C4 Elder

Even with his eyes closed, Hsu Mu could sense the shift in the atmosphere around him. Startled by an exclamation, he opened his eyes to find the Spirit Positioning Board beneath his hands glowing brightly. A surge of joy filled his heart.

But the moment was fleeting; the spiritual energy Lu Yu had channeled into the board was soon depleted, and the luminescence in Hsu Mu's grasp faded away.

"He's got all the spiritual roots. Senior Brother, what do we do now?" Lu Yu asked Wang Zhi, his voice tinged with helplessness.

In all his years overseeing the Spirit Positioning Board, Lu Yu had never encountered a disciple with five spiritual roots. Such a talent was even scarcer than the Heavenly Spiritual Root.

"Just send him for the trial. What else?" Wang Zhi chuckled. "The elders said to send anyone with spiritual roots. They never specified which ones. If anything, just give them a heads-up when you drop him off."

From the sidelines, Hsu Mu listened, confused. Why did his possession of a spiritual root seem to cause these senior brothers such trouble?

Lu Yu, nodding at Wang Zhi's suggestion, addressed the group. "That settles it. You three will stay in the side hall tonight. Tomorrow, Fatty Zhao will escort you down the mountain." He then turned to Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu. "As for you two, since you both have spiritual roots, I'll send you to the trial."

"Yes!" came the chorus of replies, regardless of who had spiritual roots.

The three teenagers without spiritual roots soon departed with lingering looks of envy, leaving Hsu Mu with a quiet sense of pride.

"Come on, I'll take you to Misty Peak," Lu Yu announced. A brilliant flash of light revealed a massive leaf before them. "Step on."

Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu exchanged surprised glances, but it was Hsu Mu who bravely stepped onto the leaf first, with Sheh Yu quickly following.

"Stand firm," Lu Yu instructed. The leaf lifted, soaring higher and higher before shooting off with a whoosh.

First-time flight would make anyone's heart race, and Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu were no exception, clinging to each other as if letting go meant falling. Yet the leaf's flight was smooth, and their fears were unfounded.

As their nerves settled, they caught each other's eye and blushed, quickly separating.

"Haha, what fun!" Lu Yu laughed, clearly amused by their reaction. It seemed he had planned this all along.

The two didn't dare to confront Lu Yu, and as they were just beginning to enjoy the sensation of flight, the leaf began its gentle descent.

"Yo, Junior Brother Lu, what brings you to Misty Peak?" A piercing voice called out.

Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu turned to see a man with a sharp face and dark skin approaching, a grin plastered on his face. This was Hsiao Zhi, another Outer Sect disciple from Misty Peak, not Liverlam Rise.

Both Hsiao Zhi and Lu Yu were at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, making it difficult to determine seniority. Still, Hsiao Zhi insisted on addressing Lu Yu as junior brother, believing his own cultivation slightly superior.

"Junior Brother Hsiao, these two are the disciples I'm bringing for the trial. Could you inform the elders?" Lu Yu's tone suggested a lack of fondness for Hsiao Zhi.

Hsiao Zhi paused, puzzled. "Isn't the trial for new disciples over?"

"They're from the village at the mountain's base. The sect rules allow them to participate in the trial if they have spiritual roots," Lu Yu explained calmly.

Realizing the significance, Hsiao Zhi eyed Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu. "You mean the village has produced two disciples with spiritual roots this year?"

"Exactly. Please pass the message, Junior Brother."

With business at hand, Hsiao Zhi no longer quibbled over seniority and headed straight into the nearby hall.

Hsu Mu surveyed the area, noting the distinct differences from the Heaven's Hidden Peak's hall and the thick fog that shrouded Misty Peak, obscuring anything beyond ten feet.

Soon, Hsiao Zhi emerged from the hall, instructing Lu Yu, "The elder has asked me to bring them in. Junior Brother Lu, you may return."

Lu Yu nodded. "Before I go, just so you know, this young man possesses the rare five spiritual roots. Perhaps mention that to the elder." With that, he departed.

After finishing his statement, Lu Yu soared into the sky, vanishing above Misty Peak in the blink of an eye.

Interestingly, as he departed, he wasn't standing on the green leaf as before, but on a small red sword—likely the fabled flying sword.

Hsiao Zhi paused, taken aback. "Five spiritual roots?"

Then, he regarded Hsu Mu with a newfound curiosity in his gaze.

"Come with me," Hsiao Zhi instructed, leading the way. Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu quickly fell in step behind him.

Soon, they entered a grand hall, where a solitary figure sat on an elevated platform.

A closer look revealed an elderly man with white hair and beard, lean yet exuding an air of sage-like vitality. He sat there, tranquil and enigmatic, like a deep, still pool.

"Greetings, Elder. These are the individuals I mentioned earlier," Hsiao Zhi said, stepping forward with a respectful bow.

"Ah... Impressive. Your ancestors once rendered great service to our sect but met untimely ends. Since then, our Ancestral Master vowed that your villagers would have the chance to join the Immortal Sect."

"Alas, the ways of Heaven are merciless, and those with spiritual roots are rare. Generation after generation, you've dwelled in the mountains, with scarcely anyone joining our ranks. Today, to have two of you enter the sect is indeed a fortunate day for Liverlam Rise!"

The elder's voice, resonating from the platform, was like a sacred chant.

His speech was cryptic, but Hsu Mu and Sheh Yu managed to grasp the essence of it.

Essentially, their village ancestor's significant contributions to Liverlam Rise had earned them the right to join the sect, though few possessed the necessary spiritual roots.

Without further comment from the elder, Hsiao Zhi quickly added, "One more thing, Elder. Senior Brother Lu mentioned that this male disciple possesses five spiritual roots and asked me to inform you."

"Oh?" The previously stoic elder showed a flicker of surprise. "A five spiritual root? I've heard that Junior Disciple Liu has been searching for a disciple with such a rare trait. You should take him to meet Liu directly."

Hsiao Zhi hesitated, wondering if this breached protocol, but ultimately he held his tongue.

Junior Disciple Liu was a cultivator at the Foundation Stage, whom Hsiao Zhi was obliged to address as Uncle.

Typically, only those who excelled in the entrance trial and showed promise of becoming an Inner Sect disciple were granted the privilege of apprenticing under him directly.