Spiritual Root Test

The sun was still high in the sky, but Lu Feng had already endured a whirlwind of misfortune.

He'd been robbed, kidnapped by pirates, and even found himself discussing exam loopholes with the acting Sect Master of White Moon sect.

It was enough to make anyone wonder who they'd possibly wronged to deserve such a chaotic day.

Fang Qi's situation was no better than Lu Feng's. After all, he was the one who invited the acting sect master.

To make matters worse, he had revealed his secret: he had purchased the examination questions from the sect elder.

Fang Qi couldn't help but wonder what punishment awaited him, a mere mortal child.

Observing Lu Feng and Fang Qi's despair and anticipation of arrest, Lui Ningyue felt a sense of relief, as if she had dodged a bullet by remaining silent during their journey. "These two are clearly untrustworthy," she thought to herself.

Yun Yue, standing at the imposing gates of the White Moon Sect, surveyed the eager crowd below.

Her gaze briefly swept over the trio. A rare smile touched her lips.

"I'm here for the sect examination," she mused internally, "but as an examiner."

After a brief pause, she addressed the crowd, her voice commanding and resonant:

"The White Moon Sect welcomes all of you to the Sect Examination. I am Yun Yue, the acting sect master, responsible for overseeing this recruitment process."

"Any human, regardless of their background, can join our sect."

"However, we do not accept just anyone. Only those with unwavering resolve and honest character will pass our trials."

Her tone grew serious. "Cultivating immortality is a perilous path. Your life might lose your life at any moment."

She paused, her eyes sweeping over the crowd. "As the acting sect master, I give you the option to leave now if you believe you are not fit for this exam. This sect will not stop you."

Despite her words, no one moved. The crowd below, prepared for every challenge, remained resolute.

Even Fang Qi and Lu Feng, who had initially planned to cheat, stood their ground. Their determination, even in the face of the acting sect master, was undeniable.

Yun Yue, acknowledging their determination, signaled for the opening of the sect gates.

The group of candidates, eager to embark on the path of cultivation, were guided towards the examination grounds.

The examination area was vast, capable of housing a small city, a testament to the White Moon sect's formidable power. Despite its grandeur, the site was shrouded in a thick fog, obscuring everything except for a colossal stage positioned at its center.

The fog, however, held a purpose. It served as a veil, concealing the nature of the trials ahead. Only those who successfully passed the first test would have the fog clear, revealing the path to the next stage of the examination.

Upon the massive stage, a man of about forty sat with a detached air, as if he was merely an observer, untouched by the anxieties of the aspiring cultivators.

Beside him rested a colossal blue spirit stone, the size of a small tree. This stone held a critical role, it served as the instrument to assess the candidates' spiritual roots.

Yun Yue, leading the candidates toward the stage, halted before the crowd and addressed them.

"Cultivating immortality necessitates a spiritual root, a gift bestowed upon you at birth, unchangeable unless you are blessed by a heavenly opportunity."

Her voice resonated with firmness: "The White Moon sect only accepts disciples who possess exceptional spiritual roots. Those who do not meet this standard will be dismissed."

"Furthermore, you must be under the age of seventeen to qualify. Those exceeding this age, even if they possess extraordinary spiritual roots, will be deemed ineligible and asked to leave."

Her gaze swept over the candidates before landing upon the colossal spirit stone. "This stone," she declared, "will determine your fate!"

Fang Qi and Lui Ningyue were deeply inspired by the Yun Yue words, their spirits soaring.

Lu Feng, however, felt a chill run down his spine.

While initially energized by Yun Yue's speech, Lu Feng's motivation plummeted upon hearing the sect's age requirement of 17. His heart sank, realizing his predicament.

At 25 years old, before his forced reincarnation by the system, Lu Feng was now ineligible.

He felt a deep sense of discouragement, as if his childhood fiance had broken off their marriage engagement due to his old age.

"I've never read this in novels! Aren't reincarnated MC supposed to be under 15?" Lu Feng grumbled inwardly, questioning the system's logic.

Despite his disappointment, Lu Feng, a seasoned survivor of countless trials, had grown in resilience.

