You think I have mixed spiritual roots? I became an immortal through a spirit gourd, so what are you

The fiery clouds at dusk dyed the sky a deep crimson.

At the entrance of Huai Shu Village, under the big locust tree, a beam of light shot away, while a sound resounded throughout the village.

"Disciples who have passed the test, listen to my command: You have one day to sever all worldly ties. Gather here at noon tomorrow and proceed to Qingyun Sect to report for duty."

The villagers gathered at the village entrance were utterly shocked as they watched the immortal master ride away on his sword.

Under the big locust tree, a few twelve or thirteen-year-old children were enjoying the envious glances of dozens of villagers nearby.

Being chosen by a celestial sect means that one day they too can fly on swords and roam the world like the immortal masters of the Qingyun Sect.

"Brother Huai'an, what is a spiritual root? Why don't I have one? I wish I had one too." A chubby little boy with a bulging face asked Chen Huai'an beside him.

"Yes... if only I had a good spiritual root..." Chen Huai'an said bitterly, his eyes fixed on the young woman who stood out from the crowd, his fists clenched tightly.

As she spoke, the young woman walked quickly toward Chen Huai'an.

"Brother Huai'an, I..."

The young woman's name is Su Wanying, and she is the granddaughter of the village chief of Huai Shu Village.

Chen Huai'an was the only student in the village who could pass the imperial examinations and become a scholar. He was the most learned man in the village, and he and the girl in front of him had been betrothed since childhood. As long as Su Wanying turned eighteen, they could get married.

They were once considered the perfect couple in the village. However, fate played a cruel trick on them, and no one expected that a celestial master would descend upon their Locust Tree Village today, saying that he would recruit disciples with spiritual roots.

At first, many people were optimistic about Chen Huai'an. In the eyes of the farmers, Chen Huai'an was well-read and like a literary star descended to earth. He would definitely be the most promising person in the village in the future.

However, he was not selected because he had mixed spiritual roots of the five elements and was also too old, which meant he was not within the scope of Qingyun Sect's recruitment.

Su Wanying, on the other hand, possesses a top-grade water spiritual root, which allows her to directly enter the inner sect of the Qingyun Sect.

"Brother Huai'an, don't worry, I won't go to Qingyun Sect. I want to stay with you forever." Su Wanying looked at Chen Huai'an as if she had made some most important decision.

"Nonsense, Wanying, come home with Grandpa." Old village chief Su Jianlin glared at his granddaughter, and before Chen Huai'an could speak, he dragged the unwilling Su Wanying home.

The Qingyun Sect didn't give them much time, less than a day, so the Su family had to make plans in advance.

As for Chen Huai'an, he is a useless burden who will only drag Su Wanying down. Wanying must be made to sever ties with him!

Su Jianlin still vividly remembers the telepathic message from the high and mighty immortal master.

"Su Wanying possesses a top-grade water-elemental root; her future is limitless. We absolutely cannot allow Chen Huai'an to negatively impact Su Wanying!"

Chen Huai'an was only able to have his spiritual root tested because of Su Wanying's persistent pleas. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have had the chance.

Su Wanying broke free but was forcibly taken away again, leaving Chen Huai'an bewildered in the wind.

They are indeed from different worlds.

"Break off the engagement! You must break off your engagement with Chen Huai'an. He's been taking the imperial examinations for years and hasn't even passed the lowest level of the civil service exam. He's a good-for-nothing who doesn't deserve you at all. My dear granddaughter, remember this: you're destined to become an immortal! Even if Chen Huai'an becomes the top scholar, let alone a scholar, he still won't be good enough for you. You two should never associate with such a good-for-nothing again. You're from completely different worlds."

The old village chief's voice scolding his granddaughter came from not far away. Chen Huai'an subconsciously clenched his fist, then weakly relaxed it.

The saying "a scholar is useless" is indeed true.

Passing the imperial examinations and securing a position in the imperial court would be enough to make someone a respected and honorable person in Huai Shu Village.

But compared to the lofty immortals, it's like comparing heaven and earth.

……

As evening approached, Huai Shu Village was unusually lively.

The atmosphere at the Chen family's house at the east end of the village seemed somewhat oppressive.

The village chief wants to break off the engagement, and he doesn't know how to tell his mother about it.

Unexpectedly, before Chen Huai'an could speak, his mother, seeing him return home, said, "Huai'an, I've heard about everything. When this marriage was arranged, I said our two families were not a good match. Now that the village chief's family wants to break off the engagement, let's just call it off!"

Although Chen's mother looked somewhat old, her eyes were clear and open-minded, which influenced Chen Huai'an and made him feel less depressed.

"Alright, with your words, Mother, I feel relieved. If they want to call off the engagement, then let them." Chen Huai'an nodded.

Scholars have their pride. If the Su family hadn't been so persistent in coming to their door, the Chen family wouldn't have agreed to this marriage.

Besides, it's not like he has no spiritual root, he's just a little lacking and his cultivation is a bit slower. It's not like he can't endure hardship.

