Chapter 2483: Reappearance of the Celestial Root Clan

On Lotus Island, as the morning sun rose, golden sunlight poured over it, accompanied by the chiming of three bells. A new day began, and the clan members became busy.

In the southeastern part of the island, a towering, steep peak rose. At its summit was a vast bluestone plaza, where a blue palace, over ten zhang tall, stood prominently. On its plaque, the words "Spirit Testing Hall" were inscribed in large golden characters.

Hundreds of young children gathered in the plaza, their expressions tense. Over a dozen Qi Refining cultivators stood nearby, observing the children. As long as they didn't run wild, there were no issues.

The Wang family's population was growing daily. Each year, many new babies were born, and their spirit roots were tested once a year. Whether they possessed spirit roots or not would determine their future destiny. The children were nervous, all hoping to have them.

"My great-grandfather is a Soul Transformation cultivator," a plain-looking boy in a blue shirt boasted proudly. "He taught me a method to discern spirit roots without even using spells. Is anyone interested? I can show you."

"Really, Brother Wang Er?" a blue-skirted girl with delicate features asked with a sweet smile, extending her right hand. "Can you show me?"

The boy in the blue shirt carefully examined her palm, then shook his head. "Sister Xin," he said, "you don't have spirit roots."

The blue-skirted girl froze, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Let me see, let me see!" others exclaimed. "Help me too!"

"You have spirit roots, congratulations!" he announced to some. "You don't have spirit roots, what a pity," he told others.

As the boy in the blue shirt continued to "test" others' spirit roots, children who supposedly had them cheered excitedly, while those who didn't burst into tears. In less than fifteen minutes, most of the children were crying loudly.

"Wang Er, are you messing around again?" a stern male voice suddenly rang out. "Can't you just settle down for a while?" As the voice finished, Wang Yuanjiang descended from the sky, his brows deeply furrowed.

The boy in the blue shirt gave an awkward smile. "Ancestor," he said, "your grandson was just joking with them. Who knew they'd take it so seriously?" Wang Yuanjiang shook his head, feeling a headache coming on. He had been assigned to preside over the Spirit Testing Ceremony, an easy task that every Nascent Soul cultivator had to undertake at least once. The boy in the blue shirt, named Wang Er, was a notoriously mischievous child. Despite his young age, he was incredibly bold, even daring to joke with elders, and his peers were often reduced to tears by his antics.

"Don't listen to him; he's just talking nonsense," Wang Yuanjiang ordered. "Now, line up and begin the spirit root test." At his command, the Qi Refining clan members maintained order, guiding Wang Er and the other children into a line for the spirit root test.

"Sister Xin, I was just joking with you," Wang Er said with a grin. "Don't be angry with me."

The blue-skirted girl wiped away her tears and nodded. "Don't lie to me next time," she said.

"Next time, I definitely won't lie to you," Wang Er promised, patting his chest.

Inside the Spirit Testing Hall, Wang Yuanjiang sat behind a green jade table, holding a spirit testing plate. Two Core Formation clan members stood on either side: one for registration and the other for settling those with spirit roots.

The child Wang Xin walked in and placed her hand on the spirit testing plate. Wang Yuanjiang infused spiritual power into it, causing countless runes to light up. After a moment, red, blue, and yellow spiritual lights appeared on the plate, indicating a three-element spirit root.

"Excellent, a three-element spirit root," Wang Yuanjiang said. "According to the generational naming, your name will be Wang Yixin. Take her down." He waved his hand, and a clan member led Wang Yixin away.

Wang Er walked in and placed his right hand on the spirit testing plate. "A three-element spirit root. From now on, you'll be called Wang Yi'er," Wang Yuanjiang announced. He frowned, wondering what Wang Er's parents had been thinking to choose such a name.

"No need, Ancestor," Wang Yi'er said indifferently. "This is the name my father gave me, so let's stick with it!" Wang Yuanjiang said nothing more. He waved his hand, and a clan member led Wang Yi'er away.

One child after another entered. Most possessed pseudo spirit roots, with fewer having three-element spirit roots. Their aptitudes were generally ordinary.

Less than half an hour later, a tall, thin boy in a golden shirt walked in and placed his hand on the spirit testing plate. After the spirit testing plate lit up with countless runes, a dazzling green light appeared.

"A wood-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root!" Wang Yuanjiang exclaimed, taking a deep breath. He quickly used other testing tools to confirm, verifying it was indeed a wood-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root.

The Wang family did not have many Heavenly Spirit Root clan members, only Wang Qingcheng and Wang Jiye. Now there was one more. A wood-attribute Heavenly Spirit Root clan member was a natural alchemist. He wondered if another sixth-tier alchemist could emerge from their ranks.

"According to the generational naming, your name will be Wang Mousen," Wang Yuanjiang instructed. "Uncle Mousen, you can go with them; they will ensure you are properly settled." Wang Yuanjiang offered this instruction because some clan members, despite their devotion to cultivation, were unable to reach the Soul Transformation stage. Disheartened, they eventually married, had children, and took concubines, which resulted in some clan members being young in age but having very high seniority within the family.

"Next!" Wang Yuanjiang's mood was greatly improved, having just detected a Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator. As this was his first time presiding over the Spirit Testing Ceremony, discovering a Heavenly Spirit Root clan member was considered a significant achievement.

After testing over five hundred children, eighty were found to have spirit roots. Since their parents were all cultivators, the probability of them possessing spirit roots was higher. Among them, one was a Heavenly Spirit Root, most were five-element spirit roots, and only twenty had three-element spirit roots.

With the testing complete, Wang Yuanjiang transformed into a streak of light and left the Spirit Testing Hall. Before he had flown even a hundred li, two streaks of light approached him, then with a flash, landed on Qinglian Peak.

"Ancestors!" Wang Yuanjiang exclaimed in surprise. Qinglian Peak was Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan's residence, accessible only to them.

On Qinglian Peak, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan looked at their familiar courtyard, both sighing in relief.

Wang Changsheng had exchanged a batch of sixth-tier artifact refining materials for a piece of sixth-tier Thunder Ray beast hide. With it, Wang Ruyan could refine at least one, and potentially up to three, Heavenly Thunder Transforming Spirit Talismans. Given previous successes, Wang Changsheng was confident that Wang Ruyan could refine several more Heavenly Thunder Transforming Spirit Talismans.

Wang Changsheng took out his communication plate and asked Wang Moshan, Wang Qingxiao, and Wang Qingfeng to come over. They arrived shortly after, and Wang Qingxiao and Wang Qingfeng's complexions looked much healthier.

"Moshan," Wang Changsheng said, "this is the Sea Suppressing Pearl. It can weaken the power of lightning tribulations. Place it in the family's treasure vault, and give this item, along with the Heavenly Thunder Transforming Spirit Talisman, to clan members who are about to attempt to break through to the Void Refinement stage." Wang Changsheng took out an exquisite blue jade box and handed it to Wang Moshan.

He had only acquired one Sea Suppressing Pearl. However, he had also obtained the corpse of a sixth-tier superior Earth-Splitting Turtle. Its shell could be refined into a defensive treasure capable of withstanding the Great Heavenly Tribulation, which was still far in the future. Moreover, Wang Ruyan could refine Heavenly Thunder Transforming Spirit Talismans.

Bai Yuqi, Sun Yuejiao, and Dong Xueli had contributed significantly to the Wang family. If they could advance to the Void Refinement stage, it would be a great boon to the family, providing even more assistance, with Liu Hongxue being the prime example.