Final Exam, Three-Ring Soul Master!

A lone peak howls, shaking a thousand ridges, looking down upon the ranges with pride.

Golden pupils split the night, igniting the stars; an iron tail shatters the clouds, rending the vast heavens.

Ten thousand ravines follow the king's aura; nine heavens of thunder temper the steel within the bones.

Stepping upon the jagged rocks as a place to ascend, the peak of the martial path is home.

Time flows like water, and the sun and moon shift.

Nearly a semester had passed since Situ Xuan arrived at Eastsea Academy in Eastsea City.

Ever since the Zero Class was established, Eastsea Academy had never failed to provide the weekly access to the Spirit Ascension Platform they had promised.

This made Situ Xuan more willing to perform the superficial tasks that allowed him to blend into the team.

At the very least, before he could stand on his own, the academy provided resources, and he would secure fame for them in the upcoming Tianhai Alliance Tournament; it was a fair trade.

The Zero Class had only been established for three months, but the consistent access to the Spirit Ascension Platform, which allowed him to vent the pent-up energy in his chest, had made Situ Xuan's progress even more rapid.

From his initial level twelve or thirteen, he had climbed all the way to his current level nineteen soul power. If not for the fact that Situ Xuan's enrollment files were still in Long Hengxu's office drawer, no one would believe that he was merely an eleven-year-old boy with an innate soul power of level three.

"Teacher Wu, do we have to take final exams too?"

In the classroom, Tang Wulin asked in surprise.

"You do."

Wu Zhangkong said indifferently, "Your final exam will consist of two subjects. The first subject is the Spirit Ascension Platform."

The Spirit Ascension Platform?

In three months, the group had entered the Spirit Ascension Platform eleven times. From their initial confusion to their current familiarity, they could now survive for at least an hour each time they entered, provided their luck wasn't particularly bad.

The record, held by Xie Xie, was over three hours.

As for Situ Xuan...

He still maintained his style of entering with a specific goal in mind and retreating quickly once that goal was achieved.

"You need to persist in the Spirit Ascension Platform for one hour to pass the final exam. However, I must warn you that the version you will be entering this time is the riot-state Spirit Ascension Platform."

A mysterious smile appeared on Wu Zhangkong's face as he explained, "The Spirit Ascension Platform experiences two riot periods every year, initially caused by the instability of the energy used to construct it... During the riot period, you can enter the Spirit Ascension Platform as a team, but no more than seven people. The five of you are just right, and you will be teleported together... If you leave the Spirit Ascension Platform during this process, the remaining spirit power will be absorbed by the nearest Soul Master. This is a special condition that only occurs during the riot period."

Zhang Yangzi said, "In other words, others can steal our soul beast spirit power, and we can steal theirs?"

Wu Zhangkong said calmly, "If you have the confidence, you can certainly steal from others, but I must warn you that the entry limit for the primary Spirit Ascension Platform is the peak of the third ring. Entering during the riot period requires a significant cost, so many Soul Masters only gamble once they reach the peak of the third ring to see if they can kill more soul beasts to upgrade their soul spirits. Therefore, the opponents you will face will be very strong."

Tang Wulin said, "Teacher, don't worry, we will rely on the strength of the collective!"

"Hmm?!"

Opponents?

Very strong?

Hearing these keywords, Situ Xuan, who had been indifferent and seemingly detached, perked up as if he had caught a scent!

His eyes, which had always been calm, suddenly flashed with a sharp light, like a sleeping beast catching the scent of prey. His body, which had been lazily leaning against the back of the chair, leaned forward slightly, and for the first time, his gaze truly focused on Wu Zhangkong.

"Riot period... peak of the third ring..."

He repeated these words in a low voice, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the desk, making a faint tap-tap sound. The sound carried a sense of suppressed excitement.

For him, the greatest value of the Spirit Ascension Platform had never been the meager soul beast spirit power, but rather a battlefield where he could unleash his power, test what he had learned, and hone himself on the edge of life and death!

In the ordinary Spirit Ascension Platform, although there were many soul beasts, there was a lack of opponents of sufficient caliber, which always left him feeling unsatisfied.

Now, hearing that a large number of peak third-ring Soul Masters would flood in, desperate to upgrade their soul spirits, and that the rules allowed for mutual conflict... this was a hunting ground tailor-made for him!

"Team entry?"

A faint, cold arc appeared at the corner of Situ Xuan's mouth. "That means the six of us will appear together?"

Tang Wulin nodded vigorously. "Yes, Situ! This time we can fight side by side!"

He was clearly full of anticipation for teamwork.

Xie Xie also rubbed his hands together. "Hehe, finally we can go all out! Let those third-ring guys see how strong our Zero Class is!"

Gu Yue didn't speak, but her eyes revealed a hint of seriousness.

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi were both nervous and expectant.

Situ Xuan's gaze swept over these four nominal "teammates," and the impatience he had felt toward the idea of a "team" was suppressed by his desire for "strong opponents."

Pawns... if they can be of some use, that wouldn't be bad.

He thought coldly to himself.

In such a chaotic environment where mutual attacks were permitted, these "teammates" could at least serve as targets to draw fire or help him clear out the small fry, allowing him to focus on hunting the real "big fish"—those peak third-ring Soul Masters!

"Interesting."

Situ Xuan finally spoke, his voice still flat, but those who knew him could hear an unusual tone in it. "When does it start?"

Wu Zhangkong took in Situ Xuan's reaction, understanding everything in his heart.

He knew that for an existence like Situ Xuan, only powerful opponents and challenges could truly pique his interest.

"Three days from now, gather at the Spirit Pagoda on time."

"You have these three days off; you can relax and also make your preparations."

Wu Zhangkong said indifferently, "Remember, the Spirit Ascension Platform during a riot period is far more dangerous than usual, not just because of the Soul Beasts, but also because of other Soul Masters. You are a single unit; you prosper together and suffer together. If anyone is eliminated early, their remaining spiritual power will become nourishment for others."

His gaze lingered on Situ Xuan for a moment, carrying a warning.

Situ Xuan shifted his gaze noncommittally and looked back out the window, but within those deep eyes, a cold fighting spirit had already ignited.

Peak of the three-ring...

I hope you don't disappoint me too much.

He was already looking forward to using the defeat of those so-called "strong" individuals to verify his "mastery" of baleful energy over the past three months, as well as his deeper understanding of Fist of the North Star.

This time, perhaps it will allow him to...

Enjoy himself a little!