Chapter 549 - What's Going On With You Today?

As Tang Wulin watched Zhen Hua and Mu Chen depart, he started to wonder what surprises they were talking about. There’s no way I would come across someone I know in Star Luo… is there? Nah, that’s impossible! What could they have meant?

This mystery stumped Tang Wulin, so he decided to worry about it later and just went back to campus. He only had a few days before his departure, and there were many things he still had to take care of. First he needed to visit the Tang Sect. He was currently a white-class agent of the Battle Hall, so he needed to report whenever he left campus.

Ever since he joined the Battle Hall, Tang Wulin hadn’t been assigned a single mission, yet he still received an immense amount of cultivation resources. He was even awarded bonus contribution points when he sold metals to the Tang Sect. He was reaping the benefits of membership, so it was important to report that he would be gone for a year.

Tang Wulin absentmindedly walked to the Tang Sect, not even thinking about the path he took. The moment he arrived, he found Guo Xiaoxu, Hall Master of the Battle Hall, standing outside the door.

“I already know you’re leaving for Star Luo,” Guo Xiaoxu said as Tang Wulin approached, giving him a warm smile. “While you’re there, remember to keep quiet, observe your surroundings, and stay safe. Come back in one piece, and don’t forget to bring your white-class agent badge.” He rummaged through his coat for a moment, then took out a letter. “You won’t be able to contact us all the way in Star Luo, so take this letter to the local Tang Sect headquarters and give it to the person in charge. If you run into any trouble, you can ask them for help.”

“Huh?” Tang Wulin gawked at the man. “Hall Master, we have a branch on the Star Luo continent?”

“What do you think?” Guo Xiaoxu chuckled. “We even have branches on the Heaven Dou continent. We’re not the only ones either. The Spirit Pagoda can be found on all three continents as well, and they have even more overseas branches. The ocean cannot confine organizations like ours. But Shrek Academy doesn’t have any overseas branches, of course. That would just be silly. They don’t care about expanding over there at all.”

Then Guo Xiaoxu’s gaze sharpened. “You’re still young, so going on this trip will broaden your horizons. You’re calm, mature for your age, so I’m sure you’ll keep a cool head if anything happens. Don’t forget that your agent badge has a button you can press to call for help. Don’t hesitate to press it. The moment you do, any agents in the vicinity will rush to your aid.”

“Understood.” Tang Wulin replied. He actually wouldn’t have remembered this function of the badge if the Hall Master hadn’t said anything.

With that, Guo Xiaoxu bid Tang Wulin farewell. As he left the Tang Sect, he looked up at the sky above him. It seemed strangely dull, more so than usual.

I hope something good comes out of this exchange trip. Tang Wulin sighed and looked back on his progress. He originally planned to break through to rank 40, become a sixth-rank blacksmith, and gain a second spirit soul and a fourth soul ring before he left. All he had managed to do was become a sixth-rank blacksmith, and he had only accomplished that through his connections with Zhen Hua. This left him disappointed in himself.

Then his mind turned to his team’s progress. Since they had chosen to focus on completing Ye Xinglan’s battle armor first, she was only three pieces away from having a full set. Everyone else still only had one piece of armor, but Tang Wulin had no complaints about that. Once Ye Xinglan became a one-word battle armor master, she would be able to crank out armor pieces far faster than before. Then the rest of the team would quickly become one-word battle armor masters as well. Tang Wulin had forged more than enough spirit alloys needed to complete everyone’s armor, so they could continue making armor even in Star Luo.

Tang Wulin took out his soul communicator and tapped the screen a few times, placing a call.

The call was quickly answered, and Gu Yue’s voice rang in his ear. “What is it?”

“Gu Yue, can you get me a ticket for the spirit ascension platform? The intermediate one.”

“I should be able to. What are you planning?”

“I’ve been working hard at cultivation, but I haven’t seen much progress,” Tang Wulin said. “I want to go vent my frustration. I’m not going to reach rank 40 by the time we depart anyway, so I thought some exercise would be good for me.”

“Okay. Where are you?” Gu Yue asked.

“I’m by the Tang Sect headquarters.”

“Wait for me there. I’ll head over now and we can go together.”

“How reliable.” Tang Wulin smiled. “Thanks.”

A few minutes later, a cab pulled up in front of Tang Wulin. The door opened to reveal Gu Yue, who gestured for Tang Wulin to get in. He did just that, strapped himself in, and they were off.

“You’re coming with me into the spirit ascension platform?” Tang Wulin asked. When she nodded in response, he grinned and he took her hand in his own. “Great!”

As if she had been struck by lightning, Gu Yue yanked her hand from his.

