Spirit Ascension Platform

After returning to the dormitory, Yun Chen saw the three of them sitting silently on their respective beds. He asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you guys? Did something happen?"

Yun Chen's return brought the three of them back to their senses. Zhang Yangzi casually waved a hand. "Nothing. Teacher Ye just told us something, and we're thinking about what to do."

"Hmm? Teacher Ye?" Yun Chen was even more puzzled. They had only been enrolled for a short time; what could Ye Yingluo possibly want with them?

Seeing Yun Chen's confused expression, the honest Wang Jinxi spoke up. "It's about the Class Promotion Tournament."

"Oh, that." The moment he heard it was about the Class Promotion Tournament, Yun Chen immediately lost interest.

Seeing his reaction, Wei Xiaofeng asked, "Why do you seem so uninterested in the Class Promotion Tournament?"

"I was never interested in it to begin with," Yun Chen said.

"Then... if we asked you to give up your spot in the lineup, would you be willing?" Zhang Yangzi asked tentatively.

Yun Chen paused while making his bed, then turned to Zhang Yangzi. "This is what you've all been worrying about?"

"Yeah, this is it." The three of them nodded in unison.

"Then stop worrying. I'm not interested in the Class Promotion Tournament. The three of you can compete. But don't get yourselves beaten by some underdog, or I'll laugh at you for the rest of your lives," Yun Chen said.

"Damn! Don't underestimate us! The three of us are Soul Grandmasters! Soul Grandmasters! How could we possibly lose?" Wei Xiaofeng protested.

"Don't be so naive." Yun Chen pressed Wei Xiaofeng, who had jumped up from his bed, back down. "Among the three of you, two are agility attack types and one is a power attack type. You lack support from a control-type Soul Master, and you also lack long-range attack methods. If you run into a powerful control-type Soul Master, or one capable of long-range restraint, even one-ringed opponents will give you a lot of trouble."

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi silently nodded as they listened to Yun Chen. Wei Xiaofeng, however, still did not think it was a big deal. In his eyes, neither long-range restraint nor control amounted to anything before his speed.

Yun Chen did not try to persuade Wei Xiaofeng further. That was simply his personality. Unless he crashed headfirst into a wall, he would never see himself clearly.

Still, Yun Chen's declaration put the three of them at ease. Yun Chen might not care about the Class Promotion Tournament, but they valued it greatly. Besides, as Wang Jinxi had said before, perhaps the other classes would send more competitors, in which case they would not need to agonize over it.

The next day, Ye Yingluo brought up the Class Promotion Tournament in class. Yun Chen knew Eastsea Academy's Class Promotion Tournament very well. He also knew that this tournament would be halted after Tang Wulin's group of three performed brilliantly and defeated Class One.

When Ye Yingluo announced the list of candidates for the Class Promotion Tournament, the classroom immediately erupted into chatter. According to the tournament rules, the number of participants was designated by the challenger's class. Ye Yingluo felt that the other first-year classes likely would not be able to field many people either. Thus, naming Yun Chen, Xu Xiaoyan, Wei Xiaofeng, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi as five candidates was enough. As for who would compete when the time came, that would depend on the challengers' strength.

Over the next few days, life at school continued as usual. Then, on their day off, as Yun Chen and Xu Xiaoyan were heading home, Mother Xu suddenly came to Yun Chen.

"Xiao Chen, you know that Xiao Yan is somewhat timid by nature. That simply won't do for a Soul Master. So Uncle Xu and I want her to gain some experience in the Spirit Ascension Platform."

At that point, Mother Xu paused slightly. She took two entry tickets for the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform from her Storage Soul Tool and placed them on the table before them. "But the Spirit Ascension Platform is different from the outside world. It is a paradise for Spirit Beasts. I'm afraid Xiao Yan may be in danger inside, so I'd like you to go with her. What do you think?"

"That's fine, Auntie Xu." Yun Chen nodded in agreement.

"Then let's set off." Mother Xu smiled, called over Xu Xiaoyan, who was curled up in her room sleeping in, and headed for the Spirit Pagoda with them.

Led by a Spirit Master, the two arrived in a room filled with surveillance monitors. The two coffin-like devices were the mediums for entering the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Under the Spirit Master's guidance, Yun Chen and Xu Xiaoyan lay down inside them.

On the way to the Spirit Pagoda, Mother Xu had already explained the purpose of this trip to the Spirit Ascension Platform to Xu Xiaoyan. Normally, those entering the Spirit Ascension Platform would be randomly teleported. Before she met up with Yun Chen, Xu Xiaoyan would have to face Spirit Beasts by herself. This was also meant to test her. Father Xu and Mother Xu hoped to temper Xu Xiaoyan's courage through this method.

It was only because the Spirit Ascension Platform had certain safety measures in place. Otherwise, given how dearly Father Xu and Mother Xu cherished Xu Xiaoyan, they would never have allowed her to take such a risk. But Xu Xiaoyan was, after all, a Soul Master, and she now bore the Xu Family's hopes for resurgence. They could not let her remain so timid.

Xu Xiaoyan was frightened, but she agreed after Mother Xu persuaded her. Especially after learning that Yun Chen would be entering as well and would protect her after they met up, she finally gathered a bit of courage. Yet when she lay down in the metal container, the little girl still nervously clenched her small hands while continuously muttering something under her breath.

Seeing her like this, Mother Xu let out a helpless sigh. Meanwhile, Yun Chen had already closed his eyes, waiting for his consciousness to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform.

A moment later, a wave of dizziness swept over him. When Yun Chen opened his eyes again, he was already inside the simulated Star Dou Great Forest of the Spirit Ascension Platform. The life energy radiating from the surrounding trees and forest made every cell in his body feel as though it had come alive. He had never experienced such a feeling in the outside world.

Has the life balance of Douluo Continent really deteriorated to this extent...?

As the Spirit Beast race neared extinction and the Star Dou Great Forest was excessively logged, only that small remaining area was left. The life balance of Douluo Continent was on the verge of complete collapse. Yet all of it was the bitter fruit humanity had brewed for itself.

After carefully sensing the various elements permeating the area, Yun Chen strode deeper into the forest. He needed to find Xu Xiaoyan as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if that little girl encountered a Spirit Beast, she might be scared into tears.

What Yun Chen did not know was that, at that very moment, the Spirit Pagoda staff watching Xu Xiaoyan's situation outside, along with Mother Xu, all wore bewildered expressions. One staff member turned to Mother Xu in confusion. "Your child really has quite a lot of ideas, doesn't she?"