...

Su Qing stretched lazily.

He closed the copy of Spirit Grass Identification in his hands.

It had taken three days.

Only then had Su Qing painstakingly finished it.

Then, his Synthesizer poured the contents into his memory.

This meant Su Qing barely had to memorize anything.

The Zhengxuan Sect.

It stood at the apex of the Great Yu Dynasty.

It also ruled over two other dynasties: the Qiansheng Dynasty and the Ba Xing Dynasty.

Reading this account, Su Qing couldn’t help but feel it was pathetic.

Because according to that thick book of records about the Zhengxuan Sect, the Great Yu Dynasty was the place where Spiritual Qi was weakest.

Almost no Cultivators were willing to come here, but it was still an important source of disciples, so the Zhengxuan Sect couldn’t just ignore it.

The weak Spiritual Qi meant that even elderly Cultivators who could no longer break through wouldn’t choose the Great Yu Dynasty as a place to live out their final years.

They would choose the Ba Xing Dynasty or the Qiansheng Dynasty instead.

Su Qing felt the book boasted too much about the Zhengxuan Sect.

It claimed the Zhengxuan Sect was the most powerful existence in the Immortal Cultivation Realm, that all other Sects were part of the crooked Evil Dao, and that if anyone other than the Zhengxuan Sect wanted to take you as a disciple, you must refuse them vehemently...

To Su Qing, this just seemed like a mental shackle created out of fear that other Sects would poach their prospects.

It also bragged about how the Zhengxuan Sect’s ancestor held a Pocket World in his hand and stomped on the progenitors of the Demon Dao.

It made Su Qing’s expression turn quite strange as he read.

It was too obvious, too much of a cheap trick.

However, Su Qing did learn one thing.

The Zhengxuan Sect truly did possess a Pocket World.

And within the Immortal Cultivation Realm, there really were cities built by Cultivators.

Cities said to be constructed from Magical Artifacts.

Even the person who compiled this book yearned for that kind of life.

Su Qing truly didn’t know what to think.

He just really wanted to see for himself what the Immortal Cultivation Realm was actually like.

’The Immortal Cultivation Realm... it’s a bit different from what I imagined.’

Su Qing mulled it over.

But he felt that the law of the jungle—the strong devouring the weak—would surely still exist.

Because the concentration of Spiritual Qi was different in different places.

Take the Great Yu Dynasty, for example.

This kind of unfairness was bound to create a series of problems.

The key was the existence of Demonic Cultivators.

For instance, Demonic Cultivators who would slaughter an entire city’s population just for their Cultivation.

Su Qing didn’t even dare to imagine it.

And Demonic Cultivators were generally people without Spirit Roots, or those who wanted to take shortcuts in their Cultivation.

’There are still a few days left. I should just keep cultivating.’

Su Qing knew that learning more about the Immortal Cultivation Realm was useless for now.

Because his current strength was still rather weak.

Knowing too much was of no great use.

He should learn what was appropriate and then continue to cultivate.

「The next day.」

After a few knocks on the door to his courtyard, the sound of the wooden door being pushed open reached Su Qing’s ears.

"Su Qing!"

Xu Ningying’s delicate, crisp voice, like the song of a warbler, sounded out once again.

Su Qing rubbed his brow.

He had just been about to continue cultivating the Divine Concealment Technique.

He hadn’t expected Xu Ningying to show up again.

Su Qing sighed and got up, pulling on his short, black cloth boots.

He walked out to see Xu Ningying draped in a large, white mink cloak.

A smile blossomed on her pretty face the moment she saw Su Qing.

"Su Qing, as the servant who will accompany me to the Zhengxuan Sect, you also have to undergo a Spirit Root test."

"Get yourself ready. I’ll take you to the Immortal Master to have your Spirit Root attributes tested in a bit."

A Spirit Root attribute test?

Su Qing froze, and then his heart began to pound violently.

’What do I do?’

’What do I do?’

Su Qing’s mind reeled. Why did a servant need to have their Spirit Root attributes tested?

"Why do I need to get my Spirit Root tested?" Su Qing asked, feigning a relaxed tone.

Xu Ningying shook her head. "At first, they said it wasn’t necessary."

