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Tower Master Liu Yang snapped out of his reverie, his profound gaze settling once more on Fang Yang.
He raised a hand slowly and gestured to Su Tao beside him. "Xiao Tao, present the soul spirit."
"At once, Tower Master," Su Tao replied respectfully.
From his storage soul guide device, he retrieved a crystal-clear orb, its surface shimmering with a faint violet aura. Inside, a crimson-red tiger prowled restlessly—muscular, majestic, and radiating raw power.
"Fang Yang," Tower Master Liu Yang said, "this is the Crimson Flame Tiger King—one of the few premium thousand-year soul spirits in our Aolai City branch. It is also the most compatible with your Spirit."
In a remote backwater like Aolai City, most available soul spirits were mere ten- or hundred-year variants. To possess even a single thousand-year soul spirit was already rare.
But this—the Crimson Flame Tiger King—was a masterpiece among thousands, a treasure even across the entire Eastern Sea (Donghai) Administrative Region.
Fang Yang accepted the orb, gazing at the crimson tiger within. He understood at once.
This must have been Liu Yang's personal treasure, drawn from his private collection after Su Tao's urgent report—a deliberate investment in Fang Yang's future.
This kindness… I won't forget.
"Thank you, Tower Master," Fang Yang bowed deeply, his voice sincere with gratitude.
He knew better than to take this for granted. Countless soul masters began their journey with only ten-year soul spirits, or low-grade hundred-year ones—like the Hundred-Year Soft Bone Rabbit or Hundred-Year Grass Snake…
Tower Master Liu Yang nodded in satisfaction and pulled a ring from his sleeve. "This storage ring holds fifty cubic meters of space—and ten million Federation credits. Consider it a small token from me."
Fang Yang accepted it with both hands, bowing once more. "I am deeply grateful, Tower Master."
Liu Yang laughed heartily and clapped him on the shoulder. "No need for such formality, Xiao Yang! This is nothing. Ah—by the way, have Xiao Tao take you to register for your Core Disciple Identity Card. From now on, you'll enjoy all the privileges of a Core Disciple."
With that, the Tower Master turned and strode away.
"See you off, Tower Master!" Fang Yang called respectfully.
Once the elder departed, the room fell quiet for a moment.
Then Su Tao burst out, eyes blazing with excitement: "Fang Yang—do you even realize what Core Disciple means?"
"In the Spirit Pagoda hierarchy," he explained breathlessly, "disciples are ranked as: Ordinary, Outer Sect, Inner Sect, Core, Personal Disciple, and the highest—Spirit Envoy."
He took a deep breath. "Both Core and Personal Disciple Disciples are candidates to become Tower Masters of the Pagoda's eighteen regional branches!"
"And the Spirit Envoy?" Su Tao's voice dropped reverently. "They stand equal to the Tower Master—the designated heir of the Pagoda's Headquarters."
"The entire Spirit Pagoda is governed by 'One Tower, Two Deputies, Four Great Spiriters.'"
Fang Yang's heart pounded. He hadn't expected Tower Master Liu Yang to place such immense trust in him—granting Core Disciple status outright.
This meant access to the Pagoda's finest resources, elite mentorship, and a future beyond reckoning.
"Come," Su Tao grinned. "Let's get your registration done."
"With the Tower Master's decree, the process will be swift. As of today, you are the youngest Core Disciple in Aolai City's Spirit Pagoda in nearly a century."
Fang Yang nodded, slipping the storage ring onto his finger and stowing the soul spirit orb inside.
Taking Na'er's soft hand, he followed Su Tao out of the room.
The Spirit Pagoda was built in an octagonal layout—three stories tall, with four main facades and eight directional halls. The interior was vast, floored with marble engraved with the Pagoda's insignia. The grand hall stretched wide and open.
Around the perimeter stood a ring of mysterious doors leading to unknown places. At the front stood a counter-like desk, behind which sat a gray-robed soul master.
"By decree of Tower Master Liu Yang," Su Tao announced, slamming the authorization seal onto the counter, "register Fang Yang as a Core Disciple!"
"Wha—Core Disciple?!" The soul master's hand trembled so violently he nearly knocked over a water bottle.
After verifying the document repeatedly, his entire demeanor shifted to utmost reverence. "P-please wait, honored sir…"
Moments later, he presented a golden-engraved identity card with both hands. "Here is your Core Disciple Card, sir. If lost, a replacement may be issued."
"Thank you," Fang Yang said, tucking the card into his storage ring.
He turned to Su Tao. "Uncle Su Tao, I'll head home now to fuse the soul spirit. See you next time."
Just then, Na'er tugged gently at his sleeve. "Big Brother… my snacks…"
"Oh! Sorry, Na'er—I nearly forgot!" Fang Yang smacked his forehead.
Apologizing with a sheepish grin to Su Tao, he led Na'er back to the reception room and retrieved the candy bag from the coffee table, stowing it neatly in his ring.
Thus, Fang Yang and Na'er left the Spirit Pagoda and began the walk home.
"Mom! We're back!" Fang Yang called as he pushed open the front door.
Lin Ximeng poked her head out from the kitchen, her apron speckled with oil. "Yang'er! How did your spiritual power test go? Were you cleared to fuse a hundred-year soul spirit?"
Before he could answer, Na'er skipped over, beaming. "Mom! Big Brother bought me so many treats!"
Lin Ximeng laughed fondly. "Na'er's such a good girl."
Fang Yang pulled items from his ring. "Mom, I met the Tower Master today. He gifted me a thousand-year soul spirit, this storage ring, and ten million Federation credits inside."
He paused—then added with quiet gravity:
"Most importantly… I'm now a Core Disciple of the Spirit Pagoda."
Lin Ximeng blinked, confused. She understood the words—but strung together, they made no sense to her.
"Yang'er… what was your spiritual power score?" she asked carefully.
Fang Yang replied calmly: "101 points. Spirit Connection Realm."
"What?! 101—Spirit Connection Realm?!" Lin Ximeng thought she'd misheard.
But seeing Fang Yang's earnest nod, comprehension dawned like lightning.
My son Yang'er… is a genius!
"Alright, alright, Mom—I'm going to my room to fuse the soul spirit now," Fang Yang said, already turning.
He ruffled Na'er's silver hair. "Na'er, watch some TV for a bit. Big Brother will be out soon."
"Mm! Na'er will be good!" she chirped sweetly.
Once everything was settled, Fang Yang returned to his room.
"Time to begin."
He sat cross-legged on his bed and retrieved the thousand-year soul spirit orb from his ring.
After clearing his mind, he extended his right hand and gently touched the crystal.
Unlike lower-tier soul spirits—which existed only as ethereal phantoms—this was a true thousand-year entity, possessing tangible presence.
His fingertips met the Crimson Flame Tiger King.
"It's not hot at all… and so soft, like fur," he murmured.
Then, at his mental command, a deep golden-yellow flame burst forth—his Xuanhuang Flame, both Heavenly Flame and Spirit.
"Fuse!"
The flame coiled around the Crimson Flame Tiger King, slowly drawing it in, consuming it with gentle yet inexorable force.
Fang Yang closed his eyes, following the techniques he'd learned.
The fusion began.
His soul power surged violently—boiling within his meridians like a storm-tossed sea.
The influx of soul spirit energy flooded his body, pounding relentlessly against the barrier of his current realm.
And in the next instant—
CRACK!
The bottleneck shattered.
His soul power surged into a new realm, radiant, powerful, and utterly transformed.
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