Chapter 17: Returning to Original Form

A ninth-grade spiritual root was defeated?And so decisively and completely?This completely opposite result caught everyone off guard.Xu Yining's pretty eyes flickered; she seemed to understand something as she thoughtfully watched Lu Zheng, who was covered in blood.

Wang Yingfeng, however, tenderly helped him up. "Zheng'er, were you too careless?" she asked.Qin Changsheng also quickly pulled out a healing pill he was reluctant to part with and put it into Lu Zheng's mouth. "Young Master Lu, you must not be complacent simply because you two have a ten-year acquaintance," he said."Deputy Pavilion Master Chen is watching."

Everyone spoke over each other, dismissing Lu Zheng's defeat as an unexpected oversight.Chen Zhengdao, however, frowned slightly, clearly seeing that something was amiss.

Liu Qingxian had explicitly stated that she personally witnessed the ninth-grade spiritual root advance from the peak of Qi Condensation Fourth Layer to the Seventh Layer.Why then was he so easily defeated by a Sixth Layer Qi Condensation practitioner?He couldn't help but scrutinize Lu Zheng again. "Are you truly a ninth-grade spiritual root?" he asked."If you are deceiving me, do you know the consequences?"

Hearing this, the Xu family members were startled.This defeat actually cast doubt on the authenticity of Lu Zheng's identity!Wang Yingfeng immediately rushed to defend her nephew. "Deputy Pavilion Master Chen, please give my nephew another chance," she pleaded.

Lu Zheng's pupils also contracted. He quickly stood up and declared, "Deputy Pavilion Master Chen, I swear to the heavens that I have never deceived you, esteemed sir.""On that day, I genuinely tested as a ninth-grade spiritual root!""I was a bit careless just now; I am willing to fight again to prove my strength."

Seeing how earnestly he spoke, not like someone lying, Chen Zhengdao nodded slightly, deciding to give Lu Zheng another chance."Very well," he said.Chen Zhengdao then looked at Jiang Fan. "What are your thoughts?"

Without hesitation, Jiang Fan wrote, "He cannot defeat me."Even with his cultivation suppressed and using less than half his strength, Lu Zheng couldn't win.The result aligned perfectly with his suspicion.He was no ninth-grade spiritual root.

Upon seeing those words, Lu Zheng's heart filled with rage. He roared like an angry lion, "Jiang! What kind of skill is a sneak attack?""Get down on your knees!"As he spoke, he lunged again, like a fierce tiger.

He wanted to defeat Jiang Fan and prove himself so badly that his attacks were full of openings.Jiang Fan seized the opportunity, effortlessly dodged a sword strike, and kicked him squarely in the chest.*Thump!*Lu Zheng flew backward again, but this time, he spat blood, clearly having sustained internal injuries.

His second defeat left the entire Xu family utterly speechless.One defeat could be attributed to carelessness.But two?More and more family members, like Xu Yining, began to notice the discrepancy.

Aside from Wang Yingfeng, who remained stubbornly deluded, viewing her nephew as her greatest asset, the rest of the Xu family members began to question his identity as a ninth-grade spiritual root.This time, without Jiang Fan needing to say anything, Chen Zhengdao merely snorted softly, "Is this all a ninth-grade spiritual root amounts to?"

He casually pulled out a bronze ruler, similar to the one in the testing pagoda but much smaller and more miniature, and tossed it in front of Lu Zheng."Test again!" Chen Zhengdao commanded.

Lu Zheng let out a bitter laugh. "Just because I lost twice, you're going to deny my spiritual root?""Fine! Then I'll prove it to you all!""I'll show you what a ninth-grade spiritual root truly is!"

The questioning gazes fiercely stung his pride.He felt immense shame.He grabbed the miniature bronze ruler, glaring furiously at everyone!

"Xu Zhengyan, I originally intended to help the Xu family soar to great heights with me, but alas, you doubted me!""Therefore, I regret to say, your Xu family is unworthy of ascending with me!"