Tang Wulin’s mind swirled with confusion. He had always been one for skinship, and Gu Yue had never rejected him like this. Only now did he realize that she seemed to be in a strange mood. He looked into her eyes and saw himself, as if he were gazing at his own reflection in a cold, indifferent mirror.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Boys and girls should not do anything inappropriate before marriage,” Gu Yue said coldly.

Tang Wulin was baffled. “You didn’t have a problem with it before. Remember all those times you pulled me by the hand?”

Gu Yue’s expression went stiff. She slowly turned her head away from him and looked out the window, refusing to acknowledge him.

Tang Wulin scratched his chin awkwardly. A woman’s heart truly was as turbulent as a stormy sea. Such inexplicable behavior made him want to scream in frustration. It was impossible for him to comprehend the vast machinations of a woman’s mind. He had no other choice but to stay silent and keep to himself.

The cab quickly took them out of Shrek Inner City. The entire drive consisted of awkward silence in which Gu Yue ignored Tang Wulin, and him trying to avoid her ire. This continued until they reached the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda. Once there, Gu Yue paid the driver exited the cab and led the way to the Spirit Pagoda with Tang Wulin rushing to keep up with her. With a flash of her badge, the two of them were granted entry.

Tang Wulin had been busy cultivating ever since he arrived at Shrek Academy, so he hadn’t had a chance to visit the local spirit ascension platform yet. In fact, today he was only here on a whim. He recalled his time in the spirit ascension platform back in Eastsea City, how his team’s combat skills had been honed through countless visits.

The spirit ascension platform was located in the rear of the building, and it took them two different elevator rides to reach it. After passing through two checkpoints, they arrived at a room filled with high-tech equipment, screens lining the walls, and familiar capsules.

“We want to enter the intermediate spirit ascension platform,” Gu Yue said to the staff member in the room.

“Got it,” the staff member answered. They didn’t say anything, but they did raise a curious brow at Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin leaned over to Gu Yue and whispered, “How much does it cost to enter the intermediate spirit ascension platform here?”

Gu Yue rolled her eyes at him and just entered a capsule.

Tang Wulin furrowed his brow. What’s with her today? Did I do something to upset her? If I knew she was going to be like this, I wouldn’t have even asked to come here. It doesn’t seem like we’ll work well together at the moment. As we are now, how long will we even last in there?

Despite all of Tang Wulin’s reservations, he was already here. It was too late to back out. Besides, the last time he had entered the spirit ascension platform was back in Eastsea City. He was eager to see just how much stronger he was now.

After entering a capsule of his own, the door closed over him. As various instruments scanned him, he shut his eyes, and soon enough, energy fluctuations enveloped him and a wave of vertigo washed over his body. A minute later, the sensation faded. He took a breath of fresh air and opened his eyes to see a verdant forest around him. He had arrived in the spirit ascension platform.

The first thing he noticed was the forest. He could see no difference between it and what he could remember of the spirit ascension platform back at Eastsea City. Then after a quick scan of his surroundings, he saw Gu Yue standing a few meters away from him.

Tang Wulin immediately walked over to stand in front her, guard up and eyes scanning the perimeter for movement. He then began to slowly advance. Although it had been a long time since he came to the spirit ascension platform, his still remained vigilant. A powerful soul beast could attack them at any moment. Caution was key to their survival.

As he was focused on that, Gu Yue just stood there gazing at him from behind. His back was broad and taut with power. His dashing figure left her heart in turmoil. He just looked so reliable.

Tang Wulin had grown over the past half-year. He was taller, his shoulders broader, and his face more handsome. He was young, only fifteen, yet he was nearly two meters tall. His face still contained traces of immaturity, but he already looked like a man. He also possessed strength that earned him the position of class president of the first grade. That only served to make him even more appealing. Countless girls in the first and second grades swooned whenever they saw him. A majority of those girls had made advances toward him. In fact, Gu Yue had even noticed Wu Siduo’s heated gaze fixed upon him at times.

But Tang Wulin was oblivious to all of it. He was too busy with cultivation and blacksmithing.

Gu Yue bit her lip and furrowed her brow. Do I really not know what love is?

It was then that Tang Wulin glanced back at her. She was rooted to her original spot, having yet to take a single step to follow him. Gu Yue’s odd behavior was acceptable outside, but such actions would only put them in danger in the intermediate spirit ascension platform. Danger was always lurking around the corner, and soul beasts would not miss an opportunity to strike.

“Are you okay?” Tang Wulin asked. “You’ve been acting weird all day.”

His voiced snapped Gu Yue out of her stupor, and she walked over to join him.

“Are you okay?” Tang Wulin asked again. He raised his hand to touch her forehead.

Gu Yue quickly brushed his hand aside. “I’m fine.”

Tang Wulin studied her face for a moment, then he turned around and continued to lead the way forward.