Spiritual Roots Don't Decide the Future; Cultivation Realms Don't Equal Combat Strength

"Your face is really dark."

The handsome young man spoke to the little boy in a language the boy couldn't understand.

"In my first reincarnation, I was the son of a village chief who almost became an emperor, but you 'Reincarnation eleven times, and apart from your first life Celestial Beings, every other Reincarnation in the Human Path has been that of Beggar. And now you've almost frozen to death. Sigh, if only I could pass on all my good fortune to you."

The little boy opened his mouth, then suddenly closed his eyes and fainted.

"Damn, his physical fitness is terrible."

Upon seeing this, the handsome young man clicked his tongue, quickly went over, helped the little boy up, and channeled a stream of pure True Essence into him, saving his life.

Then he turned to the Underworld Emissary who had crossed the Void from the corner of the dilapidated temple and said, "Brother, please pass on a message to my Master: I've saved this child's life."

The Underworld Emissary took out a Book of Life and Death from his robes, flipped through it, then bowed to him and retreated.

The handsome young man then summoned his Magical Artifact, took the little boy with him, and flew away as a streak of light, returning to the former Clear Water Village.

Today, Clear Water Village has transformed from a secluded place into the core of the Great Xia Kingdom.

The Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerable descended here and taught the method of attaining immortality and enlightenment. The saints established the Foundation Establishment Sacred Sect here and passed on the Dao Lineage. The villagers in the village have all become the elders of the Religious Sect.

Saint Lu Huaili, however, rose from the ashes, not only turning his life around from nothing, surpassing his friends and the entire village, but also becoming the strongest cultivator in the world and the Headmaster of the Cultivation World Foundation Establishment Sacred Sect.

Clear Water Village is even more blessed by the gods. According to the believers, every now and then a sacred palanquin descends from the sky and lands in the Headmaster. The believers feel that this is the mandate of heaven and are very proud. However, the Headmaster does not seem very happy and still has some fear of the palanquin.

The Foundation Establishment Sacred Sect welcomes many disciples, and each Elder has many students. They are generous with their Cultivation Technique and Divine Ability, and under the guidance of the Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerable, they are willing to pass on all their lifelong knowledge to their disciples. They also encourage their disciples to exchange ideas and innovate their Cultivation Technique.

However, Lu Huaili, the Headmaster of the Foundation Establishment Heavenly Venerable, has never accepted a single disciple.

When asked why, he simply replied that he already had disciples. But today, the Headmaster, Lu Huaili, suddenly picked up a Beggar from outside the sect, used precious elixirs to Life Extension, and took him as his disciple.

Naturally, many believers in the Holy Church disagreed and voiced their opinions, but Lu Huaili still overruled the objections and insisted on taking the little boy as his Personal Disciple, and gave him the name Bai Shu.

Spring has passed and autumn has come; Bai Shu has already served a year in the Holy Church.

He had just finished the Spiritual Root test in the Religious Sect, and the result was far from ideal. Therefore, he felt ashamed to face his master and wandered in the woods near Lu Huaili's courtyard.

"Is the Spiritual Root test finished?"

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind. Bai Shu turned around and saw that it was his master, who was standing behind him with his hands behind his back, looking at him.

"The test is complete."

Upon seeing him, Bai Shu lowered his head somewhat ashamed and stammered in response.

What was the result?

"The lowest grade of Spiritual Root, without miraculous elixirs, will basically never be able to break through to the Foundation Establishment in this lifetime."

Bai Shu spoke softer and softer.

"Oh."

Lu Huaili, or rather Bai Li, showed no reaction, and said to Bai Shu with a normal expression, "Go back, your Master's Wife has already prepared dinner."

He turned to leave, as if Bai Shu's Spiritual Root grade wasn't a big deal.

"Master!"

Bai Shu couldn't help but call out to him.

Aren't you going to punish me?

Why should you be punished?

Bai Li turned around, smiled, and asked, "The grade of Spiritual Root is innate, not something you decide yourself. I'm not so low as to blame my disciple for something so trivial that you can't change it."

"But I may never be able to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment in my lifetime!"

Bai Shu choked back tears, saying, "You are the Headmaster the Holy Sect, the number one person in the world, while I, as your disciple, may only ever be a Qi Refining Stage Cultivators... You have shown me kindness, saved my life, given me a second chance, and are like parents to me. I cannot bear to let my master suffer such injustice."

Bai Li thought for a moment, then said with a strange expression, "Do you perhaps think that the Qi Refining Stage is weak?"

"Isn't it weak?"

Bai Shu was stunned and said, "The Cultivation realm has seven levels, and it doesn't even include Qi Refinement."

"Then you've never seen a true Qi Refinement cultivator... Never mind, we'll talk about this later. If you ever meet a White Hair cultivator who can emit True Qi, remember to be respectful to him; he's your elder."

Bai Li waved his hand.

"And your Spiritual Root is no problem for me, since you were born with this aptitude anyway."

What does this mean?

Bai Shu asked, bewildered.

However, Bai Li did not answer his question. Instead, he looked up at the sky and said to him, "Shu'er, do you think that a person's aptitude and Spiritual Root are really that important for their cultivation?"

"Spiritual Root aptitude determines a person's speed of progress and the heights they may reach in the future, so it is naturally quite important."

Bai Shu answered Bai Li based on the knowledge and content he had learned in the Sacred Culture class over the past year.

"You're wrong. Spiritual Root and aptitude don't determine the height a person can reach, just as cultivation level doesn't determine combat strength. In the distant past, in the time of ignorance, when that one person first created Immortal Arts, the Human Race didn't even have the concept of 'Spiritual Root'."

Bai Li smiled and shook his head.

"What determines a person's potential is their will. Let me tell you a story. In a very, very distant ancient era, Heaven and Earth lived evil Heavenly Gods and a compassionate immortal Immortal Ancestor who pitied the suffering of all beings. The Immortal Ancestor passed on the method of cultivation to the Human Emperor, Human Emperor eventually used it to overthrow the rule of the Heavenly Gods."

He paused, then asked, "After the Immortal Ancestor passed down the Immortal Arts, he left the Heaven and Earth, leaving only the Human Emperor and humanity to choose their own paths. At that time, for the Human Emperor, neither the Heavenly Gods nor the Immortal Ancestor were insurmountable enemies. Do you know why the Human Emperor ultimately chose the Immortal Ancestor instead of colluding with the Heavenly Gods?"

"This disciple does not understand."

Bai Shu shook his head.

"That's because the Immortal Ancestor's [will] paved a bright, forward path through the dark Wilderness. This courage, this will, Human Emperor understand what he should do."

Bai Li patted him on the shoulder.

"Cultivation is the same. Since your Spiritual Root determines that there is no path ahead, you might as well forge your own... The cultivation system was created by the Immortal Ancestor, so you can create your own too."

"But the Immortal Ancestor is the Immortal Ancestor, while I am merely a beggar."

Bai Shu hesitated for a moment.

Before becoming Immortal Ancestor, the Immortal Ancestor was just a beggar.

Bai Li said to him, "Are you hesitating because you want to embarrass me?"

"This disciple dares not!"

Bai Shu hurriedly replied.

"Then show me!"

Bai Li said to him, "I believe in your talent. If you can't do it, it's because you haven't tried hard enough!"

"Yes!"

Bai Shu Consciousness stood at attention and answered.

"Alright, starting tomorrow, I will teach you the method of Qi Refinement."

Bai Li nodded in satisfaction.

"Come here now, your Master's Wife and I have found you a wife... She might be a bit older, and she's from a different race, but... you know, a woman three years older than you is a lucky charm."