Chapter 5

In the blink of an eye, it was already the day for the spirit vein test.

During this month and a bit, Han Xiaoshu repeated the routine of idling, cultivating, eating, and working every day.

The progress of the Wood Spirit Vein had reached 195.5/200.

He was just a little short of advancing to the Wood Spirit Vein.

In the morning, after waking up, he added the 45 spirit points obtained from last night's simulator cultivation to the Wood Spirit Vein.

The level of the spirit vein also changed.

Wood Spirit Vein, Mixed Quality Rank 3, 0/400.

Han Xiaoshu let out a slight sigh of relief. To avoid drawing attention, he hadn't relied on overeating to speed up his cultivation during this period.

He usually maintained an average daily progress of two hours of automatic idling with the simulator during the day and one hour of manual cultivation at night.

After tidying up, he went to the testing site with the chubby boy.

Today, as it was the annual spirit vein testing day, many people had gathered here early in the morning.

Among them were some who were clearly older, exceeding the age of hair binding, also gathered in the square, standing together in a bustling crowd.

It was more like a large flat area than a square.

Han Xiaoshu knew that even if one did not discover the awakening of the spirit vein at the age of hair binding, one could still detect it through retesting.

Of course, this was different from the first test at the age of hair binding, which did not require any personal consequences. Retesting, however, required a significant cost.

If the retest showed the awakening of the spirit vein, it was still fine. If the retest still showed no awakening, one would have to complete some extremely difficult tasks assigned by the sect.

Han Xiaoshu's parents had gone on such a task and never returned.

Everyone gathered here, waiting for the senior disciples who would supervise the test this year.

Suddenly, the crowd fell silent.

A few cultivators came down from a nearby mountain path, wearing silk-like brocade clothes, which clearly distinguished them from the crowd.

There were three people in total, with two middle-aged men standing behind a young man, who smiled at everyone.

"Alright, today is the annual spirit vein testing day. I believe everyone knows my identity.

I entered the outer sect through the awakening of the spirit vein three years ago. Today, I have returned to this place to help everyone test their spirit veins. I hope everyone can awaken their spirit veins like me and become the foundation of the sect, cultivating their own path."

"Regarding the testing procedures, everyone should already know. I will repeat them.

When I call out names, the person should come forward and hold the 'Spirit Testing Stone,' then run the basic cultivation technique.

If the 'Spirit Testing Stone' emits light, congratulations, you will become my junior brother.

Based on the intensity of the light, I will determine the nature of your spirit vein, and you can then learn the corresponding cultivation technique in the outer sect."

After the young man finished speaking, he looked at the older servants.

"For those who are older than the age of hair binding, you should consider carefully. If you do not detect the spirit vein, the task you face will be one of nine deaths and one life.

In recent years, very few people have entered the outer sect through this method. Even if you enter the outer sect, you will need to pay a much higher price. I have said all I can, and you should consider it yourself."

After the young man finished speaking, many of the older people showed a worried expression.

The young man and the two middle-aged men saw their expressions.

He had also been selected from here to enter the outer sect and did not want to see them die needlessly. Many of them had some connection with him, though it was now very faint. Saying so much was already enough.

Moreover, if someone who truly had confidence in themselves was intimidated by his words and became fearful, even if they succeeded by chance, it would not be good for their future cultivation.

Without further thought, the young man bowed to one of the middle-aged men behind him and said, "I'll leave it to you, Senior Brother Li."

The man called Senior Brother Li nodded slightly, returned the bow, and then took a few steps forward to address the crowd, "I will now call out names. Those who detect a spirit vein will stay, and the rest will wait on the side without making noise."

Although the middle-aged man's voice was not loud, it seemed to echo in everyone's ears.

The entire square fell silent, and everyone watched the three of them.

"Tsai Wenle, come forward."

"No spirit vein, step back."

"Wu Zheng, come forward."

"No spirit vein, step back."

...

One by one, people were called to come forward for testing. This time, there were two to three hundred people, but the testing was very fast, with each person taking less than a minute.

So far, about sixty to seventy people had come forward, but none of them had a spirit vein.

The three testers showed no reaction, as if it was the most normal thing.

"Dantai Zhong, come forward."

"No spirit vein, step back."

One by one, people full of hope came forward and then stepped back with a look of disappointment, seemingly with much reluctance, but there was nothing they could do; this was their fate.

The chubby boy, seeing so many people without a spirit vein, felt a bit nervous. His mood had already calmed down over this period, not as excited as at the beginning.

He had not told anyone else about this matter except for Han Xiaoshu.

But at this moment, he felt a bit uneasy and turned his head to look at Han Xiaoshu.

Han Xiaoshu felt the chubby boy's gaze and knew what he was thinking.

"Don't worry, believe in yourself. I believe I can enter the outer sect, and so can you. Don't let your father's hard work go to waste."

Han Xiaoshu comforted the chubby boy.

"Okay."

The chubby boy also calmed his uneasy heart. He was the most aware of his own progress over the past month.

However, for a 15-year-old youth, facing such a turning point in life, it was inevitable to have ups and downs.

He was not like Han Xiaoshu, who had seen through much in his past and present life.

"Guo Dahu, come forward."

Hearing his name called, the chubby boy clenched his fists and walked forward with a determined expression.

The chubby boy held the spirit stone and began to run the basic cultivation technique. Instantly, a faint red light emitted from the spirit testing stone.

Seeing this, the crowd below let out a gasp.

"Silence," the young man coldly said, seeing the noisy crowd.

The crowd fell silent again, but everyone's eyes were on the chubby boy.

Everyone knew that from this moment on, this chubby boy was different from them.

"Abundant Fire Spirit Vein, it should have reached Mixed Quality Rank 2, similar to my initial state. Not bad."

"Junior Brother Guo, stand beside me. After the testing is complete, follow us to the outer sect."

The young man said to the chubby boy, his words tinged with a bit of formality.

The chubby boy, though he knew he had awakened his spirit vein, was still a bit puzzled by the mention of Rank 2 but did not ask. He followed the young man's instructions and stood beside him, but his wide grin showed his joy.

He stood still and winked at Han Xiaoshu.

"I hope Xiaoshu can also pass the test," the chubby boy thought to himself.

"Continue the testing, An Tianzong, come forward."

"No spirit vein, step back."

The testing resumed its initial calm, with one person after another coming forward and being eliminated.

However, because of the chubby boy's appearance, the remaining people's confidence in themselves increased.

After another twenty people, it was finally Han Xiaoshu's turn.

"Han Xiaoshu, come forward."