第8章 全宗门疯抢

Gu Changyue, the headmaster of the Tai Xuan Sect, arrived in person at the testing grounds.

Yan Song and Luo Qinghe stood up to offer their respects, and the nearby disciples bowed their heads in turn. Zhao Yuanqing stood among the crowd; having originally intended to use his uncle to escape the situation, he now dared not even open his mouth.

Gu Changyue placed the Five Elements Origin-Returning Disk upon the high platform.

The jade disk was grey-white throughout, its surface etched with five grooves and a circular formation eye at the center. This object had not been used for many years, and dust that had not been cleaned away still lingered in its crevices.

Li Sanshun walked down the Immortal-Asking Stairs.

Yan Song first collected the fragments of the Spirit-Suppressing ID Token, then handed him a wooden plaque devoid of any formation patterns.

"The spirit-suppressing runes have been destroyed. This test will only record your spiritual roots; it will not drain your immortal energy."

Li Sanshun placed his hand upon the Five Elements Origin-Returning Disk.

Gu Changyue stood to the side.

"Circulate the Primordial Origin Art with all your might. Do not suppress any of your energy channels."

Li Sanshun followed these instructions and began to channel his energy.

A green light was the first to ignite, rising only a foot before it stopped.

Red, yellow, white, and blue colors appeared one after another, the results identical to those of the spirit-testing stone. Whispers rippled through the crowd, and Zhao Yuanqing gripped his folding fan tightly.

Even the Five Elements Origin-Returning Disk could only measure one foot; Li Sanshun remained a low-grade, five-element root.

What did it matter if the headmaster himself had come?

The grade of a spiritual root would not grow out of thin air just because a token had vanished.

Han Zhao had already been detained by the law enforcement disciples. Seeing the result on the jade disk, he hurriedly shouted, "Headmaster, please be discerning! The spirit-suppressing runes only affect the pressure on the Immortal-Asking Stairs; they cannot alter a person's spiritual roots. He was a low-grade, five-element root to begin with. This disciple did not tamper with the test results!"

Gu Changyue did not respond.

Although the five rays of light on the jade disk were only a foot high, they maintained an identical brightness. As the Primordial Origin Art circulated, the five-colored spiritual energy flowed along the grooves toward the center.

The five types of spiritual energy converged within the formation eye.

There was no collision.

Nor was there any mutual consumption.

The central formation eye began to rotate, refining the five-colored spiritual energy into a single, colorless stream.

The wind on the high platform suddenly picked up.

The colorless stream rose from the center of the jade disk—one foot, three feet, five feet—and soon surpassed the eight-foot record previously set by Zhao Yuanqing. The stream struck the top of the testing formation, causing the entire high platform to tremble.

Gu Changyue raised a hand to steady the disk.

Luo Qinghe looked at the five grooves and was the first to understand the change.

"His five spiritual roots are indeed all low-grade, but the five-element spiritual energy has achieved synchronization. While other five-element roots compete for energy, the five elements within his body are able to complement one another."

Yan Song looked toward Zhao Yuanqing.

"A high-grade fire root only needs to cultivate one type of energy, so progress is faster in the early stages. Li Sanshun's five elements flow as one; while his cultivation speed remains to be verified, his foundation is far superior to ordinary mixed roots."

Gu Changyue withdrew his hand, and the colorless stream fell back into the jade disk.

"The spirit-testing stone was not wrong. He is currently still a low-grade, five-element root."

Discussion broke out once more in the crowd.

Hearing the first half of the sentence, the pressure on Zhao Yuanqing's chest finally eased.

But Gu Changyue continued immediately.

"The Primordial Origin Art has refined the five elements into a single entity; his spiritual roots have already taken on the appearance of a Primordial Origin Embryo. If he can maintain the balance of the five elements over the long term, his five roots can grow in unison."

"The Tai Xuan Sect has not seen someone with five-element synchronization in nearly six hundred years. How far such aptitude can go, even I cannot say for certain."

Cannot say for certain.

These four words carried more weight than a direct confirmation of a high-grade spiritual root.

The upper limit of a high-grade fire root could be traced, but there was no existing record for five-element synchronization. The headmaster had used the ancient jade disk himself, solely to confirm the changes within Li Sanshun.

Zhao Yuanqing looked at the red jade at his waist; his earlier self-satisfaction had already dissipated.

He was still unconvinced.

"This disciple does not question the headmaster, but the Immortal-Asking Stairs were interfered with by the spirit-suppressing runes. How should Li Sanshun's score be verified? The sect's cultivation quotas are limited; we must provide an explanation to the other examinees."

This statement was phrased quite properly.

Yan Song took out a recording stone, projecting the formation's logs into mid-air.

"The pressure at every level of the Immortal-Asking Stairs is recorded. When Li Sanshun stepped onto the three-hundredth level, the pressure he endured already exceeded that of the seven-hundredth level under normal conditions. The Spirit-Suppressing ID Token also drained most of his immortal energy."

Yan Song pointed toward the Heart-Refining Gate.

"He actively broke through the illusion within five breaths. Combining the results of both trials, no one in this year's cohort can compare."

The youths in the plaza turned to look at Zhao Yuanqing.

Zhao Yuanqing had walked five hundred and sixty-seven levels, and had previously used this score to suppress others. Now that Li Sanshun had reached three hundred levels while burdened by the spirit-suppressing runes, his converted score far exceeded seven hundred.

There was no room left to argue the disparity.

Shi Xiaohu clutched his pack and squeezed to the side of the high platform, his face flushed with excitement.

"Brother Li, I knew you could enter the Immortal Gate!"

