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Morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the dorm curtains, casting dappled golden spots across the floor of Room 205.
One by one, the boys stirred, beginning a new day.
Xie Xie crawled out of bed, hair a wild mess, grimacing as he rubbed his aching arms and inhaling sharply through clenched teeth.
"Fang Yang! Tang Wulin! You two are such dogs!" he growled, glaring at the pair who were calmly making their beds—his eyes practically sparking with rage.
Fang Yang folded his blanket into a perfect square, then turned with a smile.
"Xie Xie, don't blame us. You're the one who couldn't get the day off. Just enjoy Teacher Wu's special attention."
"You—!" Xie Xie stomped his foot in frustration, then turned to Tang Wulin. "Wulin! Are you betraying me too?!"
Tang Wulin gave an apologetic grin. "Sorry, Xie Xie—today's task at the Blacksmith Association is really important."
"You guys…" Xie Xie sputtered, then crossed his arms with a huff. "Fine! I'm furious! …About nothing!"
Just then, Zhou Changxi emerged from the bathroom, toweling his face. "Fang Yang, Tang Wulin—you're not training today?"
"Nope. We've all taken leave from Teacher Wu," Fang Yang said, adjusting his collar and checking the time on his soul-guided communicator. "I should head out—Gu Yue's probably waiting."
Tang Wulin stood up too. "I've got a meeting at the Blacksmith Association."
He patted Xie Xie's shoulder. "Hang in there—I'll bring you something tasty tonight."
Xie Xie pouted—but most of his anger had already faded.
He turned to Zhou Changxi with an exaggerated sigh. "Guess it's just you and me today, buddy."
"Get lost, I'm straight!" Zhou Changxi recoiled a step, rubbing his arms dramatically.
"Hey! I like soft, sweet girls—okay?! Don't go spreading rumors!" Xie Xie shot back, leaping to his feet.
Zhou Changxi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah—let's go. If we're late again, Teacher Wu's gonna double our drills."
And so, the dormmates scattered in different directions.
Outside Donghai Academy's gate, leaves rustled in the morning breeze.
Not long after his arrival, Fang Yang spotted a graceful figure approaching from afar.
Gu Yue wore a simple white dress, the lightweight hem swaying gently with each step.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling her snow-white skin with golden flecks—enhancing her ethereal beauty.
She was as elegant as ever—breathtakingly lovely.
"I'm sorry, Fang Yang," she said, her voice crisp and melodic. "Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, I just got here," Fang Yang replied softly. After a brief hesitation, he added, "There's no need to apologize. No need to be so formal."
Gu Yue gave a subtle nod, the faintest smile touching her lips. "Alright."
A gentle breeze stirred as they walked side by side toward the city.
Soon, they arrived at Donghai City's Spirit Pagoda.
Compared to Aolai City's modest branch, this Pagoda was magnificent—towering, majestic, awe-inspiring.
Rising over 100 stories, it stood more than 400 meters tall—an undisputed landmark even among Donghai's dense skyline.
As one of the Spirit Pagoda's Eighteen Great Branches, these towers were known as the "Eighteen Pillars of Heaven."
Its octagonal base sprawled over a vast area, each ten-story segment tapering inward toward a sharp, sky-piercing spire.
Even from afar, its overwhelming grandeur sent shivers down the spine.
Inside, the grandeur matched the exterior: gold-flecked stone floors, vaulted ceilings held aloft by massive pillars, and vibrant murals depicting the legendary life of Huo Yuhao—the Spirit Ice Douluo, founder of the Spirit Pagoda and inventor of spirit souls.
(Note: The tale of how Tang San once treated Huo Yuhao like a dog remains a sensitive topic.)
"Good morning! How may I assist you?" A uniformed female attendant approached briskly, her smile polished and professional.
Fang Yang got straight to the point. "I'm here to purchase a soul spirit."
He pulled out a golden card and handed it over.
The attendant's eyes widened—then her pupils shrank.
"This is… a Core Disciple Identity Card?!"
She bowed deeply. "My apologies, honored sir—I didn't realize your status!"
"No need," Fang Yang waved it off.
"What tier of soul spirit would you like?" Her tone was now deferential.
"Do you have any ten-thousand-year soul spirits in stock?" Fang Yang asked bluntly.
"Ten-thousand-year?!" The attendant blinked in surprise.
Beside him, Gu Yue's brow furrowed slightly. "Fang Yang… you're planning to fuse a ten-thousand-year spirit soul?"
"Yes," he confirmed.
The attendant quickly composed herself. "Please, honored sir—follow me."
She led them through the opulent hall into an elegant VIP chamber.
At the room's center floated a massive soul-guided projection screen, displaying 3D models and detailed profiles of available soul spirits.
"This is the current list of ten-thousand-year soul spirits at Donghai Pagoda," she said, handing control to Fang Yang.
He scrolled carefully—then his expression grew troubled.
"Man-Faced Demon Pearl, Soft Bone Rabbit, Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon, Netherworld Wolf, Earth Giant Bear, Flame Demon Tiger…"
All were high-quality—but none felt right. None fully matched his needs.
Gu Yue watched silently, her gaze shifting between Fang Yang and the screen.
Just as Fang Yang neared the end of the list—
a black dragon appeared on the final page.
It was a jet-black dragon, its projection alone radiating a suffocating, primordial pressure.
"What is this soul spirit?" Fang Yang asked, intrigued.
Gu Yue's eyes locked onto the image—her pupils contracted sharply.
She whispered, almost inaudibly: "This… is Di Tian's blood?"
The attendant nodded. "Your eyes are sharp, sir. This is an artificial soul spirit created from the blood of Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King—the First of the Ten Great Demon Beasts, revered as the Dragon God. It is one of the Pagoda's most prized treasures."
"Can I choose it?" Fang Yang asked.
"Well…" The attendant hesitated.
"I'm sorry, sir—but this special-tier soul spirit requires direct approval from the Tower Master. Please allow me to seek authorization immediately!"
"Alright," Fang Yang said—but his gaze never left the screen, fixed on the black dragon's coiling form.
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