The original host had Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots. There was nothing to test...
Song Zhizhi had her mind elsewhere and did not care about the Spirit-Testing Stone's result. Suddenly, Meng Ping's slightly excited voice interrupted her thoughts. "Song Zhizhi, Single Fire Spiritual Root! Innate Exotic Fire!"
Song Zhizhi:?
What Spiritual Root? Innate what?
Author's note:
The male and female leads officially meet next chapter.
Apprenticeship Ceremony
Song Zhizhi's first reaction was that the Spirit-Testing Stone had broken. The original host clearly had Dual Water-Fire Spiritual Roots, so how had it now detected a Single Fire Spiritual Root? And even an Innate Exotic Fire constitution?
She raised her head and saw the Spirit-Testing Stone emit a brilliant fiery-red radiance, nearly dyeing the sky crimson. Waves of heat rushed toward her. Within that scarlet glow, Song Zhizhi saw the phantom of a phoenix reborn from the flames, singing with its head raised.
Listening to the phoenix's cry, Song Zhizhi did not know why, but she found it deeply familiar.
As though she had sensed something, Song Zhizhi closed her eyes. Spiritual energy surged around her, and her cultivation broke through the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, entering the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.
At the instant she advanced, she seemed to sense joyful emotions coming from another life within her body.
Song Zhizhi froze for a moment. The joy of advancing was replaced by complicated feelings. She pressed her lips together, forgot to ask Meng Ping whether the Spirit-Testing Stone was broken, and stepped aside.
It was Meng Ping's first time seeing someone advance while having their Spiritual Root aptitude tested. He nodded at Song Zhizhi. "Junior Sister Song, it seems your comprehension is extraordinary."
Since Song Miaomiao also shared the surname Song, Meng Ping called Song Zhizhi Junior Sister Song whenever both were present, for the sake of distinguishing them—she was younger than Song Miaomiao.
"Junior Sister Song, it's your turn next." Meng Ping turned to Song Miaomiao.
Song Miaomiao's name resembled Song Zhizhi's, and they came from the same place. Meng Ping guessed that they were sisters, though he did not know whether they were biological sisters or cousins.
Meng Ping looked at Song Miaomiao with blazing eyes. The younger sister had a Single Spirit Root, while the elder sister's performance was equally remarkable. She was not yet twenty, yet her cultivation was already close to Foundation Establishment. Her aptitude could not possibly be poor.
If they got another Single Spirit Root, then three Single Spirit Root geniuses would be among this year's new Sword Sect disciples. They could boast about such luck before the other two great sects for ten years.
Song Miaomiao looked calm as she raised a hand and placed her palm on the Spirit-Testing Stone. In an instant, a layer of ice crystals formed over its surface. Even from two meters away, Song Zhizhi felt a chill wash over her, cold enough to make her shiver.
The ice crystals receded, leaving behind the phantom of a spirit sword within the Spirit-Testing Stone.
Meng Ping's eyes widened. Even the hand holding his spirit brush trembled as he recorded the result. He said in disbelief, "Song Miaomiao, Single Mutated Ice Spiritual Root! Innate Sword Heart!"
Before a Mutated Ice Spiritual Root and an Innate Sword Heart, any Single Spirit Root or Innate Exotic Fire paled into insignificance.
Watching Meng Ping become so excited that his eyes held only Song Miaomiao, as though he had forgotten Feng Yulong even existed, Feng Yulong ground his teeth in jealousy. It's just an Innate Sword Heart! What are you so pleased about!
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Song Zhizhi's slightly distracted expression. His eyes shifted, and a cold smile curled across his lips.
The moment an Innate Sword Heart appeared, the elders waiting in the great hall to accept disciples could barely restrain themselves from fighting over her.
"How many years has it been since our Cultivation World produced such a fine seedling with an Innate Sword Heart? An Ice Spirit Root is perfectly suited to my Taiqing Sword Technique."
"My Ice-Soul Sword Technique is obviously more suitable!"
"My Star-Slaying Sword Technique is no worse than yours!"
"Pah! Have you no shame? If you ask me, your sword techniques are all far too overbearing. My Wind-Soothing Sword Art is better suited for a female cultivator."
"That's gender discrimination! Who says girls can't cultivate a more domineering sword technique? Do you dare say my Thunder Sword Technique is not more powerful than your rotten sword art!?"
"If you ask me, if Mingxiao were here, none of you would need to fight. Mingxiao also has an Ice Spirit Root. If I were Song Miaomiao, I would absolutely choose a master with the same Spiritual Root attribute as myself."
The hall fell silent in an instant, then everyone reached the same conclusion without exchanging a word.
"Mingxiao has never accepted a disciple. He probably will not come this year either."
"We must hide this news from him. We cannot let him snatch away such a fine seedling."
"What are you trying to hide from me?" A cool, clear voice rang out. Everyone in the hall fell silent and turned toward its source.
A young man in white strode into the hall with elegant grace. His ink-splashed black hair was pinned up with a white jade hairpin, revealing a cold, otherworldly face like that of an exiled immortal. The standard elder's robes looked as though they had been tailored specifically for him, making his already tall and handsome figure appear even more striking.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but the elders present felt that he seemed somewhat more dazzling than usual, as though he had dressed up with special care. Yet upon closer inspection, Sword Venerable Mingxiao's attire was no different from before.
The elders, who had just been at daggers drawn, immediately wore expressions as though their teeth hurt. With Mingxiao's reputation, if he wanted to snatch that Innate Sword Heart seedling, who could possibly compete with him?
Sword Venerable Mingxiao swept a glance outside. Meng Ping was leading seven disciples into the hall to choose masters. His long fingers tapped the chair's armrest as his gaze settled on the girl in green. His thoughts were unreadable. After a long while, he slowly said, "Rest assured, elders. I have no interest in an Innate Sword Heart." Why did she look so dejected? Had she encountered some difficulty?
The elders sighed in relief, but then they were all confused. If he had no interest in an Innate Sword Heart, then who was he interested in? Surely it could not be that Fire Spiritual Root? He had an Ice Spirit Root—could he really guide a Fire Spiritual Root in cultivation?
Perhaps he had taken a liking to that Water Spiritual Root. Ice and water Spiritual Roots could be considered to share the same origin.
While the elders' thoughts churned like a storm, Meng Ping led the group into the hall. He cupped his hands toward the Sect Master and said, "Master, Martial Uncles, Martial Uncles, this disciple has brought the disciples entering the inner sect this time."
"Mm, well done." The Sect Master gave Meng Ping's work ability high praise, then looked toward Song Miaomiao behind him, smiling until his eyes became slits.
The apprenticeship ceremony would begin shortly. Song Zhizhi suppressed the tangled thoughts in her heart and carefully examined every elder in the hall.