Early the next morning, led by Leng Xue'er and Wu Changkong, the nine members of Class Zero arrived at the Spirit Pagoda branch in Eastsea City.
After their entry cards for the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform were verified, they entered the metal pods one after another.
After a wave of dizziness, Cheng Duoyi appeared in the middle of a dense forest.
Green trees shaded the area around him, and the air was fresh. From time to time, the roars of Soul Beasts echoed through the forest.
"Looks like everyone got scattered," Cheng Duoyi murmured to himself.
He closed his eyes and slowly released his spiritual power, clearly sensing the situation of the others.
"I'll go find Yun Xiao first. He's the closest to me."
Cheng Duoyi opened his eyes, figured out which way to go, and headed toward Yun Xiao's location.
Along the way, Cheng Duoyi encountered several Ten-Year Soul Beasts, but he didn't kill them. Soul Beasts of that level no longer gave him much of a boost.
Before long, Cheng Duoyi found Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao was hiding behind a large tree, nervously watching what was happening around him. The moment he saw Cheng Duoyi, he was so excited he nearly burst into tears.
"Brother Cheng!" Yun Xiao hurried over to him, finally letting out the breath he'd been holding.
"You all right?" Cheng Duoyi asked with a smile.
Yun Xiao shook his head. "I'm fine. Just a little scared. Good thing you came."
"Don't be afraid. I'm here." Cheng Duoyi patted his shoulder. "Let's go find the others first."
The two set off together toward the next person's location.
On the way, Cheng Duoyi encountered several more Hundred-Year Soul Beasts.
However, instead of killing them himself, he let Yun Xiao do it.
Yun Xiao's first Spirit Ring was only a Ten-Year Soul Ring, and he still hadn't reached level twenty to fuse with a second one. At the very least, Yun Xiao's Soul Spirit had to evolve during this trip.
Yun Xiao was immensely grateful for Cheng Duoyi's help.
He didn't say much, just silently committed it to memory.
Before long, they found Xu Xiaoyan and Wei Xiaofeng.
Xu Xiaoyan was being chased all over the place by a Hundred-Year Wind Gale Wolf, while Wei Xiaofeng desperately tried to cover her from the side.
"Xu Xiaoyan, Wei Xiaofeng, over here!" Cheng Duoyi shouted.
When Xu Xiaoyan and Wei Xiaofeng saw him, they looked as if they'd spotted their savior and hurried over.
Seeing its prey about to escape, the Hundred-Year Wind Gale Wolf let out an angry roar and gave chase.
Cheng Duoyi's gaze turned cold, and he threw a punch.
It looked like a light punch, but it held terrifying power.
"Bang!"
The Hundred-Year Wind Gale Wolf didn't even have time to howl before its body exploded under the blow. A Spirit Ring appeared, turned into a stream of energy, and merged into Cheng Duoyi's body.
But because of the ratio involved, it barely increased the age of his Spirit Ring at all.
Xu Xiaoyan and Wei Xiaofeng were both stunned. It was their first time seeing someone kill a Hundred-Year Soul Beast with one punch.
"Brother Cheng, you're incredible!" Wei Xiaofeng said, utterly shocked.
Cheng Duoyi smiled. "All right, let's hurry and find the others."
Just then, a shrill scream suddenly rang out in the distance.
"That's Zhang Yangzi!" Yun Xiao's expression changed.
Cheng Duoyi's face darkened too. "This is bad. Let's hurry over and see!"
The four of them raced toward the direction the scream had come from.
When they arrived, all they saw was a pool of blood on the ground and a few tattered black feathers.
"What happened? Where's Zhang Yangzi?" Wei Xiaofeng asked anxiously.
Cheng Duoyi quickly scanned the area with his spiritual power, then shook his head. "He's already been kicked out of the Spirit Ascension Platform."
"Kicked out of the Spirit Ascension Platform?" Everyone froze.
"He was probably killed by that Sky-Splitting Sparrow just now." Cheng Duoyi pointed at a large red bird flying across the sky. "Sky-Splitting Sparrows are Hundred-Year flying Soul Beasts. They're incredibly fast and have powerful attacks. Zhang Yangzi must have thought that, since his Martial Soul was a flying type, he could recklessly fly into the air. Then the Sky-Splitting Sparrow ambushed him."
Everyone fell silent.
The Spirit Ascension Platform was far more dangerous than they had imagined.
They'd barely arrived, and someone had already been eliminated.
"All right, don't be upset." Cheng Duoyi looked at them and said seriously, "This has also sounded the alarm for us. Inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, we can't let our guard down for even a moment. From now on, everyone must stay close to me. No more acting on your own."
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.
What had happened to Zhang Yangzi dampened their excitement and made them more cautious.
After that, Cheng Duoyi led them on and found Tang Wuling, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and Wang Jinxi in turn.
At last, all nine had gathered, except Zhang Yangzi was gone, leaving them with eight.
