Spirit Ascension Platform: Battling the Second-Generation Shrek

Four years of grueling cultivation passed in the blink of an eye.

Within a secret cultivation chamber of the Spirit Pagoda, vast and pure Soul Power surged like raging tides. Brilliant specks of Soul Power floated through the air, every wisp of energy several times more condensed than that of the outside world.

This was a secret cultivation realm within the Spirit Pagoda, opened only to its top Core Disciples. Without the personal approval of the Pagoda's upper ranks, no one could set foot inside.

At the center of the chamber, three figures sat cross-legged in quiet meditation. The fluctuations of Soul Power around them rose and fell, constantly ascending, condensing, and reaching completion. At last, they broke through their restraints at the same moment. Three overwhelmingly powerful auras erupted at once, firmly settling at the three-ring Soul Elder realm.

Li Chen slowly opened his eyes. A flash of black-and-white light passed through his dark pupils, while a third purple soul ring revolved around him. Heavy and sinister, the pressure of his Pluto Martial Soul, which stood above the life and death of all things, silently spread outward.

Beside him, Gu Yue sat with elegant poise, the six elements flowing and dancing at her fingertips. Wind, fire, water, earth, light, and darkness intertwined, while her Soul Elder-level elemental control had already reached perfection.

On the other side, Na'er gripped the Silver Dragon Spear tightly. Gentle yet chilling silver light glimmered across its shaft. The Rainbow Dragon Soul Spirit circled around her, wrapped in a lingering seven-colored halo. The bloodline power of the Silver Dragon Clan blended perfectly with the Soul Spirit's strength as she, too, successfully entered the ranks of three-ring Soul Elders.

Over the course of four full years, under the wholehearted guidance of the Spirit Pagoda's upper-ranking Leng Yaozhu and the veteran powerhouse Han Tianyi, the three of them had never slacked off for even a single day.

Han Tianyi was proficient in soul secret arts, spiritual control, and the condensation of Soul Power, constantly tempering the foundations of their divine souls. Leng Yaozhu excelled in practical combat, close-quarters fighting, and team coordination, honing their combat transitions and offensive-defensive synergy day after day.

From tempering their foundational Soul Power, to the precise release of soul skills, to refining the seamless coordination between the three of them, they had steadily strengthened their reserves and foundations. Today, they had finally broken through to Soul Elders together, becoming top-tier soul masters far ahead of their peers.

Wearing a pale red gown, Leng Yaozhu slowly entered the chamber. Rare approval appeared on her cool, peerlessly beautiful face. "Four years of hard cultivation have not wasted this opportunity. Your foundations far surpass those of ordinary soul masters at the same level. Your use of soul skills and control over Soul Power have both reached perfection. Now that you are all three-ring Soul Elders, you are qualified to enter the Spirit Pagoda's Exclusive Spirit Ascension Platform for the highest-level Spirit Ascension trial."

Han Tianyi's expression was solemn as he warned them in a deep voice, "This Spirit Ascension Platform is no ordinary trial ground. It contains replicas of the greatest experts throughout Douluo Continent's history and projections of ancient top-tier soul beasts. The sensations are completely real, and the danger is extreme. The trial difficulty may secretly fluctuate, so you must remain united and never fight separately. Only by giving everything you have in a life-or-death battle can you seize the opportunity for Spirit Ascension and temper your soul rings to increase their age."

The three bowed in unison. "Yes!"

They understood perfectly well that the Exclusive Spirit Ascension Platform was exceedingly rare. Each activation consumed an enormous amount of soul-guidance resources, making this opportunity incomparably precious.

Li Chen in particular needed it. His Pluto Martial Soul was innately extraordinary, governing life and death and controlling Reincarnation, far beyond the scope of ordinary martial souls. He needed the vast energy of the Spirit Ascension Platform to further excavate his martial soul's potential, stabilize his Soul Elder cultivation, and unlock more of the Six Paths Profound Meaning.

Led by Leng Yaozhu, the three passed through layer upon layer of forbidden formations and arrived at the deepest underground level of the Spirit Pagoda. A massive, ancient stone platform stood silently there, its surface covered in dense, archaic soul-guidance patterns. Misty white light gathered at the formation's core, while concealed yet violent spatial fluctuations radiated from it. This was the sole entrance to the Exclusive Spirit Ascension Platform.

"Once you enter the formation, you will enter a virtual trial space. All pain and danger will be real. With the Spirit Pagoda Tokens I have given you, you can force yourselves out in a critical moment." Leng Yaozhu handed them three silver tokens, then activated her Soul Power to initiate the entire Spirit Ascension Grand Array.

Dazzling white light swept over them as space violently twisted and pulled. In the blink of an eye, Li Chen, Gu Yue, and Na'er found themselves on a vast, empty trial battlefield. A dark, gray sky hung overhead, while endless hard black earth stretched beneath their feet. The Soul Power in the air was incredibly dense, yet it carried an eerie sense of stagnation, as though the entire space were secretly controlled by some invisible force.

"Something's wrong. The rhythm of the energy here is abnormal. It has been altered by someone." Gu Yue frowned tightly. As a natural Elementalist, her perception far surpassed that of ordinary people, and she immediately sensed the problem.

Li Chen slightly circulated his Pluto Martial Soul, and a thread of the Power of Life and Death quietly spread out, instantly revealing the truth. "The trial rules have been tampered with. The opponents' Soul Power and soul skill strength have all been secretly increased. This trial is not at the normal difficulty at all."

