Chapter 57: Get Out

Tianquan City.

In front of the Enlightenment Platform, a sea of people had gathered.

Most of these people were not from Tianquan City but had come from surrounding areas.

Without exception, they were all mortals.

Among them were some martial artists with a bit of skill.

But no matter how skilled a martial artist was, they were still just martial artists. Even those hailed as top-tier masters or innate experts in the martial world could only bow their heads when faced with cultivators. If given the chance, they would fight tooth and nail to enter a cultivation sect.

Unfortunately, immortal sects only cared about spiritual roots and talent. No matter how high one's martial arts were, it was all for naught.

A few disciples from the Crimson Sun Sect looked at the crowd and couldn't help but grumble.

"Sigh, more disciples have died this year than last… We used to hold the Enlightenment Assembly once a year, then every six months, then every season. Now it's every month. It's exhausting."

"Well, there's no helping it. The competition is getting fiercer. Even the sect elders are stuck at bottlenecks, let alone us ordinary disciples."

"I hope we can recruit a few with decent spiritual roots, preferably triple or dual spiritual roots. A single spiritual root genius is too much to hope for…"

Suddenly, a proclamation rang out from the west side of the Enlightenment Platform.

"Li Qingran, single water spiritual root!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire area around the Enlightenment Platform erupted in uproar.

"A single spiritual root! There's a single spiritual root!"

"Let me see!"

"I'll give you half an incense stick's time to find out everything about that single spiritual root disciple!"

Li Qingran hadn't even had time to react.

In the next second, she was surrounded by recruiters from various sects, all vying for her attention.

"Young friend, come to the Crimson Sun Sect! Our sect leader will take you as a personal disciple!"

"Forget the Crimson Sun Sect! She's a water spiritual root; she should come to our Aqua Mist Sect. We have the best water-based cultivation techniques!"

"Young friend, why not consider our Artifact Sect?"

"Our Zen Sect… never mind, forget it. Goodbye."

Li Qingran looked at the sea of friendly faces and felt at a loss.

Was a single water spiritual root really that popular?

Back then, she had been brought into the sect by Lu Changtian. This was her first time experiencing such a frenzy of competition.

Outside the crowd, an old man dressed in plain clothes with a sword at his waist narrowed his eyes as he observed Li Qingran. After making sure no one was watching, he took out a communication jade slip: "Sect Leader! Something big has happened! A single water spiritual root genius has appeared here. Should we act?"

After a while, a hurried voice came from the jade slip:

[Not yet. I'm not finished here. This matter is more important. Keep an eye on things for now!]

"How am I supposed to keep an eye on this?" The old man sighed, his face wrinkling like a chrysanthemum.

Someone with a single spiritual root was a genius. It wouldn't be long before other sects snatched her up. He couldn't possibly kill everyone here just to keep an eye on her, could he? That would be no different from the demonic path.

"Forget it. What's meant to stay will stay. What's forced to stay won't last."

As soon as he finished speaking, a soft female voice rang out from the edge of the crowd:

"Young sister, I am Liu Shengyan, the welcoming elder of the Spirit Rhyme Valley.

Your water spiritual root is most suited for becoming a medical cultivator or alchemy cultivator. Why not come to our Spirit Rhyme Valley?"

The crowd parted, and a woman in green robes emerged, accompanied by several female cultivators.

She wore a veil, obscuring her face, and as she walked, the air was filled with the scent of flowers, and lotus blossoms bloomed beneath her feet.

"It's someone from Spirit Rhyme Valley…"

"Ah, let's disperse. This disciple is definitely going to Spirit Rhyme Valley."

"What, you want to compete with Spirit Rhyme Valley? Then you'd better pray you never need their help in the future."

Li Qingran listened to the discussions in the crowd and felt secretly delighted. Her goal had always been to go to Spirit Rhyme Valley, and now it was happening.

Liu Shengyan walked up to Li Qingran. Her veiled eyes lingered on Li Qingran for a few moments, and she couldn't help but praise: "Young sister, you're so beautiful, with such a graceful figure and such outstanding talent. Don't go to other sects and let those smelly men feast their eyes on you. Come to Spirit Rhyme Valley, okay? We're like sisters here~"

Li Qingran had heard that Spirit Rhyme Valley only accepted female cultivators.

In extremely rare cases, they would accept male cultivators, but they would require them to castrate themselves.

She had thought that joining an all-female sect would save her a lot of trouble. In other sects, she would inevitably have to interact with senior brothers and elders. Her heart was set on her master, and she didn't want to deal with complicated and annoying interpersonal relationships.

Spirit Rhyme Valley was interested, and she was willing. It was a perfect match. She bowed and said:

"This junior thanks the elder for her kindness. I am willing to join Spirit Rhyme Valley."

Seeing Li Qingran so obedient, Liu Shengyan was even more pleased. She turned to the female cultivators beside her and said: "Take this young sister to the young master. Let the young master have a look. I'll wait here to see if there are any other promising talents."

"Yes, Elder."

Li Qingran was taken by several female cultivators to a luxurious suite on the top floor of a grand inn.

The bed was covered with a light red curtain, and behind it, a seductive figure could be faintly seen. Beneath the curtain, a slender, snow-white leg stretched out, swinging casually, with delicate toes like five pearls coated with rouge.

The person behind the curtain seemed to dislike noise. The female cultivators simply bowed and then silently retreated out the door.

This person was likely the young master of Spirit Rhyme Valley.

Although the other party was a woman, Li Qingran was still a bit nervous. She lowered her head and waited quietly, not daring to speak recklessly.

After a while, the jade foot beneath the curtain stopped swaying.

The seductive figure behind the curtain stretched like a cat, and then a crisp voice rang out.

"Single water spiritual root? Not bad, not bad! After waiting for half a month, we've finally found a genius!"

"The elder flatters me," Li Qingran quickly bowed.

"No need to be so formal. Come closer. I have some questions for you."

Li Qingran obeyed and approached the curtain. A rich floral scent wafted over her. She glanced behind the curtain but immediately averted her eyes, reminding herself not to look where she shouldn't.

The girl behind the curtain sniffed and retracted her foot, asking with a smile: "You're so beautiful, even I envy you a little. Do you have a partner?"

Li Qingran pursed her lips.

She wished she did.

Unfortunately, her master probably wouldn't look at her that way.

She shook her head: "No."

"Have you ever had one?"

"Not that either."

"Good." The girl seemed very satisfied with Li Qingran's answer. She lifted her jade foot and pulled the curtain aside slightly, revealing a fair chin and a pair of alluring peach blossom eyes: "Let me see your hand."

Li Qingran obediently extended her hand.

Then she felt two delicate fingers rest on her wrist, cool to the touch.

After a while, the young master of Spirit Rhyme Valley withdrew her fingers and said calmly: "Hmm, you've already cultivated an excellent internal technique, and it's very compatible with your water spiritual root. Not bad, not bad… Do you have a master?"

"Yes." Li Qingran knew she couldn't hide it, and she wasn't good at lying.

"Is it a man or a woman?" The young master's voice suddenly rose slightly.

"A man."

The air in the room instantly turned cold.

Li Qingran was stunned. She cautiously looked up and could feel two indifferent gazes falling on her, even through the curtain.

"Get out." The young master waved her hand.

The door to the suite slammed open.

Li Qingran was roughly pushed out by a burst of energy.

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