chapter 1

"Wang Yu, Useless Spirit Root, eliminated!"

"Next!"

The common people around who heard the Immortal Envoy announce the results all cast pitying expressions at the young man on the platform, but their private discussions were quite different.

"This is a scion of the Wang Family, right."

"He has a handsome appearance, but no fate to enter an Immortal Sect."

"How can Spirit Root Aptitude be equated with appearance? I think it's because the Wang Family has done too many immoral things, they deserve it!"

"You can't talk nonsense like that. Young Master Yu is different from those spoiled children, he has never Bullyed the common people."

"Heh… just a Waste, why isn't he scramming down yet!"

This last sentence was not spoken by a bystander.

It was said by a young man standing outside the crowd, dressed in silk and fine clothes, with a handsome face, jade ornaments hanging from his waist, and a landscape painting fan in his hand, clapping his palms, his face full of arrogance.

His name was Wang Wu, and he was a cousin of Wang Yu. He was sixteen years old, but he had tested his Spirit Root earlier and was found to have a Dual Spirit Root Aptitude, a genius with hope of Foundation Establishment.

Their fathers were brothers, both hoping to inherit the position of the next Family Head, and the struggle between the fathers extended to their sons, causing the two to be at odds.

Wang Yu clenched his fists, said nothing more, and turned to leave the Spirit Testing Platform.

Even though he had never thought of himself as some kind of genius, he had not expected to actually have a Useless Spirit Root. With this kind of Aptitude, let alone Foundation Establishment, even breaking through the Mid Qi Condensation Stage was questionable.

Since he was reborn from the womb and understood the mysteries of prenatal existence, sixteen years had passed since he came to this great world of cultivation, and he had a magical "Cheat" by his side, named—[Placement Slot]!

As the name suggests, it could place things.

But real objects could not be placed in it. In the previous sixteen years, he had placed books such as *Thousand Character Classic*, *The Eight Principles of the Character Yong*, *Detailed Explanation of Human Meridians*, *Miraculous Qihuang Scrolls*… and so on.

As long as he roughly flipped through them once, he could place them in the [Placement Slot], and the effect was equivalent to another him, who had been studying, pondering the content, and practicing all along.

Never tired, never stopping!

For example, after placing *Thousand Character Classic* for a few days, he had thoroughly understood it. Even if his main body did nothing, he recognized many characters.

This kind of effect could undoubtedly save a lot of time in cultivation, but Immortal Sects have their own Rules for accepting disciples.

Stone Lake City, where the Wang Family was located, was under the rule of the Spirit Vulture Sect. Every year, boys of the right age in the city would have their Spirit Roots tested, and at the age of sixteen, they would officially embark on the path of cultivation.

In this world, everyone has a Spirit Root, which is divided into six grades from top to bottom.

Single Spirit Root, also known as Heavenly Spirit Root, the number one Aptitude below Spirit Body, guaranteed to reach the Core Formation True Person realm, one in a hundred years.

Dual Spirit Root, also known as Upper Grade Spirit Root, has a very high probability of Foundation Establishment, a piece of fine jade, relatively rare.

Three Spirit Root, also known as Middle Grade Spirit Root, is also the Spirit Root Aptitude of most Cultivators in this world. With Qi Condensation techniques, they can basically all cultivate to the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation before their Lifespan Exhausted.

Four Spirit Root, belonging to Lower Grade Spirit Root, also known as "Mixed Spirit Root", with inferior Aptitude, it is difficult to achieve Foundation Establishment in a lifetime.

Five Element Spirit Root, which is the Useless Spirit Root that Wang Yu possessed, making it difficult to Refine Spirit Qi, and it would be difficult to break through Qi Condensation Fourth Level in this lifetime.

The last grade is "Broken Spirit Root", which cannot sense Spirit Qi, that is, mortals who cannot cultivate.

Aptitude cannot determine the end point of a Cultivator, but it can determine a person's starting point. The difficulty mentioned here refers to the upper limit that can be reached with the same resource cultivation.

There are indeed people in the world who defy fate and change their destiny.

But Wang Yu, he lost at the starting line. Spirit Vulture Sect is not some top Immortal Sect, but it will not accept disciples with Useless Spirit Root Aptitude, as they do not have that many resources to cultivate them.

