Mortal Situation

For the mortal situation, three Mid-Stage Qi Refining cultivators conducted a rough test, testing children suspected of having Spiritual Roots, while one Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivator carried out the final precise test.

This was a very efficient method for testing Spiritual Roots, especially for immortal cultivation families above Foundation Establishment. Qi Refining immortal cultivation families generally did not have many mortal clansmen, and Qi Refining immortal cultivation families were far less stable than Foundation Establishment immortal cultivation families; many would usher in destruction within a hundred years.

The Spiritual Root test soon began.

Under the management of the Li Family's Mortal Martial Artists, the children who entered the courtyard basically did not speak, obediently lining up and preparing for the test.

To them, once Spiritual Roots were detected, their parents would live very good lives. This was the merit of giving birth to a clansman with Spiritual Roots. If their parents had already been living quite well, they would climb to an even higher floor. Within their direct-line mortal families, their status would rise noticeably, and they could also obtain inheritance rights to small families.

After more than ten generations, with over one hundred and fifty thousand mortal clansmen of the Li Family, the number of small families within them was naturally terrifyingly large. Differences in wealth acquired and differences in social status meant the gaps between them would become more and more varied as time passed.

However, before the detection of Spiritual Roots, all of this was treated equally.

Once one possessed Spiritual Roots, one would completely break free from every kind of mortal identity and join the family system of cultivators.

Li Qianjing and the other two tested around a hundred children before a child suspected of having been born with Spiritual Roots reached Li Qianqing's hands.

"Stretch out your hand."

The little girl before Li Qianqing obediently did as told. It could be seen that she was very nervous.

Her parents had definitely told her what it would mean if Spiritual Roots were detected.

After more than ten generations of reproduction, the gap between the Li Family's internal mortal clansmen was very large. Of course, under the protection of an immortal cultivation family, even the clansmen who had made the worst of things could at least be guaranteed not to starve to death, but if they wanted to eat their fill and eat well, that would depend on their own efforts.

Compared with mortals who had nothing at all, mortals protected by an immortal cultivation family had a much higher starting point and lower limit in life. The more than twenty thousand mortals in Liyang City who were not mortal clansmen of the Li Family all had more or less marriage ties with the Li Family's mortal clansmen, and could be counted as in-laws.

Li Qianqing's spiritual power moved through the little girl's body, testing the specific situation.

In truth, he reached a conclusion immediately. After all, he was no normal Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator, but he still had to put on an act. At the very least, he had to test for five breaths of time.

After six breaths.

Li Qianqing shook his head at the little girl. "No Spiritual Roots."

The little girl, who had been looking at Li Qianqing expectantly, revealed a disappointed expression. Very soon, under the lead of a Li Family Martial Artist, she went down.

After passing the first round of vague testing, the possibility of truly having Spiritual Roots was not high either. Every year, the Li Family produced only one or two, two or three cultivators, and sometimes there were not even any. The specifics still depended on each year's situation.

Very soon, three thousand children had been tested.

Among them, twenty-one had passed the first round of vague testing. After Li Qianqing's precise testing, not a single one possessed Spiritual Roots.

This was a very normal phenomenon.

Because Li Qianqing was going to take over this matter, Li Lilong had even told him many examples back then. Sometimes, even if the number of children who passed the first round of testing reached a hundred, in the end, by the time they reached his hands, he still might not be able to test out even one child with Spiritual Roots.

The twenty-second child Li Qianqing tested was a plump little fatty.

"Stretch out your hand."

Finally, one with Spiritual Roots. Unfortunately, they are Five Spiritual Roots.

At this moment, there was not much expression on Li Qianqing's face.

Seven breaths later.

Only then did a smile appear on Li Qianqing's face. This test had taken one breath longer than all the previous ones.

"You have Spiritual Roots." He nodded in satisfaction.

No matter what level of Spiritual Roots they were, having them was always better than not having them.

"Ah—"

The plump little fatty was not very happy.

It seemed that in the world of mortals, he had been living very well. His father in Liyang City should belong to the kind of person with status and wealth.

"Very disappointed?"

"No, absolutely not!" The little fatty shook his head desperately. If he was disappointed when he had the chance to become a cultivator, even his mother would not dote on him. To his parents, this was an absolute good thing.

"Mm. Go back and properly say farewell to your parents. There won't be many chances to see them in the future. Then wait for us at the east gate of the city. Your parents should make arrangements."

Li Qianqing signaled to the Li Family's Mortal Martial Artist that he could send the little fatty back.

Those without Spiritual Roots were sent out from here. Those with Spiritual Roots were sent directly home. Therefore, when people saw the escort of a Mortal Martial Artist, they all knew that this person had tested positive for Spiritual Roots and would break free from mortal identity in the future.

The little fatty was of the Li Family's Xing Generation, named Li Xingtian.

"Qianqing, what Spiritual Roots does he have?" Li Qianjing stopped her test and turned her head to ask. Just now, Li Qianqing had not said what Spiritual Roots the little fatty Li Xingtian had.

The other two also pricked up their ears to listen.

"Five Spiritual Roots," Li Qianqing answered.

"Only Five Spiritual Roots."

"Seventh Sister, having them is always better than not having them, isn't it? Five Spiritual Roots also have their own place in the family. If he does well, he can also bring no small contribution to the family."

"All right, I know. You have one set of reasoning after another. You aren't even as old as me, yet you're almost like Fourth Uncle." Li Qianjing grumbled a couple of small complaints, then continued her Spiritual Root testing.

Complaints were complaints, but Li Qianjing also understood in her heart that the Li Family needed core higher-ups like this. Their vision not only had to be long-term, they also had to possess the so-called view of the overall situation.

When encountering the same problem, the first thing others thought about was different from her.

While Spiritual Roots were being tested here, Li Xingtian had already been sent back by a Martial Artist.

The place Li Xingtian lived in was very large. His father had fame and status in Liyang City. This was more or less what Li Qianqing had thought.

"He has Spiritual Roots! As expected of my son!"

The middle-aged man before Li Xingtian was extremely happy, practically about to ruin himself with joy.

After the excitement, he became somewhat worried, because among all his sons and daughters, Li Xingtian was the most useless. To put it simply, he had no ambition, no ideals, and only thought of living a comfortable life.

"Father, that wasn't what you said before. It seemed like what you said was, how could you possibly have given birth to a son like this..."

"Wasn't that because you angered me! A chest without great aspirations. Now it's different. Since you have Spiritual Roots, you must cultivate properly and make more contributions to the family."

For him to have his current status, aside from his own efforts, there was another reason: his great-grandfather had been a cultivator. As the Li Family continued to develop and grow stronger, if the direct line had cultivators, their mortal relatives would have better opportunities.

As long as they grasped those opportunities, at the very least, they would all live quite well.

"I know."

"Tiantian, after you go to Changqing Mountain, you must be obedient. That place is not home, where you can be willful..." The young woman wiped her tears as she spoke a great deal. She was happy for her son.

Her son was a cultivator. After this, her status as a concubine in the household would surpass that of the wife.

"All right, don't say too much. Hurry and prepare." The middle-aged man did not let the young woman continue speaking. Once the family cultivators finished testing the Spiritual Roots, they would leave Liyang City, so they had to hurry to the east gate and wait.

At noon.

The Spiritual Root testing of Liyang City's children had already ended.