A Heavenly Metal Spiritual Root! What a promising talent for swordsmanship!
Having waited bitterly for years—watching the flowers wither and bloom again and again—she had finally arrived!
Heaven is truly watching!
"No! That's not right!"
Barely had the words left his mouth when the crystal ball, which had been blazing with golden light just a second ago, suddenly shifted to a brilliant green. The glare was so dazzling that it bathed the entire Sect Main Hall in an eerie, sickly green, making everyone feel as though they had stepped into the underworld.
The crowd gasped in shock: "How did it suddenly turn into a Heavenly Wood Spiritual Root? How miraculous!"
In the blink of an eye, the green light flashed and transformed into a blazing red!
"…Uh? It's become Heavenly Fire now!"
Immediately after, the fiery red was replaced by a deep, azure blue.
"What is happening? Now it's Heavenly Water!"
"—Goodness me, and now Heavenly Earth!"
Five different colors shifted back and forth incessantly, resembling a nightclub dance floor, leaving those present dizzy and bewildered.
"Aiyah~ Take your hand off already! You're going to blind me!" an elder cried out, covering his eyes in agony.
*You've clearly never been to a club.* Yan Xiaoyi curled her lips and let go of the testing crystal ball.
Such a bizarre spectacle truly opened the Old Men's eyes, and they immediately broke into a discussion: "Could this possibly be... a Five Elements Heavenly Spiritual Root?"
"But aren't Heavenly Spiritual Roots supposed to be mutually exclusive? This defies the laws of the Heavenly Dao..."
"No! While they are all Heavenly Spiritual Roots, it seems... they are completely unstable!"
"In all my years, I've never heard of such a spiritual root! Today has truly been an eye-opener."
At this moment, Xuan Tianji, acting as Sect Master, spoke slowly: "I actually read about a similar phenomenon in an ancient text. It is said there exists a spiritual root that uncontrollably and randomly shifts among the five elements!"
"What kind of spiritual root is that? Could it be some sort of mutation?"
Xuan Tianji looked at Yan Xiaoyi, his expression somewhat complicated: "A freak spiritual root!"
The crowd cried out in unison: "Ah! So it's a freak!"
Yan Xiaoyi: "..." *No, there was really no need to put such heavy emphasis on the word 'freak', was there?*
*And why are you looking at me with such strange eyes? You're making me look like an actual freak.*
"So what use does such a spiritual root have?" This was what the Old Men cared about.
"Alas~" Xuan Tianji sighed softly, a look of pity crossing his face. "The forces of the five elements cannot stabilize, making the absorption of spiritual qi sluggish and extremely prone to Qi Deviation.
It is safe to say she is a natural-born cultivation good-for-nothing, even worse than a five-attribute mixed spiritual root. If one must find a single advantage... well, it looks flashy, I suppose!"
A natural-born cultivation good-for-nothing?
Even worse than a five-attribute mixed spiritual root! Then what use was there in taking her as a Direct Disciple?
Taking her in was less useful than adopting a dog.
Hearing this verdict, Yan Xiaoyi felt a chill in her heart and hurriedly summoned the system: "Hey, am I really as useless as he says?"
The system's answer was: "Half true, half false..."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Think about it. What if one day you can freely switch between the five Heavenly Spiritual Roots? Whenever you want to use one, you just switch to it—wouldn't that be ridiculously overpowered?"
Yan Xiaoyi: "That may be true, but... why do I feel like you're trying to fool me?"
"How could you pos... know that I'd never fool you? Ahem~ Rest assured, there will be a solution. I am, after all, the almighty Laji System."
* * *
Up on the platform.
The Old Men looked at one another, and not a single one spoke up.
Silence hung heavy like the midday air.
Clearly, not a single one of them wanted to take her in; after all, nobody wanted a piece of trash added to their lineage.
If word got out, wouldn't they be laughed to death?
However, since the matter had already been agreed to, Xuan Tianji naturally could not go back on his word in public.
Seeing that none of the major elders made a sound, and finding it difficult to force the issue, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say: "How about this? Since you have already made concessions, I won't let you suffer a loss. I will permit you to... choose an elder and enter their lineage. How does that sound?"
*Anyway, let's see who gets unlucky.*
Finally, he hypocritically added, "I would certainly be inclined to take you in myself, alas, I have already sworn an oath on my Dao Heart never to take another disciple after Qingxue. So... how truly regrettable!"
The subtext was: *Don't pick me, it's a dead end.*
The elders hurriedly covered their faces with their hands, secretly praying not to be chosen by her, lest their lifelong reputations be utterly ruined.
