As they approached the headquarters—a soaring spire that stood as a rival to the ancient majesty of Shrek Academy—Zhangting saw a solitary figure on the high balcony. Qian Gu Dongfeng, the Master of the Spirit Pagoda, stood waiting.
"Grandfather," Zhangting greeted him as they landed. "I thought you were too busy for a mere student."
Whack! A playful but firm flick to the forehead was his answer.
"You heartless rascal!" Dongfeng laughed, though his eyes scanned Zhangting with intense scrutiny. "I've been worried for three years. Your great-grandfather and I have prepared the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform. We want to see if the Body Sect made a man out of you or just a bruised child."
Zhangting felt a surge of warmth. In a family of power-hungry titans, his grandfather's affection was the one constant. But he also knew the hidden warning: his great-grandfather, the Limit Douluo Qian Gu Dieting (Zhan Tian), was watching. And Zhan Tian did not believe in easy victories.
Entering the Riot: The Headquarters Ascension Platform
The Spirit Ascension Platform at the headquarters is the "Alpha" version. It is denser, more dangerous, and packed with experimental artificial souls.
The moment Zhangting's brainwaves synced and he opened his eyes within the virtual forest, he didn't wait. He knew his great-grandfather would likely trigger a Riot Event to test his limits.
Two purple rings rose around him. He immediately activated his Second Soul Skill: Wood Element Burst.
By extracting the wood attribute from the Nine-Elemental Evil Eye Tyrant, Zhangting had gained the ability to turn the environment itself into a weapon. Around him, the ancient trees and vines became violent, lashing out like a plant-type soul beast horde.
"Hoo..." The forest breathed with bloodlust.
Because of the "Riot" difficulty, the density of beasts was staggering. Suddenly, a Hundred-Year Mandragora Snake lunged, its venomous fangs inches from his face.
Chapter 28: The Panlong's Awakening
The snake's head stopped mid-air.
Tick-tock. Venom dripped onto the forest floor, but the beast was frozen. Zhangting's plant matrix had responded instantly; thick, thorny vines had twisted the snake's body into a "pretzel," pinning it in place.
Zhangting's eyes flashed with a cold light. For three years, he had fought with his soul power sealed, carrying the weight of the Earthly Fiend and the Valley of Fallen Souls. Now, unsealed, he felt light—as if he could jump over the canopy itself.
"Drink!"
He summoned the Panlong Staff. The weapon felt like an extension of his own reinforced skeleton. With a single, explosive movement, he swung.
CLANG—
The sound wasn't of wood hitting scales, but of a hammer hitting an anvil. The Mandragora's head didn't just break; it caved in completely. The beast vanished into a cluster of pure spiritual energy.
Zhangting didn't stop to absorb it. The "Riot" was just beginning. While his plant matrix held back the masses, faster predators like Phoenix-tailed Crest Snakes were beginning to slip through the gaps.
Above, in the monitoring room, Qian Gu Dongfeng watched the screen with a growing grin, while the shadow of Zhan Tian remained silent, observing the way Zhangting's physical movements mirrored the perfect efficiency of a predator.
"His body," Zhan Tian remarked, his voice like grinding stone. "It is no longer human. He has truly integrated the golden runes."
Next Chapter: The Crimson Dragon — Facing the 10,000-Year Challenge.
Follow-up: Now that Zhangting has revealed his Wood Element control to manipulate the battlefield, do you think he should focus on absorbing high-speed soul beasts to increase his agility, or heavy-set beasts to double down on his "mountain-crushing" physical power?