Ling Yue gave Jiang Xia a long look, said nothing more, and turned to ascend the spirit of this Mutated Evil Eye.
"There's a problem with the equipment here, so you may have to wait a little longer. We want to test this Evil Eye's data and further research Soul Spirit Fusion Skills."
"Don't worry. This Soul Spirit will be in your hands in five days at most."
"Also, as compensation for using the data from these two Soul Spirits of yours, our research institute will provide you with an annual quota of three thousand years' worth of spiritual power."
A quota of three thousand years' worth of spiritual power?
In roughly thirty years, that would amount to a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring.
By most people's understanding in this era, that was already quite generous.
Veterans from the previous era, such as Yun Ming and Qiangu Dongfeng, generally lived for over a hundred years. If someone began receiving this treatment at nine, like Jiang Xia, they could obtain at least three hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings.
Jiang Xia clicked his tongue in wonder.
He seemed to have realized a crucial point now.
Most of the Spirit Pagoda's resources seemed to be concentrated in its research departments.
It was an organization built around researching Soul Spirits in the first place, so investing heavily in research seemed only natural.
The subsequent spirit ascension and data entry were rather boring for Jiang Xia, so he simply left the research institute.
The Spirit Pagoda headquarters, Han Tianyi's private floor.
"It worked?"
Han Tianyi had clearly received the news as well.
Jiang Xia nodded, a smile appearing on his face. "I got lucky."
Luck?
Han Tianyi chuckled and shook his head.
"I followed your research process as well. Most likely, it succeeded because of your Martial Soul."
My Martial Soul?
Jiang Xia said nothing.
Of course, he knew that too.
On his way back here from the research institute, he had already been sensing the changes within his Martial Soul.
One thing was certain: he had indeed fused with that illusory space.
An illusory space created through soul technology had actually been able to fuse with his Broken Dream Martial Soul.
It truly defied belief.
"Did they say how long the Mutated Evil Eye's spirit ascension would take?"
"Director Ling said five days."
Han Tianyi nodded. "Five days is enough. Would you like to come to Eastsea City with your master?"
Eastsea City?
Jiang Xia was puzzled, unsure why they were going there.
Of course, he was no stranger to that city. It was where Tang Wulin had first begun his transformation.
After coming to this world, aside from confirming the timeline, Jiang Xia had felt no particularly strong desire to interfere with the original story.
Of course, he could not stand idly by when it came to the soul beasts wanting to exterminate humanity or the Abyss invading Douluo.
And as an ordinary soul master with no cheat, only a tiny bit of talent, all Jiang Xia could do was cultivate diligently and have enough strength to step forward when needed, rather than recklessly stirring up trouble and delaying his own cultivation.
In particular, there was actually a great deal Jiang Xia could do about the soul beasts' Myriad Beast Platform plan.
But before that, he needed to develop his Broken Dream Martial Soul to a sufficiently profound level.
Now that Han Tianyi had mentioned going to Eastsea City, the first things that came to Jiang Xia's mind were naturally those characters from the original story.
"Heavenly Phoenix Douluo seems to be going there to take a promising disciple. Let's go have a look together. Spending more time with geniuses of your generation can't hurt."
Jiang Xia understood.
It should be Gu Yue.
Gu Yue joined the Spirit Pagoda and took Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, Leng Yaozhu, as her master!
And my teacher, Han Tianyi, wants me to spend more time with that vice pagoda master's personal disciple?
Eastsea City.
The top floor of the Spirit Pagoda.
Chen Xin, the local branch pagoda master, wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Gu Yue joining the Spirit Pagoda had not originally caused much of a stir.
After all, the Spirit Pagoda spanned the entire continent and recruited countless geniuses every year.
Gu Yue was certainly exceptionally talented and had performed outstandingly in the Spirit Ascension Platform, but that was not enough to shake the entire Spirit Pagoda.
To a Super Douluo like him, she was a bright spot, but not enough to fill his entire field of vision.
