Chapter 80: Riot in the Spirit Ascension Platform

For children, vacations always pass in the blink of an eye. As Gu You recalled the past few days, his gaze turned somewhat dazed.

What was even more surprising was that Gu Yue was still willing to be with them. Although Gu You had lived in a coastal city for much of his childhood, he had never truly experienced an ocean adventure due to financial constraints. This time, however, he had the chance to embark on a long ocean journey with Xie Xie and the others, and he had enjoyed every moment—especially the seafood feast, which had left Xie Xie on the verge of tears from overeating.

"Remember how Xie Xie said he wanted all of our spirit rings upgraded to the thousand-year level? It looks like the academy is really planning to do that," Zhang Yangzi swallowed nervously. After having so much fun, his excitement reignited when he recalled the upcoming end-of-term exams. He had always been eager to grow stronger. His personality leaned toward seeking the spotlight, which was evident during his first encounter with Tang Wulin's team in the promotion tournament when he arrogantly refused to make the first move.

Xie Xie laughed. "That sounds very likely! If that's true, then it would be amazing."

"The academy has laid out such a great path for us. Have you guys decided on your secondary professions yet?" Gu You suddenly asked.

"Secondary profession?" Zhang Yangzi pondered. "I haven't decided yet."

"I'm not very smart, and all I have is strength. I plan to follow Tang Wulin's example and learn forging," Wang Jinxi scratched his head.

Xie Xie grinned. "That makes sense. I've pretty much made up my mind—I'm going into mecha manufacturing! It's the least technical but requires a lot of skillful hands-on work, so I think it suits me. What about you, Gu You?"

"Forging," Gu You answered simply.

"Forging! I didn't expect you to choose the same as Tang Wulin. No wonder you're both so strong. With your talent, you must be really good at it. Will you help me craft some metal in the future?" Xie Xie asked excitedly, stepping in front of Gu You. Even Wang Jinxi cast him an intrigued glance.

"Of course," Gu You replied. He then turned to Gu Yue.

Gu Yue said calmly, "I might study mecha repair."

"Huh? You want to study mecha repair? But you're a girl! I thought you'd choose mecha design." Xie Xie was curious.

Gu Yue replied indifferently, "Only brainless people would think that way."

"You—"

The journey back was filled with laughter and chatter, with only Gu Yue remaining silent beside Gu You.

By the time they arrived at Eastsea Academy, it was already close to evening. Gu You returned to his dormitory to meditate and cultivate. His soul power had reached the peak of rank 32—just one step away from breaking through to rank 33. However, his extreme martial spirit imposed a severe limit on his growth. Moreover, he had discovered that the mysterious space in his mind continuously drained a portion of his soul power during cultivation, further slowing his progress. Still, his advancement was astonishing. A ten-year-old soul master reaching rank 33 was unprecedented.

A burst of explosive energy surged through Gu You's dormitory—he had broken through to rank 33!

—

At dawn, Eastsea City was shrouded in dense mist, obscuring visibility and making everything appear hazy.

The Eastsea branch of the Spirit Pagoda, usually quiet, was unusually lively today. As one of the organization's eighteen major strongholds, it served as an entry point for the Riot Period of the Spirit Ascension Platform.

A single entry card for the Riot Period had been auctioned for hundreds of thousands of gold coins and was still in high demand. In Federation currency, that was equivalent to a staggering ten billion! This demonstrated how valuable these cards were. Eastsea Academy had clearly pulled many strings and spent a fortune to obtain six entry cards, which were coveted every year. Although few successfully ascended their spirits inside, the possibility alone was enough to drive competition.

Early in the morning, Wu Zhangkong led his Class Zero students to the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda. The sooner they entered, the fewer competitors they would encounter.

"Remember," Wu Zhangkong said sternly, "the Riot Period of the Spirit Ascension Platform allows the highest number of simultaneous entrants. Inside, everyone except your teammates is an enemy. Your only goal is survival. If you fail your end-of-term exam, you will be punished."

He then turned to Gu You. "Your abilities are unique and separate from theirs. Once inside, you can choose to take action or not—it's entirely up to you." Gu You's power was extraordinary. With a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, he had no real opponents in the primary Riot Period of the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Hearing this, Xie Xie curiously asked, "Teacher Wu, what's the punishment?"

Wu Zhangkong shot him a glance. "Cancellation of vacation."

The entire class froze. The end-of-term break lasted a full month, and Xie Xie had been looking forward to it for a long time. Hearing that failing the test would mean losing it, his eyes widened in shock.

The others exchanged worried glances. Even Gu Yue frowned at the mention of this punishment. As for Gu You, he was visibly irritated. Canceling vacation? Fine! Then he would go all out!

"Let's go."

They handed over the six entry cards, and under the staff's guidance, they entered a familiar room. This was the privilege of Eastsea Academy—as the only intermediate soul master academy in Eastsea City, it had significant influence and a strong relationship with the Spirit Pagoda. That was why they had managed to secure six cards.

The Spirit Pagoda had even arranged a dedicated admission room for them, allowing their teacher to monitor them. This was an unusual privilege.

"The Riot Period inside the Spirit Ascension Platform is extremely dangerous," a staff member warned. "You've entered the platform many times before and should be familiar with the environment, so I won't repeat the details. Just remember—if you ever feel things are going south, exit the battlefield immediately."

The more times a person entered the platform, the less likely they were to face extreme danger like Wang Jinxi did on his first visit.

Each of the six students lay inside a metallic chamber. The staff activated the system, and the chamber lids closed, blocking out light. A scanning sequence began as they prepared to enter the platform.

The staff inserted the five cards into designated slots and pressed a red button—this was a security mechanism unique to the Riot Period. Only with these cards could they enter and control their initial spawn points.

A brief moment of dizziness passed. When they regained consciousness, they were already inside a vast forest. The biggest difference this time? All six of them had spawned together.

The fresh air, the lush greenery—everything was familiar. The scene looked no different from their previous visits.

Tang Wulin spoke in a low voice. "Formation!"

He stepped forward, positioning himself at the front. Wang Jinxi took the rear, back-to-back with Tang Wulin. Zhang Yangzi and Xie Xie flanked the sides, all four facing outward. At the center stood Gu Yue—this was the formation they had rehearsed the night before. Tang Wulin had even prepared reinforced steel vests for them, doubling their defense. As for Gu You, he perched atop a tree, surveying the distance.

A soft green glow flashed, enveloping the five teammates—it was Gu Yue's wind element control. Although not strong, it lightened everyone's weight and made them more agile.

Tang Wulin raised his right hand, summoning two strands of Bluesilver Grass. A yellow spirit ring rose beneath him. The two grass vines slithered forward like serpents, sweeping left and right to clear the underbrush, revealing a path ahead.