*Hmph! I knew you'd all react this way!*
Yan Xiaoyi raised her chin, her eyes curving into crescent shapes: "Who said I wanted to join any of your lineages? A genius like me isn't something just anyone can handle!"
Her subtext was equally clear: *Teach me? You're not worthy!*
"Then what do you mean?" The Old Men were all utterly baffled.
Yan Xiaoyi raised a hand and slowly pointed to the empty chair in the corner: "If I remember correctly, the Cold Moon Sect, including the Main Peak, has a total of seven major peaks, right?"
True to her words, the Cold Moon Sect indeed possessed seven major peaks. Aside from the five peak elders present, there was one whose existence was rarely acknowledged—Xiaozhu Peak!
It was also the most tragic element in the original novel.
The elder of Xiaozhu Peak was named Ying Wuque, the junior martial brother of the Sect Master Old Man. His cultivation and strength actually surpassed those of Sect Master Xuan Tianji.
Originally, he ought to have been the Sect Master, but due to his indifferent nature and lack of worldly ambition, he had yielded the position to Xuan Tianji. He usually kept a low profile, yet he was fiercely protective of his own.
According to the plot progression of the original book, all six of his direct disciples had perished a few years prior during the Battle of Moyuan, leaving not a single survivor.
Heartbroken, he came out of seclusion and, ignoring all dissuasion, stubbornly descended the mountain to avenge his disciples, only to be ambushed in the end and fall with bitter hatred in a foreign land.
As he lay dying, he was discovered by the female protagonist Leng Qingxue, who happened to be passing by, and she naturally inherited his legacy.
From then on, the entire household of Xiaozhu Peak was reunited neatly in the netherworld.
Tragic!
At this moment, since he was not in the sect, it meant he had already descended the mountain.
Xuan Tianji's expression flickered in surprise: "Could it be that you wish to enter the lineage of my Junior Brother Ying on Xiaozhu Peak?"
"That's right!" Yan Xiaoyi nodded. "I know the elder is not currently in the sect, but as his senior martial brother, the Sect Master ought to be able to accept a disciple on his behalf, shouldn't he?"
In truth, she had already calculated everything: joining at this time would, firstly, keep the lineage alive; and secondly... according to custom, as long as a Direct Disciple performed well and showed sufficient excellence, they could inherit the master's position and directly be promoted to elder.
When that time came, she could likewise step all over Leng Qingxue, pulling her out every few days to thrash her soundly—that would be simply wonderful!
Taking a step back, even if she could not ascend to the position of elder, the entire Xiaozhu Peak would still be hers to command! She could do whatever she pleased—brilliant!
"I think it's feasible!"
"Yes, yes! Xiaozhu Peak suits her perfectly!"
"Sect Master, since she is so sincere, you should grant her wish!"
The surrounding elders chimed in one after another. Their reasoning was simple: as long as she didn't enter their own lineages, dumping her on anyone else was fine.
Besides, Ying Wuque had once declared that he only accepted oddities, not ordinary people. This girl fit his requirements to the letter.
After a brief moment of thought, Xuan Tianji nodded: "In that case, I shall accept you on behalf of my junior brother! As for the apprenticeship ceremony, we will wait until he returns."
"Many thanks for your benevolence, Sect Master!" Yan Xiaoyi cupped her fists in gratitude.
In her heart, however, she sighed quietly: *What a pity, I won't get to meet that cheap master of mine! If I calculate the time, he should be running into mortal danger around now, shouldn't he?*
*—Apologies, disciple cannot save you, but I promise to give you a grand burial!*
*I'll have a banquet running for at least a month or two.*
"Very well, since that is settled, you may withdraw. Remember to go to the Chore Hall tomorrow to collect your Identity Token."
*
Leaving the Sect Main Hall, Yan Xiaoyi, led by a guide disciple, arrived at the foot of Xiaozhu Peak.
Looking out, the entire mountain was covered in green bamboo—lush, verdant, and rolling in overlapping layers—which instantly lifted one's spirits. It truly was a fine place for seclusion.
"I'll be living here for a long time from now on." Yan Xiaoyi stretched her back and began walking up the overgrown path.
*Rustle, rustle~* A sudden sound came from the bushes beside her.
"A wild hare? Perfect, time to add a dish to my meal!" She stopped in her tracks, slowly squatted down, held her breath, and gently parted the bushes.
*Swish~* A white shadow flashed past right above her head.
She hastily turned around to see a white fox glaring at her with a pair of odd-colored eyes, its two fluffy tails swaying gently in the breeze.