Zhao Yuanqing was already embarrassed, and upon hearing his voice, he couldn't help but scold, "A low-grade earth root dares to make noise before the high platform? The Tai Xuan Sect's rules are strict; be careful not to be punished on your very first day."

Shi Xiaohu was so frightened he stopped in his tracks.

Li Sanshun walked down from the high platform and took his pack.

"When you can't win, you bring up the Zhao family; when you can't argue, you bully a child. You might as well dig up your ancestral graves and have your ancestors test their roots for you."

Low chuckles erupted from the surroundings.

Zhao Yuanqing gripped his folding fan tightly. "Spiritual roots only determine entry. Cultivation depends on techniques, resources, and family background. The Zhao family has people in the inner sect and others serving as sect deacons. What do you, a mountain villager, have to compare with me?"

"You've been chasing me to compare since we left the mountain gate."

Li Sanshun slung his pack over his shoulder.

"Now that you've lost, you talk about how powerful your family is. If the Zhao family were truly capable, why didn't they give you an extra spiritual root?"

Heat rose to Zhao Yuanqing's face, but he could find no words to retort.

Yan Song, too, could not be bothered to watch the two continue their dispute, and turned to Han Zhao and the Zhao family steward.

"There were three spiritual energy imprints on the Spirit-Suppressing ID Token. Han Zhao was responsible for activating it, the Zhao family steward had contact with the formation talisman, and there was one more belonging to a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

Zhao Yuanqing finally panicked.

The third imprint came from his second uncle, Zhao Chong.

Once the investigation reached Zhao Chong, the cultivation quota for the Xuan Chu Academy would be lost, and the Zhao family would have to bear the blame for interfering with the sect's recruitment.

"Elder Yan, there may be some misunderstanding regarding this matter. I had no knowledge of what the steward had done."

Yan Song signaled for the law enforcement disciples to take them away.

"Whether you knew or not, we shall discuss it at the Law Enforcement Hall. You have passed the entrance test; stay in the plaza for now and do not leave the sect."

Zhao Yuanqing wanted to plead further, but Gu Changyue had already produced a purple disciple token.

"Li Sanshun has passed the three trials and may enter the Tai Xuan Sect's Xuan Chu Academy."

Luo Qinghe stepped forward.

"Medicine Peak is willing to offer him a trial-study quota. Five-element synchronization is well-suited for tending to spiritual herbs; I can open the Five Elements Herb Garden and allow him to study there for a month."

Yan Song also spoke up. "He did not withdraw after discovering the issue with the token, but instead used the Immortal-Asking Stairs to force out the evidence. Law Enforcement Peak can permit him to audit courses on formations and sect rules."

A thud echoed from the distance.

A broad iron sword slammed into the edge of the plaza, and Xiong Baichuan, his arms bare, jumped down from the blade.

"Am I late? Kid, no matter how many five-element techniques you have, you still need a sturdy frame. Come to Zhen Yue Peak for a month of trial study; I will teach you body refinement myself."

Luo Qinghe glanced at the crater the iron sword had made in the stone.

"You haven't paid the spiritual stones for the damage you caused to the Training Hall last month. If the floors of the Xuan Chu Academy are damaged by you again, that debt will be added to Zhen Yue Peak's account."

Xiong Baichuan scratched his head.

"How can floor tiles be more important than a disciple?"

Gu Changyue raised a hand to stop the argument.

"Li Sanshun will first enter the Xuan Chu Academy to familiarize himself with the sect within seven days. After seven days, he may choose his place of trial study. Whether he can become a personal disciple depends on his cultivation performance thereafter."

The three peak masters fell silent.

Li Sanshun took the purple token, his heart finally settling.

He hadn't even chosen a master yet, and the three peaks were already arguing. This Immortal Gate was no different from the village; they were just as shameless when it came to snatching people.

The disciples in charge of registration led the new entrants away from the plaza.

The Xuan Chu Academy had a rule: all weapons carried by new disciples had to be inspected by the Weapon-Appraising Disk to prevent evil artifacts from infiltrating the sect.

When it was Li Sanshun's turn, he took the wrapped Gold Blade from his undergarments.

The old rogue had warned him that the Gold Blade should not be shown lightly.

But weapon appraisal was an entrance requirement; refusing would only invite further scrutiny. Li Sanshun did not draw the blade, but placed it, cloth and all, onto the Weapon-Appraising Disk.

The Weapon-Appraising Disk glowed with white light.

[Mortal-grade high-tier weapon, no evil aura, no blood curse.]

The registration disciple read the result and returned the Gold Blade to him.

Before the white light faded, the mysterious bird pattern at the base of the hilt flickered. The light was faint, and the nearby disciples were all busy with registration, so no one noticed.

In the stone corridor behind the high platform, an old man in black robes stopped in his tracks.

He looked through the stone window at the Gold Blade in Li Sanshun's hand, his face no longer showing any signs of sleepiness.

The mysterious bird hides the script.

Obeying Heaven to carry out the mandate.

The old man in black robes walked quickly into the side hall of the main peak and took out an old token that had been sealed for many years. The front of the old token was carved with the same mysterious bird, but the back bore the mark of the third prince's lineage of the Shunchang imperial family.

Two sword-wielding disciples knelt in the hall, waiting.

The old man in black robes put away the old token.

"Go and investigate Li Sanshun's background. Where he grew up, who taught him the Primordial Origin Art, and who handed the Gold Blade to him. I want to see the complete file before tonight."

One of the sword-wielding disciples asked in a low voice, "The Gold Blade has appeared; should we send word to the Imperial City?"

The old man in black robes looked out the window, and after a moment, he responded.

"Suppress the news for now."

He closed the stone door of the side hall.

"Especially, do not let the Imperial City know."