Chapter 2

In the kingdom of Xia, there are four major immortal sects: the Golden Sword Hall, the Green Wood Sect, the Fiery Flame Sect, and the Thick Earth Sect.

These four major immortal sects are filled with countless innate experts, whom the sects call cultivators. It is said that there are even foundation-building cultivators who have lived for hundreds of years, capable of flying on swords and traveling a thousand miles a day...

From a young age, Sun Qiang's father had spoken of innate experts as the top-tier masters who dominated the martial world and laughed at the changing tides. This was Sun Qiang's pursuit and dream, and Sun Hao's goal in life.

But in an instant, this goal crumbled.

In the immortal sects, one is already an innate expert upon entry.

A brand new world, unknown and filled with a fatal allure, unfolded before Sun Hao.

However, it is said that to enter an immortal sect, one must have a spiritual root and a connection to immortality. Out of billions of mortals, only one in a billion can enter an immortal sect.

Spiritual root, connection to immortality?

Perhaps the elusive connection to immortality had truly arrived. A few days later, Gu Qiang brought news from the immortal sect.

This year was the once-a-decade "Dragon Gate Year" for the immortal sects. In the thirty counties of the Xia kingdom, the sects would set up recruitment points to admit new disciples. The "Dragon Gate Day" for Nan County was on the fifth day of the following month.

In Lanlin Town, there were over forty children aged between six and sixteen. Although there were many children, Gu Qiang and Sun Qiang were still deeply worried. "Jumping the Dragon Gate" was extremely difficult. In the neighboring county, 32,000 children participated, but only ten had spiritual roots, and only three of those had a connection to immortality.

In other words, out of 32,000 children, only three would enter the immortal sects.

A month later, Sun Hao appeared in the city of Nan County on time.

Due to the "Dragon Gate," the city of Nan County was extremely crowded, like a grand festival.

Sun Hao stood in the middle of the large crowd, his eyes darting around, and his heart was very tense.

This was the moment that would determine his future, and it was also crucial for the survival of Lanlin Town. He couldn't help but be nervous. His palms were sweating, his heart was racing, his blood was flowing faster, and he could hear the "thump, thump, thump" of his heartbeat.

The queue moved slowly and quietly. After more than three hours, Sun Hao saw the scene inside the house. The house was spacious, with four tall chairs. Four handsome young men in green robes sat in the chairs, and in front of each young man was a table that wasn't very high.

On the table in front of the first young man was a strange sphere. Each child who entered had to touch the sphere. On the tables in front of the other young men, there was only a cup of tea.

Sun Hao was a bit surprised. Was "Jumping the Dragon Gate" so simple?

After each child touched the sphere, the young man would always shake his head with a look of regret.

Until a little girl with pigtails, her face a bit dirty, stepped forward and placed her hands on the strange sphere. The sphere suddenly began to glow, emitting blue, red, and golden light.

The young man immediately perked up and loudly announced, "Brother Yu, water, fire, and metal spiritual roots, good strength, qualified."

Then, the second young man felt the girl's bones, and the third young man smiled and said a few words to her.

The last young man, with a wooden expression, said, "Stand behind me, test for a connection to immortality tomorrow."

Sun Hao understood that the key to testing spiritual roots was to make the strange sphere glow.

Spiritual roots were extremely rare. In front of Sun Hao, over 20,000 children had passed, but only five children stood inside the house, their faces flushed with joy.

Looking at the strange sphere, Sun Hao felt his heart beating faster and faster.

At this moment, the child at the door shouted loudly, "Master Long, Lanlin Town, 42 children to be tested, testing begins now."

Sun Hao's heart tightened. His heartbeat quickened again, and he could hear his heart "thump, thump, thump" in his ears.

Under the arrangement of the child at the door, the children from Lanlin Town went in one by one.

The first, Master Long shook his head.

The second, Master Long shook his head.

The third, Master Long still shook his head.

...

None of them had spiritual roots. Gu Yun, who was in front of Sun Hao, lost confidence. Seeing it was his turn, he turned back and said in a low voice, "Brother Hao..."

At this moment, the child at the door called, "Next, Gu Yun."

Sun Hao squeezed Gu Yun's hand and gave him an encouraging look, "Go, you can do it."

Gu Yun nodded, took a deep breath, and puffed out his little chest. He walked to the table, which was a bit high for him, and placed his hands on it.

Glow, glow... Sun Hao clenched his fists involuntarily, shouting in his heart.

It really glowed. The test sphere first turned red, then gold, blue, yellow, and green, emitting five colors of light.

Master Long frowned and loudly announced, "Brother Yu, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, five pseudo-spiritual roots, medium strength, basically, oh no, barely qualified."

Master Yu called Gu Yun over, felt his bones, and loudly announced, "Brother Huang, seven years of bone age."

Master Huang directly announced, "Elder Qing, Lanlin Town child Gu Yun, barely qualified."

Elder Qing, with a wooden expression, nodded at Gu Yun, "Stand behind me, test for a connection to immortality tomorrow."

Sun Hao clenched his fists involuntarily. Little Yun finally had a chance to test for a connection to immortality.

Seeing Gu Yun stand behind Elder Qing, the child at the door looked at Sun Hao with a much gentler expression, "It's your turn."

