Choice

Er Ya did not understand any of this. She continued pressing her hand onto the remaining three light orbs, but none of them lit up.

"Er Ya, test it again."

Lu Xuanji said this, suspecting the light orbs might have malfunctioned.

Er Ya tested herself again, yet only one light orb lit up.

Still seeming uneasy, they tested her five more times in a row, with the same result each time.

Heavenly Spirit Root.

It was completely confirmed.

The light orbs had not malfunctioned. It was absolutely real.

Lu Xuanji was stunned.

It felt as though thunder were about to explode overhead, as though everything were about to blow apart.

A Heavenly Spirit Root was equivalent to Innate Full Soul Power in the Douluo World, or a Chaos Body in the Shrouding the Heavens World.

In the Douluo World, as long as someone with Innate Full Soul Power did not die midway, their worst possible future was becoming a Soul Douluo. With a little effort, they could become a Titled Douluo.

In the Shrouding the Heavens World, as long as a Chaos Body did not perish midway, they would inevitably become a Great Emperor.

As for that Heavenly Emperor's claim that there were no invincible constitutions, only invincible cultivators, and that Mortal Bodies were the strongest—it was merely chicken soup for the soul. It was fine for hypnotizing oneself into a spiritual victory, but anyone who took it seriously was a fool.

In the cultivation world, spirit roots were extremely important.

Especially Heavenly Spirit Roots. They were practically heaven's own beloved sons.

Heavenly Spirit Roots were terrifying. They needed only one to two hundred years to become Golden Core cultivators. Other cultivators encountered bottlenecks great and small along the path of cultivation, requiring all kinds of pills—Foundation Establishment Pills, Purple Sun Jade, Blazing Fire Jade, Core Formation Pills, and more—to break through them. Yet Heavenly Spirit Root cultivators encountered no bottlenecks before Nascent Soul.

Other cultivators had to consume massive resources to reach the Golden Core realm. Yet those with Heavenly Spirit Roots needed only half, or even one-third, of the resources used by cultivators of the same realm to enter the Golden Core realm.

Heavenly Spirit Roots possessed fast cultivation speed, no bottlenecks before Nascent Soul, and low resource consumption.

As long as a Heavenly Spirit Root did not die young, they would almost certainly become Golden Core cultivators.

Yet for precisely that reason, nearly half of Heavenly Spirit Root cultivators fell midway, strangled in the cradle by powerful enemies.

Many hostile forces would rack their brains trying to eliminate Heavenly Spirit Roots.

If news that Er Ya possessed a Heavenly Spirit Root leaked out, powerful enemies might come to wipe out the clan as soon as tomorrow.

The Lu Clan paid tribute to the Danyang Sect, and the Danyang Sect would protect the Lu Clan as well.

But all of that rested upon the condition that the conflict of interests was not too great. Once the interests at stake became enormous, forces would still bypass the Danyang Sect's rules and strike at the Lu Clan.

"Trouble is big."

Lu Xuanji's heart was in turmoil. He felt frightened and at a complete loss.

He filled out the certificate. Written on it was: Er Ya, Triple Fire-Wood-Earth Spirit Root.

Handing her the certificate, Lu Xuanji said, "Er Ya, remember this. You have a Triple Spirit Root."

"Yes."

Er Ya nodded.

"What are your parents' names?" Lu Xuanji asked.

"They sold me off when I was little. I don't have parents." The little girl spoke with resentment.

Lu Xuanji fell silent, unsure what to say.

There were still some scars on the little girl's body, all from being beaten by her granny.

Toward Granny's family, she felt resentment, but also a trace of gratitude.

She resented them because they often beat her.

Yet she was grateful as well, because Granny's family had raised her.

As for her parents, she had long forgotten them and did not want anything to do with them.

Suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Lu Xuanji continued traveling through various places to test children's spirit roots. Everything proceeded as before, as though nothing had happened, and he used this routine to conceal the appearance of a Heavenly Spirit Root.

About a month later, the spirit root testing ended, and two more children with spirit roots had been found.

Leading these seven children, Lu Xuanji returned to Ziyang Mountain.

"Not bad, not bad. We have seven today. Five children have Five Spirit Roots, one has a Quadruple Spirit Root, and one has a Triple Spirit Root." The First Elder smiled. "Together with the other counties, around thirty-two children possess spirit roots. Not bad, not bad. This year's harvest is good. In the worst years, we only had three to five."

