Spiritual Energy Affinity and Registration

"Ling'er, this is Purple Spirit Grass and Fire Pattern Chicken Decoction. It'll help with your spiritual power test today, so drink more."

Early that morning, Li Ru served Zhou Ling a large bowl of meat soup, along with two big chicken legs.

A faint mist drifted above the bowl, revealing the abundant spiritual energy it contained.

"Mother, why did you add Purple Spirit Grass?" Zhou Ling asked reluctantly.

Purple Spirit Grass was a First-Grade Low-Rank spirit herb. One stalk cost three or four Low-grade Spirit Stones.

With a Fire Pattern Chicken added in, this decoction would cost five or six Low-grade Spirit Stones—equivalent to a family's monthly expenses.

"Ling'er, you'll be taking the Dao Academy test today. Purple Spirit Grass contains plentiful spiritual power, so it should help you somewhat."

Li Ru spoke as she served Zhou Shan a bowl as well.

Though the couple normally scrimped and saved, she was willing to spend when it came to their child's food.

Especially for this spiritual root test, which concerned the child's entire future. No matter how much it cost, she was willing to pay.

"Your father traded for this from Uncle Chu. It didn't cost many Spirit Stones!"

Zhou Shan said with a smile, shoveling down the leftover fried rice from last night.

Then he fell silent with a laugh. Why was he explaining this to a child?

"Mother, I want to go to the Low-Grade Dao Class!"

After taking a few mouthfuls of soup, Zhou Ling spoke in a childish yet remarkably firm voice.

Li Ru froze for a moment upon hearing her son's words, then said, "Ling'er, the spiritual energy concentration in the Low-Grade Dao Class is about the same as in our home. It's a First-Grade Low-Rank spirit vein."

"But the Mid-Grade Dao Class has the concentration of a First-Grade Mid-Rank spirit vein."

"The effects on cultivation are completely different."

"Besides, the children who can enter the Mid-Grade Dao Class generally have decent talent. That'll be of great help to you in the future!"

Zhou Shan ate every last grain of rice from his bowl and chimed in, "That's right, Ling'er. The Mid-Grade Dao Class costs five Low-grade Spirit Stones every month. The spiritual energy concentration must be much better."

"Five Spirit Stones is too expensive!"

What can I do to make Father and Mother give up on this idea?

Zhou Ling thought to himself.

Through the panel, he knew that he had a Low-Grade Spiritual Root, so getting into the Dao Academy would not be a problem.

Besides, the Children's Class generally had not yet begun formal cultivation techniques.

So whether the spiritual energy concentration was higher or lower would not make much difference.

The Low-Grade Dao Class, meanwhile, only cost two Low-grade Spirit Stones a month.

That would greatly ease the burden on the family.

Zhou Ling had entered the mountains with his parents before. He knew that every Spirit Stone his father earned had been gambled back with his life.

He did not want to add to that burden.

But he was still too young to do anything else.

Although he possessed the [Mountain Treasure Hunt] talent, Li Ru would only take him into the mountains with her before the onset of the bitter winter.

At other times, even though they had realized that their son seemed to possess a special talent for sensing medicinal herbs—

—and that each time they brought him along, their harvest would increase dramatically—

—the mountains were simply too dangerous. Unless they had no other choice, they were unwilling to let their child enter them.

"Son, listen to Mother. The Mid-Grade Dao Class will be more useful for your future cultivation, and the Instructors there will have higher cultivation as well."

Li Ru placed another large piece of meat into Zhou Ling's bowl and spoke gently.

Zhou Shan shook his head. "There's no point explaining all this to a child; he won't understand. We'll just follow our plan!"

Li Ru nodded.

Ah, it seems I have no right to resist.

Helpless, Zhou Ling could only lift the Clay Bowl in both hands and gulp down the decoction inside.

"Drink slowly! There's plenty more!"

Li Ru reminded him.

As the decoction entered his stomach, Zhou Ling felt warm all over.

