Black Calamity Set! An Unexpected Surprise!

Bai Yuan severed three spider legs with a single sword strike. The Man Faced Demon Spider rolled across the ground, howling as black blood splattered everywhere.

Outside the Spirit Ascension Platform, the monitoring hall fell silent for a moment.

Several staff members stared at the screens, watching Bai Yuan slice off three of the Man Faced Demon Spider's legs with one stroke.

Then he casually followed up with another strike.

He turned the Thousand Year Demon Spider, a creature that struck fear into countless beginner Soul Masters, into a charred heap on the ground.

A young staff member blinked and unconsciously let out a—

"Eh?"

"He... seems to be fine?"

He turned to the colleague beside him, disbelief in his voice.

"That's a Man Faced Demon Spider, one of the most troublesome Soul Beasts in the Beginner Spirit Ascension Platform.

Several teams of Soul Masters went in before and got chased all over the place by it. In the end, they had no choice but to use their teleporters to escape.

How did he... make it look like chopping vegetables?"

His colleague stared at the screen as well, his mouth slightly open. For a moment, he had no idea how to answer.

On the screen, Bai Yuan had already sheathed his sword and was saying something to Gu Yuena.

That lazy smile still hung on his face, as though he had merely swatted a mosquito to death.

"That was indeed rather easy."

His colleague muttered, then gave an awkward laugh.

"Looks like we worried for nothing.

Why would a disciple of Her Excellency Heavenly Phoenix need us to fuss over him?"

The two exchanged a glance and laughed at the same time.

Their laughter was not loud, but it still sounded rather abrupt in the quiet monitoring hall.

The supervisor turned and glared at them. The two immediately wiped the smiles off their faces and sat up straight.

Yet when the supervisor's gaze lingered on the screen for a moment, a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes as well.

He turned toward Leng Yaozhu, who stood beside the monitoring console. A respectful smile quickly spread across his face, and his tone was so sincere that it seemed to come straight from the heart.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix, on accepting such a talented disciple!"

The nearby staff members came to their senses as well and hurriedly chimed in.

"Yes, yes! Young Master Bai Yuan possesses such strength at such a young age. He is sure to achieve great things in the future!"

"The angle and force of that strike were practically perfect!

I have worked in the Spirit Ascension Platform for so many years, yet this is the first time I've seen someone subdue a Man Faced Demon Spider with a single sword strike."

"Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix truly has a discerning eye. The Leng Family has worthy successors!"

Praise rose one after another, and the atmosphere in the monitoring hall instantly shifted from tense to lively.

Leng Yaozhu's expression remained unchanged. She neither modestly declined nor grew carried away with pride.

She merely gave a faint "Mm," her gaze still fixed on the screen.

He stood there with his sword sheathed, looking at the eight-legged monster still struggling on the ground, when a thought suddenly popped into his mind.

What is this supposed to mean?

Is the Spirit Pagoda deliberately sending the third-generation God Slayers to me so I can farm achievements?

First, the Godslayer Baboon.

The bastard who nearly made Huo Yuhao wipe out back then.

Then the Mandala Snake.

The roadblock monster at the entrance of God King Tang's newbie village.

And now a Man Faced Demon Spider?

The corner of Bai Yuan's mouth twitched.

Good grief, are they going to arrange every single "benefactor" related to God King Tang, from beginner to grave, for me?

Making me instantly kill them just to embarrass Brother Tang, huh?

Bai Yuan sighed and shook his head.

"I see you have already taken the path to death."

Then he brought his sword down.

Sword light flashed, and the Man Faced Demon Spider's last spider leg was severed as well.

It lay sprawled on the ground, completely unable to resist any longer. All it could do was use that twisted human face to let out one final wail at Bai Yuan.

Bai Yuan sheathed his sword, then turned around with a grin and beckoned to Gu Yuena.

"Junior Sister, no need to thank me. Hurry up and absorb it.

Just stick with me from now on. I guarantee you'll have plenty of opportunities like this!"

Gu Yuena stood where she was, her silver hair drifting gently in the breeze. Her violet eyes glared fixedly at Bai Yuan's infuriating grin.

This bastard.

He didn't lift a finger earlier and made me fight the Baboon and Mandala Snake by myself.

But now, he chopped down the Man Faced Demon Spider with one sword strike and puts on this act like, "Senior Brother took care of it for you."

He did that on purpose, didn't he? He definitely did it on purpose!

And besides.

Who said I couldn't beat this Soul Beast?

This Man Faced Demon Spider might look intimidating.

But compared to the Soul Beasts around me, it was nowhere close!

Forget eight legs—even if it had eighty, it would still be nothing more than a moving corpse in front of me.

Gu Yuena clenched her teeth and fists, her nails nearly digging into her palms.

She took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the blazing anger in her heart.

I can't lose my temper. I can't make a fool of myself in front of him, or I'll be playing right into his hands.

Wisdom!

Maintain the appearance of supreme wisdom!

