Seeing the result displayed on the Spirit Testing Stone, Mo Yao felt his mind go blank.
He had considered the possibility that he might not be able to cultivate.
After all, out of all the people who had tested earlier, only two had shown spiritual roots.
But now that Bai Qiushui had spiritual roots, if he had none, their promise to cultivate together would be impossible to fulfill.
The thought filled Mo Yao with a deep sense of loss.
Seeing his expression darken, Bai Qiushui turned to Peng Yue in panic and asked,
“Immortal Master Peng, does having no spiritual roots really mean someone can’t cultivate?”
“Mm. Without spiritual roots, one cannot sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and thus cannot draw qi into the body to cultivate. Perhaps high-level cultivators have methods, but at the very least, our Tianqing Sect’s two strongest Golden Core elders are powerless in this regard.”
Hearing Peng Yue’s answer, Bai Qiushui immediately turned back to Mo Yao and said,
“Brother Yao, why don’t I just not go cultivate? Staying in the village with you would be nice too. Who knows, there might still be a chance for us to leave this place when we grow up.”
Peng Yue was stunned by Bai Qiushui’s words.
What should I do?
It would be such a shame if this girl doesn’t join our sect.
A water-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root! Such a genius hasn’t appeared in our sect for hundreds of years.
Sigh, the mortal world really causes trouble.
Mo Yao simply gave a bitter smile and patted Bai Qiushui’s head.
“Qiushui, this is your own immortal fate. You should cherish it properly. There’s no need to give up your talent for my sake. Besides, didn’t the Immortal Master just say that if you become a powerful immortal, you might find a way to let me cultivate as well?”
“I… I’ll definitely cultivate hard! Once I’m strong enough, I’ll come back and bring Brother Yao to the sect with me.”
“Mm. I believe you can do it, Qiushui.”
Mo Yao patted her slender arm, then turned and walked toward the village outskirts.
“But for now, let me have some time alone to clear my head.”
Watching the two of them, Peng Yue breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
Good thing that young man persuaded the girl.
If the sect found out I encountered a Heavenly Spiritual Root but failed to bring her back, I would definitely face punishment and ridicule.
He gave a small sigh of regret as he watched Mo Yao leave, then called Bai Qiushui over and took out two copies of the Qi Induction Technique, handing them to her.
“This is a simple qi induction manual suitable for beginners to draw qi into the body. You and Lü Yang can read through it first. Since you made that promise earlier, entering the path sooner will bring many benefits.”
“Mm. Thank you, Immortal Master.”
Bai Qiushui gave Peng Yue a respectful bow, then took the manual and walked to the side.
She handed one copy to Lü Yang and began attempting the breathing exercises as described.
“Then, will the next person please step forward for testing…”
Outside the village, in the outer reaches of the endless mountain range, Mo Yao walked slowly through the forest in one particular direction.
His destination was the spot where he had originally found his protective charm.
Over the years, whenever he felt unhappy, he would go there while holding his charm.
Gripping the protective charm on his chest, Mo Yao felt his restless heart gradually calm down.
A warm feeling slowly rose within him, making him feel much better.
How magical.
I thought I was special and that’s why this stone had such an effect on me. In the end, I’m just an ordinary mortal.
Mo Yao smiled bitterly as he leaned against a large tree and sat down.
He raised the protective charm in front of his eyes.
It was nearing dusk, and the crimson rays of the setting sun shone into the stone.
Watching the seven-colored brilliance it reflected, he fell into a daze.
What should I do from now on?
Even though Bai Qiushui had promised to find a way to help him cultivate once she became strong, Mo Yao knew that reaching such a level would take an incredibly long time, no matter how talented Qiushui was.
Should he just wait in the village for her? What if he became an old man by then?
The thought that Bai Qiushui might return after achieving great cultivation only to find him on the verge of death filled him with helplessness.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Mo Yao muttered,
“Sigh… Maybe it would be better if I left the village and searched for my own immortal fate!”
Suddenly, a voice came from the forest behind him.
“Young friend, I heard you say you want to search for immortal fate. Is that correct?”
Two sets of footsteps followed. Mo Yao stood up and turned around to see two tall men in black robes slowly walking toward him.
“This one is Mo Yao. May I ask for the honored names of you two seniors?”
Mo Yao could tell at a glance that the two black-robed men possessed extraordinary auras.
He maintained a safe distance, bowed respectfully, and gave his name.
