Test, Yin-Yang Spiritual Roots

After a simple wash, Bai Yu brought Yu Linglong to the sect's Awakening Plaza.

The Heavenly Demon Sect activated the spirit-root-testing demon stone once a week, so all the named menial disciples from each peak arrived at the same time.

By the time Bai Yu arrived, quite a few people had already gathered in the plaza. The awakening elders from every peak were seated beside the demon stone.

The most eye-catching among them was the elder from the Joyful Union Sect. Her eyes brimmed with springtime allure, and the faintly visible white gauze draped around her drew the attention of most people present.

Most of those present were menial disciples. How could they withstand the elder's passive charm? Many had their minds disturbed and became so excited that they fainted on the spot. Those weak-willed ones were eliminated outright.

Sometimes, luck was also part of one's strength. Perhaps the moment they stepped onto the plaza, the test for entry had already begun. One stray thought could very well bury the rest of one's life.

Bai Yu remained calm, not even glancing in the elder's direction. In such a high-pressure environment, there was no room for the slightest carelessness.

Soon, Bai Yu spotted Pang Tong and Zhao Lan, who had arrived at the plaza at some unknown time. Pang Tong even waggled his brows at Bai Yu with a shameless grin.

They then went to the side of a frail old man, respectfully bowed, and whispered a few words. Only then did the old man slowly open his eyes.

"Time is tight. This old man has no leisure to waste here with you."

"Who will be the first to undergo the test and awaken their spirit root?"

Hearing this, Bai Yu did not hesitate and stepped forward at once.

"I will."

He had prepared for so long and had already run through today's events countless times in his mind. It made no difference whether he went first or last.

Moreover, he had noticed Yu Linglong trembling all over with nerves. If she were still an ordinary person as before, Bai Yu would not have been so considerate of her feelings.

Now that he had drawn the bloodline power of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox from Yu Linglong, if only for that, he should give her some reassurance as soon as possible.

After he spoke, the old man nodded.

"Come. Pour all your magical power into the demon stone. If your talent is sufficient, the demon stone will help you step into the Qi Refining Realm!"

Bai Yu nodded. After briefly steadying his breathing as he looked at the black boulder-like stone before him, he stretched out his hand and pressed it against the demon stone.

As his magical power poured in, Bai Yu felt a warm current forming within his dantian. The black-and-white twin dragons coiled around his spine seemed to awaken, opening their eyes as great quantities of dragon aura spread outward.

Bzzzz!

A series of hums rang out as black and white radiance emerged from the demon stone.

The light continuously gathered, eventually forming an illusory image upon the stone.

Within the image, a twelve-petaled lotus interwoven in black and white slowly blossomed. Two other lotus buds, one pure black and one pure white, circled it without end. The sight was extraordinarily resplendent.

"A variant spirit root?"

"What a pity. It isn't extreme yin or extreme yang. Otherwise, my Gu Refining Peak would have gained a genius."

On the Eternal Continent, cultivators' spirit roots could generally be divided into the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. All others were known as variant spirit roots.

Variant spirit roots could be strong or weak. Variant spirit roots such as wind and lightning roots could be called symbols of genius.

But most were relatively weak attributes, and cultivation with them was even more difficult.

The old man looked at the image displayed on the demon stone in surprise. He was initially somewhat astonished, but when he saw the black-and-white lotus at its center, disappointment crept into his expression.

Yin and yang clashed. Though the phenomenon manifested by this spirit root had reached the middle-to-upper grade, it would be far too difficult to cultivate.

"Bai Yu. Yin-yang spirit root. Advanced to the first level of Qi Refining. Test passed. You may become an official disciple of Gu Refining Peak!"

The old man waved a hand and casually announced the result.

"Hahahaha! Gu Refining Peak has gotten off to a flying start! Junior Brother Bai, no wonder your senior brothers have been waiting here for you since early morning."

As those words fell, Bai Yu could clearly feel Pang Tong and Zhao Lan becoming much warmer toward him. The invisible sense of hierarchy between them vanished completely at that moment.

Yu Linglong beneath the platform even jumped up in excitement!

"Junior Brother Bai, you're quite good. Do you remember what I said before? If you passed the test, I would give you a grand gift."

Zhao Lan also patted Bai Yu on the shoulder. Though he meant it sincerely, the smile on his face remained somewhat cold and sinister.

"Thank you for your favor, Senior Brothers. Bai Yu is truly overwhelmed."

Bai Yu spoke respectfully.

"Senior Brother Pang, to be honest, I have a request."

After considering it for a moment, Bai Yu continued.

"All right, I know. As long as Yu Linglong takes the Mind-Bewildering Pill according to the rules and accepts your slave mark, she'll be yours from now on. She's only a menial, a small matter."

Pang Tong smiled as he pointed at Yu Linglong, sizing up her "dark" face from head to toe, his tone full of teasing amusement.

How could such crude camouflage possibly fool him? The reason he had not exposed her before was that Bai Yu could create value for him.

Now, he had pointed it out through a joke because Bai Yu could now be considered his fellow disciple. This was the frankness between the two of them.

If one slave could draw their relationship closer, Pang Tong was not losing out in the slightest.

A flicker of surprise flashed through Bai Yu's eyes, but in the next moment, he understood Pang Tong's meaning.

No wonder this dead fatso had managed to become the steward of an entire residence. Damn, he was a real people-savvy fox.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

"Tch, no need to be so polite, is there?"

"When you're with us, there's no need to be so stiff."

"Where is this? The Heavenly Demon Sect!"

"Freedom and ease are what we pursue."

"Have your little attendant go back and pack up. I'll take you out for a look around."

Pang Tong said quickly.

Bai Yu nodded, then walked over to the teary-eyed, excited Yu Linglong and reminded her kindly.

"Alright, you heard them. Go back and pack up. I'll wait for you at Gu Refining Peak."

Yu Linglong nodded heavily. Her efforts of so long had finally paid off. Bai Yu had not abandoned her—she had a chance to go home and see it again!

Watching Yu Linglong's excited retreating figure, Bai Yu shook his head helplessly. Though he was in a demonic sect, if he could look after the people around him, he should still let them live a little better.

"Zhang Er, mixed spiritual roots. Has not broken through to Qi Refining. Rejected."

"Xu Sheng, low-grade metal spiritual root. Has not broken through to Qi Refining. Rejected."

"Li Ergou, low-grade water spiritual root..."

The test was cruel—one thought led to heaven, another to hell. There had definitely been over two hundred people here for testing today, yet by the time Bai Yu left, fewer than five had passed.

It was clear just how terrifying the elimination rate was. No wonder the Heavenly Demon Sect cared so little about menial disciples; after all, most people did not even possess the talent for cultivation.

These failures would remain menial disciples for the rest of their lives, until the day they died. Seeing this, Bai Yu understood the cruelty of this world even more clearly—and understood why Yu Linglong had been so desperate.