Joining the Spirit Pagoda

Outside, Tang Wuling was still focused on fusing with her second Spirit Ring. Little Gold Snake perched on her shoulder happily flicked its tongue, while the dragon-scale pattern on her forehead grew increasingly distinct.

A Blue Silver Grass with a faint golden sheen appeared in her right hand. Delicate golden lines shimmered faintly across it, and a Yellow Soul Ring encircled the plant.

Then another Yellow Soul Ring slowly appeared, circling the Blue Silver Grass.

As the two Yellow Soul Rings stabilized, Tang Wuling broke through her bottleneck.

A powerful aura burst forth. Tang Wuling abruptly opened her eyes, delighted. She wanted to share the good news with Cheng Duoyi.

"Brother Yi'er, I've broken through! I'm already at level twenty-two!"

Tang Wuling had already reached level twenty-one. After fusing with a Hundred-Year Soul Ring, she had broken straight through to level twenty-two!

She was only nine years old and already at level twenty-two!

Who wouldn't call her a genius?

Cheng Duoyi congratulated her. "Congratulations on reaching the second ring, Ling'er. A nine-year-old two-ring Soul Master will surely astonish a lot of people at the Class Promotion Tournament."

"Mm-hmm, I thought so too," Tang Wuling said happily.

She wasn't useless anymore!

"What? Tang Wuling broke through to level twenty-two?" Xie Xie looked at Cheng Duoyi in astonishment, stunned by the good news. "She's progressing even faster than me. I've only just reached level nineteen."

"What happened between you two last night?" Gu Yue asked in confusion. "In just one night and one morning, Tang Wuling went from level nineteen to level twenty-two..."

Just then, Gu Yue sensed the Golden Dragon King's aura inside Tang Wuling.

She was stunned.

"Why is this Golden Dragon King aura so pure—and even stronger than before? Could Tang Wuling's breakthrough have something to do with it?"

As expected of the Silver Dragon King's incarnation, Gu Yue had guessed the gist of it.

Gu Yue looked at Tang Wuling with complicated feelings.

A voice cried out inside her: Devour Tang Wuling. The chance to revive the Dragon Clan is right in front of you...

Another voice shouted: Don't devour her, or Yi'er will be heartbroken...

Yun Xiao watched the others enviously. More than two months had passed, but he was only at level fourteen. Though he had advanced by two levels, it didn't help much when his only skill was a one-time Teleport.

After all, his Teleport skill couldn't be used at will like Gu Yue's. It had a time limit.

Wu Changkong looked at Tang Wuling in surprise. He hadn't expected her to break through to level twenty-two, but he didn't ask how she had managed it. In an even tone, he said, "The first match of the Class Promotion Tournament is in five days. We'll be facing Class Four. Cheng Duoyi, you're in charge of our battle plan."

Cheng Duoyi smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Teacher Wu. Leave it to me."

Wu Changkong noticed that Cheng Duoyi seemed a little different from before.

He couldn't quite put his finger on how.

Still, he paid it no mind. He nodded and turned to leave.

Clearly, Cheng Duoyi's words from before still weighed on his mind a little.

Tang Wuling looked at Xie Xie and the others, batting away their questions by passing them to Cheng Duoyi. "It's all thanks to Brother Yi'er's help. I couldn't have broken through so quickly without him."

Tang Wuling tilted her head toward Cheng Duoyi, her high ponytail swaying. "Right, Brother Yi'er?"

Seeing her, Cheng Duoyi came up with an explanation. "It's a long story. It was probably something about the bloodline in my body that helped Ling'er break through."

Cheng Duoyi released the aura of the Seven-Colored Dragon, and Gu Yue's heart jolted.

She stared at Cheng Duoyi in shock. "Yi'er... inside you..."

"Oh? You mean the bloodline issue?" Cheng Duoyi didn't avoid the subject. "It might be because of my Martial Soul. Even without your help, my life force is stable now."

Leng Xue'er appeared in front of Cheng Duoyi. Her usually aloof face lit up with unrestrained joy. It was the first time Gu Yue and the others had ever seen her so happy.

"Yi'er, your life force is stable? It won't disappear again?"

Cheng Duoyi replied, "Yes, Sister Xue'er. My Martial Soul is stable now. It won't devour my life force anymore. And because of my Martial Soul, I've grown stronger!"

"Wonderful, wonderful! I have to tell Auntie right away." Leng Xue'er didn't hesitate and immediately contacted Leng Yaozhu.

Gu Yue stared at Cheng Duoyi in bewilderment. She hadn't expected a Seven-Colored Dragon bloodline to awaken inside him.

How was that possible?

But her bewilderment soon gave way to excitement.

She knew what it meant.

Gu Yue came up to Cheng Duoyi and lowered her voice. "Yi'er... have you ever thought about strengthening your bloodline?"

