Chapter 3: My Spirit Root is as Big as a Radish
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
"An Immortal's Path is different to the path of a mortal."
This was a thousands of years old saying in the Nine Regions. Mortals who did not have fate or luck to step onto the path of the Immortal Cultivator could only look up to those who could in high regard. An ordinary mortal who had stepped onto the path of the Immortal Cultivator was something that had only recently happened within the last one thousand years. One thousand years ago, a person in the Immortal World had shattered the wall between mortals and Immortals, creating a miracle.
This was the famous Six Harmonies Spirit Root.
This so-called Six Harmonies Spirit Root was invented one thousand years ago by Patriarch Liu He [1], the Founder of the Shengjing Sect. Using a unique cultivation technique as well as heavenly and earthly treasures, Patriarch Liu He created a special powder. By continuously taking the powder for forty-five days, a mere mortal could develop a spirit root. The iron law of the Immortal Cultivation World had been broken.
Unfortunately, the Six Harmonies Spirit Root was much weaker than the Five Elements Spirit Root. Even if someone with a Five Elements Spirit Root practiced basic cultivation methods, it would only take that someone around fifty years to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. However, even if someone with a Six Harmonies Spirit Root painstakingly practiced for a hundred years, they would still be stuck at the eighth or ninth stage of the Qi Cultivating Stage. Thus, the Six Harmonies Spirit Root was often derided as the "Test Version of Spirit Root", "Emasculated Version of Spirit Root", or the "Translucent Spirit Root".
This man-made spirit root destroyed the tens of thousands of years common sense, causing great sense of excitement. Although this particular spirit root was quite terrible, it still enabled tens of thousands of people to join the Immortal Cultivation world. But was there any use for tens of thousands garbages who could not even reach the Foundation Establishment Stage? They lacked the efficiency to be even servants. Therefore, the sense of excitement gradually cooled down.
However, Patriarch Liu He did not give up, the Six Harmonies Spirit Root was only the beginning. Hidden behind it was an incredible opportunity. Although this was not seen by other people, as the inventor of this spirit root, it was crystal clear to Patriarch Liu He.
At that time, Patriarch Liu He was only at the peak Unity Stage, a step away from the Mahayana Stage. As a Mahayana Stage Immortal, he would have an almost limitless lifespan; half a step away from being a True Immortal. However, he had never made this step; he instead spent the last one hundred years of his life creating spirit roots for mankind.
This led to the creation of the Seven Opportunities Spirit Root, the Eight Treasures Spirit Root, the Nine Systems Spirit Root and the Ten Directions Spirit Root... The effects of each subsequent spirit root became stronger and stronger, until they were comparable with the natural Double Element Compound Spirit Root - Second only to the Heavenly Spirit Root, Earthly Spirit Root and a few special spirit roots. Some could even be considered best quality products. Man-made spirit roots now had an equal footing in the Immortal Cultivation World. They gradually became more popular, and in the end, they changed the Immortal Cultivation World forever. As a result, Patriarch Liu He's name became a legend. His fame was on par to Immortal Qin, the Heavenly Emperor who had united the Nine Regions in the ancient times, as well as the great ancestor who had led the war between Immortals and Demons. He became the only "Unascended True Immortal" in the Immortal Cultivation World.
Then, after one thousand years have passed, man-made spirit roots became very common in the Immortal Cultivation World. Eight or nine out of ten cultivators would have man-made spirit roots. Moreover, it was not uncommon to see people with man-made spirit roots of the Jindan or Yuanying Stage, or even the Deity Stage!
But that wasn't to say that Immortal Cultivators have filled the streets. Although the Shengjing Sect had a thousand years of history in creating man-made spirit roots, the number of truly well-crafted spirit roots was extremely few. While the mere existence of man-made spirit roots solved the problem of mortals not being able to become Immortal Cultivators, but whether it was affordable was a completely different matter. Of course, after one thousand years of development, the prices of man-made spirit roots have greatly decreased. However, the only type of spirit root that could be bought with the incredible sum of no less than one hundred thousand liang of silver could only buy a garbage Six Harmonies Spirit Root!
