C3 False Spirit Root

Spirit Roots are categorized into Celestial Spirit Root, Earth Spirit Root, Three-Element Spirit Root, and False Spirit Root. Anyone possessing a False Spirit Root is welcome to join the Profound Heaven Sect."

With that, Liu Yun gestured, prompting the two individuals beside him to step forward, each holding a crystal.

"Simply place your hand on the crystal to reveal your Spirit Root. Please form two lines now and begin the Spirit Root test."

As Liu Yun's words settled, Feng Yi and several hundred others quickly formed two lines, taking turns to place their hands on the crystal.

A myriad of colored lights burst forth, bringing joy to some and dismay to others.

During the testing, there were those without any Spirit Root attributes, some with Three-Element Spirit Roots, and others with False Spirit Roots.

Disappointment crossed the faces of Liu Yun and his companions, as neither the anticipated Celestial nor Earth Spirit Roots had emerged.

Then, a brilliant crimson light soared skyward, reaching a hundred feet, startling Liu Yun and the others. One of them exclaimed with joy,

"Celestial Spirit Root! Senior Brother Yun, a Celestial Spirit Root!"

Alas, as the words were uttered, a green light tens of feet tall appeared alongside the crimson glow.

Liu Yun and his companions were taken aback, a hint of disappointment in their eyes, yet they remained thrilled.

While the Celestial Spirit Root was absent, the Earth Spirit Root was still a fine find, promising great future achievements.

Their elation was short-lived, however, as two golden-yellow lights ascended around the crimson and green lights, followed swiftly by a blue light.

Simultaneously, the original crimson light plummeted to just around twenty feet, with the other four lights climbing to the same height.

The trio was at a loss for words. The heavens had raised their hopes only to dash them.

The once-promising bearers of the Celestial Spirit Root had turned out to have a Five-Element False Spirit Root, arguably the poorest of talents.

"What is your name?"

"Feng Yi!"

The individual stirring up such excitement was none other than Feng Yi himself.

"Barely acceptable. Stand on the left and wait."

Senior Brother Yun's face showed no sign of excitement; he spoke in a flat, emotionless tone.

Bang! Bang!

Just then, two dull thuds echoed as a blue and a green beam of light shot towards the heavens, capturing the attention of all present.

Senior Brother Yun and his companions had lost their earlier excitement. After a short wait and seeing no change in the light beams, they finally allowed themselves to show excitement.

"An Earth Spirit Root, at last, we've found one. What's your name?"

"Greetings, Senior Brother. My name is Wu Fann."

A smug look crossed Wu Fann's face. Judging by the reactions of the three, his Earth Spirit Root was undoubtedly exceptional.

"Wu Fann, well done. Please wait over there for a moment!"

Senior Brother Yun said with a smile, then proceeded to assess the Spirit Roots of the others.

Half a quarter of an hour later, a stunning yellow pillar of light burst forth, reaching hundreds of meters into the sky.

Senior Brother Yun and his peers felt a tremor in their hearts. After a brief pause and seeing no further changes, they excitedly exclaimed, "A Celestial Spirit Root, it's truly a Celestial Spirit Root! Quickly, notify the Chief Master of Setting Sun Peak."

One of the three immediately set aside the crystal they were holding and dashed toward the third mountain peak. Senior Brother Yun stood before the woman with an excited look, yet his eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment, for she was a woman.

The Profound Heaven Sect had five peaks in total, each topped with a Chief Master. Setting Sun Peak exclusively recruited female disciples, so this woman with the Celestial Spirit Root was destined for Setting Sun Peak.

"What's your name?"

"Senior Brother, I am Wen Tianjiao of the Wen Family Castle."

Wen Tianjiao spoke to Senior Brother Yun with an air of arrogance.

"So you hail from the Wen Family Castle. It's no surprise you possess a Celestial Spirit Root."

Senior Brother Yun was unfazed. Possessing a Celestial Spirit Root certainly warranted pride.

"Please wait here for a moment; someone will escort you to Setting Sun Peak shortly."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Wen Tianjiao consciously stood aside, awaiting the arrival of someone from Setting Sun Peak to collect her.

Meanwhile, Feng Yi's attention was drawn to Wen Tianjiao. She possessed an oval face, arched eyebrows, and large, dark eyes framed by long lashes that lent her a particularly lively appearance.

In addition to that, her red lips and white teeth contrasted with her jade-like skin, and her delicate figure undeniably marked her as a beauty.

Yet, Feng Yi couldn't help but think to himself: She still pales in comparison to that celestial being.

Among the dozens of others, over half lacked a Spirit Root. In the end, only about a hundred individuals, including Feng Yi, were found to have a Spirit Root. Those without were escorted down from Heavenly Capital Mountain by members of the Flowing Cloud faction.

