C82 Protecting My Junior Brothers..

Stepping onto the Inner Sect's round platform, he was struck by how different this place was. The area was expansive, dominated by a sizable round platform at its center. On either side of the platform stood two elderly men, each cradling a stone in their hands.

The stones were deceptively plain, entirely white without the luster of glass, indistinguishable from the rough stones scattered on the ground.

Yet, Jiang Su recognized their significance: one was a Spirit Inspection Stone, a tool for assessing spiritual roots, and the other, a Divine Inspection Stone, for gauging divine sense.

He had already gauged the potential of the two youths.

The youth in the black robe had been silent throughout their journey. Had he not uttered a "thank you" to Jiang Su earlier, Jiang Su might have mistaken him for being mute.

Noticing the youth's gaze fixed on his sword, he inquired, "What is your name?"

"Xi Junrong."

Xi Junrong's demeanor shifted as he responded to Jiang Su with a solemn tone.

"So you're Xi Junrong. Do you belong to the Xi family from the Wuchu Region? I'm Lee Shiyan."

While Lee Shiyan was busy trying to engage Xi Junrong in conversation, the two elders on the platform had already noticed Jiang Su. They bowed promptly, and Jiang Su acknowledged them with a slight nod.

In the Cultivation World, power commanded respect. Moreover, as the Head Disciple of an elder, his status was elevated. In modern times, the sight of two venerable gentlemen bowing to him would have made headlines.

Lee Shiyan felt a twinge of disappointment as Xi Junrong continued to ignore him. He mused, "Has my charm really dwindled to such lows? Xi Junrong spoke with Jiang Su, but why won't he engage with me?"

His gaze shifted to Jiang Su, bathed in sunlight before them.

Well, it was clear—Jiang Su was the more handsome of the two.

Yang Tian didn't need to guess why Shen Yunqing hadn't entered with Jiang Su; he was certain she had gone off to weep. If Jiang Su could turn away such a gentle beauty, what exactly was he after?

As more individuals arrived, their attention wasn't drawn to the two old men on the grand platform. Instead, they were captivated by the sight of a young man in white, standing to the left of the platform.

The youth in white stood tall and straight, a three-foot black sword hanging at his waist, looking every bit the celestial being descended to earth.

A chorus of awe filled the air.

"Can you believe how striking that Outer Sect disciple is? Does someone that handsome even exist in this world?"

"I'm already envisioning my blissful future in the First Devil Sect!"

"Outer Sect or not, I'm smitten with him."

Initially, the male cultivators were dumbstruck by Jiang Su's visage, but upon noticing his pristine white attire, they scoffed with derision.

"He's merely reached the Mid Period of the Foundation Stage."

"What a waste. With looks like that, I'd be on the Azure Cloud Rankings in no time. My potential is leagues beyond that of an average Outer Sect disciple like him."

"I could take down ten of him without breaking a sweat!"

Yang Tian sat on a stool, eager to see how his esteemed senior brother would handle such a scenario.

The two elders on the round platform and the Outer Sect disciples in attendance were all taken aback.

Did these newcomers really have the audacity to mock the Eldest Senior Brother before even joining the First Devil Sect?

The elders exchanged glances, ready to discipline the offenders, but Jiang Su gestured for them to stand down.

The elders hesitated, then retracted their gathered spiritual energy. The Eldest Senior Brother must have his reasons.

Shangguan Yue was already fuming, hearing them belittle his prized disciple. What gave them the right to criticize?

Jiang Su remained unfazed by their words, focused solely on fulfilling the task assigned by the system.

He turned and regarded the crowd with a cool gaze.

Silenced by his stare, they didn't dare utter another word.

Despite his calm exterior, Jiang Su exuded an imposing presence, exerting an invisible pressure on them.

The two venerable hosts promptly announced, "Now that we're all assembled, let's commence the testing."

The crowd surged forward, oblivious to the fact that Jiang Su had already seen through their abilities.

To Jiang Su's astonishment, the young man in the blue robe possessed a Double Spiritual Root, inherently at odds. How would he manage to cultivate?

Little did he expect to find so many among this group grappling with the same dilemma.

Yet, there were a few understated youths among them, each endowed with either a Single or Double Spiritual Root.

He couldn't shake the feeling that the task assigned by the system was extraordinary.

