108: The Great Dao is fifty, and the Heavenly Dao is forty-nine

"Ma...ster..."

A slow Divine Thought consciousness entered Liu Xuan's mind.

Liu Xuan looked at the basin-sized Black Tortoise on the ground, sensing its aura. It had just entered the Qi Refining Early Stage, equivalent to a Qi Refining First-Layer Yao Beast.

‘Not bad!’

When the System had rewarded the Black Crystal Bee Queen, it was just a larva that had hatched from an egg. This time, it was directly a Qi Refinement Stage Yao Beast, which greatly improved Liu Xuan's mood.

If the Black Tortoise were just a newly hatched larvae, it would take ten years to naturally grow to the Qi Refining Stage...a hundred years to Foundation Establishment. This meant that in at most ninety more years, the Black Tortoise would be able to grow into a Foundation Establishment Stage Yao Beast.

The Myriad Longevity Black Tortoise does not require a particularly good environment for Cultivation, nor does it need many resources. Any place with Spiritual Qi will do; what's important is enduring time.

This has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that Liu Xuan doesn't need to worry about taking care of it; he can just leave it anywhere to raise it. The disadvantage is that its growth rate is limited; even if fed good Medicinal Pills, its growth rate won't increase much.

As a Third-Order Bloodline Yao Beast, the Myriad Longevity Black Tortoise has two special talents. Its greatest talent is Lifespan; as long as no accidents occur, it can live for ten thousand years.

This is quite exaggerated!

A Golden Core True Person has a thousand years of Lifespan, a Nascent Soul True Monarch only three thousand years, and only a Soul Transformation Immortal can possess a Lifespan of over ten thousand years!

Besides longevity, the Black Tortoise also has another talent: extremely strong defense. It is currently at the Qi Refining First Layer, but its shell strength is stronger than most Qi Refining Middle Stage Yao Beasts, giving it strong life-saving abilities.

Liu Xuan took out a qi and blood pill and threw it to it, "Eat it!"

The Black Tortoise caught the Medicinal Pill in one gulp and swallowed it without hesitation.

A moment later.

The Black Tortoise swayed and lay on the ground, its eyelids drooping, looking sleepy.

"Master... I'm sleepy... I'm going to sleep now!"

"No sleeping!"

Liu Xuan shouted loudly.

"How can you sleep at your age?"

"Properly digest the medicinal power for me and Cultivate diligently!"

The Black Tortoise stared blankly at Liu Xuan, looking not very intelligent.

"If you can't Breakthrough to Qi Refining Second Layer in three years, I'll stew you into soup!"

The Black Tortoise would still need ninety years to naturally grow to Foundation Establishment. How could Liu Xuan wait that long? Thirty years would be more appropriate!

"Un...der...stood!"

The Black Tortoise forced itself to perk up and circulate its Bloodline Cultivation method to digest the medicinal power, transmitting its voice in a wronged tone.

"That's more like it!"

Liu Xuan activated the Object Manipulation Technique, dragged the Black Tortoise to the lakeside, and directly threw it into White Crane Lake.

"No secretly eating First-Order Low-Grade spiritual fish!"

"Also, remember to hide carefully, don't actually get caught and made into soup!"

Liu Xuan warned through a voice transmission.

"Un...der...stood..."

...Time flies.

Four months later.

Sect Talisman Master's Small Courtyard.

Liu Xuan had been living an extremely leisurely life during this period. He stayed in Yongning if he wanted, and returned to the Sect for a few days if he wished.

Ever since Foundation Establishment Ancestor Wang Qiao obtained the golden core spirit item, not only did Yongning stabilize, but the entire Red Pine Sect also settled down.

A stable life was Liu Xuan's comfort zone, simply a life like an Immortal.

Advanced Cauldron Liu Sisi and Yang Rongrong became pregnant three months ago, and three other female Cultivator Concubines also became pregnant in succession.

The seeds of harvest had been sown; he only needed to wait for the reaping... Out of nine female Cultivator maids, five were pregnant, and four had no movement. There were only two months until the next Sect assessment, so he still needed to continue working hard!

Today was a special day; it was the third birthday of Liu Xuan's eldest son, Liu Daoyuan.

Liu Xuan specifically had Wangxian Tower (Immortal Gazing Tower) deliver a banquet to celebrate his birthday. The banquet included Xiao Yuan's favorite roasted chicken.

