Would Gu Yue lose her temper if she ever found out Tang Wulin's true identity? Nan Fusheng wasn't sure.
But if the Holy Spirit Cult learned about it? That, Nan Fusheng could guarantee, the Demonic Emperor, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, whose cultivation was already on the verge of godhood, would lose it. There was even a chance he'd come charging in, consequences be damned.
Then again… Tang Wulin's identity might prove to be a useful bargaining chip.
Nan Fusheng silently contemplated this while standing off to the side—perhaps, in future dealings with the Holy Spirit Cult, he could leverage this for some benefit.
"Alright, let's go,"
came Long Hengxu's voice, snapping the six students out of their thoughts.
He chuckled,
"I felt the same sense of curiosity the first time I came to one of the Eighteen Pillars. But after visiting them so often, that feeling fades.
Still, the murals in each of these towers are always worth admiring."
"Center your minds," Wu Zhangkong said coldly. "Once inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, you'll have only yourselves to rely on."
"Teacher, you're not coming in with us?" Tang Wulin asked in surprise.
"Only soul masters below four rings can enter the Basic Spirit Ascension Platform," Wu Zhangkong replied.
Long Hengxu nodded and added:
"But don't worry—we'll be monitoring from outside. If anything happens, you'll need to activate your emergency signal to exit the platform.
We'll explain the precautions shortly."
—
Led by Long Hengxu and Wu Zhangkong, the group entered an elevator—one that descended, rather than ascended.
A subtle sense of weightlessness told them they were going deep underground, though how deep was impossible to tell.
The Spirit Pagoda, after all, was the most powerful organization on the continent. With its unmatched resources and wealth, this kind of infrastructure was nothing short of astronomical in cost.
The elevator had no floor indicator, but it took a full three minutes before it stopped.
Stepping out, they entered a vast hall filled with over a dozen staff members. Beyond that were long metal corridors stretching in all directions.
Long Hengxu handed one of the staff a strange-looking card. The staff member said nothing, simply gesturing for them to follow as they proceeded down one of the passageways.
After walking about a dozen meters, they boarded another elevator. This time, it descended for only a few seconds before stopping.
When the doors opened, they found themselves inside a circular chamber, metallic in structure. The walls were lined with massive soul technology displays, each screen flickering with images of lush, green landscapes—what looked like dense jungles.
The staff member turned to them and said:
"The Basic Spirit Ascension Platform supports six participants at a time. There is no time limit.
If you encounter danger beyond your ability to withstand, activate your emergency signal device, and you'll return here. Now for the precautions."
"The Spirit Ascension Platform is a project our Spirit Pagoda spent over a thousand years developing—investing nearly all our accumulated resources and knowledge to create.
It can be considered a parallel world, created with cutting-edge spatial technology.
However, the platform is half real, half virtual. Much of the simulated data must rely on real-world input to function properly."
"In the Basic Platform, most of what you experience will be virtual. So your physical lives are not in danger."
"Inside, you can do anything—but your main objective is survival.
The longer you survive, the more benefits you'll gain."
"However, don't assume that means you're completely safe. While it's only your brainwaves connecting, a significant shock can still cause mental trauma."
"If anything exceeds your limits, don't hesitate. Press the red button. Got it?"
"Understood!" the six students answered quickly.
The staff member nodded.
"That's all. The rest, you'll have to experience for yourselves.
This is your first time—don't expect to last long.
But I promise you, it will leave a deep impression.
Kids—be mentally prepared.
No matter what happens, don't panic.
Soul beasts aren't scary as long as you respond appropriately."
Their excitement built steadily throughout the explanation. Even Nan Fusheng, normally calm and composed, was eager.
After all, even in his previous life, he'd only heard of virtual reality—never experienced it firsthand.
What would a brainwave link even feel like?
—
The staff member pressed a button, and six horizontal metal pods slowly extended from the wall.
Each pod had a human-shaped recess inside—like a cold, futuristic coffin.
"Lie down."
The six obeyed, the metal's chill helping them sharpen their focus.
Mechanical suction cups extended from the sides and attached to specific parts of their bodies, perfectly aligned and secure.
"We're starting now. Relax your entire body.
During scanning, you might feel discomfort—just endure it and it'll pass."
Those were the last words they heard before the metal pods slid back into the wall and darkness consumed their vision.
Nan Fusheng felt a tingling numbness crawling from his limbs throughout his entire body, as if something was passing through him.
His soul power and blood were being subtly stimulated, pulsing with unfamiliar fluctuations.
The sensation intensified, numbing him further until he felt almost paralyzed.
Time passed. He had no idea how long.
Suddenly, his body jolted violently, jerking him from a half-conscious state.
He opened his eyes and realized the pod was gone.
The numbness vanished as well.
In its place, strapped to the back of his hand, was a metal device with a red button.
Emergency signal?
Is this… the platform?
Despite his mental preparation beforehand, only now did Nan Fusheng truly grasp the astonishing nature of the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Surrounding him were massive trees and thick underbrush.
There wasn't even a clear path—just a dense, untamed primordial forest.
And the most shocking thing?
It felt real.
He pinched his cheek in pain.
Touched the bark—rough texture.
Everything had weight, detail, and presence.
So this is what a "virtual world" feels like…
Amazement flickered briefly in his eyes, but he soon calmed down. Curiosity sated, he shifted into a cautious mindset.
He glanced at his body—his clothes were still on.
Of course. Otherwise, this platform wouldn't be very considerate to female students...
Lifting his arms, he tested his abilities. Good.
Theft worked.
Origin Fortress could still be sensed.
He didn't act rashly. From the staff's tone, it was clear this place wasn't safe.
Danger could strike at any time.
So first, he crouched low, attuning his senses to his surroundings.
His spiritual power, having reached the Spirit Connection Realm, was now far more sensitive.
He could feel it—this place overflowed with life force.
This… is a real jungle!
Could such untouched wilderness still exist within the Federation?
Deforestation had wiped out most ancient forests. Even the once-mighty Star Dou Forest, once the continent's largest, now had less than 1% of its original size.
For someone like Nan Fusheng, who had grown up in a small town, such a forest was something he'd only seen in phone wallpapers.
Even in this life, it was his first time witnessing such a landscape.
Snapping himself out of his awe, he moved to the base of a large tree.
Using its trunk and the nearby brush as cover, he sat cross-legged and released his Martial Soul.
From the outside, it simply looked like he was cultivating.
But in truth, Nan Fusheng had activated the perspective of his parasitic insect soul spirit.
On the tree he leaned against, a tiny worm was slowly crawling upward.
Once it reached the treetop, it stopped—completely still.