"You were out all night. Don't you care about your family's feelings?"

Su Bai scolded with a stern face.

"I..." Xiao Lingxi lowered her head and mumbled, "Did they ever care about my feelings?"

"You, you!" Su Bai sighed helplessly.

Xiao Lingxi wasn't his child, so he had no right to interfere too much.

If his own child were this naughty, he would surely bring out the Seven Wolves to give them a perfect childhood!

"Ding, the host's cultivation has broken through!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed in Su Bai's mind.

[Host]

Name: Su Bai

Age: 18

Realm: Qi Refining 3rd Level

Items: 20 coins

"Qi Refining 3rd Level?"

Su Bai's gaze involuntarily turned to Zhuge Feng, who was still cultivating nearby.

As the sect master of the Heavenly Dao Sect, his cultivation was ten times that of all the disciples combined.

And now, the Heavenly Dao Sect had only one disciple, Zhuge Feng!

His cultivation was essentially tied to Zhuge Feng's.

Which meant, if he broke through, then...

"Ding, disciple's cultivation breakthrough, reward of 10 sect points."

"Bang!"

A crisp sound came from Zhuge Feng's body, and immediately, the airflow around him surged several times, releasing a powerful aura.

Swish—

He opened his eyes, which shone brightly, full of spirit.

Qi Refining Level 1!

"Whew..." Zhuge Feng exhaled a breath of turbid air, slowly clenched his fist, and a faint green glow appeared on his fist.

"Is this the power those immortals possess?"

He usually took time to exercise, and his work as a laborer often involved heavy lifting, allowing him to lift hundreds of pounds.

But now, after the spiritual energy broke through his acupoints, his entire body was enhanced by spiritual energy, filled with endless strength.

At this moment, Zhuge Feng felt an inexhaustible strength throughout his body.

"With my current power, I should be able to avenge my parents, right?" Zhuge Feng clenched his fist, his eyes tinged with blood.

"One night to Qi Refining Level 1?"

Xiao Lingxi was dumbfounded. Since she met Su Bai, she had been shocked countless times in just one day.

Even if the Heavenly Dao Sect's Immortal Art was incredibly powerful, it shouldn't allow someone to reach Qi Refining overnight, right?

You know, the top genius of the Soaring Heavens Sect, Ling Xiao, took half a month to reach Qi Refining Level 1, and that was already highly publicized!

"Master, I didn't disappoint you. I've successfully reached Qi Refining!"

Zhuge Feng excitedly bowed to Su Bai.

"Good, very good!"

Su Bai said "good" twice. The stronger Zhuge Feng became, the stronger he himself would become!

"Have you practiced before?" Xiao Lingxi couldn't help but ask.

If Zhuge Feng had practiced for some time before, and was already close to Qi Refining, it would be somewhat understandable.

"I didn't even pass the formal disciple assessment of the Soaring Heavens Sect, so how could I have practiced Immortal Arts?"

Zhuge Feng smiled bitterly. What good was being first in the assessment?

The quotas were controlled by those deacons. If they didn't let you pass, how would the sect elders know that the first in the assessment was Zhuge Feng and not Han Feng?

"Your first time practicing?" Xiao Lingxi's eyes widened.

She suddenly realized she might have discovered an extraordinary genius.

"Let me check!"

Thinking of this, Xiao Lingxi quickly rummaged through her belongings. Moments later, she pulled out a crystal stone resembling a Spirit Stone from her Storage Ring.

"This is a Spirit Root Testing Stone. The higher your spirit root, the brighter this stone will shine."

As she spoke, Xiao Lingxi placed the Spirit Root Testing Stone in front of Zhuge Feng.

Zhuge Feng placed his hand on the testing stone, focused his mind, and gathered spiritual energy in his palm.

Buzz—

In an instant, the crystal stone trembled slightly.

Then, a dazzling golden light burst from the crystal stone, piercing the sky.

Blinding and captivating, it was impossible to look directly at.