"But it seems the Immortal Master said that if a servant is someone who can cultivate, they need to be tested."

Hearing this, Su Qing grew even more anxious.

Because he really didn’t have a Spirit Root.

And from Xu Ningying’s words, he knew this Immortal Master would definitely test anyone capable of Immortal Cultivation.

Such an obvious process.

’Isn’t this a hunt for Demon Cultivators?’

Relying on his disciplined mind, Su Qing fell silent for a moment, thinking.

Xu Ningying had come to find him now to take him for a Spirit Root test.

’That means there can’t be many servants who can cultivate.’

’In the worst-case scenario, it means I’m the only one.’

’If I were that Immortal Master, what would I do?’

’I would definitely ask Xu Ningying some questions.’

’Why would someone capable of Immortal Cultivation choose to be a servant?’

’That is the most critical detail.’

’Why would someone who can cultivate be a servant?’

’If that Immortal Master were me, I would absolutely ask for a clear explanation.’

"..."

In the few seconds he stood there stunned, Su Qing’s mind raced through countless possibilities.

He gave a slight nod.

"Alright. I’ll go as soon as I wash my face."

Su Qing said with a smile.

"This is perfect. I can see if I have any other Spirit Roots."

Xu Ningying smiled and nodded.

"Hurry up, then. The Immortal Master can’t wait that long."

As Su Qing drew water from the well, he said, "I’m being as quick as I can. Wouldn’t it be rude to meet the Immortal Master without tidying up first?"

Right now, Su Qing didn’t dare observe his surroundings at all.

For some reason, he had a persistent feeling that someone was watching him.

’The Demon Dao... oh, the Demon Dao.’

Su Qing cursed the fact that he wasn’t a Second Generation Immortal. If he were, would he be facing this kind of suspicion?

...

Su Qing quickly followed Xu Ningying to a beautifully decorated and very quiet area.

Here, the walls were all built from smooth stones.

Vines and other green plants wound their way around the walls.

The main gate was made of Red Wood, coated with what looked like a natural plant-based varnish?

Understated, yet it projected status.

Su Qing followed silently behind Xu Ningying.

Xu Ningying knocked on the gate.

"Immortal Master, I’ve brought him."

"Mm."

"Bring him in."

A robust, deep, and magnetic male voice spoke, its tone carrying a hint of command.

Xu Ningying tilted her head toward Su Qing, gesturing with her eyes.

Su Qing’s heart was filled with trepidation, but he used the Divine Concealment Technique to suppress its rapid beating. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

He stepped through the gate.

Seeing the extravagant greenery all around, Su Qing felt no great surprise.

He was too busy considering how things would unfold from here.

’The Demon Dao...’

’With my current Physique and Spiritual Qi, I don’t know if I could even escape from this Cultivator.’

’It’d be best if this Cultivator isn’t very strong.’

Then, Su Qing saw a man.

He was strikingly handsome with fair skin, a clean-cut face, and exceptionally sharp, defined features. In modern times, he would absolutely be considered a top-tier heartthrob.

He was nearly two meters tall, dressed in a long, Qing-colored robe, with a Dragon Jade Pendant hanging from his waist.

Simply ridiculous.

Spiritual Qi visibly flowed into and out of his body.

He was truly a Cultivator.

"You are Su Qing?"

"Why do you possess the Five Spirit Roots yet are unwilling to go to the Zhengxuan Sect?"

The man snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over Su Qing, scrutinizing him again and again.

"You wouldn’t happen to be a Demon Cultivator, would you?"

Hearing this, Su Qing knew he absolutely could not panic.

He slowly and deliberately shook his head. "Immortal Master, I am definitely not a Demon Cultivator. I was able to begin my Cultivation just by practicing the Five Qi Nourishing Yuan Skill. Even though my Spirit Root was never tested, I swear I have never done anything wicked or cruel."

"The Five Qi Nourishing Yuan Skill." The male Immortal Master’s expression turned strange. "You were actually able to absorb Spiritual Qi from the Five Qi Nourishing Yuan Skill?"

"Truly unbelievable."

With that said, the Immortal Master flipped his palm over.

A transparent stone appeared, wreathed in green and fiery red colors.

"Hold this sphere!" His tone was a command that permitted no refusal.

...