The one responsible for the spiritual root test was the chief disciple under the Sword Sect’s Fourth Elder, Yao Xuan Zhenren—David Carter. Dressed in a billowing white robe, with dark hair lightly lifted by the breeze, he resembled the bright moon embraced in one’s arms, clear and elegant as the moonlight.

David Carter cleared his throat twice, his clear and resonant voice echoing between heaven and earth: “The Sword Sect’s spiritual root test begins now!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a rainbow streaked across the sky and landed beside David Carter.

Through the wind and snow, everyone looked over. It was a young girl also dressed in white robes. Her features were bright and lively, in the prime of youth, her whole being like a luminous pearl. The pure white robe she wore seemed to shine even more on her.

The wind and snow suddenly stopped.

People could finally see the girl’s face clearly. She wore her hair in a single spiral bun, with a cluster of snow-white apricot blossoms pinned on the right side. As the breeze passed, the petals fluttered down.

The girl was ethereal and otherworldly, with a delicate ice-blue snowflake mark on her brow that stood out vividly, just like the sword at her waist, which seemed to emit a chill without her even trying.

When David Carter saw who it was, a genuine smile appeared on his handsome face. He reached out to pat her head. “Little junior sister, why did you come over right after forming your core?”

Emma Sullivan tilted her head to dodge David Carter’s mischievous hand, adjusted the flower in her hair, and replied with a bright smile, “Master asked me to come and learn.”

David Carter naturally withdrew his hand, not at all embarrassed, and stepped aside to make room for Emma Sullivan. “Then junior sister, you can assist me here.”

Emma Sullivan agreed with a smile.

This little interlude between senior and junior soon passed. David Carter picked up the roster recorded by his junior brother and read out the first name, “Grace Brooks!”

“Place your right hand on the spiritual testing stone and just focus.”

Since Grace Brooks was the first, David Carter was worried she might not understand, so he explained the precautions for the test in extra detail.

Even though she had already experienced the process before, Grace Brooks still listened attentively. She raised her right hand and placed it on the testing stone. Soon, the stone changed from black to red.

“Grace Brooks, single fire spiritual root!”

As Grace Brooks stepped down from the stage, the girl’s gentle and clear voice spread across the mountaintop, immediately causing a stir.

“A single fire spiritual root—Grace Brooks is incredible!”

“First place on the Azure Cloud Steps, and a single spiritual root—definitely a Sword Sect disciple!”

“Who’s next? With Grace Brooks setting the bar so high, the rest will surely pale in comparison.”

Even Emma Sullivan couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows and said softly, “The first one is a single fire spiritual root. The talent of this batch is almost too good.”

David Carter, however, wasn’t particularly moved. When the major sects recruit disciples, it’s already considered extremely lucky if one or two out of a hundred have a single spiritual root. Sometimes, if luck is bad, there might not be even one.

After one single spiritual root appears, it’s perfectly normal for the remaining hundred or so to be dual roots or pseudo roots.

“Next, Olivia Foster!”

Olivia Foster curiously examined the legendary testing stone. Could this pitch-black stone really determine spiritual roots?

Not wanting to waste everyone’s time, Olivia Foster didn’t linger and reached out with his left hand to place it on the stone.

David Carter didn’t notice anything amiss, but Emma Sullivan, with her sharp eyes, saw that he used the wrong hand and reminded him, “Use your right hand.”

Olivia Foster awkwardly withdrew his left hand and replaced it with his right. Instantly, he could feel a so-called spiritual energy flowing along his arm and gathering at the testing stone.

The stone’s color shifted for a while before finally settling—not red, not gold, not yellow. So what kind of spiritual root did he have?

Olivia Foster was a bit confused and absent-minded as he left the stone, but still remembered to thank Emma Sullivan, “Thank you for the reminder, junior sister.”

Emma Sullivan: ┐（─__─）┌

What’s with this guy? No sense of propriety—shouldn’t he at least call her senior sister after entering the sect?

Emma Sullivan took a deep breath and announced Olivia Foster’s test result, “Olivia Foster, wind spiritual root!”

While recording the spiritual root attributes, David Carter said to Emma Sullivan, “Didn’t expect to get a rare spiritual root too. Junior sister, your sharp eyes are impressive. This batch of disciples is truly talented, much better than the last two.”

“Good thing you noticed Olivia Foster used the wrong hand. Otherwise, if we missed out on a wind spiritual root disciple, Master would chop me up for firewood!”

Emma Sullivan, however, was doubtful. With Olivia Foster’s lack of awareness, could he pass the later tests?

The Azure Cloud Steps and the spiritual root test were just the entry thresholds for the sect. To truly become a Sword Sect disciple, one still had to pass the three trials: Spirit Selection, Heart Illumination, and Sword Forging.

Even with a heavenly spiritual root, failing any one of these three meant you couldn’t become a Sword Sect disciple.

Chapter Three: The Sect’s Three Trials (Part One)

After the initial single fire and wind spiritual roots, the rest were either mixed roots or useless roots; even dual roots were rare.

Looking at the long string of crosses on the roster, David Carter couldn’t help but wonder if they’d be able to fill the quota this time.

“Next, Lily Bennett!”

David Carter turned a page and called out the first name on it loudly.

“Lily Bennett, are you here?”

Below, everyone looked at each other. Who is this Lily Bennett? Why isn’t she coming up for the test?