Cheng Duoyi smiled. "I have my own way of handling that."

Gu Yue nodded and said no more. After thinking it over, she guessed it might have something to do with the Dragon God Heart. But how could Cheng Duoyi withstand the bloodline power radiating from the Dragon God Heart?

It was the Dragon God's primordial power!

"Brother Cheng, what was that aura you just released? Why did I feel like prostrating myself before you?" Xie Xie asked.

Yun Xiao's expression turned solemn, and he chimed in. "I didn't feel like prostrating myself, but there was this enormous pressure. It made me afraid to feel any hostility toward you."

Cheng Duoyi said, "It comes from my bloodline. Mine is a top-tier dragon bloodline, and the bloodline inside you, Xie Xie, is weaker than mine. It isn't just you, either. Any Soul Master with a dragon bloodline would react the same way if they encountered me."

Xie Xie brightened. "So, Brother Cheng, you're the natural nemesis of Soul Masters with dragon bloodlines?"

"You could say that." Cheng Duoyi nodded.

While they were talking, Leng Xue'er finished speaking with Leng Yaozhu and turned to Cheng Duoyi. "Yi'er, your godmother wants me to take you to the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters for a checkup. Elder Mu will come along too. We're leaving now."

Tang Wuling and Gu Yue were reluctant to see Cheng Duoyi go.

An idea came to Gu Yue, and her eyes lit up. "Sister Xue'er, can I go with Yi'er? I've always been drawn to the Spirit Pagoda, and I want to join."

Tang Wuling chimed in. "Sister Xue'er, I want to join the Spirit Pagoda too."

Xie Xie and Yun Xiao exchanged a glance. "We're not sure if we can join the Spirit Pagoda too."

Leng Xue'er looked at Cheng Duoyi.

Cheng Duoyi smiled. "In that case, let's all go together. As long as it doesn't interfere with the Class Promotion Tournament the day after tomorrow, there's no problem."

"Yeah!"

Everyone cheered.

Leng Xue'er personally explained to Long Hengxu that she wanted to take Cheng Duoyi and the others to the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters and recruit them as Spirit Pagoda Masters.

Long Hengxu readily agreed. This was a wonderful opportunity!

The Spirit Pagoda and Shrek Academy held equal status, and in some respects, the Spirit Pagoda ranked even higher in the hearts of the people of the Douluo Continent.

If they used this to promote the school, wouldn't future recruitment be a breeze?

"Become Spirit Pagoda Masters? All right... I understand."

Wu Changkong frowned slightly. He had originally planned to recruit Tang Wuling and the others into the Tang Sect, but it seemed that was no longer possible.

Tang Wuling and the others had no idea what Wu Changkong was thinking. Even if they had known, they wouldn't have joined. How could they possibly leave Cheng Duoyi?

The Soul Guidance Train was very convenient. The journey took half a day and a night.

During the trip, Gu Yue, Tang Wuling, Xie Xie, and Yun Xiao learned from Cheng Duoyi that the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters was also known as the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda and stood in the eastern part of Shrek City.

They were headed to Shrek City.

Tang Wuling, Xie Xie, and Yun Xiao had a strong admiration for Shrek Academy. They thought it was the best academy in the world and very much wanted to get in.

"Yi'er."

Leng Yaozhu had been waiting at the train doors for a long time. When she saw Cheng Duoyi, motherly warmth shone in her eyes. She opened her arms and crouched down, ready to hug him.

"Godmother."

Cheng Duoyi ran over and wrapped his arms around Leng Yaozhu's neck. Breathing in her familiar scent, he couldn't help thinking back to the past.

Back then, he had been an orphan. If Leng Yaozhu hadn't taken him in and raised him, there was a good chance he would have died one night.

Seeing Leng Yaozhu from a short distance away, Gu Yue grew wary, especially since the two seemed to be so close. That worried her even more.

Tang Wuling had no such thoughts.

"Brother Yi'er's godmother is so beautiful," Tang Wuling exclaimed.

Xie Xie asked in confusion, "Tang Wuling, have you never met Brother Cheng's godmother before?"

Tang Wuling shook her head. "This is the first time."

Xie Xie understood and didn't ask anything more.

Yun Xiao felt a little inferior and didn't dare meet Leng Yaozhu's gaze.

"Auntie." Leng Xue'er greeted Leng Yaozhu.

Leng Yaozhu nodded. Holding Cheng Duoyi's hand, she looked at Tang Wuling and the others. "You must be Yi'er's friends. Xue'er told me about you. Welcome to the Spirit Pagoda."

Cheng Duoyi let go of her hand and went over to Tang Wuling and Gu Yue, taking their hands in his.

"Godmother, let me introduce you. This is Tang Wuling, Ling'er."

