Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 73

When He Lang heard someone ask if they could still test their spiritual roots, his ears twitched, and he immediately turned around. He saw a figure in green rush up to the steward’s desk, lips pale, cheeks flushed with a faint red, and damp strands of hair clinging to the sides of his face. It was clear that the youth had hurriedly climbed the long mountain steps. Gasping for breath, he asked his question, eyes filled with longing.

 

The steward flipped through the registration booklet, maintaining a strictly professional demeanor, completely ignoring the boy’s pleading expression. “What’s your name? Did you register in advance?” If he had, then conducting one more test would be no issue.

 

Upon hearing the phrase “register in advance,” the youth’s face, flushed from the long climb, turned pale. His lips trembled before he slowly spoke, “I am Jiang Hanzheng. I didn’t register beforehand, but could you please—”

 

Before he could finish, the steward’s expression had already grown cold. His brush paused as he looked at yet another dawdling youth who was wasting time.

 

He rolled up the registration booklet and put it away. “Then you should head back. It’s getting late.”

 

Having been observing quietly, He Lang’s hopes reignited the moment he turned around. Hearing the youth’s name only made him feel as if his efforts had paid off unexpectedly. But seeing that the steward was about to turn him away without conducting the test, He Lang quickly spoke up, “Wait!”

 

The steward, startled, looked at He Lang in surprise and immediately approached him, asking if he had any instructions.

 

Now the youth also noticed He Lang’s presence. In that instant, he recognized him, and suddenly, he froze, as if his legs were weighed down with lead. He stood there, staring dumbly at He Lang, his eyes seemingly devoid of focus, yet emotions surged intensely beneath them.

 

He Lang cleared his throat and solemnly said to the steward, “The Tianshan Sect accepts disciples from all over the world. If someone wishes to test their spiritual roots, there’s no harm in letting them. Who knows, he might turn out to be a talented individual.”

 

The steward was surprised by He Lang’s words but didn’t dare question him. He nodded repeatedly in agreement.

 

Turning back, he saw that the youth still stood there, petrified, his dazed expression bringing a smile to the steward’s face. Was he really that shocked?

 

He Lang smiled faintly at the youth and returned to his seat.

 

The steward quickly regained his composure, took out the testing device, and spread the registration booklet open to write down the youth’s name. Yet no matter how many times he called out, the youth’s eyes remained fixed on Wu Ding Zhenren. Fearing that the youth’s behavior would displease He Lang, the steward furrowed his brows and barked, “What are you staring at?! You haven’t even joined the sect yet and you dare show such disrespect to Wu Ding Zhenren?”

 

The reprimand snapped Jiang Hanzheng back to reality. He shrank his shoulders and, following the steward’s instructions, hesitantly placed his slightly bony hand onto the crystal testing ball.

 

The steward gave a brief introduction while preparing the test, but he couldn’t help noticing the boy seemed distracted. This ignited a flicker of annoyance in him. Finally, when he saw the results, he let out a cold snort.

 

He Lang asked about the result, still holding onto a glimmer of hope.

 

In his mind, his mission target was most likely someone with a single spiritual root—a rare and exceptional talent. Although the targets he had encountered in his previous three worlds had all been somewhat flawed in terms of temperament or character, they had always been geniuses with extraordinary potential. Naturally, he believed this world’s target wouldn’t be much different.

 

The steward paused for a moment, then nodded as if it were obvious and informed He Lang, “Five spiritual roots.”

 

“…” He Lang was momentarily stunned. This result was truly unexpected.

 

The steward also shook his head slightly, unable to hide his disappointment. He had thought the boy helped by a Zhenren might have been different, but it turned out he was just another ordinary individual.

 

A person’s talent in cultivation was determined by their spiritual roots. The fewer roots one had, the faster they could cultivate their Qi, making progress several times faster than those with more roots. Thus, the gap between different spiritual roots was akin to the difference between a genius and a mediocre person. This was why sects held spiritual root tests, only accepting those with superior talent.

 

Five spiritual roots, commonly known as “waste roots,” were considered the worst. With such scattered and impure spiritual roots, a person would find it nearly impossible to cultivate Qi, making it impossible to advance in the path of immortality.

