Xiao San's Spiritual Roots

Night fell.

Holy Soul Village lay shrouded in deep darkness, yet Tang Ling's courtyard at the village entrance was brightly lit.

An oil lamp sat on the stone table in the courtyard, its flickering flame illuminating the faces gathered around it.

Ah Yin sat beside Tang Ling, while Xiao Wu pressed close to A Rou. Both mother and daughter seemed somewhat restrained. Tang Hao sat opposite them with Tang San in his arms, unease written across his face.

Tang San had already told him about what had happened in Notting City today.

Innate full soul power at level twenty, only for it to suddenly drop to zero. The wild joy of dual awakening and the despair of losing his soul power had both struck a six-year-old child on the same day. Tang Hao had remained silent for a long time after hearing it, then simply held his son tightly without saying a word.

He owed this son far too much—so much that he did not even know where to begin making it up to him.

"Everyone's here." Tang Ling set down his teacup and swept his gaze over the people in the courtyard. "Then let's begin."

He raised a hand, and a spirit-testing pearl appeared out of thin air in his palm. It was identical to the one used at the Spirit Hall branch in Notting City, but the golden mist within was denser, and its spirit patterns far more intricate.

"Before the test, let me make this clear. You can think of this cultivation system as the mainstream cultivation method of my world. It is divided into two paths: the Immortal Path and the Martial Path."

"The Immortal Path involves absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and transforming it into one's own spiritual power. Spiritual roots serve as the foundation, the dantian as the furnace, and the meridians as the channels. Beginning with Qi Refinement, one progresses through Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Void Refinement, Integration, and Mahayana, before finally ascending to the Immortal Realm and attaining the rank of an immortal. Upon reaching the Spirit Transformation realm, one's strength is comparable to a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo of this continent."

Tang Hao's breathing noticeably grew heavier.

Far beyond an Ultimate Douluo?

He had once stood at the peak of Soul Land. More than anyone, he understood what a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo represented. Yet Tang Ling was saying that once one surpassed Spirit Transformation, one could exceed that limit.

"The Martial Path does not cultivate spiritual power, only oneself. The physical body is its foundation, vitality and blood its strength, and willpower its driving force. The two paths lead to the same destination, but they are walked differently and suit different people."

Xiao Wu blinked and raised her little hand high. "Big Brother! Can people with spiritual roots cultivate the Martial Path? And can people without spiritual roots cultivate the Immortal Path?"

Tang Ling glanced at her, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

That was an excellent question.

"Those with spiritual roots can cultivate the Martial Path, but those without spiritual roots cannot cultivate the Immortal Path. The Immortal Path requires spiritual roots as a medium to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Without spiritual roots, spiritual energy entering the body is like a stone sinking into the sea—it cannot be retained. The Martial Path cultivates oneself, so its threshold is lower, but it becomes much harder in the later stages."

"However," he continued, shifting his tone, "that does not mean the Martial Path is weaker than the Immortal Path. At higher levels, one's vitality and blood can become like a dragon's, and a single punch can shatter the void. Its power is in no way inferior to the Immortal Path. It is simply more resource-intensive and demands greater hardship."

Xiao Wu nodded as if she only half understood, then asked again, "Then what do you cultivate, Big Brother?"

"I cultivate both." Tang Ling lifted his teacup and took a sip. "I'm currently at the Void Refinement realm."

"How strong is the Void Refinement realm?"

"Slightly stronger than a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo in this world. By this world's classification, it should fall somewhere between a third-class god and a second-class god. But who is stronger or weaker can only be determined after a fight."

Tang Ling's tone was casual, but the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Tang Hao's pupils contracted slightly. Though he had long guessed that Tang Ling's strength far surpassed that of a Titled Douluo, hearing him state it so calmly still made his heart tremble.

Slightly stronger. Those four words sounded so effortless.

Sitting in Tang Hao's arms, Tang San had kept his head lowered and said nothing. Yet his faintly trembling fingertips revealed that he was listening—and listening with utmost focus.

In his previous life, he had merely been an outer disciple of the Ba Shu Tang Sect.

He had never had access to the Tang Sect's core cultivation methods. He had never heard of the distinction between immortal cultivation and martial cultivation, nor the relationship between spiritual roots and talent. If he had had the chance to encounter such things in his previous life...

He did not dare think any further.

Tang Ling took in Tang San's reaction, quietly shaking his head inwardly.

Tang San had only been an outer disciple in his previous life. How could he possibly have known such things? Only after outer disciples cultivated to the peak would they have the chance to access higher-level techniques and come into contact with the Tang Sect's core teachings.

But Tang San had already been blinded by the inner sect techniques back then, believing that secretly learning the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record would let him soar to the heavens in one step. He did not know that the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record had never been meant to be "stolen."

Without the protection of the Tang family bloodline, cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill had been a dead end from the very beginning.

"Enough." Tang Ling put down his teacup and pushed the spirit-testing pearl to the center of the table. "Let's test spiritual roots first. Ah Yin, you go first."

Ah Yin nodded obediently, stepped forward, and pressed her hand against the crystal sphere. The golden mist spun violently, and a brilliant golden light shot skyward before exploding within the crystal sphere, transforming into a shower of radiance.

"Top-grade spiritual roots." Tang Ling nodded slightly.

"Good. Tang Hao, your turn."

Tang Hao took a deep breath, strode forward, and pressed his rough palm onto the crystal sphere. Golden light rose again, slightly dimmer than Ah Yin's but still exceptionally dazzling.

"High-grade spiritual roots. Not bad." Tang Ling nodded.

"A Rou."

A Rou stepped forward somewhat nervously. She was a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit who had taken human form. Though she too was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the bloodline of the Soft Bone Rabbit clan was far less noble than that of the Blue Silver Emperor.

The crystal sphere lit up, its golden light brilliant and intensely bright.

"Top-grade spiritual roots." Tang Ling nodded again.

"My turn, my turn!" Before Tang Ling could call her name, Xiao Wu skipped forward and pressed her tender little hand against the crystal sphere.

The crystal sphere suddenly lit up, and the ball of golden mist began spinning wildly. At its center, a dazzling pillar of golden light shot skyward, exploding within the crystal sphere and turning into a sky full of golden motes.

That radiance was even more blazing and dazzling than Ah Yin's.

"Heavenly spiritual roots." A faint smile appeared on Tang Ling's lips. Under his intervention, Xiao Wu's fate had already completely veered away from its original course.

This girl's aptitude had always been extraordinarily high, and she was also the female protagonist favored by destiny. Now that she had the chance to test her spiritual roots, Tang Ling was not surprised in the slightest that she possessed heavenly spiritual roots.

Xiao Wu cheered and skipped back to A Rou's side, her little face brimming with pride.

"The last one." Tang Ling's gaze fell on Tang San. "Xiao San, your turn."

Tang San walked up to the Spirit-Testing Pearl. His steps were steady, but his clenched fists betrayed the tension inside him.

Today, at the Spirit Hall branch, he had experienced a plunge from heaven to hell. The wild joy of being born with full innate soul power at rank twenty had yet to fade when the despair of his soul power dropping to zero shattered it completely.

Now, the spirit root test was his last lifeline.

He placed his hand on the crystal ball.

The crystal ball lay as quiet as an ordinary piece of glass. The golden mist swayed lazily once, and then... there was nothing more.

No light. No reaction.

"No spirit root."

Tang Ling's voice rang in everyone's ears.