Chapter 83: Kindling and Pillar

Seeing this scene, the six Foundation Establishment cultivators standing on the cloud boat could not help but be moved, their gazes toward Chen Beiwu carrying a trace of fiery heat.

Before their eyes, this itinerant cultivator was the first Water-Attribute Heavenly Root cultivator to appear in Hidden Mist Market since its founding a thousand years ago.

What was the concept of a Heavenly Root?

As one of the highest-grade spiritual roots, even without the aid of pills or external forces, a Water-Attribute Heavenly Root cultivator cultivated at a speed far beyond that of an Earth-Grade Root cultivator. For them, breakthroughs in realms were as smooth as treading level ground.

It was no exaggeration to say that as long as such a cultivator did not die prematurely, the probability of attaining the Golden Core was as high as seventy percent.

Even in Mirror Moon Sect, where powerful experts were numerous, a cultivator of such aptitude would be regarded as one of the sect’s future mainstays, even nurtured as a pillar of the sect.

“Pity this fellow hides too deeply.” The Gu Clan’s patriarch glanced at Shu You beside him.

If not for the envoy of Mirror Moon Sect being present, he might have had a chance to recruit this Heavenly Root cultivator into his clan, nurturing ties.

Even if the other party was unwilling, he could have forcibly bound him as a son-in-law, sending talented and beautiful girls of the clan to serve him wholeheartedly.

Even if they could not produce a Heavenly Root prodigy, simply bearing several Earth-Grade Root offspring would already bring the Gu Clan enormous profit.

“How is this possible!”

“To think it is actually a Heavenly False Root!”

“Sixteen years old and already at the Eighth Level of Qi Refining—this talent is truly…”

Ignoring the shock among the cultivators below, Shu You’s figure flashed and appeared before Chen Beiwu.

“Greetings, Moon-Choosing Envoy.”

Sensing himself become the focus of all eyes, Chen Beiwu cupped his hands slightly toward Shu You.

“Junior brother, no need for such formality. Senior sister is only in charge of opening the mountain and recruiting disciples—the true Moon-Choosing Envoy is someone else.”

Shu You shifted slightly aside, avoiding Chen Beiwu’s salute, and revealed a kind smile. “If junior brother does not mind, you may simply call me Senior Sister Shu.”

“Senior Sister Shu.” Realizing her gesture of goodwill, Chen Beiwu bowed again.

This time Shu You did not avoid it and instead asked for Chen Beiwu’s name.

“Chen Zi’ang.” Chen Beiwu uttered the name of his past life. It was the identity he had carefully prepared for the sect entry test.

“A fine name. Junior brother Chen, why not accompany me aboard the cloud boat to watch the Moon-Choosing Ceremony?” Shu You invited warmly.

“The Moon-Choosing Ceremony has three trials and three temperings. I have only passed the first one. Would this not trouble Senior Sister Gu too much?” To Chen Beiwu’s surprise, Shu You did not inquire into his background at all.

From her reaction, he seemed to have underestimated the weight of Heavenly Root aptitude.

Otherwise, a Foundation Establishment expert like Shu You would never address him as ‘Junior Brother Chen’ with such extraordinary warmth.

“It is no matter. The three trials of the Moon-Choosing Ceremony are meant for ordinary cultivators. Junior brother possesses the talent of a superior Moon-Watching aptitude. According to the sect’s laws, you may directly enter the inner sect.” Shu You explained.

The difference between a Heavenly Root and a Heavenly False Root was not large.

The former was pure, having a single Five Elements attribute—such as pure water, pure fire, and so on. Without even Foundation Establishment, they could already cultivate top-tier methods of the Southern Wastes.

Their cultivation speed was not only rapid as a storm, but they could also bypass the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment. Even Golden Core breakthroughs faced almost no obstruction.

The latter, however, had mixed attributes, possessing two or more elements. Yet, they too displayed the advantages of Heavenly Root aptitude, only slightly inferior.

It was no exaggeration to say that once a Heavenly False Root cultivator entered the sect, the elders would certainly compete to take them as disciples.

