Spirit Ascension Platform (No one's chasing anymore)

"Class Three actually surrendered?"

The moment those words fell, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.

No one had expected Class Three, whose momentum was at its peak, to not even have the courage to take the stage and to forfeit outright.

Class Five crushed two matches without lifting a finger and secured a spot in the finals.

Everyone's gazes instantly turned blazing and expectant.

Class One, the strongest established overlord of the first year, against Class Five, the dark horse that had fought its way up against all odds.

Who would take the final championship of this Class Promotion Tournament?

Everyone's hearts hung in the air as they waited for the finals to begin.

But just then, the sky overhead suddenly darkened.

Splash, splash—

Fine strands of rain came crashing down without warning, turning into a torrential downpour in the blink of an eye.

Bean-sized raindrops smashed onto the competition platform, splashing up layer after layer of water. The surface instantly became slick and wet.

Director Long looked up at the gloomy, storm-filled sky, frowned, then raised a hand to quiet the noisy discussion across the venue and announced loudly.

"A sudden rainstorm has broken out. The arena is slippery, which will greatly affect the safety of Spirit Master battles. In addition, school is nearly over for the day, and the academy's indoor training hall is currently under repair and cannot be used."

"The final match of this first-year Class Promotion Tournament will be postponed and restarted next week!"

"Homeroom teachers of each class, organize your students to return to the classrooms immediately and dismiss them in an orderly manner!"

As soon as those words came out, wails instantly rang out across the venue. Everyone felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over their heads, extinguishing all their enthusiasm in an instant.

"No way! It had to rain at the critical moment?"

"I was still waiting to watch Junior Fang Yuan crush Class One! I got excited for nothing!"

"But his transformation into the Titan Giant Ape just now was way too cool. I screen-recorded the whole thing and already set it as my terminal wallpaper!"

"Quick! Sell it to me for fifty Federal Coins! I want it too!"

The students were filled with regret, sighing and groaning. The once-boiling arena instantly lost its energy, and they could only reluctantly follow their groups back to the teaching building.

The crowd dispersed, and the rain fell harder and harder.

Gu Yuena raised a hand and took out an exquisite black umbrella from her spatial ring. She opened it and held it steadily over Fang Yuan's head, blocking all the wind and rain outside.

"Little Fang Yuan, hurry and go. Don't get soaked and catch a cold."

"Mm!" Fang Yuan obediently nodded.

He felt no regret at all about the finals being postponed. Instead, he was secretly delighted.

This conveniently gave him a full extra day of free time. He had long wanted to try out the elementary Spirit Ascension Platform.

Little Broken Watch's gene extraction and bloodline scanning functions had never had a chance for real practice. He was eager to scan the DNA of some ordinary or even extinct spirit beasts, complete his database, and pave the way for future Dragon Clan genetic repair and racial revival.

As he lowered his head in thought, a shout suddenly came from behind him.

"Brother Fang Yuan! Wait!"

Tang Wulin quickly chased after him, a gentle smile on his face.

Fang Yuan turned back and said calmly, "Need something?"

"If it's about paying back the money, there's no rush. It's still early." He spoke first, thinking Tang Wulin had come to remind him about the repayment time.

Tang Wulin hurriedly shook his head, his eyes carrying anticipation. "No, I wanted to ask if you're free this weekend. Do you want to go out and play together?"

Xie Xie at the side instantly grew anxious. He quickly came closer, lowered his voice, and tugged at Tang Wulin's sleeve, his face full of confusion.

"Wulin, are you crazy? Why are you trying to get close to this pair of siblings for no reason?"

Tang Wulin did not mind. He had thought it through clearly and spoke frankly. "I owe them money, so it's only right to get a little closer. Besides, we're teammates on the same team. We fought matches side by side, so we count as friends already, don't we?"

Xie Xie looked speechless, thoroughly defeated by his honest way of thinking.

"If you're short on pocket money, you can come to me! There's no need to deliberately stick to them! Besides, I don't think Fang Yuan sees you as a friend at all!"

"Oh, come on. We're classmates, so harmony is precious. It's better to get along well than stay distant." Tang Wulin had a gentle nature and would never take the initiative to distance himself from anyone.

Xie Xie held his forehead and sighed. "I give up. No wonder you have so many friends. You're just too easy to talk to."

Fang Yuan listened to the two of them bicker, let out a tiny yawn, and said lazily, "I'm not free this weekend. I'm going to the elementary Spirit Ascension Platform on Saturday, and Mother is taking me to the amusement park on Sunday. My schedule is full."

Hearing the words "amusement park," Tang Wulin's eyes dimmed slightly, and an inexplicable sourness rose in his heart.

He instantly thought of his parents far away in his hometown.