She walked over to the Man Faced Demon Spider's corpse, crouched down, and placed her hand over the black remains that were slowly fading away.

Soul Power began to circulate. Spiritual energy separated from the remains, turning into pale green motes of light that gradually flowed into her palm.

Bai Yuan leaned against a tree with his arms folded, smiling as he watched her absorb the spiritual energy.

Gu Yuena kept her head lowered, her silver hair concealing her expression, but Bai Yuan could see her ears.

They were red enough to bleed.

Not from embarrassment, but rage.

Bai Yuan chuckled silently to himself, though his face retained that lazy expression.

This girl can really endure.

Bai Yuan watched as the fluctuations of Gu Yuena's Soul Power grew increasingly powerful. The elements in the air began to stir restlessly, as though answering some kind of summons.

Gu Yuena closed her eyes, her silver hair drifting slightly despite the absence of wind.

Her brows furrowed faintly, and her lips pressed into a thin line. As the spiritual energy flowed into her body, it naturally resonated with her martial soul.

The pale green motes grew denser and brighter, eventually transforming into an emerald beam of light that shot from her palm into the sky.

A purple Soul Ring slowly rose beneath her feet.

Spirit Ascension · Thousand Year Soul Ring.

The dazzling purple ring slowly revolved around her body, standing out vividly against her silver-white training clothes.

Gu Yuena opened her eyes and looked down at the purple ring slowly spinning around her.

Bai Yuan stepped out from beneath the tree and clapped his hands.

"Congratulations, congratulations. Junior Sister finally has a Thousand Year Soul Ring too."

Gu Yuena rose to her feet and glanced at him. She seemed about to say something, but swallowed the words back down.

Bai Yuan tilted his head, his tone teasing.

"Well? Sticking with Senior Brother didn't make you lose out, did it?"

The corner of Gu Yuena's mouth twitched. In the end, she squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth.

"...Who wants to stick with you?"

Bai Yuan did not mind. Smiling, he turned and walked ahead.

"All right, let's go. It's time to head back.

Those people outside have probably seen enough by now."

Gu Yuena followed behind him, the purple Soul Ring slowly rotating around her and giving off a faint glow.

Bai Yuan and Gu Yuena exchanged a glance, then pressed the teleportation buttons at their waists at the same time.

Their consciousness once again sank into that void-like chaos.

Everything around them twisted, blurred, and faded away.

After an unknown amount of time, Bai Yuan felt solid ground beneath his feet.

He opened his eyes, and the blinding white light made his pupils contract sharply.

After blinking a few times, his vision gradually cleared.

The Spirit Pagoda's monitoring hall.

They were back.

"Young Masters!"

A staff member in a white coat hurried over.

He held a finely crafted Soul Guidance Detector in his hands, his gaze quickly sweeping over the two of them.

"Please remain still for now and allow me to check your physical condition."

Bai Yuan nodded.

The detector emitted a soft hum as pale blue patterns of light slowly swept across his body, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet without missing a single spot.

Another staff member approached Gu Yuena and began the same examination.

"Soul Power fluctuations are stable, no abnormalities in spiritual power, and all physical indicators are normal."

The staff member examining Bai Yuan looked at the data flickering across the detector and let out a sigh of relief. He turned and nodded to the supervisor.

"No injuries detected."

The same result came from Gu Yuena's side.

"Everything is normal. The Soul Ring Spirit Ascension was successful, and her physical condition is excellent."

The supervisor finally relaxed. A smile spread across his face as he quickly stepped up to them and respectfully bowed.

"Young Masters, you have worked hard.

Her Excellency Heavenly Phoenix is waiting for you in the lounge. This way, please."

The two crossed through the monitoring hall.

The lounge door opened before them. Leng Yaozhu sat on the sofa, calmly watching the two children enter.

Her gaze paused briefly on the purple Soul Ring around Gu Yuena, which had not yet fully faded, before moving away.

"Sit."

Leng Yaozhu set down her teacup, her tone calm.

"Go back and rest well.

You both performed well this time."

Bai Yuan and Gu Yuena nodded at the same time.

"Yes, Teacher."

The two left the lounge and headed toward the elevator along the corridor.

The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside.

In the cramped space, only the quiet sound of their breathing remained.

Ding.

Gu Yuena's floor had arrived.

She stepped out of the elevator and tossed out a single sentence without looking back. "Goodbye!"

Bai Yuan watched her back disappear around the end of the corridor as the elevator doors slowly closed.

He walked over to the bed and sat down, about to take off his coat.

Then an icy, heavy presence surged from deep within his body.

Bai Yuan's body suddenly stiffened.

Black energy spread through his meridians and into every part of his body, bringing piercing cold wherever it went.

The power of Black Calamity.

It had begun leaking out in small, uncontrollable amounts.

Bai Yuan lowered his head and looked at his hands.

A faint black aura seeped from his fingertips, palms, and wrists like a thin layer of smoke, slowly drifting through the air.

What was this?