He confessed his love for his master in his later years, and his cheat ability finally arrived.

"senior!"

"Senior, are you a single water elemental root or a single fire elemental root?"

"No! When Senior just slew the Wolf King, he used an extremely profound lightning-based technique. I know now! Senior must have a single lightning spiritual root!"

"Senior, am I right?"

"Senior, please say something!"

......

Ignoring Princess Taiping's madness, Lu Changsheng looked at the trial participants who were testing their spiritual roots, so as to assess whether he could successfully pass this second trial.

Above the main hall, ten towering jade pillars rise from the ground, piercing the sky.

Each of these ten jade pillars is about ten meters tall and comes in a different color, making them extremely spectacular.

The first one, a dark gold color, represents metal-type spiritual power.

The second one is emerald green, representing wood-type spiritual power.

The third one, light blue, represents water-based spiritual energy.

The fourth one is crimson, representing fire-type spiritual power.

The fifth one, yellowish-brown, represents earth-elemental spiritual power.

In addition to the most common spiritual power of the five elements, there is also rare spiritual power that represents something quite uncommon.

The sixth one, deep purple, represents lightning-type spiritual power.

The seventh one, emerald green, represents wind-elemental spiritual power.

The eighth one, jet black, represents dark spiritual power.

The ninth one, pure white, represents the power of light.

The tenth root, seven colors, represents an even rarer mixed spiritual root.

In front of the ten towering jade pillars was a high stone platform, on which sat a round stone bead, the Spirit Awakening Bead, used specifically for testing spiritual roots.

At that moment, a disciple, with a heart full of trepidation, walked to the stone platform, stretched out his palm, and gently stroked the Spirit Awakening Pearl on the platform.

"Stop dawdling! Quickly mobilize your spiritual energy and pour it into the Spirit Awakening Pearl!"

Luo Peng frowned and urged him on.

Thanks to Lu Changsheng's timely killing of the wolf king, more than sixty disciples passed the first round of trials this time, far exceeding the usual number.

This is a good thing for these trainees, but for Luo Peng and other disciples of the immortal sect, it has increased their workload considerably.

Even if Luo Zhao had a few more lives, he wouldn't dare to cause trouble for Lu Changsheng, so he could only urge the disciples who participated in the spiritual root test to hurry up.

"Yes...yes, Senior Brother Luo!"

The disciple blushed, glanced at Luo Peng with considerable fear, and dared not hesitate any longer. He quickly mobilized his spiritual power and frantically poured it into the Spirit Awakening Pearl in front of him.

Buzz!

As spiritual energy flowed continuously into the Enlightenment Pearl, the originally gray stone pearl began to burst forth with dazzling light. As if it had a spirit, this light transformed into ten tiny beams of light, which directly entered the ten towering jade pillars behind it.

Swish!

The first dark gold jade pillar was lit up.

The disciple was overjoyed and grinned from ear to ear.

Swish!

The second emerald green jade pillar was lit up.

The disciple clenched his fist, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Swish!

The third pale blue jade pillar was lit up.

The smile on the disciple's face vanished without a trace.

Swish!

The fourth crimson jade pillar was lit up.

The disciple stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.

Swish!

When the fifth yellowish-brown jade pillar was also lit up.

The disciple looked utterly hopeless, his face ashen.

"Hmph, possessing the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth simultaneously, you're truly the worst of the worst!"

Luo Peng waved his hand, and a gust of wind forcefully blew the disciple off the stone platform:

"Spiritual root test failed, next!"

The disciple scrambled to his feet, his face bruised and swollen, and rushed towards Luo Peng's direction, pleading incessantly:

"Senior Brother Luo! Senior Brother Luo!"

"Have pity on me! Although I possess five spiritual roots, if the Upper Cloud Heavenly Palace gives me a chance, I will definitely cultivate diligently and bring a miracle to the Upper Cloud Heavenly Palace!"

Boom!

The only response to this disciple was an extremely sharp sword aura that slashed down in front of him.

"roll!!"

"Do you think sects don't need resources to train disciples? Do you think cultivating immortality is so easy?"

"Practice diligently? Hah!"

"There are plenty of people in this world more diligent than you. Do you think I'd give everyone a chance to ascend to the Cloud Palace? Ridiculous! Naïve! Foolish!"

Luo Peng once again unleashed the pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, intimidating the entire scene, and then loudly rebuked:

"Those who possess more than four spiritual roots are considered to have extremely poor aptitude, with virtually no talent for cultivation. Such individuals will never be able to enter the Upper Cloud Heavenly Palace in this lifetime!"

