The group agreed to meet seven days later at the trial grounds of the Ascension Assembly. Before that, Wen Buhuo learned a piece of news from Xu Ziling: in three days, there would be a priority admission test jointly held by the Seven Great Sects, primarily used to detect the quality of a cultivator's spiritual roots. Xu Ziling spoke incessantly about how those with single-attribute spiritual roots were uniquely endowed by heaven, possessing incredible cultivation speed and becoming the darlings of the great sects—a destiny every rogue cultivator dreamed of.

Wen Buhuo’s heart stirred upon hearing this. Although he wasn't particularly keen on joining a sect, it wouldn't be a bad thing to use this opportunity to find a stable place for cultivation. He decided to give it a try.

The two continued to wander through the bazaar. As they walked, Wen Buhuo was suddenly drawn to a luxuriously decorated storefront. The facade was ancient yet exquisite, with flying eaves and bracket sets; the glazed tiles shimmered under the sunlight, standing in stark contrast to the crude stalls surrounding it.

"Brother Xu, what do they do in there?" Wen Buhuo asked.

Xu Ziling took a glance and curled his lip. "That place? They specialize in high-grade dharma tools, talismans, and rare materials. The prices are outrageous—not something rogue cultivators like us can afford."

Wen Buhuo thought to himself that aside from his short sword and a few talismans, he truly lacked a handy weapon. While the short sword gifted by Fatty was sufficient against mortals, it likely wouldn't even protect him against a true cultivator. He secretly decided he had to see it for himself, no matter what.

That night, as deep darkness fell and the clamor of the market subsided, Wen Buhuo put on a mask. After ensuring no one was watching, he cautiously slipped into the luxury store. Inside, it was completely different from the daytime market; to protect client privacy, they operated on a one-on-one sales model.

A man looking like a shopkeeper dressed in fine silks saw Wen Buhuo arrive masked, but he didn't ask questions. Instead, he smiled and led him to a secret chamber. Inside, the shopkeeper carefully unveiled several layers of brocade, revealing a dazzling array of treasures.

The shopkeeper pointed at each item, introducing them in detail:

"This first piece is the Golden Mother-Son Blades. It’s a set consisting of eight 'son' blades and one 'mother' blade—a gold-attribute dharma tool. The son blades can attack separately, encircling the enemy unpredictably, or combine into one for massive power. By infusing it with magic power, you can slay enemies from the air."

"This is the Black Iron Shield, forged from deep-sea black iron. It’s sturdy, durable, and offers excellent defense—a superb choice for saving your life."

"Then there are the Redline Escaping Light Needles, a needle-type ambush tool. They are incredibly fast, possess high piercing power, and are quite sinister—often catching enemies off guard."

"These Cloud-Treading Boots, when worn, increase movement and evasion speed; they are a premium auxiliary dharma tool."

"A set of Green Leaf Dharma Tools, made of flat, round green wooden pieces. They allow for flight—though the speed is average, they are the standard transport for low-level rogue cultivators."

"And finally, the Thunder Shock Pearl. It’s a one-time use item that can match the strike of a Core Formation cultivator—a trump card to turn the tide at a critical moment!"

As the shopkeeper introduced them, Wen Buhuo’s eyes lit up instantly upon hearing about the "Thunder Shock Pearl." Such a consumable item was precious and could save his life at a vital moment; it was practically a custom-made trump card for him. He figured that since his cultivation was still shallow, relying on talismans and ambushes to defeat stronger foes was his best bet.

The shopkeeper also produced a Storage Bag, explaining, "This is a storage bag. You can carry your treasures with you, which is extremely convenient."

Wen Buhuo surveyed all the items. Except for a massive axe that felt too clunky for his style, he wanted everything.

He spoke in a calm voice, "I’ll take... all of these."

A flash of surprise crossed the shopkeeper's eyes, quickly replaced by a professional smile, though his tone carried a hint of testing: "You have an excellent eye, guest! However, these treasures are worth a fortune. How do you intend to pay?"

Without a word, Wen Buhuo pulled a spirit herb from his robe that radiated a dense spiritual aura. The roots were vigorous and the leaves a shiny, deep green—one could tell at a glance it was very old.

The shopkeeper’s eyes bulged. He rushed forward, gingerly took the herb, and sniffed it. His face immediately broke into a look of joy: "Indeed, a century-old spirit herb! Top quality!" Even as he spoke, he couldn't resist a bit of haggling. "However, dear guest, these treasures are priceless. To trade them all for just one century-old herb, isn't that a bit..."

Before he could finish, Wen Buhuo made a move as if to turn and leave.

Seeing this, and knowing a century-old herb was a rare find that couldn't be sought at will, the shopkeeper immediately piled on the smiles and nodded repeatedly. "Fine, fine, fine! You’re a straightforward man; one century-old herb it is! I shall complete the trade with you immediately!"

"Never flaunt wealth" was the most basic rule of survival in the cultivation world. After obtaining the treasures, Wen Buhuo carefully stowed them away, donned his mask again, and quietly left the store to return to his lodgings.

Lying on his simple bed, he took the treasures out of the storage bag one by one to inspect them, and the sense of crisis in his heart diminished slightly. He thought silently, This market is too crowded and mixed with all sorts of people; it’s not suitable for long-term cultivation. It seems I must find a sect and a stable cave-dwelling to focus on increasing my strength.

Three days later, the day of the spiritual root testing arrived. Wen Buhuo arrived on time at the testing site—a broad plaza with a massive spiritual orb standing in the center, radiating a soft light. Around the plaza, Core Formation cultivators from the Seven Sects sat high above in a cross-legged position, their imposing auras striking awe into the hearts of all.

An official stood by the orb and announced loudly, "Fellow Daoists, this is the Orb of Spiritual Testing. Anyone wishing to test their roots, simply step forward and touch it!"

No sooner had he finished than the crowd erupted. Wen Buhuo watched silently. Just as the official’s voice faded, a large group of people lunged toward the orb like hungry wolves.

"Get lost! With your measly cultivation, you dare compete with me?"

A violent shout rang out as a burly, muscular body-refinement cultivator at the tenth layer of Qi Condensation threw a punch, sending the surrounding competitors flying. However, the high-ranking Core Formation cultivators turned a blind eye, as if nothing happening before them concerned them at all.

The official frowned slightly and shouted, "Do not be in such a hurry! Core Formation masters are present; who dares cause a disturbance?"

Yet, beyond this hollow warning, no one moved to help the fallen cultivators, leaving them to groan in pain on the ground.

As the testing proceeded, the official continued to broadcast the results: "Water and Earth roots, rejected!" "Earth and Wood roots, rejected!" "Fire root, passed!"...

Wen Buhuo remained at the back of the crowd, taking everything in. He didn't jostle or show off his edge. Only when the testing neared its end and the crowd thinned did he step forward.

He took a deep breath and gently placed his palm upon the spiritual orb.

Hum—