But the immortal master at the village entrance doesn't want him, so how can he become an apprentice in the immortal sect?

"Chen Huai'an, come out with me for a moment."

Just as Chen Huai'an and his mother were preparing to start a fire for dinner, a middle-aged man appeared beside Chen Huai'an's dilapidated thatched hut.

The visitor was Su Wanying's cousin, Su Daqiang.

Chen Huai'an didn't know what Su Daqiang wanted to do at this time, but out of respect for his elders, he still went out.

As soon as he stepped out of the house, Su Daqiang grabbed his wrist and forced him to walk outside.

"Uncle Daqiang, where are you taking me?" Chen Huai'an followed behind Su Daqiang and realized that they were not going to the Su family's house.

"Come on, get in the car, I'll take you to see Wanying," Su Daqiang said in a deep voice without turning his head.

The two quickly arrived at the village entrance, where a horse-drawn carriage was indeed parked.

Through conversation, Chen Huai'an learned that the Su family had been taken to the city by the town's wealthy man, who was hosting a banquet and treating them well.

The town's wealthy man wanted to take this opportunity to improve his relationship with Su Wanying's family.

The reason I called Chen Huai'an over today is to settle things once and for all.

Sitting in the carriage, Chen Huai'an heard Su Daqiang say that someone in the next village also possessed spiritual roots and was able to join the Qingyun Sect.

They said they would wait at the village entrance tomorrow for the immortal master from Qingyun Sect to pick them up, but how could these people possibly behave themselves?

Several families whose members possess spiritual roots plan to gather together tonight, thinking that they can look out for each other after they enter the Qingyun Sect.

Nobody wants to miss an opportunity like this where one person's success brings benefits to their entire family.

If they seize this opportunity, the families behind these people will soon become a formidable force, and even the officials in the city will have to curry favor with them.

A bright moon hung high in the sky, and Chen Huai'an took in the surrounding scenery. Thinking of Su Wanying, he felt a little melancholy. But before he could feel melancholy for long, Chen Huai'an noticed something was wrong.

The carriage had stopped on a hillside!

"Uncle Daqiang, this doesn't seem to be the way to town!"

"Chen Huai'an, don't blame me. Blame your own lack of talent. If word gets out that you and Wanying are betrothed as children, it will surely become a stain on her reputation!"

At this moment, Su Daqiang's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he glared at Chen Huai'an.

Upon seeing this, Chen Huai turned and ran.

Chen Huai'an appeared to be a refined and scholarly man, but having grown up in the countryside, he still had to help with farm work during the busy season. He was quite robust and agile, and narrowly escaped Su Daqiang's initial, fatal blow.

"What are you all standing there for? Chase him! Don't let this kid get away!" Su Daqiang shouted angrily. Several men in black appeared nearby and immediately chased after Chen Huai'an in the direction he had fled.

The enemy outnumbered them and blocked all escape routes. Soon, Chen Huai'an was forced to the edge of a cliff.

"Damn it, is this little beast a rabbit? Wasn't he supposed to be just a poor scholar? How come he can run so fast?" Several burly men panted heavily, brandishing their long knives, and looked at Chen Huai'an with sinister smiles.

With pursuers in front and a sheer cliff behind, judging from their stance, they won't stop until they've killed him!

"Huai'an, don't blame your uncle when you get to the underworld. I'm only doing this for Wanying's sake." Su Daqiang stepped forward with a cold face, and after speaking, he raised the sharp blade in his hand and slashed at Chen Huai'an, who had been forced into a dead end.

"Su Daqiang, you just wait! If I don't die today, I'll make you all pay the price!!"

After cursing, Chen Huai'an dodged the incoming blade and then leaped off the cliff behind him!

The enemy outnumbered them and had knives. If they stayed, they would only die. If they jumped, they might have a chance to survive.

"Damn it, that bastard actually jumped off the cliff." Su Daqiang frowned upon seeing this.

Then he sneered, "However, with a cliff this deep, even if that kid had nine lives, he couldn't possibly survive!"

After saying that, Su Daqiang spat down hard.

The task entrusted by the Immortal Master has finally been completed. The Su family will rise to prominence in the future. Even if Chen Huai'an doesn't die, why would he be afraid of a mortal good-for-nothing?

……

Chen Huai'an fell off the cliff, his hands instinctively grabbing at the air.

The feeling of weightlessness from falling off the cliff was stronger than he had imagined. Chen Huai'an felt dizzy, had difficulty breathing, and his vision gradually went black.

The moment his consciousness faded, the gourd pendant on Chen Huai'an's chest suddenly grew larger, and a faint halo appeared around him, enveloping him as he fell to the bottom of the cliff.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Chen Huai'an opened his eyes, he was lying on the riverbed in a starfish position, clutching a purple gourd tightly in his hand.

To avoid falling into the hands of the Su family, he jumped off that high cliff and miraculously survived.

"Huh, where did this gourd come from?" Chen Huai'an sat up straight, looked at the gourd in his hand, and frowned.