Ever since he enrolled at East Sea Academy and began boarding there, he had rarely gone home. On weekends, when others went out to play and rest, he spent almost all his time working at the Blacksmith Association, cultivating, and tempering his body.

Day after day, when he counted it up, he had already gone several months without seeing his parents.

After a brief daze, Tang Wulin raised his head again, anticipation reigniting in his eyes.

"Then on Saturday, can I go with you to the Spirit Ascension Platform? I don't have any plans this weekend."

Xie Xie cracked on the spot, disbelief written all over his face. "No way, Wulin! You couldn't even bear to spend money on the Spirit Ascension Platform entrance fee, and now you're rushing to get in? Spending my money and using your connections—our brotherly boat is really about to capsize!"

Tang Wulin chuckled and explained seriously, "My soul spirit is only at rank ten. Sooner or later, I'll have to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform to grind soul power and raise my soul spirit. With Fang Yuan and classmate Gu Yue here, we can steadily absorb soul power and cultivate. It's guaranteed profit!"

Those words instantly woke Xie Xie up.

His eyes lit up, and he immediately changed his tune. "Hey! That makes sense! Then I'm going too on Saturday! I'll freeload a round off the big shot's cultivation slot!"

Fang Yuan was too lazy to waste words with the two of them and brushed them off casually. "Do whatever you want. Just don't follow me on Sunday."

Tang Wulin quickly pressed, "Then should I come find you tomorrow morning? Meet up at your place?"

"No need." Fang Yuan shook his head, his tone decisive. "Nine in the morning. Just wait for me directly at the entrance to East Sea City's junior Spirit Ascension Platform. When I arrive, I'll notify you with the Spirit Guidance Terminal."

In his heart, he had never really treated these two as close friends.

Since Mother had instructed him to treat Tang Wulin as a little follower he could command, and as a companion to be cultivated, then he would do exactly that.

Taking them to the Spirit Ascension Platform would be perfect. He could have these two guys scout ahead for him, help him test the strength of the virtual soul beasts, and collect more soul beast samples along the way. Two birds with one stone.

"Got it! No problem, little brother Fang Yuan!" Tang Wulin nodded happily.

The two said goodbye and left.

Holding an umbrella as they walked along the road, Gu Yuena tilted her head slightly and asked softly, "You're deliberately taking those two little fellows along? You don't find it troublesome?"

"It's been a little boring with only Mother keeping me company all the time," Fang Yuan said casually. "Having two more companions around makes things livelier. It's just right for passing the time."

Gu Yuena pretended to be wronged and gently pinched his cheek. "What? Is it very boring having Mother with you? Little Fang Yuan dislikes me now?"

"I was wrong, Mother!" Fang Yuan instantly backed down and admitted his mistake at once.

"All right, I'm teasing you." A gentle smile rippled through Gu Yuena's eyes as she slowed her steps. "Let's go home. I'll make steamed pork ribs for you today."

"Yes!" Fang Yuan instantly cheered up.

The next morning, the rain had passed and the sky was clear.

The East Sea City branch of the Spirit Pagoda stood in the center of the city, grand and imposing. It was the most authoritative soul spirit cultivation and research institution in all of East Sea City.

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie had been waiting in front of the Spirit Ascension Platform's steps since early morning, lowering their heads from time to time to check the time on their Spirit Guidance Terminals, then looking toward the road entrance.

Xie Xie's legs were sore from standing, and he muttered quietly to Tang Wulin, "It's already nine ten. He's not standing us up, is he?"

Tang Wulin shook his head, his temperament steady. "Let's wait a little longer. Maybe he got delayed on the way."

Only after another dozen minutes did two figures appear at the road entrance.

Faint sleepiness lingered in Fang Yuan's eyes as he yawned.

He had stayed up late last night researching Little Broken Watch's bloodline scanning function and had gone to bed very late, and on top of that, Mother's sleeping posture had not been proper.

So he had overslept again.

Gu Yuena accompanied him at his side, her steps unhurried.

"Little brother Fang Yuan!" Tang Wulin waved.

Xie Xie immediately put away his earlier complaints and went up to greet them with a smile piled onto his face.

Fang Yuan stopped and spoke frankly. "Sorry. I overslept and got here late."

Tang Wulin hurriedly waved his hands. "It's fine, it's fine. We only just got here too."

Fang Yuan looked at the way the two of them had gotten up early to wait, calculated in his heart for a moment, then said, "Consider it my apology. I'll pay for both of your junior Spirit Ascension Platform entrance fees today."

"Really?!" Tang Wulin was both surprised and delighted.

The cost of entering the Spirit Ascension Platform was a heavy burden for him at his current stage.

Xie Xie also perked up at once, his eyes shining.

The four of them entered the Spirit Pagoda hall together.