"To become an outer disciple of my Shangyun Heavenly Palace, one must possess a maximum of four spiritual roots, and also need to consider the results of the first round of trials."

"I'll say it one last time: anyone eliminated must immediately leave the Outer Immortal Academy. Stop arguing. If there's a next time, I won't be so lenient!"

Faced with Luo Peng's ruthlessness, the disciples who had been tested earlier slunk away from the Outer Immortal Academy, and no matter how unwilling they were, there was nothing they could do.

"Next, continue!"

With a wave of Luo Peng's hand, another disciple in gray robes stepped onto the stone platform, mobilized his spiritual power, poured it into the Spirit Awakening Pearl, and lit up the ten towering jade pillars.

Swish swish!

The three jade pillars representing the metal, water, and earth elements were lit up, signifying that this gray-robed disciple possessed three different spiritual roots.

"With three kinds of spiritual roots, you can enter my Upper Cloud Heavenly Palace!"

Luo Peng waved his hand, and spiritual energy burst forth from his body, enveloping the gray-robed disciple and landing behind him.

"Thank you so much, Senior Brother Luo! Thank you so much, Senior Brother Luo!"

The gray-robed disciple was so excited that he could barely speak. He knelt before Luo Peng and kowtowed repeatedly.

Once you enter the Upper Cloud Heavenly Palace, even the lowest outer disciple is considered to have entered the immortal realm, and from then on, you can pursue the path to immortality, separating the mortal and immortal worlds.

"Next!"

Luo Peng remained indifferent as always, waved his hand, and the spiritual root test continued.

Luo Peng didn't care about the gratitude of a mere outer disciple. The only thing he cared about was how many spiritual roots Lu Changsheng possessed.

Three kinds of spiritual roots?

Two kinds of spiritual roots?

Or is it...?

A single spiritual root!

How terrifying must the cultivation talent be for the person recommended by Senior Brother Xuan Yue?

"Senior, it seems that to pass the second round of trials and become an outer disciple of the Upper Cloud Heavenly Palace, one can only possess a maximum of three spiritual roots!"

After such a long period of observation, Princess Taiping had figured out the judging criteria for the second round of trials:

"Those who possess four spiritual roots will also have to consider their performance in the first round of testing to determine whether they can advance."

"Hmph, he talks such high-sounding words, but in the end, whether or not he advances depends on Luo Peng's word."

Looking at the indignant yet charmingly adorable Princess Taiping, Lu Changsheng smiled slightly and asked curiously:

"Your name is Bai... Bai Xue, right? And what's yours? How many kinds of spiritual roots do you possess?"

Ordinary disciples, especially those from humble backgrounds, have never come into contact with the Spirit Awakening Pearl, have never tested their spiritual roots, and do not know how many spiritual roots they possess.

However, nobles like Princess Taiping and Prince Zhenbei, with the combined power of the dynasty and empire, could still find opportunities to test their spiritual roots.

"Reporting to Senior, I...this junior possess both water and fire spiritual roots!"

Seeing that Lu Changsheng was willing to talk to her, Princess Taiping immediately started talking non-stop:

"When I was five years old, my father spent a lot of money to invite the immortals of the Qingluan Sect to test the spiritual roots of me and my brothers and sisters."

"Among all the princes and princesses, I have the fewest spiritual roots but the highest cultivation talent. That's why I received the full support of the entire empire. After I came of age, I was sent to Shangyun Heavenly Palace to participate in the outer disciple trial."

Lu Changsheng glanced at Princess Taiping with considerable surprise. He hadn't expected that the woman before him was a prodigy with only two spiritual roots.

It is no exaggeration to say that his talent for cultivation far surpasses that of the arrogant Luo Peng in the stands, and given time, his cultivation will surely surpass it.

Unfortunately, these two spiritual roots are water and fire elements, which are completely incompatible. Without extremely profound cultivation techniques to neutralize and regulate them, Princess Taiping's cultivation will grow very slowly, and there is also a risk of spiritual energy chaos and qi deviation.

"Wood, water, fire, earth, and wind elemental roots—all useless!"

Just then, Luo Peng, with a cold face, reprimanded the white-robed disciple who had just finished the test:

"Unqualified, get out!"

"snort!"

The white-robed disciple, his face full of resentment, got up from the ground, glared fiercely at Luo Peng and the dozen or so immortal disciples behind him, clenched his fists, and roared in unwilling anger:

"So what if I possess five spiritual roots? What makes you think I'm a waste?"