Cheng Duoyi raised Tang Wuling's hand on his right.

Leng Yaozhu gave Tang Wuling a careful look. Tang Wuling grew so nervous she hardly dared breathe.

"She's a good girl. No wonder Yi'er refused to go to Shrek Academy and insisted on going to find you." Leng Yaozhu withdrew her gaze and spoke warmly.

Tang Wuling breathed a sigh of relief.

Cheng Duoyi raised Gu Yue's hand and introduced her as well. "Godmother, this is my new friend, Gu Yue. They're both very good friends of mine."

Leng Yaozhu looked at Gu Yue with some surprise. There was more to her than met the eye.

She nodded without giving anything away and said warmly, "Since you're Yi'er's friends, godmother won't hold back. Once you join the Spirit Pagoda, I'll arrange good positions for you."

Cheng Duoyi smiled. "Thank you, godmother. The two behind me are my friends too. This is Xie Xie. His family runs a mecha business in Skysea City. This is Yun Xiao. His family works in real estate in Skysea City."

Leng Yaozhu understood what Cheng Duoyi meant.

"Godmother will find someone to look after their businesses."

"Come on. Godmother has already contacted Elder Mu and asked him to check you over again. If you're really all right, I'll finally be able to relax."

"Okay."

Cheng Duoyi held Tang Wuling's and Gu Yue's hands. Behind him, Yun Xiao looked grateful. Though Xie Xie was a little slow on the uptake, he figured it out too and felt grateful to Cheng Duoyi.

Everyone rode in Leng Yaozhu's private car, a black sedan with enough seats for them all. They soon arrived at the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.

The Spirit Pagoda Headquarters had eighty-one floors and an octagonal base that covered an enormous area. Every ten floors, the building narrowed inward, until the structure finally tapered into a spire.

The entire tower shimmered with a pale silver light, and its upper half was perpetually lost in the clouds. It could be seen clearly from every corner of Shrek City.

On either side of the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters' entrance stood two enormous golden statues, each about twenty meters tall. They depicted the Spirit Pagoda's founder, Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao, and another of its founders.

It was the first time Gu Yue, Tang Wuling, Xie Xie, and Yun Xiao had visited, and they were curious about the place.

Gu Yue most of all.

Her gaze was deep and unreadable. No one could tell what she was thinking.

"Xue'er, arrange the process for Yi'er's friends to join the Spirit Pagoda. I'll take Yi'er to see Old Mu."

"Understood, Pagoda Master," Leng Xue'er replied respectfully.

Then Leng Xue'er turned to Tang Wuling and the others. "Come with me."

The four looked at Cheng Duoyi. He nodded. "I'll come find you after my checkup. Go with Sister Xue'er and sign the forms first."

Seeing this, the four didn't say anything more and followed Leng Xue'er to the thirty-fifth floor.

Leng Yaozhu took Cheng Duoyi to the elevator.

"Yi'er, your two little girlfriends are quite something," Leng Yaozhu teased.

Cheng Duoyi was embarrassed. "What little girlfriends? They're not the kind of relationship you're thinking of. I'm still so young. I shouldn't even think about getting a girlfriend until I'm at least eighteen, an adult. Godmother, don't let Ling'er and Yue'er hear you say that."

"I don't think so," Leng Yaozhu said with a smile. "I can tell from the way they look at you that you're the only one in their hearts. Should I ask them in a minute? See what they say?"

Cheng Duoyi didn't dare let Leng Yaozhu ask them. "Godmother, let's not talk about this. Let's go see Elder Mu."

Leng Yaozhu nodded, her expression turning serious. "Godmother doesn't know what your future holds, but I want you to remember one thing: don't make promises lightly. Once you make one, keep it. Do you understand?"

Cheng Duoyi nodded. "Godmother, I understand!"

Leng Yaozhu nodded, then asked, "I took a quick look just now. Gu Yue is no ordinary girl. Have you looked into her background?"

"Godmother, you mean...?" Cheng Duoyi asked.

Leng Yaozhu shook her head. "I can tell from the way she looks at you that she'd never hurt you. But sometimes, love alone isn't enough. Never mind. As long as she doesn't hurt you, I can leave her situation alone."

Cheng Duoyi hadn't expected Leng Yaozhu to be so perceptive. She had noticed that Gu Yue was unusual. He didn't know how much she had figured out. She probably didn't know Gu Yue was a Soul Beast in human form; at most, she had guessed that Gu Yue was exceptionally strong.

"Come on. Let's go see Old Mu. We shouldn't keep Elder Mu waiting." Leng Yaozhu stepped into the private elevator and pressed the floor button.

Cheng Duoyi stepped in with her. "It's been so long since I last saw Elder Mu. I wonder how he's doing now..."