Spirit Ascension Platform Riot

Seeing the expectant looks in everyone's eyes, Xiling nodded. "This time, I'm going in with you."

The moment he said that, they all became excited. With Xiling there as a safety net, wouldn't a mere riot-phase Spirit Ascension Platform be easy to handle?

Seeing them like this, Xiling smiled helplessly.

This semester's final exam would also be his last day studying at Eastsea Academy. After stripping the Golden Dragon King's divine core from Tang Wulin's body, he would leave.

Staying in one place for too long always became boring. Studying here was no different. So why had he stayed at Eastsea Academy for so long?

To put it plainly, it was just for fun—to meet these original protagonists and occasionally bully them. That was all.

Three days later, Wu Zhangkong brought everyone from Zero Class to the East Sea Spirit Pagoda.

"Remember this: during the riot phase, the Spirit Ascension Platform has the most people entering at once. Inside, everyone except each other is your enemy."

"You only have one task: survive. If any of you fail the final exam, your vacation will be canceled."

When Xie Xie heard that their vacation would be canceled, his eyes widened. He had been looking forward to the break for a long time, but when he thought of Xiling, he relaxed again. Easy.

After handing over five entry cards, they arrived at the familiar room under the staff's guidance, while Xiling took the VIP passage.

"The riot-phase Spirit Ascension Platform is extremely dangerous. You've all entered the Spirit Ascension Platform many times and have basically adapted to the environment inside."

"I won't remind you of anything more. If you feel something is wrong, leave the battlefield immediately." After giving them a few simple instructions, the six of them lay down in their respective metal pods.

Under the staff's operation, they entered the familiar great forest once more. The fresh air and green vegetation looked no different from before.

The only difference was that this time, all six of them were together.

The instant Gu Yue and the others entered, they each released their Martial Souls and quickly formed the formation they usually practiced.

Inside the Spirit Pagoda's observation room.

The staff member looked at Wu Zhangkong and smiled. "These little ones are quite impressive. Teacher Wu, you've taught them well."

Wu Zhangkong gave a slight nod. "They're alright. Let's see how they perform."

He had always been the type to keep his emotions hidden, but he was fairly satisfied with these disciples of his.

Looking at them, he could not help but think of the school motto that had been passed down for twenty thousand years: Shrek only accepts monsters, never ordinary people.

Although that motto had not been perfectly upheld in every era, it had made every student of Shrek Academy remember it deeply and take pride in it.

As for Xiling, Wu Zhangkong had never regarded him as his student, but as a friend.

He wondered just how far these little ones could go.

To become monsters, hard work alone was not enough. They also needed talent far beyond that of ordinary people.

Setting Xiling aside, among the five of them, Gu Yue undoubtedly had the greatest talent. Her Martial Soul had never appeared even in the records of the Spirit Pagoda or Shrek Academy.

Her spiritual power was one in ten thousand among those her age. Yet apart from that, there were other aspects of her that Wu Zhangkong could not understand.

Inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, Xiling walked at the front, leading everyone straight ahead. Just then, a massive figure appeared before the five of them.

It was a huge, powerfully built ape. A foul stench emanated from its body, its fur grayish-black, its blood-red eyes fixed on them.

A hundred-year Iron-Arm Ape, a humanoid soul beast. It was fast and powerful, and possessed an innate area-of-effect group skill: Intimidation.

Once it struck a Soul Master with weak spiritual power, it would have a great effect, possibly even causing them to lose their ability to fight.

Gu Yue walked to Xiling's side and asked softly, "A seven-hundred-year Iron-Arm Ape. Should we handle it, or will you?"

Xiling shook his head. "This time, I'll carry you all to victory."

Huh?

Before anyone could react, Xiling raised his right hand. The Subspace Spear emerged from the void and instantly pierced through the Iron-Arm Ape's head.

"The spirit energy will be divided evenly. Hurry and absorb it. I'll stand guard for you."

Hearing Xiling's words, they did not hesitate. They immediately sat cross-legged and began absorbing the spirit energy with all their strength.

While they absorbed the spirit energy, Xiling jumped onto a tree and waited.

Suddenly, as if he had sensed something, he turned his gaze in one direction. Someone was approaching from there.

Three people, two boys and one girl, around fifteen or sixteen years old. One had three rings and two had two rings. Two of them showed signs of having absorbed spirit energy.

Just then, a streak of red light cut across the sky from afar, flying straight toward Xiling on the tree trunk.

Xiling's gaze sharpened. Just as the red light was about to hit him, the surrounding space suddenly twisted. The incoming attack was instantly swallowed by the distorted space and vanished completely.

At the same time, Xie Xie and the others finished absorbing the energy and opened their eyes. When the two sides faced each other, Tang Wulin could not help but freeze slightly.

Among the two boys and three girls opposite them, he recognized the girl—it was Mu Xi.

Above Mu Xi's head floated a fireball like the sun. The red streak from earlier had clearly been fired by her.

What shocked Tang Wulin was that Mu Xi no longer had two Soul Rings, but three. She was a three-ringed Soul Elder!

"It's you?" Seeing Xiling and Tang Wulin, Mu Xi also paused in surprise. The light of her Sunflare Martial Soul above her head dimmed slightly.

However, the look she gave Xiling was somewhat complicated. She already knew about the deal between Xiling and Ouyang Zixin. She was unwilling to accept it, but there was nothing she could really say.

"Senior Sister." Tang Wulin stepped forward two paces and called out.

"Mhm." Mu Xi nodded at him. "Let's go." With that, she led the two boys away in another direction.

Tang Wulin had long grown accustomed to Mu Xi's cold attitude toward him. Though he did not understand it, he did not think much about it.

Xiling, however, shook his head. When Mu Xi left, he had noticed the smug curl at the corner of her lips.

She was simply jealous of Tang Wulin's forging talent. Now that she saw Tang Wulin still only had one ring while she already had three, she felt proud and regained a bit of confidence.

Hard to say. Really hard to say.

The others did not notice any of this. Zhang Yangzi looked at Tang Wulin with a sly expression. "Senior Sister? Something going on between you two? Why don't you introduce her to us?"

"Senior Sister, why don't we travel together?" He shouted that toward the direction Mu Xi had left in.

Mu Xi did not even glance back. She and the two boys disappeared into the woods.

Tang Wulin glanced at Zhang Yangzi and said, "She's my teacher's daughter, but she doesn't seem to like me very much, so we don't interact often."

Xie Xie chuckled. "That senior sister has quite the temper. Yangzi, if you're interested, you can get to know her. She's in Class One, Year Five at our academy."

"Forget it. I don't have a habit of asking to be abused." Zhang Yangzi shook his head repeatedly.

Seeing that everyone was about ready, Xiling said, "Let's go. On to the next stop."

Just as they were about to leave, a yellow-green net dropped from above their heads.