Time flowed like a steady river, leaving its inevitable marks on everyone.
At the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda, a young man who appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen walked into the grand hall, immediately drawing the attention of those present. His handsome features, surpassing any ordinary standard of beauty, were complemented by a stature of over 1.7 meters, giving him a tall and well-proportioned figure. His posture was both graceful and upright, exuding a sense of vitality.
What truly captured attention, however, was his aura—a warm yet commanding presence that made people instinctively want to approach him, though his dignity deterred any frivolity.
The youth paid no mind to the curious gazes directed his way. With a calm smile, he walked gracefully toward the red elevator at the hall's core. Under the astonished and envious stares of onlookers, he stepped inside and ascended without hesitation.
Seeing the youth take the red elevator—a privilege reserved for only the most esteemed individuals—the crowd grew even more awestruck. Not only was he stunningly handsome, but it seemed his background was equally extraordinary.
Within the elevator, the youth—now thirteen-year-old Jing Shaoyu—stood with an air of confidence unique to someone leaving behind childhood and entering the prime of adolescence. His every move radiated the assured energy of youth.
---
"Teacher, I'm here," Jing Shaoyu announced as he exited the elevator and stepped into what was nominally the Pagoda Master's office, but in practice was the Vice Pagoda Master's workspace.
"Finished your break?" Leng Yaozhu, as stunningly beautiful as ever, showed no signs of aging despite the passage of two and a half years. She asked the question casually, her tone light.
"Yes," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile. "A month should be enough, right?"
"More than enough," Leng Yaozhu chuckled. "Five days would have sufficed, but a month works too. I have other plans, after all."
"Other plans? What plans?" Jing Shaoyu asked, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"Secret!" Leng Yaozhu replied with a playful smile before standing up gracefully. "Let's go. Time to head out!"
"Oh!" Though still curious, Jing Shaoyu held back his questions and followed her out of the Spirit Pagoda to the parking lot.
The two got into Leng Yaozhu's red sports car. Without delay, the vehicle roared to life, streaking onto the highway like a crimson arrow, heading westward at high speed.
Their destination was the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda in Shrek City. The purpose of their journey was straightforward.
Jing Shaoyu's soul power had reached Rank 39, and Leng Yaozhu intended to upgrade his spirit soul, Red Ruby, from its current purple rank to the black rank. Since Ruby's cultivation had been boosted to 8,000 years three years ago, it had been in a state of accumulation, steadily refining its foundation over the past two years.
The outcome of this prolonged tempering would soon be revealed during this evolution.
---
By the time they arrived at the Spirit Pagoda's headquarters, night had fallen. After a quick meal to replenish their energy, they went directly to the 101st floor—Leng Yaozhu's exclusive floor.
"Come here," Leng Yaozhu said, gesturing for Jing Shaoyu to sit at a diagnostic machine. "Let me check your body first."
Her words caused Jing Shaoyu's lips to twitch slightly. While the statement was perfectly innocent, it could easily be misunderstood!
As the machine activated, Jing Shaoyu's physical data appeared on the display screen. Even though Leng Yaozhu had anticipated his progress, she couldn't help but be amazed by the results.
Bone Age: 13 years, 5 months, 29 days.
Soul Power: Rank 39 (1.19%).
Body Strength: Equivalent to an 18,888-year soul beast.
Spirit Soul Level: Purple (8,555 years).
Spiritual Power: Spirit Sea Realm (2,999 points).
"Excellent!" Leng Yaozhu exclaimed, her face alight with joy. "Your physical strength has surpassed my expectations. This makes me even more confident about the next steps."
Though intrigued, Jing Shaoyu didn't press for answers. Leng Yaozhu, however, wasted no time pulling him from the diagnostic machine and leading him to two connection pods.
Both climbed into their respective pods.
"Ready?" Leng Yaozhu asked.
"Ready!" Jing Shaoyu confirmed.
A brief moment of disorientation followed, and the two appeared in a lush forest within the advanced Spirit Ascension Platform. With a glance, Leng Yaozhu signaled Jing Shaoyu, who promptly summoned his Origin Spirit and called forth Red Ruby.
"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" Ruby, the small crimson bird, appeared in a flash, chirping happily as it flew toward Jing Shaoyu's shoulder.
However, before it could reach him, a slender hand intercepted it. Leng Yaozhu grasped Ruby, her keen gaze inspecting the bird closely. Compared to two and a half years ago, Ruby's form was more rounded and lustrous, its feathers gleaming with a gem-like radiance. Its body had grown increasingly substantial, nearing a state of full materialization.
"This little one has remarkable potential," Leng Yaozhu remarked. "If it can break through the barrier to the ten-thousand-year level, it might even have a chance to undergo nirvana and transform into a phoenix in the future."
"Teacher, does that mean there's a risk of failure in upgrading a purple spirit soul to the black rank?" Jing Shaoyu asked, puzzled.
"Of course," Leng Yaozhu said, shooting him a glance. "Why do you think black-ranked spirit souls are so rare? The process is no less challenging than a thousand-year soul beast evolving into a ten-thousand-year soul beast. It's a leap in life essence, requiring not just energy but also talent and luck."
Jing Shaoyu was momentarily surprised but quickly smiled at Ruby. "You can do it, Ruby!"
"Chirp, chirp!" Ruby responded cheerfully, unfazed by the challenge and eager to try.
Seeing Ruby's enthusiasm, Leng Yaozhu smiled as well. "I'm confident now. This little bird is destined to become a phoenix. Its intelligence and spirit already surpass most black-ranked spirit souls."
"Hehe, did you hear that, Ruby? Teacher thinks highly of you!" Jing Shaoyu teased, causing Ruby to chirp happily once more.
Leng Yaozhu's comment was a subtle reminder that once a spirit soul reached the black rank, it was no longer merely a spiritual entity but akin to a unique type of soul beast. This was why black-ranked spirit souls were so precious—they could often cultivate on their own, a trait foundational to the spirit soul system's development.
Still, the leap from black to red rank had yet to be achieved, even among the rarest of spirit souls. The difficulty of this evolution was greater than that of a ten-thousand-year soul beast reaching a hundred-thousand years.
---
"Let's begin," Leng Yaozhu said with a smile.
Ruby's current cultivation was 8,555 years, just shy of the ten-thousand-year threshold. To push all three of Jing Shaoyu's spirit rings forward by approximately 1,500 years, they needed to absorb the essence of a soul beast with at least 50,000 years of cultivation.
In the advanced Spirit Ascension Platform, this was relatively easy to achieve, as even the weakest soul beasts there were ten-thousand-year beasts.
---
The pair strolled leisurely through the forest, an exact replica of the Star Dou Forest's inner region. The scenery was serene, and Jing Shaoyu felt completely at ease in the lush environment, where his Origin Spirit flourished.
After half an hour of walking without encountering a single soul beast, Leng Yaozhu frowned.
"Strange," she murmured. "Why haven't we seen any soul beasts? Could there be an issue with the platform? But if there were, I would've been notified."
Suddenly, a resounding roar shattered the stillness, followed by a wave of oppressive energy sweeping through the forest.
Jing Shaoyu's expression shifted. He recognized this pressure—it was the aura of a Title Douluo! Instinctively, he moved behind Leng Yaozhu, feeling the weight on his shoulders vanish in an instant.
In the advanced Spirit Ascension Platform, only one type of existence could rival a Title Douluo's power.
"So, it's you causing trouble," Leng Yaozhu said softly, her tone laced with disdain as a faint smile crossed her lips.
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