“You are not yet qualified to know our names. However, we may have some clues regarding the immortal fate you mentioned earlier. Are you interested?”
One of the black-robed men stepped slightly forward, looking down at Mo Yao arrogantly with a faint smile.
“Perhaps the immortal fate you seek lies with us.”
“R-Really? But earlier, an Immortal Master came to our village and said I have no spiritual roots, so I cannot cultivate.”
“Having no spiritual roots doesn’t matter. The method I have can allow even ordinary mortals to step onto the immortal path.”
Hearing this, Mo Yao grew excited again. He bowed and said,
“May I ask what method it is? Please enlighten me, Immortal Master!”
“Very well. But before that, answer a few questions from me. Once you do, I shall grant you your immortal fate.”
“What are the questions?”
“Is the village you spoke of Qinglu Village? And how many immortal masters came to your village?”
“It is indeed Qinglu Village. Only one immortal master came.”
Upon hearing Mo Yao’s answer, the black-robed man suddenly burst into laughter.
“Good! Very good! Your answers satisfy me greatly. Then, I shall now bestow your immortal fate upon you.”
With that, a pitch-black banner suddenly appeared in the man’s hand.
The banner fluttered without any wind, and waves of sinister cold air emanated from it.
“Come into my soul banner and cultivate to immortality!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the man waved the banner.
A violent shockwave erupted, sending Mo Yao flying backward until he slammed into a tree behind him.
The man then made a grasping motion with one hand.
Two wooden nails shot out, piercing through Mo Yao’s right palm and shoulder, pinning him firmly to the tree.
“Heh heh, kid. This soul banner is a magical artifact personally bestowed by our leader. Becoming its first living soul is quite an honor for you.”
Mo Yao felt the pain and chilling sensation from his right hand. An indescribable fear surged in his heart.
This is bad. They aren’t good people after all. I was too impulsive.
Even though he had kept his distance when speaking with them, ordinary mortals had no chance of resisting cultivators.
Moreover, because the conversation involved cultivation, Mo Yao had completely failed to notice how suspicious it was for the two to suddenly appear in the forest.
I even told them about the village. They might be planning to harm it. Damn it.
While Mo Yao was still thinking this, the black-robed man approached him.
He activated the banner in his hand, and a fierce yin wind suddenly howled.
A skull slowly materialized from the center of the banner, looking as though it were about to charge forward and devour Mo Yao.
Staring at the banner, Mo Yao closed his eyes and thought,
I hope the immortal in the village can protect everyone.
It’s a shame I won’t get to see what Qiushui looks like when she becomes strong. I’m sorry, Qiushui.
I couldn’t keep our promise.
Just as the skull fully formed and was about to swallow Mo Yao, the other black-robed man suddenly spoke.
“Wait. Refining a living soul with the soul banner for the first time creates too much disturbance. We’re too close to the Tianqing Sect’s territory. It might get discovered. Completing the mission comes first. Don’t ruin everything over one mortal’s soul.”
The first man clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction but reluctantly put the banner away.
“What about this kid? Should we just kill him?”
“Do as you please. Or do you have a better idea?”
The black-robed man lowered his head in thought for a moment, then suddenly said,
“I just thought of a good idea.”
He then threw a stone onto the ground in front of Mo Yao.
“This is a Shadow Recording Stone. Soon, we will go to your village and slaughter every single villager as a blood sacrifice, extracting their souls to refine them. This stone will record the scene of their massacre. You will be forced to watch it all. Hahahahaha!”
Hearing the black-robed man’s words, Mo Yao was instantly filled with rage.
He struggled violently and shouted,
“You bastards! If you want to do something, come at me! Why attack them?!”
“Hee hee hee, exactly. They will all be killed because of you. Your information gave us this opportunity. Get angry. Hate us. The stronger your emotions, the more powerful the vengeful spirit you will become after death. After we kill everyone you know, everyone important to you, we’ll send you to reunite with them. Of course, the reunion will take place inside my soul banner. Hahahaha!”
The black-robed man’s words continuously provoked Mo Yao, causing him to struggle even harder.
He wished he could lunge forward and fight the men to the death.
Unfortunately, the two wooden nails held him firmly against the tree, continuously draining his life force.
No matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free.
All he could do was glare at the two men with bloodshot eyes.
“Hehe, kid. Struggle all you want while you wait for our good news.”
The two men ignored Mo Yao.
After walking a few steps, they mysteriously vanished into the forest.