Douluo, my clone Groudon

Chapter 165 Riotous Ascension Platform Assessment
Tang Wulin unconsciously scratched the back of his head, a few strands of black hair sticking up from between his fingers. "The Ascension Platform can riot? Like the beast tides described in history books?"

Xie Xie pressed his long fingers against his temples, his short silver-gray hair swaying gently as he shook his head: "My dear Class Monitor Tang, you have absolutely no common sense."

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, quickly cutting to the point before Wu Changkong could cast a warning glance at him: "Every year at the spring and autumn equinoxes, the soul power accumulated on the Spirit Ascension Platform causes a tidal phenomenon, which leads to an increase in the activity of soul beasts. Even ten-year-old Soft Bone Rabbits may enter a bloodthirsty state."

"During this period, soul beasts will be more active and their numbers will increase, while the danger will also increase exponentially. However, the rewards will also be better, allowing participating soul masters to experience the most realistic adventure."

Wu Changkong suddenly turned his head, his obsidian-like eyes sweeping over everyone: "During the riotous period of the Spirit Ascension Platform, the most dangerous thing is not the soul beasts, but the soul masters like you."

“But…” Tang Wulin gripped the hem of his combat suit tightly, the synthetic fibers making a soft rustling sound, “Gula’s current condition…”

"We should worry less about the monster and more about the rampaging soul beast."

Wang Jinxi stroked the bone chain around his neck, his lips twitching. "He's so monstrous, it's not our place to worry about him. There are no ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts on the primary Spirit Ascension Platform, so he's no threat at all."

"Yes."

The murmurs of the crowd abruptly ceased. Gula leaned against the wall, the pure white headphone cable dangling gracefully over his dark green combat uniform. His fingertips tapped lightly to the rhythm of the era's popular music.

He nodded without any modesty and admitted, "So, can I be exempted from the exam?"

"No."

Wu Changkong refused without hesitation, “My test for you is to survive alone for an hour without meeting up with anyone. The forest is your home ground, so it’s not difficult to do that.”

Wu Changkong wanted to set up a marine environment assessment for Gula, but unfortunately he didn't have the status, nor was he a member of the Spirit Pagoda.

Gula made an OK sign: "Piece of cake, dance teacher, watch my performance."

The alloy gate of the Spirit Pagoda opened amidst the hum of steam, and the receptionist in the silver-blue uniform had a stream of data flashing in her eyes: "Identity verification passed. Donghai Academy students, please proceed to preparation room number 17."

The moment everyone stepped into the corridor, a grating sneer came from inside door number 16 next door.

The female Soul Master at the head of the group snorted when she saw Tang Wulin, and the Soul Masters behind her couldn't wait to curry favor with her, and they all laughed together.

"When did the Spirit Pagoda become a daycare center?"

He looked down at the crowd, glanced at Gula's sunglasses and cane, and raised his hand to mock them.

Gula remained motionless. Suddenly, a section of emerald green vine pierced the alloy floor, the poisonous sting just a hair's breadth from his pupils.

The emergency system throughout the corridor instantly flashed red, and a synthesized electronic voice urgently announced: "Warning! Soul Skills are prohibited in non-combat readiness!"

next moment.

"Alert lifted."

Do you even realize how valuable a disciple of the deputy tower master is?
The young man dared not speak again, trembling so badly he almost wet himself. The vines had nearly blinded him; it would be a terrible loss to go blind just to please the daughter of the Holy Craftsman!
"My hand slipped."

Gula tilted his head and chuckled softly, the vines turning into specks of light and dissipating. He deliberately groped his way into preparation room number 17, his movements so mocking.

The young man dared not speak out in anger. The receptionist next to him kept his eyes downcast. Gula's body-strengthening and bone-strengthening plaster formula allowed him to become a core disciple without taking any tests. The receptionist had already been informed of GI's identity, and it was the receptionist who had pressed the alarm earlier.

Gula ignored the minor incident, lay down in the simulation pod, and felt the slight tingling from the nerve connections. Consciousness returned, and a primeval forest unfolded before her, the scent of humus filling her nostrils.

Gura removed his materialized glasses, revealing an emerald halo deep within his dark pupils. Celebi's wings unfurled with a roar, the green patterns on his wing membranes resonating with his black spirit ring, and simultaneously, branches drooped from giant trees within a hundred meters radius.

"Even though this isn't my first time at the Spirit Ascension Platform, I still have to admit the technological level of the Spirit Pagoda. It's a semi-virtual world. I wonder if my third spirit ring has that kind of potential."

He sighed, stretched his arms, and yawned. The spirit of the golden ancient tree was still some distance from his limit. This time, he was going to go on a killing spree.

"The boundless realm of forests and seas unfolds."

The moment the first spirit ring bloomed, countless fluorescent lights erupted from the ground.

Gula's consciousness spread wildly along the plant network. He "saw" the armored beasts gathering three kilometers away, sensed the restless thousand-year-old cave-dwelling spiders underground, and even caught a dangerous aura deep within the Ascension Platform.

In the observation room, Director Long's pen fell to the ground with a thud.

"This...this is a transfer student? A Soul Master with ten thousand years of Soul Rings and three rings?"

Overjoyed, he couldn't help but look at Wu Changkong.

Wu Changkong stared at the screen, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips, shattering Director Long's illusions: "Gula was originally a disciple of the Spirit Pagoda, so his training at the academy has little to do with him."

Director Long choked, picked up the notebook, and muttered, "Those are also students of Donghai Academy. The fact that they can attract students like that to enroll is a testament to the academy's achievements..."

Wu Changkong shook his head and ignored Director Long.

The forest is indeed Gura's home turf, and it's beyond anyone's imagination.

Gura's status as a child of nature is far less significant than Celebi's authority over the forest.

Gula's flowing hair grew to her waist, entwined with a vibrant emerald-gold light.

As he moved, the roots of the dormant ancient tree sprang up, transforming into his loyal guardians. He hummed off-key electronic rock, his fingertips tracing the curled trunk of the century-old ghost vine, and the purple poisonous vine wrapped around his wrist like a lover.

"I can directly control plant-based spirit beasts—no, they actively submit. I underestimated myself." The boy's chuckling voice startled a flock of crows.

Thirty meters away, just as the seven ghost wolves bared their gleaming white fangs, the ground beneath their feet suddenly collapsed.

Thick vines, as thick as a bowl, burst from the ground. Before the wolves could even howl, the dense, crystallized barbs on the vines had already turned them into a honeycomb.

Emerald-colored soul power flowed along the vines, killing the soul beast in an instant.

Director Long's Adam's apple bobbed as he watched the plants within a hundred meters of Gula activating—no, they were expanding! It seemed endless.

When a soul beast dies, it condenses a ball of spiritual energy, which is absorbed by Gula, slowly increasing the upper limit of his soul's lifespan.

Gula nodded, "I've been to the Spirit Ascension Platform a few times before, but because the three soul rings were upgraded separately, only the Golden Ancient Tree's lifespan was increased by five thousand years."

"My physical strength was originally limited to 50,000 years, but after accommodating and digesting the power of my clone, accommodating a 70,000-year soul ring is no problem. I wonder if killing all the soul beasts on the primary Spirit Ascension Platform would be enough to saturate my soul spirit."

(End of this chapter)