Great Li Dynasty, Profound Yang Sect.
Final test to enter the sect—Spirit Platform Challenge.
Below a staircase filled with blue arcs of electricity, a seemingly lifeless boy suddenly twitched an arm.
He slowly woke up, propping himself against the stairs, and opened his eyes, looking around in confusion.
Am I not dead? What is this place…
Before Li An could think further, a torrent of information rushed into his mind like a flood, causing pain and dizziness.
Not far away, some disciples of Profound Yang Sect pointed and whispered.
"Huh? He didn't die?"
"To recklessly charge into the Thunder Spirit Dao and survive is indeed a miracle… Sadly, his spirit root was harmed by Thunder Spiritual Qi, making it difficult to tread the immortal path in this life."
"From the Dao Heart test earlier, this child is resolute, but greed overcame him in the final test, attempting to walk the Thunder Spirit Dao never trodden by anyone…"
On the stairs, the pain in Li An's mind finally subsided, and a complex look appeared in his eyes.
"Failed to reach Nascent Soul, yet unexpectedly, I've been reborn!…"
In his previous life, he traversed from Earth to the cultivation realm, had no legendary cheat skills, but lucked out by landing in a powerful cultivation clan.
Through relentless effort, he finally formed a True Core.
But he hadn't expected it would be his limit; at the Core Formation Stage, Li An stalled for hundreds of years, exhausting his lifespan.
To advance further, Li An entered a secret realm to seek fortune but perished within.
Unexpectedly, he was reborn here.
Great Li Dynasty… in some corner of the world, Li An is unclear, the cultivation realm is too vast.
He examined his current state and couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Yellow Rank Low Grade spirit root without attributes, far inferior to my previous life…"
In the previous life, Li An had a Yellow Rank High Grade spirit root!
Yet despite this, cultivation was extremely arduous, with True Core Formation being his limit.
Li An knew well, the stronger the spirit root, the easier cultivation becomes.
In the path of cultivation, talent is first, resources are second.
Talent is the foundation, resources are secondary.
Unfortunately, in both lives, he was not a lucky one with exceptional cultivation roots.
This life's aptitude is even poorer, more ordinary and without support… Foundation Establishment is but a dream.
"Luckily, the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill is still here!"
He scanned his mind lightly and breathed a sigh of relief.
The Life Nourishing Immortal Skill was precisely the secret technique Li An acquired from that secret realm before his demise!
"Life Nourishing Immortal Skill can increase a cultivator's lifespan, this advantage might allow me, with this inferior state, to glimpse the Great Dao…"
Li An whispered to himself.
In the late years of his past life, he looked back at his life, failing to reach Nascent Soul for many reasons.
Firstly, greed in the mortal world, once accomplished in cultivation, he took countless wives and concubines, enjoyed worldly glory, wasted much time, and added many worldly sins.
Secondly, greed for courage and combat, too much fighting and killing with others, causing accumulated dark injuries and damage to his spirit root.
The third and most critical reason: a short lifespan.
If he'd had an additional three hundred years of life at True Core Formation, success would have been almost guaranteed…
After all, ordinary people lacking aptitude, to reach levels akin to those geniuses, can only expend more time.
"This life's aptitude is worse, only by steadfastly cultivating the Dao heart, not indulging in the mortal world, and unless absolutely necessary, never contending with others."
"Thus by relying on the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill for steady cultivation, there's a chance to glimpse the Great Dao!"
He resolved his thoughts.
"Li An, are you better now? Can you stand up?"
At this moment, an anxious voice sounded.
He looked in the direction of the voice, not far off on another staircase engulfed in flames, a young farming lad gazed worriedly at Li An.
He was robust in build, with dark and simple features, and due to the fire's heat, sweated heavily.
Wang Dazhu, who came with Li An to the Profound Yang Sect to participate in the entry selection.
The batch they were in was the "immortal seedlings" sent from Celestial Yang County of the Great Li Dynasty, including noble sons, well-bred daughters, and other commoners like Li An and Wang Dazhu.
Because of similar backgrounds, Wang Dazhu was also quite close to Li An.
Besides Wang Dazhu, several others from the same batch, after clearing trials, occasionally paid attention to Li An's side.
