Douluo Continent, I've brought the entire Dragon King.

Chapter 42: Can the age of a soul ring be increased without a soul spirit?

Shrek Academy: The morning sunlight streams into the classroom through the windows.

Ning Rongrong sat in her seat, her hands supporting her chin, her eyes sparkling.

We're going to the Ascension Platform today.

Although she didn't know exactly what that place was, just hearing the name made it seem extraordinary.

And—that guy Xie Xie was acting all mysterious yesterday, refusing to say anything.

You'll find out tomorrow.

Ning Rongrong felt so angry that she gritted her teeth just thinking about Xie Xie's smug expression.

"Hmph, I'd like to see what it is that's worth hiding like this."

She glanced at Zhu Zhuqing beside her.

Zhu Zhuqing sat upright, her face expressionless, but there was a hint of expectation in her dark eyes.

Almost everyone in the class had arrived; no one was late or absent.

The front door of the classroom was pushed open, and Wu Changkong walked in.

His long, lake-blue hair shimmered faintly in the morning light, and his cold, piercing eyes swept over everyone present.

The classroom fell silent instantly, and everyone looked up at the man standing behind the podium.

Wu Changkong didn't waste any words and spoke directly.

"Today, we're going to the Ascension Platform."

Ning Rongrong's eyes shone even brighter.

"The Ascension Platform is where you obtain souls."

"Soul spirits can provide you with soul rings and also assist you in battle."

"The Ascension Platform is divided into three levels."

"The Primary Spirit Ascension Platform allows Soul Masters below the fourth ring to enter."

"The Intermediate Spirit Ascension Platform allows Soul Masters below the seventh ring to enter, and its interior is mostly filled with Soul Spirits of the thousand-year or ten-thousand-year level."

"Advanced Ascension Platform — This is even more dangerous, and you don't need to know about it for now."

Wu Changkong paused for a moment, then continued.

"Souls and soul beasts are different."

"A soul that has been nurtured for ten years can only produce one soul ring."

"A maximum of two souls can be generated from a hundred-year-old spirit."

"Following this logic, a ferocious beast-level spirit can generate a maximum of six spirit rings."

A collective gasp filled the classroom.

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.

"Can a single spirit provide a maximum of six spirit rings?"

She did the math in her head.

"Doesn't that mean—if you obtain a ferocious beast's soul, you've got it all, from the first to the sixth ring?"

"This is way too exaggerated!"

But she did not interrupt Wu Changkong.

Wu Changkong continued.

"Besides allowing you to acquire souls, the Ascension Platform has another important function."

"Let you experience fighting against spirit beasts and enhance your combat experience."

"Although the soul beasts inside are virtual, their fighting style is almost indistinguishable from that of real soul beasts."

Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong had a question in her mind.

She raised her hand.

"Teacher Wu, I have a question."

Wu Changkong glanced at her.

"explain."

"You said the Ascension Platform can acquire souls, and souls can provide soul rings—"

Ning Rongrong's voice carried a hint of worry.

"But we haven't reached the level where we can acquire spirit rings yet."

"For example, although I have taken the Soul-Boosting Pill and the Mystic Water Pill, my soul power level has not yet reached level 30."

"So, once we're inside—will it be of any use to us?"

Wu Changkong looked at her and nodded.

"Good question."

"If your level does not meet the requirements for obtaining a Soul Ring, you will not be able to obtain a Soul Spirit after entering the Spirit Ascension Platform."

""

Ning Rongrong's heart sank.

If it cannot be obtained—then what is it for?

She thought to herself, her face filled with disappointment.

Although it can increase my practical experience in fighting spirit beasts, I'm a support-type spirit master!

Ning Rongrong bit her lip.

"Then this Ascension Platform will be of no use to me?"

She suddenly felt a pang of regret.

"If only I had worked harder back in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—"

"After taking the Soul Ascension Pill and the Mystic Water Pill, I might already be level 30."

"That way we can directly obtain the soul."

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in this world.

Ning Rongrong sighed, and Wu Changkong, seeing her frustrated expression, spoke again.

