Tempting The God - Chapter 16
Chapter 16 : Xuanxiao
The morning light was faint as two massive cloud vessels descended before the gates of Feixue City.
Atop them stood twelve figures wearing jade crowns and long swords, their green robes fluttering in the wind.
Their bearing and aura were elegant and transcendent, far removed from the mortal world.
The leader was a woman of steady temperament.
With a light tap of her foot, she rose upon the wind and landed gracefully before Lin Shuiyu, who had been waiting for a long time.
She gave a slight nod as a greeting.
“I am Yu Zhi, the head disciple of Haomiao Peak of the Xuanxiao Sect. By order of the Sect Master, I have led my junior brothers and sisters here to seek those with extraordinary talent to strengthen our sect.”
“Hard work to you all, fellow Daoists,” Lin Shuiyu said, quickly clasping his hands with a smile.
“I am the head of the Lin family, Lin Shuiyu. If you do not mind, you are welcome to stay at my manor during your time here. What do you say?”
The Lin family was preeminent within Feixue City, but in the context of the entire human realm, they did not even qualify as a third rate cultivation family.
While the Xuanxiao Sect was named alongside the Biyun and Chixia Sects as the Three Sects, its status and strength were far higher than the other two.
It was truly the number one sect in the cultivation world.
One only had to look at the cloud vessels, each worth tens of millions of spirit stones, being used casually as transport for disciples to understand the gap.
Even if the Lin family greeted them on bended knees, it would be expected.
However, the Xuanxiao Sect still gave the Lin family a measure of respect.
Feixue City was remote, with long winters and thin spiritual energy.
Cultivation had been difficult for its inhabitants since ancient times.
As the city’s largest cultivation family, the Lin heads were usually only around the Golden Core stage, yet that was already the highest level of cultivation in the city.
Because good prospects were rarely found here, the Xuanxiao Sect usually looked down on such small places.
However, every sect was competing for talent.
The last time, Xuanxiao had lost out to the Biyun Sect and found too few promising disciples.
This time, they added several more cities to their search, and Feixue City was one of them.
They had come because of a report that the Lin family had produced a Heaven grade Fire Spiritual Root, and they hoped to see if they could find any other hidden gems.
If they encountered another Heaven grade single element root, everyone on this trip would receive a merit on their record and could claim more spirit stones and pills later.
Yu Zhi waved her hand to stow the cloud vessel.
She remained serious and unsmiling, though her tone softened slightly.
“We appreciate Senior Lin’s hospitality. However, we have come to test the spiritual roots of the entire city. For convenience, we have already booked rooms at an inn. We will not trouble you further.”
“But Senior Lin can rest easy,” she added to reassure him as he began to protest.
“Tomorrow, I will specifically send Junior Brother Gu Huai and Junior Sister Xinghua to the Lin manor to test the spiritual roots of your household.”
This arrangement was already a favor to the Lin family.
Lin Shuiyu could no longer insist and simply nodded with a smile, escorting them to the inn before taking his leave.
As news of the Xuanxiao Sect’s recruitment spread, the various families in the city grew even more excited than the common folk.
The nobility knew better than anyone what entering the Xuanxiao Sect meant.
If a younger family member had hope of entering, even as an outer disciple, it brought great prestige.
After a few years of training, they could return to inherit the family business.
Consequently, long lines formed at the three testing points early in the morning.
There were servants queuing for their masters, onlookers, the overconfident, and those simply wanting to try their luck.
The dense crowd was a noisy, jostling mass that stretched from one end of the street to the other.
Such a grand occasion could only be compared to the Lotus Lantern Festival.
At that moment, in the Lin family guest hall, a Spiritual Testing Stone had already been set out.
Seated at the head of the room were not Lin Shuiyu and his wife, but a very young man and woman.
They were Gu Huai and Yun Xinghua, whom Yu Zhi had mentioned the day before.
They had only been on the path of cultivation for fifty years, yet they were already at the late stage of Foundation Building and would soon attempt to form their Golden Cores.
They were likely both Heaven grade single element roots with limitless futures.
For a cultivator, natural talent was paramount.
A person with a Heaven grade single root, even with poor character or comprehension, would at slowest reach the Golden Core stage within five hundred years.
Those below that grade, even with diligent practice, would take at least a hundred years at their fastest.
The difference in talent was like a vast chasm on the path of the Dao, which was why those with exceptional gifts were so envied.
Sitting below them, Lin Shuiyu clasped his hands in praise.
“You two fellow Daoists are truly gifted. To be nearing the Golden Core at such a young age, I am truly ashamed of my own lack of talent!”
Gu Huai glanced at him from his seat, a half smile on his face.
“Senior overpraises us.”
This Lin family head looked decent enough, but if Gu Huai hadn’t gone out looking for wine last night, he wouldn’t have heard about the man’s dirty laundry from a few drunken locals.
He also knew the news of the Lin family’s second daughter falling into the water and drowning a few days ago.
Lin Shuiyu was still trying to keep it from them, and Gu Huai wondered what he was hiding.
Lin Shuiyu noticed Gu Huai’s strange attitude but couldn’t think of how he had offended him.
He continued his flattery.
“How is it overpraising? To be confident in reaching the Golden Core after only fifty years of cultivation is the mark of a young hero.”
“Does your family not have a hero as well?”
Gu Huai smiled, scanning Lin Momei and the others sitting behind.
“Which one is the Heaven grade Fire Spiritual Root? Let Xinghua and me see what our future junior sister looks like.”
The atmosphere turned instantly silent.
Even the maid pouring tea slowed her movements, not daring to make a sound.
Lin Shuiyu’s face stiffened.
His lips trembled, and before he could speak, two lines of tears fell.
His voice choked with emotion.
