March 11, Clear—Avoid Travel!

Chi Ling'er and Chang Weiyang left amid their lovey-dovey intimacy.

Hanyu summed it up: two deadly pills in exchange for the goodwill of a sect leader and the friendship of an elder. That was a huge profit.

He just did not know whether that incident with Star Sect had thoroughly offended them.

It seemed Star Sect was no longer an option, but Hanyu was unwilling to slink away with his tail between his legs. Since he was already here, he might as well go have a look.

March 11, clear—avoid travel.

Yet Hanyu still followed the crowds to the foot of Qingyun Mountain.

Ahead lay the Suspended Ladder, something similar to a Cloud Ladder, except the Suspended Ladder had been built along a cliff face.

The examination naturally involved climbing down the cliff via the Suspended Ladder, entering the Dense Forest at the bottom, and searching for Star Sect Command Tokens buried in various places. After leaving the Dense Forest, they would have to pass through a Maze Formation.

Finally, they would return to the foot of the mountain, where the Spirit Testing Pillar had been set up. They would be selected based on the quality of their spiritual roots.

After hearing this, Hanyu furrowed his brow. The Suspended Ladder could be understood as a test of willpower; searching for objects might test attention to detail; the Maze Formation perhaps tested intelligence.

But then came the twist: they would be selected based on a spiritual root test.

Wasn't that like taking off one's pants to fart?

Linglan quietly came up behind him and suddenly clapped her hands with a smack, startling Hanyu badly.

She had spotted Hanyu in the crowd and specifically come looking for him, but after actually arriving, she looked as though she wanted to speak but hesitated.

"Did something happen?"

Hanyu's gaze shifted slightly. His intuition told him that something definitely had.

Linglan nodded, her face flushing as she stammered.

"Master said that you associate too closely with the wicked sects and are unsuitable for Star Sect, so you cannot take part in the examination."

Hanyu was not surprised. He had not come today specifically to participate anyway; even his plans from a few days ago had only been because Star Sect had a lot of people.

So he was not angry...

Pah. Of course he was angry.

Hanyu waved a hand to cut Linglan off and asked in a low voice, "Does your Master still cultivate or not?"

Linglan's face reddened. Naturally, she understood what Hanyu meant. When she had come out just now, Master had still been meditating and regulating his breath. The old man had welched on the bet.

"Or help me pass along... forget it, better not."

Hanyu had gotten halfway through before regretfully shaking his head. Asking Linglan to relay his exact words would truly make things difficult for a little girl like her. There was no need.

"I can still watch, can't I?"

Hanyu let out a sigh.

Linglan nodded repeatedly. "Watching is allowed. Not everyone came to participate; most of them came to observe the ceremony."

As she spoke, she pointed to a raised platform nearby. "That platform is for spectators. From there, you can see both the Suspended Ladder and the process of clearing the trials at the bottom of the cliff."

While Linglan explained, Hanyu kept looking around. To his surprise, he spotted Bai Jingliang on the platform.

Bai Jingliang spotted him as well.

"Here!"

Bai Jingliang mouthed the words, then pointed at his feet.

Hanyu quickly understood. After bidding Linglan farewell, he headed for the platform.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you normally be down there?"

Hanyu looked at him curiously.

Bai Jingliang sighed as though unwilling to say much, only answering vaguely, "Not everyone can come. Someone has to stay behind at home."

By then, nearly all the participants had taken their places. After a steward came out to make an announcement, the great procession set off in full preparation.

From the platform, they looked like a swarming mass of black ants, impossible to tell apart.

After a while, Bai Jingliang's eyes suddenly lit up, and he pointed ahead. "I see my sister."

"Where?"

Hanyu narrowed his eyes and looked carefully, finally picking Bai Junya out from the vast crowd.

And that was only thanks to her figure. Otherwise, he truly would not have been able to recognize her.

Today, Bai Junya had changed into a loose robe suited for movement, but her overly fiery figure still revealed itself fully as she climbed.

