Chapter 2 Genius or Trash

  Only those with spiritual roots can embark on the path of cultivating immortality, and the number of spiritual roots determines their innate talent for cultivation.

  There is a spiritual root, and one can cultivate immortality. Usually, cultivators of immortality have several different spiritual roots, such as this young man Huang Shulang who holds a copper mirror in his hand. He has three water spiritual roots and one wood spiritual root. In the Water Spirit Sect, he is considered to be an excellent disciple in terms of talent.

  If there are more than four identical spiritual roots, it would be a treasure of the sect and would receive meticulous care. However, such people are extremely rare, and even in hundreds of years, it's not necessarily possible to see one.

  Moreover, with different spiritual roots, the cultivation methods also have huge differences. The more spiritual roots one has, the faster they can cultivate the corresponding method. Therefore, before entering a Xianmen sect, it is essential to first determine the type and number of spiritual roots. If one cultivates the wrong method, at best they will make no progress for decades, and at worst they will go crazy and become a walking corpse.

  Since the Wu Ling Men has already branched out into five different sects, the Shui Ling Men naturally only selects disciples who are suitable for water-based martial arts. As for other children, even if they have spiritual roots, they will be ignored.

  This time, I came to select a disciple, it was just for an agreement. In the past, the Five Spirits Sect encountered a disaster that threatened its very existence, and it was only thanks to the intervention of Tianyun Zun that the sect was able to continue on. And this Tianyun Zun happened to be from the Stone Family Village, so he made an agreement with the Five Spirits Sect: every twenty years, the Five Spirits Sect would come to the Stone Family Village to select a disciple.

  Now, two hundred years have passed, and it is unknown whether Tianyun Zun has broken through the Golden Core stage to become a Yuan Ying stage great cultivator or has exhausted his lifespan and turned into a handful of yellow earth. However, this appointment was continued.

  Even if the Five Spirits Sect is divided into five factions, they dare not go back on their promise to the Golden Elixir Cultivators. Every twenty years, coming here to select disciples has become a tradition that continues to this day.

  However, Shijiazhuang is located in a remote area and there are very few children with spiritual roots, so the five sects pushed each other around until they finally decided that each sect would take turns coming once.

  It has been nearly a hundred years since the Five Spirits Sect was divided into five factions, and this time it is the turn of the Water Spirit Sect to select disciples in Shijiazhuang.

  ……………

  One, two, three... When the three earth spiritual roots appeared on the copper mirror, Huang Shu Lang was already somewhat unable to contain his breath. Three identical spiritual roots, their innate talent had reached his level, if they were to enter the Earth Spiritual Sect, they would certainly be core disciples, but for them, the Water Spiritual Sect was harmful and useless.

  "It's better for someone like him to grow old and die in a poor and remote place." Huang Shu-lang thought to himself.

  "Four strokes!" Another young monk exclaimed in surprise "How is this possible?"

  "Shut up," Huang Shu Lang interrupted. What surprised him was that another spiritual root appeared on the copper mirror.

  "Four Earth Spiritual Roots?" Huang Shu Lang's heart was stirred up with shock and astonishment. Four spiritual roots, all of which were earth spiritual roots - this kind of innate talent was extremely rare. It wasn't impossible for him to be taken in as a direct disciple by the sect's elder.

  "Brother Huang, five... five strokes..." The monk's tongue was stiff with fear.

  "What?" Huang Shu Lang stared at the copper mirror, where a fifth spiritual root had appeared, and it was yellow, a earth spiritual root. Huang Shu Lang felt a strange dizziness, he blinked his eyes hard, but indeed, there were five earth spiritual roots on the copper mirror.

  Huang Shu Lang picked up the copper mirror and stuck it on a junior brother's head. Before long, two water spirit roots and one gold spirit root appeared on the mirror, but there were no further changes.

  The bronze mirror for testing spiritual roots was certainly infallible, but the young boy in front of him really had five spiritual roots, and they were all earth spiritual roots? Huang Shu Lang couldn't believe it.

  The other monks were also stunned, and they all looked at Huang Shu-Lang, hoping he could make a decision. After all, the appearance of a person with five spiritual roots was not a trivial matter.

