The lean immortal master leading them looked closely and suddenly sighed, "Seven-colored flowing light, all seven Spiritual Roots of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning are present. What a pity, what a pity."

Fang Hao stood there at a loss. "Immortal Master, I am..."

The lean immortal master shook his head. "You have Spiritual Roots, and they are rare all-element Spiritual Roots, with all seven attributes. However, the Spiritual Roots restrict each other, making your cultivation speed more than seven times slower than a single Spiritual Root. It will be difficult for you to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment in your entire life. In the cultivation world, this is known as a Wasted Spiritual Root."

Fang Hao was struck as if by lightning, standing dazed on the stage. The crowd below erupted in an uproar.

"A Wasted Spiritual Root? Does that mean it’s useless?"

"All that excitement for nothing. I thought Nine Slopes Village was going to produce a great figure."

"What a shame. That light was so bright just now."

Fang Hao’s parents were below the stage, the joy on their faces instantly freezing.

Just then, the crystal ball suddenly erupted with a piercing green light. The light was so intense that people could barely keep their eyes open.

Everyone’s gaze turned to another youth on the stage—it was Ye Qing, the Young Master of Squire Ye’s family in town. The crystal ball under his hand emitted a pure and intense green light, without a single trace of impurity.

"A Heavenly Spiritual Root. A wind-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root." The lean immortal master’s voice trembled with excitement. "A cultivation genius seen only once in a century."

Another old immortal master on the stage, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open. With a flash, he was in front of Ye Qing, observing him closely with a satisfied smile on his face. "Good. Good. Good. Boy, are you willing to take me as your master and become my Personal Disciple?"

Ye Qing bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly. "This Disciple is willing."

The old immortal master laughed heartily and patted Ye Qing’s shoulder. "Let’s go. Follow your master back to the Sect."

"Immortal Master, wait." Fang Hao hurriedly called out. "What about me?"

The lean immortal master looked at Fang Hao, then at the expectant Ning parents below the stage. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, "Although a seven-attribute Spiritual Root is a Wasted Spiritual Root, it is a Spiritual Root nonetheless. According to the Sect’s rules, you can be accepted as a Servant Disciple. If you are willing, come along."

Fang Hao’s parents looked at each other. A Servant Disciple? It sounded like being a servant. But the temptation of the hundred taels of silver was too great.

"We are willing. We are willing." Ning’s father quickly agreed.

The lean immortal master nodded, took a money pouch from his sleeve, and handed it to Ning’s father. "Here are one hundred taels of silver. Keep them safe. We will be taking the child now."

Ning’s mother suddenly rushed onto the stage and hugged Fang Hao. "Haoer, be obedient when you get to the immortal Sect and work hard." Her voice choked up as she spoke.

Fang Hao’s eyes also reddened. "Father, Mother, take care of yourselves. I will come back."

On the other side, Ye Qing’s parents were weeping with joy. Their son being taken as a Personal Disciple by an Elder—what an honor. Squire Ye announced on the spot that he would host a three-day feast for the whole town to celebrate.

In this way, Fang Hao and Ye Qing, two youths who both came from Lixiang Town, set off on the journey to the Azure Cloud Sect, yet they were headed toward vastly different fates.

On the way to the Azure Cloud Sect, the treatment of Fang Hao and Ye Qing was worlds apart.

Ye Qing was taken by the Elder on a flying Magic Treasure and left first. Meanwhile, Fang Hao and several other children who were also chosen as Servant Disciples were led by that lean immortal master—Master Xuan Yun—traveling by carriage.

Along the way, Master Xuan Yun gave them a brief introduction to the situation of the Azure Cloud Sect.

