Wood Spirit Root and Gold Spirit Root? They are actually quite rare dual spirit roots? Moreover, their spiritual energy affinity is very high, close to a medium-grade spiritual root, but what a pity.
Female Cultivator Luo wore a look of astonished surprise. She looked at the light hovering above Chen Dengming's head, and ultimately ended up shaking her head with regret.
It seemed that although her gamble had won, Chen Dengming's future cultivation looked worrying.
The other four cultivators were also surprised, and felt quite regretful and disappointed regarding Chen Dengming's spiritual root potential.
In a place barren of spiritual energy, a spiritual root with Chen Dengming's spiritual energy affinity was simply an absolute genius, but his luck was too poor...
Why is a spiritual root close to medium-grade considered a pity?
Upon hearing this, Chen Dengming was momentarily stunned. He could no longer maintain his respectful demeanor and immediately voiced his question.
The elderly cultivator pointed toward the top of Chen Dengming's head and said, *"*The five elements of heaven and earth mutually generate and restrain one another, and spiritual roots are no exception.
Gold restrains wood, wood restrains earth, earth restrains water, water restrains fire, and fire restrains gold.
Among the five elements, there is not only mutual generation and restraint, but also assistance, drainage, consumption, and so on.
You have a Gold Wood Spirit Root. Gold restrains wood. Since both are strong, they both suffer consumption, but the consumption of gold is small and the consumption of wood is large. Therefore, it is restraint rather than drainage. If it were drainage, your situation would still be considered fine.
For example, the effect of water on gold is drainage. Gold generates water; gold itself is damaged, but water benefits, so it is a drainage of force.
Under such circumstances, given your spiritual root affinity, you could at least maintain the cultivation speed of a medium-tier low-grade spiritual root during cultivation.
But now, your cultivation speed can only be considered the strongest among inferior spiritual roots, and is even slightly inferior to a standard low-grade spiritual root. However... this situation is not completely without a solution, but you are too old and your time is running out... What a pity...*"
Could it really be like this...?
Chen Dengming was taken aback, raising his head to look at the light above his own head.
He watched as the cyan and white lights mutually clashed and gradually canceled each other out. Despite their initially strong affinities, the white light ultimately took dominance, and the cyan light was gradually mostly canceled out until both grew weak and dim.
The several cultivators glanced at one another, all of them shaking their heads as they made up their minds inwardly.
Dual spirit roots were not overly rare in the cultivation world, but neither were they very common. Just like the several people tested earlier, regardless of whether their spiritual roots were good or bad, they were all single spiritual roots.
Yet many dual spirit roots that appeared in the cultivation world were mutually restraining ones, such as water-fire spirit roots, or gold-wood spirit roots, and so on.
Because these dual spirit roots could not mutually assist one another and struggled to benefit cultivation, they even hindered spiritual energy affinity during practice. It was simply a phenomenon where two positives made a negative.
Therefore, only mutually generating dual spirit roots possessed immense value, as they could benefit cultivation and increase cultivation speed. Those with low-grade spiritual root potential who possessed such dual spirit roots lagged behind medium-grade spiritual root cultivators in cultivation speed, yet still far surpassed others with low-grade spiritual roots.
It was simply a pity that although Chen Dengming possessed two low-grade dual spirit roots, both happened to be mutually restraining. It was hard to tell whether this was good luck or bad luck.
Upon learning the truth of the matter, Chen Dengming inevitably felt depressed inside.
As for the descendant of the Nangong Family, he felt secretly ecstatic while letting out a heavy sigh of relief, thinking to himself that it had been a close call.
If Chen Dengming had also successfully stepped onto the Immortal Path, regardless of his future potential, for at least the next forty to fifty years he might have been unable to deal with Chen Dengming and avenge his grandfather, Nangong Shuo.
He might even have had to guard against this Chen Family Head launching a vicious surprise attack against him.
Yet now.
*"Chen Dengming, although you possess a low-grade spiritual root, these mutually restraining spiritual roots mean you are also fated to miss the Immortal Path."
At this moment, the immortal-looking old cultivator calmly gazed at Chen Dengming and said, *"*Of course, we still will not take your Gu-crafting arts for free. The five of us can bestow upon you some pills and cultivation techniques suitable for your practice.
Although these items might not enable your cultivation to step onto the Immortal Path, they may perhaps allow you to live a dozen or so years longer in the future. Moreover, if any of your family descendants possess spiritual roots in the future, they can also step onto the Immortal Path through cultivation techniques, and easily ascend during the period of the next century's Ascension Convention.*"
This handling method was almost identical to that of Wang Shiduo, who had previously ranked fifth in the Xiantian realm.
Yet compared to Wang Shiduo, Chen Dengming received slightly better treatment.
