Chapter 4: Mortal Enmity with the System

It had been a long time since Master Qingyan had taken on apprentices, and suddenly two exceptionally gifted disciples arrived at once. Naturally, he was excited and forgot that he should have tested their spiritual roots before accepting them as apprentices.

However, it was of little consequence. Given their outstanding performance in the arts and magic, even if their spiritual roots were mediocre, they would suffice.

After the disciples exchanged their greetings, Master Qingyan leisurely produced the spiritual root testing plate.

“Fuqin, Ah Huai, have your spiritual roots tested first; it will help you choose your cultivation methods with clearer direction.”

The testing plate was embedded with eight special materials, each sensitive to one of the eight spiritual energies: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, ice, wind, and thunder.

By placing one’s hand on the plate, the color and intensity of the glowing lights would reveal the attribute and purity of the spiritual root.

Cui Huai still remembered her first time testing her spiritual root, her heart pounding with anxiety, fearing her root was mixed and that she might never walk the path of immortality. Yet the moment she placed her hand on the plate, a brilliant purple light burst forth. She possessed a rare, heavenly-grade thunder spiritual root—one in a million.

A thousand years had passed, and Cui Huai still recalled that joy and the envy in others’ eyes; it seemed today would be a repeat of that moment.

Though proud in her heart, her expression remained calm. Fuqin politely asked, “Junior Sister, would you like to test first, or shall I?”

If she went first, she would steal all the spotlight and leave their third senior brother no face.

“Third Senior Brother, please proceed first.”

Fuqin placed his hand on the plate, and soon red and green lights flashed, the red slightly brighter.

Unlike others’ surprise, Fuqin was not taken aback. As a phoenix, his spirit was fire-based, currently in the period of Nirvana restoration, also imbued with the vitality of wood.

Master Qingyan couldn’t help but praise, “Excellent. Fire and wood dual spiritual roots that complement each other, with a fire root purity close to heavenly grade. Fuqin, your spiritual root will take you far, but even so, you must guard against arrogance and impatience and cultivate steadily to achieve greatness.”

With Fuqin’s test complete, all eyes turned to Cui Huai.

Cui Huai appeared unruffled, confident in the result. Let the earthworms tremble as they admired her heavenly-grade thunder spiritual root.

Yet when she placed her hand on the plate, a dazzling flash appeared—but it deviated greatly from her expectations and even from everyone else’s.

The plate erupted in a dazzling display of eight colors—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, and white—shimmering in a kaleidoscope of lights.

After the brilliant spectacle, the lights gradually dimmed but all eight colors remained distinct.

Master Qingyan was dumbfounded; such a phenomenon was unheard of. Even Fuqin, well-versed in many things, widened his eyes in awe.

Jiang Xuan exclaimed, “Junior Sister, that’s incredible! Seeing such a dazzling display from a single spiritual stone feels even livelier than last year’s Lantern Festival!”

Zhao Zhixu kicked Jiang Xuan sharply, admonishing him for his poor timing. How could he joke when Junior Sister might not be happy with such a result?

Trying to smooth things over, Jiang Xuan added, “This is a rather rare spiritual root. Perhaps it has unexpected cultivation benefits. Master, what do you think?”

Relieved to shift responsibility to the master, she let out a breath. Sorry, Master, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Master Qingyan was at a loss. He could only dryly say, “Try another testing plate—maybe this one’s broken.”

Even though it had accurately detected Fuqin’s fire-wood dual roots just fifteen minutes ago, it didn't guarantee it was functioning now.

He quickly retrieved another plate and placed it before Cui Huai.

Mechanically, Cui Huai placed her hand again, and the room watched another dazzling light show. No, it was another spiritual root test.

Cui Huai’s true feelings? In three words: utterly shattered.

Withdrawing her hand from the plate, she forced a slight smile. “Everyone, I have matters to attend to. I’ll step out for a bit and return later.”

Everyone saw her face dark as a burnt pan and let her go without protest.

Before testing, her confident demeanor showed she would find it hard to accept the result.

In such a dark moment of life, she needed release—a little time and space to silently lick her wounds.

Stepping out of the courtyard and forward a bit, she stopped and took a deep breath.

Then, in her mind, she screamed, “System! Show yourself right now!”

***

Cui Huai had no idea how she had ended up in this predicament.

Should Mingxiao Immortal Lord, that two-timing, fickle rake, be killed?

Yes.

Should Jin Yan Swordmaster, that hypocrite who used her to prolong his life, be killed?

Also yes.

But just because those scoundrels died, she ended up in this godforsaken place, suffering disgrace.

As Cui Huai’s mood sank, if the system had a body, it would be sweating bullets.

“According to algorithmic prediction, if you still possess the thunder spiritual root, there’s a 99.9% chance you won’t undertake any conquest missions and will successfully rebuild your cultivation within a hundred years, then find a chance to kill me.”

“As for the remaining 0.01%, you and I both perish.”

The system was at its wit’s end. It didn’t want to offend Cui Huai but foresaw only darkness ahead. Yet if the conquest mission failed, it, too, faced death.

Cui Huai thought herself unlucky; the system thought the same—how did they end up stuck together?

“Having a multicolored spiritual root isn’t hopeless. The more missions you complete, the more your spiritual root count will normalize.”

