Chapter 310 | I Really Don't Want to Cultivate Immortality!

"Ha~"

"Boring..."

As the Spirit Inquiry began, the chanting voices rose and fell with rhythmic cadence. Occasionally, a qualified candidate would enter the center of the square, but most were still sent away.

Disciples whose talent was acceptable but didn't quite meet the threshold of the Wendao Sword Sect boarded the ships one after another.

One ship filled up.

One ship sailed away.

They were taken to the Central Plains. There, with the recommendation of the Wendao Sword Sect, they would participate in the assessments and tests of other sects.

Some became inner disciples.

Some became outer disciples.

In the end, they were still able to cultivate, which counted as stepping through the immortal gate.

As for those who completely lacked a spirit root...

They would be sent back to where they came from, given a sum of money as a settlement stipend.

They would live out an ordinary life.

The dream of cultivation had ended, but having visited the Wendao Sword Sect and caught a glimpse of this immortal mountain gate, they would have enough stories to brag about for half a lifetime.

Xu Xian hadn't known this before; he had thought recruiting disciples was simple. Where could it be difficult? Those eliminated went back to where they came from, and those who passed stayed.

But after hosting it himself, he realized there was much more to it.

The Wendao Sword Sect had indeed considered everything thoroughly, adhering to the principle that even if someone was eliminated, they should never leave with a grievance.

However...

It was indeed boring.

Lu Yuan rested his chin on his hand, yawning from time to time, looking drowsy.

The several Elders beside him also had their heads drooping, nodding off...

Unless.

Only when they occasionally heard of a single spirit root possessor would they instantly snap awake and look over from afar.

Then they would offer a round of critique.

"Good!"

Cultivation was a matter of fate. The quality of a spirit root depended entirely on birth; there was truly no way to predict it.

Though it was said that where there's a will, there's a way, and why couldn't a mortal cultivate? As long as one worked hard, it could be done.

The key was...

If you had no spirit root, there was no place to direct that effort. It was the same logic as being unable to raise fish in the desert or keep a chicken alive underwater.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours...

The spirit testing was fast. After a few hours, the long queue shortened. Over a thousand children had passed the Spirit Inquiry, which was slightly more than in previous years.

However, up until now, there were only two individuals with a single spirit root.

That was actually fewer than in previous years.

Suddenly, another chant rang out.

"Bone age: eleven."

"Single attribute."

"Fire spirit root!"

The Elders on the stage let out a soft murmur, all of them stretching their necks to look. Xu Xian also couldn't help but perk up, gazing into the distance.

In one of the spirit testing formations, a child was looking around.

With a timid gaze, she stepped out of the formation. Sensing too many eyes on her, she was exceptionally restrained, scratching her head from time to time.

The child truly looked about ten years old, wearing ordinary clothes that were slightly dusty. Her hair wasn't long, draped loosely and a bit messy, like a fuzzy ball. Her face was stained with dust.

It couldn't be called filthy.

But it wasn't clean either.

She likely had no one to look after her, which was why she appeared this way.

Looking closely, one could discern she was a little girl. Beneath the hair on her forehead, there was a faint, shimmering mark that looked like a wisp of flame.

Beside him, the Elders grew interested, whispering and discussing among themselves.

"Hmm... it's a girl?"

"A girl is good, a girl is good, haha. Girls are well-behaved and don't cause trouble."

"She looks quite timid. Her heart shouldn't be bad either; passing the Heart Inquiry formation shouldn't be much of a problem."

"The age is also appropriate. An eleven-year-old child is the easiest to trick."

"What kind of truth are you blabbing? You shouldn't call it 'trick'; call it 'easy to guide.' If you don't know how to speak properly, then speak less."

Xu Xian heard this and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.

He had asked out of boredom before why the Wendao Sword Sect only recruited disciples between the ages of ten and fifteen.

The answer he received was blunt and simple.

To put it plainly, children of this age were the easiest to trick.

Their thoughts and values weren't fully formed yet, making them the easiest to teach.

Moreover, at ten years old, they saved trouble; they could do chores and take care of themselves.

The words were harsh, but the logic was sound.

"Not bad!"

Xu Xian said softly, glancing sideways only to see that Lu Yuan had sat up straight at some point.

His gaze from beneath the silk ribbon was fixed intently on the little girl, his expression somewhat complex.

Xu Xian was slightly taken aback.

Including this girl, there had been three single spirit roots today.

Lu Yuan had acted as if the first two were none of his business, not even bothering to give them a second look.

But with this girl, he was clearly acting out of character. Xu Xian couldn't help but ask, "What, interested in this child?"

Lu Yuan glanced at Xu Xian and asked back, "You didn't see it?"

Xu Xian felt it was inexplicable. "See what?"

"Take another good look."

Xu Xian was somewhat confused, but a guess—an ill omen—formed in his mind.

Thus, he looked up, but unlike before, he used his Pupil of Insight this time.

Because the distance was too great, he also communicated mentally, letting the little book spirit fly over to use visual sharing for a thorough look.

"Hiss~"

The youth quietly sucked in a breath of cold air, his throat bobbing as he stared blankly at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan said calmly, "You see it now, don't you?"

Xu Xian didn't speak, his brow merely furrowing.

Inwardly, he cried out—what a stroke of luck, he had run into this again.

This child wasn't human; she had demon qi on her.

But what surprised Xu Xian was that under the Pupil of Insight, this person didn't have the slightest ripple of cultivation or spiritual power.

Logically.

With his current realm, under the Pupil of Insight, he should be able to see through even a saint at the peak of the tribulation transcendence stage. Yet, he somehow couldn't understand her...

Was it hidden by some special means?

Or was this a reincarnated body, or perhaps a soul possession?

Xu Xian was uncertain for a moment. Using a voice only he and Lu Yuan could hear, he asked, "What's her background?"

Lu Yuan had heard some things about the Wendao Sword Sect and naturally knew Xu Xian's concerns and worries.

However, he truly hadn't seen through it, so he shook his head.

"I can't tell."

"Hmm?"

Lu Yuan explained, "She's just a little demon, newly born, with a bone age of eleven."

Hearing this, Xu Xian asked back, "Is that possible?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Lu Yuan countered habitually.

Xu Xian was speechless. A newly born little demon, truly only eleven years old, dared to run to the Wendao Sword Sect?

Then her courage was truly not ordinary.

He asked the little book spirit again, and the answer was exactly the same.

Xu Xian was moved, his gaze constantly drifting toward the little thing, intentionally or otherwise. He didn't forget to ask again, "How did you see it?"

"I don't have eyes as good as yours."

"Then..."

Lu Yuan raised his hand and rubbed his nose. "I smelled it. She has the aura of the demon race on her."

As he spoke, he didn't forget to sniff again, confirming, "It's a little fox."

Xu Xian was skeptical. Was Lu Yuan's nose really that sharp?

He didn't make a scene. As the Spirit Inquiry drew to a close, Lu Yuan couldn't help but ask curiously, "What do you plan to do?"

"Let it be!"

Lu Yuan seemed to feel a touch of pity. "You really plan to let her be killed by that sword?"

Xu Xian looked back at him. "What else?"

Lu Yuan waved his hand, indifferent. "It's your Wendao Sword Sect's business. Why ask me?"

Xu Xian shrugged.

For now, the Spirit Inquiry wasn't over, and the Heart Inquiry hadn't started yet.