Correct, the treasure that the Wang Family Master had bought for Wang Lu was Six Harmonies powder. Once consumed, a Six Harmonies Spirit Root would be developed, allowing the user to bid farewell to the Immortal Cultivation World. Apart from trash sects like the Seven Stars Sect, none of the decent Immortal Cultivation Sects would accept a Six Harmonies Spirit Root cultivator as a disciple; they wouldn't even accept one for hard labor!
Moreover, the Spirit Sword Sect was one of the rare sects that had existed since the ancient times, and thus, it followed the cumbersome ancient rules and traditions. That meant, no one with a man-made spirit root would have the chance to enter.
Indeed, the Spirit Sword Sect did not accept any disciples who had man-made spirit roots. Even the legendary man-made Twelve Skyscrapers Spirit Root, which was comparable to natural Compound Spirit Root, or even the Earthly Spirit Root, was not accepted by the Spirit Sword Sect. Members of the sect was required to have pure natural spirit roots which were bestowed upon them by fate, called Natural Cultivators in short.
The reason for this was simple: man-made spirit root was still flawed; a cultivator with man-made spirit root was still inferior to a same stage cultivator who has the natural spirit root. In the Nine Regions, experts with man-made spirit roots were many, but very few of them could be counted as top experts. Therefore, this was somewhat a taboo in many top sects.
However, the Spirit Sword Sect's obsession with tradition in today's Immortal Cultivation World was not viewed in high regard but laughable. Because there was a plain truth that even if the quality was a bit inferior, the numbers could overcome all of that! Even if man-made spirit roots were inferior, having ten times the number of people was more than enough to make up for the defects in quality. In the Immortal Cultivation World, the powerful survived, and the weak died. If the Spirit Sword Sect was not willing to accept man-made spirit root cultivators, then it would be their own fault if they perished. A sect could split the Natural Cultivators and the man-made spirit root cultivators into different areas, such as the Inner Court or Outer Court. However, simply refusing them purely because of their man-made spirit root? That was just absurd.
Therefore, the decline of Spirit Sword Sect's in the recent years was not a surprise to anyone. Although it was one of the five great sects, its actual power was probably worse than the level one Million Forms Sect or the Flowing Cloud Sect. If it wasn't for the fact that other sects' recruitment were becoming increasingly rare, the Spirit Sword Sect's Immortal Gathering would not have received the same amount of attention.
However, out of all the youths gathered in the Spirit Creek Town, more than half of them had man-made spirit roots. This was because the only requirements stated in the announcement were: twelve years of age or under with no cultivation yet. There were no other requirements. Therefore, many people guessed that maybe the Spirit Sword Sect had finally loosened up on their age-old strict rule.
However, Wang Lu didn't believe that there was such a good thing. If it was, then why would the Spirit Sword Sect organize the Immortal Gathering to choose disciples? Why wouldn't they just find a bunch of people who had good intelligence, then just feed them the elixirs to create decent spirit roots?
Furthermore...
"When did I ever say I was an ordinary mortal?"
The errand boy, Wang Zhong, was not that stupid. Hearing his Young Master's words, he suddenly thought of something...
"Young Master, you... have a spirit root?"
Wang Lu humphed but did not reply.
Wang Zhong was completely dumbfounded. As he smelled the fragrant spirit root development pill aroma in the room, he felt like an utter fool.
--
At the same time, in the lobby of the inn, the various princes from all over the land had all prostrated themselves before the Lady Boss' might and remained quiet. But at this time, a noisy ox cart stopped outside the inn, and the elderly man driving the cart got off and walked into the inn. He smiled to the Lady Boss and said, "Lady Boss, this is the firewood you wanted."
