Wu Zhangkong stood where he was, looking at the chambers before him.
Zhang Yangzi was the first to be eliminated, followed by Wang Jinxi. Then Xie Xie and Tang Wulin came out one after another.
Gu Yue came next.
A long time after Gu Yue, Jiang Xia finally emerged slowly from his chamber.
Wu Zhangkong's gaze was somewhat complicated as he looked at Jiang Xia.
"You... cleared it?" Wu Zhangkong asked.
Jiang Xia had stayed inside for quite a while, already meeting the requirement for a three-ring Soul Elder to clear the Hall of Heroes.
Clearing it did not mean defeating Huo Yuhao at his three-ring stage, but holding out under his all-out attacks until his Soul Power was exhausted.
Yes, enduring until Huo Yuhao exhausted his Soul Power, rather than defeating him.
They might sound like the same thing, but only those who had actually faced Huo Yuhao in this state knew that there was simply no way to deal with him at the three-ring stage.
Unless a Limit Douluo suppressed their own cultivation to three rings, no one stood a chance.
Clearly, Jiang Xia had exhausted Huo Yuhao's Soul Power.
Hearing that Jiang Xia had cleared it, Tang Wulin and the others were profoundly shaken.
They stared fixedly at Jiang Xia, unable to understand how he had done it.
"Our opponents were so strong. Jiang Xia, how did you do it?"
Jiang Xia curled his lips and ignored the question.
To put it plainly, he was just a tiny bit more versatile.
It had nothing to do with stats. He had simply developed his own mechanics to their full potential.
Jiang Xia did not want to explain the specifics of how he had cleared it, either. After all, it was hardly a glorious tale of a head-on confrontation.
He had gained quite a lot from this visit to the Hero Platform, too.
First was the Hero Platform's spatial structure, whose code was entirely different from that of the Spirit Ascension Platform's space.
Within this Hero Platform, there was a great deal of code for modifying base stats.
Naturally, he had discovered this code because the Hero Platform's own code was imperfect, not because Jiang Xia's Broken Dream was so badass.
Forcibly adding stats and mechanics to certain people would only create inconsistencies.
Just as one lie required countless other lies to cover it up, when Huo Yuhao's stats and those of the others were adjusted to heights that did not belong to them, numerous loopholes would appear.
It was through these loopholes that Jiang Xia had glimpsed some of the Hero Platform's techniques for changing stats.
Of course, he had not fully grasped them. He had merely gained a vague insight.
"That alone is already enough for me."
Increasing stats-wasn't that just an enhancement-type Soul Skill?
For Jiang Xia, as long as he thoroughly researched this ability, he could try modifying his own stats within virtual spaces and strengthening some of his mechanics.
This was not cheating, but a perfectly reasonable enhancement-type Soul Skill.
As long as he did not cause the entire illusory world to collapse, a little cheating did not count.
While Jiang Xia sorted through his gains, Wu Zhangkong also revealed to Tang Wulin and the others that this was the Tang Sect, and the assessment they had just taken was its entrance assessment.
Their final exam results were already out.
Wu Zhangkong invited Tang Wulin and the others to join the Tang Sect.
Tang Wulin naturally agreed immediately, and Xie Xie, Wang Jinxi, and Zhang Yangzi followed suit.
When their gazes turned toward him, Jiang Xia shrugged.
"I've already joined the Spirit Pagoda."
Gu Yue also nodded in agreement.
Regret appeared on Wu Zhangkong's face.
He had already noticed, but had still harbored a sliver of hope.
At the same time, he had hoped this experience on the Spirit Ascension Platform would give them a jolt and make them recognize the Tang Sect's strength.
Unfortunately, the two of them had not seized this opportunity.
Compared with the Spirit Pagoda, the Tang Sect was better suited to these two.
With the final exams over, a month-long winter break lay ahead.
On the soul train bound for Heaven Dou City, Jiang Xia looked surprised when he saw Wu Zhangkong and Tang Wulin board.
"Jiang Xia, you're on this train too," Tang Wulin said in surprise.
Jiang Xia nodded.
Their three seats were relatively close together.
During the journey, Wu Zhangkong was teaching Tang Wulin the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Technique when something occurred to Jiang Xia. He said to Wu Zhangkong, "Teacher Wu, there's something I'd like to ask you."
Wu Zhangkong nodded, signaling for him to speak.
Jiang Xia said, "Teacher, do you know Long Bing?"
As soon as Jiang Xia asked this, Wu Zhangkong's Soul Power surged out.
He lost control of his Soul Power for a moment.
Fortunately, it did not cause widespread destruction. He merely released the oppressive pressure of a Soul Emperor, making the nearby passengers uncomfortable. They all looked toward him in alarm.
Wu Zhangkong took a deep breath and reined in his Soul Power.
"My apologies, everyone."
After apologizing to the other passengers, Wu Zhangkong looked at Jiang Xia with an utterly solemn expression.
He surrounded himself and Jiang Xia with Soul Power, preventing sound from passing in or out.
"You know her?"
Jiang Xia narrowed his eyes slightly.
In truth, he had also been wrestling with whether to explain this matter to Wu Zhangkong.
But since he had already spent half a year studying in his Class Zero, he felt there were some things he could ask.
"My parents died at the hands of evil soul masters. A family in Heaven Dou City colluded with evil soul masters, secretly providing cover for them. Among the evil soul masters this family contacted was someone named Long Bing."
"Impossible!" Wu Zhangkong said flatly.
Jiang Xia looked at him, waiting for an explanation.
He did not even need to explain why he knew Long Bing might have a connection to Wu Zhangkong.
Right now, Wu Zhangkong should be explaining to him why Long Bing appeared on that list of evil soul masters.
"Bing'er changed her name later. Her name should never have appeared on a list of evil soul masters!" Wu Zhangkong said, enunciating every word.
Jiang Xia stared coldly at Wu Zhangkong, refusing to accept this explanation.
Wu Zhangkong believed that after Long Bing adopted the alias Long Bing and approached her, she had already completely severed contact with the evil soul masters during that period. At the very least, she had not committed any killings during that time.
Even if Long Bing had been an evil soul master before, she would not have used Long Bing as her codename. After becoming Long Bing, she was even less likely to have used Long Bing as an evil soul master codename!
But that had nothing to do with Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia would not gamble his vengeance for his parents on two people's love.
Wu Zhangkong remained silent for a long time.
"I'll find a way to help you uncover the truth of what happened back then, including tracking down the evil soul masters who were in contact with that family."
Jiang Xia said nothing more to Wu Zhangkong.
Yao Hongchen had wanted to help investigate this matter back then.
But Yao Hongchen had no ties to Long Bing and that group of evil soul masters. How difficult would it be to pursue the investigation?
Jiang Xia had told Yao Hongchen back then that he would investigate it himself once he was strong enough.
Now he had begun his own investigation.
Tang Wulin entered deep meditation, and Wu Zhangkong carried him off the train along with his seat.
Jiang Xia did not go far.
He knew evil soul masters would attack nearby, so he did not wander around.
Only after Wu Zhangkong had dealt with the evil soul masters did he head toward the Blacksmith's Association.
Wu Zhangkong, meanwhile, remained silent throughout.
As he waited for Tang Wulin to wake, he kept recalling what Jiang Xia had said.