Spirit Ascension Platform

When Wu Changkong entered the classroom, he had an extra document in his hand.

He placed it on the lectern without speaking immediately. Sunlight slanted in through the window, cutting a bright strip across the few sheets of paper spread over the desk. Xie Xie lay sprawled on his desk, facing the window as though he were about to fall asleep. Tang Wulin sat beside him, twirling a pen between his fingers. The tip spun twice before stopping. Gu Yue sat against the wall, her head lowered over a dog-eared book. Even when she heard the footsteps, she did not look up.

"Your final exam has two subjects." Wu Changkong spoke in an even tone, pressing down the classroom's loose atmosphere.

Xie Xie straightened up from the desk and squinted at the lectern. "Final exam?" It was as though he had just been dragged back from some other time, his voice still carrying the lingering note of sleep.

"The first subject is the Spirit Ascension Platform." Wu Changkong turned a page in the document on the lectern. "In two days, you will enter the Riot Period Spirit Ascension Platform."

Xie Xie's drowsiness vanished completely. "Riot Period?"

"The Spirit Ascension Platform has two Riot Periods every year." Wu Changkong lifted his gaze from the document and swept it over them. "During the Riot Period, soul beasts become especially active, and their numbers increase as well. All you need to do is hold out inside for two hours to pass the final exam."

Tang Wulin's pen stopped. "That's not right. This isn't the first time... Could it be related to the changes in our overall strength?"

He set down his pen and waited for Wu Changkong to continue.

"During every Riot Period, the East Sea Spirit Pagoda has three hundred slots. The academy paid no small price to secure five of them." Wu Changkong closed the document. "The five of you will enter together and be transmitted to the same location. This is a test of your team coordination."

"What if we run into other teams?" Xie Xie asked.

"After soul beasts are killed during the Riot Period, the time needed to absorb their spiritual energy becomes one hundred times longer. In other words, if you kill a low-level soul beast, it will take one hundred seconds to absorb its spiritual energy. If you are eliminated from the Spirit Ascension Platform during that time, the remaining spiritual energy will be absorbed by the nearest Soul Master." Wu Changkong said, "Others can steal yours, and you can steal theirs."

Xie Xie fell silent for a moment after hearing that. "...So there aren't just soul beasts in there. There are other Soul Masters too?"

"Many Soul Masters come here to gamble once when they reach the peak of three rings," Wu Changkong said. "They want to see whether they can advance their spirit soul through the Riot Period. The opponents you will face will not be weak."

The classroom went quiet for a moment. Tang Wulin turned his head and glanced at the seats beside him. Zhang Yangzi was looking down at the back of his hand, while Wang Jinxi sat beside him without saying a word. Gu Yue closed her book. It made a soft sound as it shut, as though she had heard the final word at just the right moment.

"You have two days to prepare." After saying that, Wu Changkong picked up the document from the lectern, turned, and left.

The classroom door closed behind him. The sound was not loud, but it echoed twice through the empty corridor before fading. Xie Xie leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling for a while before speaking. "A Riot Period Spirit Ascension Platform... That doesn't sound right."

Tang Wulin did not respond.

In two days, they would enter a completely unfamiliar environment, face unknown soul beasts, and guard against other Soul Masters. He lowered his head and looked at his hand. The lines on his palm gleamed in the light from the window like a map that had yet to be unfolded.

That was not much of a problem. The main thing was, if the changes were too great, would Xu Xiaoyan... still appear?

On the morning two days later, the six members of Class Zero gathered at the entrance to the teaching building. Wu Changkong was already waiting there, dressed in dark casual clothes and holding a stack of silvery-white cards against his chest, like specially made passes. As he handed the cards to the six of them, his fingertips paused along their edges. "Once you enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, you are on your own. If you can't hold on, press the distress signal."

They lay inside the cold instruments, feeling their brain nerves connect.

When Tang Wulin opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on unfamiliar ground. The sky was pale blue, with neither sun nor clouds. The earth beneath his feet was somewhat soft, covered in a layer of fine humus, and the air carried a damp scent of grass and vegetation. He looked around. Gu Yue stood several steps to his left, Xie Xie to his right, while Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Wei Xiaofeng were some distance behind them.

"Everyone's here?" Xie Xie's voice came from beside him. "This place... doesn't look too bad."

The instant his words fell, a deep roar came from the bushes ahead. It passed through a layer of branches and leaves, accompanied by the scraping sound of something moving across the ground, like some heavy object slowly approaching them. Tang Wulin did not hesitate. Blue Silver Grass emerged from his palm and spread along the ground, the edges of its slender vines brushing lightly against the roots of the grass as though slowly tightening.

A dark crimson soul beast emerged from behind the bushes. It was a full size larger than an ordinary lion, with powerful limbs, every step carrying considerable weight. It stopped in front of them, lowered its head to sniff the ground, then lifted it again, its gaze settling on the six of them.

Xie Xie's Light Dragon Dagger had already slid into his palm. "That thing doesn't look very friendly."

Tang Wulin's face darkened. "Flame Demon Lion, a pack species. Everyone, be careful."

The Blue Silver Grass at his feet shifted slightly, as though adjusting its direction. A soul beast's roar rang out from ahead, bounced once above the clearing, then was swallowed by the towering canopy.

Tang Wulin did not rush forward. He stood where he was and watched for another two seconds, as though confirming some hidden... danger, before taking his first step.

"Maintain formation! Take them down quickly!"