Zheng Ziheng's tone was solemn.
"I'm afraid we won't be able to hide the fact that you have a Spiritual Root from the elders.
But rest assured, junior brother. If you don't want the other disciples to find out, I'll ask Master to order everyone to keep it secret. He'll certainly agree.
Whether you take a master, cultivate, or leave the Cloud Radiance Sect is entirely up to you. No one will force you."
Shen Leyan was choosing his words, but before he could speak, the little girl beside them, whose silencing spell had been lifted, looked at the two of them as though they were idiots.
"One of you has a Supreme Single Spiritual Root but doesn't want to cultivate.
The other is the sect master's first disciple but won't try to keep a genius in the sect.
Your Cloud Radiance Sect really does produce one weirdo after another, just like that Lu Yuanyi!!!"
Zheng Ziheng raised an eyebrow. "You know my master?"
"Who doesn't know that big meanie Lu Yuanyi?! Your Cloud Radiance Sect must have been desperate to make him sect master—and he even took an idiot like you as his disciple."
"Sect rules forbid speaking disrespectfully of the sect master. Besides, my master has always put the welfare of all living beings first and has never committed any evil deeds. You mustn't carelessly..."
Having read the original novel and knowing Lu Yuanyi's life story, Shen Leyan chimed in, "You mustn't carelessly call him a big meanie."
The little girl snorted. "Did you know your Cloud Radiance Sect originally didn't have a Spirit-Testing Stone?
If I hadn't run into that big meanie Lu Yuanyi while sunbathing in the mountains a thousand years ago, and if he hadn't bought me a skewer of candied hawthorn and tricked me into believing there was an endless supply here, why would I ever have come to your Cloud Radiance Sect?!
After I arrived, not only did I get nothing but candied hawthorn as offerings year after year, I also had to test the Spiritual Roots of thousands of people all the time!"
The little girl was indignant.
"Even a donkey turning a millstone doesn't work as hard as I do!"
Lu Yuanyi had a story like that in his past? It hadn't been mentioned in the original novel.
An honest boy like Zheng Ziheng definitely won't know how to argue back.
Shen Leyan cleared his throat and stepped in front of Zheng Ziheng, boldly backing his senior brother up.
"Just tell me this: does the Cloud Radiance Sect have an endless supply of candied hawthorn or not?"
The little girl's face alternated between pale and red. After stammering for a while, she realized she had no answer, turned her head away, and protested loudly.
"I'm not talking to you anymore!!!"
There seemed to be a hint of tears in her voice.
Shen Leyan said, "...Hey..."
I really didn't bully her.
The little girl cried even louder.
Shen Leyan went over and patted the Spirit-Testing Stone. Its surface was actually wet, seemingly from the little girl's tears.
"Don't cry, don't cry... You're just tired of candied hawthorn, right? How about this? When Senior Brother Zheng goes back today, he'll tell his master to give you some other tasty offerings next time."
The little girl glanced at him. "I want osmanthus cakes!"
Shen Leyan checked Zheng Ziheng's expression. Seeing him nod, he immediately thumped his chest in assurance.
"No problem!"
"I want roast chicken!"
"No problem either!"
"Crab-stuffed oranges!"
"All fine! We'll have those dishes delivered to the Spirit Perch Pavilion tonight."
Shen Leyan rubbed his hands together and lowered his voice with a smile.
"Can we make a deal? From now on, could you stop telling everyone you meet that you smelled a Supreme Single Spiritual Root?"
"No. As a Spirit-Testing Stone, I have morals, standards, and principles!"
"I'll treat you to something new tonight. It'll definitely taste better than roast chicken or pastries."
The little girl looked skeptical. "Really? You're an outer disciple of the Cloud Radiance Sect. You probably don't have much money to buy me tasty things, do you?"
"The finest ingredients often call for the simplest cooking methods. And the simplest ingredients call for my own secret cooking methods!"
"Is it really that good?"
"Of course! If you finish eating tonight and think it doesn't taste very good, I'll immediately tell the whole sect that I have a Wind Spiritual Root.
Then I'll climb up to the Cicada Song Pavilion, kowtow three times before Lu Yuanyi, and beg him to take me as his disciple and teach me to cultivate!"
"I wouldn't have guessed you could be so ruthless toward yourself." The little girl wore a complicated expression. "Since you've sworn such a terrible oath, I'll trust you this once."
"Then, about my Wind Spiritual Root..."
"Wind Spiritual Root? What Wind Spiritual Root? I don't know anything!"
Shen Leyan gave her a thumbs-up.
It was already getting late. Before long, it would be completely dark, so he had to hurry and prepare the ingredients and seasonings.
Standing a short distance away, Zheng Ziheng only saw his junior brother huddle with the Spirit-Testing Stone and whisper about something. Once they finished, his junior brother's worried expression gave way to a radiant smile.
He even began singing in his mind. The sun shines overhead~ The flowers smile at me~ The birds say morning, morning, morning~
Zheng Ziheng had no idea where that folk tune came from. Both the words and melody were novel, unlike anything he had heard before.
Since his junior brother didn't volunteer an explanation, he didn't ask.
With a slight lift of his hand, the binding spell brought the Spirit-Testing Stone flying to his side. The little girl seemed to be thinking about some delicious food. The tears on her face had yet to dry, but a happy smile already tugged at her lips.
Both the boy and the stone were smiling rather suspiciously.
Zheng Ziheng released the binding spell and told the little girl,
"Master instructed me to take you back to the Spirit Perch Pavilion immediately so he could question you personally about the Supreme Single Spiritual Root."
The little girl held out her hands. "You'd better tie me up with the binding spell again."
Zheng Ziheng stopped short. "...What do you mean?"
"What Supreme Single Spiritual Root? Did I ever say anything about a Supreme Single Spiritual Root? Who heard me say that?!"
Even if you have that big meanie Lu Yuanyi come question me himself, I don't know anything about any Supreme Single Spiritual Root!"
Zheng Ziheng said, "..."
His junior brother finished singing.
As expected of a Spirit-Testing Stone with morals, principles, and standards. She really keeps her word! I'll reward you with an extra plate of thinly sliced fatty beef tonight!
Shen Leyan had a clear understanding of his cooking skills. He could manage instant noodles, but he certainly couldn't produce a lavish feast.
When he had promised the Spirit-Testing Stone something delicious tonight, he had intended to make foods that didn't exist in this cultivation world.
Hot pot, for instance. Or snow-skin cream dumplings. Or taro milk tea.
For the hot pot broth, he just needed some star anise and other spices, meat bones simmered into stock, and a little fried chili oil. He would have to spend some money buying the other ingredients from the sect dining hall's kitchen.
Shen Leyan bought glutinous rice flour, a block of tofu, a few eggs, a large piece of beef, and some fresh vegetables. He asked an inner disciple with fire-aspected spiritual energy to help turn a copper pot into a Yin-Yang Hot Pot, then lugged everything back to his dormitory, huffing and puffing.
His roommates had all gone to evening class, but Chen Jing, the senior brother who had experienced the village fire with him, was lingering in the corridor. He appeared to be waiting for him.
"Senior Brother Chen Jing!"
"Hey!"
Chen Jing beckoned to him, hurried over to help carry his things, and glanced down at them.
"What's all this stuff? Haven't you had dinner? Did you go raid the dining hall's supplies?"
Shen Leyan smiled. "No, I promised a sto... someone that I'd make her a late-night snack."
I only woke up this evening, so I haven't had a chance to ask you yet. How did your Spiritual Root test go, senior brother? Any good news?"
Before you continue