Half a day passed, and all the children recruited had spiritual roots. Wuchenzi kept shaking his head. If he weren't accompanying Lu Heng, he wouldn't have been able to stand it for so long.
"They don't seem particularly outstanding. Why don't this old man take you to a nearby restaurant to sit and watch while we eat?"
That would be great. Why didn't he say so earlier?
Immediately, the two of them got up and left the crowd. The disciples who were recruiting looked back when they heard the sound but said nothing, then turned their attention back to the people queuing for testing.
"Hey, those two cultivators just now weren't wearing the robes of Danyang Sect disciples. Could they be some sect leaders?"
As soon as they walked out of the crowd, Lu Heng heard discussions about them.
He guessed that they hadn't spoken earlier because they were sitting there, and people didn't dare to speak their minds.
"Yes, they look like it. That old man has an immortal demeanor; he might be a sect leader. As for the one beside him, it's hard to say; he looks a bit young."
"Indeed. And the young one isn't wearing a disciple's robe either. Even if he's not a sect leader, his status in Danyang Sect is probably not low."
"......"
Wuchenzi led Lu Heng to the nearest restaurant and found a seat by the window on the second floor where they could see the Danyang Sect recruiting. People were already dining there, as this spot offered a clear view of the excitement below.
Wuchenzi was very generous, giving the shopkeeper and the people at that table a considerable amount of spirit stones to exchange for the seats. The others knew they were from the Danyang Sect recruiting disciples, so they were quite polite to them.
Soon, Wuchenzi ordered a table full of dishes.
"So much, can the two of us finish it?" People accustomed to not wasting food in the apocalypse felt reluctant to waste so much food.
"It's fine; we'll let those two take turns coming up to eat later." Wuchenzi waved his hand and gestured for Lu Heng to eat first.
"This dish is good, young friend..."
"Could you test my son again? He was nervous just now, so it didn't show."
A sudden voice came from the noisy crowd. Lu Heng turned his head to look.
He saw a man with a frail boy, repeatedly kowtowing to the disciples sitting and recruiting below.
Wuchenzi also forgot to go over, but he had no intention of getting up to manage it. This kind of thing happened every year. When the children failed the test, and the spirit stones didn't react, some families were unwilling to give up and always hoped their children could try again.
However, even if they tried several more times after the spirit stones didn't react the first time, those children couldn't change their fate of being unable to cultivate. They could only live as ordinary people for the rest of their lives.
"Are these children really unable to cultivate? Do you know of any way to change it?" Lu Heng finally voiced his thoughts, as Wuchenzi, being a high-level alchemist, might have heard something.
However, Wuchenzi just shook his head at the people below and said somewhat helplessly, "There's no way. Since people learned about this method of cultivation, only those whose children pass the spirit stone test can absorb spirit crystals and embark on the path of cultivation.
This old man has also tried to refine certain pills to change the fate of those who desperately want to cultivate but cannot.
But, such is the will of heaven.
Alas!"
Lu Heng looked at the frail child below. Although he tested again, the spirit stone still showed no reaction. The boy bit his lip tightly and was pulled away from the testing table by his father, but he kept twisting his head, staring unwillingly at the spirit stone.
This child's expression... was like the first time he saw Lin Yu.
The same frail body, the same unwillingness.
With a whoosh, Lu Heng stood up and quickly walked downstairs.
Wuchenzi watched Lu Heng's hasty departure without trying to stop him. He could tell that Lu Heng was going to find that boy.
But what of it? No one could change that child's fate.
"Wait, yes, I'm calling you." Lu Heng stopped the father and son who had already walked out of the crowd.
The man pulled his child along and looked at Lu Heng inexplicably.
"Esteemed cultivator, why have you called out to this humble one?" People here were very respectful of cultivators who could cultivate, especially those sent by academies to recruit disciples.
Lu Heng smiled at the man but looked at the frail boy and asked, "What's your name?"
The boy bowed to Lu Heng. "Sir, my name is Lu Da Niu."
"Heh heh, what a coincidence."
"Do you want to cultivate and become a cultivator?" Lu Heng asked again.
"My child was tested just now, and they said he couldn't..."
"I do," the boy said firmly to Lu Heng as his father began to explain.
"Then, if there was a chance for you to try, but trying would be dangerous, would you be willing to try?"
Lu Heng's conversation attracted the attention of some people around.
Some who had failed the test but hadn't left yet also gathered around.
The boy, undisturbed by the external interference, broke free from his father's hand after hearing Lu Heng's question and walked in front of Lu Heng. With a thud, he quickly knelt down.
"I am willing to try, as long as there is a chance."
"Very well."
Lu Heng took out a level four crystal from his embrace. This item should not have been given to someone who hadn't reached the first tier in the apocalypse, as the energy contained in a level four crystal was much higher than that of a level one crystal.
In the apocalypse, if an ordinary person who had never consumed a crystal consumed this, there was a high probability of exploding and dying.
However, the general level in the apocalypse was lower than in this other world. For example, when Lu Heng was at the ninth tier of special abilities, it was equivalent to only the fifth level of enlightenment in this world's ranking. Therefore, Lu Heng wanted to try.
"Try taking this." Lu Heng didn't explain. He spread the crystal in his palm, waiting for Lu Da Niu to take it himself.
If this child truly wanted to become someone who could cultivate, he would definitely take it himself.
As expected, although Lu Da Niu didn't know what the thing emitting a faint gray light was, he unhesitatingly reached out, picked it up, and put it in his mouth.
"Your head might hurt a bit," Lu Heng said after the child had consumed the crystal, though this was a reaction that would only occur after the child had eaten and advanced in level.
Soon, Lu Da Niu felt a warm current flowing through his body, and a force continuously improved his body and strengthened his bones.
Afterward, a sharp stinging sensation spread through his mind, as if needles were constantly poking his head.
He couldn't bear it and fell to the ground. Fortunately, Lu Heng was prepared and immediately reached out to catch his falling body.
Third tier. His ability level had directly surged to the third tier, and he displayed two attributes: fire and lightning.
Lu Heng was a little surprised. He hadn't expected that people who couldn't cultivate here would directly reach this level after consuming this level four crystal.
However, the boy's enlightenment level had not increased.