 

Jiang Hanzheng’s eyes dimmed. Though disappointed, he had already anticipated this outcome. After all, such luck was never meant to be his.

 

Still, the small glimmer of hope he had harbored was now extinguished. It was like glimpsing a rainbow in the sky, only to realize that no matter how beautiful it appeared, he could never reach out and touch it. As the sun set, he would have to return to his ordinary life, just like everyone else.

 

He Lang snapped out of his momentary disappointment and asked with difficulty, “So, does this mean he can’t enter Tianshan at all?”

 

His posture clearly showed that he wanted to take in this mediocre talent with five spiritual roots. The steward didn’t understand but didn’t want to go against He Lang’s wishes, so he thought for a moment before replying, “It’s not impossible… Our sect does not accept disciples with waste roots, but since Zhenren has spoken, we could take him in as a servant disciple. However, the work will be hard, and he’ll have to serve senior brothers and sisters, enduring many hardships and performing lots of manual labor.”

 

Jiang Hanzheng remained silent, gazing in He Lang’s direction in a daze, but inwardly feeling a sense of relief. To him, just having the chance to become a servant was a blessing. Perhaps he could learn a little from the elders, and maybe even see He Lang a few more times…

 

The steward, noticing Jiang Hanzheng’s gaze, understood his intentions immediately. The boy clearly wished to be taken in by He Lang. He couldn’t help but look at him with pity, feeling that the youth was chasing an impossible dream.

 

People are born with different levels of talent, divided into ranks. This innate gap, determined by one’s spiritual roots, was an insurmountable barrier, leaving one only to lament the unfairness of fate. From birth, the course of a person’s life was already set.

 

But this was a belief that He Lang clearly did not agree with.**Chapter 73: Mediocre Talent**

 

When He Lang heard someone ask if they could still test their spiritual roots, his ears twitched, and he immediately turned around. He saw a figure in green rush up to the steward’s desk, lips pale, cheeks flushed with a faint red, and damp strands of hair clinging to the sides of his face. It was clear that the youth had hurriedly climbed the long mountain steps. Gasping for breath, he asked his question, eyes filled with longing.

 

The steward flipped through the registration booklet, maintaining a strictly professional demeanor, completely ignoring the boy’s pleading expression. “What’s your name? Did you register in advance?” If he had, then conducting one more test would be no issue.

 

Upon hearing the phrase “register in advance,” the youth’s face, flushed from the long climb, turned pale. His lips trembled before he slowly spoke, “I am Jiang Hanzheng. I didn’t register beforehand, but could you please—”

 

Before he could finish, the steward’s expression had already grown cold. His brush paused as he looked at yet another dawdling youth who was wasting time.

 

He rolled up the registration booklet and put it away. “Then you should head back. It’s getting late.”

 

Having been observing quietly, He Lang’s hopes reignited the moment he turned around. Hearing the youth’s name only made him feel as if his efforts had paid off unexpectedly. But seeing that the steward was about to turn him away without conducting the test, He Lang quickly spoke up, “Wait!”

 

The steward, startled, looked at He Lang in surprise and immediately approached him, asking if he had any instructions.

 

Now the youth also noticed He Lang’s presence. In that instant, he recognized him, and suddenly, he froze, as if his legs were weighed down with lead. He stood there, staring dumbly at He Lang, his eyes seemingly devoid of focus, yet emotions surged intensely beneath them.

 

He Lang cleared his throat and solemnly said to the steward, “The Tianshan Sect accepts disciples from all over the world. If someone wishes to test their spiritual roots, there’s no harm in letting them. Who knows, he might turn out to be a talented individual.”

 

The steward was surprised by He Lang’s words but didn’t dare question him. He nodded repeatedly in agreement.

 

Turning back, he saw that the youth still stood there, petrified, his dazed expression bringing a smile to the steward’s face. Was he really that shocked?

 

He Lang smiled faintly at the youth and returned to his seat.