"He really didn't die…"
Zhao Xian's Story, a member of the Zhao family, a cultivation family in Celestial Yang County, in luxurious attire, frowned slightly.
He had a water attribute spirit root, Yellow Rank Low Grade, same grade as Li An.
But Li An's spirit root without attributes could practice various methods, slightly higher than his by half a grade.
During the Dao Heart test, this person was even matched with him; if Li An passed through Thunder Spirit Pass, then he would be left behind.
At the same time, Zhao Xian's Story instinctively glanced in two other directions.
At the Wood Spirit Pass, a girl in green attire was almost through; Mu Qingwan, Yellow Rank Middle Grade Wood Spirit Root!
Similarly, at the Fire Spirit Pass, ahead of Wang Dazhu, was another young man, named Wang Jian; although also a Yellow Rank Low Grade spirit root, he ranked first in the second Dao Heart test.
Mu Qingwan and Wang Jian, he couldn't surpass.
To seek good development upon entering the sect later, he must secure the third position, which meant surpassing Li An.
Seeing Li An survive, his heart faintly felt troubled.
...
Entering Profound Yang Sect's three-tiered selection, the first two tests are Spirit Root assessment and Dao Heart test.
Possessing "Yellow" Rank Low Grade or higher spirit root is necessary to pass the first test.
The Dao Heart test requires seedlings to ascend a mountain under immense pressure, to see if their quest for the Dao is steadfast.
In the first two tests, Li An performed well, consistently ranking in the top ten!
The third test asks seedlings to tame different "immortal Dao spiritual qi," the stronger the spiritual qi tamed, indicates a brighter future within the sect.
Therefore, Li An attempted to tame the hardest Thunder Dao Spiritual Qi in the Profound Yang Sect, relying on his attribute-free spirit root!
However, this body was already fragile, malnourished since childhood, and succumbed under the assault of Thunder Dao Spiritual Qi…
"Li An, are you stupid? Get up quickly; if you don't go, there'll be no chance."
While he pondered, Wang Dazhu already ran over, pulling Li An up, "Come, I'll take you to try the Fire Spirit Pass!"
Li An was taken aback; Wang Dazhu was already about to pass, yet came back to drag him along?
"Dazhu, I don't want to go…"
"No nonsense, we agreed to cultivate into immortals together, your body's weak, I'll carry you!"
He hoisted the frail Li An onto his shoulder, wiped sweat from his forehead, ready to dash toward the Fire Spirit Pass.
"No…"
Li An panicked and said, "Dazhu, you're not helping me, you're harming me!"
Wang Dazhu was about to carry him through, puzzled upon hearing, "Huh?"
"Put me down."
Wang Dazhu reluctantly put him down.
"Dazhu, I'll be honest with you, my spirit root is already damaged; even if you help me, I definitely won't survive another attempt through Fire Spirit Pass… Thank you."
Actually, even with a damaged spirit root, armed with previous life experience, Li An still had a seventy percent chance of passing the spirit pass.
But… only seventy percent!
Ordinary people can't afford to fail.
Plus, now possessing the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, Li An had no need to take this risk.
After speaking, Li An turned around and ran toward the gate without spiritual qi.
"Brother An!"
Wang Dazhu shouted in shock.
Others saw and sighed in regret.
"To choose this path…"
"All achievements in the first two tests are now for naught!"
"Passing through the gate without spiritual qi allows entry into the sect only as… a servant."
Many voices sounded.
Evidently, for Li An, this was the worst outcome.
In the crowd, a bright woman in pale yellow attire also frowned, glancing at Li An's retreating back…
Originally, Li An ranked in the top ten in the first two tests, especially with the rare attribute-free spirit root, so she'd paid some attention to him, considered him a good prospect, even contemplating which elder to recommend him for apprenticeship…
Unexpectedly, failing to cross the Thunder Spirit Dao, was his courage shattered? Did he lack the nerve even to attempt another?
So be it.
The immortal path is unforeseeable, such people aren't surprising.
She no longer paid attention.
In the field, Wang Dazhu watched Li An enter through the gate without Dao spirits, gritting his teeth:
"Li An, I'll look out for you in the future!"
After speaking, he plunged headfirst into the Fire Spirit Dao!
...