"Golden light, the legendary Heavenly Spirit Root!"

Xiao Lingxi covered her mouth, her face full of disbelief.

Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

The Soaring Heavens Sect hadn't had a Heavenly Spirit Root in ten thousand years!

"So I have a Heavenly Spirit Root?" Zhuge Feng was momentarily stunned.

Beside him, Su Bai also opened the system panel to check the disciple's information.

Name: Zhuge Feng

Age: 18

Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 1

Spirit Root: Heavenly Spirit Root

Sect Loyalty: 80 (Note: Loyalty reaching 100 unlocks super rewards)

Seeing Zhuge Feng's details, Su Bai was incredibly surprised.

Even as a transmigrator, he knew the defiance of a Heavenly Spirit Root, akin to a child of destiny.

Was his randomly chosen first disciple really this powerful?

Powerful was good!

The stronger the disciple, the stronger he would become!

"No way, you have a Heavenly Spirit Root and didn't pass the formal disciple assessment of the Soaring Heavens Sect? Did I hear that right?"

Xiao Lingxi was once again dumbfounded, unable to believe what she heard.

"In this region, I was first in the assessment, but unfortunately, I didn't have three hundred taels of silver, so I didn't pass."

Zhuge Feng shook his head, a look of helplessness on his face.

His mind still echoed with the words Deacon Wang had said.

In this world, the most abundant thing is self-proclaimed geniuses like you!

"Pfft—"

Xiao Lingxi almost spat out the water she drank yesterday.

A Heavenly Spirit Root couldn't pass the formal assessment?

The continent's annual joke?

"Why can't you pass without three hundred taels of silver?" Xiao Lingxi asked, puzzled.

"Because..." Zhuge Feng hesitated for a moment, then said, "The assessment results of the Yunshui City branch disciples are controlled by several deacons, who then report to the sect elders."

"Your good results are useless to them. Reporting them doesn't benefit them, but if you have silver, they can profit from it. It's not a difficult choice." Zhuge Feng smiled bitterly.

"Why is it like this? Don't they test spirit roots during the assessment?" Xiao Lingxi was astonished.

"Test their spirit roots? If they actually did that, how could the sect justify passing those young masters and ladies with abysmal talent? How would they satisfy the public?" Zhuge Feng sighed.

Xiao Lingxi fell silent, then suddenly said, "I'm sorry."

Zhuge Feng smiled, "No need to apologize. I've experienced these things many times and have long since come to terms with them."

Xiao Lingxi shook her head, "Half a year ago, my father arranged a spot for me in the Soaring Heavens Sect. I just needed to report in half a year to become a formal disciple."

"If I remember correctly, we should have been in the same assessment batch. My spot might have originally been yours."

At the end, Xiao Lingxi bit her lip lightly.

Though it was just a possibility, it made her feel guilty.

Zhuge Feng was slightly taken aback.

Even Senior Brother Gan, with a Foundation Establishment father, needed to work as a laborer for half a year, even if just for show, but he had to be present.

The girl in front of him didn't need to do anything and could report directly in half a year.

Her background...

However, thinking of something else, Zhuge Feng smiled freely, "Don't worry about it. There are so many spots, it's unlikely the one you took was mine."

"Besides, I'm now a disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect. The fact that Master is willing to take me in is the greatest reward from heaven."

"Mm." Xiao Lingxi nodded slightly, "Actually, I didn't want to go to the Soaring Heavens Sect in the first place. After this, I don't want to go even more."

Then, she looked at Su Bai, her beautiful eyes sparkling, "Immortal Master, tell me, what conditions must I meet to join the Heavenly Dao Sect?"

Su Bai didn't speak but looked down the mountain.

At this moment, a group of people was rushing toward them.

"Hmm?" Xiao Lingxi followed Su Bai's gaze and her expression changed slightly.

In no time, the group arrived at the Heavenly Dao Sect, appearing before Su Bai and the others.

"Miss Lingxi, we've finally found you!"

---

Proofreader: Peter Pan