7: Chapter 7, First Disciple, First-Rank Sect

In the courtyard's side chamber, Chi Wanhe's voice rang out faintly.

"I was originally from a branch Family of the Chi Family in Fushan City. The Family has a testing stone, and every clansman who reaches fourteen years of age must have their Spiritual Root tested."

Chi Wanhe gave a bitter smile and lowered her eyes.

"But I lost my parents and had no one to rely on. Perhaps it was because my parents offended someone in the main branch in the past, so the main branch spread rumors about me, causing the clansmen to treat me like a venomous snake or scorpion."

"Consequently, shortly after it was determined that I had no Spiritual Root, I was kicked out under the pretext that I could not provide value to the Family. Does your noble Sect really want a useless person like me?"

In the Sect's territory, there was no need to worry about erosion qi. Chi Wanhe naturally wanted to stay here, but she was afraid it would just be a false hope.

Yu Lingshuang's willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"With internal strife in the Family, and you, someone without support and lacking a Spiritual Root, being expelled by certain people in the Family on trumped-up charges? What a cold and heartless Family!"

"How could such a Family ever prosper?"

Chi Wanhe pursed her lips and remained silent.

"Don't be so disheartened. Perhaps your Family's testing stone was broken? Whether you have a Spiritual Root or not, we'll know after testing again!"

Hearing this, Chi Wanhe looked up. In Ling Hao's hand, a quaint-looking disc had appeared at some unknown moment.

The disc was divided into inner and outer rings, with fan-shaped sections on the inside and an outer ring. Each had five regions, and each region was inlaid with a small crystal and engraved with a character.

"A Ten-Spirit Sensing Disc?!"

Seeing the small disc in Ling Hao's hand, a look of surprise appeared in Yu Lingshuang's beautiful eyes.

"Does Deputy Sect Master Yu also recognize this?"

"Naturally, I recognize it. Compared to a testing stone, this Ten-Spirit Sensing Disc is much smaller and easier to carry. It's just…"

"It's just what?"

Chi Wanhe, who was beside them, was seeing it for the first time and was currently staring fixedly at this Spiritual Root sensing disc.

Yu Lingshuang glanced at Ling Hao and replied.

"It's nothing…"

It was just that this Ten-Spirit Sensing Disc was not something that should appear in this border region.

Usually, Spiritual Roots are tested using a testing stone, but they are simply too large.

To make them easier to carry, Spiritual Root sensing discs were created. However, ordinary Spiritual Root sensing discs only have five spirits: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

This Ten-Spirit Sensing Disc is basically only found in Seventh-Grade Sects.

Yu Lingshuang suddenly remembered Ling Hao's cultivation Realm. If a Sect had a Void Tempering expert presiding over it, then having this item was not strange.

"Come, just hold it."

Chi Wanhe hesitantly took the sensing disc and held it according to Ling Hao's instructions. Upon holding it, a blinding white light burst forth from the center of the sensing disc. However, after a short while, this white light disappeared.

The sensing disc returned to calm, hovering there motionless.

This result left both Yu Lingshuang and Ling Hao stunned.

Chi Wanhe's complexion turned visibly pale. Hearing Ling Hao speak so seriously, she had thought that she might truly have a Spiritual Root. Otherwise, the other party wouldn't have gone to so much trouble. But now…

"As expected, there isn't one."

Chi Wanhe's eyes filled with tears, and she looked at Ling Hao.

"Even if I don't have a Spiritual Root, since you saved me, this lowly life of mine belongs to you…"

"Snap!"

Before she could finish, she was interrupted by a sound.

Ling Hao slapped his forehead.

"No, that's not it."

Ling Hao remembered the System's previous prompt; Chi Wanhe had a Void Spirit Root. This Ten-Spirit Sensing Disc could only detect the Five Elements and the five mutated Spiritual Roots—Ice, Wind, Lightning, Light, and Dark—so naturally, there was no corresponding reaction.

Ling Hao then took out a palm-sized bronze mirror. The mirror's surface was inscribed with intricate runes, and the border was carved with auspicious cloud patterns.

This time, even Yu Lingshuang could not recognize what it was.

"The Spirit Identification Mirror, specifically used to identify special Spiritual Roots. It will definitely be able to detect the Spiritual Root within you."

Ling Hao's tone was firm, and he signaled for Chi Wanhe to come closer: "You just need to drip a drop of blood onto it."