Upon hearing this, the Xu family members instantly panicked.Qin Changsheng quickly interjected, "Young Master Lu, I believe you, I truly do!"

Lu Zheng nodded slightly and patted his shoulder. "You're the only one who truly supports me. Don't worry, I won't let you lose!"Then, he looked at Jiang Fan.

His eyes filled with a crazed intensity. "Jiang Fan! You think just because you fortunately broke through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Condensation, you can look down on a ninth-grade spiritual root?""Open your dog eyes wide and see how dazzling my ninth-grade spiritual root is!"

He clenched his fingers, gripping the bronze ruler tightly.Immediately, a ripple began to surge upward from the base of the ruler.

First grade.Second grade.Third grade.Upon reaching the third grade, the ripple slowed.

It crawled upward like a snail:Low-grade third.Mid-grade third.Finally, it stopped, unable to advance further, just a hair's breadth from high-grade third.

The entire hall fell into a deathly silence.A pin drop could have been heard.

Lu Zheng, who was supposed to be a ninth-grade spiritual root, had a retest result of only mid-grade third!Lu Zheng himself was stunned. He mumbled, "How is this possible? How is this possible?""I clearly tested as a ninth-grade spiritual root!""There must be a problem with the test; I'll try again!"

He gripped the bronze ruler again.But the result was the same.Still mid-grade third.

Lu Zheng panicked, his world collapsing around him. He shook his head. "This is impossible! There must be a problem with this bronze ruler!""Yes! That must be it!"

Seeing him so frantic as to question Deputy Pavilion Master Chen's artifact,Xu Yining finally couldn't hold back. She stood up and snatched the bronze ruler.

The ripple at the base of the ruler surged upward, easily breaking past the mid-grade third mark and reaching the azure region—a sixth-grade spiritual root!Xu Yining looked at Lu Zheng, a relieved expression on her face. "It seems the bronze ruler isn't the problem," she said."The problem is your test result!"

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.Even with Chen Zhengdao present, they couldn't help but engage in heated discussions."What the hell? He's not a ninth-grade spiritual root at all!""I spent days flattering him; it makes me sick!""You got off easy. Someone already willingly offered themselves to him, only for it to be for naught!""That's just losing one's body. Are any of you as miserable as Patriarch Qin? He just received a Qi Condensation liquid worth 300,000, and he took it all."

Wang Yingfeng, fiercely protective of her nephew, anxiously snapped, "Silence! My Zheng'er is certainly not mid-grade third; he's definitely not!"

At that moment,Xu Yining interrupted her, saying calmly, "Mother, are you still clinging to false hope?""It should have been clear from his first match with Jiang Fan.""After three days, even with a supposed ninth-grade spiritual root and Qin Changsheng's Qi Condensation liquid support, he was still inferior to Jiang Fan.""I already suspected his spiritual root then, and the current result is exactly what I expected."

Her tone was light and quick, her long-suppressed heart finally at ease.It seemed she was still Gu Zhou City's foremost prodigy!A sixth-grade spiritual root was still the strongest!

Wang Yingfeng bit her lip. In truth, she knew it better than anyone, but she simply refused to admit it.Lu Zheng's supposed ninth-grade spiritual root had once been her source of pride.Looking at the despondent Lu Zheng, she could only offer comfort: "Zheng'er, it seems the bronze ruler in the testing pagoda must have malfunctioned.""There are no ninth-grade spiritual roots in this world anyway. Your mid-grade third is still considered high-grade in Gu Zhou City."

Hearing this, the severely disheartened Lu Zheng felt marginally better.He nodded slightly. "That's true. Xu Yining, with her sixth-grade spiritual root, is still the best. I'm only three grades lower than her, so it's not too bad."

Unexpectedly,Chen Zhengdao, his face grim, put away the bronze ruler and uttered words that shattered Lu Zheng's world!"Who said there are no ninth-grade spiritual roots in Gu Zhou City?""It just isn't you!"