Can a Heavenly Spiritual Root Fail the Official Examination?

"You didn't come home all night. Have you ever considered how your family must feel?"

Su Bai reprimanded her with a stern face.

"I..." Xiao Lingxi lowered her head and muttered, "Have they ever considered how I feel?"

"What parents wouldn't worry about their own child?" Su Bai said helplessly.

Xiao Lingxi was not his child, so he had no right to interfere too much.

If his own child had been this naughty, he would have pulled out the Seven Wolves belt and given them a perfect childhood!

"Ding! The host's cultivation has broken through!"

Suddenly, the system's voice rang out in Su Bai's mind.

[Host]

Name: Su Bai

Age: 18

Realm: Third-Level Qi Refinement

Items: 20 copper coins

"Third-Level Qi Refinement?"

Su Bai's gaze could not help but drift toward Zhuge Feng, who was still cultivating nearby.

As the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, his cultivation was ten times the combined cultivation of all the sect's disciples.

And now, the Heavenly Dao Sect had only one disciple: Zhuge Feng!

His cultivation was practically bound to Zhuge Feng's.

In other words, if Zhuge Feng broke through, then...

"Ding! A disciple's cultivation has broken through. Reward: 10 Sect Points."

Bang!

A crisp sound rang out from within Zhuge Feng's body. Immediately afterward, the airflow around him surged severalfold, and a powerful aura erupted.

Whoosh—

He opened his eyes, brilliance shooting from them as he looked utterly invigorated.

First-Level Qi Refinement!

"Phew..." Zhuge Feng exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly clenched his fist. A series of crackling sounds echoed out, while a faint layer of azure light appeared over his fist.

"Is this the power those immortals possess?"

He usually made time to train his body. Coupled with the heavy, exhausting labor he did as a menial servant, he could lift objects weighing several hundred jin with both hands.

But now, after spiritual energy broke through his acupoints, every part of his body had been strengthened by it, overflowing with boundless power.

At that moment, Zhuge Feng felt as though he had strength he could never exhaust.

"With my current strength, I should be able to avenge my parents now, right?" Zhuge Feng clenched his fists, a bloody light rising in his eyes.

"First-Level Qi Refinement in one night?"

Xiao Lingxi was dumbfounded. Since meeting Su Bai just one day ago, she had already lost count of how many times she had been shocked.

Even if the Heavenly Dao Sect's immortal arts were heaven-defying, surely they could not enable someone to enter Qi Refining in a single night?

After all, Ling Xiao, the number one genius of the Lingxiao Sect, had reached First-Level Qi Refining in half a month and had already been praised to the skies!

"Master, this disciple has not failed your expectations. I have successfully entered Qi Refining!"

Zhuge Feng excitedly bowed to Su Bai.

"Good, very good!"

Su Bai said "good" twice in succession. The stronger Zhuge Feng became, the stronger he would become as well!

"Had you cultivated before?" Xiao Lingxi could not help asking.

If Zhuge Feng had cultivated for some time before and was already close to entering Qi Refining, then it could barely be understood.

"I did not even pass the Lingxiao Sect's official disciple examination. How could I possibly have immortal arts to cultivate?" Zhuge Feng smiled bitterly. So what if he had placed first in the examination?

The spots were controlled by those stewards. If they refused to let him pass, how would the sect higher-ups know that the examination's top scorer was Zhuge Feng rather than Han Feng?

"This was your first time cultivating?" Xiao Lingxi's eyes widened.

She suddenly realized that she seemed to have discovered some monstrously gifted prodigy.

"Let me look!"

With that thought, Xiao Lingxi hurriedly rummaged through her things. A moment later, she took out a crystal stone resembling a Spirit Stone from her Storage Ring.

"This is a Spiritual Root Testing Stone. The higher your Spirit Root, the brighter this testing stone will shine."

As she spoke, Xiao Lingxi placed the Spiritual Root Testing Stone before Zhuge Feng.

Zhuge Feng placed his hand on the testing stone. With a thought, spiritual energy gathered in his palm.

Hum—

In an instant, the crystal stone trembled slightly.

Then, a dazzling golden radiance bloomed within it, piercing straight into the heavens.

It was so blinding that no one could look directly at it.

"Golden light blazing forth... a legendary Heavenly Spiritual Root!"

