A few days later, Wu Changkong, dressed in a fitted outfit, strode up to the lectern. "There'll be no classes or combat training today. Everyone, follow me to the Spirit Pagoda."
The students followed Wu Changkong toward the Spirit Pagoda.
"The academy secured a chance for Class Zero to train in the Spirit Ascension Platform once a week."
After walking for a while, the Spirit Pagoda appeared before them. Its magnificent architecture carried an imposing, solemn aura.
Wu Changkong led Lin Chen, Gu Yuena, and the others inside. A tall figure quickly approached them. Long Hengxu had been waiting there for quite some time. "Teacher Wu."
"Director Long," Wu Changkong greeted him briefly.
"Wow! Look at that mural! Is that the legendary Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao, founder of the Spirit Pagoda?"
The mural showed a tall, proud young man surrounded by a radiance where biting frost and snow intertwined with boundless spiritual power. He was none other than Huo Yuhao, the founder of the Spirit Pagoda.
Lin Chen followed Xie Xie's gaze. His blue-green eyes quietly studied the figure in the mural. He didn't have much to say about him.
Gu Yuena's purple eyes swept over the mural, her expression barely changing. She simply stood quietly beside Lin Chen.
Xie Xie then noticed the peerlessly beautiful woman beside Huo Yuhao. He immediately realized who she was and exclaimed, "The woman beside him is Dragon Butterfly Douluo Tang Wutong, right? She's really something!"
Tang Wulin gazed at Tang Wutong in the mural, his eyes momentarily unfocused. A strange sense of closeness rose in his heart.
Lin Chen turned to Tang Wulin and raised an eyebrow. "Wulin, I just noticed you look a bit like the person in that mural. Your names are pretty similar too. You're both surnamed Tang, and both your names have the character 'Wu' in them."
Xie Xie immediately crowded over, grabbing Tang Wulin by the arm and teasing him loudly. "Hey, Lin Chen, you've got a sharp eye! Now that you mention it, they really do look a bit alike. Could you two be related?"
While Xie Xie was still clinging to Tang Wulin, Long Hengxu cut off their conversation with a light cough. "All right, save the chatter for later. Come with me."
He gestured for them to follow and led the group to a gleaming alloy elevator door nearby.
Tang Wulin looked at Wu Changkong, a little puzzled. "Teacher Wu, aren't you coming into the Spirit Ascension Platform with us?"
Wu Changkong's tone was even. "Only Soul Masters below the four-ring level can enter the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform."
Long Hengxu picked up where he left off. "The two of us will be in the monitoring room outside the Spirit Ascension Platform, watching each of you the entire time. If you encounter danger, withdraw immediately."
Xie Xie scratched his head. "Oh, I see. I thought Teacher Wu would come in to protect us."
The elevator doors closed, and it slowly descended deep underground. Before long, the doors opened, and several staff members were waiting outside.
Long Hengxu took out a card. A staff member accepted it, then led them farther inside.
They arrived in a metal room, its walls entirely silver-white and free of unnecessary furnishings. Six metallic pods, gleaming with a cold light, stood neatly arranged in the center.
After the staff gave them a few instructions, the six of them lay down in turn. As the connection program started, a faint electric tingle spread through their bodies, and their consciousness gradually blurred.
Lin Chen opened his eyes and looked around. He found himself in a primeval forest. Stretching his limbs, he said, "Huh? Am I really this lucky? There isn't a single Soul Beast around. Well, this is nice too. I can look for Na'er."
Seeing this, Long Hengxu's mouth twitched. He turned to Wu Changkong and couldn't help asking, "Teacher Wu, what's with Lin Chen?"
"He looks like he's full of openings, but he isn't," Wu Changkong said, brushing the question aside with an offhand excuse. It seemed there was nothing in this Primary Spirit Ascension Platform that could threaten Lin Chen.
Elsewhere in the Spirit Ascension Platform, Zhang Yangzi slowly opened his eyes and tried to figure out where Wang Jinxi was. After a moment's thought, he used Martial Soul Possession.
Zhang Yangzi's feet suddenly lifted off the ground, and he shot above the forest canopy. He hoped to find Wang Jinxi quickly from the sky.
Before he could search carefully, a blue bird darted out beside the clouds. Zhang Yangzi's heart tightened. With no time to think, he activated his second Soul Skill, Eagle Strikes the Sky.
But to everyone's surprise, the blue bird promptly blew his head off, eliminating him on the spot.
Lin Chen stopped walking, silently wondering, Why do I feel like something's watching me?
Suddenly, a purple-black spiderweb appeared overhead and spread toward him.
Lin Chen jumped back, narrowly dodging the attack. Looking up, he saw a revolting human face. "Whoa, a hundred-year Man Faced Demon Spider? This is Little Scumbag's benefactor! Let's see what you've got."
Without hesitation, Lin Chen let his Soul Power surge. His first purple Soul Ring lit up. First Soul Skill, Thunderous Might!
Thick, blue-green dragon-shaped bolts of lightning surged toward the Man Faced Demon Spider above him.
It had no time to dodge before the lightning pierced its massive body. Its form dissolved into countless tiny motes of light.
The air filled with a foul, scorched stench. Lin Chen frowned. "Ugh, that reeks." He continued deeper into the forest. The woodland up ahead was in ruins, with burn marks everywhere.
There was no need to guess. Na'er had left those traces behind.
In the monitoring room outside, Long Hengxu saw Lin Chen end the fight cleanly on the screen and couldn't help exclaiming, "He took it down in one move?"
Wu Changkong didn't respond to Long Hengxu. He simply watched the scenes on the screen.
A slender figure appeared before Lin Chen. But before he could call out, a giant bear covered in crystals burst out of the bushes nearby.
Lin Chen's heart tightened. He immediately shouted a warning. "Na'er, watch out!"
Before his words had even faded, he stomped the ground and shot toward Gu Yuena like a streak of blue-green light.
Gu Yuena turned at the sound of his voice, her purple eyes instantly turning cold. The thousand-year Crystal Bear was terrifyingly strong and had absurdly high defenses. Fighting it alone would undoubtedly be a tough battle.
Gu Yuena flashed beside Lin Chen with a teleport. She glanced at the boy next to her. After spending so much time together, they understood what the other meant with just a look.
Before the Crystal Bear could charge, Gu Yuena took the initiative, pelting it with fireballs. They did little damage, but they were deeply insulting.
The Crystal Bear roared in fury as the fireballs harassed it. Just as it prepared to charge recklessly, a rumble sounded behind them, and tree after tree came crashing down.
Lin Chen and Gu Yuena turned their heads. They saw a figure rushing frantically through the woods. It was Xie Xie, fleeing for his life.
Lin Chen's face darkened. There was a Crystal Bear in front of them, and an unknown Soul Beast that Xie Xie had lured over behind him. Lin Chen decided to settle things with Xie Xie once they got out. At the very least, he'd give him a little shock.
Xie Xie spotted Lin Chen and Gu Yuena ahead. As if he'd found salvation, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Help! Lin Chen, Gu Yuena! A hundred-year Unicorn Dragon is chasing me!"
Before you continue