[Spiritual Energy Affinity: Spiritual energy absorption speed increased. Spiritual Energy +1. Requirement: actively absorb spiritual energy one thousand times.]

Spiritual Energy Affinity!

Zhou Ling was delighted.

But then he remembered that he had yet to begin cultivating, so he seemingly could not absorb spiritual energy through breathing and meditation.

He could only absorb spiritual energy through Spirit Food.

He immediately picked up a chicken leg and began eating.

[You are eating Spirit Beast Meat. Spiritual Energy Affinity +1, Spiritual Energy +1]

After wolfing down two huge chicken legs, he gained two Spiritual Energy points at once.

After the meal, the couple took Zhou Ling to West City, where the Dao Academy was located, their hearts filled with unease.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, the slightly nervous Li Ru and Zhou Shan brought Zhou Ling to Lingxia West Academy.

This was one of the cultivation grounds for children in the West City area.

Lingxia West Academy had been built along the lake, its scenery beautiful.

The lake was known as West Gorge Lake.

Having arrived with his parents, Zhou Ling saw patches of spirit fields scattered in neat layers along the shores of West Gorge Lake.

According to the introduction, beneath West Gorge Lake lay a Tier 2 Spirit Vein, capable of supporting Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in their cultivation.

It was mainly distributed throughout the eastern side of the lake.

That was also where the Inner Disciples of Lingxia Sect cultivated.

Teaching facilities and Outer Sect Disciples were located on the west side.

There was a Tier 1 Spirit Vein here, a branch vein of that Tier 2 Spirit Vein.

The Dao Academy's buildings were antique and elegant, standing row upon row like a scene of little bridges and flowing water in Jiangnan.

After several days of unceasing rain that had only stopped last night, the flowers, trees, branches, and leaves around them were all vivid with color and brimming with life.

The moment he entered the academy gates, Zhou Ling felt that the air was exceptionally fresh and could not help taking a deep breath.

[You are breathing Spiritual Energy. Spiritual Energy Affinity +1, Spiritual Energy +1]

"It works!"

Zhou Ling was surprised inwardly. It seemed one did not need a cultivation technique to absorb Spiritual Energy.

It was only that the Spiritual Energy where he lived was far too thin.

He then took several more deep breaths in quick succession.

[You are breathing Spiritual Energy. Spiritual Energy Affinity +1, Spiritual Energy +1]

"This is the child's Identity Jade Token. When his name is called later, go up to the Cloud Platform for his Spiritual Root to be tested."

A reception disciple clad in a gray Daoist robe patterned with Cloud Pattern designs handed the jade token to Zhou Shan as he spoke.

Zhou Ling quickly completed some registration procedures with his parents and received his Identity Jade Token.

The family then came to a plaza.

Ancient trees towered around the plaza, lush green shade spread overhead, and red walls and yellow tiles made for an imposing sight.

The ground had been paved with some unknown material, gleaming with a gentle luster beneath the sunlight.

Though it was still early, quite a few people had already gathered in the plaza, all having brought their children for Spiritual Root testing.

As Li Ru watched the rising sun climb higher and higher directly in front of them, its light becoming somewhat dazzling, she led Zhou Ling beneath the shade of a tree.

Several others were standing beneath the tree as well.

"Fellow Daoist, have you also brought your child to enroll?"

At that moment, a dignified-looking woman in a pale blue dress smiled as she spoke to Li Ru.

Beside the woman stood a little girl around Zhou Ling's height.

Her pair of Catherine Big Eyes glanced at Zhou Ling, looking especially lively.

"Yes. Is this your daughter? What a delicate little girl!"

Li Ru replied with a smile.

The two women immediately began chatting back and forth, their conversation all revolving around their children.

Before long, they had become familiar with one another.

The woman was called Wang Yu, and the girl was Wang Xin.

They too had come for the Spiritual Root test and, like Zhou Ling, planned to enroll in the Mid-Grade Dao Class.