Yet the arrival of Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, Leng Yaozhu, finally made this branch pagoda master realize the gravity of the situation.
If a Limit Douluo, Four-Word Battle Armor Master, and vice pagoda master of the Spirit Pagoda had come in person to take her as a personal disciple, how could Gu Yue possibly be ordinary?
Chen Xin silently grumbled, You're so capable, so talented, and you even know Heavenly Phoenix Douluo. What did you come to my Eastsea City for? To experience ordinary life?
If someone said Gu Yue had not known Heavenly Phoenix Douluo beforehand, Chen Xin would not believe it in a hundred years.
What left Chen Xin even more speechless was that Han Tianyi had also come along to watch the show.
This Han Tianyi was no ordinary figure either.
Although his Soul Power had not broken through to rank 99, he was a genuine Four-Word Battle Armor Master, and his spiritual power realm surpassed that of many Limit Douluos.
Even a true Limit Douluo who was also a Four-Word Battle Armor Master would have to take Han Tianyi seriously in a fight.
How could Chen Xin have imagined that Gu Yue joining the Spirit Pagoda would attract the attention of these two big shots?
Yes, big shots.
Chen Xin himself was already a Super Douluo, but he knew perfectly well that the gap between him and these two titans with Limit-level combat strength was far from small.
It seemed to be only a few ranks, yet the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.
Moreover, he knew all too well that he had already reached the limit of what his aptitude allowed him to cultivate to. He was utterly unqualified to cross that heavenly barrier.
Gu Yue bowed to Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, taking her as her master.
After straightening, she also gave Han Tianyi and Jiang Xia a puzzled look.
Who are these two?
"Elder Han, you're in quite the mood. You even had to come watch me take a disciple."
Leng Yaozhu's voice was not cutting; instead, it carried a hint of teasing.
Han Tianyi smiled. "I was truly curious just how outstanding a disciple's aptitude had to be for Heavenly Phoenix Douluo to come take her in person."
"Now that I've observed her up close, she is indeed extraordinary."
"An Elementalist, controlling the elements-water, fire, earth, wind, light, and darkness, even the spatial element. Her talent in spiritual power is exceptional as well."
His tone was wistful, with no lack of envy.
Before coming, he had wanted to watch the show, let his disciple get acquainted with Heavenly Phoenix Douluo's disciple, and then draw closer to Heavenly Phoenix Douluo himself, making Jiang Xia's future development within the Spirit Pagoda easier.
He had not expected to discover upon arriving that the disciple Heavenly Phoenix Douluo had taken possessed such great talent in spiritual power.
Although Jiang Xia's spiritual power was also monstrous, his was an abnormal case.
Gu Yue had relied entirely on her own cultivation. Possessing her current spiritual power at nine years old truly caught Han Tianyi's interest.
Unfortunately, she had already taken Heavenly Phoenix Douluo as her master.
At Han Tianyi's praise, the corners of Gu Yue's lips curved slightly upward.
Leng Yaozhu gave a wry chuckle and shook her head. Looking at Jiang Xia beside Han Tianyi, she said, "Who doesn't know that Elder Han took a treasured disciple three years ago? You've nurtured him so attentively that you don't even return to the Spirit Pagoda headquarters anymore, just run back and forth between the research institute and Heaven Dou City."
This was also Leng Yaozhu's first time observing Jiang Xia closely.
Curiosity flashed in her phoenix eyes.
Only after examining Jiang Xia thoroughly did she exclaim in admiration, "This disciple of yours is no less talented in spiritual power than Gu Yue."
"And his Soul Power seems to have reached rank 30 already."
A trace of surprise flashed through Gu Yue's eyes.
Only then did she look at Jiang Xia seriously.
Only he, with his cheats, knew how far beyond the norm it was to possess Spirit Connection Realm spiritual power at their current age.
Moreover, hers was not merely at the Spirit Connection Realm, but the Intermediate Spirit Connection Realm!
She had relied on the accumulated foundation of her previous life.
What did Jiang Xia have to rely on?