Ten thousand years ago, the Sun-Moon Empire had dealt the original three empires a devastating blow. Although a deity had intervened to preserve a brief balance, the rapid development of soul tools had still made the Sun-Moon Federation the ruler of this continent.
The Star Luo Empire had blazed a different trail. Through research into ocean navigation, it had discovered another continent and quietly occupied it, taking vast amounts of resources there to establish a new Star Luo Empire and naming it the Star Luo Continent.
Over those ten thousand years, the Spirit Pagoda, an organization founded by Spirit Ice Douluo, had grown rapidly into one of the most powerful organizations of the present day.
With the emergence of artificial soul spirits, the Spirit Pagoda's status had risen like a boat on a swelling tide, and its influence had spread across the entire planet.
Naturally, Aolai City also had a Spirit Pagoda branch. Located in the city center, it was a three-story, tower-shaped building, the lowest tier in the Spirit Pagoda's hierarchy.
The Spirit Pagodas in medium-sized cities stood seven stories tall, while those in major cities such as Mingdu and Heaven Dou City reached thirteen stories.
The Spirit Pagoda Headquarters in Shrek City was even more magnificent. After ten thousand years of repairs and renovations, it stood a full eighty-one stories tall, the grandest building on the continent.
Although Aolai City's Spirit Pagoda branch had only three stories, the Spirit Pagoda's unique construction made the building itself a soul tool, so it looked far more extraordinary than the surrounding high-rises.
When Lin Ye drove Tang Li there, the Spirit Pagoda's main entrance stood wide open, but few people were around. After all, only soul masters came here, and in a small place like Aolai City, their numbers could be counted on one hand.
As a director of this branch, Lin Ye was a fifth-level Spirit Master, second in status only to the branch head. The robed Spirit Master behind the counter inside greeted him without asking any further questions and let him take Tang Li straight in.
The Spirit Pagoda followed an octagonal design, with three stories, four faces, and eight sides. Its interior was extremely spacious, constructed entirely from some kind of metal and stamped with the Spirit Pagoda's emblem.
Tang Li looked around curiously as he followed Lin Ye through one metal door after another and into his office.
"Little Tang Li, in a small place like Aolai City, the Spirit Pagoda generally offers only two ways to choose a soul spirit: direct purchases, at seventy thousand Federation Coins for a ten-year soul spirit or one million Federation Coins for a century-old spirit, and a lottery draw for thirty thousand Federation Coins.
"But members of the Spirit Pagoda like me can buy from headquarters through internal channels. You could call it a perk. Your father helped me sort out some core components for my mecha and promised to handle future upgrades and repairs. In exchange, I'll choose suitable century-old spirits for you and your sister."
As Lin Ye explained the situation to Tang Li, he took two yellow soul spirit orbs from the soul-tool safe in his office.
In this era, Mecha Masters had become synonymous with strength. They could obtain considerable combat power without a powerful martial soul or soul power, so mecha prices had remained sky-high.
Tang Ziran had already been a Federation-certified fourth-level Mecha Designer many years ago. Tang Li reckoned that his father should now be at the fifth or even sixth level, capable of designing top-tier, custom-built purple-grade mecha.
Purple-grade mecha ranked just below black-grade mecha. Even standard models could match a Five-Ring Soul King, while custom models could provide a Soul Di with a certain boost. Their value was incalculable.
That was also why Lin Ye was willing to help Tang Ziran obtain soul spirits for his children.
"Here, these are the soul spirits for you and your sister. Hold on to them. I'll take you to test your spiritual power first. If you haven't reached level thirty, you'll fuse with your sister's iron-backed earth dragon first."
With that, Lin Ye handed the two soul spirit orbs to Tang Li, then turned and led him to the spiritual power testing area.
It was a room brimming with advanced technology, filled with precision instruments. Another Spirit Master was there, presumably responsible for checking that the equipment was safe.
Lin Ye had Tang Li stand on a platform. A metal helmet controlled by a mechanical arm descended from above and enclosed Tang Li's head.
Numerous data cables ran from the metal helmet to a large display nearby.
"Don't be nervous. Relax your whole body. You might feel a little dizzy, but that's normal."
As he finished speaking, the metal helmet began to hum and emit a soft white light. Lin Ye and the other Spirit Master gathered beside the display, watching the constantly changing readings.
Almost instantly, the number shot past Lin Ye's required thirty points. Like a wild horse that had broken its reins, it galloped onward, breaking through the fifty-point mark in the blink of an eye and continuing its unchecked charge—
70
80...
100!
"He... he's broken through the spirit origin realm!"
Not only the other Spirit Master, but even Lin Ye stood stunned, because the number was still climbing!
A few breaths later, the number on the screen stopped at 133, indicating that Tang Li's spiritual power had already reached the spirit connection realm.
In the spirit connection realm, the mind connected with the spiritual, and thought reached its destination. Upon reaching this realm, one began to grasp the control of spiritual power and could truly attempt to wield it for oneself, while also being able to sustain two century-old spirits or one thousand-year soul spirit!
The mechanical arm lifted the metal helmet away from Tang Li's head. He had just felt two gazes fixed on him, and when he opened his eyes, he found the Spirit Master and his Uncle Lin staring at him with burning intensity.
"Little Tang Li, are you interested in joining the Spirit Pagoda? Uncle Lin will have your back."
"What's gotten into you, Uncle Lin? Why ask that all of a sudden? Aren't I testing my spiritual power? Besides, I can't make that decision myself. You'd have to ask my dad."
Tang Li did not refuse. He merely indicated that he had no say in the matter and would have to listen to his father, Tang Ziran.
Lin Ye said no more after hearing that, but he had already made up his mind to approach Tang Ziran and poach his son. He pointed at the display so Tang Li could see for himself.
133 points? Just so-so, really. God King Tang's gift had expanded his spirit sea. As long as he kept improving his spiritual power by visualizing the Demon-Sealing Pot, he should encounter no bottlenecks, at least before the spirit abyss realm.
"All right, I'll take you to the Meditation Room to fuse with your soul spirit."
With that, Lin Ye impatiently scooped Tang Li up, tucked him under one arm, and strode toward the Meditation Room without even saying goodbye to the Spirit Master behind him.
Inside the Meditation Room provided by the Spirit Pagoda, Tang Li could clearly feel that the soul power here was much stronger than at Red Mountain Academy.
Lin Ye stood beside him, explaining how to fuse with a soul spirit. Following his instructions, Tang Li first opened the soul spirit orb labeled "Evil Eye," releasing the century-old Evil Eye inside.
"Next, you need to establish a connection with the Evil Eye using your spiritual power. Whether you control him or communicate with him, either is fine, as long as the fusion succeeds. But be careful. Creatures like the Evil Eye are rather proud, and he might clash with your mind. If it doesn't work, immediately use the soul spirit orb to take him back in."
As soon as Lin Ye finished speaking, the Evil Eye impatiently waved the three tentacles behind him and flew into the air. His enormous vertical pupil locked onto Tang Li, and he was about to unleash his innate ability, Evil Eye Gaze.
As soul beasts whose primary attribute was the mental attribute, members of the Evil Eye Race were born with exceptionally high intelligence. This remained true even after they became soul spirits.
But just as the Evil Eye focused his gaze, before he could release it, the faint trace of the Demon-Sealing Pot's unique aura emanating from Tang Li frightened him into submission. Without the slightest resistance, he accepted Tang Li's spiritual imprint and obediently became a part of him.
As the Evil Eye merged into him, the soul power gathered in Tang Li's dantian also grew active. A yellow soul ring slowly rose from beneath him...
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