A Heavenly Spiritual Root?!

Do I count as having a pseudo-spiritual root? Chen Zhuo was a little bewildered. Hadn't they said they only required applicants to be under thirty years old and at the fourth layer of Qi Refining or above? How could someone who met the criteria still be turned away just for having a pseudo-spiritual root? This took Chen Zhuo somewhat by surprise. Over the past ten days back in the Immortal Mansion, he had even put himself through a crash course. He had rigged a VPN on his spiritual communication jade slip and logged into Daluo Domain every day to watch the girls from Hehuan Entertainment perform seductive dances—occasionally even watching the unclothed variety—all to temper his state of mind. Yet what he had never anticipated was this unexpected hurdle. Then again, it made sense. Under normal circumstances, a cultivator with a pseudo-spiritual root could hardly break through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining before turning thirty without an overwhelming infusion of resources. Chen Zhuo had no idea what his spiritual root would register as in this world. After all, the ancient cultivation world had a history stretching back over tens of thousands of years, and it had almost certainly never seen something as purely artificial and high-tech as a synthetic spiritual root. "Well, I'm already here. Even if I'm rejected, getting in is my fortune, and missing out is just my fate." Chen Zhuo felt a slight twinge of regret. If he truly were eliminated, he would have to leave Yunjin Market as soon as possible. Before anyone could track him down, he would return to the Immortal Mansion, lie low for six months to a year, and then come back in disguise to continue working as a scalper in other markets. There was no helping it; he had already shown too much wealth in Yunjin Market. To be safe, switching markets was the wiser course. At worst, he could slip away from the Xu State altogether and head to a market governed by another sect. "Huu... huu..." Li Changqing stood in front of Chen Zhuo, his chest heaving as he drew deep, ragged breaths, visibly tense. He was full of anticipation about what kind of spiritual root aptitudes he and his sister possessed. At the very front of the queue stood a massive, glowing boulder. "If fated, ascend to the immortal hall; if unfated, turn back upon your way. "The path of Dao obeys one's destiny; come and go without delay." Once a sword cultivator at the Qi Refining pinnacle chanted the verse, the proceedings officially began. That massive boulder was called the Immortal Fate Stone. Ash-gray throughout, with an uneven, pitted surface, it looked no different from an ordinary rock. In truth, however, it was a refined dharma treasure designed specifically to distinguish spiritual root aptitudes. Beside the Immortal Fate Stone, three Foundation Establishment cultivators stood guard in a triangular formation. One of them was the elder who had spoken earlier. With a ruddy complexion, white hair, and a white beard, he was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, his spiritual energy held deep within him, faint wisps of sword intent hovering about his form. The other two were a cold, striking female cultivator clad in robes as white as snow, her features delicate as a painting yet carrying an innate chill, with a slender longsword hanging at her waist; and a market deacon from Yunjin Market, looking around forty years old, fair-faced, beardless, and unremarkable. Watching the long, winding line of rogue cultivators before them, the Foundation Establishment deacon let out a sigh and chatted casually with the elder beside him: "Senior Brother Zhao, in recent years, our Yunjin Market has produced precious few immortal seedlings." The elder stroked his beard without a word, simply watching the front of the line in silence. The deacon continued, "In the past five hundred years, Yunjin Market has only yielded two prodigies with double spiritual roots. For the sect to go through such immense trouble screening through these rogue cultivators is far too tedious! In my view, we would be better off recruiting directly from the major cultivation clans. Disciples with established lineages and clan backing at least have solid foundations." Hearing this, the white-robed female cultivator swept her phoenix eyes over the deacon and let out a cold snort: "If we didn't do this to give rogue cultivators a sliver of hope, what would happen if they turned to unrest?" Choked by her words, the deacon smiled sheepishly. "Senior Sister Shen speaks the truth. It was my short-sightedness." Only then did the elder speak in an unhurried tone: "Rogue cultivators are like weeds. Once they lose hope, they will throw themselves into the Western Mountains or the southern wilds! Rather than let them breed trouble in the shadows, it is better to give them something to aspire to, prompting them to keep themselves in check. That also makes it easier to govern the market." While the three were talking, Li Changqing's turn arrived. Taking a deep breath, Li Changqing stepped before the Immortal Fate Stone. Looking at the ash-gray boulder before him, his heart was a knot of nerves. Then, he reached out his palm and slowly pressed it against the stone's cold surface. The moment his palm made contact, the Immortal Fate Stone suddenly lit up. First came gold, followed immediately by flashes of red and blue, sharply delineated. Three distinct colors surfaced upon the stone's face without blending together. Glancing at the stone, the young Qi Refining sword cultivator standing