After the talent assessment, some were elated, clutching the Jade Slip that granted them access to the third challenge. Others were disheartened, their talents falling short of the threshold for Outer Sect discipleship.

At last, it was time for Xi Junrong, Lee Shiyan, and the individual with the Double Spiritual Root to test their aptitude.

Lee Shiyan stepped up first onto the round platform, beginning with the divine sense evaluation.

"Purple Divine Sense!"

Next came the spiritual root assessment.

"Your spiritual root is the Fire Spiritual Root! You've fully met the criteria to join the First Devil Sect. Kindly provide your name to Senior Brother Yang Tian. He will present you with a Jade Slip bearing your name."

At these words, envy washed over the male and female cultivators alike. Those with a Single Spiritual Root were sure to be taken under the wing of the elders. They regarded Lee Shiyan with newfound respect.

Lee Shiyan's smile was one of wry amusement; he had anticipated this outcome.

Approaching Xi Junrong, he flashed a smug grin and said, "Soon, I'll discover which spiritual root you possess. After all, you and I were neck and neck at the top of the stairway challenge."

Jiang Su watched as the individual with both Fire and Water Spiritual Roots ascended the platform.

"Purple Divine Sense!"

"You possess the Water and Fire Spiritual Roots."

The elder hesitated for a moment before adding, "By our rules, you qualify for our Devil Sect."

The youth with the Double Spiritual Root didn't wait for the elder to finish. He approached Yang Tian with an icy demeanor and stated, "I am Murong Qi."

Yang Tian was on the verge of chastising him for his arrogance, but upon hearing the elder's introduction, he bit back his words. Could this be the son of the Wuchu Region's Domain Lord his master had spoken of?

How could this young man harbor two mutually opposing spiritual roots within him?

And how was he to cultivate them?

Though inwardly grumbling, Yang Tian maintained a composed facade, even mustering a sycophantic smile.

Murong Qi was indifferent to Yang Tian's thoughts. After receiving his Jade Slip, he simply turned and walked away.

The hall fell into a hushed silence. In the Devil Domain, Murong Qi was a name that no one dared to cross.

His possession of a Double Spiritual Root was intimidating enough, but even without any spiritual root, they would still fear to provoke him.

Jiang Su, blessed with exceptional hearing, caught every word of their conversation. Could this youth with the Double Spiritual Root be related to his wife?

He pondered whether to encourage the young man to pursue cultivation, considering Xi Junrong was the only one in the vicinity who hadn't identified his spiritual root or divine sense.

With an impassive face, Xi Junrong stepped forward.

"He possesses an Orange Divine Sense!" The elder's voice, thick with excitement, filled the hall.

Lee Shiyan paused, then burst into jubilation. His instincts had been right. Xi Junrong had an Orange Divine Sense—the most superior grade!

Jiang Su's gaze locked onto Xi Junrong.

"You have a Quinary Spiritual Root! How can this be?" The elder stared in disbelief at the young man before him, struggling to accept the reality.

How could a youth with the coveted Orange Divine Sense be the same person unable to cultivate due to a worthless Quinary Spiritual Root?

"It's beyond me why a cultivator with a so-called useless Quinary Spiritual Root would dare to try out for the First Devil Sect's disciple trials."

"It's laughable! A cultivator with a useless Quinary Spiritual Root ought to live as a mortal! You're not even fit to be a servant in the First Devil Sect!"

"What does it matter if you have an Orange Divine Sense? You still can't engage in cultivation. Better to descend to the mortal realm and chop wood."

Listening to the taunts, Jiang Su's expression grew icy.

Xi Junrong remained rooted to the spot on the platform, seemingly at a loss for words.

"Didn't your parents teach you manners?" A chilling voice cut through the hall.

Jiang Su flicked a folding fan from his grasp. Its sharp edge whisked over the heads of the male cultivators mocking Xi Junrong. They ducked swiftly, the fan's handle glinting with a cold light, emanating a fierce sword energy.

Witnessing this display, Yang Tian rose from his seat, gasping in astonishment at the chilling sword energy.

Jiang Su's sword energy was incredibly potent!

The male cultivators were visibly shaken by Jiang Su's display, trembling from head to toe, their eyes wide with terror. The fan had been launched with such startling suddenness. Had their reflexes been any slower, they would have been decapitated on the spot.

This individual was truly fearsome!

An eerie silence fell over the entire hall.