Chapter 10: Am I Really a Five-Spirit-Root?

"Su Jin, you truly have no understanding of the differences in personal talent. Do you know why the clan school rewards children who break through to Qi Refinement Level One on their first day with thirty spirit stones? Even working in Xiancheng, one might not earn thirty spirit stones in an entire month." Su Wujì spoke with the air of a wise mentor.

Su Jin froze.

"It's because children like us are extremely rare. We train the fastest, which proves we have the best talent. That's why the clan school rewards us so generously."

"I heard that among all six classes this year, only nineteen students received this reward." Su Wujì continued.

"So few?" Su Jin gasped.

"That's exactly how few." Su Wujì nodded and went on. "According to my grandfather, human talent varies enormously."

"Especially in cultivation: those with talent advance a thousand li in a single day; those without it suffer each day like a year."

"Some achieve Foundation Establishment before twenty; others train their whole lives and remain stuck at Qi Refinement Level Four."

"The Su clan is vast and wealthy, but it doesn't have enough resources to cultivate every clan cultivator. To earn the clan's favor and support, you must prove yourself."

"The better you perform, the greater the clan's rewards."

Su Jin and Su Cheng listened intently.

"Another thing: our clan elders have long observed countless students. They've already categorized our talents into several tiers, then use rewards to directly separate students by talent level."

"The stronger the talent, the greater the reward—accelerating our cultivation speed."

"Those with slightly weaker talent still receive partial rewards to spur them onward."

"Those with abysmal talent are simply discarded."

"Based on decades of observation by the clan's elder cultivators,"

"Students who break through to Qi Refinement Level One on their first day are Tier One talent. Those who break through before the tenth day are Tier Two."

"Those who break through before the thirtieth day are Tier Three."

"The rest? Forget it. They'll all be eliminated eventually." Su Wujì spoke with absolute certainty.

"No way? We're all in the clan school—we're all Su clan descendants?" Su Cheng stared, eyes wide with disbelief. If we're already in the clan school, how can they just discard us?

"Didn't you zone out during Liu Shi's orientation lecture?" Su Wujì asked.

Su Cheng: "..."

"Don't say things like that again. The Su clan is a great clan. We own countless spirit fields, spirit herb gardens, workshops, and shops. Without powerful clan members to uphold it, this foundation would've been seized long ago."

"We wouldn't have survived for so many generations."

"So the Su clan school was never meant for every Su descendant. It exists solely to cultivate that tiny fraction of true Su elite."

"Think about it: in Xiancheng, our clan controls over forty streets—old and new combined."

"Each year, thousands of children are born—including those of relatives, allies, and old friends."

"Yet how many does the clan school admit? Less than one hundred eighty per year."

"And even these one hundred eighty won't all stay. Starting next year, we implement a bottom-tier elimination system."

"They say five are eliminated in the first year, four in the second, and so on—until, in our graduation year, only one is eliminated."

"How terrifying—just when you're about to graduate, you're still thrown out."

"How miserable must that poor soul be?"

"So do you understand now? If you lack talent—or your talent falls outside the clan's cultivation scope—being eliminated is perfectly normal. The clan doesn't have the time or resources to waste on you."

Su Cheng and Su Jin both clenched their lips tightly.

"Can talent really differ that much?" Su Jin frowned. "My mother said cultivation talent is closely tied to spiritual roots. The best is single-spirit-root; the worst is five-spirit-root. I'm five-spirit-root—I should be the lowest tier."

"But according to you, my cultivation talent is quite good—Tier One."

"What's going on?"

"I'm confused."

Su Wujì nodded after listening. "Your mother is partly right."

"My grandfather said cultivation talent is incredibly complex—he couldn't explain it all to me. But he said spiritual roots influence talent, yet aren't decisive."

"The decisive factor is your cultivation speed after you begin training."

"That can't be faked."

"Your cultivation achievements are yours alone. The faster you break through, the higher your true talent."

Su Jin still felt dazed.

"So our fourth teammate definitely won't show up today, right?" Su Cheng asked.

"Not definitely—but highly unlikely. He won't appear before the fifth day at the earliest." Su Wujì said.

"You know so much." Su Cheng gazed at Su Wujì with envy.

"At home, my grandfather often tells me these things. I hear them and remember." Su Wujì said, modestly.

In truth, this child was born a prodigy—his grandfather said something once, and he remembered it forever.

"Oh, by the way, Su Jin—you're five-spirit-root?" Su Wujì suddenly asked.

"Yeah, I'm five-spirit-root."

"I'm five-spirit-root too," Su Wujì said.

"I… I'm five-spirit-root too," Su Cheng added.

Su Jin stared at them, speechless. "Your spiritual roots don't matter—you don't have to pretend you're five-spirit-root just to sympathize with me."

"No, no, no." Su Wujì shook his head. "Remember: outwardly, we're all five-spirit-root. That's what our parents told us."

"What do you mean?" Su Jin frowned.

"In the last thousand years, the sect has promoted over a hundred Nascent Soul Grand Masters—all five-spirit-root. Do you believe that?" Su Wujì asked.

Su Jin's eyes widened in shock.

Believe it? I believe a hammer!

"So we're all five-spirit-root. Remember—outwardly, we're all five-spirit-root."

"I truly have the Five Spirit Roots."

"That's right. From now on, whenever anyone asks you, say exactly that." Su Wuji remembered his grandfather giving him this very advice: no matter who asked about his Spirit Roots, he was to claim he had the Five Spirit Roots.

Haven't you seen that even the Nascent Soul Grand Elders of the Sect do the same?!

Su Jin: "..."

"Did your parents tell you, after your Spirit Root test at age three, that you had the Five Spirit Roots?" Seeing Su Jin's dazed expression, Su Wuji hurriedly asked.

Su Jin nodded.

"My grandfather told me the same. He made me swear to remember: no matter who asks about my Spirit Roots, I must say I have the Five Spirit Roots."

Su Jin: I'm starting to doubt myself because of what you said.

Am I really a Five Spirit Root cultivator?