  Huang Shu Lang was also very conflicted in his heart. If it were only four earth spiritual roots, then so be it. But this kid actually had five earth spiritual roots. Bringing him back would be of no use to the Water Spirit Sect. However, legend has it that with five spiritual roots, one could automatically sense the heaven and earth's primal energy. Who knows, maybe one day he'll become a big shot or join the Earth Spirit Sect, which would be a huge blow to the Water Spirit Sect.

  "No, he can't be allowed to do as he pleases." In an instant, Huang Shu Lang realized that this matter was not something he could take charge of himself, and must be decided by the sect's master and elders.

  "You passed, stand over there." Huang Shu-lang pointed to several children who had already passed the test and said calmly.

  "Wow! Shi Gan Tang is also cultivating immortality!"

  "With strength like an ox in every stone, I knew he was capable."

  …………

  "Alright, today's test is over. Those who passed can go back and reunite with their loved ones. Cultivation is a journey against the current, don't be distracted by worldly affairs. Today we part ways, and within ten years, there should be no more days of reunion." Huang Shu Lang interrupted the crowd's murmurs.

  "Ten years?" The crowd erupted into another commotion, but no one would give up their child's path to immortality just because they wouldn't see them for ten years. And those chosen children were filled with a sense of pride in their hearts, and didn't feel much separation anxiety.

  As for Ishikawa, he had no worries at all, because as long as he was full, his whole family wouldn't go hungry.

  However, he still had a hint of reluctance in his heart, which was Qingchuan.

  "Right, Qingchuan can also test it out. Who says girls can't test their spiritual roots?" Ishikawa suddenly thought of something and hastily shouted: "Immortal, I have a younger sister too, let her test it as well."

  Ishikawa took three steps and ran over, pulling out Ishihara from the crowd of people who were cheering for Ishikawa.

  Huang Shu Lang's eyes revealed a hint of ferocity, but upon seeing Shi Qing Chuan, his expression slightly eased, and he placed the copper mirror on Shi Qing Chuan's head.

  "Four Water Spirit Roots!" Huang Shu Lang almost shouted out loud, the stimulation he received today was too great, having just discovered a five-barred Earth Spirit Root and now another four-barred Water Spirit Root appeared, how could he bear it.

  After a while, Huang Shu Lang nodded in the gaze of the two men, squeezing out two words from between his teeth: "Pass!"

  "Stone Brother, I passed! I passed!" Qingchuan exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down.

  Ishikawa's face revealed a rare smile, and with that, his last concern in his heart was gone.

  …………

  Me!

  "Me too!"

  Four people were squeezed out of the crowd, which turned out to be Ishikawa's distant uncle and aunt, along with their two precious sons.

  "Stone Rooster, didn't you go to the city to watch a play? How come you ran back?" someone teased. Shi Chuan, this distant uncle, was notorious for being stingy near and far, thus earning him the nickname "Stone Rooster".

  The stone rooster seemed not to have heard, bowed his waist, and made several big bows to the yellow book boy and others, saying: "Several immortal masters, I have two sons, usually clever and wise, can you see if they can worship you as a teacher?"

  Huang Shu Lang seemed as if he hadn't heard anything and closed his eyes to meditate.

  "Stinky girl, quickly help your two brothers beg the immortal master." Shi Gongji slapped Shi Qingchuan on the back of his head. They were on their way into town when they heard that an immortal was coming to take in disciples, so they rushed back hastily, and just now outside they heard that Shi Qingchuan had already been taken as a disciple by the immortal.

  "What are you going to do?" Ishikawa grabbed the arm of Sekkou and pushed him out more than 10 feet away.

  "You little scamp have turned everything upside down!" The Stone Rooster couple let out a loud cry, bared their fangs and claws, and were about to charge forward.

  "Immortal Master, these two are my brothers, please help them take the test." Shi Qingchuan begged.

  Huang Shu Lang opened his eyes and looked at these two ugly people, who were really not comparable to Shi Qing Chuan's elegant appearance. However, Shi Qing Chuan had four spiritual roots, and once he entered the sect, he would definitely receive attention from the elders, with an unlimited future ahead of him. Huang Shu Lang was happy to be a helpful person in this situation.

  "Okay, come and try it out."

  "One has a golden spiritual root, another has none at all." Huang Shu Lang held up the copper mirror and immediately got the result.

  "You two are hopeless cases, don't even think about practicing Taoism for the rest of your lives, just get out of here." Huang Shu Lang said bluntly.