Sun Hao took a deep breath. Facing the big moment, his heart calmed down, and his face regained its usual composure. He stepped into the house and walked toward the table.

Standing in front of the table, Sun Hao paused for a moment but did not mechanically extend his hands toward the test sphere like the other children. Instead, he bowed respectfully to Master Long and called, "Master Long."

Then, under Master Long's approving gaze, Sun Hao placed his hands on the test sphere.

The several immortal sect masters all nodded in unison. This child had a good demeanor. Even if he didn't have a spiritual root, he would surely become a great figure in the mortal world.

With his hands on the test sphere, Sun Hao's Fiery Flame Technique began to circulate. He shouted in his heart, "Red, red..."

His intuition told him that red should represent the fire spiritual root.

Seeing the faint red glow on Sun Hao's body, the several masters smiled with a hint of amusement, "This child thinks that secular internal techniques can make the test sphere glow?"

However, the test sphere finally lit up in response to Sun Hao's inner shout, emitting green, gold, yellow, and blue... four colors. The intensity of the light was between Gu Yun and the little girl with pigtails.

Sun Hao was pleasantly surprised but still a bit puzzled. No red?

Master Long's face showed a smile, then a hint of regret. He loudly announced, "Brother Yu, wood, gold, earth, water, four spiritual roots, medium to high strength, qualified."

Sun Hao was overjoyed. He was also qualified. Then he was puzzled. Why no fire spiritual root?

Master Yu's face was full of smiles, "Come, child, let's test your bone age."

Sun Hao calmly bowed to Master Long, "Thank you, Master."

Then he walked to Master Yu and bowed again, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Master."

Master Yu smiled, impressed with Sun Hao, and felt his bones with both hands, saying, "Four spiritual roots, not the best, but cultivation is not a problem. It's a pity, a pity, that you practice the Fiery Flame Technique..."

Sun Hao was taken aback. Why was practicing the Fiery Flame Technique a pity?

Just as Sun Hao opened his mouth to ask, Master Yu loudly announced, "Brother Huang, eight years of bone age, qualified."

Sun Hao quickly followed the proper etiquette and went to Master Huang.

Master Huang smiled slightly and looked at Sun Hao, "Do you know what an immortal sect is?"

Sun Hao nodded and explained his understanding, "It's a sect that pursues immortality and cultivates longevity."

Master Huang nodded and asked, "Do you want to cultivate immortality?"

Sun Hao's expression was solemn as he said loudly, "Yes, I want to become stronger to protect Lanlin Town and my parents."

Master Huang was taken aback, looking at this resolute child with some surprise, "Hmm..."

Master Huang's expression was good, and Sun Hao pondered for a moment, then asked tentatively, "Master, is there a problem with me practicing the Fiery Flame Technique?"

Master Huang's face showed surprise again. He thought, "This young man is quite remarkable. He can remain calm and composed during such a test, and can even communicate with us masters, far surpassing other children. Truly remarkable."

In a few years, he might become a remarkable figure.

With these thoughts, Master Huang still smiled and explained gently, "You don't have a fire spiritual root, so you can't practice fire cultivation techniques in the immortal sect. Therefore, the fire internal technique you are currently practicing might be detrimental to your cultivation. However, it's just an internal technique. When the time comes, you can disperse it."

He added, "Your wood spiritual root is quite excellent, so you can choose to practice wood cultivation techniques."

Sun Hao understood, "So, without a fire spiritual root, I will have to disperse the Fiery Flame Technique and practice other techniques in the future."

Sun Hao was not only conflicted. The Fiery Flame Technique was a family tradition, and he had just achieved great success, just started to feel a connection with fire, and now he had to disperse it.

Master Huang had already loudly announced, "Elder Qing, Lanlin Town child Sun Hao, qualified."

Elder Qing glanced at Sun Hao with a calm expression, "Stand behind me, test for a connection to immortality tomorrow."

That night, in the accommodation, Gu Qiang felt both surprised and anxious as he touched the heads of Gu Yun and Sun Hao. He was surprised that the two children had spiritual roots and had the rare opportunity to test for a connection to immortality, but he was anxious about what would happen if they didn't find a connection to immortality. In the neighboring county, ten children had spiritual roots, but only three had a connection to immortality. Gu Qiang couldn't help but be anxious.

Sun Hao clenched his fists, his face resolute, "Uncle Gu, don't worry, I and Little Yun will definitely find a connection to immortality."

Gu Yun also said in a clear voice, "Yes, Dad, we can do it."

At this moment, a child outside passed on a message, "Elder Xia is visiting."

Gu Qiang and Elder Xia sat down, and Elder Xia took a sip of tea, smiling before speaking, "I am Elder Xia Rong..."

Seizing the opportunity, Sun Hao took the teapot from a servant and went to refill Elder Xia Rong's cup, asking softly, "Elder Xia, can you tell me what a connection to immortality is?"

Elder Xia Rong looked at Sun Hao meaningfully, thinking, "Indeed, Sun Hao from Lanlin Town has great demeanor. This young man is not an ordinary person. Today, I can form a good connection with him."

While thinking, Elder Xia said kindly, "Actually, a connection to immortality is a test..."

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