That morning.
"We're going to the Spirit Pagoda today."
Wu Zhangkong's tone was concise. The moment his words fell, the students of Class Zero all wore puzzled expressions, unable to understand the purpose of the trip.
Some glanced toward Gu Yue, assuming it was because she had broken through Level 30 and needed to acquire a soul ring. But she already had a thousand-year spirit soul, so her third ring didn't require a new one.
Arthur, however, had known all along. They were going for spirit ascension.
He used to visit the ascension platform frequently, but later found the constant back-and-forth too troublesome.
The gains weren't significant enough for him at that stage, a waste of time compared to focusing entirely on leveling up. So after raising his spirit soul to six thousand years, he stopped going. He planned to do it properly later, in one go, and push it all the way to ten thousand years.
On the way there, Wu Zhangkong slowly explained: "Starting today, you will each have one day per week to train in the Spirit Pagoda's ascension platform. These slots were secured by the academy and represent Class Zero's most valuable resource. Do not take them for granted."
"The ascension platform?" Tang Wulin looked completely lost.
Gu Yue and Na'er kept their expressions neutral.
Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi, however, were visibly stunned. Xie Xie exclaimed: "The academy actually pulled off something like this! Joining Class Zero was absolutely the right call!"
"But what is the ascension platform?"
Seeing Tang Wulin press for an answer, Xie Xie explained: "The ascension platform is a top-tier training facility built by the Spirit Pagoda. There are only eighteen of them across the entire continent, and each one requires the combined effort of over ten Titled Douluo and elite researchers to construct.
It was originally designed to study methods of improving artificial spirit souls, and though the results were limited, it was later adapted into an elite training ground for soul masters."
He elaborated further: "This place brings together the continent's finest soul devices and the fruits of cutting-edge research. Once inside, it's like being transported to a separate dimension where you can engage in combat with spirit beasts in a controlled and safe environment, accumulating real battle experience.
If you're lucky, you might even increase the age of your spirit soul, though the higher the spirit soul's grade, the lower the probability of improvement."
Tang Wulin's heart stirred.
His own spirit soul was only ten years old and was already struggling to keep pace with his cultivation.
If it could be raised to a hundred years, both his Bluesilver Grass martial soul and his soul skills would grow stronger, and he'd save himself a fortune on purchasing spirit souls down the line.
"What are the requirements to enter?"
Xie Xie answered: "You need money and a slot. The entry fee for the basic ascension platform is five hundred thousand federation coins per session, which is the simplest part."
"What's harder is the slot itself. The basic ascension platform only offers one thousand slots per month across the entire continent, and there are over a million soul masters out there, so spots are incredibly scarce. The intermediate and advanced platforms have even fewer openings, and the costs are astronomical."
Tang Wulin didn't quite follow the slot mechanics, but the staggering sum of money was all he could think about. At the same time, he felt deeply grateful for having joined Class Zero. Without it, he wouldn't have known when he'd ever get the chance to set foot in an ascension platform.
As one of the Spirit Pagoda's eighteen pillars, the Eastsea City branch was an unmistakable landmark.
The octagonal structure stood over four hundred meters tall and a hundred meters wide at its base, narrowing inward every ten floors until it tapered into a spire at the top. Even amid the towering skyline of Eastsea City, it commanded the eye.
When the group arrived, Academy Director Long Hengxu was already waiting at the entrance. He greeted them and led the group inside.
At that point, Arthur stepped forward, narrating as they walked.
They passed through the first floor, and a scene of magnificent splendor unfolded before them. The floor was paved with dark gold stone bearing natural veins, and a vaulted ceiling dozens of meters high was supported by grand columns, their surfaces and the entire ceiling adorned with sweeping murals.
Under the curious glances of the others, Arthur offered a calm explanation: "The murals depict the founding Pagoda Master, the inventor of the spirit soul himself, the Ice Emperor Douluo Huo Yuhao, along with the story of his stand against the spirit beast tide.
The eighteen branch pagodas each hold a portion of the mural, which together form a complete narrative.
