Inside the sect grounds, none of it mattered anymore.
The scarred disciple glanced coldly at the remaining disciples and spoke indifferently, "Those who passed, quickly come to the upper platform."
The disciples who had cleared the test exchanged glances, then began climbing the remaining stairs. Without gravity pressure, their movements were slow but steady as they made their way upward, exhaustion etched deeply into their faces.
One by one, they arrived at the upper platform.
At the center of it all stood Zhuo Huan.
He remained beside the disciple with the mole, hands relaxed at his sides, a faint smile still hanging on his face. His posture was calm, almost casual, as if the chaos below had nothing to do with him at all.
From the corner of his eye, both senior disciples observed him in silence.
The smile on Zhuo Huan's lips did not fade.
The disciple with the mole and the scarred disciple moved toward the center of the upper platform. Their footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor as they approached a massive blue stone slab embedded firmly into the ground. The stone was tall and wide, its surface smooth like polished crystal, faint runes flowing beneath it like slow-moving water.
As they reached it, the scarred disciple turned around and swept his gaze across the remaining disciples. His eyes were cold, sharp, carrying an unspoken pressure that instantly quieted the platform.
"Everyone, pay attention," he said calmly. "This will be your second test."
The disciple with the mole stepped forward, standing beside the blue stone. He placed one hand lightly on its surface as he spoke, his voice carrying clearly to everyone present. "One by one, step forward. First, register your name. Then place your hand on this stone."
The scarred disciple continued without pause, his tone firm and merciless. "To pass the second test, you must possess at least a Low Quality Spiritual Root. If your Spiritual Root contains two elements, then it must be Mid Quality. Those who do not meet these requirements will be immediately disqualified."
A faint stir ran through the disciples.
Zhuo Huan stood among them, his eyes fixed on the blue stone. His expression remained calm, but inside, his thoughts moved quickly.
"Spiritual Root," he explained softly, more to himself than anyone else. "The fundamental, innate ability that allows a person to sense and absorb the world's spiritual energy, Qi. It acts as a filter and conduit for cultivation, determining elemental affinity and talent. Fewer elements usually mean higher potential. Without it… cultivation is impossible."
A faint smile appeared on his lips as memories from his past life surfaced.
"I had all five elements," he thought calmly. "Low Quality Five Elements Spiritual Root. Everyone called me trash. They said I was hopeless. And yet, I still became the strongest in the whole world."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"That means it doesn't matter if you have double elements or low quality roots. If you work hard enough, no one can stop you from becoming strong."
Just then, a disciple stepped forward.
It was a young man with sharp eyebrows and a tense expression. As he approached the scarred disciple, he suddenly turned his head and glared at Zhuo Huan, anger flashing in his eyes. Zhuo Huan met the look calmly, his faint smile unchanged.
The disciple snorted quietly, then turned away.
He spoke his name, which was quickly recorded, and then stepped toward the blue stone. Taking a deep breath, he placed his palm firmly against its surface.
The stone trembled slightly.
A blue light burst forth, enveloping his hand and climbing up his arm. The runes beneath the stone's surface began to glow brighter and brighter. After a few breaths, golden characters slowly emerged above the stone, shining clearly for everyone to see.
Mid Level Spiritual Root
Earth Element
A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.
The disciple with the mole nodded. "Mid Level Earth Element Spiritual Root. Passed. Next."
Relief washed over the young man's face as he quickly stepped to the side where the successful disciples were gathering.
The test continued.
One disciple after another stepped forward.
Some placed their hands on the stone, revealing Low Level single-element Spiritual Roots. They passed.
Some revealed Mid Level single-element roots. They passed as well.
Others revealed Low Level double-element Spiritual Roots. The moment the golden words appeared, the scarred disciple would coldly wave his hand.
"Disqualified."
Those disciples didn't even have time to protest. An invisible force wrapped around them and flung them off the platform, sending them straight outside the sect's protective formation.
A few revealed Mid Level double-element Spiritual Roots. They passed and moved to the other side, faces filled with excitement and pride.
The platform gradually split into two clear groups.
Those who passed stood silently on one side, anticipation and tension mixed in their expressions.
Those who failed vanished almost instantly, thrown out without mercy.
The blue stone continued to glow as the test went on, indifferent to hope or despair.
Zhuo Huan watched quietly, hands behind his back, eyes calm and unreadable as his turn slowly approached.
At last, Zhuo Huan stepped forward.
He was the only one left.
All other disciples had either passed or been thrown out of the sect long ago. The upper platform felt strangely quiet as Zhuo Huan walked toward the center, his footsteps calm and unhurried.
The disciple with the mole and the scarred disciple both turned their full attention to him. After witnessing his terrifying performance on the gravity staircase, their expectations had unconsciously risen.
On the other side of the platform, the disciples who had already passed watched him closely.
"Is he going to show us something new?" some of them wondered silently.
Zhuo Huan stopped in front of the scarred disciple. For a brief moment, his thoughts drifted.
"What name should I register?" he thought. "Zhuo Huan… or my past life's name?"
A faint chill passed through his eyes.
"No. I can't use my past life's name."
"I'm Zhuo Huan," he said calmly, giving the name of this body.
The scarred disciple nodded and recorded it. "Alright. Go and place your hand on the stone."
Zhuo Huan walked toward the massive blue stone and stopped right in front of it. The faint runes beneath its surface flowed slowly, quietly waiting.
"This stone checks the body and reveals the Spiritual Root," Zhuo Huan thought. "I can easily alter the result… but I'll need to use a bit of my power."
He raised his hand and placed it on the stone.
Everyone held their breath.
Seconds passed.
Nothing happened.
The stone did not glow.
It did not react at all.
For a moment, the entire platform fell into stunned silence.
Then—
Laughter erupted.
"Hahaha! Look at that!"
"He doesn't even have a Spiritual Root!"
"Lol, this guy came here without a Spiritual Root? How fucking funny."
"I think he cheated and somehow passed the gravity test."
Mocking voices echoed everywhere. Some disciples laughed so hard they bent over, clutching their stomachs. Others pointed at Zhuo Huan openly, faces filled with ridicule.
Even the senior disciples taking the test couldn't help but sigh.
The disciple with the mole covered part of his face with his hand. "We really thought too highly of him."
The scarred disciple shook his head slightly, disappointment clear in his eyes.
Zhuo Huan instantly became a joke.
Yet, he remained completely calm.
Inside, his thoughts were entirely different.
"Fuck," he thought expressionlessly. "I only used one percent of my power, and it's still too much. This stone can't even detect it."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'll have to lower it even more."
He adjusted the power he was releasing, suppressing it down to an absurdly tiny level.
The moment he did—
The blue stone trembled.
A blinding blue light burst forth without warning.
The light was so intense that it illuminated the entire platform, then spread outward like a pillar reaching into the sky. It was visible from every corner of the sect.
The laughter stopped instantly.
Disciples who had been mocking him froze, their faces stiff. Many instinctively raised their arms to shield their eyes from the overwhelming light.
"What the hell—?!"
"Is this for real?"
Within the inner sect.
Elders stopped mid-discussion.
Within secluded halls.
Cultivators opened their eyes sharply.
Even the sect leader, seated high above, frowned and stood up.
"What's going on?"
One by one, elders and high-ranking figures abandoned their tasks and rushed toward the source of the light.