At its core, the Ascension Platform was a God Realm fragment.
It was a fragment sheared off during the cataclysmic war of the Dragon God era, which had drifted near the Douluo Star and been drawn into its orbit, gradually forming a unique pocket dimension. Only after extensive research on that fragment had the Spirit Pagoda successfully manufactured the Ascension Platform.
The spiritual energy within was produced by absorbing the surrounding origin energy of heaven and earth, using the fragment's immortal spiritual qi as a foundation. Because it carried a faint wisp of that immortal spiritual qi's properties, it could facilitate the evolution of Soul Spirits.
Yet it was not true immortal spiritual qi. Genuine immortal spiritual qi existed only within the core of the Ascension Platform—energy that only divine beings could breathe and assimilate.
If that immortal spiritual qi were ever absorbed, the Ascension Platform would collapse. Even if Huo Yuhao attained the ability to absorb it in the future, he would never do such a thing.
The little Dragon God could settle everything once and for all by draining the immortal spiritual qi, patting his behind, and walking away, leaving a colossal mess for the Spirit Pagoda.
Could he, the founding father of the Spirit Pagoda, ever do that?
This was the Spirit Pagoda's property, not his personal hoard. At most, he would study it.
***
The strongest soul beasts in the Elementary Ascension Platform were the actual guardian Soul Spirits of the Quarantine Zone, every single one a ten-thousand-year soul beast.
However, true Soul Spirits had coexisted with humans for ten thousand years. Aside from eccentric pranksters like the Evil Eye Tyrant, they would never trouble anyone as long as one did not stray into the Quarantine Zone.
As for the simulated soul beasts, the strongest in the Elementary Ascension Platform were merely at the thousand-year tier.
Consequently, the Elementary Ascension Platform posed no threat whatsoever to Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena.
After absorbing a wave of spiritual energy, Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena withdrew from the Ascension Platform. The others also reached their respective limits and exited one by one, encountering no unexpected mishaps.
Because there was no matching soul bone, the hundred-year Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear from the original tale was never simulated in the platform, sparing it from forced duty—a truly felicitous outcome.
Observing the spiritual energy clinging to their bodies, Luo Yanglu nodded with a smile. "Go back and rest for a day first to digest your gains. Tomorrow, we head to the virtual battlefield."
"The virtual battlefield?"
Noticing the group's confusion, Luo Yanglu explained, "It's a specialized space modeled after the Ascension Platform. It can simulate historical powerhouses and battle scenarios, allowing you to spar against simulated figures or support virtual teammates in combat.
"If you achieve impressive results in the virtual battlefield, there will be rewards. However, you can only claim one reward per tier."
With that, Luo Yanglu produced four soul tool optical screens and handed them to the other four students, excluding Gu Yuena, Huo Yuhao, and Tang Wulin.
"I've already activated your permissions. Wulin's has been enabled as well. Just check inside your soul tool optical screens."
Seeing those screens bearing the Spirit Pagoda's insignia, the corner of Wu Zhangkong's eye twitched.
No wonder they weren't worried about him poaching talent—all these little rascals had already joined the Spirit Pagoda, hadn't they? When on earth did that happen?
Curious, Tang Wulin took out his soul tool optical screen, navigated to the virtual battlefield option as instructed, and tapped in. His mouth fell slightly open, his heart jolting in shock.
The others reacted much the same.
Every pair of eyes was glued to the rewards list.
Pills: Pure Spirit Pill, Soul Ascension Pill, Ascension Spirit Pill…
Precious Heavenly Treasures: Thousand-Year Ice Dragon Fruit, Ten-Thousand-Year Purple Spirit Ganoderma… Hundred-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus.
Soul Bones: Thousand-Year Demonic Spirit Great White Shark Right Arm Bone, Ten-Thousand-Year Evil Spirit Orca Left Leg Bone, Hundred-Thousand-Year…
The baseline for these Precious Heavenly Treasures and Soul Bones started at the thousand-year tier. Tang Wulin even caught sight of hundred-thousand-year rewards at the very bottom, causing him to swallow nervously.
Beyond those, there were entry privileges to various sacred cultivation grounds, opportunities to contract ten-thousand-year or hundred-thousand-year Soul Spirits, and a long list of further benefits.
