As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Zhicen took a device from her Spatial Soul Tool, then pulled out a helmet set with blue gemstones. Without asking, she put it on An Lan's head, then stuffed a blue crystal ball into his hand. "You three haven't had your spiritual power tested in a long time. Purple Phoenix specifically instructed my sister and me to test you."
"Get ready. I'm starting the machine."
Bai Zhicen raised her hand and activated the testing device. The Soul Guidance screen beside her lit up at once, its numbers spinning rapidly before finally settling:
[Soul Power: 39] [Spiritual Power: 1086]
When they saw the numbers on the screen, Bai Zhicen and Bai Haoze both drew in a sharp breath. Bai Zhicen couldn't help exclaiming, "You little freak!"
Over four years, An Lan's Soul Power had risen by twenty-six levels, a steady six or seven levels a year. His cultivation speed was heaven-defying, but the sisters had been able to tell that at a glance, so it hadn't shocked them.
The reason they tested his Soul Power was that the crystal ball and the helmet used to test spiritual power came as a set, so they had handed him both.
Neither of them was surprised by An Lan's Soul Power. But his spiritual power of 1,086 completely overturned their understanding.
The standard for the Spirit Sea Realm was 500 to 5,000 points. Reaching this realm meant that one's spiritual power had transformed into a vast, boundless sea of spirit, marking a true step into the ranks of the high-level experts.
One had to know that the minimum spiritual power required of a Titled Douluo on the continent was the Spirit Sea Realm.
The sisters had already guessed that An Lan's spiritual power had entered the Spirit Sea Realm, given that he could bear a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. But they hadn't expected him not only to reach the Spirit Sea Realm, but to break through 1,000 points outright—twice the figure they'd estimated!
An Lan, however, seemed utterly calm. He snapped his fingers and joked, "1,086, 10,086—what a lucky number!"
He'd been born in the Spirit Connection Realm, with an initial spiritual power of 250.5 points. In his view, quadrupling it over four years was perfectly reasonable, so he wasn't surprised at all.
Next, An Lan took off the helmet and put it on Na'er.
"Beep, beep, beep!"
The numbers on the Soul Guidance screen rapidly spun:
[Soul Power: 33] [Spiritual Power: 699]
Na'er nodded with satisfaction. She'd controlled her score flawlessly. That was what she called astonishing wisdom.
After one shocking result after another, Bai Zhicen was already numb with surprise. She rubbed her brow and smiled helplessly. "Not bad. Na'er's spiritual power has also firmly entered the Spirit Sea Realm."
A short while later, Yuanen Yehui's results came in too: a Level 30 Soul Elder, with 520 points of spiritual power.
Yuanen Yehui's lips curved upward, delight filling her heart. Beside her, Na'er's eyes widened as she stared at her with naked envy.
She wanted a perfect score like that so badly.
The next morning, at dawn.
The sun shone bright, and a gentle breeze stirred.
An Lan, Na'er, and Yuanen Yehui arrived empty-handed at the agreed meeting point right on time.
Bai Zhicen and Bai Haoze had been waiting for a while. The sisters had both changed into casual clothes and looked full of energy, like two college girls in the prime of their youth.
The kind who dyed their hair and wore colored contacts.
An Lan discreetly glanced at the sisters, then took another look.
"Kid, did you get a good look the first time?"
Bai Zhicen caught his gaze at once. She raised her chin, looking a little smug.
An Lan remained composed and replied coolly, "My verdict is, you still can't beat the Spirit Pagoda uniforms."
Esdeath is the GOAT, he thought.
Bai Zhicen's eyes widened in shock. Then she planted her hands on her hips and scolded him with righteous indignation. "You little punk, you're a uniform fetishist! I've let you look for years, and it was all for nothing!"
"Xiao Bai, I'm ten years old," An Lan said, unhurriedly playing his age card.
"Still a little freak! o(´^｀)o"
Bai Zhicen pouted haughtily and stopped bickering with him. Turning to Na'er and Yuanen Yehui, she said, "Now that everyone's here, let's set off."
