My damn charm!

After Yin Qingyuan announced the age limit, no one present left.

Those who could make it here couldn't possibly not know if their age met the standard. Falling Cloud Valley was secluded deep in the mountains and the journey was long; if one couldn't even pass such a hard requirement, they wouldn't be so idle as to run all the way here to sleep in the open.

Since they were already here, how could they be willing to leave without trying?

Seeing this, Yin Qingyuan didn't waste words. With a wave of his hand, two Falling Cloud Valley Disciples behind him quickly carried over a wooden table, upon which sat a foot-wide piece of completely transparent jade.

Upon seeing the Spirit Testing Stone on the table, Qi Yuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

The quality of the Spirit Testing Stone used by Falling Cloud Valley wasn't high; it was a relatively Elementary means of testing Spiritual Roots. Using the [Pretending to be a Pig to Eat the Tiger] talent given by the System, he could easily bluff his way through.

If he encountered the massive, top-grade Spirit Testing Stones like those in the Taixuan Holy Land, then it would be troublesome.

Of course, top-grade Spirit Testing Stones were extremely precious and rare; a small Sect like Falling Cloud Valley couldn't obtain one.

“Spiritual Root Aptitude is the foundation of the Great Dao. Without a Spiritual Root, no matter how great your abilities, you cannot step onto the path of the Dao.”

“The first stage of the assessment is testing the Spiritual Root. Only those with an Aptitude of Four Spiritual Roots or higher can enter the next round.”

“Next, please line up. Place your hand on the Spirit Testing Stone in order, and the Spirit Testing Stone will automatically display the tester's Aptitude.”

Ying Qingyuan's voice spread throughout the field, jolting everyone's spirits.

Soon, a thin and short youth was the first to step up to the table, cautiously placing his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone.

The next moment, a faint five-colored light slowly appeared on the Spirit Testing Stone.

“There's a reaction!”

The thin youth's face was full of excitement as he impatiently turned to look at Yin Qingyuan.

“Five Spiritual Roots, fail. Next.”

Yin Qingyuan was expressionless.

“Ah?”

Hearing this, the thin youth wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant, returning to his original spot dejectedly.

Then, one tester after another stepped forward tremblingly to receive their judgment.

“Metal, Earth, and Fire Three Spiritual Roots. Good Aptitude, pass.”

“You have no Spiritual Root, fail.”

“You have no Spiritual Root, fail.”

...The vast majority of people present were children of Mortals. Except for some Loose Cultivators and noble young masters like Wang Luchuan, whose families employed Cultivators, others had no way of knowing if they had Aptitude.

Therefore, this stage was like a thrilling lottery. Those whose Spiritual Roots met the requirements saw hope for the immortal path and were ecstatic, while those with no Spiritual Roots or Waste Spiritual Roots were dejected and gloomily eliminated. The atmosphere was tense to the extreme.

Soon, under everyone's watchful eyes, Wang Luchuan stepped forward in high spirits and placed his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone.

Subsequently, a blue-green light suddenly burst forth from the Spirit Testing Stone, clearly several times brighter than the Three Spiritual Roots Cultivator from before.

Seeing this, Yin Qingyuan nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile:

“Wang Luchuan, Wood and Water Dual Spiritual Roots, excellent Aptitude, pass.”

“Hiss! It really is Dual Spiritual Roots!”

“Young Master Wang is mighty and domineering!”

“Young Master Wang is awesome!”

...Amidst a wave of flattering applause, Wang Luchuan gave Lin Zhen, who was dazed not far away, a provocative glance and walked down triumphantly.

After Wang Luchuan, several more people with qualifying Spiritual Roots passed one after another.

Qi Yuan stepped forward calmly and placed his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone with composure.

The next moment, a distinct four-colored light bloomed on the Spirit Testing Stone.

“Qi Da, Four Spiritual Roots, pass.”

The whole process was uneventful, just like his current appearance which didn't attract any attention. Only Bai Xirou specifically glanced at him, a trace of imperceptible regret flashing in her beautiful eyes.

Bai Xirou had a good impression of this "courageous" Loose Cultivator. She had arrived a bit late yesterday; if it weren't for him stepping in timely, the boy she wanted to save would have died.

Although this person's looks were mediocre, he was at least a kind-hearted person who enjoyed helping others, which could be called a breath of fresh air in this Cultivation World where immortal virtue was increasingly declining.

Regrettably, an Aptitude of Four Spiritual Roots predestined a bumpy road, with no hope of Foundation Establishment in this lifetime.

Sensing Bai Xirou's gaze, Qi Yuan nodded to her and returned a smile, only lamenting secretly in his heart:

“I've already been so low-key and even disguised myself to be so ugly, yet I can still get the attention of a beautiful female Cultivator. This damned charm of mine really can't be hidden...” The Original Owner himself had Five Spiritual Roots, which was a Waste Spiritual Root. Only after one System enhancement was it upgraded to the level of Four Spiritual Roots, just enough to pass Falling Cloud Valley's Spiritual Root test.

Although he could shock the entire field and blind everyone's eyes in a minute just by showing his true Aptitude, don't forget that his purpose for coming here wasn't to show off, but to complete the mission without exposing his identity. Naturally, he couldn't stand out too much... “Liu Yingying, Four Spiritual Roots, pass.”

“Lin Zhen, Three Spiritual Roots, pass.”

At this moment, Yin Qingyuan announced Lin Zhen's Spiritual Root Aptitude, and Qi Yuan was instantly stunned.

Out of curiosity about the Child of Destiny, he had specifically used a secret technique to probe the other's Spiritual Root Aptitude yesterday while Lin Zhen wasn't paying attention.

But the result last time was clearly Four Spiritual Roots. How did it become Three Spiritual Roots overnight?

Thinking of something, he looked thoughtfully at Lin Zhen's right hand and found that the mysterious ring had vanished at some point, as if it had never appeared.

As expected of the Child of Destiny, even he had misjudged. Truly terrifying!

By the time everyone completed the first stage, less than thirty percent of the testers were eligible to stay for the next round. The elimination rate was frightening.

Of course, this result was already enough to satisfy Falling Cloud Valley. The entrance assessment was held every three years, and last time, those with qualifying Spiritual Roots didn't even reach twenty percent.

Except for certain Mysterious Families with special Bloodlines, among Mortals, those with Spiritual Roots often numbered less than one in ten, and the vast majority of those were Five Spiritual Roots.

Although Five Spiritual Roots possessed all Five Elements, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi they sensed was extremely chaotic and difficult to draw into the body. They were known as Waste Spiritual Roots.

Therefore, although Four Spiritual Roots weren't great either, many small and medium Sects would still take them under their wing. After all, being able to Cultivate meant there was a sliver of hope for nurturing them; it was better than doing nothing and watching the Legacy die out.

“Now for the next round.”

After speaking, Yin Qingyuan flicked his sleeve, and the thick mist at the valley entrance quickly dispersed, vaguely revealing a winding path.

Looking in from the outside, it was lush with green trees and fragrant with flowers, appearing serene and peaceful.

“As long as you pass through this small path and successfully complete the Heart-Nature test, you will automatically become a Disciple of our Falling Cloud Valley.”