Chapter 129 – End of the Spirit Ascension Platform Trials
Xie Xie slashed out a Light Dragon Blade while sliding to the side, rapidly closing the distance between him and another Green Wolf.
Pu! One of the Green Wolves had their neck sliced open by the Light Dragon Blade, uttering a sad cry as blood sprayed out.
Xie Xie agilely moved toward another Green Wolf, but it opened its mouth and released a green wind blade at him.
Xie Xie responded to this attack by bending his body, completely avoiding the wind blade. With his back bent, he pounced on the Green Wolf. After a sweep of his two daggers, the wolf’s throat was torn open and he arrived at another wolf’s side. With a flick of his wrist, he cut open an artery on the wolf’s neck with his Shadow Dragon Dagger, immediately releasing another burst of blood. It only took a moment before life ceased to course through the wolf’s veins.
Although his attack had gone according to his plan, causing three wolves to die, the wolves were launching their assault now too. Dozens of wind blades were flying toward him at that moment.
Xie Xie dodged with all his might, but he sustained some injuries on his back and left leg from the wolves he had just engaged with. His jacket was already dyed crimson.
“Bastard!” Xie Xie screamed, then rolled to the side, evading another wind blade as he brandished his two daggers and continued to wage war against this pack of wolves.
He didn’t dare to use a soul skill with the meager amount of soul power he had left. His left leg was injured and proved to be a burden on his speed now, while his entire body was covered in scars and bruises. It had only been a few moments, yet he was already soaked in blood.
The scene of their battle could only be described as one of desperation. For every wolf he killed, multiple wounds were inflicted on his body in exchange. Despite being completely soaked in blood, he didn’t falter and retreat. From beginning to end, he was moving in circles around the crystallized Tang Wulin, protecting him from the wolves. With his Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger in hand, he continued his reckless defense against the wolves’ attacks.
The dark yellow energy finally receded, and Tang Wulin’s senses gradually began to return to him. The first thing he smelled was the stench of blood.
After a moment, he saw a crimson figure that was barely able to remain standing.
“Wooo!” A wolf howled, drawing an especially large Green Wolf to pounce on the bloody figure.
“I’ll fight you to the death!” Xie Xie’s crazed roar woke Tang Wulin from his stupor.
The Light and Shadow Dragon Daggers scattered at that moment. The Green Wolf landed on Xie Xie and pushed him down. It opened a mouth full of sharp daggers and bit at Xie Xie’s neck.
Bang, bang, bang! A silver light flew over and three booms resounded one after another. The giant wolf cried out in pain as it belatedly realized that its skull had already been cracked open.
Dazed, Xie Xie only felt someone slap the back of his hand, and in the next moment, darkness entered his eyes. He didn’t know what was going on anymore.
After crushing the skull of the wolf that was on top of Xie Xie, Tang Wulin took in the bitter scene around him, renewing his determination. He didn’t see Gu Yue anywhere and guessed that she had already returned. He hit the button on the back of his hand, and darkness entered his eyes just like the others. After disappearing from the forest, the wind blades shot by the wolves were met with nothing but air.
Darkness was replaced with light as Tang Wulin quickly shot out of the metal box and shouted, “Xie Xie!”
Tang Wulin squinted his eyes to avoid being dazzled by the sudden presence of light as he searched for Xie Xie.
He saw Zhang Yangzi, the twitching Wang Jinxi and Gu Yue, who was sitting pale-faced. Then there was the open metal box beside him.
Tang Wulin rushed over to the box that Xie Xie was in.
“Xie Xie, Xie Xie!” Tang Wulin anxiously called out.
“I, I’m fine. Just a bit sore.” Xie Xie said weakly, as he struggled to open his eyes.
Tang Wulin was finally able to relax now that he knew Xie Xie was alright. A wave of exhaustion and the feeling of the crystal’s suffocation overcame him. His legs lost strength, making him fall onto his butt.
Wu Zhangkong and Long Hengxu stood to the side. Long Hengxu was thoroughly shocked, while Wu Zhangkong remained as unperturbed as usual.