Clearly, however, this group of so-called cultivators was going back on their word and acting somewhat shamelessly. Realizing that Chen Dengming's spiritual roots were mutually restraining and that his cultivation speed would be abysmal, they directly dismissed him.
Because they knew that even if they brought him back to the sect, he would be blocked outside the mountain gate, and they themselves might even face reprimand. It was better to reject him on the spot.
However, Chen Dengming was not resigned to stopping his pursuit of the Immortal Path right here.
He understood that perhaps this was the best outcome. By obtaining pills and immortal cultivation techniques, he could continue using his Golden Finger to cultivate. With new, higher-grade cultivation techniques to practice, he could continue extending his lifespan. In the future, he might perhaps live another seventy or eighty years to step onto the Immortal Path, or even wait until the opening of the next Ascension Convention.
Yet these thoughts were all overly optimistic fantasies that might not necessarily come true.
In the event that he was restricted by cultivation resources and his own aptitude, and his immortal cultivation technique fell into a bottleneck and failed to break through, he might die before the next Ascension Convention even opened.
And even if he could wait, participating in the Ascension Convention at the age of one hundred and eighty-two would undoubtedly be extremely bizarre, inevitably attracting the attention of cultivators and creating trouble.
Chen Dengming immediately cupped his fists and said, *"*Thank you, Immortal Masters, for your guidance. Although this junior is dull-witted, I am single-mindedly devoted to pursuing the immortal dao without turning back. For now, this junior knows I cannot enter the immortal sects where you Immortals reside.
Yet this junior implores the various Immortal Masters to bring me into the cultivation world where you dwell. As a token of gratitude, this junior will offer up the Gu-crafting arts unconditionally.*"
To cultivate immortals was to cultivate wealth, companions, dharma, and place. Place referred to blessed lands rich in resources.
In the Nanxun Kingdom, Chen Dengming had spent over forty years just to nurture a single Blood Centipede Gu. This was because there was no exceptional blessed land, and the resources of the Nanxun Kingdom were also barren and scarce.
He knew that continuing to stay in the Nanxun Kingdom would likely leave him with little achievement.
Going to the cultivation world might instantly demote him from a martial arts overlord to the very bottom, fraught with danger, but it would also offer countless opportunities.
To inquire into longevity was like a fish leaping over the dragon gate; only by contending in the immortal dao could one fight for that glimmer of survival.
Most of the time, he was willing to keep a low profile and play it safe.
When faced with an opportunity, however, he had to forge ahead against the current and make a bold contention.
Seeing that Chen Dengming was actually so persistent, the five Immortal Masters could not help frowning slightly.
Several of them already felt a trace of impatience, thinking that Chen Dengming was pushing his luck.
Although minor Gu arts were rare and hard to come by, they were not strictly necessary. The reason the old cultivator was willing to trade was precisely because he was unwilling to become tainted by mortal karma.
However, the other four individuals each had different practices and pursuits regarding the immortal dao, and lacked this particular taboo. They had only been willing to trade together out of regard for their status and face as Immortal Masters. But if he refused to accept this grace, what harm would there be in simply seizing a mortal's belongings by force?
Ultimately, Female Cultivator Luo was somewhat soft-hearted. After all, Chen Dengming was the person she had chosen, and he genuinely possessed a low-grade spiritual root—furthermore, a low-grade spiritual root with very high affinity, except...
She furrowed her brow and stared intently at Chen Dengming for a long moment, noticing his broad forehead, piercing eyes, and restrained temperament. Yet the profound depth and arrogance hidden between his brows marked him as undoubtedly one of those daring individuals who remained silent until they startled everyone with a single feat.
*"What a pity, mutually restraining spiritual roots, and too old."
Female Cultivator Luo sighed inwardly. Seeing that the nearby Daoist He had already coldly snorted and prepared to step forward with a reprimand, she spoke up first, addressing Chen Dengming in a flat tone.
*"*Very well, since your resolve to seek immortality is so steadfast, I can take you to the cultivation world and let you completely extinguish your illusions.
You must understand, however, that while you can act as an overlord in this mortal martial world, once you go to the cultivation world, you will be nothing more than a mortal who hasn't even stepped onto the immortal dao. Many people will be able to take your petty life.*"
Chen Dengming's eyes brightened slightly, and a complete sense of relief washed over him.
Originally, upon sensing the expressions of the five cultivators, he had already prepared to tactfully prioritize self-preservation. He had fought for it, and if it failed, he would have to adapt immediately. Yet now, he had actually succeeded in his contention.
He looked sincerely at Female Cultivator Luo and cupped his fists, saying, *"Thank you, Immortal Master, for granting this. The future is fraught with peril, but this junior has prepared for it all. Thank you, Immortal Master, for the reminder."
Seeing this, the other four cultivators glanced at Female Cultivator Luo with surprise, though in the end they said nothing more.