"How are we getting there? Are we taking the Soul Guidance Train?" Na'er asked curiously.
"The Soul Guidance Train is too slow." Bai Zhicen smiled mysteriously. "We have a better option."
She clapped her hands, and a streak of purple light descended from the sky.
"Teacher's Amethyst Phoenix!"
Seeing the purple phoenix mecha before him, its wings spanning more than thirty meters, An Lan couldn't help exclaiming.
"Exactly." Bai Zhicen smiled faintly. "For this trip, Purple Phoenix specifically entrusted my sister and me with control of this Amethyst Phoenix."
"Come aboard." Bai Haoze climbed onto the aircraft first. "I'll pilot. You can rest in the back."
The five of them boarded the Amethyst Phoenix in turn.
The mecha's interior was spacious, and none of them were riding it for the first time. They found their seats with practiced ease.
"I love Aunt Ning!" Na'er flopped onto the sofa and hugged a soft pillow, refusing to let go.
With a comfortable, fast mecha to travel in, who would want to squeeze onto a Soul Guidance Train?
"Buckle up. We're taking off!"
Bai Haoze started the engine. The Amethyst Phoenix let out a low rumble as it slowly rose into the air.
A moment later, the mecha accelerated, turning into a streak of purple light as it broke through the clouds and sped east.
High above, a sea of clouds surged and rolled.
Bai Zhicen carried freshly squeezed fruit juice over to them. "Have something to drink. Eastsea City is farther away than Shrek City. It'll take four hours to get there."
"Thanks, Xiao Bai!" Na'er took the juice and gulped it down.
Bai Zhicen sat on the sofa and casually asked, "What are you little brats going to Eastsea City for?"
"Seafood!" Na'er was the first to raise her hand. "I want seafood!"
"Always thinking about food." Bai Zhicen shook her head helplessly.
Yuanen Yehui said, "The Spirit Ascension Platform in Eastsea City is entering its rampage period these next couple of days. Mu Xi asked me to take her there to level up."
The Mu Xi she mentioned was the treasured daughter of Mu Chen, president of the Eastsea City Blacksmith Association.
Yuanen Yehui had chosen blacksmithing as her second profession. As it happened, her father, Yuanen Tiandang, had traveled the continent in his youth and formed a close friendship with Mu Chen.
Four years ago, after Yuanen Tiandang returned from Shengtian City with his wife, he immediately took his daughter to Eastsea City to become Mu Chen's apprentice.
Yuanen Yehui had a genuine talent for blacksmithing. When Mu Xi saw that another girl had chosen blacksmithing as her secondary profession, just like her, she was delighted and begged her father incessantly to accept this junior sister.
And so, Yuanen Yehui successfully became the apprentice of Mu Chen, a Level 8 Saint Craftsman, and the two girls became close friends.
She simply didn't want to stay in Eastsea City all the time. Fortunately, with her father Yuanen Tiandang around, taking her back and forth wasn't a problem.
At this, An Lan turned to Yuanen Yehui and asked, "Huihui, it's been a long time since you visited your master, hasn't it?"
"It's been eight months," Yuanen Yehui replied, her cheeks faintly flushed with embarrassment.
Under the Federation's Blacksmith rank standards, a Level 3 Blacksmith had to be able to achieve Thousand-Refinement. To qualify for promotion to Level 4 Blacksmith, one had to consistently achieve second-grade Thousand-Refinement, or complete Thousand-Refinement on three specified metals in succession.
The difference between Level 3 and Level 4 Blacksmiths came down to a great deal of practice.
After Yuanen Yehui mastered Thousand-Refinement, she had stayed in Shangling City. She only occasionally asked her teacher Mu Chen for advice through Soul Guidance videos and hadn't visited him in person.
One of her other reasons for going to Eastsea City this time was to visit her teacher, Mu Chen.
As for whether Mu Chen would be angry, Yuanen Yehui was already prepared.
To keep him from complaining, she had deliberately saved her Level 4 Blacksmith examination for the Eastsea City Blacksmith Association.
Before you continue