Chapter 15: He Took Flight

“Oh? For example?” Qin Xi asked curiously.

“For instance, this Great Bone Formation,” Bu Weiwei said proudly. “Our Bu family village is renowned in the sect of arts, and I know a bit about formation arrays. It’s obvious that the path leading to the cultivator holding that scroll is protected by a formation.”

Qin Xi focused and noticed that while the cultivator was shouting and holding the scroll, many people were walking in that direction, but their expressions varied greatly.

Some looked relaxed and carefree, strolling as if on a leisurely walk; others were sweating profusely, faces flushed red, each step seeming to cost an immense effort.

“It seems the formation adjusts the pressure based on the strength of a person’s spiritual roots,” Bu Weiwei analyzed instantly. “See that one sweating heavily, struggling just to reach the scroll distributor? Probably has triple spiritual roots.”

“And that one who looks a bit more at ease? Likely has double spiritual roots and feels no pressure from the formation.”

“There are even some crushed to the ground, unable to get up. They might have quadruple or even quintuple spiritual roots.”

Qin Xi understood. This test by the Great Thousand Sect was clever. On the surface, it screened candidates by talent, but in reality, if one’s innate aptitude was lacking, a strong willpower could resist the pressure, compensating for the deficiency.

Those without willpower or talent had no place in the sect.

“Won’t you try?” Qin Xi looked at Bu Weiwei, curious about her spiritual root level.

“Hmph, as for my spiritual roots... I know a bit. After all, I’m a woman who sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox demon inside me!” Bu Weiwei stepped into the formation. “If I weren’t a genius, how could I have sealed such a divine beast?”

She began to fantasize again.

But Qin Xi’s attention wasn’t there. He was more curious about what would happen to those with high aptitude.

Although Bu Weiwei was somewhat unlucky, to be that unlucky was almost a talent in itself. Qin Xi thought she might truly be a genius.

However, the moment Bu Weiwei stepped into the formation, she frowned.

Why didn’t she feel anything?

Shouldn’t there be an overwhelming oppressive force?

Even as a genius, the formation should exert some pressure, but none at all... Could it be that the formation wasn’t working?

Was there a mistake in the formation?

She jumped out of the formation.

Then back in.

Then out again.

...

It wasn’t an illusion.

Bu Weiwei really didn’t feel any pressure.

Perhaps, for her level of talent, the formation exerted no pressure at all.

...

The cultivator distributing the scrolls was named Shi Jun. He watched with great interest as those of average talent struggled like caterpillars, crawling and rolling their way toward him.

As for those with poor talent, calling them caterpillars wouldn’t suffice—they had already woven cocoons on the ground.

---

Those with double spiritual roots felt a slight pressure, roughly like carrying a forty or fifty-pound stone, which slowed their pace somewhat, but reaching Shi Jun was still relatively easy.

At that moment, one such double-rooted individual reached Shi Jun.

Shi Jun greeted them kindly; after all, they were future fellow disciples. Making friends was always good.

He himself had double spiritual roots, which was already exceptional in the Eastern Dawn Continent.

“Here, take this scroll. Keep it safe—it’s your proof of joining the Great Thousand Sect.” Shi Jun carefully placed the scroll in the person’s hand.

“What should I do next...?”

“The scroll contains the answers.”

After sending off that double-rooted person, Shi Jun resumed observing those within the formation.

“So far, thirteen thousand people have come. Two hundred and forty with triple spiritual roots passed, thirty-three with double roots... but none with single roots,” he glanced at his recorded numbers.

Just as Shi Jun thought this batch might not have any single-rooted candidates, he suddenly noticed a young girl not far off.

She was flipping somersaults.

Was he hallucinating?

Shi Jun rubbed his eyes and looked again.

The girl wasn’t doing somersaults anymore; she was doing handstands.

“???”

Wait, where’s my formation?

Feeling something amiss, Shi Jun entered the formation himself and immediately felt his body grow heavy.

The formation was definitely still active.

He stepped back to his spot, staring at Bu Weiwei.

Something wasn’t right. Even a single spiritual root wouldn’t allow such ease within the formation.

Onlookers began to exclaim in surprise. This was the first time anyone had moved so effortlessly inside the Great Formation.

What kind of godlike talent was this?

Shi Jun searched his memory for any record of a spiritual root surpassing the single root.

After brief reflection, he found an answer.

Heavenly Spiritual Root.

Only the Heavenly Spiritual Root could achieve such a level.

Those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots were favored by the heavens. With just a little cultivation, they could reach realms others could only dream of.

Such individuals were chosen by the heavens, destined to stir the tides of the era.

Thinking this, Shi Jun’s eyes burned with excitement. The Great Thousand Sect had truly discovered a treasure!

---

Heavenly Spiritual Roots, no matter their type, inevitably became the strongest in their domain. Moreover, they were blessed by the heavens, with excellent fortune, rarely fearing sudden death or demise.

Just as Shi Jun struggled to calm his excitement with deep breaths, another shocking exclamation arose from the crowd!

Hmm? He had just encountered a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and now something else was causing astonishment?

Shi Jun lifted his head and saw the onlookers’ jaws drop. Following their gaze...

His own jaw dropped as well.

If Bu Weiwei’s immunity to the formation was astonishing, then this fairy-like girl surpassed imagination even further.

She floated in midair.

When Jiang Baiqiu had first stepped into the formation, she seemed to lose gravity. The formation appeared to cooperate with her, providing an upward force that allowed her to drift ten meters with a single step.

Each step was as if a lotus flower gently supported her from below—cold, detached, yet exquisitely beautiful.

Her movements resembled those of a celestial being, so graceful and ethereal that the surrounding crowd felt a reverence they dared not violate.

Who on earth was she?

Shi Jun supported his chin, struggling not to let it fall to the ground.

When had this formation ever ignored gravity?

He had thought Heavenly Spiritual Roots were unbeatable, but whose subordinate was this girl?

Even with Shi Jun’s experience, he could not explain this. To him, Heavenly Spiritual Roots were the pinnacle—there was nothing stronger.

Yet reality refused to grant him that comfort; Jiang Baiqiu’s appearance shook his worldview.

Qin Xi, watching these two show-offs and hearing the crowd’s astonished murmurs, couldn’t help but feel the urge to try it himself.

He despised two kinds of people above all: those who show off, and those who prevent him from showing off.

These two were masters of showing off, especially Jiang Baiqiu, who seemed silly in his presence but was like a goddess to others.

Qin Xi decided this couldn’t continue. Everyone, step aside—he was about to show off.

He stepped into the formation.

At that moment, a crooked grin spread across his face; it was his time to shine.

But as soon as he stepped in, he suddenly felt a tremendous force.

Not from above down.

But from below up.

He was lifted off the ground.