The headquarters holds the depiction of his final battle against the Beast God Di Tian. After the battle, both vanished. Legend has it that Huo Yuhao won and ascended to the Divine Realm."
Mentioning Huo Yuhao, Arthur felt a quiet pang of regret. A true child of destiny, a future that had once been radiant with promise, and yet he'd had the misfortune of crossing paths with Tang San.
Had been shaped into something unrecognizable.
Truly pitiable.
As Arthur saw it, by the end Huo Yuhao had been all but broken, whether or not he'd lost his mind entirely. Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er were effectively both gone. Tang Wutong was a stranger. For Huo Yuhao to love her as if she were Wang Dong'er, he was either out of his mind, or he simply had no other choice.
Actually, Arthur could understand it. If Tang San had done that to him, he'd have had no recourse either.
And fortunately he had transmigrated into this era. The Divine Realm no longer existed, becoming a god was nearly impossible, but at least there was no Tang San. Just a remnant of divine consciousness.
Because if the Tang San from the Divine Realm had noticed what made Arthur special, he'd have gone ahead and reshaped Tang Wulin right then, moved him into Arthur's dorm, and then slowly molded him into something pliable.
What could Arthur have done? Absolutely nothing.
Tang Wulin stared up at the murals. Before the spirit beast tide, the city's skies were filled with the image of Huo Yuhao at the center of a crowd, his soul rings blazing. Beside him stood the Dragon Butterfly Douluo Tang Wutong, her dazzling butterfly wings spread behind her, her features breathtaking.
Arthur's voice took on a slightly awkward tone: "She was Huo Yuhao's wife. The two of them shared an extraordinarily powerful martial soul fusion skill."
That thought actually reminded Arthur of something. If Tang San were still around, he would absolutely have reshaped Tang Wulin so the two of them could perform a martial soul fusion skill together. That move was too clever, comparable to Zhongli's fake death gambit.
Arthur continued narrating as they walked.
Curious, Tang Wulin asked: "Arthur, you seem really familiar with this place."
Xie Xie chimed in with a grin: "Right, it's like we're guests at Arthur's house and he's playing the host."
"That's not far off. This really is sort of like my home."
The words landed, and the air went still.
"You're joking," Xie Xie and the others stiffened.
"The head of the Eastsea City Spirit Pagoda is my uncle." Arthur kept his expression composed, but inwardly he was deeply satisfied. He'd been narrating everything since the moment they walked in, and it had all been leading to this.
Good question, Xie Xie!
"Didn't I ever mention that?"
Not even once!
Xie Xie and the others were at a loss for words, and thoroughly shaken. They had known Arthur came from a significant background, but not one this significant.
The head of the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda was a Titled Douluo. In the soul master circles of Eastsea City, who didn't know of the Light Dragon Sparrow Douluo? That man was the very ceiling of the city.
"All right, let's move." Long Hengxu's voice brought everyone back. If the academy principal hadn't tipped him off beforehand, he'd probably be just as speechless right now. Arthur's standing in Eastsea City was simply too formidable.
Wu Zhangkong said in a low, measured tone: "Clear your minds. Once you're inside the ascension platform, you're on your own."
Tang Wulin blinked: "Teacher, aren't you coming in with us?"
Wu Zhangkong replied: "The basic ascension platform only permits soul masters below four rings to enter."
Beside him, Long Hengxu added: "We'll be watching from outside. If you encounter danger, trigger your emergency signal immediately and get out."
The group entered the elevator, which did not ascend. Instead it descended steadily, and the faint sensation of weightlessness told them they were being carried deep underground. The sheer scale of the engineering on display spoke volumes about the Spirit Pagoda's resources.
Three minutes later the elevator stopped. Stepping out, they found themselves in a spacious hall staffed by more than a dozen personnel, with several metal corridors extending from the far end.
There was no need for Long Hengxu to present any credentials. The moment the staff recognized Arthur, they dipped their heads slightly and led the group into one of the corridors without a word.
Before long they entered a room. The walls were lined with enormous screens displaying footage of lush green jungle.