Before his words had even faded, the entire void suddenly exploded!

Brilliant golden light burst across the sky as seven figures slowly condensed into form. At their head stood a blue-clad youth with endless golden light in his eyes and spiritual power as vast as the sea. He was none other than Huo Yuhao, the legendary soul master who had shaken Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago! At his side stood the complete Shrek Seven Devils, the companions who had fought beside him throughout the ages! This legendary top-tier team from ten thousand years ago had actually appeared within the Spirit Ascension Platform trial as projections!

"Huo Yuhao? The Shrek Seven Devils?" Na'er tightened her grip on the Silver Dragon Spear. The Rainbow Dragon Soul Spirit instantly merged into her body, and seven-colored Soul Power soared into the sky as wariness filled her face. "Their auras are far beyond normal Soul Elders. Their pressure is almost at the Soul Ancestor level!"

"The instructors deliberately increased the trial values and made it more dangerous!" Gu Yue's gaze turned cold, her tone grave to the extreme.

Faced with an unparalleled enemy far beyond their intended difficulty, the three showed not the slightest panic. Four years of daily cultivation together had forged their tacit understanding into their bones. Without needing another word, they instantly formed a perfect battle formation.

"Gu Yue, control the entire field and split their formation! Na'er, launch a frontal assault and tear open their defense! I'll strike directly at Huo Yuhao, the core, and cripple their command!" Li Chen shouted in a low voice as black energy exploded around him.

The Pluto Martial Soul fully emerged, its black-and-white aura of life and death coiling around his body as the pressure of the Underworld's supreme ruler swept across the battlefield.

His Divine Soul Suppression talent activated instantly. The projections of the Shrek Seven Devils all stiffened, their spiritual connections and Soul Power circulation simultaneously faltering. Even the golden radiance of Huo Yuhao's formidable Spirit Eye dimmed for an instant.

Gu Yue formed hand seals so quickly that afterimages trailed behind her fingers, and the six elements erupted wildly. Gale winds transformed into blades that swept across the battlefield, blazing flames formed towering walls to cut off their encirclement, flowing water condensed into shackles that bound enemies, and the earth rose into thick shields to protect their flanks.

A vast elemental domain spread out, forcibly scattering the Shrek Seven Devils' naturally coordinated formation. The seven were isolated from one another, unable to cooperate or link their attacks.

Na'er leaped into the air, her figure like a silver dragon breaking through the sky. The Silver Dragon Spear tore through the air, its tip carrying the tyrannical bloodline power of the Dragon Clan and the seven-colored strength of the Rainbow Dragon Soul Spirit. Her offensive was sharp and domineering, directly withstanding most of the enemy firepower and opening a path for Li Chen to charge straight toward the core.

Li Chen flashed forward, charging directly toward Huo Yuhao at the center of the battlefield.

The light of Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye surged as a world-destroying spiritual tsunami crashed toward him. At the same time, Extreme Ice Soul Power froze everything around them, seeking to bind and crush Li Chen in an instant.

Faced with the lethal dual assault of spiritual and elemental power, Li Chen advanced instead of retreating.

His first purple soul ring erupted in dazzling light!

First Soul Skill: Fate Verdict!

A condensed black beam shot through the air, ignoring the flesh as it struck directly at the divine soul! The power of fate forcibly severed Huo Yuhao's spiritual connections and disrupted the rhythm of his soul skills. The violent spiritual attack collapsed on the spot, while the Extreme Ice Soul Power froze in midair. In an instant, the Shrek Seven Devils were left without a leader.

Immediately afterward, his second soul ring flashed as he unleashed his second soul skill with full force!

Second Soul Skill: Fate Mastery!

The black-and-white power of life and death transformed into countless invisible chains, wrapping around every member of the Shrek Seven Devils. Their fates were forcibly thrown into disorder, their Soul Power circulation became severely sluggish, and the power of their soul skills plummeted. Their once flawless teamwork was instantly riddled with openings.

Li Chen moved through the battlefield like a ghost, his fist winds crisscrossing with the Power of Life and Death. Black death energy devoured the enemy's Soul Power, while white vitality disrupted their blood and qi. As the two powers intertwined, they easily destroyed the pathways of their Soul Power.

He moved around the battlefield, restraining everyone while firmly suppressing Huo Yuhao, the strongest core. The combat strength of the entire Shrek team continued to plummet.

Gu Yue's battlefield control was flawless, Na'er's fierce assault was unstoppable, and Li Chen's divine soul suppression and fate restraints flowed seamlessly between attack and defense. Their coordination was airtight. Their unending barrage gave the enemy no chance to breathe, as fist shadows, elements, and spear light wove together into a lethal net.

After only several dozen exchanges of fierce battle, Huo Yuhao's divine soul was heavily wounded and scattered by the power of fate, while the other six Devils steadily retreated beneath the relentless erosion of the Power of Life and Death. Li Chen leaped up and gathered strength before throwing a punch. Black-and-white Power of Reincarnation swept across the battlefield, and all seven projected bodies shattered at once, dissolving into streams of light that vanished without a trace.

The first wave of the trial had been won with great difficulty.

But before the three could regulate their breathing and rest, the ground suddenly let out a deafening rumble and began to shake violently!