Fang Ren snuck up beside his grandfather and grabbed his arm.
"Grandpa, please tell me where this place is. Don't keep me in suspense," he pleaded.
Juntian couldn't hold it back any longer and shoved his grandson aside.
"Ah, you're acting like some kid now. Don't try to fool me with that begging face," he said with a slight smile.
"Tch," Fang Ren pouted but didn't give up.
Juntian's expression became serious.
"Have you heard of the Sun Divine Dynasty?"
Fang Ren recognized the name immediately, though he hadn't heard it discussed often.
"Isn't that like one of the most ancient dynasties alongside ours? Or maybe even older?" he asked.
"Yes, exactly. The founder of their dynasty was also an emperor, just like our ancestors. The thing is, there are rumors that he also possessed the same ancient sacred body that you have. They've set up an entire shrine dedicated to him, and it might possess secrets that could help you balance your three constitutions."
Fang Ren thought about this for a moment, then realized a problem.
"Hey, won't they not let any outsider inside their holy place? Their shrine would be heavily guarded."
Juntian smirked.
"Hehe, you think I'm telling you to go legally? Sneak in. You have those concealment techniques and other methods, right? Keke," he said with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Fang Ren realized he couldn't hide his abilities from his grandfather anymore.
"I... I will try."
Hmph, this oldie is more scary than I thought. Our dominant style really is passed down through generations.
He smirked slightly.
"Well, I will find an opportunity to visit there."
And hence, the journey began. He left the Li family residence alone, knowing that since he was supposed to enroll at the Eternal Nights Sect as a commoner, traveling alone was necessary. The sect was located in the Great Xin Dynasty, and it would take around fifteen to seventeen days to reach it on foot.
The smartest route was to follow the Gold and Silk Trade Route rather than traverse the mountains filled with bandits and dangerous beasts. Merchants traveled that route constantly, making it both safer and more populated.
Four hours into his journey, the system activated.
[DING - LOCATION SIGN-IN]
[GOLD AND SILK TRADE ROUTE]
[REWARD: CHARISMA MAXED OUT]
[MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE APTITUDE INCREASED]
Fang Ren was shocked by this reward.
"Woah... this... I didn't even know I had a charisma stat before now," he said out loud, amazed at the system's revelations.
As he continued walking, something felt different about himself. Everything felt lighter, easier, as if he was moving through life with grace.
Some time passed, and he decided to rest at a small inn to get food and water. But as he was about to eat, he heard commotion outside.
"Let me check it out," he said to himself, standing up and walking toward the door.
What he heard made him pause.
"LOOK, THERE ARE TWO IMMORTALS IN OUR VILLAGE! LET'S GREET THEM PROPERLY!" someone was shouting excitedly.
Fang Ren understood how commoners typically viewed cultivators. Even someone with just a Foundation Building level cultivation was treated like some godlike entity worthy of worship. He decided not to interfere since it wasn't his problem anyway.
He walked out to observe these "immortals" and saw them standing on a cliff, looking down on the villagers like strong villains. But when he extended his senses, he realized neither of them had even reached the Divine Realm yet. They were probably mid-stage Foundation Building at best.
The commoners gazed up at them with complete awe and admiration.
"They're immortals! If only I could live like them and cultivate!"
"If only we had their strength!"
Hmph, what's so great about these guys? They're barely above commoner level, Fang Ren thought dismissively.
Though Fang Ren had learned a tremendous amount despite his young age, he still hadn't unlocked his spirit roots. That required a sect's help, as only sects had formation masters capable of awakening spirit roots. However, he'd already seen on his system screen what his spirit roots would be when unlocked—he had all six attributes: Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, Lightning, and Void.
As powerful as that sounded, it also meant he would have to refine three separate physiques and train six different spirit root attributes simultaneously. Most cultivators only had one or two elements. Having all six was both a blessing and an enormous burden.
The male cultivator among the two stood up and made an announcement loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"We are here to cultivate on this cliff tonight, and there will be some ominous qi released in the air. Please don't mind the disturbance."
The villagers looked confused. The elder who usually governed this village had been absent for many days.
"What happened to our lord? Where has he gone?" someone asked nervously.
The female cultivator stepped forward and waved her long sleeves gracefully.
"We are on a mission from the Eternal Nights Sect to capture unorthodox sect cultivators. We were sent by the sect to guard your village while the assigned elder is away on official business," she announced.
The villagers immediately burst into grateful cheers and applause, praising the two cultivators as if they were putting their lives on the line to protect them.
Tsk, a bunch of asslickers. No matter how good your flattery sounds, you won't get anything out of them except empty thanks.
The male cultivator raised his voice.
"We will be accepting one of you as a disciple. Come forward one by one and show us your hands so we can check for spirit roots."
Guess I will have to kill them if it comes to it, Fang Ren thought, though he had no intention of approaching them.
One by one, the villagers—from adults to children—came forward hoping for a chance at immortality. After about twenty minutes, a fat kid stepped forward, and when he showed his hands, faint fire-colored markings appeared on his palms.
"He has a fire spirit root! A low-tier one, but it's genuine!" one of the cultivators exclaimed.
The villagers erupted in celebration, praising the fat kid for his luck and fortune. He would now have a chance to become a cultivator, something his destiny had never previously allowed.
Bunch of idiots. They think he'll become an immortal? Once he steps out of this village, those two might as well use him as a refinement material. Low-tier spirit roots are basically trash in the real world, Fang Ren thought while shaking his head at their naivety.
The next two days, Fang Ren spent traveling through the jungles while cultivating between walks. He discovered that absorbing water spiritual qi was relatively easy from moisture and water bodies, though the process was extremely slow. Earth spiritual qi came from soil and herbs, and wood qi flowed from the trees around him.
However, the rarer attributes like thunder and void were impossible to find in this rural area. For those, he would need to reach a sect where specialized formations and environments existed to cultivate such elements.
Fang Ren had never tried to refine his spirit qi before this journey because it seemed pointless. The Li clan had never taught him such techniques, and he'd focused entirely on strengthening his physique. But now he was learning that the qi he absorbed wasn't uniform—it had different types depending on the source and environment.
The system confirmed his six-root nature, displaying all the elements he possessed.
Morning came quickly, and he continued his journey along the trade route. Many people greeted him as he passed, though none suspected he was a cultivator. But something unexpected happened—girls began fawning over him far more intensely than they would normally.
This charm and charisma attribute is giving me side effects now. Can't say if it's a blessing or a curse.
Another few days passed as he traveled steadily toward his destination. The landscape changed gradually as he moved through different regions. Finally, he reached it.
The Eternal Nights Sect's main gate was tall and imposing. He'd expected dark walls befitting the sect's name, but instead, the walls were pure white, creating an almost ethereal appearance.
Fang Ren stared at the gate with a mixture of anticipation and caution.
"Well, unless someone accidentally discovers my identity, I can live here in peace," he said quietly to himself, preparing to enter his new chapter.