Spirit Ascension Platform

Zang Xin coughed lightly and said:

"I know of a method that might help you improve. I'll take you to try it tomorrow. Let's put that topic aside for now and talk about joining our Tang Sect."

As he said this, his expression grew serious.

"You may not know this, but the assessment just now was not merely testing your strength. It was also determining the benefits you would receive upon joining the Tang Sect."

"As the times have changed, the benefits the Tang Sect offers newcomers have continuously changed as well. But one benefit has never changed."

"That is the Tang Sect Six Absolutes."

Zang Xin spread his hands and said:

"The Mysterious Heaven Skill, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, Purple Demon Eyes, Mysterious Jade Hands, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and Hundred Explanations of Hidden Weapons. These six special ultimate arts were the foundation upon which the Tang Sect was first established. Even after all these years, they can still greatly improve a Soul Master."

"Normally, disciples who have just joined the Tang Sect can only obtain one most basic Tang Sect ultimate art, the Mysterious Heaven Skill. But your situation is special. Because you passed the Ultimate Assessment, after learning all six Tang Sect ultimate arts, you may also learn one Tang Sect-exclusive technique."

Just as Zang Xin had said, the more Hall of Heroes assessments one passed, the better the benefits they received upon joining the Tang Sect.

If one failed to pass even a single stage, one could only learn the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

By passing the Intermediate Assessment, one could learn one additional ultimate art beyond the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

The Advanced Assessment granted two, while the Ultimate Assessment granted three. The further one progressed, the more generous the rewards became. Thus, Bai Chen, who had passed the Ultimate Assessment, was qualified to learn seven ultimate arts.

Zang Xin tapped the wall, and the screen from before appeared again. After typing a few times on the keyboard, icons immediately appeared across the display.

"These are all the ultimate arts you can choose from. Pick one that interests you."

Given Bai Chen's talent, even if he wanted to learn all of them, Zang Xin would not have been reluctant to teach him.

Still, in Zang Xin's view, skill lay in mastery rather than quantity. Trying to learn too much would only leave one unable to digest any of it. Bai Chen was still just a child, and he had plenty of time ahead of him. For now, he only needed to master the techniques already in his hands.

As for the other techniques, it would not be too late to learn them after Bai Chen had finished studying these seven ultimate arts.

Bai Chen quickly swept his gaze across the icons on the screen. Soon, his eyes lit up as he found what he wanted.

He raised his hand and pointed at the icon.

"Senior Zang Xin, I want this one."

"Hm?"

Seeing what he had chosen, Zang Xin could not help but freeze.

"This one? Are you sure?"

Beneath the icon Bai Chen was pointing at, five large words were written: "Medicine Scripture and Poison Scripture."

"Yes, this one."

Bai Chen nodded firmly.

"This..."

A troubled expression immediately appeared on Zang Xin's face.

It was not because he thought Bai Chen was taking away some important technique. Quite the opposite—Zang Xin felt that Bai Chen would be losing out by choosing it.

He could not help but remind him:

"Child, while pharmaceutics is indeed one of the fields our Tang Sect excels in, this technique is actually not very useful to Soul Masters. I do not recommend learning it."

As he spoke, he pointed to a hammer icon on the screen and said eagerly:

"I actually recommend that you learn this Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer. It is a hammer technique belonging to the Clear Sky Sect, once the greatest sect in the world. Aren't you a blacksmith? This hammer technique should be very helpful for your forging."

Just as Zang Xin had said, the Medicine Scripture and Poison Scripture were not particularly useful in this era.

Although these two techniques could effectively counter Poison Attribute Soul Masters, Poison Attribute Soul Masters were far too rare. Learning an entire discipline specifically for them simply was not worthwhile.

Rather than exhausting oneself learning how to cure poison, it was better to crush all techniques with overwhelming strength.

As for poison-making techniques... ever since the Tang Sect's core industry had shifted from hidden weapons to Soul Tools, they had rarely played a crucial role.