Yet claiming these prizes required defeating opponents of corresponding tiers in the virtual battlefield. Just looking at the rewards made it clear to everyone that it would be anything but simple.
The difficulty of this virtual battlefield was bound to be staggering.
Gazing at the mouth-watering rewards across the screen, Xie Xie suddenly let out a soft exclamation. "Teacher, why do so many of the Soul Bones come from Sea Soul Beasts…"
Halfway through, Xie Xie wore a look of sudden realization and clamped his mouth shut.
He had truly been an idiot. The obvious answer was right in front of him; did he even need to ask?
If one were to ask where the vast majority of Soul Bones came from nowadays, it was naturally Sea Soul Beasts!
"…"
Wu Zhangkong walked quietly over to Wang Jinxi, cast a discreet glance at the contents of the screen, and fell silent.
Wasn't the disparity in perks between Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda a bit too vast?
Even if these challenges were exceedingly hard, having them right there meant that aside from the peak difficulty corresponding to the hundred-thousand-year rewards, Xie Xie and the others certainly stood a chance at the rest.
As for the highest difficulty…
Wu Zhangkong glanced at Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena.
Those two could probably pull it off.
Looking at it this way, aside from the immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, their academy hardly seemed to have any advantage… The Spirit Pagoda truly was growing wealthier by the day.
Gu Yuena also took out her soul tool optical screen, skimmed the rewards inside, and leaned close to Huo Yuhao, asking in a low voice, "Yuhao, you must have gone in before, right?"
She hadn't visited the virtual battlefield over the years; after all, she had no need for those rewards.
Huo Yuhao's eyelid twitched, and he nodded. "Mm, I went once. The opponents inside are rather unique. You can experience it for yourself tomorrow."
Observing his expression, Gu Yuena felt a spark of curiosity.
Just which powerhouse was simulated in there?
***
When the day's lessons drew to a close, Luo Yanglu did not send the group back to the academy. Instead, he arranged quarters for them within the Spirit Pagoda and went to find Hua Yichen.
"That's the situation. Do you think we should mention this to Her Eminence Heavenly Phoenix?"
Hearing Luo Yanglu describe how Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena interacted, Hua Yichen's expression turned somewhat peculiar.
Could this be considered… an unexpected delight?
Gu Yuena's status, looks, and abilities were all extraordinary. Her teacher, Luo Yanglu, had also spoken of her temperament—a rather lovely girl.
If she and Yuhao could become a pair and support each other at headquarters, it might not be a bad thing.
Yet after a moment's contemplation, Hua Yichen shook his head gently. "They're still young. We might just be overthinking things."
Falling head over heels and losing one's head was out of the question—that was ancestral counsel.
Besides, why should elders meddle so much in the affairs of two youngsters?
Better to let nature take its course and pretend they hadn't seen anything.
Well, mostly they were worried that if Heavenly Phoenix Douluo found out, trouble would ensue.
***
Gu Yuena lay comfortably on her bed, holding an exquisite soul tool Communicator in her hand. After a brief pause of thought, she dialed Leng Yaozhu's number.
Before long, Leng Yaozhu's gentle voice drifted through the receiver.
"Na'er, what have you been up to lately?"
"East Sea Academy set up a Class Zero recently. I'm in it right now, and Yuhao and I…"
Inside an office at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters.
Leng Yaozhu sat with her hands elegantly clasped, her slender, pale fingers gently propping up her jade-smooth chin. Her demeanor was gentle and noble, every gesture radiating poise and effortless grace.
Yet as she listened to the words coming through the Communicator, that calm composure gradually melted away, and the smile at the corner of her lips vanished.
*Na'er, isn't that name 'Yuhao'… coming out of your mouth a bit too often?*
Leng Yaozhu took a deep breath, tapped several times on the soul tool screen atop her desk, and examined Huo Yuhao's file.
Innate full soul power, a spiritual-attribute Body Martial Soul with an Innate Domain, currently nine years old, soul power at Rank 35, and his spiritual power measured six months ago was already in the late Spirit Sea Realm.
A truly terrifying talent.
Leng Yaozhu could even see traces of Yun Ming in him from back in the day.
*Should I take a trip to East Sea to see for myself?* Leng Yaozhu pondered inwardly.
If she didn't go, she worried her disciple might just be spirited away.
Chapter 72