Spirit City is Calling

Zhu Shen looked at the nine disheveled, ragged, yet stubbornly-eyed students before him. His gaze swept over Tang San, whose eyes were exceptionally bright despite his exhaustion, and for once, he felt no urge to scam them—mostly because the system hadn't chimed. He kept a straight face, struggling to maintain the demeanor of a strict mentor: "Fine, since none of you are dead, I'll consider you passed."

Wang Sheng plopped onto the ground, gasping for air: "Teacher... that was... too brutal..." The three-day "survival training" in the Soul Hunting Forest was even more terrifying than running a hundred laps. They hadn't just faced soul beast attacks; they had to stay wary of other soul master teams. At night, they hadn't even dared to keep their campfire burning too brightly, relying entirely on Tang San's perception and the dry rations Zhu Shen occasionally dropped while "passing by."

Tang San wiped the dirt from his face and looked at Zhu Shen, answering earnestly: "Teacher, the disciples understand. Teamwork is crucial. Without Wang Sheng and the others sharing the watch, Li Erniu hauling supplies, and Xiao Lian's scouting, we would never have made it." The purple diamond-shaped mark on the back of his head flickered slightly; the Mandala Eye external spirit bone had played a core role in his perception for the team.

"As long as you understand!" Zhu Shen waved a hand, finally showing a hint of "the child is teachable" satisfaction. "It keeps you from thinking your wings have hardened. The tournament isn't child's play! Pack up and head back to the academy! The tournament is about to start, don't go embarrassing me out here!" He scanned his system panel; the text Evolution Points: 440/1000 made him beam with joy. The new passive skill, Dragon God Body Protection, gave him much more confidence—though it pained him that the love letter was gone, he still had the Pope's summoning order, and he needed to figure out how to farm favorability quickly.

On the way back to Notting Academy, the atmosphere was much lighter. Wang Sheng regained some energy and started chattering again: "Teacher, is Spirit City really that big? I heard it's a hundred times larger than Notting City!" The other working students pricked up their ears, their eyes filled with longing.

"What's the use of being big?" Zhu Shen rolled his eyes, calculating how to spend his evolution points. "Without strength, you're just cannon fodder! Look at you lot, ten extra laps for everyone when we get back! No dinner until you finish!" He sounded fierce, but he was muttering to himself: Bibi Dong's love letter is gone, so what do I do for a meeting gift? A system draw? Getting the love letter last time was pure dumb luck; if I draw something like 'The Pope's Panties' this time, I'll probably be slapped to death on the spot... He subconsciously touched his chest where the letter had been, feeling a sense of melancholy at the emptiness.

[Ding! Detected that the host feels strong nostalgia for the item "Bibi Dong's Love Letter," triggering a hidden reward: Skin Thickness +5%. Current thickness: 15%.]

Zhu Shen: "...System, are you mocking me or comforting me?" This lousy system was getting more and more unprofessional!

Back at the familiar Notting Academy, the children dove into the dorms like tired birds returning to their nests to wash up and rest. Zhu Shen, however, was tangled in a mess of chores—handling post-training supplies, dealing with curious students, and keeping an eye out for any remnants of the Evil God Temple following Su Nuo's death. Xiao Lian snuck over and lowered her voice: "Teacher, yesterday I saw Teacher Wang sneaking toward the south side of the city again, and he seemed to be talking to someone in black..." Zhu Shen frowned. The south side again? He patted Xiao Lian's head: "Got it, good work. But don't act alone, it's dangerous." He mentally added the man surnamed Wang to his blacklist: I'll deal with you after I get back from Spirit City.

No sooner had he dismissed Xiao Lian than the fat old master of the Notting Spirit Hall branch arrived with two stern-looking deacons. This time, his attitude was even more respectful, bordering on nervous.

"Master Yu!" The fat old man wiped sweat from his forehead. "His Holiness the Pope has urged again: please depart for Spirit City immediately once your injuries are healed! This is a Pope Palace Direct Summoning Order!" He handed over a document stamped with a magnificent purple-gold seal, the sweeping calligraphy on it exuding unquestionable authority.

Zhu Shen took the document and glanced at it. It was indeed a formal order to "proceed to Spirit City immediately upon recovery." He recalled the cold "I am watching you" that appeared when the love letter exploded in the cavern, as well as the scene when the Cardinal delivered the verbal decree, and felt a chill. Bibi Dong... what exactly was she watching? The "Holy Child" infant created by the Evil God Temple? Or... him, Zhu Shen? He had truly poked a hornet's nest!