This was hardly a major issue.
It was just that in their subconscious, they disliked mortals daring to haggle with them. But now that their companion was willing to grant his wish, putting up a generous facade to maintain a harmonious relationship cost them nothing.
At that, the old cultivator gave a cough and said, *"Since Daoist Luo is willing to grant your wish, this old Daoist has nothing more to say. This old Daoist has a volume of an immortal cultivation technique here, which is sufficient for your practice and enough to exchange for your Gu-crafting arts."
Seeing this, the other cultivators also produced various trivial items that were of immense use to Chen Dengming in order to make the exchange.
*"This is a Pure Spirit Pill. It can substantially enhance your perception and affinity for spiritual energy within the span of an incense stick. This single bottle will last you a long time."
*"I have two first-tier Daoist magic manuals here. When you cultivate into a cultivator in the future, you might find them useful. If you are willing to trade finished Gu poisons, I will add one more."
*"This is the Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique. If you are willing to sacrifice your lifespan, you can also alter your spiritual root potential to a certain extent. The specifics vary from person to person; perhaps once your cultivation level is elevated to medium-grade, your cultivation speed can match that of ordinary low-grade individuals."
Female Cultivator Luo was speechless at the sight.
These companions of hers were truly not simple characters, using such a bunch of trash items to dismiss people.
Letting aside the first-tier Daoist magic.
Such magic was worth at most a few low-grade spirit stones per manual. Using it to trade for a rare Gu-crafting secret art was a massive profit; taking the Gu-crafting secret art to the marketplace to trade could fetch at least five or six mid-grade spirit stones.
The Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique given by Daoist He was even more outrageous. This thing was pure trash in the cultivation world—a harmful cultivation technique used by devil dao sects to squeeze their disciples and rapidly train cannon fodder. Those who practiced it usually did not have many years left to live.
True, this technique could enhance a person's spiritual root potential, but Chen Dengming was already over eighty years old and had at most twenty years of yang lifespan left. Practicing this thing meant ascending to heaven on the spot.
Female Cultivator Luo was unaware that Chen Dengming could extend his lifespan by practicing techniques. At the moment, hearing that the Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique could actually enhance spiritual root potential, she felt secretly pleased, considering it an unexpected harvest.
The Nangong Family descendant who had been watching from the sidelines felt even more envious and jealous of Chen Dengming's good fortune, while simultaneously feeling extremely irritated.
He had originally thought Chen Dengming would be weeded out, yet now the man was actually going to the cultivation world along with him.
Despite the fact that with the other party's bizarre aptitude, he might not necessarily achieve anything significant in the cultivation world, the threat had nonetheless increased.
Yet things had reached this point, and it was not something he could change.
*"*The cultivation world is vast. It is rumored that there was once someone with mutually restraining spiritual roots who created their own fusion technique, forcibly merging the conflicting spiritual roots to ultimately alter their own aptitude and even grow stronger.
Moreover, although your cultivation speed will be affected, when you practice Daoist magic corresponding to your spiritual roots, your cultivation speed will still be benchmarked against your spiritual root potential and will not become worse...*"
Ultimately, Female Cultivator Luo offered a word of encouragement to Chen Dengming.
Chen Dengming bowed in thanks.
The next moment.
Accompanied by the five cultivators proclaiming the end of the Ascension Convention using a special amplification Daoist magic, the entire Misty Cliff, composed of clouds and mist, underwent dramatic changes.
For a moment, the giant teleportation array beneath everyone's feet began to operate.
A hundred-odd spirit stones resembling brilliant stars emitted dazzling light and released spiritual energy, howling winds churning and heaven and earth shaking violently.
The next instant—
The winds and clouds scattered, electrical arcs slithered about like startled snakes, and the massive teleportation array instantly dimmed and vanished. The figures of the five cultivators, along with Chen Dengming and the Nangong Family descendant, also disappeared in succession.
Beneath Misty Cliff, all the martial artists stood dumbfounded, gazing up at the miraculous sight that had melted into smoke and mist in the sky above.
They watched as violent lightning and flashes burst forth, visible near and far, forming a cluster of light so intense it was dazzling. Seven figures vanished within that light of blinding brilliance, creating a scene destined to be unforgettable for a lifetime. Everyone remained silent for a long while, their minds shaken to the core.
July of the 211th year of the Nanxun Calendar.
Immortal traces manifested at Misty Cliff in the Ice Wind Forest, and the Ascension Convention was held.
Of the ten who ascended the platform, only the Nanxun Saber King Chen Dengming and Nangong Family sixth-generation descendant Nangong Yun successfully achieved ascension.
The Nanxun Saber King Chen Dengming's reputation shook the martial world once more, but by then he had completely become a legend of the jianghu.
Before you continue