After finishing his call, Xie Xie followed Wu Zhangkong up the broad white jade steps in front of the Spirit Pagoda, one behind the other. A cold metallic scent rushed toward them.
Everyone coming and going in the hall was a Soul Master.
Some hurried along, while others stopped to chat. More or less, everyone gave off the fluctuations of Soul Rings, and the weakest among them was at least a Soul Grandmaster.
Several guide stations stood in the center, clearly marking the functional areas on each floor of the Spirit Pagoda.
From Martial Soul Awakening and Soul Ring acquisition to high-tier Soul Tool trading and exclusive Soul Master services, they had it all.
Wu Zhangkong remained cool and aloof, walking steadily toward the inner hall's private passage. An aura of distance surrounded her, making the nearby Soul Masters instinctively give her a wide berth.
A private passage? Did Teacher Wu have connections at the Spirit Pagoda, too?
Though Xie Xie was a little puzzled, he still followed close behind Wu Zhangkong.
At the end of the passage, a middle-aged man dressed as a Spirit Pagoda steward was already waiting.
The moment he saw them, the stern look on his face turned into a respectful smile. He hurried over, bowed slightly, and spoke with utmost courtesy:
"Teacher Wu, Young Master Xie, we've already received instructions from above. As soon as you arrived, I was to escort you directly to the exclusive Soul Spirit Preparation Room. There's no need to wait."
Huh? Was his old man actually this fast?
Xie Xie scratched his head.
Wu Zhangkong merely gave a faint nod. Her cool voice held not a trace of emotion. "Lead the way."
"Yes! Please follow me."
The steward promptly agreed and stepped aside, gesturing for them to proceed.
The group made their way along a gleaming Soul Tool corridor. Pale blue bands of energy flowed across the walls, while the Soul Power fluctuations in the air grew increasingly rich.
Staff members occasionally passed along either side of the corridor. Every one of them stopped and bowed when they saw the three.
Xie Xie was pretty excited, too. Good grief, he was finally getting a taste of the upper-class treatment!
That old saying really was right: forty was the perfect age to make your mark!
His old man clearly still had untapped potential!
Before long, the steward stopped in front of an alloy door engraved with intricate Soul Spirit patterns and lightly pressed the Soul Tool screen beside it.
Click—
With a low mechanical rumble, the heavy alloy doors slowly slid apart.
Inside was a private cultivation room, simply furnished but exquisitely appointed.
In the center stood a half-person-tall, milky-white Soul Tool Pedestal. Several Soul Tool Crystals, glowing softly, were embedded around it, bathing the entire room in a warm, tranquil light.
The energy in the room was astonishingly dense.
Even just standing at the door and taking a deep breath made him feel his Martial Soul stirring eagerly inside him.
"Teacher Wu, Young Master Xie."
The steward stood respectfully by the entrance.
"This is the exclusive Soul Spirit Adaptation Room prepared for you. All the equipment has been calibrated. If you need anything, just press the call button by the wall."
After speaking, he bowed again. "I'll be waiting outside and won't disturb you."
Wu Zhangkong gave a slight nod and stepped inside.
Xie Xie hurried after her.
The instant he stepped into the Adaptation Room, he couldn't help rubbing his hands together excitedly. He looked up at Wu Zhangkong, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Wu Zhangkong's gaze swept over the room. Her cool eyes showed not the slightest unnecessary emotion.
She lightly raised a fingertip, and a thread of pale blue Soul Power silently entered the Soul Tool Pedestal, checking that the equipment was operating normally.
"Stand in the center of the pedestal," Wu Zhangkong said calmly.
"Sure thing, Teacher Wu!"
Without a second thought, Xie Xie eagerly stepped into the very center of the milky-white Soul Tool Pedestal.
As soon as he stood firmly, he felt a gentle energy slowly flow into him from the soles of his feet, making both his Light Dragon Blade and Shadow Dragon Blade grow more active.
Xie Xie straightened his back, the playfulness fading from his face.
He might usually be mischievous and boisterous, but when it came to an important moment for improving himself, he knew to take things seriously.
Wu Zhangkong walked to one side of the Soul Tool Pedestal. Her voice was as calm and cool as ever as she instructed him:
"When the induction begins, steady your mind. Don't resist the guidance of the Soul Power."
"This Soul Tool Pedestal will select the Soul Spirit best suited to you based on your cultivation, the strength of your Martial Soul's attributes, and what your body can actually withstand."
After she spoke, her gaze fell on Xie Xie. She was silent for a few seconds, then added without thinking:
"With me here, nothing will go wrong."
Xie Xie waved a hand, unconcerned, as he felt around the Soul Tool Pedestal and laughed casually.
"Even if something does happen, it's fine. I wouldn't mind giving my life to you, Teacher Wu."
The instant his words fell, the icy aura that had surrounded Wu Zhangkong for years faltered, beyond her control.
The fingers hanging at her side curled slightly, and her frost-cold eyes trembled almost imperceptibly.
After finishing his inspection, Xie Xie looked up and saw that Wu Zhangkong had been standing still for a long while.
"Teacher Wu?" He tilted his head in confusion.
Wu Zhangkong had just recovered when she unexpectedly met the young man's clear, sincere eyes, touched with a hint of amusement.
The instant their gazes met, it felt as though something had gently burned her heart.
Almost instinctively, she hurriedly looked away.
Wu Zhangkong forcibly suppressed the inexplicable fluster in her heart. Her voice remained cool, but it had lost some of its usual chill and gained a faint, almost imperceptible note of hesitation.
"...Stand properly."
She uttered the two words coolly, a little faster than usual, then turned and raised her right hand toward the Soul Tool Console nearby.
Only when her fingertips touched the screen did she manage to steady herself somewhat.
Wu Zhangkong's cool voice rang out again, deliberately returning to its usual sternness:
"Stand firm. Soul Spirit Induction begins now."
Yet the hand hanging at her side remained faintly tense, and for a long while, she did not relax it.
Wu Zhangkong lowered the fingertips of her right hand. The Soul Tool Console instantly lit up with pale blue patterns, which seemed to come alive as they spread across the floor and around the Soul Tool Pedestal.
The Soul Tool Crystals embedded in the walls glowed brighter. Gentle yet vast energy slowly gathered, lifting Xie Xie lightly into the air.
Xie Xie quickly closed his eyes.
Following Wu Zhangkong's instructions, he held his mind steady and let the warm energy envelop him.
Wu Zhangkong stood to one side, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on Xie Xie atop the pedestal.
The Soul Tool Pedestal gave off a faint hum. Pale blue energy patterns climbed along Xie Xie's body, outlining the shape of his Martial Soul.
The auras of light and shadow flashed in alternation, at times bright as day, at times dark as night, weaving together within the glow of energy.
Xie Xie felt warm all over.
It was as if he were immersed in the most comfortable sea of Soul Power. Countless fine traces of Soul Spirit energy drifted around him, probing.
In the end, an unseen force filtered them and guided them toward his Martial Soul.
The light of the Soul Spirit Induction grew brighter and brighter, illuminating the entire Adaptation Room.
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