Wu Zhangkong, Are You Awake?

Retrieving a Dark Ring in a world where the immortals are as numerous as hemp is, for Juggler, a source of mental strain, though still within his capacity to handle.

At the very least, Juggler has already been tormented by Asuka Shin and that queen; he can still manage a group of "immortals" who are individually weaker than him but as numerous as the sands.

However, if he has to retrieve Dark Rings in batches within the same world, and each person possessing a Dark Ring—while perhaps weaker than the original—possesses astonishing wisdom, unique secret techniques, and a fighting spirit and patience that stun the crowd, not to mention secret weapons that bring endless surprises...

Juggler really wants to carry the Tree of Life and Lan Kai on his back and run away overnight, just like he did when he left the Storage Facility.

Unfortunately, he cannot run this time.

Although Juggler desperately wants to deny Lan Kai's point, the words die in his throat the moment he tries to speak.

Because that Man Faced Demon Spider was indeed affected by the power of the Dark Ring; after enduring the Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi, it underwent a monster-like transformation rather than a simple breakthrough in soul beast age.

It is fortunate that in this era, wild soul beasts are basically extinct except for sea soul beasts, so even Wu Zhangkong, who comes from Shrek Academy, does not have a deep understanding of this kind of morphological change in soul beasts.

Therefore, like the ordinary staff of the Spirit Pagoda, he simply regards the changes in the Man Faced Demon Spider as a breakthrough of a soul beast, at most sighing, "I didn't expect the Spirit Pagoda's current technology to reach such a level."

However, if the Dark Ring has not been divided into multiple parts, then the holder of the Dark Ring must be within the Spirit Pagoda, and hidden so deep that even Juggler, who loves the Dark Ring dearly, cannot find them.

But if the power of the Dark Ring has also been divided into many parts, each portion being at the limit of what the Douluo Continent can bear, then it is easy to explain why Juggler has gained nothing all this time.

Of course, there is another possibility in Lan Kai's mind, a terrible one.

That is, among the holders of the Dark Ring, there is a member of the Tang family.

This, of course, does not refer to Tang San. Although Tang San would most likely possess a clone of the Dark Ring, he disappeared along with the God Realm swept away by a black hole; he currently struggles to even protect himself, let alone use the Dark Ring to influence the Douluo Continent.

By the time he can return with the Dark Ring and attempt to influence the Douluo Continent, a more powerful Lan Kai and a Juggler who has collected the power of the Dark Rings will make the "pure and noble" Tang Buddha understand what it means to be beaten by both the power of light and the power of darkness.

What Lan Kai worries about is Tang Hao, the Plane Master who was arranged by Tang San in advance to remain on the Douluo Plane.

This guy has always been hidden very deep, only coming out to reap the rewards after the Abyss Monarch made his move.

Lan Kai is not sure if this jerk Tang Hao is capable of watching over the Douluo Continent at all times and intervening whenever he wants, or if he is limited to acting only when Tang Wulin is in danger, or, according to Tang San's scheme, appearing to deliver the final blow after the Abyss Monarch enters the stage.

Although Lan Kai does not believe that, given the strength of Tang Hao and his son Tang San, they could achieve the former, it is something that must be guarded against.

"Fine, I will investigate, but you must also strive to improve your strength. The number of enemies is greater than you and I imagined."

Juggler rubbed his hair in distress. This is the first time he has encountered such a complex situation; he would rather deal with Gilbaris or Greeza than come to the Douluo Continent again.

"Mm, I understand!"

Lan Kai nodded vigorously, feeling an even greater urgency to master stronger power.

A semester passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the final exams arrived.

However, for this final exam, Lan Kai does not need to participate in the first test, which is to enter the primary Spirit Ascension Platform during the riot period and survive.

After all, as early as when the Zero Class was first established, Lan Kai had already demonstrated strength that could go toe-to-toe with a full-power Wu Zhangkong.

Although Wu Zhangkong successfully broke through during this period to become a Soul Saint, Lan Kai also fused with a second soul spirit—a fire-attribute soul spirit with high-purity Phoenix bloodline—and became a Soul Elder. Wu Zhangkong had a premonition that perhaps the next time he fought Lan Kai with all his might, the one who would lose would be him, Wu Zhangkong.

Sending someone with this kind of strength to the primary Spirit Ascension Platform, even one in a riot period, is not taking an assessment; it is going on vacation.

Even if Lan Kai were forbidden from using that transformation state that makes even Wu Zhangkong feel immense pressure, Lan Kai could still kill his way through the entire primary Spirit Ascension Platform with his bare hands, pinning the soul beasts and other soul masters inside to the ground.

For example, the students who look familiar to Wu Zhangkong and are suspected to have been admitted to Shrek Academy in advance, as well as those suspected to be members of the Star Luo Empire's royal family and people from hidden clans.

Of course, this does not mean that Lan Kai cannot enter the Spirit Ascension Platform during the riot period, it is just that Wu Zhangkong will not assign corresponding tasks to Lan Kai for this part of the final exam.

Regarding this, Juggler, the fifth Spirit Envoy of the Spirit Pagoda, is more professional than Wu Zhangkong.

However...

"What? The second final exam is to go to the Tang Sect's branch in Eastsea City and fight the previous generation of Shrek Seven Devils, who have been recreated through data in the Tang Sect's unique virtual space, the 'Hall of Heroes'?"

When Lan Kai was kept behind by Wu Zhangkong and learned of the second part of the final exam, Lan Kai almost turned into Yamanaka and blurted out, "Are you sober?"

Because the "brand" of the Spirit Pagoda on Lan Kai is even more obvious than Gu Yue's, making the difficulty of him leaving the Spirit Pagoda to join the Tang Sect quite high.

But soon, Lan Kai guessed the true intention of the Tang Sect behind Wu Zhangkong: to obtain Lan Kai's physical data.

As long as he enters the virtual space, Lan Kai's physical data will be collected by the owner of the virtual space, and then the Tang Sect can conduct research on it.

However, since Wu Zhangkong dares to make this request of him, it means that Juggler must have agreed. Otherwise, if the Tang Sect's Eastsea City branch dared to make such a request without authorization, the Snake Heart Sword would give them a chilling surprise the next moment.

Juggler has indeed been very busy lately; searching for the holder of the Dark Ring within the Spirit Pagoda has taken up most of his time, and he has even had very few opportunities to meet with Lan Kai.

However...

"Virtual space? Right, it's asking me to probe the Tang Sect's virtual space in return, isn't it?"

"And, if it's a data-based virtual space, then this card might also come in handy."

Recalling a very pale card that had appeared in his card box, Lan Kai suddenly understood something and immediately accepted the content of this second final exam.