Spirit Testing Ceremony

Spring rain pattered down, moistening all things in silence.

Canglang Mountain seemed to be veiled in a layer of gauze amid the endless mist and rain, its verdant slopes hazy and indistinct.

Dawn had only just broken. At the foot of the mountain, people milled about in groups of three or five, heading toward the summit.

At the mountaintop stood a vast, secluded platform. An ancient palace hall sat at its very center, displaying a magnificent and grand presence.

Today was the day of the Shen Family's Spirit Testing Ceremony. The place blazed with lamplight, while the youths' faces brimmed with anticipation and unease.

A middle-aged man in a black robe stood on the high platform, steady as a deep pool and towering as a mountain. His temples were faintly graying, and his weathered face was expressionless, carrying a solemn dignity that inspired awe without anger.

"It's the Third Elder presiding. It seems the family really values this Spirit Testing Ceremony."

"Ever since Brother Shen Feng was found to possess a Fire-Wood Dual Spirit Root, no supreme heavenly talent has appeared for ten years. The clan must be doing this for Shen Yun."

"Indeed. The First Elder once said that Shen Yun had precocious wisdom. His talent must be extraordinary."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their gazes focused on a handsome young boy.

The Shen Family was renowned throughout the three-thousand-li expanse around Canglang Mountain. With the Golden Core True Person Shen Changkong holding down the fort, the clan had no fewer than a hundred thousand members.

Every spring, they held the Spirit Testing Ceremony to test the spirit-root aptitude of Shen Family children who had reached the age of twelve.

Everyone said that one needed "wealth, companions, Dharma, and location" to cultivate immortality, but aptitude was actually the stepping stone into the Cultivation World.

The overwhelming majority of people did not even possess spirit roots. No matter how hard they worked, they would only squander their years.

Even in the Golden Core Shen Family, which lived in a place rich in spiritual energy and possessed a powerful Immortal Bloodline, more than half had no spirit roots. They were fit only to manage mundane industries, and would have no status whatsoever for their entire lives.

Spirit-root aptitude was further distinguished by the number of spirit-root attributes.

Cultivators generally devoted themselves to refining a single type of spiritual power, separating the grain from the chaff.

The more spirit-root attributes one possessed, the more complicated the spiritual power they absorbed became, yielding half the result for twice the effort.

Four-Attribute Spirit Roots and Five-Attribute Spirit Roots were called inferior spirit roots. Their owners could basically only struggle within the Qi Refining Realm. Without a fortuitous encounter, it was impossible for them to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, and they made up more than ninety percent of cultivators.

A Three-Attribute Spirit Root was already considered excellent. Its owner would become a key target for the Shen Family's cultivation and be regarded as a future Foundation Establishment seed.

As for a Dual-Attribute Spirit Root, that was a true genius of the Dao. Its owner could basically break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and might even reach the legendary Golden Core Realm.

The Shen Family's only Golden Core powerhouse, Supreme Elder Shen Changkong, possessed a Gold-Water Dual Spirit Root. After seven hundred years of profound cultivation, he had become the family's true stabilizing pillar.

The legendary Single-Attribute Spirit Root, also known as a Heavenly Spirit Root, had not appeared in the Shen Family for several centuries. It was the supreme heavenly talent that could only be encountered by chance.

The youth who had drawn everyone's attention wore no expression on his handsome face. His mature air, surpassing his years, earned secret admiration from the onlookers.

After twelve years in this new world, I finally made it to the day of the spirit-root test.

The youth was named Shen Yun. His soul had come from Blue Star. In his previous life, he had been merely one among countless ordinary people before descending into this mysterious Cultivation World in an infant's body.

In this life, Shen Yun's father was still alive. He was a collateral-branch steward of the Shen Family, with a cultivation base at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining. As for Mother Shen, she had died in the upheaval ten years ago. Now, only father and son remained, dependent on each other for survival.

When Shen Yun was young, he had not deliberately displayed himself. However, his composure made him Stand Out, and he occasionally uttered words that made people ponder deeply. Thus, his reputation for precocious wisdom spread throughout the Shen Family.

In this life, Shen Yun never forgot anything he read, and his calculating ability was extraordinary. Even in the mortal world, he would unquestionably have been top scholar material.

Though he had been Not Showy, those who spent time with him From time to time could still discover how different he was.

He was like a firefly in the dark night, so bright and outstanding that no matter how he hid, he could not conceal his light.

The Shen Family's foremost genius, Shen Feng, had also displayed all kinds of extraordinary qualities in his youth, but compared with Shen Yun, he was still eclipsed.

In the past, the Spirit Testing Ceremony had always been presided over by a steward. This was the first time a major figure like the Third Elder had appeared personally, showing how highly the Shen Family regarded Shen Yun.

There were two peers beside Shen Yun. The boy looked ordinary, but his eyes were lively and he had a quick-witted air, though there was some inferiority between his brows.