 

The steward quickly regained his composure, took out the testing device, and spread the registration booklet open to write down the youth’s name. Yet no matter how many times he called out, the youth’s eyes remained fixed on Wu Ding Zhenren. Fearing that the youth’s behavior would displease He Lang, the steward furrowed his brows and barked, “What are you staring at?! You haven’t even joined the sect yet and you dare show such disrespect to Wu Ding Zhenren?”

 

The reprimand snapped Jiang Hanzheng back to reality. He shrank his shoulders and, following the steward’s instructions, hesitantly placed his slightly bony hand onto the crystal testing ball.

 

The steward gave a brief introduction while preparing the test, but he couldn’t help noticing the boy seemed distracted. This ignited a flicker of annoyance in him. Finally, when he saw the results, he let out a cold snort.

 

He Lang asked about the result, still holding onto a glimmer of hope.

 

In his mind, his mission target was most likely someone with a single spiritual root—a rare and exceptional talent. Although the targets he had encountered in his previous three worlds had all been somewhat flawed in terms of temperament or character, they had always been geniuses with extraordinary potential. Naturally, he believed this world’s target wouldn’t be much different.

 

The steward paused for a moment, then nodded as if it were obvious and informed He Lang, “Five spiritual roots.”

 

“…” He Lang was momentarily stunned. This result was truly unexpected.

 

The steward also shook his head slightly, unable to hide his disappointment. He had thought the boy helped by a Zhenren might have been different, but it turned out he was just another ordinary individual.

 

A person’s talent in cultivation was determined by their spiritual roots. The fewer roots one had, the faster they could cultivate their Qi, making progress several times faster than those with more roots. Thus, the gap between different spiritual roots was akin to the difference between a genius and a mediocre person. This was why sects held spiritual root tests, only accepting those with superior talent.

 

Five spiritual roots, commonly known as “waste roots,” were considered the worst. With such scattered and impure spiritual roots, a person would find it nearly impossible to cultivate Qi, making it impossible to advance in the path of immortality.

 

Jiang Hanzheng’s eyes dimmed. Though disappointed, he had already anticipated this outcome. After all, such luck was never meant to be his.

 

Still, the small glimmer of hope he had harbored was now extinguished. It was like glimpsing a rainbow in the sky, only to realize that no matter how beautiful it appeared, he could never reach out and touch it. As the sun set, he would have to return to his ordinary life, just like everyone else.

 

He Lang snapped out of his momentary disappointment and asked with difficulty, “So, does this mean he can’t enter Tianshan at all?”

 

His posture clearly showed that he wanted to take in this mediocre talent with five spiritual roots. The steward didn’t understand but didn’t want to go against He Lang’s wishes, so he thought for a moment before replying, “It’s not impossible… Our sect does not accept disciples with waste roots, but since Zhenren has spoken, we could take him in as a servant disciple. However, the work will be hard, and he’ll have to serve senior brothers and sisters, enduring many hardships and performing lots of manual labor.”

 

Jiang Hanzheng remained silent, gazing in He Lang’s direction in a daze, but inwardly feeling a sense of relief. To him, just having the chance to become a servant was a blessing. Perhaps he could learn a little from the elders, and maybe even see He Lang a few more times…

 

The steward, noticing Jiang Hanzheng’s gaze, understood his intentions immediately. The boy clearly wished to be taken in by He Lang. He couldn’t help but look at him with pity, feeling that the youth was chasing an impossible dream.

 

People are born with different levels of talent, divided into ranks. This innate gap, determined by one’s spiritual roots, was an insurmountable barrier, leaving one only to lament the unfairness of fate. From birth, the course of a person’s life was already set.

 

But this was a belief that He Lang clearly did not agree with.

 

**Chapter 73: Mediocre Talent (continued)**

 

He Lang stepped forward, full of doubt, and double-checked the result with the steward.

 

But no matter how he looked, the result of five spiritual roots couldn’t be changed.

 

He frowned to himself. It seemed that the task in this world would be difficult. Clearly, someone with five spiritual roots was not suited for cultivation.

 

He glanced at the young man and recalled how helpless he had been when chased by a spirit beast, wearing nothing but rough cloth clothes, with no strong background to support him. Now, without exceptional talent, he couldn’t even enter the sect. How could someone like him ever achieve greatness in cultivation?

