Heavenly Spirit Root

In a daze, a long-forgotten memory surfaced in Ji Yuan's mind.

It was from when the original owner had taken this Spiritual Root test. The scene had been much the same. He still remembered the Water Dragon Sect cultivator missing his left ear giving him a cold glance before saying expressionlessly:

"Ji Yuan, Metal-Wood-Water-Fire Four-Spirit Root. Rejected."

Now, the same scene was playing out on someone else.

The youth named Zhang Tie showed no disappointment upon hearing that he had a Four-Spirit Root. Instead, he happily threw himself into a woman's arms and cried excitedly, "Mother, I have a Spiritual Root too! I have a Spiritual Root too!"

Having a Spiritual Root meant one could become a cultivator.

Regardless of what came afterward.

Those without Spiritual Roots truly could not become immortal cultivators.

Like the four or five children tested afterward, who did not possess Spiritual Roots at all.

They would have a difficult life in Zengtou City... If they encountered colder-hearted parents, they might even be sent to the mortal world.

"Brother Ji, so you were here."

A familiar voice came from behind him. Ji Yuan turned with a smile. "There are fewer people here. Brother Wen, aren't you going to try the Alchemy Zone?"

Ji Yuan had already learned that Wen Lin was an alchemist.

"I know my own limits. I won't go there and make a fool of myself," Wen Lin said with a laugh.

Wen Ling'er, in his arms, stared wide-eyed at the Spiritual Root testing area. "Daddy, when can I test my Spiritual Root? Ling'er wants to go too."

"You're still too young. You'll have to wait until next time."

Wen Ling'er was only four years old. She could only wait another three years before being tested.

As they chatted, Ji Yuan suddenly caught sight of the cultivator on duty in the Spiritual Root testing area abruptly rising to his feet. The man jerked his head up and cried out in shock.

"Uncle-Master Xu, a... a Heavenly Spirit Root!"

"What?!"

The female cultivator in azure robes sharply lowered her head. With a wave of her hand, four Formation Banners landed on the ground, encircling the entire Spiritual Root testing area layer upon layer. At the same time, she drove away the fishermen watching nearby.

In the middle of it all, the dark-skinned child still had no idea what had happened. He turned his head and looked around, tears even gathering at the corners of his eyes.

"It really is a Heavenly Spirit Root."

Wen Lin, standing beside them, could not help staring at the scene in shock. Wen Ling'er, however, asked curiously, "Mother, what is a Heavenly Spirit Root?"

Zhao Yuechan took a deep breath and softly explained, "It is the most powerful kind of Spiritual Root."

Wen Ling'er clapped her little hands happily. "Then Ling'er wants to have a Heavenly Spirit Root too when she grows up."

Before long, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Water Dragon Sect took the boy and his parents away aboard a Spirit Vessel, and the Spiritual Root testing resumed.

If nothing unexpected happened, that family would never need to return to Zengtou City again.

It might not be a case of one person attaining the Dao and even the chickens and dogs ascending to heaven, but bringing the whole family to heaven was still possible.

The testing continued, but everyone's attention had already been drawn away by that Heavenly Spirit Root from before. Even when several Three-Spirit Roots known as True Spirit Roots appeared in the following tests, no one cared.

After watching the excitement here, Ji Yuan exchanged a few words with Wen Lin before heading to the talisman area.

Wen Lin, meanwhile, went to the Alchemy Zone he knew so well.

After arriving, Ji Yuan released a trace of his aura. The fishermen nearby immediately made room for him.

He first glanced at the side of the cultivator on duty, where an elderly cultivator with grizzled hair stood, his face full of delight.

At present, he was the only person accepted by the Water Dragon Sect through the path of talismans.

The rules for joining the Water Dragon Sect through talismans were also extremely simple: out of ten sheets of Middle-Grade Cloud-Pattern Bamboo Talisman Paper, one needed to draw three Middle-Grade Talismans to join the Water Dragon Sect.

Ji Yuan then turned to look at the cultivators currently taking the test.

There were ten in total, each inside a separately partitioned cubicle, focused on drawing talismans.

This was somewhat simpler than the Alchemy Zone and artifact-refining area. Over there, each person had a separate room serving as a quiet chamber, lest they be disturbed by outsiders.