Hanyu felt heat rise beneath his nose and could not help muttering, "What a great figure!"

Bai Jingliang immediately eyed him warily. "What are you thinking? Don't get any crooked ideas, I'm warning you."

Hanyu deliberately wanted to tease him and joked, "How about I become your brother-in-law?"

Bai Jingliang actually fell into thought, as though seriously considering it. A moment later, he looked up and asked with a solemn face.

"If you become my brother-in-law, will there be enough of those special pills?"

Hanyu nearly burst out laughing. Such a tiny request did not require him to become Bai Jingliang's brother-in-law. As long as Bai Jingliang was not afraid of dying, he could eat his fill.

But Bai Jingliang's words reminded him that there was another new pill today, and he could not help checking inside his mind.

Today's pill seemed rather bizarre. A black pill the size of an egg spun in his mind.

Chicken Dance Pill: After consuming this pill, cultivation speed becomes extremely fast from dawn until noon. Side effect: upon hearing a rooster crow, the body becomes uncoordinated and one will want to dance.

Terrifying indeed!

Hanyu wiped away a cold sweat. If an enemy found out about this, they could absolutely toy him to death. He definitely could not take it.

With that thought, he glanced at Bai Jingliang, a smile curling at his lips. Mm, it would be you.

Still unaware that he had been targeted, Bai Jingliang kept chattering, "Come on, tell me! Will there be enough?"

Hanyu laughed. "Enough is a must, but unfortunately, I'll be leaving after watching the ceremony. Looks like it was never meant to be."

Bai Jingliang once again sank into dejection over missing out on divine pills, but he soon perked back up.

It was not just him. A burst of uproarious laughter rose from the platform.

On the Suspended Ladder, a young nobleman dressed in brocade climbed down some distance. But after merely lowering his head and looking into the bottomless abyss below, he burst into tears on the spot.

Crying would have been fine, but he also wet himself from fright.

The poor fellow beneath him suffered for it. At first, he thought it was raining, then realized something was wrong. How could rain be so hot? When he looked up, he immediately began cursing.

Thus, that section of the Suspended Ladder remained deadlocked. The rich young master did not dare climb down, while those above wanted to descend but could not.

In the end, the people of Star Sect could no longer stand watching. They simply sent a Disciple riding a Flying Sword to carry him to the bottom of the cliff for the next trial.

Once the Dense Forest stage began, they could only vaguely make out human silhouettes. It was impossible to distinguish anyone.

As for the later Maze Formation, it was even harder to see. Everything was hazy and indistinct, and at a glance, it seemed filled with Ghostly Shadows.

After watching for only a while, the two lost interest. They might as well wait at the foot of the mountain for everyone to return.

After a full hour had passed, the candidates began returning one after another.

Next, an elder of Star Sect would come to oversee the spiritual root testing.

The person who came was someone Hanyu had not expected, yet was not at all surprised to see. Li Tianhai, dressed in a purple robe, drifted down from the mountain peak atop a Flying Sword and landed in the center.

One had to say, was his Dao heart truly that strong? He had vomited blood only yesterday, yet today he was lively and vigorous.

As usual, Li Tianhai first explained Star Sect's principles to the candidates below. This had always been the keynote of every Disciple Recruitment Ceremony.

Perhaps fate had willed it so, but as he spoke, he caught sight of Hanyu. His tone abruptly became hurried, and he shifted into criticism.

"A person should have reverence in their heart—reverence for heaven and earth, reverence for nature. One should also know good from evil, draw close to the worthy and keep one's distance from petty villains. This sect despises those who make eyes at wicked sects most of all. They are birds of a feather."

Li Tianhai could have said his piece, but every word was directed toward Hanyu. Some people turned around, their expressions thoughtful.

Hanyu's face immediately darkened. Welching on a bet was one thing, using private authority to bar him from the examination was another, but now Li Tianhai was practically cursing him while pointing at his nose.

