Spirit Ascension Platform

Days passed by, one after another.

Ye Xinglan came more and more frequently, sometimes twice a day.

She would spar in the morning and return in the afternoon, never seeming to tire.

Yun Jingheng sometimes felt that this girl wasn't practicing swordplay so much as she was competing against him.

Yet, competition aside, their relationship grew closer.

It evolved from "fight and leave" at the start, to "eat a bun before leaving," and now to "sit and chat for a long time after sparring."

Ye Xinglan didn't say much, but every word she spoke was quite interesting.

She talked about her family, about the Genius Class, and about how Lan Muzi would get so angry he'd jump up and down.

Yun Jingheng listened, occasionally interjecting, but mostly just listening.

He felt this was quite nice.

In his past life, he had stayed alone in the laboratory; now, having someone by his side to talk to wasn't annoying—it was actually quite comfortable.

That morning, after Ye Xinglan finished her sword practice, she didn't rush to sit down and eat her bun.

She stood by the lake, gazing at the water as if deep in thought.

Yun Jingheng waited for a long time, and seeing she still hadn't spoken, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Ye Xinglan turned her head.

"There's something I want to tell you."

Yun Jingheng looked at her.

Ye Xinglan took a deep breath.

"The Genius Class has a small exam in a few days," she said, "at the Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Ascension Platform."

Yun Jingheng was stunned for a moment.

"The Spirit Ascension Platform?"

"Mm."

Ye Xinglan nodded. "It's a team trial where you go in to fight soul beasts; if you win, you can increase the age of your soul rings."

She paused.

"I want to team up with you."

Yun Jingheng didn't speak.

Ye Xinglan continued, "Usually, we're supposed to team up with classmates, but I thought about it, and I still want to be with you."

She looked at Yun Jingheng, her gaze earnest.

"Are you willing?"

Yun Jingheng was silent for a few seconds.

"Does your teacher know?"

Ye Xinglan shook her head. "I haven't told him yet."

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment. "Will he agree?"

Ye Xinglan let out a scoff.

"He'll have to agree whether he wants to or not."

Yun Jingheng looked at her.

Ye Xinglan added, "You're the Pavilion Master's son; he can't stop you."

Yun Jingheng: "..."

That was, quite reasonably, a valid point.

"Fine."

He said, "I'll go."

Ye Xinglan's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Yun Jingheng nodded.

Ye Xinglan smiled, looking genuinely happy.

"Then I'll go back and tell Teacher Lan."

She turned to run, but after two steps, she looked back.

"The bun!"

Yun Jingheng pulled an oil-paper parcel from his robes and tossed it over to her.

Ye Xinglan caught it, waved her hand, and ran off into the distance.

The next day, Lan Muzi appeared by the shore of Sea God Lake.

He stood under a tree, watching Yun Jingheng eat a steamed bun, his expression somewhat complicated.

Yun Jingheng looked up at him.

"Brother Lan?"

Lan Muzi walked over and sat down beside him.

They were silent for a moment.

"Xinglan told me," he said.

Yun Jingheng nodded.

Lan Muzi looked at him, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then stopped.

Yun Jingheng waited for a while, and seeing that he still wouldn't speak, asked, "What is it?"

Lan Muzi sighed.

"It's nothing."

He fell silent again for a moment.

"You are the Pavilion Master's son," he said, "I have no reason to stop you."

Yun Jingheng did not speak.

Lan Muzi continued, "I just think... it's quite strange."

Yun Jingheng looked at him.

Lan Muzi thought for a moment, as if organizing his words.

"You are the Pavilion Master's son, yet you aren't in the Genius Class. Xinglan is a student of the Genius Class, yet she runs over to you every single day. Now you two are going to team up to go to the Spirit Ascension Platform, and as your homeroom teacher, I don't even have a reason to refuse."

He paused.

"What would you call this?"

Yun Jingheng thought about it.

"Fate?"

Lan Muzi was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

His smile was somewhat helpless.

"Fine, fate."

He stood up. "Then let it be fate."

He took two steps, then looked back.

"Be careful at the Spirit Ascension Platform."

Yun Jingheng nodded.

Lan Muzi left.

Three days later, at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters.

Yun Jingheng stood at the entrance, beside him were Ye Xinglan and a group of students from the Genius Class.

Guo Zhen, Tang Bingning, Lu Fengming, and Shi Gandang were all there.

Seeing Yun Jingheng, the expressions of these five people varied.

Guo Zhen grinned, "Yo, you're here?"

Tang Bingning nodded.

Lu Fengming glanced at him but didn't speak.

Shi Gandang scratched his head, lost in his own thoughts.

Ye Xinglan stood by Yun Jingheng's side with a calm expression, yet she stood very close to him.

Lan Muzi walked over and looked at the group.

"Is everyone here?"

Guo Zhen nodded.

Lan Muzi looked at Yun Jingheng once more.

That gaze was still somewhat complicated.

But this time he didn't say anything, merely waving his hand.

"Let's go."

Inside the Spirit Pagoda, Leng Yaozhu stood before the window, watching the group of children below.

A staff member walked in.

