67: First visit to the Ascension Platform

The Spirit Pagoda was truly worthy of being the continent's premier organization, possessing the most formidable strength and financial resources; an engineering project like this must have cost an astronomical sum.

The elevator had no numbers, but it stopped only after a full three minutes.

Stepping out of the elevator, they arrived in a spacious hall where a dozen staff members were present, with metallic corridors stretching out behind them.

Zhang Zhenpeng immediately took out a uniquely styled card and handed it to one of the staff members. Upon seeing it, the staff member immediately gestured for them to follow, leading them toward one of the corridors.

After walking several dozen meters down the corridor, they entered another elevator. They continued to descend, and this time, the elevator stopped after only a dozen seconds. When they appeared again, everyone was already in a circular room.

The room was still entirely metallic in structure, but a circle of massive soul tool screens hung on the walls, flickering with various images that all appeared to be a World of green jungles.

Zhang Zhenpeng turned around and instructed those who were entering the Spirit Ascension Platform for the first time: "There is no time limit for entering the Primary Ascension Spirit Platform. When you cannot withstand the danger within, simply press the distress signal device in your hand, and you will be able to return here safely. Next, I will speak about some precautions..."

Most of the students present were entering the Spirit Ascension Platform for the first time, so they listened with extra focus, including Shen Guyan, who already had some understanding of the Spirit Ascension Platform beforehand.

Basic knowledge and theory could be learned from books, but practical experience and lessons could only be obtained through the personal instruction of predecessors or through first-hand experience.

The Spirit Ascension Platform was created by the Spirit Pagoda over thousands of years, relying on countless accumulations and heritage, costing nearly all of its resources. It could be called another special World in itself, and it utilized a massive amount of spatial technological means.

Therefore, the first thing to note is that the Spirit Ascension Platform is not a completely virtual World; it is half virtual and half real. This is because a lot of virtual data needs to rely on real-World feedback to function.

The Primary Ascension Spirit Platform, within this, is considered a purely virtual part; therefore, the lives of those who enter will not be truly threatened.

Within the Spirit Ascension Platform, people who enter can do anything inside, but the core thing to do is to survive—strive to survive. The longer you survive, the more benefits the entrant will gain during this process.

Secondly, you cannot assume it is absolutely safe inside and that you do not need to worry about your life. Although it is only a human brainwave connection, once a situation involving huge stimulation occurs, there is still a possibility of danger due to the brainwaves receiving too much shock.

Therefore, once you feel it exceeds your range of endurance, just immediately press the distress signal device, and you will be able to successfully exit the Spirit Ascension Platform.

"Prepare to enter; try your best to stay inside for a longer time," Zhang Zhenpeng instructed once more.

"Yes, Dean," the group of students who possessed the admission tickets hurriedly replied.

The staff member also looked at the group: "Your Dean has spoken very clearly. As for more, you will have to experience it for yourselves inside. Today is your first time entering, so perhaps it will not be for very long. However, it should leave a deep impression on you. Children, be mentally prepared. Remember, do not panic no matter what situation you encounter. Spirit Beasts are not scary, as long as you respond appropriately."

After listening to the staff member's explanation, all the young boys and girls present felt a sense of eagerness. Especially the lower-grade students who were hearing about the Spirit Ascension Platform for the first time were even more inexplicably excited.

Shen Guyan had been integrated into this World for quite some time now. So-called brainwave connection? What kind of feeling would that be?

The staff member pressed a button, and twenty metal cabinets slowly slid out from the adjacent wall. These cabinets were horizontal, and inside was a groove that was exactly human-shaped, looking a bit like a coffin.

"All of you, lie inside."

Everyone complied and lay inside; the coldness of the metal made their focus sharpen a bit more.

Individual instrument suction cups emerged from the surroundings and quickly attached to certain parts of their bodies, fitting perfectly.

"It is about to begin; prepare yourselves. Just relax your whole body. Later, during the scanning, there will be some slight discomfort; endure it for a moment, and it will pass."

These were the last words the Sea and Land Academy students heard from the staff member. The metal cabinets slowly slid back into their original positions in the wall, and their vision subsequently turned into darkness.

With a flicker of dizziness before his eyes, Shen Guyan only felt waves of tingling sensations coming from his entire body simultaneously, as if something was constantly passing through his body. The Soul Power and Bloodline within his body were stimulated, automatically generating fluctuations, and that tingling sensation began to grow stronger and stronger, causing his whole person to become somewhat numb.

This bit of discomfort did not have much of an impact on Shen Guyan, whose willpower was already sufficiently firm; instead, it made him feel a bit drowsy.

He did not know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt his body jolt, and when he subconsciously woke up from his semi-drowsy state, he was shocked to discover that his surroundings had already completely lit up.

The metal box around his body was gone, and the original tingling sensation was also completely gone. On the back of his hand, there was an additional object resembling a metal instrument, which had a distinct red button on it.

This must be the so-called distress signal device, right?

Shen Guyan was stunned. Although he already had a preliminary impression of the Spirit Ascension Platform through books and after listening to Zhang Zhenpeng's explanation, it was only after truly entering it that he deeply understood just how shocking this Spirit Ascension Platform researched by the Spirit Pagoda organization really was.

Beside him were thick trees, and in front of him was a large patch of shrubbery. There was simply no path, and it felt exactly the same as entering a primeval forest.

What was even more strange was that the sensations he was experiencing right now felt extremely real. He gently pinched his cheek and could feel a real sense of pain. Everything around him felt completely real to the touch.

This was simply a dream World where one could move freely!

After a brief moment of surprise, Shen Guyan gradually steadied his mind; his mindset was not something his peers could compare with.

He subconsciously looked at his hands; his storage spirit tool was still there, which meant that everything from reality had been brought here.

In other words, everything was exactly the same as in reality.

He raised his right hand, the sword casket rose from the ground, and the hilt of the canglang sword fell into his palm; only when holding it did Shen Guyan feel at ease.

He did not act rashly. From Zhang Zhenpeng's words earlier, he could tell that this Spirit Ascension Platform was definitely not a safe place; it was even potentially dangerous.

The possibility of encountering enemies at any time was what fit the description of actual combat training in books.

Therefore, what he needed to do was to persist for a longer time, strive to obtain the maximum benefits, and increase the cultivation age of the Emerald Demon Bird.

Thinking of this, Shen Guyan quickly lurked down and silently sensed everything around him. His Mental Energy had long since entered the Middle Stage of the Spirit Connection Realm, so his sensing of the surroundings was far stronger than before.

It could be said that this was a place full of the breath of life; it was a true primeval forest. In the Federation, such primeval forests were almost impossible to find; with the continuous logging by humans, primeval forests had become fewer and fewer.

It was said that the Star Dou Great Forest, once the continent's number one forest, now only had less than one percent of its original area remaining, which was what triggered the retaliation of the Vicious Beasts, as well as a certain plan mentioned by Gu Yue before she lost her memory.