Once Li Tianhai had finally finished speaking to his heart's content, the spiritual root testing could at last begin.

"Though you definitely won't be happy to hear me say this, the fact that he could stare at you and talk for an entire hour without stopping—I truly admire him from the bottom of my heart."

The corners of Bai Jingliang's eyes crinkled with amusement as he clicked his tongue in admiration.

Hanyu kept a dark face and did not answer. He was already considering leaving.

"This damned place really isn't that interesting."

Bai Jingliang nodded in agreement. "It really isn't all that interesting, but its influence is huge!"

One candidate after another stepped forward and pressed a hand against the Spirit Testing Pillar. A golden light indicated a metal Single Spiritual Root; red meant fire, blue meant water, green meant wood, and gray belonged to earth.

When one candidate stepped up, red and green light appeared, indicating a Dual Spiritual Root. Above average.

Three colors meant below average.

Four colors could only be considered inferior.

When one candidate stepped forward, divine lights of all five colors flickered. The recorder beside him shook his head in disappointment. No talent.

A person could be complete and whole, but cultivation could not. Cultivation required an edge. The more one leaned toward a certain attribute, the more it proved that attribute was uniquely blessed. Of the five elements, having two was good; having one element flourish alone was exceptionally good.

Thus, a Single Spiritual Root was generally considered superior aptitude, though such people had always been few and were not the mainstream.

Nearly a hundred candidates went up in succession. The best among them were only around ten Dual Spiritual Roots; the rest either had three spiritual root attributes or all five elements. That was the mainstream.

"Hey, my sister! My sister!"

Bai Jingliang suddenly perked up. Bai Junya walked forward with swaying grace, while Hanyu stared at the peach-like curves faintly visible from behind and silently recited the Calming Heart Mantra several times.

He recited it while continuing to look.

What a sin. This Bai woman's figure was far more potent than the medicine in a Glazed Bottle.

Bai Junya calmly extended her fair, delicate hand. A streak of blue light shone over her captivating face.

"A Water Attribute Single Spiritual Root!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar. Even Li Tianhai could not help looking over several times.

Bai Jingliang looked proudly at the center of attention, smiling happily.

Hanyu asked curiously, "Why do I get the feeling that you two siblings already knew your spiritual root aptitudes?"

"What's strange about that? We were tested once shortly after we were born."

Bai Jingliang replied with an unconcerned smile.

Testing spiritual roots at birth—even wealthy families probably did not receive such treatment. Who knew what background these siblings had?

Hanyu thought to himself.

"Trash like that can be rated above average?"

Someone in the crowd suddenly protested indignantly.

The two looked over curiously. Bai Jingliang revealed a disdainful expression. "If even that can pass, this is really boring."

Wasn't that the young master who had pissed his pants, laughing loudly on the platform?

Boos erupted below the stage. The young master was not embarrassed in the least. He waved his fan about carelessly and shook his head with clicking sighs. "This is fate!"

Many of the candidates who had been eliminated were especially unwilling to accept it.

"I got excellent marks on the Suspended Ladder, excellent marks in the Dense Forest, and even excellent marks in the Maze Formation. Yet in the end, I lost to something like that. I truly cannot accept it."

A candidate with a Four-Color Spiritual Root clenched his fists tightly, staring unwillingly at the young master.

"Who told us our spiritual roots were poor? Or perhaps we have all five elements and are merely ordinary mortals."

"I am willing to make up for it with hard work, but the most laughable thing is that we are not even given the chance to work hard."

"Didn't they say diligence can make up for clumsiness? Why won't they give us clumsy people the chance to be diligent?"

Hanyu shook his head as he watched the commotion among the candidates below. "This is like a farce. Deciding superiority and inferiority by spiritual root aptitude—one might as well say victory and defeat are decided in the womb."

By chance, Li Tianhai, who had been keeping an eye on this side all along, heard those words loud and clear.