Chapter 209 - Cooperate

Mu Zhongtian turned his gaze to the middle-aged man on the other side, who nodded towards him. The man gave him a glance and made a gesture of invitation, inviting Mu Zhongtian over to one side where the two conversed alone and left the young people to themselves.

They were in the Spirit Pagoda and could not afford to fight.

“Please.” Lan Xuanyu nodded towards Bing Tianliang.

Bing Tianliang calmed the stirring emotions within himself before looking at Lan Xuanyu again and responding. “It’s simple, I was looking for you today in the hopes of being able to cooperate with you.”

“Cooperate?” Lan Xuanyu raised his eyebrows. Was this guy truly not holding even the faintest bit of a grudge?

Bing Tianliang spoke calmly, “I’ll be honest with you. I dislike you and so badly want to beat you up. Do you know that? Originally, we were extremely confident about having four teams winning in the competition. But you spoiled our plans and only two teams got through. There are plenty of people in our academy that hate you. But it is because of this that made me understand the various aspects we are lacking compared to you. Your personal strength might be average, but you have a good mind. So, let us cooperate.”

Lan Xuanyu squinted his eyes and replied, “You don’t even know what the semi-finals will be about, so how do you even plan to cooperate?”

“Regardless of what the test is, there will definitely be a comprehensive aspect to the test. Shrek has always regarded real battles as the most important. Our cooperation is simple, we will help you in terms of the battles, but we require your suggestion in terms of planning.”

Lan Xuanyu looked straight into his eyes. “You’re not someone who lacks confidence. It shouldn’t be too difficult for someone with your cultivation to pass the semi-finals safely, right? If I’m not wrong, you’re doing this for another team.”

Bing Tianliang glared at him for a second and hesitated before nodding his head. “That’s right. It’s actually for a person. She is my childhood friend that grew up with me. I hope to always be able to protect her and allow her to enter Shrek with me. You’ve experienced her strength and must know that it’ll be difficult for her to rely on her own strength. I can help her, but just in case, I hope to have your help. In return, we will also help your team. Everyone’s from Heaven Luo planet. When we are in Shrek Academy, we should naturally be united.”

It was only then that Lan Xuanyu realized why Bing Tianliang had exploded in the competition after Liang Shushi was killed. It was because of their relationship, and by the looks of it, Bing Tianliang viewed Liang Shushi as an extremely important person.

Lan Xuanyu asked, “Why isn’t she with you today?”

“She will be. Once we’re all here, we will move out with you guys from Heaven Luo City towards the Mother Planet. But there were only three individuals granted entry to the Spirit Ascension Platform, so she isn’t here today.”

Lan Xuanyu nodded his head and replied, “How can I trust you?”

“I’ve always been straightforward in everything I do. If we are allies, I will spare no pains or effort in helping you.”

This sentence was expressed extremely slowly; the tone of his voice was unlike one that came from a child and it showed a serious commitment. He fixed his eyes straight on Lan Xuanyu’s and never wavered for a second.

Lan Xuanyu also continued looking at him, as faint sparks clashed between their gazes.

After a long time, Lan Xuanyu slowly raised his right hand. “Our cooperation can start from the Spirit Ascension Platform.”

“Great.” Bing Tianliang raised his hand and shook his.

There was no doubt that the Spirit Ascension Platform was the best location for them to test their cooperation. They would see if this was a sincere cooperation or, more importantly, whether their cooperation would gain them better results. This was what Bing Tianliang also hoped to try.

When the two teachers saw them shaking hands from the other side, they returned.

The teacher with Bing Tianliang smiled. “It’s done?”

Bing Tianliang nodded his head.

The teacher continued, “Then I will have to congratulate all of you beforehand for successfully entering Shrek Academy. Let’s go to the Spirit Ascension Platform.”