Once they were together, Cheng Duoyi looked at them and said, "Now we'll start hunting Soul Beasts. First, we'll help Yun Xiao's Spirit Ring reach the Hundred-Year level, then everyone can absorb energy according to their own limits. When we hunt, remember to work together and follow the tactics we've practiced. Ling'er and Wang Jinxi, attack from the front. Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng, harass them from the sides. Big Sister Yue'er, provide ranged support. Yun Xiao, be ready to use Displacement at any time. Xu Xiaoyan, provide support. Understood?"
"Understood!"
"All right, let's go!"
Under Cheng Duoyi's direction,
the eight members of Class Zero began hunting Soul Beasts.
The first ones they encountered were a group of Hundred-Year Blazing Lions. Cheng Duoyi counted twenty-one of them.
Blazing Lions were fire-attribute Soul Beasts with violent temperaments and powerful attacks.
"Everyone, be careful. The Blazing Lions' fire is dangerous," Cheng Duoyi warned. "Gu Yue, adapt as the situation changes. Ling'er, use Blue Silver Grass to restrict their movements. Wang Jinxi, hold off their charge."
"Understood!"
Gu Yue swept out both hands.
Countless water arrows and ice spikes shot toward the Blazing Lions.
At the same time, the ground beneath the Blazing Lions caved in.
Tang Wuling seized the opportunity to use her first Soul Skill. Blue Silver Grass surged out like a tide, wrapping around the Blazing Lions' limbs.
Wang Jinxi stood at the very front, swinging his Bone Dragon Claw to fend off the Blazing Lions' attacks.
Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng took the opportunity to circle around behind the pack and attack.
Xu Xiaoyan kept taking it easy...
Yun Xiao watched their surroundings carefully, ready to rescue anyone at a moment's notice.
With Cheng Duoyi's precise direction and everyone working seamlessly together, they killed all fifteen Hundred-Year Blazing Lions in less than ten minutes.
Streams of energy flowed into Yun Xiao. Once his Spirit Ring had become a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring, the others chose to keep absorbing energy as well, and the ages of their Spirit Rings increased to varying degrees.
"Thank you, Brother Cheng, and thank you, everyone," Yun Xiao said, genuinely grateful.
"We're partners. We should look after each other," Cheng Duoyi said.
Xie Xie nodded. "Brother Cheng is right. We're partners, so we should have each other's backs. The stronger you are, the more at ease we'll be. Brother Cheng said he doesn't want any of us left behind."
Wei Xiaofeng and the others admired Cheng Duoyi from the bottom of their hearts.
It wasn't because of his strength or the boost he gave them. It was because of his character. No matter how powerful your leader was, if he wouldn't help you and only sucked your blood and ate your flesh, you'd be better off without him.
Cheng Duoyi was different. He really would help you!
"That's right, we're all partners. We just have to follow Brother Cheng's lead. I'm not much of a thinker anyway, so I don't want to think. Whatever Brother Cheng tells me to do, I'll do," Wang Jinxi said.
Zhang Yangzi glanced at Wang Jinxi, then looked at Cheng Duoyi. His feelings were complicated, but he was also happy. He was troubled because Wang Jinxi was no longer as close to him as before, yet happy that Wang Jinxi was getting stronger—and that everyone in Class Zero was growing stronger.
"We're all brothers," Wei Xiaofeng said.
Their bond grew stronger, much to the satisfaction of Wu Changkong and Leng Xue'er, who were watching from outside.
Inside the Spirit Pagoda, Cheng Duoyi smiled. "This is only the beginning. As long as your spiritual power reaches one hundred and fifty or higher, there's a chance your Soul Spirit can evolve into a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit. Those in the early Spirit Connection Realm can already fuse with a Thousand-Year Soul Spirit, but only for the first Spirit Ring. The second Spirit Ring would be difficult to handle. And if your spiritual power reaches one hundred and fifty or higher, your first Spirit Ring can become a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. I doubt anyone would turn that down!"
The eight members of Class Zero were captivated by what Cheng Duoyi had said.
"We'll do as Brother Cheng says."
"Whatever Brother Cheng tells us to do, we'll do!"
"Awhoo, awhoo~"
Cheng Duoyi said, "Good. Let's keep moving, and stick to our plan along the way."
"Understood."
Before long, they encountered a Thousand-Year Earth Bear. Earth Bears were earth-attribute Soul Beasts with extremely strong defenses and enormous strength. They were very difficult opponents.
"Everyone, be careful. This Earth Bear won't be easy to deal with," Cheng Duoyi said sternly. "Ling'er, keep it occupied from the front, and watch its paws. Big Sister Yue'er, use ice elements to slow it down and look for a chance to trip it. Wang Jinxi, find an opportunity to attack its weak point. Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng, harass its eyes. Yun Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan, be careful to protect yourselves."
"Understood!"
The battle began once more.
