38: Chapter 38 Spiritual Root Test

Immortal Master Yunyin's tone was serious.

He looked at Li Changsheng, his gaze filled with scrutiny and a hint of appreciation.

"You are Li Changsheng?"

"Not bad. To be able to combine mortal martial arts with crude Spiritual Qi to achieve this much, your Heart-Nature and Aptitude are both excellent."

"Qingchen has a good eye."

Li Changsheng forced himself to endure the dual exhaustion of body and spirit, bowing respectfully.

"Junior Li Changsheng greets Elder Yunyin."

"Thank you, Elder, for saving my life and suppressing the devil!"

Immortal Master Yunyin waved his hand, looking toward the devastated Qinghe Town with its heavy casualties, then glancing at Li Zhenshan and the others in the distance who were still shaken, and sighed.

"The Devilish Calamity has arisen, and the people are suffering."

"I will return to the Sect immediately to report this."

"The Sect will naturally decide how to handle the affairs here."

"Qingchen, you shall remain here for a few days to assist with the aftermath and stabilize the people's hearts."

"Li Changsheng, since you have been selected by Qingchen, you shall return to the mountain with him for the assessment when the time comes."

"This Disciple accepts the order."

Li Changsheng glanced at his broken home and clansmen, a sharp pain in his heart, but he knew this was the best choice for now.

Only by entering the Qinglan Sword Sect and gaining stronger power and support could he truly resolve the threat of the "Spirit Devourer" and protect his home.

"This Junior will obey."

He replied in a deep voice.

Immortal Master Yunyin said no more. He nodded slightly toward Liu Qingchen and Li Changsheng, then transformed into a heaven-shaking rainbow, tearing through the lingering clouds of Devilish Qi, and vanished into the horizon.

Qinghe Town had luckily not been destroyed, but it was severely crippled.

The real threat, like a viper lurking underground, gave them at most three years of breathing room.

Li Changsheng's fists quietly clenched inside his sleeves.

"Ten years... Qinglan Sword Sect... Nascent Soul Elder..."

"I must become stronger, faster!"

Before his eyes lay Qinghe Town.

It was like a harbor that had just experienced a terrible storm, devastated and filled with an oppressive, endless sorrow within the deathly silence.

The once bustling streets were now broken walls and ruins, with charred black and dark red stains visible everywhere. The air was filled with a mixture of dust, burnt smells, and the lingering, difficult-to-disperse odor of blood and Devilish Qi.

The wailing of those who had lost loved ones was intermittent, and the survivors had hollow eyes.

Like birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, the slightest movement could trigger a wave of panic.

Li Changsheng stood in the still relatively intact front courtyard of the Li Family estate, watching the few wisps of black smoke rising in the distance from the disposal of corpses, his heart heavy.

His home was shattered, his clansmen withered away.

All of this was related to that "Spirit Devourer" devil, to those greedy outsiders, and also to...

...the lack of strength.

Liu Qingchen was dressed in white, spotless and untainted, appearing completely out of place amidst the surrounding ruin.

His expression remained cold and aloof, but deep within his eyes, there was a hint of pity for the suffering of living beings.

He walked to Li Changsheng's side and said indifferently.

"The Devilish Calamity has passed; the aftermath is the priority."

"Since Elder Yunyin has left me behind, I must do my utmost."

"The primary task is to stabilize the people's hearts, deal with the residual Devilish Qi, prevent the outbreak of plague, and screen for any hidden devils or the risks of Devilish Qi invading bodies."

Li Changsheng composed himself and said respectfully.

"Senior Brother Liu is absolutely right. Changsheng is willing to cooperate fully."

In the following days, the two of them, along with Clan Chief Li Zhenshan, led the remaining capable forces of the Li Family and some of the townspeople who had just begun to recover from their shock, and began the difficult work of dealing with the aftermath.

Liu Qingchen was truly a Disciple of the Qinglan Sword Sect, with superb methods.

Using the "autumn water sword" as a guide, he set up a simple "Dust-Cleansing and Qi-Purifying Array" that covered the core area of Qinghe Town, slowly purifying the residual Devilish Qi and filthy Death Qi in the air.