“You two do not know. My daughter… perhaps it was her poor fate. She did not have the fortune to join the Xuanxiao Sect. She passed away several days ago.”
“Oh?”
Gu Huai raised an eyebrow, showing no sign of reverence.
Instead, he leaned forward slightly, asking with interest, “That shouldn’t be. If she had a Heaven grade Fire Spiritual Root, she should have reached the Qi Refining or even Foundation Building stage at her age. How could she die so inexplicably?”
Lin Shuiyu was left speechless by these questions.
He instantly realized that these two, and likely everyone from the Xuanxiao Sect, had already heard of Yu’er’s death.
The excuse of “slipping and falling into the water” might fool the commoners, but Gu Huai and Yun Xinghua would never believe it.
They clearly thought it was suspicious and were now testing him.
The matter of the inner demon must never be known.
To develop an inner demon so early in cultivation was a clear sign of the Lin family’s poor guidance.
Yu’er was dead.
She must not be allowed to affect Momei, Mozhu, or Molan.
Just as he was frantically thinking of a strategy, Lady Lin suddenly let out a sob, followed by a wailing cry.
“My poor child! It is because Mother did not take good care of you. It is all my fault!”
Lin Shuiyu snapped back to reality and shouted, “The two fellow Daoists are still here! What kind of behavior is this weeping and wailing…”
Yun Xinghua, who had been quiet until now, suddenly reached out and placed a hand on Gu Huai’s arm.
They exchanged a look.
Gu Huai raised an eyebrow and sat back, falling silent.
“Senior Lin, Madam, please accept our condolences,” Yun Xinghua interrupted Lin Shuiyu.
She looked down at the two people putting on a show below and smiled slightly.
“We did not mean to press you. It is simply that we came specifically for the Heaven grade Fire Spiritual Root. Learning of Miss Lin’s sudden passing was a great disappointment, which is why we spoke that way. Please forgive us.”
Lady Lin’s crying subsided.
Hugging Lin Momei, who was comforting her, she looked at Yun Xinghua with red eyes and said gratefully, “Thank you for your understanding.”
“You are too kind,” Yun Xinghua replied.
Her voice was soft but left no room for argument.
“In that case, Senior Lin, please call all the young men and women under the age of sixteen in the manor to this hall. In half an hour, Gu Huai and I will test their talents one by one.”
This statement caused an uproar.
The servants waiting nearby looked at each other in surprise, their eyes flashing with eagerness.
They understood better than the common people what cultivation meant.
With their status, entering the Xuanxiao Sect would be nothing less than ascending to heaven in a single step.
Lin Momei only frowned and said nothing, but Lin Mozhu spoke up brashly with a look of disdain.
“Immortal Masters, are those servants to be tested alongside us?”
Gu Huai’s eyes darkened as he looked at the slouching Lin Mozhu.
He smiled.
“Correct. If the Second Young Master does not wish to be tested with them, he is free to abstain. In that case, the previous promise will no longer hold.”
At this, Lin Shuiyu’s expression changed, and he immediately signaled to his wife.
Lady Lin quickly motioned for Lin Momei to hold her brother back and said with a forced smile, “I will give the orders immediately. Please wait a moment, fellow Daoists.”
Gu Huai gave a half smile.
“Then we shall trouble you, Madam.”
With that, he turned and winked at Yun Xinghua. She picked up her teacup, hiding a smile.
Since the Lin family had been dishonest first, they couldn’t blame the sect for being unkind.
To recruit the Heaven grade Fire Spiritual Root before the other two sects, the sect had promised the Lin family three additional spots for their other children.
It was a gesture of great respect.
But now that the Fire Root was gone, they had to screen everyone else in the manor.
Finding another Heaven grade single root would be ideal.
If not, they would have to settle for the Heaven grade Gold and Fire dual root to fulfill their mission.
Yun Xinghua set down her cup and suddenly felt a heated gaze fixed on her.
Her smile faded slightly.
Looking to the side, she saw Lin Mozhu staring at her with an undisguised, suggestive expression.
She frowned.
Her fingers moved in a subtle gesture, secretly casting a spell that conjured countless phantom blades and swords flying toward Lin Mozhu.
To everyone else, it appeared that Lin Mozhu suddenly let out a scream and flipped backward, landing on his back.
He began to kick and thrash like a madman, yelling, “Help! Father! Mother! Someone! Swords! There are swords cutting me!”
The observers were confused at first, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Where were the swords?
Disdain flashed in Lin Momei’s eyes.
She shifted away, pretending to be frightened, and took the chance to stand up and move further back.
Lin Molan also stood, looking timidly at Lin Mozhu rolling on the floor.
She gripped her handkerchief tightly, wanting to help him but not daring to reach out.
She eventually took two steps back.
Lin Shuiyu knew his son’s nature.
He realized immediately that the boy had let his mind wander, but Yun Xinghua was not someone to be trifled with.
In the end, his son had been made a fool of!
Lady Lin didn’t care about any of that.
She had recently lost her daughter and was still unstable.
Seeing Lin Mozhu crying for help, she lunged forward to hug him, calling out, “Zhu’er, don’t be afraid!”
Her eyes were red with heartache.
Yun Xinghua withdrew her hand and looked at the chaotic scene without expression, cold laughter in her heart.
Gu Huai didn’t bother hiding his disdain.
He glared at the panting Lin Mozhu with extreme loathing.
If Yun Xinghua hadn’t stopped him, Lin Mozhu would have faced an even more terrifying wave of hallucinations.
After this disturbance, the Lin family dared not cause any more trouble and followed the instructions obediently.
Half an hour later.
Shen Jixue was pulled along by Luyi and stuffed into the back of the long line in the guest hall.
