Spiritual energy surged into the spirit testing orb, and in an instant, two colors appeared on its surface!
One was crimson, the other emerald green.
These two colors represented fire and wood attributes, respectively.
Dual attributes?
Yun Ze frowned slightly. The result wasn't ideal, but it was acceptable. He wondered about the grade of his spiritual roots.
As he was contemplating, he felt a faint fluctuation from the immortal jade he kept close. Then, he saw a faint azure blue slowly emerge on the spirit testing orb!
Triple attributes!
No, that's not right!
This attribute should be related to the immortal jade!
However... it was only related to one of the immortal jades.
It was strange, Yun Ze had been studying the two immortal jades for almost four months, but besides one of them being able to control water, the other immortal jade had shown no reaction whatsoever.
It was as if they were still combined as they were before.
The spirit testing was the same now. Only the immortal jade that could control water emitted a fluctuation, while the other remained still.
Yun Ze truly didn't know why. He had asked Bu Bu, but Bu Bu pretended not to hear and refused to discuss it with him.
"Mm."
Seeing three colors appear on the spirit testing orb before him, the inspecting cultivator nodded in admiration. "Three-attribute spiritual roots are quite good.
If you can reach the Xuan-grade spiritual roots, you can forge the path to the Golden Core realm in the future!"
Yun Ze remained silent, pouring all his focus into the spirit testing orb, continuously infusing it with spiritual energy, watching as the orb's colors gradually faded.
After a hundred breaths...
"Alas, the quality of the spiritual roots is insufficient."
The cultivator before the spirit testing orb sighed. "Yellow-grade mid-tier, water, fire, and wood attributes. Do you intend to go up, or stay here?
If you join my Lin Sword Sect, I can guarantee you will reach Foundation Establishment within ten years!"
Yellow-grade mid-tier.
Was it only Yellow-grade mid-tier?
A hint of disappointment flashed in Yun Ze's eyes. He stood up and cupped his fists towards the cultivator. "Thank you for your kindness, senior, but I still wish to go up and see."
"Alright, I won't force you. Next!"
Yun Ze yielded his position to Bu Bu, his eyes full of curiosity as he waited.
He naturally wanted to know Bu Bu's potential as well!
Bu Bu said nothing more, merely glanced at him, and placed her hand on the spirit testing orb.
In an instant, the ink-black spirit testing orb turned silver-gray!
*Bang!*
The inspecting cultivator immediately stood up, his stool falling behind him as he stared in shock, his lips trembling. "Space... Space spiritual root!"
Space?
Yun Ze's pupils trembled, and he instantly recalled what Yu Xian had said when introducing the Sumeru Ring!
That legendary cultivation family – the Xiu family!
Wasn't it said that such spiritual roots only appeared within their family?
"What!?"
With a muffled sound, Yun Ze felt several gusts of wind sweep past him!
When he came to his senses, he realized that an unknown number of people had surrounded him. They were all figures from the eighth-tier high platform. People from the other tiers could only stand at the periphery, not daring to approach!
Some wore luxurious Daoist robes, some a black shirt, and others wore coarse cloth with a long sword strapped to their backs.
The strangest was a white-haired old man.
His attire wasn't tattered, but the most peculiar thing was the many bottles and jars hanging from his waist, which clinked with every step he took. He was also the closest to the spirit testing orb.
Everyone watched him, as if waiting for something.
He looked back and forth between Bu Bu and the spirit testing orb several times, seemingly confirming something.
After a few breaths, the old man finally asked, "...Girl, what is your name?"
"Li Bu Bu."
Bu Bu replied calmly, her spiritual energy still flowing into the orb. As spiritual energy continued to pour in, the orb's transparency kept increasing!
In less than ten breaths, its transparency far surpassed Yun Ze's!
"Li? How could it be Li?" the old man asked twice.
A Daoist nun beside him frowned and asked, "Never mind why her surname is Li, is this truly a space spiritual root?"
"Yes."
The old man replied. At this moment, a hundred breaths had passed, and the spirit testing orb on the table had become almost completely transparent. "Not only is she a space spiritual root, but her spiritual root grade is above Earth-grade! The specific grade is unknown.
Even direct descendants of the Xiu family would find it difficult to produce someone of this caliber!"
"Girl."
The middle-aged man in coarse cloth with a long sword on his back stared at Bu Bu and asked solemnly, "Answer me truthfully, are you... picked up by your parents?"
Bu Bu glanced at the middle-aged man and then moved her hand away from the spirit testing orb. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"This is very important!"
