"This training expedition will also be part of your final assessment."
Teacher Wu's clear, cool voice rang out.
"The Spirit Ascension Platform is about to enter its riot period. You can enter in teams during that time, which makes it a perfect opportunity to test your teamwork.
He paused briefly, his gaze settling on the center of the six.
"Yan Qing, you'll be the captain of this team."
After seeing Yan Qing nod, Wu Changkong continued.
"Take note: during the Spirit Ascension Platform's riot period, Soul Beasts won't be your greatest enemies. The spirit ascension energy you gain will increase substantially, but the price is that the time needed to absorb it will also increase severalfold."
"If you're interrupted while absorbing it, or even forcibly removed from the Spirit Ascension Platform, all the spiritual power you worked so hard to obtain will be handed over on a silver platter."
"Teacher, does that mean people will come to steal our spiritual power?"
Xie Xie asked.
"Yes. Soul Masters robbing one another is a common sight in the Spirit Ascension Platform during its riot period."
"Then can we rob other people too?"
Zhang Yangzi chimed in.
Wu Changkong gave him a long look. "Yes, as long as you can defeat them. However, this assessment requires you to remain in the Spirit Ascension Platform for more than an hour during the riot period."
"Gather here in three days."
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and all six members of Class Zero made gains in strength, neither large nor small.
Among them, Yan Qing had the highest combat strength at rank twenty-five, Wang Jinxi was rank twenty-three, and Zhang Yangzi and Xie Xie were both rank twenty-two.
Gu Yue was slightly weaker, having just reached rank twenty.
But Yan Qing knew that her Soul Power Level fluctuated elastically. As long as she wanted to, she could easily add one to her Soul Power Level.
She could go straight to rank 120 and smash everything.
Tang Wulin's Soul Power progressed much more slowly, barely reaching rank seventeen, but with his Golden Dragon Claw included, his combat strength was no lower than Wang Jinxi's.
They lay down in the metal pods, and their consciousness soon sank into darkness.
Yan Qing woke first, and the other five opened their eyes one after another.
This was also their first time gathering inside the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Although Wu Changkong only required them to last an hour, as their leader, Yan Qing naturally wanted his teammates to return fully laden.
Everyone gathered around, and Yan Qing began assigning tasks.
"Xie Xie, you're the fastest. You're responsible for scouting within thirty meters. If you discover any Soul Beasts or Soul Master teams, come back and report immediately."
"Wang Jinxi, you and Zhang Yangzi will guard the rear. Make sure to conserve your Soul Power. We may need your Martial Soul Fusion Skill at a critical moment."
"Wulin, you have your Thousand Refined Heavy Silver Hammers. You'll clear the way up front.
They all voiced their agreement, while Yan Qing himself held the center of the formation.
Soon, the six encountered the classic NPC-a Hundred-Year Iron Arm Ape.
Yan Qing didn't even need to act. With Xie Xie and Tang Wulin working together, the Hundred-Year Iron Arm Ape fell in an instant.
Sensing the energy spilling out of the Hundred-Year Iron Arm Ape, Yan Qing shook his head. If they kept collecting it like this, what year of the monkey and month of the horse would they have to wait until to increase their Soul Rings' age even a little?
Although it was the riot period, this was still the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform. The hand-drawn map Yan Qing had made earlier had lost little of its accuracy and remained usable.
He led everyone straight into the depths, sweeping through several gathering grounds of weaker Soul Beasts in succession.
After several rounds, large amounts of spiritual power surrounded each of them. With the absorption time extended, the rate at which spiritual power accumulated far exceeded the rate at which they could digest it.
The area enclosed by the group shimmered with flowing colors, becoming quite a spectacle in the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.
Contrary to Yan Qing's expectations, their group did not encounter that Man Faced Demon Spider again as they had in the original story.
Perhaps because Yan Qing had changed their route, they instead ran into Mu Xi, who had come with a team.
The moment she spotted Yan Qing in the distance, Mu Xi pulled her team away in the opposite direction.
Yan Qing rubbed his nose, his gaze lingering on that graceful figure for a while before he quickly looked away.
Not far from Yan Qing's group, a team of three Soul Masters slowly approached.
They were none other than the three lackeys who had previously followed Guang Biao.
All three were at rank thirty-eight or thirty-nine. Seeing that the quality of their Soul Spirits had stagnated, they had finally steeled themselves and scraped together some money.
None of the three had much combat strength, and even ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beasts left them in a sorry state. They were searching for somewhere to rest when they unexpectedly spotted a team approaching, wreathed in a riot of colors.
One member stared fixedly toward Yan Qing's team and lowered his voice.
"Boss, look at those people over there. That's so much energy. If we got even a share of it, our Soul Spirits might advance to the thousand-year level!"
The bald man leading them smacked his lackey.
"Are you insane? Anyone who dares enter the Spirit Ascension Platform during the riot period is a Soul Elder whose Soul Power has reached its limit. At our level, we should burn incense in thanks if they don't give us trouble, and you want to target them?"
The lackey wasn't angry at being smacked. Instead, he chuckled quietly.
"Boss, look carefully. Don't those three kids in the middle look like the ones Big Brother Guang Biao singled out for a beating last time?"
The leader turned his head and studied them closely, delighted surprise flaring in his eyes.
"Now that you mention it, if I remember right, they're only first-years. But that teacher of theirs..."
"Keh keh keh, this is the Spirit Ascension Platform. So what if their teacher is a Soul Emperor? Who'll know we did it?"
The three exchanged looks, a vicious gleam showing in each pair of eyes.
Meanwhile, Yan Qing silently frowned within his team. His Spirit Sea Realm spiritual power made his perception exceptionally keen, especially when faced with undisguised malice.
Why did this feel like... a maggot had set its sights on me?
Sure enough, he saw Xie Xie hurrying back, his voice reaching them ahead of him.
"Spotted a three-person Soul Master team. Strength and position-they're approaching us."
"Confirmed. We're their target."
Yan Qing nodded and waved for the team to stop.
"Everyone, stay alert. I'll go over our tactics one more time."
"When I say, 'We surrender. Take the spiritual power,' what do you do?"
Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi spoke together.
"We'll immediately use our Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"And what about, 'Everyone, charge! Let's fight them to the death'?"
"Scatter and run immediately."
Everyone answered in unison.
Satisfied, Yan Qing nodded and had everyone continue forward. Soon, three figures stood in their path.
The bald man in front narrowed his eyes, greedily surveying the energy surrounding them. Clearly, he already considered it all in the bag.
He swallowed and spoke without the slightest restraint.
"You little brats had better know what's good for you and withdraw on your own. Otherwise, heh heh, you won't escape a good beating."
"Really? Big brothers, why don't you show us what you're capable of?"
Yan Qing looked at him with a smile that never reached his eyes.
"Hmph. You refuse the toast only to drink the penalty wine."
All three summoned their Martial Souls, and nine Soul Rings appeared behind them.
Their Soul Ring Configurations were truly pitiful, however. Each had one white and two yellow rings. No wonder they had come to the Spirit Ascension Platform to upgrade them.
"So you gentlemen are noble Soul Elder lords. I suppose we have no choice but to surrender now."
Yan Qing held back his laughter and forced an expression onto his face, making as if to press the emergency exit button in his hand.