Although there had previously been agility-type Soul Masters who learned the Poison Scripture, created poisons, and coated their weapons with them, achieving some success as a result—this path clearly did not suit Bai Chen.

His Evil Explosion Technique packed far more punch than poison.

Yet Bai Chen still said firmly:

"Please. I want to learn this."

"You..."

Zang Xin wanted to say more, but suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

When he turned around, Zhen Hua was smiling cheerfully at him.

"Alright, since the child is interested in this technique, let him learn it. It is not as though it is anything bad. You cannot dampen a child's enthusiasm for learning."

"...You are right."

Zang Xin fell silent for a moment. In the end, he sighed and nodded.

Bai Chen immediately relaxed and smiled.

"Thank you, Vice Sect Master."

Zang Xin waved his hand.

"There is no need to thank me. This was what you deserved for passing the assessment. If you want to thank someone, thank yourself for successfully passing the Ultimate Assessment."

He turned around and operated the keyboard again. A small cabinet suddenly popped out from the wall. He took out something resembling a phone from inside and handed it to Bai Chen.

"Here. It contains all of the Tang Sect's research findings in medicine and toxicology. Do not try to learn everything. Study selectively. And do not let outsiders see it, understand?"

"Understood!"

Bai Chen accepted it, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

With this, another small goal had been completed.

The reason he had specifically asked Zang Xin for the Medicine Scripture was naturally not because he wanted to enter the medical field. He wanted to use the knowledge within the Medicine Scripture and Poison Scripture to resolve the poison plaguing Dugu Bo's family.

The progress of the times was not reflected only in the field of Soul Tools. Medicine had advanced just as significantly.

Spirit Ascension Platform

Twenty thousand years ago, Poison Attribute Soul Masters still had to consider the effects of cultivation on themselves. But in this era, that problem had long since vanished.

Bai Chen intended to use technology from twenty thousand years in the future to cure the poison within Dugu Bo.

Was he doing this to obtain the Icefire Yin Yang Well? Yes and no.

First of all, Bai Chen did not need Dugu Bo's consent at all to obtain the Icefire Yin Yang Well.

One had to understand that the Icefire Yin Yang Well had formed because of the corpses of the Water-Fire Dragon Kings. Strictly speaking, it was an inheritance of the Dragon Clan.

As far as Dragon Clan inheritance was concerned, Dugu Bo, a human who could not even recognize all the herbs, did not count as its true owner.

If the two Dragon Souls sleeping beneath the spring of the Icefire Yin Yang Well were allowed to choose an owner, they would undoubtedly choose the Silver Dragon King, the other half of the Dragon God, rather than Dugu Bo.

Therefore, as long as Bai Chen told the Silver Dragon King about the Icefire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo would be unable to protect it, whether in terms of strength or position.

Even if the Silver Dragon King took everything within the Icefire Yin Yang Well, Dugu Bo would have nothing to say about it—and no strength to say anything.

Thus, Bai Chen was not learning the Medicine Scripture in order to make a deal with Dugu Bo.

If he had to put it into words, this was actually a form of compensation and self-satisfaction.

The Silver Dragon King taking the Icefire Yin Yang Well was perfectly justified, but was it not an undeserved disaster for Dugu Bo?

As someone who would benefit from it, Bai Chen found it difficult to claim a clear conscience if he merely stood by and watched.

He hoped that when he died, he could leave with a smile and no regrets.

That was why he wanted to give Dugu Bo some compensation.

As for whether this compensation could offset Dugu Bo's losses... he did not really care. This was merely an act of self-satisfaction. As long as his conscience was clear, that was enough. He could not be bothered with anything else.

After handing the Medicine Scripture and Poison Scripture to Bai Chen, the purpose of their trip had been completely fulfilled. The group left this Tang Sect base.

On the way back to Bai Chen's home, Zang Xin used his Soul Power to convey the circulation method of the Mysterious Heaven Skill to Bai Chen.