The hall was full of Spirit Masters and spirit transmitters coming and going, while the staff members each attended to their own duties.

When the staff at the front desk saw Fang Yuan, they could not help lowering their voices and whispering among themselves.

"That's Fang Yuan, the new student who awakened his martial soul at six years old and had his spiritual power tested at the same time, directly showing the Spirit Sea Realm, right?"

"His innate spiritual power talent is top-tier. The academy registered his martial soul as a special tool-type martial soul, and his potential is extremely high."

Their fragmented discussion drifted over.

At that moment, Ye Yan, the branch master of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda, happened to be passing by on an inspection. Hearing the front desk's discussion, he took the initiative to walk over.

He had a refined bearing and none of the arrogance of someone in a high position. His gaze landed on Fang Yuan, carrying value and appreciation.

"You are Fang Yuan?"

"I am Ye Yan, the branch master of the East Sea Spirit Pagoda. Back when your martial soul awakened, the spiritual power test report was received and filed by our branch."

"Hello." Fang Yuan raised his eyes and replied.

"At six years old, your spiritual power had already stepped into the Spirit Sea Realm when your martial soul awakened. This talent is extremely rare among the younger generation of all East Sea City. You are an excellent prospect for becoming a spirit transmitter."

Ye Yan got straight to the point.

"On behalf of the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda branch, I invite you to become one of our branch's key trainee Spirit Pagoda apprentices and receive targeted training from the branch."

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie froze on the spot, their eyes full of envy.

A targeted training slot from the Spirit Pagoda was an opportunity countless Spirit Masters could fight tooth and nail for and still never obtain.

Fang Yuan fell silent for a moment, quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

By joining the Spirit Pagoda branch's training program, he could openly browse bloodline records on soul beasts and study soul spirit genetic data, and it would be much more convenient for him to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform to collect samples and complete his own plan.

The downside was that he would be drawn into the Spirit Pagoda's internal factions, assessments, and dealings with federal forces, and would no longer be completely free.

Just as he was thinking, Gu Yuena's spiritual voice transmission sounded by his ear, her tone solemn.

"Little Fang Yuan, consider this carefully.

The Spirit Pagoda has the Federation at its back, and its power structure is deeply tangled. The training slot looks glorious, but there will be assessments, missions, and attention from all kinds of forces afterward."

Fang Yuan replied to Gu Yuena with his spiritual power: "I've thought it through, Mother.

I'm not fighting for power or status in the Spirit Pagoda. I only need the soul beast genetic research materials here and priority access rights to the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Once I get what I need, I won't take part in any other disputes."

Gu Yuena was silent for a moment, then warned him through voice transmission, "Since you've made up your mind, I won't stop you.

The moment you notice someone deliberately using you, or that the situation isn't right, pull out and leave at once."

Their spiritual exchange took only an instant. To outsiders, it looked like Fang Yuan had merely pondered briefly.

Fang Yuan lifted his eyes and looked at Ye Yan, his tone calm and certain. "I am willing to accept the Spirit Pagoda branch's targeted training invitation."

Ye Yan was overjoyed.

From his storage soul tool, he took out a silver-gray branch trainee token and a storage ring.

"This is the Eastsea branch's key trainee token, along with the introductory resources for trainees.

With this token, you have priority reservation rights for the elementary Spirit Ascension Platform, two additional exclusive entry quotas each month, and permission to browse the branch's basic archive on soul beasts and soul spirits.

After you complete the branch's later assessments, higher-level resources will be unlocked step by step."

"Thank you, Branch Pagoda Master." Fang Yuan accepted the token and resources.

Xie Xie watched with endless envy and muttered under his breath, "These benefits are way too generous."

Tang Wulin clenched his fists, his resolve to cultivate growing even firmer.

Ye Yan smiled and gave a few reminders, then turned and continued his inspection.

"Let's go. We're entering the Spirit Ascension Platform."

Fang Yuan put away the token and walked toward the Spirit Ascension Platform's access passage.

When the staff at the entrance saw the key trainee token from the branch, their attitude became respectful, and they led them through a dedicated passage, sparing them the long wait in line.

At the end of the passage were the Spirit Ascension Platform's spiritual access pods.

The staff reminded them, "After connecting, you will enter the beginner forest zone of the elementary Spirit Ascension Platform. The soul beasts there are all virtual soul beasts of a hundred years or below. If you encounter danger, you can trigger the emergency withdrawal signal."

Fang Yuan lay down inside the access pod, and the hatch slowly closed.

A pale blue halo of spiritual power enveloped his whole body. In the next moment, his consciousness was pulled into the virtual forest space of the elementary Spirit Ascension Platform.

A dense forest spread out before his eyes. From the distance came the low growls of virtual soul beasts. The trial belonging to the Spirit Ascension Platform had officially begun.