Xiao Lingxi covered her small mouth, her face full of disbelief.

A Heavenly Spiritual Root that the Lingxiao Sect had failed to obtain even once in ten thousand years!

"So I have a Heavenly Spiritual Root?" Zhuge Feng was stunned for a moment as well.

Beside him, Su Bai also opened the system panel and checked his disciple's information.

Name: Zhuge Feng

Age: 18

Cultivation: First-Level Qi Refinement

Spirit Root: Heavenly Spiritual Root

Sect Loyalty: 80 (Note: Reaching 100 Loyalty unlocks a super reward)

After seeing Zhuge Feng's information clearly, Su Bai could not help being utterly astonished.

Even as a transmigrator, he knew how heaven-defying a Heavenly Spiritual Root was. It was absolutely the kind of existence favored by fate.

Could the first disciple he had casually accepted really be this powerful?

Powerful was good!

The stronger his disciple was, the stronger he would become!

"Wait, you have a Heavenly Spiritual Root, yet you failed the Lingxiao Sect's official disciple examination? Did I hear that right?"

After recovering from her shock, Xiao Lingxi was dumbfounded once again and asked in disbelief.

"In this area, my examination results ranked first. Unfortunately, I did not have Three Hundred Taels of Silver, so I failed."

Zhuge Feng shook his head, a helpless expression appearing on his face.

Steward Wang's earlier words still echoed in his mind.

In this world, there is never any shortage of self-righteous geniuses like you!

"Pfft—"

Upon hearing that, Xiao Lingxi nearly sprayed out the water she had drunk yesterday.

A Heavenly Spiritual Root failing the official examination?

Was this the continent's joke of the year?

"Why couldn't you pass just because you didn't have Three Hundred Taels of Silver?" Xiao Lingxi's eyes widened as she pressed on in confusion.

"Because..." Zhuge Feng hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "The examination results for disciples at the Cloudwater City branch are controlled by several stewards, who then report them to the sect elders."

"It is useless if your results are good. Reporting you brings them no benefit. But if you have silver, they can profit from it. It is not a difficult choice." Zhuge Feng smiled bitterly.

"Why would it be like this? Don't they test Spirit Roots during the examination?" Xiao Lingxi asked in astonishment.

"Test Spirit Roots? If they tested Spirit Roots, how could those young masters and young ladies with poor Spirit Roots still pass and convince the public?" Zhuge Feng sighed.

Xiao Lingxi fell silent. After a moment, she suddenly said, "I'm sorry."

Zhuge Feng smiled. "There is no need to apologize. I have experienced these things too many times. I have long since let them go."

Xiao Lingxi shook her head. "Half a year ago, my father arranged a Lingxiao Sect disciple spot for me. I only needed to report in half a year later to become an official disciple."

"If I remember correctly, I should have been in the same examination batch as you. My spot may very well have originally been yours."

By the end, Xiao Lingxi gently bit her red lip.

Though it was only a possibility, it still made her feel guilty.

Zhuge Feng was slightly stunned upon hearing this.

Even a young master like Senior Brother Gan, whose father was in Foundation Establishment, had to work as a menial servant for half a year. Even if it was merely for show, he still had to be present.

Yet the girl before him did not need to do anything at all and could directly report in after half a year.

Her background...

However, after recalling something, Zhuge Feng gave a carefree smile. "Don't dwell on it. There are so many spots. The one you took could not possibly have been mine."

"Besides, I am now a disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect. Master was willing to take me in. That is already Heaven's greatest recompense to me."

"Mm." Xiao Lingxi nodded slightly. "Actually, I never wanted to go to the Lingxiao Sect in the first place. After this incident, I want to go even less."

Then she looked toward Su Bai, her beautiful eyes shimmering. "Immortal Master, tell me. What conditions must I meet before you will allow me to join the Heavenly Dao Sect?"

Su Bai said nothing, merely turning his gaze toward the foot of the mountain.

At that moment, a group of people was rushing rapidly in their direction.

"Mm?" Xiao Lingxi followed Su Bai's gaze, and her expression immediately changed slightly.

Before long, that group arrived at the Heavenly Dao Sect and appeared before Su Bai and the others.

"Miss Lingxi, we finally found you!"