"Fine, I know." Zhu Shen stuffed the document into his robes, keeping his tone as nonchalant as possible. "Go back and tell the Pope that I'll arrange things at the academy and set off in two days." He needed to spend his evolution points quickly; 32% bloodline purity wasn't enough, and he needed to familiarize himself with the Dragon God Body Protection passive skill. Otherwise, facing those Titled Douluo in Spirit City, his little bit of golden light might not be bright enough.

The fat old man nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, the carriage and guards have already been prepared for you; you can depart at any time! His Holiness seems... to attach great importance to this matter." He added cautiously, his eyes filled with awe for the Pope's will.

After seeing the Spirit Hall people off, Zhu Shen returned to his room and locked the door. He immediately opened the system panel and, looking at those 440 evolution points, didn't hesitate: "System, upgrade bloodline purity!"

[Consuming 400 evolution points, upgrading Dragon God bloodline purity... 32% → 36%!]

A warm current, far more intense than before, swept through his entire body. His bones popped in a dense rhythm, his muscle fibers felt as if they were being reshaped, and the phantom of every dragon scale flashed across his skin, becoming more solid and heavy. A surging sense of power filled his limbs and bones, and the Dragon God phantom in his spirit space seemed more majestic and clear. Zhu Shen clenched his fists, feeling that if he faced that Evil Soul Master again, even if he couldn't win, he would have more confidence in tanking a few hits with Dragon God Body Protection and running away.

[Remaining evolution points: 40/1000]

[Unlocked new skill: Dragon Might Intimidation (Range Enhanced)]

"Not bad!" Zhu Shen stretched his limbs, feeling completely refreshed. His gaze fell on the drop of Dragon God Essence Blood in his system space that emitted a faint golden glow. This was his reward for escaping death last time; consuming it would permanently increase his purity by 5%, but it was only effective the first time. "Keep it as a trump card for a critical moment." He stored it away cautiously; this item was too precious.

Night fell. Zhu Shen pushed open the window and looked at the bright moonlight outside, but his thoughts drifted to that magnificent Spirit City. Bibi Dong... that peerless yet cold-blooded woman—would this meeting be a blessing or a curse? The love letter was gone, the favorability bonus was gone, and relying only on this handsome face (system-certified 15% skin thickness) and 36% Dragon God bloodline, would it be enough?

In the next room, Tang San sat cross-legged on his bed, not resting. Spread out before him were several whetstones and a small pile of steel needles as thin as ox hair. His expression was focused, his fingers steady and nimble, meticulously sharpening every needle tip. The moonlight spilled through the window onto his earnest profile. The purple diamond-shaped mark on the back of his head flickered slightly in the dark, his spiritual power enveloping the entire dormitory area. Wang Sheng's snoring, Xiao Lian's sleep-talking, Li Erniu's teeth-grinding... these familiar sounds allowed his tense mind to relax slightly. He gently stroked the cold handle of the Clear Sky Hammer, his eyes firm.

The tournament was about to start, and the mess his teacher had caused needed to be faced. He had to become stronger to protect his companions, and also to protect... that teacher who always pushed him into pits, yet truly paved the way for him. Spirit City, he was coming. Father, will you be watching from there?

Zhu Shen leaned against the window, listening to the faint, continuous grinding sound from next door, knowing Tang San was preparing his hidden weapons again. "This kid..." The corners of his mouth twitched, and for once, he didn't complain. Scamming aside, Tang San's sense of responsibility and effort truly made him, as a teacher... feel a bit guilty, and yet strangely comforted.

"Forget it, no point thinking about it." Zhu Shen closed the window and lay back on the bed. "When you reach the mountain, there will be a path—or a pit, and if there's a path in the pit, we'll climb it! Bibi Dong, Spirit City, here I come! Let's see how I show off this time!" He closed his eyes, calculating how to "reasonably" squeeze more of Tang San's potential on the road, and seeing if he could trigger any more system tasks. The great cause of scamming his disciple would never cease! The golden light of Dragon God Body Protection flowed faintly beneath his skin, reflecting that familiar, mischievous curve on his lips.

Moonlight flowed silently over the backs of the master and disciple, each harboring their own thoughts. The night in Notting City was coming to an end, while the road to Spirit City and the unknown storm had only just begun.