Entering

Nan Fusheng did not know whether Gu Yue would fly into a rage if she learned Tang Wulin's true identity.

But if the Holy Spirit Cult discovered it, Nan Fusheng could guarantee that the Demon Empress of the Holy Spirit Cult—the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, whose cultivation was on the verge of breaking through to godhood—would definitely fly into a rage. She might even come charging over to kill him at all costs.

Then again, Tang Wulin's identity could indeed serve as a bargaining chip. Nan Fusheng pondered this from the side. If he had dealings with the Holy Spirit Cult in the future, perhaps he could use it to gain some benefits.

"Alright, let's go." Long Hengxu's voice roused the six students. Smiling, he said, "When I first came to the Eighteen Heavenly Pillars, I was just as curious as you are. After coming here more often, that feeling gradually faded. But the murals on every one of the Eighteen Heavenly Pillars are especially worth admiring."

Wu Zhangkong said, "Compose yourselves. Once you enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, you will have only yourselves to rely on."

Tang Wulin asked in surprise, "Teacher, aren't you coming in with us?"

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

Long Hengxu nodded. "But don't worry. We'll be monitoring your situation from outside. If you encounter danger, you must take the initiative to withdraw and return. We'll explain the precautions shortly."

Led by Long Hengxu and Wu Zhangkong, the group entered an elevator. Instead of going up, it descended.

The faint sensation of weightlessness told them that they were continuously sinking underground, though there was no way to tell how deep they were going.

The Spirit Pagoda truly deserved its status as the continent's foremost organization. With such formidable power and financial resources, a project like this must have cost an astronomical sum.

There were no numbers in the elevator, but it took a full three minutes before it came to a stop.

When they stepped out, they found themselves in a spacious hall with more than a dozen staff members. Beyond it lay a series of metal passageways.

Long Hengxu took out a peculiar-looking card and handed it to one of the staff members. Without saying a word, the staff member merely gestured for them to follow and led them toward one of the corridors.

After proceeding dozens of meters down the corridor, they entered another elevator. It continued downward, but this time it stopped after only a dozen or so seconds. When the doors opened again, they found themselves in a circular room.

The room was still entirely constructed of metal, but a ring of enormous Soul Guidance Screens hung on the walls. Various images flickered across them, all depicting green worlds that looked like forests.

The staff member turned around and said, "There are six slots for entering the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, and there is no time limit. When you can no longer withstand the dangers inside, press your SOS Signal Device and you will return here. Now, let me explain the precautions."

"The Spirit Ascension Platform was built by the Spirit Pagoda over more than a thousand years, using countless accumulations and foundations, and consuming nearly all of our resources.

"It can itself be called another world, and a great deal of spatial technology was used within it. Therefore, the first thing you need to understand is that the Spirit Ascension Platform is not a completely virtual world. It is half virtual and half real.

"Because much of the virtual data requires real feedback. The Primary Spirit Ascension Platform is the purely virtual portion of it, so your lives will not be threatened."

"Within the Spirit Ascension Platform, you can do anything, but your core objective is survival—survive for as long as possible. The longer you survive, the greater the benefits you will gain in the process."

"Second, do not assume that it is absolutely safe inside and that you need not worry about your lives. Although only your brainwaves are connected, if you suffer an immense shock, the impact on your brainwaves may still put you in danger.

"So, once you feel that something has exceeded your limits, immediately press the SOS Signal Device and leave the Spirit Ascension Platform. Understood?"

"Understood," Nan Fusheng and the other five hurriedly replied.

The staff member nodded. "You can experience the rest for yourselves inside. This is your first time entering today, so perhaps you will not stay long.

"But it should leave a deep impression on you. Children, prepare yourselves mentally. Remember, do not panic no matter what happens. Soul Beasts are not frightening as long as you handle them properly."

After hearing the staff member's explanation, the six boys and girls were all eager to give it a try. Even Nan Fusheng was no exception. After all, even in his previous life, he had only heard of virtual worlds and had never experienced one himself!

Brainwave connection? What would that feel like?

The staff member pressed a button, and six metal pods slowly slid out from the wall beside them. They were arranged horizontally, each with a human-shaped recess inside. They looked somewhat like coffins.

"Lie down inside."

The six did as instructed. The coldness of the metal sharpened their focus even further.

Instrument-like suction pads emerged from all around them and quickly adhered tightly to various parts of their bodies.

"It's about to begin. Get ready. Just relax your entire body. You may feel some slight discomfort during the scan. Endure it, and it will pass."

Those were the last words Nan Fusheng and the others heard from the staff member. The six metal pods slowly slid back into the wall, and darkness filled their vision.

Nan Fusheng felt waves of tingling spread through every part of his body, as though something were constantly passing through him. The Soul Power and blood within his body were stimulated,

causing them to ripple on their own. The tingling sensation grew increasingly intense, making his entire body feel numb.

He did not know how much time had passed when his body suddenly jolted. As he instinctively woke from his half-asleep state, he discovered that his surroundings had become completely bright.

The metal pod was gone, and the tingling sensation had vanished completely. Only a metal device had appeared on the back of his hand, with a conspicuous red button on it.

An SOS Signal Device?

Where was this?

Although he had been mentally prepared before entering, only after truly coming inside did he deeply understand just how astonishing the Spirit Ascension Platform developed by the Spirit Pagoda was.

Towering trees surrounded him, while a vast expanse of shrubs lay ahead. There was no path at all. It felt as though he had entered a primeval forest.

Even more strangely, everything felt extraordinarily real to him. He lightly pinched his cheek and felt pain. Everything around him also felt completely real when touched.

So this was the so-called virtual world!

After his brief astonishment, Nan Fusheng gradually calmed himself. He had merely been curious about what a virtual world—something he had never experienced even in his previous life—was really like.

Now that he had experienced it, the curiosity in his heart began to slowly fade. He subconsciously looked down at his body. His clothes and trousers were still there.

Of course. If they were not wearing clothes, then the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform would not be very friendly to girls.

Raising both hands, Nan Fusheng quietly sensed his abilities. Good. Steal could be used normally, and he could still sense Sefirah Castle.

He did not act rashly. From the staff member's earlier words, he could tell that the Spirit Ascension Platform was not a safe place. It should be extremely dangerous. He could encounter enemies at any moment.

With that in mind, Nan Fusheng first crouched down and silently sensed everything around him. His spiritual power had already entered the Spirit Connection Realm, and his perception of the outside world was far stronger than before.

This was a place brimming with the aura of life. This was a true primeval forest! Did the Federation really still have primeval forests like this?

As humanity continued its logging, primeval forests had become increasingly scarce. It was said that the Star Dou Great Forest, once the continent's greatest forest, now had less than one percent of its original area remaining.

For Nan Fusheng, who had lived in a small county town in his previous life, he could at most see such primeval forests on his phone. Even in this life, it was his first time seeing scenery like this.

Coming back to himself, Nan Fusheng walked directly to a large tree. Using its trunk and the surrounding shrubs as cover, he sat down cross-legged and released his Martial Soul.

From the outside, Nan Fusheng looked as though he were cultivating. But at that moment, he was using the perspective of his Soul Spirit: the Parasitic Bug.

On the large tree Nan Fusheng leaned against, a tiny bug was slowly wriggling upward. After crawling to the top of the tree, it stopped there without moving.