  "What, impossible? Even this useless Stone can cultivate immortality, why can't we?" Stone Abi and Stone Li loudly howled, their eyes also revealing a venomous gaze towards Shi Chuan.

  "Immortal, perhaps you've made a mistake? Please take another look." The Stone Rooster couple hastily said.

  "Will I be wrong?" Huang Shu Lang said coldly. If they weren't Shi Qing Chuan's parents, he wouldn't be so polite.

  "Immortal, what's the use of taking this girl back? And this stone, it's just a foolish thing. My two sons are clever, if you take her back, let them do whatever they want."

  "Don't make me repeat myself." Huang Shu-lang was getting annoyed, talking to these country bumpkins made him feel utterly humiliated.

  "Immortal, look at it this way, take my daughter with you and leave this stone idiot here. Take one of my sons with you..." Stone Rooster's teeth clenched, as if he had made a very big decision.

  "Get out!" Huang Shu Lang roared, and the onlookers felt their blood boiling with anger, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

  The old woman was not to be trifled with: "I picked up this little girl and raised her for over a decade, now you want to take her away? That would make my efforts all in vain. If you don't bring back my son today, I'll..."

  Upon hearing this, both Ishikawa and Harukawa's faces turned pale. It turned out that Harukawa was actually adopted, not their biological child.

  Shi Neng and Shi Li saw their mother cry, so they came up to grab one of Qingchuan's arms, pulling hard back and forth, muttering: "We won't let her go, this girl can't go either."

  "Looking for death!" Before Ishikawa could make a move, two silver glows condensed in Huang Shu Lang's hands.

  "Ow! Ow!" The two of them, Shi Neng and Shi Li, lay on the ground, clutching their stomachs with both hands, wailing loudly.

  "The immortal has shown his divine power!" The onlookers immediately knelt down and started kowtowing.

  Huang Shu Lang slightly closed his eyes, suppressing the delicate spiritual energy within him. With his cultivation at the third layer of Qi Refining, he could already use two Ice Needles Techniques, which was quite impressive.

  "Qingchuan is already a disciple of our Shuiling Gate, and if you dare to behave improperly again, you will be killed without pardon!"

  "Alright, you all scatter quickly and gather here again after a quarter of an hour." Another young monk ordered, after all, this was the hometown of the legendary Golden Elixir Cultivator Tianyun Zunzhe, he didn't want to stir up any more trouble.

  Ishikawa pulled Qingchuan's hand and ran towards the direction of the mountain temple, fearing that Shigongji would catch up with Qingchuan again.

  After living in the mountain temple for a few years, Ishikawa also has a lot of feelings inside. This time being able to pass the test, Ishikawa also subconsciously attributed it to the mountain god. So before leaving, making an offering is a must.

  As soon as they returned to the Mountain God Temple, that old beggar immediately came up to them, with a joyful expression on his face, and said: "Have you passed the test?"

  "Haven't you left yet?" Ishikawa only then remembered that he should have gone to find breakfast earlier.

  Ishikawa didn't have time to bother with this old beggar, and pulled Ishiakawa to kneel in front of the mountain god's statue and said: "Thank you for the protection of the mountain god, we are going to practice immortality, ten years later, come back to worship you."

  "Haha, still worshiping the mountain god? If the disciples of Wuling Gate hear about it, they'll skin you alive." The old beggar chuckled and said.

  "What is the Wuling Gate?" After Ishikawa bowed respectfully, he stood up: "I'm going to cultivate immortality now. In the future, don't steal things. If you really can't make ends meet, just beg for food. It's not worth being beaten to death by bad people."

  "Isn't it the Wuling Gate that's here to collect disciples this time?" The old beggar asked curiously.

  "Of course not. It seems to be called water... Shuilingmen, yes, Shuilingmen." Ishikawa thought hard for a moment.

  "Water Spirit Gate? How is that possible." The old beggar's eyes showed a look of surprise, muttering to himself: "It shouldn't be, Water Spirit Gate, where did the Water Spirit Gate come from?"

  "Alright, we're leaving now, take good care of yourself from now on." Ishikawa pulled out Harukawa and was about to leave.

  "Wait, wait a minute." The old beggar suddenly became very anxious, as if making some important decision.

  After a while, it seemed that a decision had been made, and he said: "Little girl, can you go out and wait for a moment? I want to have a few words with this little brother alone, just for a short while?"