"Did the soul bone issue get resolved?" Deputy Tower Master Li asked with concern as he approached.
Shi Yu had previously explained that he needed to use the Spirit Pagoda's training room because his soul power had become disordered after absorbing a soul bone. He claimed he needed a quiet environment to stabilize it.
"It was a bit bumpy," Shi Yu replied with a tired smile, "but fortunately, it's resolved now."
After several hours of physical and mental strain, Shi Yu felt completely exhausted. Hunger and sleepiness weighed down on him.
Deputy Tower Master Li noticed his weariness. "You don't look too good. Is something wrong?"
This young man had been accepted as a prospective disciple of Pagoda Master Qiangu, and could officially become his disciple in the future. Naturally, Deputy Tower Master Li wanted to stay on good terms with him.
Shi Yu confessed his hunger and fatigue.
"In that case, I'll have someone arrange food for you immediately," Deputy Tower Master Li said with a relieved smile.
Half an hour later, Shi Yu was in a private room within the Spirit Pagoda, eating heartily.
Though it was already late at night, Deputy Tower Master Li had personally arranged for two chefs to remain on standby, just in case Shi Yu needed anything.
The meal was generous—five dishes and one soup, mostly meat. Although it wasn't made from soul beast meat, it was cooked with energy-rich medicinal herbs. The food was not only delicious and fragrant but also invigorating. Shi Yu could feel warmth spreading through his limbs as he ate, a sign of energy that awaited refining.
"Ahh..." Shi Yu let out a full burp and rubbed his swollen belly in satisfaction.
It was the most lavish meal he'd had since arriving in this world.
"Thank you, Deputy Tower Master Li, for your hospitality," Shi Yu said gratefully. His impression of the man improved a little more.
"As long as you're satisfied," Li replied kindly. "I've also had a room prepared for you. I'll take you there now."
The Donghai Spirit Pagoda towered several hundred meters into the sky, and its internal facilities were remarkably complete.
The staff of the Spirit Pagoda ate, dressed, and lived all within the tower. Few lived elsewhere.
From accommodations to meals, everything here matched the standards of a five-star hotel, and there were even entertainment and leisure areas. It could easily be converted into a luxury hotel if the Spirit Pagoda stopped running soul-related operations one day.
When Shi Yu arrived at the room prepared for him, he was genuinely shocked.It felt like a country bumpkin entering a palace.
The room was more than 200 square meters, with three bedrooms and a living room. The furnishings were beyond luxurious.
Not only did it include everything you'd expect in a high-end hotel, but it also had many things regular hotels didn't:
A dedicated cultivation room
A private viewing/entertainment room
And a bedroom for rest
Shi Yu was stunned. "Do all Spirit Pagoda staff live this well?"
Deputy Tower Master Li chuckled. "Of course not. This room was prepared for you based on the treatment of a deputy tower master. It's the highest-grade room in the Donghai Spirit Pagoda."
"There are four grades below it: white, yellow, purple, and black—each representing different levels."
"Ah, that makes more sense," Shi Yu nodded. It would be insane for everyone to live like this.
"If you need anything else, just rest for now. Once you've recovered, I'll personally escort you to the Spirit Pagoda headquarters," Li said, then left after sharing his contact information.
Shi Yu looked around and sighed with admiration. "This is the life."
After taking a long, hot bath, he lay down on a super-wide bed over 2.5 meters wide.
"This bed is heavenly. I'd love to take it back to the Peerless Tang Sect era."
It was so comfortable, it felt like it would bring him good dreams every night.
"I hope everything goes smoothly at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters," he muttered to himself.
He wasn't particularly opposed to going.
The Spirit Pagoda was an organization that gathered soul masters from across the continent. It wouldn't kill geniuses without reason.
Now that he was officially recognized as a disciple of Qiangu Dongfeng, as long as he avoided crossing any red lines, his safety should be secure.
However, he knew he'd need to show some level of loyalty.Qiangu Dongfeng might value his talent, but only if that talent ultimately served the Qiangu family.
They wouldn't want to raise a powerful figure they couldn't control.
Especially someone who might one day rise up and seize control of the Spirit Pagoda.
Once upon a time, strength alone was enough to claim the top of the Pagoda.
But now, the organization was firmly in the grasp of powerful families, with the Qiangu clan at the head.
Gu Yuena was only able to rise to the top because she had the backing of the Qiangu family—through her identity as their daughter-in-law.
Even then, her power was mostly in name only.
Without that family connection, it would've been impossible.
"I can't bind myself to the Qiangu family like Gu Yuena did," Shi Yu thought.
Even becoming Qiangu Dongfeng's disciple wasn't enough. He needed to go further—to make Qiangu Dongfeng see him as "one of us."
That meant making a clear, calculated gesture—like swearing loyalty, declaring that he would never compete for power, and promising to defend the Qiangu family in the future.
Only then would Qiangu Dongfeng feel secure enough to invest heavily in cultivating him.
Shi Yu pondered how best to convey this attitude. He didn't want to grovel, but he had to make sure the message landed.
Once he gained Qiangu Dongfeng's trust, he could extract real benefits—especially information, which was more valuable to him than material rewards.
As he continued mulling it over, Shi Yu slowly drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep—and didn't wake until noon.
After a simple lunch, Shi Yu quietly left the Spirit Pagoda with Deputy Tower Master Li.
They moved cautiously, avoiding any chance encounters.
This wasn't paranoia—it was smart strategy.
Earlier that morning, the area around the East Sea Spirit Pagoda had been secretly monitored by the Tang Sect.
When the local Tang Sect branch learned what had happened to Wu Changkong and the others, they were furious.
Though they weren't ready to confront the Spirit Pagoda directly, they weren't about to let Shi Yu walk away unscathed.
They decided to act covertly—planning to eliminate Shi Yu in secret.
Tensions between Tang Sect, Shrek Academy, and the Spirit Pagoda had been escalating.
Had it not been for Yun Ming's influence, open conflict would've broken out already.
To maintain the current balance of power, the Tang Sect couldn't allow the Spirit Pagoda to produce another super-level powerhouse.
And Shi Yu—young as he was—had the potential to become one.
Better to strangle the threat in its cradle.
Of course, the Spirit Pagoda wasn't oblivious to this. They anticipated the Tang Sect's move and decided to evacuate Shi Yu in secret.
They used a hidden underground passage—one originally intended for use in times of emergency or siege.
But now, they employed it to quietly smuggle Shi Yu away—a clear sign of how much they valued him.