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In this epoch-making moment, Spirit Masters across the continent, sensing the strange fluctuations, reached out to communicate with their Soul Seals. In an instant, their consciousnesses were swept away, manifesting within the newly forged Academic Realm.
As they arrived, a singular, resonant voice echoed through their minds, clear and profound:
"Welcome to the Academic Realm."
"Where is this?"
"The Academic Realm? What happened to my local Mountain of Books and Sea of Learning?"
Questions rippled through the minds of the newcomers, but confusion quickly gave way to awe. They soon discovered that above the vast, sprawling expanse of this new world, a colossal palace floated majestically in the heavens.
It was the Academy!
"Heavens, that giant palace in the sky looks exactly like the Academy—no, it is the Academy! Look, the name is inscribed right there on the facade!"
"Let me go see what this is all about!"
An agility-type Spirit Master immediately triggered his Martial Soul Possession. Wings sprouted from his back as he soared into the sky, attempting to reach the celestial palace. Suddenly, he froze mid-air, a look of bewilderment crossing his face.
"What's happening? Why... why am I flying so easily? And how am I summoned like this?"
"Wait, look! You can actually manifest your Martial Soul here!"
"You too? I just summoned mine as well!"
Compared to the previous localized versions of the Mountain of Books, Su Wen had unlocked significantly higher permissions within the Academic Realm. In this space, the boundary between the physical and the spiritual had blurred.
While many were lost in the wonder of exploration, the more pragmatic Spirit Masters quickly tested the boundaries of the realm. Some logged out to find friends in the physical world, urging them to enter the Academic Realm together to explore its secrets.
The layout of the Academic Realm was currently minimalist yet grand. The map was unimaginably vast, featuring a near-perfect digital replica of the continent's diverse topography, complete with numerous teleportation nodes that allowed for instantaneous travel between distant regions.
At the epicenter of this world floated the Academy. While flying Spirit Masters found they could not physically reach the palace due to spatial restrictions, they realized they could simply communicate with their Soul Seals to teleport their consciousness directly into the halls. Inside, they found the familiar Sea of Learning, ready for their study. Aside from the Hall of Seeking Knowledge, other celestial structures existed, such as massive public bulletin boards where information could be recorded and shared in real-time across the continent.
The Observer's Silence
Watching the scenes of Spirit Masters exploring this digital frontier with childlike wonder, Bibi Dong and the high-ranking officials of the Martial Soul Hall fell into a profound silence.
This was a singular hub where every Spirit Master on the entire continent could congregate, regardless of distance or political affiliation. It was a feat that bordered on the divine.
How did he achieve this? The question burned in the minds of the powerful observers.
Down in the physical world, Su Wen did not enter the realm immediately. He remained seated in a meditative posture within the Advanced Spirit Master Academy, his eyes closed. By anchoring the Academic Realm within his Spirit Bone and completing the massive data transfer of all existing "Mountains of Books," he had achieved a state of absolute clarity.
His "Meditation on Heaven and Earth" was no longer hindered by the weight of maintaining multiple localized constructs. Under the weight of his year-long accumulation, his cultivation began to undergo a rapid, qualitative transformation.
Simultaneously, Su Wen's mental energy—which had been suppressed and refined for so long—experienced a sudden, explosive "second spring." His spiritual presence surged.
Ripples of psychic force expanded outward from his body, physically distorting the air. The surrounding Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi was stirred into a frenzy, and even the fabric of space itself seemed to tremble where his mental power brushed against it.
The Zhantian Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and the others felt their hearts skip a beat. This level of mental intensity had already eclipsed that of many Titled Douluos! Even Rank 96 powerhouses like the Zhantian Douluo or the Bone Douluo could not match Su Wen in terms of pure, unadulterated spiritual essence. While they could use their high Soul-Power-to-Spirit-Fusion rates to amplify their mental effects, Su Wen's baseline was simply higher.
"Alright, the foundation is stable," Su Wen said, his voice cutting through the silence. "Uncle Ning, the rest of you should enter the realm and see it for yourselves."
Ning Fengzhi and the two Douluos activated their Soul Seals. Upon entry, even these hardened leaders were staggered. The infinite space, the seamless teleportation, and the sophisticated infrastructure—it was a literal second world. A virtual reality that felt as tangible as the earth beneath their feet.
The Proclamation of a New Era
"It's Teacher Su!" a Spirit Master shouted, pointing toward the sky.
A figure had condensed in front of the celestial palace. It was Su Wen, his image projected to every corner of the realm. The Spirit Masters looked up, their eyes burning with fanatical devotion and worship.
Bibi Dong's brow furrowed. Looking up at him from below was a perspective she found increasingly distasteful, yet unavoidable.
"Everyone," Su Wen's voice resonated through the Academic Realm. "With the opening of this realm, the physical academies in every city across the continent will now serve as local branches. From this day forward, the Academic Realm is the true bedrock of our Academy."
"Any Spirit Master holding a Soul Seal can project their consciousness here by consuming a small amount of Soul Power. You may traverse this world and communicate with any peer, regardless of where they stand in the physical world. Distance is no longer a barrier to growth."
"Henceforth, any Spirit Master can engage in study here at any time, from any place. You are no longer tethered to a physical location."
Su Wen had linked every localized academy into a massive, interconnected array, ensuring the projection of the Academic Realm covered every inch of the continent. While maintaining such a massive virtual construct required immense energy, Su Wen had cleverly designed it so that individual activities were powered by the users' own Soul Power. Because the realm was semi-illusory, the consumption required to perform "miracles" here was significantly lower than in the real world.
"Furthermore, as many of you have discovered, you can utilize your Martial Souls here," Su Wen continued. "Not just your Souls, but your Soul Abilities, Soul Power, and Mental Energy. However, the Academic Realm is a place of order. Private combat is strictly forbidden in the streets. If you wish to test your strength, you must go to the Spirit Arena."
As he spoke, he gestured, and a colossal arena rumbled into existence in the clouds.
Actually, it wasn't Su Wen who did it this time. A Spirit Master below had tried to "will" an arena into existence as a test. He instantly turned deathly pale as his Soul Power bottomed out, but for a brief second, a small platform had indeed flickered beside him before dissolving.
"Do not attempt to manifest complex structures on your own," Su Wen warned. "The Soul Power consumption for 'Virtual Creation' is immense. Even a Spirit Douluo or a Titled Douluo would exhaust themselves in minutes trying to maintain a combat-ready platform through sheer imagination."
Su Wen then laid out the future: "The Academy will partner with the Great Spirit Arena to establish official combat zones within this realm, categorized by rank, to allow for safe and efficient training."
Aside from the Spirit Arena, he had designed specialized training grounds for Academy students to hone their combat techniques without the risk of physical injury.
Having concluded the technical briefing, Su Wen's expression turned solemn.
"The opening of the Academic Realm shatters the shackles of geography. I hereby represent the Academy in inviting all scholars across the continent to join our Six Halls. Let us research the mysteries of theory together and bring prosperity to the entire Spirit Master world!"
"As of today, the Douluo Continent has entered a truly new era!"
(End of Chapter)