"Well, I'm here anyway. I'll just test my spiritual root and leave," he thought.

Lu Feng considered the wooden token given by the merchant lady in his pocket: "This might help me on my way back to Star Moon City."

He wasn't arrogant enough to challenge the sect's rules. He knew defying them could result in a ban from the White Moon Sect for divulging and discussing examination questions in front of the acting sect master!

While Lu Feng was stuck with his dilemma, numerous candidates ascended the stage to test their spiritual roots.

Yun Yue, the acting sect master, stepped aside, leaving the examination to the man seated on the platform.

This man, in his forties, had vibrant black hair and donned a black robe adorned with a golden dragon pattern.

He was Senior Meng Bu, a cultivator in the Half-Step Tribulation Realm, and had once been a disciple of Elder Hang Wu, one of the White Moon Sect's five peak masters.

A shy boy with black hair approached the blue testing stone with great courage, placing his hand upon it.

Senior Meng Bu said: "Age 15, water element root, not bad, passed."

Another candidate, a 16-year-old with a fire element root, also passed.

Then, a young girl with a confident aura and noble attire stepped forward. She placed her hand on the testing stone, awaiting her results.

Senior Meng Bu, however, uttered, "Hmm? A rare dual attribute fire and water spiritual root? It seems damaged and forcibly stolen. It appears your family sought the help of a profound master with extraordinary cultivation to heal your body as a child."

Lan Ming, the girl in question, looked at Senior Meng Bu, who was stroking his imaginary beard, with immense respect.

Just one glance at her results allowed him to accurately pinpoint her hidden injuries. As expected of the senior in charge of testing at the White Moon Sect!

Lan Ming bowed deeply. "Senior was able to uncover my injuries; this junior is in awe. "

Meng Bu, acknowledging her respect, replied, "It's nothing; I was the one your family invited."

Lan Ming: " ... "

Lan Ming, speechless, could only nod in acknowledgement.

Senior Meng Bu continued and announced the results.

"Age 19, wood element, failed."

"Age 16, earth element, passed."

"Age 17, Asura bloodline, passed."

All eyes turned to the 15-year-old boy, a towering figure of six feet with a robust build.

A hidden bloodline was a rare occurrence, and everyone was intrigued. The boy was simple in appearance, with dark skin and dressed in tribal clothing.

Senior Meng Bu nodded, acknowledging the boy's potential.

Fang Qi, unable to sit still, eagerly approached the testing stone.

He placed his hand on its surface, and the quiet stone erupted with radiant light!

Senior Meng Bu was taken aback.

"A pure yang spiritual root!" he exclaimed. This was the first time he had witnessed such a root. It was said that cultivators with this root possessed an endless future, with no hurdles or bottlenecks on their path to immortality.

Senior Meng Bu, beaming with happiness, patted Fang Qi's back.

"Fang Qi, Age 17, pure yang spiritual root, passed! " He announced.

He had recruited a powerful spiritual root disciple, guaranteeing his year-end bonus. He was in a good mood.

Everyone below looked at Fang Qi with envy, eager to befriend him. After all, with a pure yang spiritual root, his future was boundless.

While everyone was praising Fang Qi, Lu Feng, who had remained quiet the entire time, suddenly spoke:

"Pure yang spiritual root? Doesn't this mean you'll be single for life?"

Fang Qi, who was basking in the spotlight, was taken aback by Lu Feng's words. His mood turned sour.

"You're single, your whole family is single!" he retorted, clearly displeased.

Lu Feng ignored him and walked to the testing stage, looking at Senior Meng Bu.

"Well, what he said isn't entirely true," Senior Meng Bu replied awkwardly, facing Lu Feng and Fang Qi's inquisitive stares.

"Once you reach the immortal realm, you will be free from the shackles of the pure yang body!"

Fang Qi's face soured further at his words, unwilling to accept his fate.

Lu Feng, observing his reaction, couldn't help but smile in amusement.

The novels from his previous life hadn't lied; with a pure yang root, he would indeed remain single for the rest of his life.