Otherwise, Chen Zi’ang would not have been evaluated by the Spirit-Testing Mirror as “Inner Sect Disciple, Sequence Candidate!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Beiwu did not refuse. Amidst the envious gazes of countless itinerant cultivators, he boarded the cloud boat with Shu You, sitting in the same row with the Foundation Establishment experts of the Gu, Chi, Yu, Yuan, and Shui families, laughing and conversing with ease.

“Damn, comparison will kill you with anger!”

Seeing Chen Zi’ang suddenly become a valued guest among Foundation Establishment experts, some itinerant cultivators turned red-eyed with jealousy.

Heaven was unjust!

Why was it that though all were itinerant cultivators, they were despised as ordinary roots, while Chen Zi’ang soared above the clouds with a Heavenly Root?

‘Alas, decades of bitter cultivation are not worth the single root of a child. Perhaps this is fate!’

One itinerant cultivator sighed, walking numbly out of the market, clearly his spirit broken.

Meanwhile, aboard the cloud boat, Shu You gently introduced the general situation of Mirror Moon Sect to Chen Beiwu.

Before long, the time of one incense stick passed, and the Spirit Testing for itinerant cultivators was complete.

“With junior brother here, quite a few seedlings appeared among this year’s itinerants.” Shu You spoke lightly.

Chen Beiwu smiled faintly, his gaze landing on two somewhat familiar faces among the itinerants.

One was Shi Botao, whom he had encountered on his way to Hidden Mist Market. His evaluation was: “Wood-Attribute Earth Root, thirty years old, Ninth Level of Qi Refining, aptitude: Crescent Middle Grade, permitted.”

The other was Wei Xuesong, whose fate was dark blue tinged with orange. His evaluation was: “Fire-Attribute Earth Root, thirty-one years old, Ninth Level of Qi Refining, aptitude: Crescent Lower Grade, permitted.”

“Senior Sister Shu, does the sect also accept itinerants over thirty who are still in Qi Refining?” Chen Beiwu asked curiously.

“Of course. Our sect is a famous alchemy sect in the Earth Proliferation Territory of the Southern Wastes. Nearly all Foundation Establishment Pills circulating in the Mountain Submergence Realm come from Mirror Moon Sect.”

Shu You chuckled, unsurprised. “Every year, some itinerants at the peak of Qi Refining join the sect to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills. But inevitably, a few turn out to be ungrateful white-eyed wolves.”

Hearing this, the surrounding Foundation Establishment cultivators’ expressions did not change, their smiles unwavering.

Unlike those rebels with treacherous hearts, they were loyal and devoted, their hearts belonging only to Mirror Moon Sect, and naturally did not take her words as offensive.

Hearing this, Chen Beiwu’s heart jolted, though his face remained calm.

The reason he chose Mirror Moon Sect was not only because of his compatible root and desire for cultivation resources, but above all because the sect did not inquire about background or origins when accepting disciples.

Yet from Shu You’s words, there was actually a chain of disdain within Mirror Moon Sect!

Thus, Chen Beiwu widened his eyes slightly, feigning confusion. “White-eyed wolves?”

“Yes.” Shu You looked at Chen Beiwu’s sharp brows and starry eyes and said bluntly, “Most itinerants who can cultivate to the Ninth Level of Qi Refining are men who have bloodied their blades. These itinerants disregard law and morality, betraying great principles for petty gain. Junior brother may use them, but never trust them.”

“Senior Sister Shu, I too am of itinerant origin.” Chen Beiwu’s tone paused.

“Junior brother, you misunderstand.” Shu You blinked her heroic eyes lightly, carrying none of the arrogance of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

“Senior sister too was once an itinerant.”

Saying this, Shu You revealed a bright smile. “But there are differences even among itinerants. Junior brother, you are not like them. They are the kindling and branches of the sect, while you are the pillar of the sect’s future.”

Do not be fooled by the fact that she was now a Foundation Establishment cultivator, with status above Chen Zi’ang.

But with Chen Zi’ang’s aptitude, once he entered the sect’s main lineage and cultivated diligently for several decades, he could become a sequence disciple, contending with the sect’s prodigies for the position of true disciple. A hundred years later, he might smoothly form his Golden Core, becoming a highly placed Golden Core elder of the sect.

Thus, she had spoken those somewhat flattering and sycophantic words.

There was no helping it. In Mirror Moon Sect, aptitude represented the future. That was the cruel reality.

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