In the medical wing of the Spirit Pagoda, inside a luxurious private room.
Cheng Duoyi leaned against the headboard, quietly reading a thick book.
A month had passed since his Martial Soul Awakening.
Throughout that month, Leng Yaozhu had stayed by Cheng Duoyi's side every day.
She had sought out many healing-type Soul Masters and even used the Spirit Pagoda's resources, promising a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Spirit as a reward for anyone who could cure Cheng Duoyi. She had done everything she could to find a way to treat him, but nothing had worked.
Just as Life Douluo had said, all the healing-type Soul Masters agreed that Cheng Duoyi's life force was still slowly fading, and there was nothing they could do.
The best thing he could do now was avoid cultivating.
Leng Yaozhu was unwilling to accept it, but she had no choice but to face reality.
She had arranged the best possible living conditions for Cheng Duoyi, and whenever she found rare treasures that could replenish life force, she gave them to him, hoping to strengthen him.
"Yi'er, what are you reading?"
Leng Yaozhu pushed open the door and came in, carrying a steaming bowl of medicinal soup.
She was dressed casually in white today. She seemed less domineering than usual and a little more gentle.
"Godmother." Cheng Duoyi looked up, set down his book, and said softly, "I'm reading about Soul Beasts."
"What's so interesting about Soul Beasts?" Leng Yaozhu walked to the bed and handed him the soup. "Here, drink this. I had Life Douluo make it especially for you. It'll replenish your life force."
Cheng Duoyi took the bowl, wrinkled his little nose, but obediently drank it anyway.
The medicine was bitter, but he didn't show the slightest hint of distaste.
"Such a good boy." Leng Yaozhu smiled, stroked his head, and popped a piece of candy into his mouth.
With the candy in his mouth, Cheng Duoyi gazed out the window and said softly, "Godmother, I want to visit the Spirit Ascension Platform."
"No!" Leng Yaozhu refused without a moment's thought. "The Spirit Ascension Platform is too dangerous. You're so frail—you can't go somewhere like that."
"I'm not going there to fight." Cheng Duoyi lowered his head, his voice tinged with hurt. "I just want to see what the Star Dou Great Forest looks like. The book says that two thousand years ago, the Star Dou Great Forest was the largest Soul Beast forest, home to countless Soul Beasts..."
He looked up at Leng Yaozhu, his big, watery eyes full of longing. "Godmother, I'll just have a look around, then come straight back. Please? I promise I won't wander off."
Seeing how pitiful he looked, Leng Yaozhu's heart melted.
She sighed and said helplessly, "Honestly, I can never say no to you. All right, godmother will take you. But you have to promise to stay right by my side the entire time. Understand?"
"Mm!" Cheng Duoyi nodded vigorously, a happy smile spreading across his face.
Seeing him smile made Leng Yaozhu happy, too.
Half an hour later, Leng Yaozhu brought Cheng Duoyi to the entrance of the Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Ascension Platform.
The Spirit Ascension Platform was one of the Spirit Pagoda's greatest inventions. It was a vast virtual world that simulated the various environments and Soul Beasts of the Douluo Continent. Soul Masters could hunt Soul Beasts inside and raise the age of their Soul Spirits without risking their lives.
Of course, that was true only for ordinary Soul Masters. The Spirit Ascension Platform also contained some exceptionally dangerous beings, such as the Unyielding Soul Spirits.
Unyielding Soul Spirits were the most unusual kind of Soul Spirit in the Spirit Pagoda. They were generally incredibly powerful, but their pride and stubbornness made them exceptionally difficult to tame and absorb. If a Soul Master who lacked the strength tried anyway, they could suffer anything from mental trauma to a life-threatening injury.
Leng Yaozhu led Cheng Duoyi into the Spirit Ascension Platform's metal pod.
She had deliberately chosen the Intermediate Spirit Ascension Platform, where the Soul Beasts were relatively weak and it was safer.
Her reason for not choosing the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform was simple: it had a four-ring entry limit. Given her circumstances, she could force her way in, but that might cause the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform to malfunction. It wasn't worth the risk; they were better off entering the Intermediate Spirit Ascension Platform.
A flash of light later, the two appeared in the midst of a dense forest.
Fresh air washed over them, carrying the distinctive scents of earth and flowers. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the ground. Birds called in the distance, and somewhere nearby, water trickled over stones.
"Wow, it's so beautiful!"
Cheng Duoyi's eyes widened with delight.
He reached out a small hand and gently touched the tree beside him, his eyes full of curiosity.
Leng Yaozhu stayed close to him, alert to every movement around them.
She released her full spiritual power, covering a radius of several thousand meters. Not the slightest stir could escape her senses.
"Yi'er, slow down. Watch your step," she reminded him.
"Mm."
Cheng Duoyi nodded and continued forward.
He was like a child stepping outside for the first time, fascinated by everything around him.
Just then, Leng Yaozhu's expression abruptly changed.
She pulled Cheng Duoyi behind her, her gaze turning sharp.
"Be careful! A Soul Spirit is coming!"
An immensely powerful pressure rolled out from deep in the forest, the aura of an apex predator, brimming with savagery and bloodlust.
The ground began to tremble. Accompanied by heavy footsteps, a colossal figure emerged from the depths of the forest.
It was a Tyrant Dragon!
It stood over sixty meters tall, like a small mountain, its gray scales unevenly arrayed across its body.
Its thick limbs were like pillars. Every step left a deep footprint in the ground.
Its head was enormous, taking up a quarter of its body. Sharp teeth filled its mouth, and a pair of blood-red eyes stared fixedly at Leng Yaozhu and Cheng Duoyi.
"The Unyielding Soul Tyrant Dragon!" Leng Yaozhu exclaimed in surprise.
She recognized it.
It was one of the Spirit Pagoda's most infamous Unyielding Soul Spirits. It carried a trace of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline. Though it had cultivated for only ten thousand years, it was as powerful as an ordinary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
It was vicious and savage. The Spirit Pagoda had tried to tame it many times, but every attempt had failed. Several Soul Masters at the Soul Douluo level had even died when it turned on them as they tried to absorb it.
"Yi'er, stay behind godmother. Don't move."
Leng Yaozhu spoke in a low voice as her aura began to rise.
Black, black, black, black, black, black, red, red, red—nine Spirit Rings appeared around her. She prepared to strike and drive the Tyrant Dragon away.
It was an Unyielding Soul Spirit, but it was still no match for a level-98 Super Douluo like her.
But just as Leng Yaozhu was about to attack, the unexpected happened.
The Tyrant Dragon, which had been radiating savage fury, abruptly stopped when it saw Cheng Duoyi.
The bloodlust vanished from its blood-red eyes in an instant, replaced by a reverence and adoration so unbelievable it looked like a clear-eyed college student.
Then an even more shocking sight unfolded.
The enormous Tyrant Dragon slowly lowered its body.
Its forelegs sank to the ground, and its massive head bowed low with them. Facing Cheng Duoyi, it took on the most devout posture of worship.
Before you continue