Chi Wanhe followed his instructions and used her fingernail to cut her finger, letting a drop of bright red blood fall onto the mirror surface. In an instant, the mirror emitted a deep blue light, and the runes on the mirror surface lit up one by one, forming complex trajectories. Subsequently, the entire Spirit Identification Mirror began to dematerialize, presenting a transparent texture similar to crystal.

"Void… Void Spirit Root?"

Even Yu Lingshuang, who was always cold, could not help but be moved.

The Spirit Identification Mirror clearly displayed a powerful and vigorous character—Void.

"This…" Yu Lingshuang was somewhat incredulous, but not just because of the Void Spirit Root.

Naturally, there are more than just ten types of Spiritual Roots in the world, such as Poison Spiritual Roots, Yin-Yang Spiritual Roots, Star Spiritual Roots, and so on. However, even a Ninth-Grade Sect does not possess a Magical Artifact capable of specifically detecting these Spiritual Roots; they can only judge them through phenomena.

Yet, this newly joined Sect actually possessed something that even Ninth-Grade Sects did not have.

Chi Wanhe stared blankly at the Spirit Identification Mirror in her hand, unable to speak for a moment. She, who had always been deemed to have no Spiritual Root, was now at a loss when faced with this sudden "truth."

"This… is this a Void Spirit Root? What does that mean? Is it useful?"

Chi Wanhe murmured to herself, her tone filled with both excitement and confusion.

Yu Lingshuang took a deep breath, suppressing various thoughts about Ling Hao and the Sect behind him.

"The Void Spirit Root lacks the Five Elements and has no attribute, but it can simulate any Spiritual Root other than forbidden ones."

Chi Wanhe was confused; she only knew about the Five Elements and the five mutated Spiritual Roots and had no idea what this Void Spirit Root represented.

Yu Lingshuang glanced at Ling Hao without leaving a trace, always feeling that he had known this result all along.

She continued to explain to Chi Wanhe,

"Simply put, the Void Spirit Root is one of the best Spiritual Roots."

"Theoretically, you can be compatible with the spiritual power of all attributes except for forbidden ones, and your cultivation speed will far exceed that of ordinary people. At the same time, when fighting, you can simulate the spiritual power of almost all attributes, and can even combine two of them."

Chi Wanhe's face beamed with joy.

"Is my Spiritual Root really that amazing?"

"The premise is that you must have the corresponding Cultivation Technique."

Yu Lingshuang, however, was not as optimistic as Chi Wanhe; Cultivation Techniques for the Void Spirit Root are not like cabbages on the side of the road.

According to what she understood, Cultivation Techniques for the Void Spirit Root are only possessed by the Eighth-Grade Sect in the Central Region, the Void Profound Sect. The current Sect Master of the Void Profound Sect has a Void Spirit Root, and although they are at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, they can go toe-to-toe with a Mahayana Stage Supreme.

"A Cultivation Technique?"

Chi Wanhe murmured to herself, looking at Ling Hao with anticipation in her eyes.

Ling Hao put away the Spirit Identification Mirror and gave a dashing smile.

"It's just a mere Void Spirit Root Cultivation Technique, a piece of cake!"

Yu Lingshuang shook her head. She didn't know if Ling Hao was just puffing himself up to look tough or if he really had it. As the Deputy Sect Master of the Moonshadow Sect, she shouldn't question him in front of others.

"So, are you willing to join the Moonshadow Sect now?"

Chi Wanhe suppressed the excitement in her heart, knelt on both knees, kowtowed three times with a "thud, thud, thud" sound, and said loudly:

"Disciple Chi Wanhe pays respects to Revered Master!"

A look of satisfaction appeared on Ling Hao's face as he reached out to help Chi Wanhe up and said slowly.

"Good! You are my, Ling Hao's, first Disciple and the Senior Sister of the Moonshadow Sect."

Just at this moment, a cold, clear female voice rang out in Ling Hao's mind.

"Ding! Main quest completed. Rebate module activated."

Warm reminder: Rebate module; recruiting Disciples with special Spiritual Roots or special Physiques as your personal Disciples allows you to receive a rebate of the traits on the Disciple.

"Ding! Congratulations on taking in your first Disciple. Rebated: Void Spirit Root, Talisman Dao. Sect Master's cultivation has increased to the fourth level of the Qi Refining stage."

"Ding! Conditions for promotion to a First-Grade Sect have been met. The Sect has been upgraded to a First-Grade Sect. Bonus: Foundation Establishment Stage Dao Mark Resonance (Realm Experience Card) for three hours."

Dao Mark Resonance: Resonate with the Heavenly Dao's Dao Marks to borrow corresponding power.