before the three Foundation Establishment seniors immediately announced in a clear voice: "Li Changqing: metal, fire, and water tri-spiritual root. "Metal generating water is mutually nurturing, yet fire overcoming metal and water overcoming fire check and disrupt each other. Innate spiritual energy is discordant. Rejected!" Upon hearing this, Li Changqing's face instantly went pale. The disappointment in his eyes could not be concealed. Looking utterly crestfallen, he stepped backward and slowly pulled his hand away, the light on the stone fading with his touch. As Li Changqing turned around, he heard his younger sister call out timidly behind him, "Brother." Forcing a smile, Li Changqing patted her head. "Don't be afraid, Yao'er. Go give it a try. Maybe your aptitude will be better than mine." Biting her lip, Li Yao nodded and took small, careful steps up to the Immortal Fate Stone. She reached out her small hand and gently pressed it against the surface. Instantly, brilliant radiance burst forth! First came an eruption of blue light, closely followed by a deep green light shining from within the stone, mingling with the blue. The two colors slowly swirled across the stone's face, showing faint signs of fusing into a pale teal halo! This sight immediately seized the attention of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators! The elder's half-closed eyes snapped open, a brilliant glint flashing within them. The white-robed female cultivator also revealed a rare change in expression. The deacon was even more astonished: "A double spiritual root? A water-wood double spiritual root?!" "Good! Good! Excellent! Water is the root source, and wood is vitality! The spiritual energy flows continuously without end—even among double spiritual roots, this is top grade!" The elder laughed heartily. In a flash, he appeared right before Li Yao, his ruddy face radiant with joy. "Little girl, what is your name?" Startled by the elder's sudden appearance, Li Yao answered timidly, "Li... Li Yao..." "Li Yao. A fine name!" Smiling warmly, the elder leaned down and softened his tone: "Do not be afraid. Stand by my side. From this moment on, you are a disciple of our Qiwu Sword Sect." Utterly bewildered, Li Yao looked back at her brother and called out, "Brother..." Her voice was tinged with helplessness. Seeing her reaction, the elder glanced at the crestfallen Li Changqing. After a brief pause for thought, he declared at once, "Young Friend Changqing, you possess an uncommon character. You may enter our sect as a handyman disciple. Would you be willing?" Li Changqing froze in disbelief before being overwhelmed with ecstatic joy! He bowed deeply without hesitation. "Thank you, Senior! This junior is willing!" This development immediately stirred up a commotion throughout the market. The rogue cultivators who had been quietly queuing up began murmuring among themselves. "A double spiritual root! That girl actually has a double spiritual root!" "The last time a double spiritual root appeared in Yunjin Market was over two hundred years ago! Senior Liu from back then eventually reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. What a pity he died in the Southern Wilderness beast calamity; otherwise, the Sword Sect might have gained another Golden Core True Person!" "That Li Changqing has an incompatible tri-spiritual root, yet he managed to enter the sect as well. Having a good sister really is a blessing..." "..." Whispers rose and fell. Some were envious, some were jealous, and others silently lamented that they didn't have a brother or sister with a double spiritual root. The elder frowned slightly, his voice dropping into a stern command: "Silence!" His voice was not loud, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer. A wave of late Foundation Establishment pressure washed over the crowd, instantly plunging the square into dead silence. "Continue the testing!" With that, the elder escorted Li Yao back to his original position. Li Changqing hurriedly followed behind his sister, his face radiant with excitement. At this moment, none of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators had any heart left to pay attention to the subsequent tests. A double spiritual root! Bringing her back to the sect and nurturing her well would mean another seed for a true disciple. At the very least, she would break through to Foundation Establishment and become a cornerstone of the sect, wouldn't she? Moreover, having recruited an immortal seedling with a double spiritual root was a major merit. Who knew, perhaps the True Persons of the sect would reward them with dharma treasures! The line continued moving forward. Before long, it was Chen Zhuo's turn. Taking a deep breath, Chen Zhuo stepped up to the Immortal Fate Stone. His heart was pounding with uncertainty. After all, his spiritual root was a product of synthetic technology and bioengineering. Heaven only knew what the Immortal Fate Stone would detect. Exhaling a breath, Chen Zhuo extended his right hand and slowly pressed it against the stone. The instant his palm met the stone, a chilly sensation washed over him. The very next second, a beam of verdant light shot straight into the sky! Upon the Immortal Fate Stone, the ethereal silhouette of a towering green tree faintly materialized! Still immersed in the joy of securing a double spiritual root seedling, the Foundation Establishment elder subconsciously glanced at the stone. Hmm. Only one color—a pure, vibrant emerald green. A wood spiritual root. And then... Wait, only one color?! A heavenly spiritual root?!