Chapter 3: An Honest Man at First Glance

...Why does the common name sound more academic than the scientific name? Lu Yang muttered under his breath from behind.

Because the very first patriarch of the Pure Yang Spiritual Root called his own the Bachelor Root. Yun Zhi's cultivation was unfathomably deep; Lu Yang’s quiet grumbling was no different from speaking directly into her ear, heard with absolute clarity.

Yun Zhi paused, then added, The world of cultivation has a tradition of respecting our single elders.

It seemed as though adding this extra remark would bolster her credibility.

Meng Jingzhou naturally passed the first trial, and following him was Lu Yang.

Oh?! Another single spiritual root?! Dai Bufan’s pupils contracted slightly. Just moments ago, he had been complaining about toiling for most of the day without encountering a single one, and now two had appeared back-to-back.

Me? A single spiritual root? Lu Yang pointed to himself, his heart thumping wildly. He felt as though he were hallucinating, an involuntary smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Correct. You possess a mutated single spiritual root—the Sword Root, Dai Bufan nodded with certainty. He had never made a mistake when it came to reading skeletal structures.

The Sword Root—a natural-born seed for the blade, unstoppable, possessing the absolute zenith of offensive might!

The Eldest Disciple Sister, Yun Zhi, cast a slightly surprised glance at Lu Yang. Her agreement to ride in the carriage had been nothing more than a passing whim; she had not expected both occupants to be top-tier cultivation geniuses.

The gazes of the onlookers grew increasingly fervent. They began calculating the young maidens of marriageable age within their respective clans, wishing they could simply abduct Lu Yang and marry him into their backing forces.

Unlike Meng Jingzhou, who was backed by the Meng family, Lu Yang was clearly of mortal origin, with no power supporting him from behind.

Exceptional talent, yet devoid of factional ties—he was quite simply the ideal candidate to marry into a family.

Most crucially of all, he could actually get married and have children!

Feeling that everyone was looking at him rather strangely, Lu Yang hurriedly proceeded to the second trial.

Behind Dai Bufan lay a vast bamboo forest, which served as the grounds for the second trial.

Well, what kind of spiritual root do you have? Meng Jingzhou quickly emerged from the shadow of the Bachelor Root, questioning Lu Yang with great enthusiasm.

What did a Bachelor Root matter anyway? The path to immortality was paved with dry bones, and feminine beauty was nothing but a pink-dressed skeleton. A companion of beautiful fairies and immortal maidens? He had no need for such things!

On the other hand, while Lu Yang had passed the first trial, a transcendent talent like his own surely appeared only once per generation. Lu Yang was likely just at the level of a dual spiritual root.

As a peerless genius of a single spiritual root, it was only right that he show concern for mediocre talents.

The Sword Root.

Your grandmother's tea.

Huh? Lu Yang was utterly bewildered.

Another small half-day passed, and those lined up behind them entered the second trial one after another, Dai Bufan having filtered out those whose bone structures failed to meet the standard.

Listening to the discussions of those behind him, it seemed a few others with unique constitutions had appeared. Before he could inquire about the specifics, the Eldest Disciple Sister, Yun Zhi, appeared before the crowd. She casually dropped the words, "The second trial begins now," and vanished immediately, leaving everyone completely mystified.

A thick mist began to rise, swirling like smoke and surging like waves, vast as water, draping over everything in the bamboo forest like a colossal net of gauze.

Instinctively, the crowd tried to struggle, but it availed them little. Their bodies grew entirely listless, and their consciousness gradually sank.

This was the Illusionary Bamboo Forest, a component of the sect-protecting grand array. How could the likes of them resist it?

With a casual sweep of her hand, Yun Zhi drew a circle, dispersing the mist and clearing a space. The disciples of the Seeking Dao Sect stood behind her.

Dai Bufan chuckled. Falling into the Illusionary Bamboo Forest will make them forget their identities, forget the trial, forget everything, forcing them to display their truest reactions. I wonder how many will pass the second trial this time.

