Middle- and low-grade spirit roots were not actually that bad in principle... but that depended on the era.
Elder Xun said, "It is now over twenty thousand years into the Dao Calendar. Time has stretched on, and the cultivation world has multiplied to this day. Those without spirit roots were long since weeded out, while middle- and low-grade spirit roots now exist almost exclusively among independent cultivators."
"True Great Clans, including some middle-ranked families, arrange marriages through 'Spirit Root Inheritance.' Disciples born into Family Sects intermarry, and their spirit roots grow better with each generation."
"It could truly be said: above-grade roots have no poor households; below-grade roots have no noble clans."
This was the development of the cultivation world, yet Elder Xun spoke of it without the slightest sense of comfort.
The Void Gate Sect Master understood this as well. He nodded. "Yes... A low-grade spirit root like Mo Hua's would be passable among independent cultivators; in an ordinary family, he would at best be considered mediocre."
"But this is Ganxue Prefecture. He entered a top-tier sect, and the fellow disciples around him are all direct descendants of great families. Compared to them, his middle-low-grade Small Five Elements Spirit Root is somewhat... beneath notice..."
The Void Gate Sect Master shook his head with a sigh. "A poor spirit root means low-grade cultivation techniques, fewer lingli circulation cycles, and naturally, weaker lingli."
Elder Xun pondered. "That said... while this child's lingli is weak, he likely has quite a few trump cards up his sleeve."
"I have not seen them with my own eyes, so I cannot grasp the full picture. But first of all, his array-setting methods must be extraordinary. Beyond that, his Movement Technique is exquisite, his Concealment Technique is highly refined, and he should have several... hidden 'killing