The next day.

Before dawn, Hui Long Town was already bustling with excitement, like a pot of boiling water.

Countless vendors swarmed the streets, shouting loudly to sell their wares. Groups of three or five people, walking on foot or riding ox carts and horse carriages, rushed to Hui Long Town from all directions.

The immortals of Yun Ge Sect’s Luo Fu Peak were recruiting disciples, an event held once every three years, open exclusively to children aged ten to twelve. This had become a well-established tradition, and every time recruitment day arrived, it also marked the day of Hui Long Town’s grand market gathering.

For families within a ten-mile radius with children of suitable age, this was a major event. Not only could they shop for household necessities, but if their child happened to be chosen to become an immortal’s disciple, it would be an honor far greater than passing imperial exams. Such fortune would surely have their ancestors’ graves “emitting green smoke” (a sign of great luck).

Su Twelve, blending into the crowd, also entered the town.

The road from Xiao Shi Village to Hui Long Town was treacherous and difficult to traverse. Su Twelve had only come here once before as a child with his grandfather. Thankfully, he had a good memory and, despite stumbling along the way, managed to arrive just as the sun rose.

However, his clothes were now tattered, and his entire body was covered in dirt, making him look like a little beggar.

As Su Twelve walked, he kept his ears perked and his eyes alert.

Coming alone, he didn’t know where the immortal recruitment would take place. However, he guessed that among the parents accompanying children his age, there would surely be those heading to the same destination.

Before long, Su Twelve followed the crowd to the center of town, where a large open space was surrounded by adults. On the vacant ground stood nearly a hundred children around his age.

From the conversations of the people around him, Su Twelve learned that this was the place where the immortals would soon test the children’s talents for recruitment.

All the children hoping to become disciples were waiting here for the immortals to arrive.

Su Twelve crouched and squeezed through the crowd, finding an empty corner where he plopped onto the ground.

After walking all night through the mountains, he was exhausted, starving, and had swollen feet. At this moment, all he wanted was to rest.

Just then, the sky suddenly filled with drifting clouds, and a flying sword streaked across like lightning.

The sword was broad and wide, with two graceful figures standing upon its surface.

"The immortals! The immortals are here!"

The crowd on the ground looked up, faces filled with awe. Regardless of age or gender, everyone froze in place, holding their breath.

The entire Hui Long Town, which had been noisy just moments before, fell silent in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, the flying sword passed over the open space. The two graceful figures leaped off the sword, descending from the heavens and landing squarely in the middle of the clearing.

Mid-air, the luminous flying sword shrank into a three-foot-long blade and fell neatly into the sheath on one of their backs.

"Immortals?"

Su Twelve trembled with excitement, quickly turning his head to look at the arrivals.

One was an elderly man clad in a green robe, his face weathered with age—he appeared to be in his sixties or seventies. His white beard was thick and full, extending across his chest. Yet his sharp, sparkling eyes betrayed a vitality that belied his years. He exuded an aura of elegance and transcendence.

The other was a young woman, about seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate features that could only be described as stunning.

She had moth-like eyebrows, ruby-red lips, and white teeth. Her long black hair flowed like a waterfall, and her light green dress swayed gently in the breeze, making her look like a celestial maiden.

"Is that the immortal maiden? She’s too beautiful!"

"I never thought, in all my years, that I’d get to see such a stunning immortal maiden."

"They say the princess of Song Kingdom is as beautiful as a celestial being, but compared to this immortal maiden, she might not even come close!"

Whispered praises rippled through the crowd. Faced with such breathtaking beauty, the mortals present couldn’t help but lose themselves.

On the open ground, even the nearly one hundred children, including Su Twelve, were left staring in awe.

After landing, the young woman glanced around curiously and sighed. "It’s been ten years, and I’ve finally descended the mountain again!"

"I didn’t expect so many more people in Hui Long Town after just ten years!"

The elderly man smiled at her and said, "Alright, enough nostalgia. Let’s get to business. If we don’t outshine Tianhua Peak this time, that old scoundrel Fu Boran will ridicule me to death!"

The young woman smiled back and nodded. "Don’t worry, Grandpa. I won’t let you down! There are plenty of children here for the test this year; we’re sure to find some promising candidates."

With that, she waved her hand, and a square table appeared before them.

On the table rested a peculiar-looking stone—the sect’s Spirit Testing Stone, used to assess spiritual roots.

The elderly man nodded and turned his sharp gaze to the children in the clearing. His voice, devoid of emotion, was cold and commanding: "Only a very small number of you will be chosen to join Yun Ge Sect.

His chilling words caused the entire crowd to fall silent.

Su Twelve shrank back slightly, his heart filled with nervous anticipation.

"Spiritual roots are the foundation of cultivation," the old man continued. "Now, I will test each of your spiritual roots one by one. Everyone, form a line and come forward to place your hand on this stone."

The children hurriedly formed a sparse line.

Su Twelve found himself at the very end of the line, clenching his fists tightly, trying to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead.

At the front, a brave child cautiously stepped forward and placed his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone.

The stone trembled slightly and emitted a faint red glow.

The old man’s face remained expressionless as he said, "Lower-grade fire spiritual root. Qualified. Stand to the right."

Hearing this, the child’s face lit up with joy. He quickly moved to the right, where a couple in the crowd beamed with pride.

Next, another child stepped forward. This time, the Spirit Testing Stone showed no reaction.

"Unqualified. Leave."

"Unqualified."

"Lower-grade earth spiritual root. Stand to the right."

One by one, the tests continued. Most of the children were declared unqualified, and only two with lower-grade spiritual roots stood on the right.

The old man’s brows furrowed as his impatience grew. Lower-grade spiritual roots were the most mediocre in the cultivation world, offering limited prospects.

If all they found were lower-grade roots, he would be a laughingstock upon his return.

Then, a dark-skinned boy in coarse clothes stepped forward.

As soon as he placed his hand on the stone, it shook violently. A brilliant golden glow burst forth, accompanied by a dazzling red light.

The radiance was blinding, carrying an almost palpable sense of power.

Everyone froze in astonishment.

The old man’s eyes widened with delight. "What?! Supreme-grade gold spiritual root and supreme-grade fire spiritual root?! A dual spiritual root! Haha, this trip wasn’t wasted after all!"

He was so ecstatic that his voice trembled, unable to conceal his joy.

And for good reason. In the cultivation world, spiritual roots determined everything. Poor roots meant slow progress, while exceptional roots promised exponential growth.

Ordinary people considered medium or high-grade roots to be blessings. Supreme-grade roots, however, were one-in-a-million talents.

A supreme dual spiritual root was even rarer—in fact, it was almost unheard of. Such a combination had only been documented once in Yun Ge Sect’s history, in the case of the sect’s founder.

The elegant young woman beside him didn’t speak, but the joy in her gaze as she looked at the boy was unmistakable.

[--------------------------------------------]

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