She was tall and dressed in a black uniform.
"Welcome to the Spirit Pagoda. Hello, everyone, I am Gu Yue's teacher, Leng Yaozhu," the red-haired woman said warmly as she gracefully walked over to Gu Yue's side, her eyes briefly glancing at Gu You with a smile.
"Greetings, Senior," everyone respectfully saluted her—except for Gu You.
Leng Yaozhu continued, "There's no need to be so formal. You are all the pride of Shrek Academy. It's a pleasure to meet you. I won't take up too much of your time; let me take you to the Soul Spirit Tower."
With that, she turned and began walking, exuding elegance and charm in every step. She carried an air of noble grace, making a deep impression on everyone who saw her.
"Gu Yue, your teacher is really beautiful," Xie Xie commented as soon as they started walking.
The moment he spoke, he was met with a sharp gaze from Gu Yue—one that reminded him of Yuanen Yehui's icy stare.
Xie Xie shuddered instantly. "I take it back—I won't say anything anymore."
Leng Yaozhu… Leng Yaozhu… Yue Zhengyu kept repeating the name in his mind. He felt it was familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had heard it before.
Leng Yaozhu led the seven of them to an elevator with golden doors. She lightly placed her right hand on the doors, which then slid open. She stepped inside first.
The elevator was enormous, capable of holding dozens of people with ease. The interior was lavishly decorated, glowing with a golden brilliance, and faint energy fluctuations could be sensed within.
There was a slight vibration, and within seconds, the elevator stopped. The doors opened, revealing a massive circular hall.
The hall was several hundred meters in diameter and over fifty meters tall. The ceiling formed a triangular shape, with a floating gemstone at the highest point, radiating a soft golden light.
At the center of the hall was a high platform shaped like a hexagon. Stairs led up to it, and at the top stood what appeared to be an altar, covering an area of a hundred square meters. Right in the middle of the platform was a massive golden gateway over fifteen meters high.
Various instruments and devices surrounded the hall, with hundreds of staff members working diligently.
Gu You found the scene familiar—wasn't this just like the teleportation gate Leng Yaozhu had used to take him to the Advanced Ascension Platform last time? This gate was even larger, with numerous workers maintaining it.
Leng Yaozhu's arrival didn't disrupt the staff. Those who noticed her bowed respectfully before continuing their tasks.
"You may enter. Everything has been arranged," Leng Yaozhu said, pointing toward the golden gateway.
"Thank you, Teacher." Gu Yue smiled. Though she didn't treat her teacher with much reverence, there was an undeniable closeness between them.
Gu You found it awkward to witness this—this talented student doesn't appreciate her, yet she keeps doting on her?
Leng Yaozhu chuckled indulgently. "This is your first time entering the Soul Spirit Tower. Unlike the Ascension Platform, everything you encounter here is real. Be careful. I will personally monitor your progress. If there's any danger, I'll bring you out immediately."
"Thank you, Senior," Gu You said with a bright smile.
Leng Yaozhu looked at him and smiled back. "It's my duty."
"Indeed, it is," Gu You replied.
Leng Yaozhu let out a soft sigh and shook her head slightly. Then, her gaze shifted toward the golden portal. "Activate the Soul Spirit Tower."
Her voice remained calm, as if she were merely having a casual conversation. But the moment she spoke those words, all the staff members turned toward her, bowed respectfully, and then responded in unison, "Yes!"
Yue Zhengyu's eyes lit up—he finally remembered where he had heard her name before. Meanwhile, Gu Yue had already led the others up the altar's stairs.
One by one, they stepped into the golden portal. As soon as they entered, golden light engulfed their bodies, and they vanished within.
As she watched them disappear, a trace of melancholy flickered in Leng Yaozhu's eyes. She murmured to herself, "Back then, weren't we just like them? Seeing them reminds me of you and me. But in your heart, I have long ceased to exist."
She sighed and pressed her fingers against her forehead. "Why do I still think about this?"
Then, her gaze sharpened as she looked at the golden gate. "Those nine old monsters—none of them could subdue him when he was just a boy. But can you?"
Upon stepping through the golden portal, there was no sensation of dizziness or disorientation like in the Ascension Platform. It was as if they had merely crossed through a doorway.
A brief flash of golden light, and Gu You found himself in a vast hall.
Massive pillars surrounded the area, seemingly supporting the entire space. The floor was paved with large grayish-blue stone tiles, and the entire chamber had an ancient and timeless aura.
The hall spanned over a thousand square meters, and the golden portal behind them disappeared the moment they stepped in.
Then, their vision blurred as a phantom-like image appeared before them.
A colossal tower made of pure light hovered above the clouds. The tower extended upward endlessly, disappearing into the sky.
The illusion gradually solidified before suddenly vanishing, leaving only the vast hall before them.
It was an octagonal chamber, over three hundred meters in diameter. Eight massive metal doors, each ten meters tall and five meters wide, lined the walls. Just standing there, one could feel the grandeur and immensity of the place.
The seven of them stood at the center of the hall.
"Should we form a battle formation?" Gu Yue asked, looking at Gu You.
"No need. I alone am enough," Gu You responded.
His pupils instantly transformed into vertical slits, and an aura of draconic majesty erupted from his body—wild and destructive.
"Stay behind me. The initial soul beasts won't be an issue, but later, when we encounter powerful ones, the battles may involve you. At that time, you'll have to rely on yourselves," Gu You warned.
The other six nodded. They just had to let Gu You climb the tower. In the meantime, they were curious—would they really encounter terrifying ten-thousand-year or even hundred-thousand-year soul beasts in this tower?
Just then, the eight massive metal doors swung open almost simultaneously.
Deep, guttural growls echoed through the air.
Their first sight was dozens of glowing green eyes—each belonging to a creature hidden behind the doors.
Gradually, dark cyan-colored wolves with eerie green eyes emerged—there were over ten of them behind each door.
Wind Wolves—common soul beasts in forests. They lived in packs and, while individually weak, were terrifying in large numbers. Once they entered battle, they fought to the death without retreat.
Over a hundred Wind Wolves had appeared from all directions.
"Wind Wolves specialize in—" Xie Xie had just started speaking when he saw a flash of purple light.
A series of explosive cracks echoed throughout the hall, and thick metallic smoke filled the air.
When the smoke cleared, Gu You was already retracting his dragon claws, traces of fresh blood still dripping from his fingertips.