Chapter 6:Spiritual Roots Testing

Arc 2 - Chapter 6: The Foundations of Power

Late at night, as the moonlight filtered through the window, Ruoyan lay quietly in her crib, eyes half-lidded as she felt the Chaos Energy within her body stir once more.

The space inside her soul had started to expand.

It was no longer just a tiny fragment—now, it had started to form a true domain.

Her inner world.

It was barren, a limitless void, yet filled with pure, untamed chaotic energy.

Ruoyan instinctively understood:

This was her realm.

A world that belonged only to her.

If given time, she could shape it however she wished.

'A world of my own…' she mused.

With such a space, her future would be unlimited.

But she knew one thing—

She couldn't let anyone discover it.

Despite the quiet storm within her, Ruoyan still played the part of a normal child.

Her family had grown even more attached to her.

Her mother, Madam Yue, never let her leave her sight for too long, fearing she would somehow disappear.

Her father, Qin Wen, despite his strict nature, would always gently pat her head before he left for his duties.

Her brothers?

They were her biggest protectors.

Qin Ling, the ever-calm eldest brother, would always hold her hand when she stumbled.

Qin Yu, the talkative second brother, never stopped telling her wild stories.

Qin Hao, the most attached, constantly declared, "Ruoyan is mine!" whenever someone tried to carry her.

Their love was genuine, and for the first time in two lifetimes, Ruoyan felt what it was like to have a real family.

But she knew.

She knew love alone would never be enough.

She had learned that in her past life—when love had turned into betrayal.

That was why she had to grow stronger.

For herself.

For them.

It happened during one of their family's morning gatherings.

Ruoyan was sitting on her mother's lap when her father suddenly frowned.

The air around Ruoyan had changed.

There was a faint pressure—a presence that felt both ancient and boundless.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes narrowing.

And then—his eyes widened in shock.

"This… what kind of energy is this?"

Ruoyan stiffened.

Had she been discovered?!

Her mother, sensing his tension, immediately panicked.

Wen, what's wrong? Is Ruoyan okay?"

He hesitated for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh.

"…She has a unique energy. It's not something I've ever seen before."

Her mother looked worried.

"Is it dangerous?"

Qin Wen shook his head.

"No. But it's… powerful."

Ruoyan lowered her lashes, hiding the glint in her eyes.

She needed to be careful.

Her power was awakening too soon.

If she wasn't careful, others would start paying attention.

And in this world—attention could be dangerous.

That night, as she lay in bed, Ruoyan reached into her soul space once more.

The world within her was growing.

She could feel the Chaos Energy shifting, slowly taking form.

She needed to learn how to control it.

How to hide it.

Because if others discovered her abilities too soon—

She would become a target before she was even strong enough to protect herself.

Ruoyan clenched her tiny fists.

'Not yet…'

She would wait.

She would grow.

And when the time was right—

The Yueying Continent followed one core principle—talent determined one's destiny.

And the first step to determining that talent was spiritual root testing.

For the Qin Family's younger generation, this was an important event that occurred when a child turned three years old.

It was a day that would decide their future path.

Those with strong spiritual roots would receive resources, training, and status.

Those with weak roots… would be left behind.

That day had finally come

Ruoyan, sitting on her mother's lap, listened as her father spoke to her elder brothers.

Qin Wen:"Ling'er, Yu'er, Hao'er, you must take this test seriously. Your results will determine how far you can go in this world."

Her eldest brother, Qin Ling, nodded with a calm and steady expression.

The second brother, Qin Yu, grinned.

"I wonder what kind of spiritual root I'll have! Maybe a legendary one!"

Her youngest brother, Qin Hao, was too busy clinging to Ruoyan, refusing to leave her side.

As the conversation continued, Ruoyan remained silent.

She didn't want to take the test.

Why?

Because she already knew the results.

Her body contained Chaos Energy.

If she truly revealed her talent, she might be labeled as a once-in-a-million-years genius.

But geniuses invited jealousy, schemes, and danger.

She had learned this the hard way in her past life.

This time, she wanted to stay hidden until she had the strength to protect herself.

The Testing Begins

The Qin Family elders gathered in the ancestral hall, where a large crystal orb stood at the center.

This was the Spiritual Root Testing Crystal.

One by one, the children stepped forward.

Qin Ling placed his hand on the crystal. A blue glow flashed.

"Ice spiritual roots. Grade:High-tier."

The elders nodded approvingly.

Qin Yu was next. A blue-green light flickered.