His name was Shen Qiu. He usually liked to follow behind Shen Yun and From time to time imitate him.

The other was a Young Girl with bright eyes and pearly teeth. Her thick black hair fell over her shoulders, giving her the air of a refined young lady. Her cloud-patterned dress was finely made, and the jade bangle around her wrist glowed with lush green color, clearly showing that she came from an extremely wealthy household.

Her name was Shen Qingruo. Her father, Su An, had originally been an external relative of the family, but was later granted the Shen surname and renamed Shen An.

He was also a collateral-branch steward and was good friends with Shen Yun's father.

Her mother came from the Shen Family's Main Branch and was even the Legitimate Daughter of an elder, making Shen Qingruo extremely popular from childhood.

Feeling the eager gazes around him, Shen Yun shook his head and thought privately: People in the Cultivation World really do mature early. They know to seize promising investments from childhood.

He and Shen Qingruo were childhood sweethearts. When they were young, she had been cold and had treated him with the same indifference.

As the years passed, Shen Yun came to regard her as his younger sister. Perhaps sensing his genuine affection, Shen Qingruo gradually opened her heart as well, and their relationship became like that of brother and sister.

Shen Qingruo looked toward Shen Yun and said with a sweet smile, "I've been worrying about the Spirit Testing Ceremony for a whole month. I'm so envious of Brother Shen Yun's calmness."

Shen Qiu nodded deeply in agreement and sighed, "Brother Shen Yun is confident and prepared. Unlike me—I was so nervous last night that I couldn't sleep."

"When you reach the mountain, there will be a path over it. Just let nature take its course."

Shen Yun did not trouble himself needlessly. He took Shen Qingruo's words as a joke; with her background, she had surely already tested her spirit root and was merely here to go through the motions.

Once everyone had arrived, the Third Elder strode forward with his back straight and reached the enormous Spirit Sensing Stone. In a resonant voice, he said, "Today is the Spirit Testing Ceremony, and also the most important turning point in your lives. I have nothing else to say. Those whose names are called, come forward."

"Shen Kun."

As the Third Elder's voice fell, a somewhat timid youth shuffled forward. His trembling hand rested on the Spirit Sensing Stone, but the black stone body showed no reaction.

The Third Elder remained expressionless and said calmly, "No spirit root. Next..."

Shen Kun's face instantly turned deathly pale. Gritting his teeth, he slowly walked back into the crowd, his entire person utterly dejected.

Suffering a black opening, the others felt an ominous chill as well. The second person likewise had no spirit root, and it was not until the third that the stone stele flashed with a dim five-colored radiance.

"Five-Attribute Spirit Root aptitude. Next."

The Spirit Testing Ceremony proceeded Methodically. Nearly seventy percent of the people had no spirit roots, while the rest possessed either Four-Attribute Spirit Roots or Five-Attribute Spirit Roots.

Those with spirit roots were delirious with joy, while those without them looked ashen. It was even more extreme than passing the imperial examinations.

From then on, they would be sharply divided, and would never have any further dealings with one another.

The dragon did not dwell with the snake. This was the cruel reality.

Suddenly, the Spirit Sensing Stone erupted with three-colored radiance. A tall, thin youth appeared radiant, lifting his head with a face full of Pride.

"Shen Kuangtao, Gold-Water-Earth Three-Attribute Spirit Root. From now on, work hard and shine for the family."

For the first time, the Third Elder regarded him directly. Four-Attribute Spirit Roots and Five-Attribute Spirit Roots were, at most, the family's screws; only Three-Attribute Spirit Roots were the true backbone.

Shen Kuangtao strode forward with his head held high. In the past, he had been the most inconspicuous nobody. Now, he had Reached the Sky in One Step.

barring accidents, a Three-Attribute Spirit Root would certainly break through to the Late Qi Refining Stage and become a collateral-branch steward. He would count as a person of standing within the clan, and those who had previously sneered at him now wore ingratiating smiles.

"Yesterday, you ignored me. Today, you can't afford to reach me."

Shen Kuangtao held his head high, his Pride soaring to the heavens.

"Next, Shen Qingruo!"

As the words landed, Shen Qingruo walked out from the crowd, her graceful bearing drawing countless gazes.

Shen Qiu's eyes remained fixed on the Young Girl's back, with an almost imperceptible longing hidden deep in the Bottom of the Eyes.

"Qingruo, you've come."

The Third Elder greeted her, then looked at her with some anticipation, thinking privately: The Fifth Elder is always boasting about his granddaughter. I want to see just how outstanding she is.

Shen Qingruo bowed to the Third Elder, then placed her pale hand on the Spirit Sensing Stone.

A powerful fluctuation erupted. Blue and green radiance blazed forth, scattering even the clouds and mist among the mountains.

The Third Elder's face lit up with delight. He Took a Deep Breath and announced in a ringing voice, "Shen Qingruo, Water-Wood Dual Spirit Root."