"Vice Pagoda Master, the people from Shrek have arrived."

Leng Yaozhu nodded.

"Is that child with them?"

The staff member was stunned for a moment: "Which one?"

Leng Yaozhu glanced at him.

The staff member realized who she meant.

"He is."

Leng Yaozhu smiled.

It was a faint smile, but there was a glimmer of light in her eyes.

"Good."

She said, "Let's go take a look."

"Next, pair up and lie down on the adjacent machines."

He looked down at his list.

"First pair, Guo Zhen, Shi Gandang."

The two nodded and walked into the light gate.

"Second pair, Tang Bingning, Lu Fengming."

They went in as well.

Lan Muzi looked up, turning his gaze toward Ye Xinglan and Yun Jingheng.

"Third pair, Ye Xinglan, Yun Jingheng."

Ye Xinglan started walking, but after two steps, she noticed Yun Jingheng hadn't moved and turned back to look at him.

"Let's go."

Yun Jingheng nodded and followed.

The two lay down on the adjacent machines, and the cabin doors slowly closed...

A blur flashed before their eyes.

When their vision cleared, they were no longer in the hall of the Spirit Pagoda, but in a dense forest.

The trees were towering, blocking out the sun and leaving the light dim.

In the distance, the roars of soul beasts could be heard, but the sound was strange—it wasn't just one or two, but a whole pack.

And they were getting closer.

Ye Xinglan frowned.

"Why does it feel like something isn't right?"

Yun Jingheng looked around, "Could it be because this is a riotous Spirit Ascension Platform, and the soul beasts have become correspondingly berserk?"

"That is a possibility... after all, I don't know much about it. What about you? Do you know?"

"This is my first time at the Spirit Ascension Platform."

"..."

Ye Xinglan was silent for a second.

"Then why did you say so much just now?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment: "I was guessing."

Ye Xinglan took a deep breath, deciding not to hold it against him.

"Let's go," she said, "let's find some soul beasts to test our skills first."

The two had only walked a few steps when a black shadow darted out from the woods.

It was a century-level Shadow Cat, fast and agile, its eyes glowing green in the dim light.

It stared at the two for half a second, then lunged at Ye Xinglan.

Ye Xinglan raised her hand and struck with her sword.

The Shadow Cat twisted its body in mid-air, dodging the blade, and lunged again after landing.

Yun Jingheng casually unleashed a Crescent Slash.

A mark appeared on the Shadow Cat, and a second later, Yun Jingheng had already appeared before it.

One sword strike.

The Shadow Cat collapsed, dissolving into specks of light.

Ye Xinglan watched him, her expression somewhat complex.

"Is this still how you fight?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment: "Isn't it better to be faster?"

Ye Xinglan didn't speak and continued walking forward.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, they encountered the second wave of soul beasts.

They were three century-level Iron-Back Apes, thick-skinned and sturdy, currently pounding their chests around a tree. Seeing the two approach, they immediately turned and lunged.

Ye Xinglan met them head-on with a sword strike, but it only left a shallow white mark on one of them.

The Iron-Back Ape felt the pain, roared, and swiped at her.

Ye Xinglan dodged, but another one had already lunged at her back.

Yun Jingheng hit the one attempting the sneak attack with a Crescent Slash, flashed over, and struck with his sword.

The Iron-Back Ape fell to the ground.

The remaining two were stunned for a moment, then lunged forward even more violently.

Ye Xinglan gritted her teeth and held her ground, retreating as she fought.

Yun Jingheng unleashed another Crescent Slash, flashed again, and struck again.

The second one fell.

The third one turned and ran.

Ye Xinglan chased after it and struck its hind leg with her sword.

The Iron-Back Ape let out a miserable shriek and ran even faster.

"Don't chase it," Yun Jingheng said.

Ye Xinglan stopped and looked back at him.

"Why didn't you hit the one sneaking up on me first just now?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment: "I did hit it."

"I mean, hit that one first."

"That one was closer to me."

Ye Xinglan stared at him for a few seconds.

"You..."

She didn't finish her sentence, turned around, and continued walking.

Yun Jingheng followed.

The third wave of soul beasts arrived quickly.

This time, it was five century-level Wind Wolves that darted out from the woods, surrounding them directly.

Ye Xinglan gripped her sword tightly and scanned her surroundings.

"Five of them. How do we fight?"

Yun Jingheng didn't speak.

A circle of silvery-white light lit up beneath his feet.

Moonlight Protection.

The light expanded, instantly enveloping the surrounding ten meters.

The five Wind Wolves were just about to pounce when their bodies suddenly stiffened, and they began to slide uncontrollably toward the center.

They struggled, their claws digging deep furrows into the ground, but they were still pulled toward Yun Jingheng bit by bit.

Ye Xinglan was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening.

She rushed forward, taking them out one by one with her sword.

All five Wind Wolves were annihilated in less than ten seconds.

Yun Jingheng retracted his shield.

Ye Xinglan looked at him.

"This soul skill of yours," she said, "is a bit cheap."

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment: "It's alright."

Ye Xinglan didn't say anything more and continued walking forward.