The Azure Cloud Sect is one of the largest cultivation sects in the West Province, divided into the Inner Sect and the Outer Sect. Inner Sect Disciples are personally taught by Elders and senior deacons, learning profound Cultivation Techniques; Outer Sect Disciples are taught by ordinary deacons, practicing basic Cultivation Techniques. As for Servant Disciples, strictly speaking, they are not considered formal Disciples and are mainly responsible for various chores within the Sect. Only after completing their work can they learn the most basic cultivation methods.

"Though you are servant disciples, you are in an immortal Sect after all, which is much luckier than being a Mortal," Master Xuan Yun said. "Work diligently, and there may be opportunities."

Ten days later, the group finally arrived at the Azure Cloud Sect.

The Sect was situated among towering mountains, surrounded by swirling mist. Pavilions and towers were faintly visible, cranes flew about, and Spiritual Qi permeated the air—it was truly a scene of an Immortal Realm.

Fang Hao and the other Servant Disciples were taken to a remote courtyard where hundreds of Servant Disciples lived. Each person was issued two sets of gray servant uniforms and a thin booklet—"Basic Breathing Technique."

The deacon of the Menial Labor Department was a stern-faced middle-aged man named Deacon Wang. He addressed the newcomers with a cold expression.

"Now that you’re here, put away those unrealistic fantasies. You’re here to work, not to be Young Masters. Wake up at the Hour of the Rabbit every day and work for six shichen. After finishing, you may Cultivate on your own. The Sect does not support idle people. Those who slack off will be severely punished."

During the job assignments, Fang Hao was assigned to the herb garden, responsible for tending to Spiritual Plants and Spirit Medicines.

The herb garden was located on the Sect’s back mountain and was very large, filled with various exotic flowers and rare plants. The person managing the herb garden was an old deacon surnamed Li, who was quite kind.

"Newcomer? What’s your name?" Deacon Li asked.

"Fang Hao."

"Mm, Fang Hao. The work in the herb garden is both simple and not so simple. Every day you must water, weed, catch insects, and record the growth of various Spirit Medicines. Some Spirit Medicines are very delicate and must be tended to with care." Deacon Li pointed to a patch of grass emitting a blue light in the garden.

"For example, this Blue Fluorescent Grass can only be watered during the Hour of the Dragon. The amount of water cannot be too much or too little, otherwise, it will wither."

Fang Hao noted it down seriously. He often helped his parents tend to crops at home, so he was no stranger to farm work.

After settling in, Fang Hao began his life as a Servant Disciple.

He woke up every day before dawn to work in the herb garden. Tending to Spirit Medicines was much more complicated than he had imagined; different medicines had different habits—some liked shade, some liked sun, some needed daily watering with Spiritual Spring Water, and some could only be watered with ordinary water once a month.

After working for six shichen, Fang Hao was already exhausted, but he still forced himself to stay alert and try to Cultivate according to that Basic Breathing Technique.

However, just as the immortal master had said during the test, his seven-attribute Spiritual Roots restricted each other, making his cultivation speed extremely slow. Most of the Servant Disciples in the same room had already sensed Spiritual Qi; some had even drawn Qi into their bodies and officially entered the First level of Qi Refining. Yet, Fang Hao could hardly even capture the sensation of Qi.

A month later, among the Servant Disciples who had arrived at the same time, only Fang Hao had made no progress in his cultivation.

"A Wasted Spiritual Root is just a Wasted Spiritual Root; no matter how much you practice, it’s a waste of effort," a Disciple named Tiger Zhao in the same room mocked. He had a Triple Spiritual Root, which, while not great, was much better than Fang Hao’s, and he was already about to Breakthrough to the First level of Qi Refining.

Fang Hao remained silent and continued to sit in meditation. He knew his talent was poor and could only rely on doubling his efforts.

After working in the herb garden for a long time, Fang Hao gradually discovered some patterns. Different Spiritual Plants not only had different growth habits, but the fluctuations of Spiritual Qi around them also had their own characteristics. Around some Spiritual Plants, fire-element Spiritual Qi was active, while around others, water-element Spiritual Qi was abundant.