The white-haired old man continued, "Never mind, where are your parents? I'll go ask them!"
Bu Bu remained silent and instead stood beside Yun Ze.
The old man's gaze then fell on Yun Ze, his eyes narrowing. "Boy, do you know?"
"Senior."
Yun Ze cupped his fists towards everyone and explained, "Bu Bu's parents have already passed into the netherworld. I watched Bu Bu grow up, and she should be her parents' biological child.
Do you have any other questions?"
"Forget it, never mind all that!"
The old man ignored Yun Ze and continued to look at Bu Bu, squatting down to her level. "Girl, are you willing to learn formations from me?"
Formations?
Array formations?
This was also a path to the heavens.
The barrier that separated the Immortal Gathering from the mortal world was an array formation. It was said to be just a basic illusionary formation, while profound formations were even more mysterious.
They could borrow the power of the stars to imprison all living beings; they could draw upon the mountains and seas to destroy all spirits!
A mere thought was enough!
Yun Ze wished he could agree on Bu Bu's behalf right then and there.
However, Bu Bu merely looked up at the old man and asked, "Are you related to the Xiu family?"
"...Yes!"
The old man was clearly taken aback. Then, a flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes, and he quickly said, "I am an outer sect elder of the You Formation Sect. The ancestor of the You Formation Sect is a collateral relative of the Xiu family!
If you are willing to join the You Formation Sect, I will definitely petition the ancestor to contact someone from the Xiu family. Perhaps they can even send you to cultivate at the Xiu family!
With your Ethereal Root aptitude, even if it's only Earth-grade low-tier, you can still secure a place there, and even... become the young madam of the Xiu family is not impossible!"
There was no flicker of emotion in Bu Bu's eyes; she remained extremely calm, a stark contrast to the agitated old man before her!
She pondered for a few breaths, then nodded in agreement. "Alright, but... I have a few conditions."
"Alright, speak!"
The old man's joy was evident, he was almost jumping up and cheering.
"I haven't thought of them yet. We'll discuss them later."
"Fine, then let's return to the sect first!"
Without waiting for Bu Bu's confirmation, the old man turned to someone on the platform. "Old Wei, you continue recruiting disciples here. I'll take the girl back to the sect first!"
"Wait."
Bu Bu spoke again. "Who said I'm leaving with you now?"
"Then..."
The old man, afraid Bu Bu would go back on her word, said, "Little ancestor, if we return to the sect first, we can go to the Xiu family earlier."
"No rush."
Bu Bu looked at Yun Ze. "Let's wait until my brother's assessment is over."
Brother?
This was the first time Bu Bu had called him that.
Yun Ze looked at Bu Bu, his heart filled with emotion.
Although they were just fellow villagers for the past decade or so with little interaction, after months of living together, they had already developed a sibling bond.
He was happy that she was pursuing a wider world, but he also thought of their impending separation...
Alas.
Never mind, if fate allows, they would meet again!
"No need to test!"
The old man waved his hand grandly, making a decision. "Let your brother join our You Formation Sect as well. I'll make the decision and allow him to become an inner disciple, enjoying the privileges of a Foundation Establishment stage disciple."
Bu Bu remained silent, only looking at Yun Ze.
"Thank you for your kindness, senior."
Yun Ze cupped his fists to thank the elder, then said, "However, this junior already has a sect in mind and has no fate with the You Formation Sect."
"Hmm?"
The old man's brows furrowed visibly. "Boy, do you know what you are refusing?"
"I know."
"The You Formation Sect is one of the four great immortal sects in the Xuanyuan Realm. For others to enter, it would be impossible without Xuan-grade spiritual roots. Now, allowing you to enter as an inner disciple is already a great favor."
The old man briefly introduced the sect, his tone laced with a hint of anger. "Boy, don't be ungrateful."
"This junior understands."
"Then come with me!"
"...Senior." Yun Ze looked troubled.
If he went to the You Formation Sect now, he would certainly have no fate with the Guiwu Sword Sect. How would he find Chen Xiao then?
"Hey! You brat!"
The old man placed his hands on his hips and asked directly, "Come on! Tell me, which sect do you want to join?
I want to see which sect it is that makes you willing to give up the position of an inner disciple of the You Formation Sect and stubbornly insist on going to!"
"Guiwu Sword Sect." Yun Ze answered honestly.
"Guiwu Sword Sect, is it? Good!"
The old man turned to a middle-aged man beside him. "Old Ji, a set of Core Formation stage formations, any type you choose!"
"If it were me, I wouldn't accept this person!"