After binding with a genius, I became an immortal by exploiting loopholes.

He wanted to help Sun Han, but what could he offer?

Those three spirit stones had long been spent; his pockets were emptier than his face.

Even if he had spirit stones, what could he do?

Sun Han's spiritual root is what it is: a low-grade five-elemental root. He has no spiritual body and no opportunities. Even if you give him ten or a hundred spirit stones to buy pills and force him to reach the Qi-inducing stage, what difference will it make?

Foundation Establishment? Spiritual Mansion? Can those even higher realms be reached by simply piling up spirit stones?

On the path of cultivation, talent is the root, and resources are the leaves. If the root is rotten, no matter how much water you pour, it will never grow into a towering tree.

Besides, how can someone who is struggling in the mire himself pull others out of their predicament?

Once you embark on the path of spiritual practice, the process of elimination will never stop.

Today it's Sun Han, tomorrow it could be Li Si, Wang Ming, or even... If I slack off, it could be me.

The Ling Shu Dao Stele gave him the opportunity to defy fate, but this path was still full of thorns.

He wants to become stronger.

He's so powerful that no one can decide his fate; so powerful that... he can control his own path to immortality!

......

At noon, the atmosphere in the room remained somber. Lu Qingchen was preparing to practice his stance training when a knock sounded at the door.

"Is Lu Qingchen here?"

Lu Qingchen opened the door, and standing outside was Zhao Ming from the next room, a mid-grade four-elemental-root, with whom he was usually just nodding acquaintances.

At this moment, Zhao Ming was carrying a small bag of spirit fruits, his face beaming with smiles: "Qingchen, congratulations! I saw everything clearly in yesterday's assessment. Forty percent completion of the Marrow Cleansing, a lower-grade rating—that's remarkable!"

Lu Qingchen was stunned for a moment and hadn't reacted yet when Zhao Ming squeezed in, put the spirit fruit on the table, and started chatting about this and that.

They chatted about everything from cultivation experiences to sect gossip, from Elder Chen's temper to the distribution of spiritual energy on Mingfa Peak, their conversation clearly aimed at getting closer to each other.

In addition, Zhao Ming tried to find out how Lu Qingchen had done it, but the latter casually brushed him off.

Not long after, Zhao Ming took his leave, but no sooner had he left than two more people arrived—Liu Yuan and Chen Ergou, both of whom possessed four spiritual roots and rarely spoke more than a few words to Lu Qingchen.

Both of them were carrying things and said with smiles, "We've come to congratulate Lu Qingchen."

Lu Qingchen had barely finished dealing with this group when footsteps sounded outside the door again.

Qian Wanliang, Sun Dayong... one after another, as if they had made a prior arrangement.

The most outrageous one was Qian Wanliang, who somehow got hold of a low-grade spirit stone and insisted on giving it to him as a "congratulatory gift".

Lu Qingchen couldn't refuse, so he had to accept it, but he knew perfectly well that these people were just trying to get on his good side because of his sudden rise to fame.

A person with five spiritual roots of low grade, having completed 40% of the marrow cleansing, and being rated as a lower-grade B, while not top-tier at Yuxin Peak, is practically unheard of among those with mixed spiritual roots.

That's how it is in the cultivation world: if you have potential, someone will be willing to bet on you.

By the time they finished dealing with the last group of people, it was already past noon.

Lu Qingchen rubbed his face, which was stiff from smiling, and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, there was some peace and quiet.

He went into the courtyard, intending to practice a set of stance training exercises to calm his mind.

Just as he was halfway through a set of "Spirit Turtle Breath" techniques, Wang Hao appeared out of nowhere and leaned against the courtyard gate, watching for a long time.

After watching him finish a round, Wang Hao slowly spoke up: "Junior Brother Lu, you are a low-grade five-elemental root, and you went from refining tendons to 40% marrow cleansing in thirty days—your speed is probably even faster than some four-elemental root cultivators."

Lu Qingchen wiped his sweat, his expression unchanged: "Thanks to my senior brother for taking me to Mingfa Peak that day, where I experienced the vitality of the wood spirit in the Cuiwei Herb Garden. My cultivation has become much smoother since then."

"It seems that the spiritual energy there touched my incomplete Green Wood Spirit Body, so it can be considered a blessing in disguise."

Wang Hao looked at him with a mixture of belief and doubt.

He remembered that Lu Qingchen did stand by the herb garden for a while that day, but to say that standing for half an hour could awaken the mind of someone with five spiritual roots sounded somewhat mystical.

But then I thought about it again. There are many extraordinary people and events in the cultivation world, and there are also examples of incomplete spiritual bodies being activated by special environments.

Besides, what extraordinary secrets could a poor boy who has just entered the Qi realm possibly have?

"That's your good fortune."

Wang Hao mumbled something, paused, and then said, "But your progress is too eye-catching. Elder Chen asked me to come and call you."

"There were too many people around on the day of the assessment, so he couldn't ask too many questions. Now that the assessment is over, we still need to ask him what needs to be asked. Come with me, so as not to keep the elder waiting."

Lu Qingchen felt a chill run down his spine, but his expression remained impassive as he followed Wang Hao toward the side hall of the lecture hall.

Halfway there, Lu Qingchen hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Senior Brother Wang, about the time you took me to Mingfa Peak... if I tell you the truth, will it cause you trouble?"

Wang Hao paused, glanced back at him, and waved his hand: "What trouble are you causing? I'm taking you to Mingfa Peak, and it's not like we're going through anything shady. If Elder Chen asks, just tell him the truth. It's fine."

Lu Qingchen nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.

In the side hall, Elder Chen sat behind his desk, the tea in front of him had gone cold, indicating that he had been waiting for a while.

A register lay open on the table. Lu Qingchen glanced at it and saw his name circled in red, with the words "Marrow Cleansing at Fourth Level" written next to it.

"Disciple Lu Qingchen greets Elder Chen."

He bowed respectfully.

Wang Hao, standing to the side, also bowed and said, "Elder Chen, the person has been brought."

Elder Chen nodded slightly: "Yes, you may leave now."

Wang Hao responded, turned around and left the side hall, closing the door behind him.

Elder Chen didn't rush to speak, but looked Lu Qingchen up and down for a long time.

His gaze seemed to see right through him, sweeping from head to toe, and lingering for a moment longer at his dantian.

"On the day of the assessment, there were too many people around, so I couldn't ask in detail."

Elder Chen finally spoke, his voice neither warm nor cold: "I called you here today to hear for a good listen to how you, a low-grade five-elemental-root cultivator, managed to complete 40% of the marrow cleansing in a hundred days and achieve a lower-grade B rating."

Lu Qingchen had already prepared his answer, and calmly replied, "A few days ago, I asked Senior Brother Wang Hao to take me to Mingfa Peak to broaden my horizons. I stood in the Cuiwei Herb Garden for less than half an hour, and after returning, I felt that my cultivation was much smoother, and the bottlenecks that were previously blocked were also cleared up."

"After much thought, I believe it is because I possess a fragmented Green Wood Spirit Body. The lush vegetation in the herb garden inadvertently stimulated my spirit body, which led to this progress."

He spoke sincerely, even with a hint of bewilderment that surprised him, as if he had truly struck it lucky.

Elder Chen frowned slightly after hearing this.

The activation of incomplete spirits by special environments is indeed recorded in ancient texts. Although rare, it is not without precedent.

He took out a piece of emerald green jade leaf from his sleeve—the same kind used for spirit testing—and handed it to Lu Qingchen: "Put it on your forehead."