"Even if you can't obtain the soul, entering the Ascension Platform this time will still benefit you."

Ning Rongrong raised her head.

Wu Changkong's gaze swept over everyone present.

"Aren't you all curious about why Wu Lin, Si Duo, and Yun'er have such much stronger spirit ring configurations than ordinary spirit masters?"

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes suddenly lit up.

She had wanted to know the answer to this question for a long time.

The others had the same expression, all of them perking up their ears.

Wu Changkong didn't keep anyone in suspense.

"The number of years a person can withstand a soul ring is related to their mental strength and physical fitness."

"The stronger one's mental strength and the better one's physical fitness, the longer one can withstand the lifespan of a spirit ring."

"But there is another reason why the Ascension Platform is called the Ascension Platform."

Wu Changkong's tone became slightly more forceful.

"The souls you obtain inside can be used to acquire an energy called spiritual power by defeating the soul beasts within."

"This energy can extend the lifespan of a soul."

"As the lifespan of the spirit increases, the lifespan of the spirit rings will also increase."

Upon hearing this, everyone became excited, finally understanding how Tang Wulin and the others achieved such abnormal spirit ring configurations.

Wu Changkong continued.

"In other words, even if you only obtain a hundred-year-old soul spirit at the beginning, as long as your mental strength and physical fitness are strong enough, you can enter the Spirit Ascension Platform to continuously hunt soul beasts and accumulate spiritual power, and then upgrade this soul spirit to a thousand-year, ten-thousand-year, or even higher level."

"The age of the spirit ring will also increase accordingly."

Ning Rongrong's mind was racing.

"In other words—"

She murmured to herself.

"Once my mental strength and physical abilities improve, I can hunt soul beasts at the Spirit Ascension Platform to increase the age of my existing soul rings?"

Wu Changkong glanced at her and nodded slightly.

"That's right."

Ning Rongrong gasped.

But soon, another question came to her mind.

"But—Ms. Wu."

She raised her hand.

"We don't have any souls yet."

"What do we do with the spiritual power we gain after killing the soul beasts inside?"

"Without a soul, is spiritual power still useful to us?"

Wu Changkong looked at her and nodded slightly.

"The initial Ascension Platform did indeed have this problem."

"Without a spirit, the spiritual power gained from killing spirit beasts cannot be used and will simply dissipate."

"but----"

"The Dean has resolved this issue with the current Ascension Platform."

"Even if you don't have a soul spirit, you can still increase the age of your soul rings after entering the Spirit Ascension Platform."

"You'll find out exactly how to improve once you're inside."

The classroom fell silent for a moment.

Then, things exploded.

"What?!"

"Can the lifespan of a spirit ring be increased even without a spirit spirit?"

"This...this is just too outrageous!"

"How exactly did the dean manage to do that?"

Luo Ziyan covered her mouth, her eyes wide open.

Ning Rongrong's breathing became rapid. She had originally thought that the Spirit Ascension Platform would be of no use to her this time.

At most, I'll just go in and take a look, and gain some experience in fighting soul beasts.

But now—Wu Changkong tells her that even without a soul spirit, one can still increase the age of a soul ring.

"Doesn't that mean—"

Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.

"Both of my current spirit rings can have their age increased through the Spirit Ascension Platform? I wonder if it's possible to increase them to a thousand-year level!"

Although Zhu Zhuqing did not speak, her fingers clenched slightly.

In those dark eyes burned something called longing; her Netherworld Cat possessed two spirit rings that were both at the hundred-year level.

If she could be promoted to a thousand years—her strength would at least double.

[Detection indicates a significant increase in Ning Rongrong's acceptance of Shrek Academy as a "monster academy"!]

[Congratulations, host, you have received a reward: 10 Gold Pearls]

[Detection indicates a significant increase in Zhu Zhuqing's acceptance of Shrek Academy as a monster academy!]

[Congratulations, host, you have received the reward: 10 Millennium Dragon Scale Fruits]

[Detected an increase in Luo Ziyan's acceptance of Shrek Academy as a monster academy!]

[Congratulations, host, you have received the reward: 50 Hundred-Year Soul Spirits]