After much rambling, the system barely managed to placate Cui Huai.

Of course, the main reason she was appeased was that she had yet to find a way to defeat it.

But in Cui Huai’s world, nothing was impossible to overcome. The system must have a weakness, and with plenty of time ahead, once found, it would pay for its deeds!

Having made a mental note against the system, Cui Huai returned to the courtyard with a stern face.

Even Jiang Xuan, usually insensitive, sensed the intense killing aura emanating from her and wisely kept silent, unwilling to invite misfortune.

Any cultivator receiving such a spiritual root test result would find it hard to accept. The junior sister not breaking down in tears was already commendable.

No matter how poor the talent, the respect tea had been drunk, and the apprentices could not be returned—only earnest guidance remained.

Just as Master Qingyan racked his brain, pondering how to encourage Cui Huai with her multicolored spiritual root, someone arrived at the courtyard.

A young man, with a square kerchief wrapped around his head and a small medicine box slung over his shoulder, gasped, “Is this the Maze Trace Pavilion?”

“This is the Carefree Sect. The Maze Trace Pavilion is to the east,” Jiang Xuan cheerfully pointed the way, “Keep along this road for about an hour and a half, and you’ll reach it.”

The youth—Zhu Yu—glanced in the indicated direction, seeing only overgrown weeds, a real dead end. Hearing it was still an hour and a half away, the breath he had caught after climbing the mountain tightened in his throat.

He was just looking for a sect. Why not join anywhere? Zhu Yu decided at once, “Does your Carefree Sect accept disciples? The kind that pay sponsorship fees?”

***

The power of money was remarkable; everything proceeded as if time itself had been sped up or slowed down.

The time flow technique was a spell only cultivators at the Great Ascension stage could wield, enabling localized acceleration or deceleration.

But Cui Huai knew no such magic; she only wielded the sword and dabbled slightly in divination.

***

Skipping the trial by paying, Master Qingyan drank the apprenticeship tea with a smile. Today he had already drunk three cups, enough to feel satisfied.

The spiritual root testing plate that had dealt a heavy blow to Cui Huai was brought out again. Zhu Yu calmly placed his hand on it, but the plate remained motionless.

“Could it really be broken?” Master Qingyan muttered, preparing to try another.

Zhu Yu interrupted, “No need. I’m just a mortal, with no spiritual root. Most likely, I’ll remain a mortal all my life.”

Flushed from the sponsorship fee, Master Qingyan suddenly sobered, “Then... why come to apprentice and cultivate when you can’t learn magic?”

Zhu Yu replied, “I’m a doctor. Since I learned to read, I’ve studied medical texts. I’m the best doctor within ten miles, but they say no matter how much I study, I’ll never grasp even the basics of medical cultivation. So I came to broaden my horizons.”

Seeing Master Qingyan’s hesitation, Zhu Yu added, “Ordinary disciples pay fifty spiritual stones to enter. I’m willing to pay one hundred as a sponsorship fee.”

The hesitation vanished at once. Master Qingyan immediately changed his tone, “The Carefree Sect’s founding principle is ‘Teaching Without Discrimination.’ Regardless of talent, we adopt the most suitable teaching methods. You’ve come to the right place.”

Jiang Xuan whispered to Zhao Zhixu, “Junior Sister, I’ve never heard of that founding principle. Did Master just make it up?”

Zhao Zhixu rolled her eyes, “If you want sponsorship fees, shut your mouth.”

Master Qingyan continued enthusiastically, “Our sect does have medical cultivators. My junior sister, Le You, is an excellent medical cultivator. She prefers quiet, but we treat brothers and sisters as equals. Naturally, she’s happy to teach my disciples. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to visit her.”

Relying on the promise of one hundred spiritual stones, Master Qingyan steadied Zhu Yu. Cui Huai could barely watch—this sect was a makeshift troupe!

She quietly asked Fuqin, “You’re a dual-root genius. Seeing this sect even accepts mortals, don’t you want to run?”

If not for the system holding her hostage, forcing her to stay a while, she would have left this dilapidated sect without hesitation.

“If I wanted to run, I would have left when you tested your multicolored root. Do you think you’re any different from him?” Fuqin said, giving her a look that said, “Don’t look down on others; have some self-awareness.”

Cui Huai clenched her fists and swallowed hard.

Fu Qin, huh? I’ll remember you. Just wait!

***

The lively apprentice acceptance event finally concluded.

Jiang Xuan lingered half an hour at the courtyard gate, hoping for more sponsorship-fee-paying hopefuls.

He indeed saw a few people, but all seemed to lack direction, asking if this was the Maze Trace Pavilion. Upon hearing no, they all turned around and left.

Seeing no more arrivals, as the responsible senior brother, Jiang Xuan decided to tidy the courtyard.

He lifted the sword-testing stone that Cui Huai had cleaved in two. As he raised it, it crumbled into powder in his hand.

The stone was nothing but a thin shell; the inside had shattered to dust.

Could the junior sister’s swordsmanship really be this terrifying?

Jiang Xuan shook his head inwardly.

It seemed the sword-testing stones he had bought cheaply at the market last time were of poor quality.

Otherwise, could it be that the junior sister was like a neon light?