"Who says one can't become an immortal with five spiritual roots? Fortune changes every thirty years, don't underestimate the young..."

puff!

Before the white-robed disciple could finish his vow, Luo Peng casually unleashed a sword aura that severed his head, leaving him utterly dead.

"You've been reading too many novels, haven't you? You're asking for it!"

Luo Peng snorted coldly, waved his hand, and his disciples carried the corpse away, cleaned the blood, and then continued the test.

Lu Changsheng couldn't help but look at Luo Peng with newfound respect. If it were him, he would have killed the white-robed disciple before he even uttered "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."

What the hell era are we living in? To still say such self-deceiving things is despicable!

Go all out, but don't make promises you can't keep.

This is the way to live!

While still on someone else's turf, you're already clamoring to take revenge when you become powerful. Do you think they're idiots?

"Senior, I'm going up now!"

Before they knew it, it was time for Princess Taiping to test her spiritual roots.

After bowing to Lu Changsheng, Princess Taiping tossed her ponytail, deftly flipped onto the high platform, and then stroked the Spirit Pearl, frantically pouring her spiritual power into it.

Swish!

As expected, when the two jade pillars representing water and fire elemental powers in front of them were lit, the scene fell silent.

"With both water and fire spiritual roots, a chosen one of heaven, excellent! Very good!"

Luo Peng was also stunned, staring at Princess Taiping with astonishment and admiration in his eyes.

This is the only person with dual spiritual roots so far in the tests!

Luo Peng didn't care at all about the fact that she was a princess of a country.

With dual spiritual roots, as long as they don't perish, they are guaranteed to break through to the Nascent Soul stage and become a terrifyingly powerful figure.

If one could become a Daoist partner with this person, then...

"What's your name?"

"Replying to Senior Brother, my name is Bai Xue!"

"Congratulations on your advancement. If you have any questions about cultivation in the future, feel free to ask your senior brother."

"..."

Princess Taiping did not answer, but looked at Lu Changsheng below the stage, and then bowed politely.

Following Princess Taiping's gaze, Luo Peng also looked at Lu Changsheng. Their eyes met, and Luo Peng subconsciously trembled twice. Then he cleared his throat and blurted out:

"Ahem, let's continue the test!"

With the ten towering jade pillars lit up one after another, the sixty-two trial participants had basically completed their tests.

Even Zhao Ke, the Prince of Zhenbei, tested positive for three different spiritual roots and successfully advanced.

Looking across the entire venue, only Lu Changsheng had not been tested.

"Why!"

Lu Changsheng sighed, knowing there was no way to avoid it, so he could only sigh deeply and then walk towards the stone platform.

Although he walked very slowly, no one in the audience dared to urge him on; in fact, everyone held their breath at the same time to witness the miracle.

Swish!

The moment Lu Changsheng's hand touched the Spirit Awakening Pearl, the dark gold jade pillar was instantly illuminated.

"Excellent! A single metal spiritual root! Senior is truly a prodigy among prodigies!"

Princess Taiping covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise.

"Hmph, that old man, how could he possibly be!"

The Prince of Zhenbei had a gloomy face, full of resentment, but he only dared to mutter softly and dared not speak loudly.

Luo Peng's face was also grim. Despite being mentally prepared, he was still speechless with shock at the sight of a single golden spiritual root. This damned fate is so unfair, so unfair...

Swish!

Before anyone could react, the second emerald green jade pillar suddenly lit up.

"Dual spiritual roots! I didn't expect you to have dual spiritual roots like me, senior!"

Princess Taiping clenched her fists, her face filled with excitement.

Swish!Swish!Swish!

But amidst the astonishment of the crowd, three more jade pillars were lit up.

"......"

"......"

"Haha! I knew it! I knew it!"

"Five spiritual roots? That's utter waste!"

"How could an old man from such a remote place possess such extraordinary talent for cultivation? He's wasted decades of his life; what was he doing all this time?!"

Prince Zhao Ke of Zhenbei laughed heartily, and Luo Peng also breathed a sigh of relief, while only Princess Taiping looked worried.

Swish!

But the next moment, when the sixth jade pillar was lit, the whole audience was shocked!

Why are there still more?

Swish swish!

As the seventh, eighth, and ninth jade pillars were lit, several figures from the Outer Immortal Academy's elders simultaneously burst through the roof and swooped down on their swords towards the trial grounds!