I hope a few more make it through. There are several good prospects in this batch; it would be a pity for them to fall at the second stage.

The reason Yun Zhi had never disqualified Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang from the trial was that the examination questions Meng Jingzhou had obtained were not from this year, but from twenty years ago.

I wonder which elder sold them.

Which one does Junior Brother Dai think will pass the second trial?

The Ancient Barbarian, naturally. The Ancient Barbarian race is famous for their simple hearts; there is no questioning his temperament.

I think that Bachelor Root and the Sword Root look decent too. They look like honest fellows at a glance.

Yun Zhi recalled the scene of Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou plotting how to cheat inside the carriage, and felt that neither of them could be associated with the word 'honest' by any stretch of the imagination.

...

Where am I? The burly youth of the Ancient Barbarian race was named Man Gu. He looked around in confusion, having forgotten what had just transpired.

He held a battered old axe, standing by the bank of a river whose waters shimmered beautifully.

Man Gu’s hand slipped, and the battered axe tumbled into the river. Just as he was about to fish it out, the river began to bubble and churn. The bubbles grew more numerous and larger until a fountain surged upward, and a celestial, immortal figure appeared. Floating before him were three axes of entirely different styles.

Young man, I am the River Spirit. Did you just lose this battered old axe, this spiritual tool, the Mountain-Splitting Axe, or perhaps this immortal artifact, the Sky-Cleaving Axe?

The spiritual tool Mountain-Splitting Axe and the immortal artifact Sky-Cleaving Axe were two weapons of resounding fame across the Central Continent. Even a mortal devoid of talent, once in possession of these two axes, could soar to the heavens and become a titanic figure.

Man Gu blurted out without hesitation, It was the battered old axe.

The River Spirit revealed a slight smile. What a truly honest young man. In that case, I shall give all three of these axes to you.

Man Gu passed the second trial.

See, I told you Man Gu would definitely pass. Let me see what choices the Bachelor Root and the Sword Root make, Dai Bufan watched on with great relish.

The second trial tested honesty, and the standard for passing was to obtain the three axes.

The River Spirit was no illusion; he was born from the river surrounding the bamboo forest, a creature nurtured by heaven and earth.

He manifested countless incarnations, entering the illusion to test the crowd.

The River Spirit favored honest people. There was only one method to pass the second trial: to answer the River Spirit's question honestly and receive the three axes as a gift.

...

Huh? Why did the axe fall into the river? Lu Yang found it somewhat strange. He felt as though some inexplicable force had compelled him to drop the axe.

The River Spirit appeared once more, inquiring gently of Lu Yang, Young man, I am the River Spirit. Did you just lose this battered old axe, this spiritual tool, the Mountain-Splitting Axe, or perhaps this immortal artifact, the Sky-Cleaving Axe?

Lu Yang crouched down, his gaze sweeping over the three different axes. He looked up at the River Spirit as if looking at an absolute imbecile, his eyes filled with pity. Two of those axes belong to you. Do you not know which two axes you own, that you have to turn around and ask me?

The River Spirit’s smile froze. For a moment, he was at a total loss for words, forced to follow Lu Yang's lead. I truly do not know which two axes are mine.

Lu Yang looked at the River Spirit warily. Then if I choose one, you better not suddenly regain your memory and say you remember which two are yours.

Absolutely not, the River Spirit swore solemnly.

Let me have a look at all three of these axes.

The River Spirit handed all three axes to Lu Yang.

Lu Yang turned around and threw all of them right back into the river. Ask me that question again?

The River Spirit asked by sheer reflex, Did you just lose the battered old axe, the spiritual tool Mountain-Splitting Axe, or perhaps the immortal artifact Sky-Cleaving Axe?

A wide smile spread across Lu Yang’s face. I lost all of them.

The River Spirit: ...

The River Spirit gritted his teeth. What a truly honest young man. In that case, I shall give all three of these axes to you.