Fifteen minutes later, five silhouettes arrived, floating down to stand before Feng Yi and the rest.

Wen Tianjiao and several other female disciples were led away by a Female Cultivator, who summoned a Flying Sword and whisked them off towards the Third Peak.

The Earth Spirit Root bearers and a handful of disciples remained on the First Peak, while the others were selected and taken away. Only Feng Yi and another disciple with a False Spirit Root were left behind.

The awkwardness was palpable. Those chosen were elated, wearing expressions of pride as they glanced back at Feng Yi and his companion.

"Damn it, how did I, Hong Jinbao, end up with a Five-element False Spirit Root?"

The man with Feng Yi was named Hong Jinbao, also burdened with a Five-element False Spirit Root.

Hong Jinbao's rotund figure and his naive expression, particularly his yellow-stained teeth, made him stand out.

There was no helping it; even those with a Four-element False Spirit Root had been selected. Only the two of them with their Five-element False Spirit Roots were overlooked.

As everyone dispersed, Flowing Cloud's face bore a smile tinged with resignation.

"Don't lose heart, you two. You possess Five-element False Spirit Roots, after all. With diligence, there's still hope for you to reach the heights of the Foundation Stage."

Historically, individuals with a Five-element False Spirit Root rarely managed to break through to the Foundation Stage. In contrast, those with a Celestial Spirit Root or Earth Spirit Root found it relatively easy to reach the Foundation Stage, and even had a decent chance of advancing to the Golden Core Stage.

Those with a Four-element False Spirit Root could also hope to break through to the Foundation Stage if they were willing to invest heavily in Foundation Building Pills.

As for those with a Five-element False Spirit Root, reaching the Qi Condensation Stage was already a considerable achievement. Senior Brother Yun's words were meant to encourage and console the two of them.

"This is the introductory manual for the Qi Condensation Stage. Practice diligently, and I hope you both will make significant progress," Senior Brother Yun said as he handed a book to each Feng Yi and Hong Jinbao, his voice full of reassurance.

Just then, a figure approached from a distance and called out, "Senior Brother Yun, I've heard we've got two new junior brothers in my Servants' Division. Where might they be?"

"The Servants' Division?" Hong Jinbao exclaimed, his eyes bulging and his chubby frame quivering slightly.

"What's the matter? You think the Servants' Division is beneath you? You should know that we handle all the daily needs of the Profound Heaven Sect members. That's no small responsibility," the newcomer said with a hint of annoyance, although he seemed pleased with the stature of Feng Yi and Hong Jinbao.

"You may look a bit frail, but don't worry. Under my guidance, you'll bulk up in no time," he assured.

"Senior Brother Yun, I'll take these two with me now," he announced.

"Junior Brother Feng, go ahead," Senior Brother Yun replied, and with a swift motion, he soared toward the mountain behind him.

"Come on, I'll show you to the Servants' Division," Qing Feng called to Feng Yi and Hong Jinbao, and within fifteen minutes, they arrived at the base of the five peaks.

There, they found several thatched cottages, numerous large water vats, stacks of firewood, and clothes drying in the open air.

"You two will stay in those cottages over there. I'm just next door, so come find me if you need anything. Your daily tasks include fetching three vats of water and gathering three stacks of firewood. Every seven days, you'll be responsible for washing the robes of the disciples from the five peaks."

As Qing Feng's words fell, he made his way to his own quarters, yet Hong Jinbao couldn't help but call out loudly.

"Senior Brother Qing Feng, what about the other brothers in the Servants' Division?"

Qing Feng let out a sly chuckle. "I used to handle all these tasks by myself, but now that you two are here, I can focus on my cultivation. Do you think there's anyone else?"

"What? You mean you were a one-man army before?"

Smack!

Qing Feng gave Hong Jinbao a sharp rap on the head, then snapped, "Aren't you two my soldiers now?"

"Damn, I thought I was on the path to becoming immortal, but it turns out I've fallen into a den of thieves."

Rubbing his head, Hong Jinbao muttered under his breath. Qing Feng shot him a fierce glare, causing Hong Jinbao to quickly retract his neck.

"Each of you will receive three white steamed buns daily. Pick them up each morning, and don't be late."

With that, Qing Feng retreated into his room to begin his cultivation.

Meanwhile, Feng Yi and Hong Jinbao exchanged wry smiles before heading back to their own rooms to rest.

However, having just joined the Profound Heaven Sect, Feng Yi was too restless to sleep. He immediately began to pore over the introductory cultivation technique.

"The world is filled with spirit, which can be drawn into the body, circulated through all the meridians, and transformed into power..."

Feng Yi diligently studied the text, gaining a basic understanding of the technique. Sadly, his False Spirit Root nature prevented him from sensing the spiritual energy around him.

Despite the setback, Feng Yi's expression was one of bitter resolve.

"I will become immortal, no matter what it takes!"