When the Earth Bear spotted the eight members of Class Zero, it stopped eating the corpse of a Soul Beast and roared, charging toward Tang Wuling. Each of its steps made the ground tremble slightly.
Tang Wuling didn't dare be careless. She urged her Soul Power to its limits, sending countless strands of Blue Silver Grass curling around the Earth Bear's limbs.
But the Earth Bear was too strong. The moment the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around it, it easily snapped the strands.
Gu Yue seized the opportunity, raising a massive Ice Wall in front of the Earth Bear.
The Earth Bear slammed into it headfirst. The Ice Wall shattered instantly, but its speed slowed as well.
Right then, Wang Jinxi rushed in, his Bone Dragon Claw flashing with a sharp, cold light as he swiped at the Earth Bear's eyes.
The Earth Bear roared and swatted at Wang Jinxi.
Wang Jinxi had been ready. He quickly retreated, dodging the blow.
Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng took the opportunity to attack too. The Light Dragon Blade and Shadow Dragon Blade shot toward the Earth Bear's eyes at the same time.
The Earth Bear hurriedly shut its eyes and used its paws to block the attack.
Tang Wuling seized the opportunity to use the Blue Silver Spike Array again. Countless strands of Blue Silver Grass thrust up from beneath the Earth Bear's feet and pierced its body.
"Roar!"
The Earth Bear let out a pained roar and grew even more violent.
Gu Yue's eyes narrowed as she unleashed her second Soul Skill with all her might.
Countless ice spikes rained down on the Earth Bear, while one Earth Spike after another rose from the ground, restricting its movements.
Under the group's successive attacks,
the Earth Bear's injuries grew worse and worse.
Finally, Tang Wuling seized her chance and transformed her right arm into a Golden Dragon Claw, striking it in the head.
The Earth Bear crashed to the ground, its life extinguished.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief, their faces breaking into weary but excited smiles.
This was their first time killing a Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Just then, Cheng Duoyi's expression suddenly changed. "This is bad. Something's coming. Everyone, be careful!"
The eight members of Class Zero immediately went on alert and looked in the direction Cheng Duoyi had pointed.
A black bear that wasn't very large, yet radiated a terrifying aura from head to toe, was slowly walking toward them.
Its claws were dark gold, gleaming with a cold light.
"It's a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!" Xu Xiaoyan's expression changed drastically. "And it's a Hundred-Year one!"
Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears were overlords among Soul Beasts.
Even a Hundred-Year one could rival an ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Its Dark Gold Dreadclaws could cut through anything. They were terrifying beyond measure.
"Don't panic. Follow my orders," Cheng Duoyi said calmly. "Ling'er, use Blue Silver Grass to restrict its movements with all your strength. Big Sister Yue'er, use your strongest elemental attacks on its eyes. Wang Jinxi, focus on defense. Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng, don't get close—harass it from range. Yun Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan, protect everyone."
"Understood!"
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear stopped ten meters away from them.
It raised its head, fixed its blood-red eyes on them, and let out a low growl.
Then it suddenly charged at them.
It was incredibly fast, like a dark-gold streak of lightning.
"First Soul Skill, Bind!"
Tang Wuling urged her Soul Power to its limits. Countless thick strands of Blue Silver Grass surged up from the ground like giant pythons, wrapping around the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
But the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's claws were too sharp.
The moment the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around it, it tore the strands to shreds with ease.
Gu Yue swept both hands outward. An ice dragon and a fire dragon formed at the same time, roaring toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear roared and smashed the ice dragon and fire dragon with a single swipe.
But the shock wave from the explosion stopped it from advancing.
Cheng Duoyi's eyes narrowed as the Seven-Colored Bloodline within him surged to its limits.
A mighty dragon's威威 radiated from him, pressing down on the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
Feeling that dragon's威威, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear abruptly stopped. Humanlike fear appeared in its eyes. It wanted to flee, but found that it couldn't move at all!
It might be an overlord among Soul Beasts,
but before a true member of the Dragon Clan, it could only bow its head in submission.
And the Seven-Colored Bloodline made that even more true.
On top of that, Cheng Duoyi's powerful spiritual power was suppressing it.
There was no way it could get away!
That brief pause gave everyone their chance.
Tang Wuling seized the opportunity to use the Blue Silver Spike Array. Countless strands of Blue Silver Grass pierced the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's body. Boosted by Cheng Duoyi, the Golden Dragon Claw grew even more powerful and punched straight through the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's heart.
Gu Yue unleashed her strongest elemental attacks too. Countless fireballs, ice spikes, Earth Spikes, and Wind Blades shot toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear at the same time.
Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng took the opportunity to attack as well, sending the Light Dragon Blade and Shadow Dragon Blade toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's eyes.
Under the group's full-powered assault, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear let out a pained roar.
Finally, it crashed to the ground and died.
Then a yellow Hundred-Year Spirit Ring appeared, and a dazzling light shone from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's corpse.
A Right Palm Bone slowly floated into the air, glowing with dark-gold light.
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