The Great Elder had seen this scene countless times before. His expression remained calm as he murmured,
"Six thousand, six hundred and seventy-three… more than last year again.""Still, the more children we test, the better the odds of finding one with spirit roots. It'll just be two hard days of work for us."
Testing for spirit roots was tedious work.In previous years, four or five late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators shared the task, completing it within a day.But after the deaths of several senior uncles in the recent wars, only the Great Elder and Chen Nianzhi remained to handle the entire Spirit Root Ceremony.
At first, Chen Nianzhi was enthusiastic. He had imagined discovering a few hidden prodigies—a spark of immortal destiny among the mortals.But as the hours dragged on, fatigue set in.
He examined child after child—one thousand, then two, then three—and not a single one carried even the faintest trace of spiritual resonance.
By sunset, his patience was thinning. Then, as his hand brushed the wrist of a small boy, he felt it—a faint ripple, like a hidden current beneath still water.
"Hm?"
His eyes brightened, excitement flickering across his face.He carefully sent his spiritual sense deeper into the child's meridians, confirming the subtle pulse of spiritual energy.
The Great Elder noticed his reaction and stepped forward immediately.Grasping the child's wrist, he infused his own Qi, probing for a long moment before shaking his head.
"A pity… a four-root constitution."
Chen Nianzhi frowned slightly and repeated the test himself.Indeed, he could faintly sense four distinct elemental affinities.
Four spirit roots—mediocre, at best.Cultivation progress for such an individual would be slow and arduous. Few ever reached the late stages of Qi Refinement, much less Foundation Establishment.
Still, it was something.After testing over a thousand mortals, they had finally found a spark of potential.
The Great Elder smiled kindly, signaling for the attendants to bring the child aside for registration before continuing.
Perhaps fortune had shifted, for the next day they found two more children with spirit roots—one with five roots, barely usable, and another with three roots, a moderate talent by any measure.
When the testing concluded, the Great Elder's face bore a rare smile.
Out of more than six thousand children, three had been found gifted.That was better than usual—and among them, one was a three-root cultivator, a talent the Chen Clan might nurture into a minor elder within a lifetime.
"No dual roots this year," Chen Nianzhi said with a soft sigh.
The Great Elder chuckled.
"You greedy boy. Three in one round is already better than most years! We sometimes go a whole decade without even that."
Dual roots were rare blessings, appearing perhaps once every twenty years.The last one to emerge from the Chen Clan was Chen Qingyuan, who had joined Qingyang Sect decades ago.
Qingxu smiled faintly and turned serious again.
"This round is done. But six towns still await their turn.""I must remain here in Pingyang to oversee the city's defenses. You'll have to go test them yourself."
Chen Nianzhi bowed.
"Understood. I'll depart at once."
The Six Towns of Pingyang
Over the centuries, Pingyang's population had long surpassed its capacity.
Eighty years ago, during the clan's golden era, the elders invested enormous effort and spirit stones to cultivate six minor spirit veins within several hundred li around the city.Upon each, they built a small town, guarded by first-rank upper arrays and manned by mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators.
These six settlements acted as a protective ring around Pingyang—deflecting stray beasts, stabilizing trade, and serving as the Chen Clan's first line of defense.
Because of them, the fertile plains surrounding Pingyang had become the clan's breadbasket—a rare sanctuary in the chaotic East Wilderness, where demon beasts roamed unchecked.
Chen Nianzhi gazed across the far-reaching fields, his heart heavy with mixed emotions.
"Our ancestors truly had foresight," he murmured."If not for the Beast Calamity sixty years ago… perhaps the Chen Clan would still stand proud."
That ancient war had crippled their strength—seven, eight-tenths of their cultivators lost.Had the family remained at its peak, these lands might now support millions of mortals.
But such prosperity was dangerous.
Millions of mortal souls—rich in blood and essence—would draw the gaze of demonic sects and great beasts,some powerful enough to forge third-rank demonic treasures through mass sacrifice.
And so, the Chen Clan had long since learned restraint,controlling population growth to remain beneath the notice of greater predators.
The First Five Towns
His journey was swift. Within an hour, Chen Nianzhi arrived at the first of the six towns—Ninghe Town, the closest and most prosperous.
It housed over fifteen thousand people, with more than seven hundred children of testing age.He spent several hours examining each one, only to find not a single spirit root among them.
He sighed, then continued on.
Over the next two days, he traveled from town to town—five in total—testing over three thousand children, yet still finding nothing.
The repetitive disappointment dulled even his patience.
The Last Town
"The last one… Pingyuan Town."
He glanced at the map, his tone tinged with fatigue and faint resignation.
Pingyuan lay the farthest from the city—a frontier settlement,the first to face wandering beasts and venomous insects.
It was also the smallest.
Only three thousand people called it home.Of these, eight hundred were Black-Armored Riders, the militia tasked with holding the line.That left barely two hundred children eligible for testing.
He didn't expect much.
But as he neared the outskirts, a prickle of unease ran through him.
"Something's wrong."
According to Chen Clan regulations, the Black-Armored Riders patrolled a ten-li perimeter around the town at all times.Yet now—not a single patrol was in sight.
And then he caught it—the stench of blood, thick and heavy on the air, even from miles away.
His heart tightened.
"Not good."
He blurred forward, wind howling in his wake,as the sun dipped below the horizon and the scent of death grew stronger.