Although Bai Chen had difficulty cultivating normally, the Mysterious Heaven Skill not only accelerated cultivation but also improved the quality of one's Soul Power. Learning it could only benefit him.

This suited Bai Chen's wishes perfectly.

In this era, he truly had little use for the Mysterious Heaven Skill. But his counterparts in the other two eras were different.

Even though the Mysterious Heaven Skill of the Douluo III Era had been watered down, it was still among the continent's finest cultivation methods. It was better than the cultivation method taught by the Nine-Treasure Glazed Sect.

Of course, if he had the chance, he still needed to find a way to obtain the complete version of the Mysterious Heaven Skill. But for that, he would have to start with Tang San from the Douluo I Era.

After sending Bai Chen home, Zang Xin stayed behind and instructed him for another two hours. Only after teaching him the other Tang Sect Six Absolutes did he leave.

These ultimate arts were at least quite useful in the early stages. Methods like the Purple Demon Eyes, which cultivated spiritual power, would not become obsolete even in the later stages.

Early the next morning, Bai Chen got up and opened the curtains, looking outside.

As a streak of purple light flashed through the depths of his eyes, he let out a long breath and felt that his spiritual power had risen by an almost imperceptible amount.

The most convenient part of the Purple Demon Eyes was that it required very little time.

By setting aside only a short period each day to cultivate it, one could rapidly improve their spiritual power. It was truly useful.

As though it had been waiting for that exact moment, the doorbell rang just as he finished cultivating the Purple Demon Eyes.

Bai Chen walked out through the front door and, as expected, saw Zang Xin waiting outside.

"Oh, looks like you have been cultivating diligently."

Zang Xin smiled as he greeted him.

He had seen Bai Chen cultivating the Purple Demon Eyes by the window, and that was undoubtedly a good start.

Bai Chen walked up to him and asked curiously:

"Senior Zang Xin, where are we going today?"

"You will know when we get there."

Zang Xin smiled mysteriously and led Bai Chen into the car.

As they drew closer and closer to their destination, Bai Chen gradually came to a realization.

He could not help asking:

"Senior, are we going to the Spirit Pagoda?"

"That is right."

Without turning his head, Zang Xin asked:

"Have you heard of the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

Bai Chen's thoughts stirred, but his expression remained calm.

"My father mentioned it to me before."

"That makes things easier."

Zang Xin said cheerfully:

"Your Martial Soul needs slaughter. As it happens, the Spirit Ascension Platform also needs you to slaughter the Soul Beasts within it. Go in and give it a try today. If it works, I will handle all of your future cultivation. Do not worry—the Tang Sect will cover all expenses for the Spirit Ascension Platform. You can enter as many times as you want."

"..."

Bai Chen fell silent.

Enter as many times as he wanted... this was exactly why he had ruled out the Spirit Pagoda when choosing a faction.

The Spirit Pagoda's core appeal could all be settled with money. This amount of money might indeed be unbearable for ordinary people, but what top-tier power in this world lacked money?

Just like now, the moment Bai Chen had a need, Zang Xin directly told him he could enter as many times as he wanted, with all expenses covered by the Tang Sect.

But the Spirit Ascension Platform... now that he thought about it carefully, this truly was a blind spot.

Bai Chen narrowed his eyes and began to think carefully.

Because he had subconsciously believed that the Spirit Ascension Platform was merely a place used to increase Soul Spirit age, he had instinctively ignored its other uses. But upon closer thought, it might truly be the place with the greatest number of "Soul Beasts" on the entire continent.

Of course, the Soul Beasts within the Spirit Ascension Platform certainly could not compare with real Soul Beasts. But for Bai Chen, as long as they could steadily increase his cultivation, that was enough.

After all, although the Soul Beasts within the Spirit Ascension Platform were inferior in quality to real Soul Beasts, their numbers were enormous. At the same time, slaughtering there carried no risk of death at all.

Even if he died inside, his real body would not be harmed in any way. That was the Spirit Ascension Platform's advantage, and also why Zang Xin chose this place rather than the Abyss.