The second round involves testing the Spirit Root attribute to determine the suitable Cultivation Technique.
The testing site is set in a black room.
Participants enter the small black room one by one for the Elder to test their Spirit Root attributes, with no outsiders allowed.
Such Spirit Root testing prevents unexpected incidents.
A Cultivation Clan once tested a child's Spirit Root and discovered a Celestial Spirit Root.
Soon after, the news leaked.
The next day, the Cultivation Clan was exterminated, and the Celestial Spirit Root child was killed.
Since then, Spirit Root testing is done in a black room with no outsiders allowed.
This is to prevent explosive incidents.
Even if a Celestial Spirit Root is detected, it can be disguised as a Dual Root or Three Roots to protect the Celestial Spirit Root child.
The testing in the black room is quick.
Three minutes per person, and soon it was Lu Xuanji's turn.
"Don't be nervous."
The Elder said.
"Place your palm on these light balls in sequence, representing the five attributes of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth, along with Wind, Thunder, and Ice, which are anomalous roots. If a light ball lights up, it means it has that attribute. The fewer the balls that light up, the better: one lit ball is a Celestial or Anomalous Root; two lit balls are Dual Roots; three lit balls are Three Roots; four lit balls are Four Roots; and five lit balls are Five Roots."
"The same Spirit Root can differ greatly in aptitude due to differing Spirit Root attributes and heights."
"For example, a Dual Root with Water and Fire attributes conflict with each other, making it inferior to Three Roots; a Dual Root of Fire and Wood, with Wood aiding Fire, is top-notch among Dual Roots. Similarly, in Dual Roots, Fire at nine inches and Wood at one inch is much better than Fire at three inches and Wood at seven inches."
"Regardless of the Spirit Root attribute, even Five Roots transcend ordinary people."
The Elder did not show disdain when speaking of Five Roots.
Five Roots are still Spirit Roots, capable of cultivation and contributing to the family.
"The Celestial Spirit Root cultivates one attribute, Five Roots cultivate five attributes." Lu Xuanji questioned, "Is it not good to cultivate all five elements?"
"To reach the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Stage, the Celestial Spirit Root requires ten to twenty years, Dual Roots take twenty to thirty years, Three Roots take forty to fifty years, Four Roots take eighty to a hundred years, while Five Roots need at least two hundred years... But a lifespan of the Qi Refining Stage is less than one hundred and twenty years."
"It's best to reach Foundation Establishment by sixty years old, feasible only for Dual and Three Roots. Four and Five Roots have little hope."
"Even with a Foundation Establishment Pill, the success rate for Dual Roots is above fifty percent, Three Roots above thirty percent, Four Roots ten percent, and Five Roots one percent."
"What do you think the probability is for a Five Root to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage? Or rather, what cost or resources are needed to advance a Five Root to the Foundation Establishment Stage?"
The Elder explained patiently.
Lu Xuanji was at a loss for words.
Five Roots is essentially drawing the short straw.
Resources are limited; no family possesses unlimited resources.
This inevitably means resources will favor Dual and Three Roots, while Four and Five Roots are discarded.
The Elder continued, "Once, a Five Root individual, fortunate enough, became a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but the resources he consumed could nurture ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Even if a Five Root fortuitously reaches Foundation Establishment, progress would be slow, with enormous resource consumption and it's not worth the cost."
Lu Xuanji shook his head, even more speechless.
In his past life, seeing Han Paopao cultivating immortality seemed to be a mortal cultivating immortality, but now it seems more like a pay-to-win immortality.
The resources he spent were several times to dozens of times more than cultivators of the same realm.
Luckily, he had the support of the small green bottle; otherwise, even Foundation Establishment would be difficult.
"I hope you are Three Roots, or Dual Roots."
The Elder said.
Lu Xuanji, feeling anxious, placed his hand on the first light ball.
The light ball showed no change.
Lu Xuanji breathed a sigh of relief, at least Four Roots.
He placed his hand on the Wood Light Ball, and it brightened up.
After a long while, the light dissipated.
The Elder squinted his eyes and smiled, "Not bad, Wood Spirit Root, nine inches."
He placed his hand on the Water Light Ball, with no change.
Lu Xuanji breathed a sigh of relief again, that two balls remained unlit, at least Three Roots.
He placed his hand on the Fire Light Ball, and it flickered.
"Fire Spirit Root, nine inches," the Elder said, "Your soul is somewhat strong."
Finally, on placing his hand on the Earth Light Ball, it only flashed momentarily.
"Earth Spirit Root, two inches."
"Not bad, not bad."
The Elder smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum, "Three attributes in the Spirit Roots, with the Wood Spirit Root at nine inches, Fire Spirit Root at nine inches, and Earth Spirit Root at two inches. Combined, the Spirit Root is twenty inches. Generally, a child's Spirit Root is only ten inches, half of yours."
"Even though you are Three Roots, you are comparable to Dual Roots, considered a minor genius... Your cultivation technique should primarily focus on Fire and Wood, with Earth as support."
The Elder smiled and wrote a certification, containing the Spirit Root assessment result.
Receiving the Spirit Root certification letter, Lu Xuanji sighed in relief.
He neither exploded into Celestial Spirit Root nor fell into Five Roots.
Three Roots, considered a genius within the family.
Foundation Establishment is promising in the future.
Of course, it's only a hope.
Only Celestial Spirit Roots are guaranteed to reach Foundation Establishment, while many Dual and Three Roots get stuck and die at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.
Exiting the small black room, seeing his parents, Lu Xuanji smiled, "Three Roots."
"Haha, my son is a genius."
Father Lu Mianwen laughed.
"Come, let's discuss this at home."
Back at home, Lu Xuanji took out the certificate and handed it over.
Father Lu Mianwen looked at the certificate, frowning slightly, "I'll visit the family library to find a technique that suits you."
Father Lu Mianwen left hurriedly.
A day later, Father Lu Jinwen brought a cultivation technique and said, "This technique, called the Li Fire Wood Technique, contains Fire and Wood Dual Attributes, up to the early Foundation Establishment Stage, without Earth Attributes. Thus, Earth will have to be abandoned."
"Thank you, father."
Lu Xuanji flipped through the book, slightly pleased.
In the Lu Family, techniques from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment aren't costly; it's resources that are precious.
Techniques can be studied repeatedly, but resources are limited.
"Son, you will start classes tomorrow, be mindful."
Father reminded him.
"Yes."
Lu Xuanji said.
After detecting Spirit Roots, children are taught literacy, recognizing body meridians, various cultivation commonsense, and undergo herbal baths, marrow cleansing, meditation, Qi Sensing, and meridian opening, before being guided to achieve the Qi Refining Realm after three years.
The next day, he went to the Spirit Institute.
There weren't many children, only fifty.
...