Here in the talisman-drawing area, the participants could not see one another, but the spectators could still see them.

"Good heavens, Master Lu actually failed."

"What a pity, what a pity."

A middle-aged man who had drawn ten talismans in succession but succeeded with only two rose in a daze, his face pale, as though he found it hard to believe.

Ji Yuan's gaze swept over them one by one, yet he still did not see Lu Wan.

Not only that, she was nowhere to be seen nearby either.

She hadn't come?

Ji Yuan could not help recalling how, on the first day of the Lunar New Year last time, he had gone to her home and failed to find her there as well.

From then until now, Ji Yuan had been cultivating at home. He rarely even went to Zengtou City, so naturally he had not seen her... Could something have happened to her?

Ji Yuan's heart skipped a beat, but on second thought, it seemed unlikely.

If the Wu Family had wanted to make a move against her, they should have done so long ago. In that case, had she moved to another market town?

That was possible.

As Ji Yuan pondered, the cultivators in this round finished their tests. Unsurprisingly, not a single one succeeded... Was it really that difficult?

Ji Yuan could not help muttering to himself, but after thinking it over carefully, it truly was.

Even with the effects of the [Talisman Room] bolstering him, he could barely manage three or four successful talismans out of ten. Without that boost... it really came down purely to talent.

"Ji Yuan? You came to take this talisman test too?"

A somewhat familiar voice came from beside him. Immediately afterward, quite a few cultivators nearby crowded aside, forced to clear an open space.

Ji Yuan turned to look. This time, there was no smile on his face, because... the newcomers seemed less than friendly.

Wu Yan was followed by several of his fellow disciples, along with the renowned talisman master, Wu Wenbin. He had come as well.

Especially when Wu Wenbin arrived, even the Water Dragon Sect cultivator on duty smiled and asked, "Brother Wu, have you come to join our Water Dragon Sect this time?"

The plump Wu Wenbin rubbed his belly with one hand and smiled. "These old bones of mine should just remain in Zengtou City and retire in peace."

Before Ji Yuan could speak, Wu Wenbin's gaze followed over as well.

The smile vanished from his face. "You are Lu Wan's friend?"

Ji Yuan glanced at Wu Yan... He reckoned that man must have stirred up some trouble with his words. Otherwise, why would Wu Wenbin know about him?

"I am indeed Lu Wan's friend."

Ji Yuan had nothing to deny.

"You do have some aptitude. Since you are here to test for entry into the Water Dragon Sect, then go ahead." Wu Wenbin's expression improved somewhat.

Wu Yan and his fellow disciples had already gone to collect their Wooden Tokens and headed into their respective cubicles.

Ji Yuan did not move. He had only come to watch the excitement.

Seeing that he did not budge, Wu Wenbin naturally assumed he did not dare to, and could not help laughing. "Could it be that you think I would suppress you because of your relationship with Lu Wan?"

"Leaving aside the fact that there is nothing between you two, even if there were, that would only be human nature."

"I do not know what outsiders might do, but I, Wu Wenbin, am not such a muddleheaded fool."

As soon as he said this, cultivators nearby were already calling out, "Master Wu is righteous!"

Ji Yuan had never expected Wu Wenbin to possess such a mindset... But if that were truly the case, then who had been suppressing Lu Wan's stall before?

Ji Yuan did not understand, but he still politely cupped his hands slightly toward Wu Wenbin.

Seeing this, the Water Dragon Sect cultivator on duty tossed a Wooden Token into Ji Yuan's hand. "Test position number ten. Hurry along."

Ji Yuan looked at the Wooden Token in his hand... He had no choice but to go through the motions.

Just as he turned toward the testing area, he saw Wu Yan looking over.

Their gazes met. Ji Yuan saw a trace of mockery in his eyes, along with the delight of revenge fulfilled.

Ji Yuan had no idea what madness had seized this Young Master Wu, but that look made him deeply uncomfortable... He had not wanted to provoke trouble, and he had already yielded at every turn.

Yet the more he acted that way, the less others seemed to take him seriously?

At last, Ji Yuan sat down in the final remaining cubicle. When he raised his head slightly, he saw a line of glaringly bright words above him.

[Talisman Room: lv1]