The Spirit Ascension Platform was at the fourth layer of Heaven Luo City’s Spirit Pagoda and required tickets to enter the elevator to reach the specific floor. Mu Zhongtian and the teacher from Ling Tian Academy could only send them to the elevator doors.

The six children entered the lift silently. After all, they were once competitors and the experience was definitely not a joyous one. Although they had come to an agreement on the cooperation, it was impossible to say that there was no grudge within their hearts.

The elevator reached the fourth layer, where an employee dressed in a work uniform waited by the door. After inspecting their tickets, he gestured for them to enter. “Please come with me.”

It was Lan Xuanyu, Qian Lei, and Liu Feng’s first time visiting the site, and they naturally looked around with curiosity. They were surrounded by metal walls, and after walking for a distance, they arrived at an empty hall. There were more than a 100 similar simulation cabins that looked completely different from ordinary simulation cabins. They were much bigger and far more elaborate.

Lan Xuanyu noticed that Bing Tianliang’s group were extremely calm and did not look around like them. When thinking about the colors of their soul rings, Lan Xuanyu believed that it was not their first time in the Spirit Ascension Platform. It was obvious that Ling Tian Academy had invested much more towards their Elite Junior Class than did Heaven Luo Academy.

“Do you guys want to be sent in together or separately?” the employee asked.

“Together,” Bing Tianliang replied without hesitation.

Qian Lei could not help but say, “Are you guys planning to take revenge on us inside?”

Without a doubt, in the case where they had not made preparations, it was impossible for Lan Xuanyu’s team to fight against Bing Tianliang’s trio if the six appeared in the same location.

Yu Tian scoffed in ridicule. “It seems like not everyone from your academy has brains. Why would we come so far just to take revenge on you? We can take revenge at the semi-finals.”

Qian Lei raised his eyebrows. “Oh, are you trying to act and display your big knife? Is your name Stupid Big Knife?”[1]

Yu Tian’s expression changed. He was also one of the top figures from Ling Tian Academy, so when had he ever encountered such ridicule? His eyes immediately turned cold.

“Enough. We are here to cooperate,” Bing Tianliang retorted while frowing.

Lan Xuanyu patted Qian Lei’s shoulder. Yu Tian was right about one thing; it was not worthwhile for them to spend so much time and run over to Heaven Luo City to take revenge on them. Furthermore, they had also not been aware of Lan Xuanyu’s team entering the Spirit Ascension Platform as well.

“Let us go in together,” Lan Xuanyu informed the employee.

The employee led them and chose six unique simulation cabins. The cabin doors opened, revealing the much more intricate and complicated interior. Upon entering, different tubes adjusted close to various parts of their bodies, producing a numb feeling that felt as though they were slightly electrocuted.

“Relax your entire body. Upon entering, there will be an alarm on all of you. The Spirit Ascension Platform is different from Soul World, and could be described as half real and half simulated. The pain you will feel is 50% of the real thing. So upon encountering a situation whereby you are unable to resist or if you feel too much pain, immediately sound the alarm and leave the battlefield. You will be sent back here. If any problems occur, the Spirit Pagoda will not be responsible. Understood?”

50% of real pain? Wasn’t that even more realistic and closer to the true battlefield?

Lan Xuanyu’s heart trembled in coldness as well as anticipation.

Since the invention of the simulation cabins, the cultivation of the majority of Soul Masters came from the simulated world, but a simulation was still a simulation, unlike the real battle he had experienced in space. It was completely different. Further, it was impossible to fight with the mindset of reviving in the real world, as that was impossible in a real battle.

The six cabins closed, and Lan Xuanyu closed his eyes, quietly immersing himself in the changes taking place in his body.

The numb sensation from all around his body increased, and in the next instant, it felt as though his entire body had turned numb.

After an unknown period of time, he recovered his sense of hearing first. As the faint noises resounded out, his other senses gradually recovered.

[1] – 耍大刀 (show off, display his blade) and 傻大刀 (dumb blade) sounds similar