"You will be their teacher. Teach them reading, writing, how to identify acupoints and meridians, Marrow Cleansing and Hair Shedding, and so on..."

The First Elder laid out the plan.

On one hand, three years of compulsory education could cultivate the children's loyalty to the clan. On the other, it would allow Lu Xuanji to form bonds with them, so they could rely on one another in the years to come.

"First Elder, I have an important matter to report."

Lu Xuanji said, "Please seal the Cave Mansion and activate the formation."

"An important matter?"

The First Elder was slightly surprised, but he still sealed the Cave Mansion and activated the formation, isolating everything. "Speak. What happened? Did you kill someone outside and need me to clean up after you?"

"First Elder, during this spirit root testing, I discovered a girl with a Heavenly Spirit Root. She has a Fire Spiritual Root. It is that Er Ya."

Lu Xuanji said.

"A Heavenly Spirit Root? Er Ya?"

"Damn it."

The First Elder was so shocked that he threw his cup directly to the ground. It shattered on the spot.

Huff, huff.

Ignoring everything else, the First Elder breathed rapidly. "Is it true?"

"It is. I tested her several times."

Lu Xuanji said.

"Then test her once more." The First Elder made the decision at once.

Soon, Er Ya entered.

The First Elder brought out eight crystal balls and tested her again. The result was beyond doubt: a fire-element Heavenly Spirit Root.

"I'll summon Elder Brother."

The First Elder said.

With that, the First Elder vanished.

A moment later, the Patriarch appeared.

"Is she the one with the Heavenly Spirit Root?" Patriarch Lu Tianming asked.

"Yes."

The First Elder said.

Patriarch Lu Tianming stepped forward to examine her. After a long while, he sighed. "What a pity. She does not carry Lu Clan bloodline."

"Er Ya, Xuanji, you may leave."

The First Elder said.

"No. Er Ya may leave, but Xuanji stays." the Patriarch said.

Thus, Er Ya left.

Within the Cave Dwelling, only three people remained.

"Elder Brother, this is a Great Creation." First Elder Lu Tianyi said excitedly. "Elder Brother is already at Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer, yet the chance of breaking into the Purple Mansion Realm is only ten percent. But if we present a Heavenly Spirit Root child to the Danyang Sect, we will certainly receive two pieces of Purple Sun Jade. Each piece of Purple Sun Jade provides at least a thirty percent chance. Two pieces mean sixty percent. With two pieces of Purple Sun Jade, Elder Brother can achieve the Purple Mansion Realm. Even if the Ancestor passes away, the Lu Clan will remain safe and secure."

Patriarch Lu Tianming fell silent.

Heavenly Spirit Roots were prized anywhere.

Sending her to the Danyang Sect in exchange for two pieces of Purple Sun Jade would not be difficult.

With two pieces of Purple Sun Jade, the chances of achieving the Purple Mansion Realm were very high.

He was currently at Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer and already one hundred ninety years old. At most, he had another thirty years before he would pass away.

But after achieving the Purple Mansion Realm, his lifespan would increase to four hundred eighty years. He would be able to live for at least another two centuries.

Sending Er Ya to the Danyang Sect would benefit the clan greatly and benefit him greatly as well. It could be called the best of both worlds.

Yet Lu Tianming hesitated.

"Seventh Brother, what would it matter even if I achieved the Purple Mansion Realm? My aptitude is limited. Purple Mansion Fourth Layer is already my utmost limit; I cannot even compare to Ancestor Lu Fuming." Lu Tianming said calmly. "It would be better to keep Er Ya in the Lu Clan. With the Lu Clan's resources and Er Ya's talent, she will need only two hundred years to enter the Golden Core realm. Then our Lu Clan will become a Golden Core Family."

"At that time, with Er Ya supporting him, Xuanji will also have a great chance of entering the Golden Core realm. By then, the clan may produce dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, five or six Purple Mansion cultivators, and two Golden Core Ancestors. Only then will the Lu Clan truly enter its heyday. Even the Danyang Sect will have to view the Lu Clan in a new light."

"This is far more long-term than a one-shot deal."

PS: Seeking readership. This book has made it onto the trial recommendation list, and readership is very important.