Even if they were to recruit Errand Boys, Four Spirit Root would be the first choice.

And Wang Wu's Dual Spirit Root Aptitude meant that once he entered Spirit Vulture Sect, he would become a Foundation Establishment Seed and receive resource inclination. In the Family Head Competition, he had already lost.

The Spirit Testing Platform was set up in the Plaza of the City Lord's Mansion. Wang Yu left without looking back. Originally, some friends who had a good relationship with him turned their heads away one after another, not even daring to say hello. This was reality.

The warmth and coldness of human relationships, the fickleness of the world, changes in an instant.

Wang Family Courtyard.

Wang Yu pushed open the door and entered, looking somewhat ashamed at his father who was burning Stick Incense before his mother's spirit tablet.

"You know?"

"Yes."

Wang Chongwen bowed gently before the Incense Altar, inserted the three Stick Incense into the Incense Burner, and said in a low voice.

"If Wang Wu was only a Three Spirit Root, your father would still have the capital to compete, but he is actually a Dual Spirit Root."

"Spirit Vulture Sect will become his backing, and the City Lord's Mansion will also favor him. Pack your things and prepare to leave Stone Lake City."

Wang Yu couldn't help but say.

"Are you worried that Uncle will send Assassins?"

"He won't, Wang Wu will."

"..."

Wang Yu was silent for a moment.

One's life cannot be entrusted to the mercy of others. The Family Head Competition was already fierce, and Wang Wu was unruly, often committing evil deeds such as riding horses and injuring people, and forcibly seizing women from the common people. There were also cases of slaves in the family being whipped to death. He was a well-known spoiled child and evil young master in Stone Lake City.

Looking at his performance today, it was only to be expected that he would settle accounts in the future when he gained power.

"I understand, I'll go pack my luggage now."

"No need to pack, the carriage is at the Back Gate, it will send you to Thousand Autumns City to live out your life in peace."

"You're not leaving?"

"The Clan Elder Council will protect your father. If a Clan wants to grow stronger, how can it tolerate brothers killing each other? If you leave, my lineage will have no descendants, and there will be no threat to the position of Family Head."

Wang Yu was silent again. Since his mother died of dystocia while giving birth to him, his relationship with Wang Chongwen had been very ordinary. Even though he had been known as a child prodigy since he was a child, he had never received the slightest praise.

Originally, he didn't care, but now that something had happened and his future had been arranged, he was still a little moved.

Cultivation—he would not give it up!

"Father, I'm leaving."

"Yes, have a safe journey."

As the door closed, Wang Chongwen sighed deeply, opened his bloodshot eyes, and said softly to the spirit tablet.

"Rou'er, Yu'er has been exceptionally intelligent since he was a child. Even without cultivation Aptitude, he can live well. I hope he can live out his life in peace in Thousand Autumns City and not be as useless as me."

"It won't be long before I come to accompany you too."

Wang Yu naturally did not know what happened in this room after he left, let alone that Wang Chongwen already had the will to die. The Aptitude test was just a fuse.

The Spirit Testing continued, but Wang Yu had already boarded the carriage, preparing to go far away to Thousand Autumns City and leave the vortex of the Wang Clan's internal strife.

At the same time.

In a Servant Quarters at the Back Gate of the City Lord's Mansion in Stone Lake City, a black-robed man threatened in a hoarse voice.

"Spirit Vulture Sect is just a third-rate force, its sphere of influence is only a dozen or so cities. The strongest person in the sect is only a Core Formation Cultivator, how can it compare with my Reverse Spirit Blood Sect?"

The Stone Lake City Lord's tone was cold and hard.

"Spirit Vulture Sect is indeed not as good as your Reverse Spirit Blood Sect, but this is the territory of the Orthodox Path. Demonic Cultivators are like rats crossing the street. If you want people, it's simple, buy them with Spirit Stones."

"Ten Spirit Stones for a Five Element Spirit Root, fifty Spirit Stones for a Four Spirit Root, Three Spirit Root and above are not for sale."

The black-robed man was a little annoyed and said.

"Ten for a Useless Spirit Root too? Why don't you just rob me!"

End of Chapter