The Lady Boss replied with a dismissive tone, "Okay, got it. Just put those things in the back behind the kitchen, I'll pay you at the end of the month." After she finished, she waved her hand, as if chasing him away.
However, the elderly man acted as if he did not care at all as he went to the counter. "Lady Boss, two bowls of warm wine and one plate of beans please."
The Lady Boss coldly stared at him. The evil glare that she cast him with caused the people around the elderly man to shiver in fright. However, the elderly man's smile remained as he he took out nine copper coins.
Looking at those nine worn out copper coins, the Lady Boss did not throw the elderly man out. Rather, she took the money and handed him two bowls of wine and a plate of beans. Wen Bao, who had been forced to pay a thousand liang of silver for a jar of wine, felt incredibly resentful when looking at those paltry nine copper coins of the elderly man.
Obviously, the elderly man and the Lady Boss were familiar with each other. The elderly man talked with her as he drank his wine. Although the Lady Boss did not look interested in the least bit, she still patiently and quietly listened. The other people in the hall listened carefully for any clues because they have seen Wang Lu's best room ticket and listened to his story on how he got it.
After the elderly man finished drinking his wine, he wiped his lips and prepared to leave. However, the people gathered in the lobby had not found out any information from listening to his prattle.
"Huh?"
As he was about to leave, the elderly man suddenly turned around and sniffed the air. He turned his head towards the second floor. "This smell... whose idiot kid is that? He actually dares to eat something!"
The Lady Boss also frowned and sniffed the air. "Spirit Root Development Pills? Strange, could it be him?"
"Huh? Who?"
The proprietress stared at him coldly. "A guest in the best room."
"Oh, best room? Which best room?"
The Lady Boss contemptuously responded, "Do you think I have a lot of best rooms here?" She frowned again, "No, I need to go and take a look..."
The elderly man was stunned. "It's not that serious... is it?"
The Lady Boss hesitated for a few moments. "You're right, if I go up there without any good reason, it would seem like a harassment... In that case, I'll go and offer him some 'Daughter's Red Wine'."
After saying this, the Lady Boss extended her slim and jade-like fingers as she firmly lifted up an enormous wine jar. Afterwards, she walked up the stairs. The elderly man thought for a moment and followed her.
In the lobby, the people looked at each other, but no one dared to go up the stairs to follow the two.
They would surely die if that enormous wine jar was smashed on their faces.
--
"For a mortal to become an Immortal Cultivator, there's only one path. However, when did I ever say that I was an ordinary mortal?"
"Young Master, you... have a spirit root?"
Just as the Lady Boss reached the door, she heard Wang Lu and Wang Zhong's conversation. She secretly laughed to herself.
It seemed that she had misunderstood. That remarkable person who had completed those twelve incredibly toilsome tasks to receive the best room ticket definitely wouldn't want to ruin his own future by taking the Spirit Root Development Pills. It was just that she had misunderstood and overreacted.
Thus, it was not necessary for her to go and "offer" this worth-five-thousand-liang-jar of Daughter Red Wine since it was a misunderstanding on her part... "Huh, why not sell it to that reserved and shrewd Hai Yunfan downstairs, it would be a shame not to rip him off!"
The Lady Boss turned around and was about to leave, but then she heard the voice in the room continue to speak.
"Young Master, if I may ask, what kind of spirit root... do you have?"
The Lady Boss slowed down her footsteps as her curiosity was aroused.
"Of course it's the Heavenly Spirit Root."
Her hands trembled, and the jar of wine nearly smashed down onto her foot.
Heavenly Spirit Root?!
Behind her, the elderly man's head abruptly turned around, his face full of surprise. He deeply gazed towards the room, his muddy eyes glittered with lights. He then laughed, "The quality is indeed impressive, but... Heavenly Spirit Root?"
"Does he think Heavenly Spirit Roots are as common as radishes!?"
...
[1] Liu He means Six Harmonies