 

Without a word, He Lang bypassed the steward, grabbed Jiang Hanzheng’s hand, and checked his pulse. He then felt around several of his key acupoints—Shenting, Fengmen, and others—until he finally detected something unusual.

 

Though his spiritual roots were indeed five-rooted, as the test indicated, He Lang could feel another powerful force hidden within the boy’s body, a fiery energy. It was strong and aggressive, concealed in his limbs, meridians, and acupoints, waiting to be released.

 

He Lang injected a small amount of spiritual energy, coaxing the force out slightly. Immediately, Jiang Hanzheng struggled, and a red glow erupted from his body.

 

The steward’s expression changed, and he instinctively stepped back in astonishment.

 

For an ordinary person to embark on the path of cultivation, they must first begin with Qi refinement, drawing spiritual energy into their body and refining it into true Qi. Only then could they build a foundation and prepare their body for the enlightenment stage—known as “opening the orifices.”

 

Yet, the young man standing before them clearly had never cultivated before, and his body was already showing signs of this enlightenment stage. This meant that the amount of spiritual energy inside him exceeded that of an ordinary person during both the Qi refinement and foundation-building stages, and his body was on the verge of enlightenment.

 

“How…? Why does this boy have such a powerful fire spiritual root aura? Could it be that there’s a high-level spirit beast’s embryonic fruit or beast core inside him?”

 

At those words, an image of the Scarlet-eyed Beast flashed through He Lang’s mind. Upon further reflection, he realized that the Scarlet-eyed Beast was a high-level spirit beast at the Golden Core stage. Whether it was its embryonic fruit or its inner core, both would be incredibly rare and filled with the essence of a spirit beast. Remembering how the Scarlet-eyed Beast had relentlessly pursued him that day, it all started to make sense. But perhaps gaining the power of a high-level spirit beast was a blessing in disguise.

 

Jiang Hanzheng, of course, had no idea what they were thinking, but he knew that there was another force inside him aiding him. Maybe, just maybe, he could use this to secure a place in Tianshan. Out of nowhere, he found a bit of courage, licked his lips nervously, and asked, “So… can I enter Tianshan now?”

 

The steward hesitated. Although this boy was ahead of many others, spiritual roots were the foundation of cultivation, the unbridgeable gap between mortals and immortals. Even if he had another incredible power within him, it didn’t mean his path of cultivation would be smooth.

 

Unable to make a decision, the steward turned to He Lang.

 

Jiang Hanzheng clutched his sleeves tightly, holding his breath as he anxiously looked at He Lang. Without realizing it, he had crumpled his sleeves and cuffs in his hands. Every second he waited for an answer felt like his heart was about to leap out of his throat.

 

He Lang clenched his fist and lightly coughed into it, then nodded to the steward.

 

Reluctantly, the steward registered his name, officially adding him to the list of new disciples.

 

Jiang Hanzheng stared at his name under Tianshan Sect’s roster, breathing a huge sigh of relief. He had thought that simply getting into Tianshan Sect was already the best outcome, but what he hadn’t expected was for that white-robed figure to walk toward him and ask if he was willing to become his disciple.

 

He felt like his mind was about to shut down, like his brain had turned to mush. He couldn’t think; all he could do was nod repeatedly. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, and his blood boiled, heating his skin.

 

Jiang Hanzheng fixed his eyes on He Lang, only to hear him ask a rather odd question.

 

“What does it mean to achieve success and fame?”

 

He wanted to shake his head and say he didn’t know, but he feared this might be a test. Hesitating, he quickly thought it through. Now that he had joined Tianshan, he was a cultivator, and logically, ascending to immortality was the ultimate goal. So, that must be what he should pursue in the end.

 

That’s what Jiang Hanzheng thought as a youth.

 

He Lang listened to his answer, which was almost exactly what he had expected, and smiled thoughtfully. “I will give it my all to help you,” he said with a gentle smile.

 

**Author’s note:**

How does a weakling + a lovesick fool + a coward become a top fighter?