to them as they walked.

As they passed through the first floor, a scene of splendor met their eyes.

The dark golden stone floor bore natural patterns. The dome, dozens of meters high, was supported by massive pillars, while magnificent murals covered both the pillars and the ceiling.

Under everyone's strange gazes, Su Qiu slowly explained, "These murals record the story of the first Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda, who was also the inventor of Soul Spirits—the Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao. They depict his battle against the Soul Beast tide as well. The murals in the eighteen branch towers connect into a complete narrative, while the murals at the headquarters record his final battle with the Beast God, Di Tian. Afterward, both of them vanished. It is said that Huo Yuhao won and ascended to the God Realm."

At the mention of Huo Yuhao, Su Qiu felt a little regretful. Such a promising child favored by fate, with such a bright future ahead of him.

Yet he had run into Tang San.

And ended up being turned into a dog.

Tragic.

In Su Qiu's eyes, even if Huo Yuhao had not gone mad by the end, he was probably close enough.

Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er were actually already dead.

Tang Wutong was merely a stranger.

Yet Huo Yuhao could still love her as if she were Wang Dong'er.

Either he was insane, or he had no other choice.

Actually, Su Qiu could understand. If that bastard Tang San had treated him that way, he would not have had any choice either.

Fortunately, he had transmigrated into this era.

Although the God Realm no longer existed and it was difficult to become a god, Tang San was not around either! Only his Divine Sense remained.

Otherwise, once Tang San in the God Realm discovered Su Qiu's uniqueness, he might have turned Tang Wulin into a woman and stuffed him into Su Qiu's dormitory.

Then slowly trained him like a dog.

What could Su Qiu do? He would have no choice either.

Tang Wulin stared at the mural. Above the city facing the Soul Beast tide, Huo Yuhao stood surrounded by countless people, his Soul Rings blazing around him.

Beside her stood Dragon Butterfly Douluo Tang Wutong, her butterfly wings radiant behind her and her beauty peerless.

Su Qiu's introduction sounded a little awkward. "She is... Huo Yuhao's wife. The two of them have an incredibly powerful Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

That reminded Su Qiu of something.

If Tang San were still around, he would definitely have modified Tang Wulin and created a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with him.

Martial soul fusion was simply too brilliant.

It was comparable to Zhongli faking his death.

After that, Su Qiu continued introducing things along the way.

Tang Wulin asked curiously, "Su Qiu, you seem very familiar with this place."

Xie Xie chimed in jokingly, "Yeah, it's like we're guests visiting Su Qiu's home, and he's hosting us."

"More or less. This really does count as my home."

The moment those words came out, the air fell silent.

"No way..." Xie Xie and the others froze stiffly.

"The Tower Master of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda is my Uncle." Su Qiu looked calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was secretly delighted. Hadn't he started introducing everything the moment they entered for exactly this reason?

Good question, Xie Xie!

"Didn't I tell you?"

You told us my ass!

Xie Xie and the others were speechless, while also deeply shocked. They knew Su Qiu had a powerful background, but they had never imagined it was this powerful.

The Tower Master of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda was a Titled Douluo.

In Eastsea City's Soul Master world, who didn't know the Dragon Sparrow Douluo?

He was the sky of Eastsea City.

"Alright, let's go." Long Hengxu's voice snapped everyone out of it. If the dean hadn't warned him beforehand, he probably would have been too stunned to speak as well.

Su Qiu's background was simply too overwhelming in Eastsea City.

Wu Changkong reminded them gravely, "Focus yourselves. Once you enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, you can only rely on yourselves."

Tang Wulin was stunned. "Teacher, you're not coming in with us?"

Wu Changkong explained, "The Primary Spirit Ascension Platform only allows Soul Masters below four rings to enter."

Long Hengxu added from the side, "We'll be watching from outside. If you encounter danger, remember to trigger the signal and evacuate quickly."

Everyone entered the elevator. Rather than rising, it continued descending. The faint sensation of weightlessness told them they were heading deep underground, and the scale of the project displayed the Spirit Pagoda's formidable strength.

Three minutes later, the elevator stopped. Outside was a vast hall, where more than a dozen staff members stood guard, with several metal passageways extending behind them.

Long Hengxu did not even need to show a pass. The staff lowered their heads slightly upon seeing Su Qiu, then led them into one of the corridors.

Before long, they entered a room. A massive screen hung on the wall, displaying images of a green forest.

Once Xu Xiaoyan was introduced, I'd give her some scenes.

Then it would be time to transition to the Heaven Sea Grand Competition.

When the time came, I would become the Heavenly Emperor and suppress all enemies!

I'm gonna flex so damn hard!!!