I long to return home!

The spirit beasts surrounding the forest stared intently at Xue Wu, occasionally letting out low growls in an attempt to intimidate him.

Xue Wu then revealed a wicked smile, and then plucked a feather that shimmered with dazzling golden light from the golden wings of the Golden Phoenix and shouted, "Every time you fucking yell, I'll pluck a feather from her. Yell again and I'll pluck again, until she's bald." As he spoke, he plucked another feather from the Golden Phoenix.

Upon seeing this, the beasts all took a few steps back. At this moment, the people hiding in the bushes scrambled to Xue Wu's side.

"You guys are pretty good at hiding, you've been hiding for so long." Xue Wu looked at the group of people who ran over and laughed a few times, it was hard to tell whether he was impressed or speechless, he obviously knew that they had been watching him for a while.

"Big brother, please save us!" The fat man was the first to kneel down and hug Xue Wu's leg, begging for help. In this situation, only by following Xue Wu could they ensure their survival.

"Hurry up and tell your men to leave, or else... hehe." Xue Wu's eyes gleamed with greed as he stroked the long, slender, and radiant tail of the golden-feathered phoenix.

"Damn it! What are you trying to do? Give up on that idea..."

"Alright, alright, I understand. I'll let them leave, okay?" With that, the golden-feathered phoenix let out a cry, and a few breaths later, the spirit beasts surrounding Xue Wu and the others slowly disappeared into the forest.

"Are you satisfied now? Let me go!" the golden phoenix shouted.

“I never agreed to let you go. That’s just what you said yourself. I never agreed to it.”

"Hehe..." To prevent the Golden Feather Phoenix from summoning its underlings again, Xue Wu tore a strip of cloth from his sleeve and tied it to the Golden Feather Phoenix's beak.

Although Jin Yuluan was unwilling, she was helpless at the moment. All she could do was wait until she saw Lin Mubai and tell him all the bad things he had done to her, so that Lin Mubai could punish him properly.

Time flew by, and it was noon when Xue Wu, bored, was teasing the Golden Feather Phoenix to pass the time. Suddenly, a teleportation portal appeared before everyone, followed by the voice of the elder cultivator, Xiong Hou:

"Congratulations on passing the first trial. You can leave the Monster Forest by stepping through the portal."

"Yay! We passed the trial! We're going to become immortals..."

With excitement in their hearts, everyone left the Monster Forest one after another. Xue Wu waited until everyone had left before releasing the golden-feathered phoenix from his hand and walking towards the teleportation portal.

"Kid, you just wait, I'll make you regret this." Jin Yuluan glared fiercely at Xue Wu, her heart filled with hatred for him, determined to teach him a lesson later.

"Oh dear, I'm hungry. How about I have some roast chicken before I go?" Xue Wu clutched his stomach. Upon hearing this, the goldfish phoenix ran off without turning its head, its two slender claws swaying away. Xue Wu smiled and then stepped into the teleportation portal.

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the forest. Instead, he saw a circular pond. Looking around, the clouds in the sky were within reach, and there were flowers, plants, and trees he had never seen before growing all around. The scene was so beautiful that Xue Wu was completely captivated by it. Even the vocabulary he had learned in his previous life could not describe the beauty he saw.

"Ahem! Congratulations on becoming disciples of my Luoyun Sect."

A booming voice pulled Xue Wu back from his reverie. He looked through the crowd and saw a sixty-year-old man with half-white hair and beard. He was robust and upright, standing at the other end of the pool. Xu Tao and the older cultivator stood beside him. His weathered face had a pair of bright eyes that shone with a kind smile under his thick eyebrows, making him seem very approachable.

"Elder Yang Fan, all the disciples who participated in this trial are here." The older cultivator glanced at the crowd, then bowed respectfully to Yang Fan.

Yang Fan stroked his gray beard, his face showing a kind expression, and said to the front, "You all successfully spent a night in the Monster Forest, which shows that you have commendable courage and are qualified to become disciples of the Falling Cloud Sect."

"And now we are about to begin the second trial."

"You will line up and enter this spirit-testing pool one by one to determine your spiritual root attributes."

Spiritual roots are the foundation for a cultivator to enter the path of immortality. Everyone has spiritual roots within their body. There are many types of spiritual roots in the world, among which the basic ones are fire spiritual roots, water spiritual roots, earth spiritual roots, wood spiritual roots, and lightning spiritual roots. These five types of spiritual roots are considered innate spiritual roots. When a cultivator uses special methods, they can activate the spiritual roots within their body and fully utilize their power through cultivation.

Those who possess the fire elemental root have powerful fire manipulation abilities; they can control and create raging flames.

Those who possess the water elemental root can merge with water, manipulate all the waters in the world, and control the myriad forms of water with unpredictable and ever-changing techniques.

Those with earth elemental roots can manipulate earth and rocks, and they can alter the terrain.

Those who possess the Wood Spirit Root have a unique sensitivity to nature and plants. They can control all plants to their advantage.

Those who possess the Thunder Spirit Root can manipulate the power of lightning in the world. They possess the strongest attack power among the five spiritual roots, capable of penetrating all things in the world.

Besides innate spiritual roots, there are also acquired spiritual roots, which require sufficient opportunities and good fortune to acquire and are extremely difficult to obtain. Possessing just one is enough to surpass other cultivators of the same realm.

In addition, those with exceptional talent will exhibit dual or multiple spiritual roots during the spiritual root test. These individuals are undoubtedly the sect's prodigies and will receive special training.

"Please enter the Spirit Testing Pool one by one and wait a moment before leaving," Yang Fan's kind voice came again.

Upon hearing Yang Fan's words, the young man who was first in line took a deep breath and stepped into the Spirit Testing Pool. A few breaths later, the clear and calm water surface suddenly trembled violently, and the pool water gradually turned brown. Slowly, rocks emerged from the pool water. The young man was so frightened by this scene that he stood there dumbfounded.

"Earth Spirit Root!"

"Not bad, not bad, next one."

The young man left the spirit-testing pool with a happy expression. The moment his foot left, the pool water, which was covered with rocks, immediately returned to its original state.

Shortly after the first man left, the freckled man stepped into the spirit-testing pool. A few breaths later, the surrounding area rapidly heated up, and the people in line couldn't help but sweat. In an instant, flames burst forth from the pool and burned fiercely.

"Fire Spirit Root".

“Very good. It just so happens that Xiafeng and Qingfeng are in need of disciples with fire spirit roots.” Yang Fan stroked his beard and looked at the freckled man in front of him with a kind smile.

"next."

Several incense sticks' worth of time passed, during which most of the spiritual roots were earth or wood. Fire and water spiritual roots were extremely rare, and only one lightning spiritual root appeared.

"next."

Upon hearing this, Xue Wu took a deep breath and stepped heavily into the Spirit Testing Pool. The moment his front foot entered the water, he felt something strange surge into his body, as if it were about to burst out.