The Spirit Pagoda staff member exclaimed sincerely, “Geniuses! They truly are geniuses worth nurturing! Are you sure these children are only nine-years-old?”
The gaze of the staff member was burning with expectation, especially when he turned his gaze to Tang Wulin, Xie Xie and Gu Yue.
He had watched their whole performance.
The most breathtaking scene was undoubtedly when Tang Wulin had taken down a powerful soul beast in only two strikes. His transformed right hand had clearly possessed strength several times higher than normal. Not only was it able to kill the hundred year Horned Dragon in a single strike, but it had also been strong enough to crush the thousand year Crystal Bear. If they had been a bit more knowledgeable about the Crystal Bear, then they wouldn’t have suffered at the end, and their kill would have been considered perfect.
Gu Yue’s performance was equally worthy of admiration. Her coordination with Tang Wulin had been amazing. She had used a variety of elements at optimal moments to aid him, and it was also thanks to her that Tang Wulin hadn’t been harmed at the end. She had actually used her own body to hold up his crystallized form, which weighed over five hundred kilograms, to prevent it from shattering.
The staff member knew that in situations like those, people normally wouldn’t have the time to consider whether things were real or virtual. The fact that Gu Yue had been able to make such a quick decision to save Tang Wulin meant that even in reality, she would have been just as decisive.
They were only nine-year-old children! With such a strong friendship, how could their coordination not be this deep?
No wonder Eastsea Academy is willing to spend so much money to bring them here. Although they weren’t in the spirit ascension platform for long, they were faced with the greatest obstacles the whole time!
And Xie Xie at the end… Despite knowing he was no match for the wolves, he had stayed behind for the sake of his comrade! He had continued to protect Tang Wulin until the crystallization disappeared and was finally sent out only when Tang Wulin had been freed!
Although one wouldn’t truly die in the spirit ascension platform, the injuries they sustained all felt exceedingly real.
Xie Xie had suffered tens of cuts on his body, yet he had still continued to fight and protect Tang Wulin all the way until the end. During that whole time, he had been minimizing the injuries he sustained while maximizing the number of enemies he killed! He had simply been extraordinary!
This staff member had never seen such outstanding first-time performances from Soul Masters before. Even more so astonishing was the fact that these children only had either one or two rings.
Wu Zhangkong slowly walked over to the five students, his dull voice filling their ears. “From now on, you five are a mini battle squadron. The captain is Tang Wulin, and the vice-captain is Xie Xie. Let’s go.”
Finished speaking, he began leading them toward the elevator.
The five looked at each other in dismay and shock as a single thought entered their heads. Mini squadron?
Wang Jinxi looked at Tang Wulin, then Zhang Yangzi, whose face was unsightly, but more than that, it was full of shame. Before coming here, Zhang Yangzi had been full of ambition and competitiveness, but after witnessing the events in the spirit ascension platform, his ambitions had been completely washed away from his heart.
Without even speaking of his strength, just his actions in the spirit ascension platform had been severely lacking in comparison with his peers.
Regardless of whether it was Tang Wulin who had killed two powerful soul beasts, the self-sacrificing Gu Yue, or Xie Xie who had fought nearly to the death for his comrade, every single one of them had been remarkable. When compared with those three, he and Wang Jinxi were simply too lacking.
Wang Jinxi had met his demise after encountering a powerful soul beast, but him? He had simply been courting disaster!
On the road home, the five students were still brooding over the events in the spirit ascension platform. Zhang Yangzi was full of remorse, while Tang Wulin pondered over the situation inside of the spirit ascension platform, the battles replaying over and over inside his mind.
What he was certain about, however, was that their battles in the spirit ascension platform today had been incredibly stimulating.
Tang Wulin had a particularly profound impression. I actually fought with a soul beast! So that’s what it feels like to battle against a soul beast… Even though I know everything was virtual inside of the spirit ascension platform, I can’t help but feel a bit frightened when I recall it. That was the pressure of a battle of life and death. Cultivating in situations like that really is far better!