"Water and Wind dual spiritual roots. Grade: High-tier."

A decent result.

Then, Qin Hao excitedly placed his tiny hand on the crystal.

A bright red light burst forth.

"Fire spiritual root. Grade: High-tier!"

Gasps filled the hall.

Qin Hao had the best talent so far!

Their father, Qin Wen, smiled slightly, clearly pleased.

Then, the elders turned to Ruoyan.

"What about the youngest daughter?"

Her mother, Madam Yue, immediately hugged her protectively.

"She's too young! The testing might be dangerous for her fragile body."

Ruoyan looked up at her mother, inwardly relieved.

'Mother is my greatest shield.'

Her father, after a moment of hesitation, finally nodded.

"Ruoyan doesn't need to be tested now. We can wait until she's older."

With that decision, the elders didn't press further.

Ruoyan sighed in relief.

She had successfully avoided revealing her true nature.

Later that night, as the family gathered, Ruoyan's father looked at her with thoughtful eyes.

"Ruoyan… do you not want to cultivate?"

Ruoyan tilted her head, giving him an innocent look.

"Papa, cultivation is scary…" she mumbled softly.

Her father chuckled, patting her head.

"There's nothing to fear. You are my daughter. No matter what your talent is, I will protect you."

His words were reassuring, but Ruoyan knew the truth.

In this world, power was everything.

But for now, she would continue playing the role of an innocent child.

She would remain hidden.

Until the day she could truly stand on her own.

The spiritual root testing had ended, and Ruoyan had successfully avoided drawing attention to herself.

That night, as she lay in her warm bed, listening to the soft breathing of her mother beside her, she opened her eyes.

Her small hands clenched into fists under the blanket.

'I may have avoided the test, but I cannot avoid cultivation forever.'

Her Chaos Energy stirred within her dantian, calm yet boundless, like a vast ocean waiting to be explored.

She knew that if she wanted to truly protect herself, she needed to grow stronger—silently and in secret.

Closing her eyes, she focused on her inner world.

Suddenly, a strange sensation washed over her.

A pulling force dragged her consciousness into a different realm.

When she opened her eyes again, she was no longer in her bed.

Instead, she stood in a boundless space filled with swirling energy.

The air was thick with primordial chaos, making it difficult to breathe.

And in the very center, there was a black and gold lotus, floating above a silver lake.

'This… is my Chaos Space?!'

Her heart pounded.

She had absorbed Chaos Energy in her mother's womb, but it had been dormant—until now.

The space around her felt ancient and powerful, filled with infinite possibilities.

Taking a deep breath, she sat cross-legged, allowing her body to naturally absorb the energy around her.

The moment she did—

Boom!

A surge of energy rushed into her meridians, expanding her dantian.

Her Qi Sea began forming at an alarming rate.

'If I cultivate here, my growth will be terrifyingly fast!'

She had to be careful. If she advanced too quickly, it would be suspicious.

'I must control my progress and remain low-key.'

She absorbed the energy slowly, stabilizing her foundation, making sure her growth wouldn't alert anyone.

The next morning, Ruoyan opened her eyes, feeling refreshed and stronger than before.

Her body felt lighter, and her senses sharper.

But outwardly, she was still the same adorable three-year-old that everyone doted on.

As she got up, a soft knock came at her door.

"Little sister, wake up! We're going to the martial field today!"

It was her second brother, Qin Yu.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she allowed her maid to dress her before she went out to join her brothers.

The Qin Family's martial field was a large open courtyard where children trained their physical strength before starting formal cultivation.

Today was the first day her brothers would begin their martial arts training.

"Sister Ruoyan, do you want to watch?" Qin Hao asked excitedly.

Ruoyan nodded innocently.

But secretly, she wanted to observe and learn their training methods.

In the martial field, dozens of children from the Qin Family lined up.

A tall elder with a long beard stepped forward, his gaze sharp.

"Before one cultivates Qi, one must first strengthen the body."

He demonstrated a basic fist technique, explaining each movement.

The children eagerly tried to copy him.

Ruoyan, standing at the side, watched carefully.

She could already sense Qi, but her small body was weak.

'If I build my body's foundation properly, I will have fewer weaknesses in the future.'

Without making it obvious, she subtly moved her fingers, memorizing the technique in her mind.

While others practiced openly, she practiced in her heart.

'Patience. Growth must be gradual.'

She would train in secret, grow in silence, and wait for the day when she could truly stand at the peak.