Taking the Test

At those words, Xu Yan perked up and looked ahead.

An enormous platform appeared before them. Since it stood on higher ground, it looked several people tall from where the three of them were standing.

On the side facing Separation Valley, dozens of steps extended down toward the entrance to Separation Valley Market.

This was the Azure Peak Terrace the plump youth, Du Fei, had spoken of.

Cultivators already crowded the front of Azure Peak Terrace, though they were still too far away to make out their faces clearly.

By now, Du Fei was growing excited. He urged them, "Come on, hurry! We don't want to miss registration."

With that, Du Fei circulated the magic power throughout his body and sped toward Azure Peak Terrace.

Seeing this, Xu Yan and Du Jinlong hurried after him.

Before long, the three reached Azure Peak Terrace. Two middle-aged cultivators in black robes stood on the highest steps, their auras powerful and their eyes exceptionally sharp. Each held a Storage Bag containing identity jade tokens and gazed ahead expressionlessly.

Before the two black-robed cultivators, several hundred boys and girls stood quietly in a single line. All were cultivators waiting to register.

Just then, Du Fei's voice rang out beside Xu Yan's ear.

"See them? They're all here for Senior Qi Yun's gathering to recruit nominal disciples. Brother Xu, why don't you register with me?"

Xu Yan immediately shook his head. He had already rejected the idea earlier. If he actually succeeded in becoming Qi Yun's nominal disciple, he feared the Mysterious Green Pearl between his brows would be discovered.

Naturally, the plump youth knew nothing of Xu Yan's thoughts and continued persuading him. "Brother Xu, I know you're afraid of losing face if you enter and aren't chosen. But to tell you the truth, very few rogue cultivators catch Senior Qi Yun's eye and become his nominal disciples. Most are children of cultivation lineages, though occasionally a mortal youth from Inkstone City gets chosen."

As soon as Du Fei finished, Xu Yan realized he had misunderstood him. Still, he offered no explanation and merely shook his head to show that he did not wish to participate.

Seeing this, Du Fei looked frustrated, as though lamenting that iron would not turn to steel. "If you're lucky enough to be accepted as Senior Qi Yun's nominal disciple, you'll reach the heavens in a single step. Never mind reaching Qi Refining Perfection—you might even have a chance at Foundation Establishment."

In Fufeng Commandery, a cultivator who reached the peak of Qi Refining could already become the head of a small cultivation lineage and would count as a figure of considerable renown among rogue cultivators.

After a pause, Du Fei continued, "To tell you the truth, I don't have much hope this time either. Judging by our cultivation levels, our Spiritual Root aptitudes are probably fairly ordinary. There's another reason I'm participating this time: to test my Spiritual Root's attribute and aptitude, so I can prepare for the future."

Xu Yan's interest stirred. He turned to Du Fei and asked, "Brother Du, could you explain in more detail?"

Du Fei nodded.

"I wonder how long it took you to reach your current cultivation level, Brother Xu... Huh? You've broken through!"

The plump youth glanced Xu Yan over and was about to explain when he suddenly cried out in surprise. He had never expected the rogue cultivator he had just met, who had been at the peak of the first level of Qi Refining, to have broken through already. It astonished him.

"It was just luck," Xu Yan said modestly, brushing the matter aside.

Du Fei did not pry. After all, everyone had their own secrets. Composing himself, he continued, "Brother Xu, I don't know how long it took you to reach your current level. It took me five years in total to reach the Second Layer of Qi Refining."

While Xu Yan was still considering how to answer, Du Fei continued on his own.

"I imagine it took you about as long as it took me. Judging by that, we most likely both have low-grade spiritual roots. The chances of having mid-grade spiritual roots are slim."

Seeing Xu Yan's thoughtful expression, Du Fei pondered for a moment before continuing.

"But only a test can tell us exactly what the situation is. Treasures that test spiritual roots are only held by certain cultivation sects and powerful cultivators, so it's difficult for us rogue cultivators to learn about our own spiritual roots."

"The other details don't matter so much. Most importantly, we should learn our spiritual root's attribute. That's crucial to our cultivation. For example, Brother Xu, if you have a Wood Spiritual Root, then under otherwise identical conditions, you'll cultivate much faster with a wood-attribute cultivation method than with one of another attribute."

"Although there are cultivation methods without attributes in the cultivation world, I've only heard of them and never seen one. That makes it especially important to learn your spiritual root's attribute and find a cultivation method suited to it."

Hearing this, Xu Yan was startled. He had never heard any of this before. According to Du Fei, figuring out his spiritual root's attribute was indeed quite important.

Xu Yan also suspected that his spiritual root's grade was not particularly good. If that was the case, he would probably be eliminated even if he registered.

With that thought, Xu Yan made his decision. He cupped his fist toward Du Fei and said, "Thank you for telling me, Brother Du. In that case, let's take the test together and see."

Soon, the two walked to the end of the line to wait for registration.

Not long after they joined the line, the two black-robed cultivators at the top began to act. Every cultivator who registered received an identity jade token after giving their name.

About an hour later, their turn finally came. After receiving their identity jade tokens, the two climbed the steps toward Azure Peak Terrace.

Following the black-robed cultivators' directions, they arrived where the registered cultivators were gathered.

A circular platform with nine unfurled leaves stood in the middle of Azure Peak Terrace. At the center of the nine leaves was a raised section glowing with five-colored light. From a distance, it resembled a flower bud waiting to bloom.

The boys and girls who had registered stood on the nine leaves. Only the central area glowing with five-colored light remained empty.

Before the circular platform with its nine unfurled leaves stood four black-robed cultivators with terrifying auras. When Xu Yan and Du Fei approached, they guided them onto one of the leaves.

Xu Yan examined it. Each leaf was roughly fifty or sixty feet wide and a hundred feet long, emerald green throughout. Up close, he noticed a metallic sheen over its surface.

Just as Xu Yan stepped onto the leaf, Du Fei gently tugged at the corner of his robe and asked, "Do you know what this Nine-Leaf Circular Platform beneath our feet is?"

Seeing Xu Yan shake his head, Du Fei said with a hint of pride, "It's said to be one of Senior Qi Yun's supreme-grade Spirit Artifacts. He's been refining it for decades, intending to turn it into a Magic Treasure."

Xu Yan was startled. Looking at the enormous Nine-Leaf Circular Platform beneath his feet, he wore an expression of disbelief.

"This Nine-Leaf Circular Platform is said to be a supreme-grade flying Spirit Artifact, so it can grow or shrink. It should be at its largest size right now," Du Fei explained further when he saw Xu Yan's surprise.

Xu Yan nodded and looked around, finding that the other boys and girls were also curiously examining the Nine-Leaf Circular Platform.