"Thank you, Dad!"

Xiao Yuan held a drumstick and chewed heartily, his words muffled.

Three-year-old Xiao Yuan was a little over 1.2 meters tall, somewhat simple and sturdy, taller and stronger than many five-year-old children.

His features resembled Liu Xuan's, but he was fatter and sturdier. If he continued to grow at this rate, he would become an enlarged version of Liu Xuan, a horizontally enlarged version...

"Xiao Yuan, eat quickly! After you finish, we'll go test your Spiritual Root!" Lin Xue'er said with a serious expression.

"Oh!"

Xiao Yuan obediently sped up his eating, finishing a drumstick in a few bites.

Liu Xuan looked at his son, then at Lin Xue'er, and said, "How about we wait until the Sect holds the Spiritual Root Testing Assembly in two months? There's no need to be so anxious!"

"No!"

Lin Xue'er refused, "I can't wait. If we don't test now, I won't be able to sleep for these two months."

Children can have their Spiritual Root tested at three years old. The Sect holds a Spiritual Root Testing Assembly every year, and children from the entire Red Pine territory can be tested for free.

Once a Spiritual Root is detected, they can gain the opportunity to enter the Dao Academy to learn Cultivation knowledge.

If the Spiritual Root Aptitude is excellent, they can even directly receive preferential treatment from the Dao Academy, including free food and lodging, and a dedicated teacher.

The Spiritual Root Testing Assembly coincides with the Sect's Outer Sect assessment, which is in two months.

But Lin Xue'er couldn't wait; she wanted to take her son to the Spell Hall for testing in advance.

Renting the testing Magical Artifact once wasn't expensive, just one gold coin, nothing major.

But Liu Xuan knew Xiao Yuan didn't have a Spiritual Root and just didn't want her to be disappointed early.

On the way to the Spell Hall, Liu Xuan held Xiao Yuan's hand and said to Lin Xue'er:

"Xue'er, the matter of Spiritual Root is entirely up to fate. Don't worry too much about it; it's not a big deal if he doesn't have one!"

Lin Xue'er forced a smile, nodded, and said, "Xue'er understands, husband, don't worry!"

Talisman Hall.

Lin Xue'er paid the money, and a Cultivator brought out a Magical Artifact resembling a bronze mirror.

The Spiritual Root Testing Mirror, a First-Order High-Grade special Magical Artifact, can test the degree of a child's perception of Spiritual Qi from three years old and above, which is the so-called Spiritual Root.

"Xiao Yuan, look carefully at the mirror!"

Perhaps sensing Lin Xue'er's tension, Xiao Yuan obediently listened and stared intently at the mirror.

The mirror surface was blurry, and Xiao Yuan in the mirror also didn't look very clear.

Ten breaths later.

The Cultivator nearby spoke, "The Spiritual Root Testing Mirror has no obvious reaction; there is no Spiritual Root!"

"No!"

"Let's test again!"

Lin Xue'er took out a gold coin and handed it to the Cultivator, then sternly instructed Xiao Yuan, "Concentrate and look at the mirror, understood!"

"Oh!"

Xiao Yuan was a little scared and said, feeling wronged.

If a child has a Spiritual Root, the Spiritual Root Testing Mirror will absorb Spiritual Qi due to their gaze, thus emitting spiritual light of varying brightness.

A First-Order High-Grade Spiritual Root Testing Mirror basically doesn't make mistakes and won't change due to a child's concentration issues.

After another ten breaths, this time the Cultivator didn't remind them, but everyone understood that this child truly had no Spiritual Root.

On the way back, Liu Xuan had known this result long ago, so he didn't feel much. Although Lin Xue'er also accepted the result, she was not in a good mood, sullen and silent.

"Dad! If I don't have a Spiritual Root, can I not Cultivate Immortals?"

Xiao Yuan seemed simple and gluttonous, but he was actually very smart. He knew why his mother was unhappy.

Liu Xuan stroked his head and smiled, "Of course you can!"

"The Great Dao has fifty, Heavenly Dao has forty-nine, one is escaped. There is no dead end in the world; there is always a glimmer of opportunity!"

"Without a Spiritual Root, Xiao Yuan can practice martial arts! If you Breakthrough to Innate Perfection in the future, you can change your fate against Heaven!"

"Really?"

The little fellow looked at Liu Xuan excitedly.