He also took out the "Heart-Clearing Talismans" and "Evil-Warding Talismans" issued by the Sect and distributed them to those participating in the cleanup and those who were feeling unwell, to stabilize their minds and dispel any potential Yin evil disturbances.

Li Changsheng, utilizing his proficiency in medicine and his prestige as a local, organized manpower to collect and bury the dead, comfort the bereaved families, distribute medicine and food, and arrange temporary housing.

He also simplified the methods he had learned from a low-magic cultivation world for detecting faint Spiritual Qi and Yin Qi, and combined them with the crude Qi-observing technique taught by Liu Qingchen to conduct a preliminary screening of the survivors.

He focused on screening those who had been in close contact with areas affected by Devilish Qi, or those whose behavior was abnormal.

The work was heavy and oppressive, but Li Changsheng's composure and efficiency, combined with the immortal methods displayed by Liu Qingchen, gradually allowed the anxious hearts of the people to settle down slightly.

The Li Family's prestige did not fall but rose after the disaster, and they were regarded by the townspeople as their only reliance and backbone.

During the screening process, an unexpected discovery gradually emerged.

In the process of purifying the Devilish Qi and coming into contact with a large number of survivors, Liu Qingchen would habitually use his Divine Sense to sense their physical condition.

He discovered that a very small number of people, after experiencing the impact of Devilish Qi and suffering tremendous pressure on their minds, actually had an extremely faint "Spiritual Light" related to Spiritual Qi being triggered or revealed within their bodies.

This was similar to a kind of extreme "stress test," and although cruel, it unexpectedly caused some originally latent and impure Spiritual Root Aptitudes to show signs of existence.

He informed Li Changsheng of this discovery and suggested that they could take this opportunity to conduct a preliminary Spiritual Root screening for Qinghe Town, especially for the Li Family.

"Spiritual Roots are the foundation of cultivation."

"Although the Spiritual Qi here is thin and those with Spiritual Roots are one in ten thousand, and most are of impure and inferior Aptitude..."

"...but if we can find one or two destined individuals to bring into the Immortal Sect, even if they are only Outer Sect miscellaneous servants, it would be a bond of incense and potential future care for the Family and their homeland."

Liu Qingchen explained.

Li Changsheng deeply agreed.

Thus, under Liu Qingchen's guidance, using the Low Grade "Spirit Testing Stone" he had brought and a set of simple sensing arrays, they conducted a preliminary Spiritual Root test on all the young adults who were participating in the aftermath and were in a relatively stable physical state, as well as all the eligible children of the Li Family.

The process was not complicated; one only needed to place their hand on the Spirit Testing Stone and sense quietly.

The Spirit Testing Stone would emit light of different colors and brightness according to the potential Spiritual Root attributes and strength within the person touching it.

The results were as expected: the vast majority of people had no reaction at all.

A few people were able to make the Spirit Testing Stone emit an extremely faint, almost imperceptible dim light, and the colors were mixed, belonging to the lowest grade of "Pseudo Spiritual Roots" or "Impure Spiritual Roots," with bleak prospects for Cultivation.

However, the performance of three people made even Liu Qingchen feel slightly surprised.

The first was Li Changqing.

When this heroic and tenacious young woman placed her hand on the Spirit Testing Stone, the stone was silent at first.

Immediately afterward, a clear and sharp pale golden light lit up inside.

Although it was not particularly bright, it was quite pure, faintly carrying a sense of sharpness.

"Metal Spiritual Root, specializing in killing and sharpness."

"Although it is only Mid-Low Grade, the purity is acceptable, and there may be a destiny with the path of a Sword Cultivator."

Liu Qingchen commented, his gaze toward Li Changqing carrying a hint more consideration.

The second was the son of a blacksmith in town.

His name was Shi Tiezhu, fifteen years old, looking sturdy and strong, with great strength.

After he touched the Spirit Testing Stone, the stone emitted a thick, warm, yellowish-brown light.

"Earth Spiritual Root, Low Grade."

"Honest and steady, suitable for Cultivating defensive or earth-element Cultivation Techniques, or the art of Body Refining."

Liu Qingchen nodded slightly.

Shi Tiezhu's father had died in the Devilish Calamity protecting his Family, leaving only a widowed mother at home. If he could enter the Immortal Sect, it would be a way out.

The third one was beyond everyone's expectations.