"Water, Earth, Fire, and Wood—Four-Element Spiritual Root. Rejected!"

The official’s resonant voice echoed across the plaza, each word striking Wen Buhuo’s heart like a heavy sledgehammer.

The entire crowd went silent for a moment, followed by low snickers and whispers. Among the newly recruited disciples where geniuses gathered and even Dual-Element Roots (True Roots) were considered ordinary, a Pseudo-Root was undoubtedly the lowest of the low. It meant a snail-like cultivation speed and almost zero hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage; it was synonymous with being "trash" on the path to immortality. The surrounding gazes shifted rapidly from curiosity to disdain, pity, and even schadenfreude—invisible blades that left Wen Buhuo feeling a chill deep in his bones.

On the surface, he remained silent and calm, but his heart felt as though it had fallen into a cellar of ice. The vague longing for the immortal path and the sliver of hope he had harbored were crushed by this brutal reality. This was the ultimate rejection of his foundation, shattering all his illusions for the future.

However, just as Wen Buhuo felt his heart turn to ash, the official added: "According to tradition, those in possession of an Ascension Order may also be accepted as Registered Disciples."

Wen Buhuo snapped his head up, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes. The Ascension Order! Wasn't that the medallion he had obtained from the short man? To think it had such a use!

Without a second's hesitation, he produced the ancient medallion. After a verification process, he was finally admitted through the Ascension Order as a Registered Disciple of Yellow Maple Valley.

Though Yellow Maple Valley was not the absolute top of the Seven Sects, it was presided over by a Nascent Soul Ancestor and was considered a major power in the Immortal Dao. Wen Buhuo boarded a Flying Ship unique to the valley and, after a long voyage, finally arrived at the sect.

As the ship descended, Wen Buhuo looked around with curiosity. The sect was indeed magnificent: the mountain gate towered above the clouds, surrounded by peaks shrouded in spiritual mist. Immortal cranes soared through the air, presenting a true scene of a celestial paradise.

However, as a Registered Disciple with a Pseudo-Root, his treatment was worlds apart from the talented official disciples. The resources he received upon reporting were the bare minimum—a few low-grade spirit stones and a couple of bottles of the lowest-tier "Yellow Dragon Pills" and "Golden Marrow Pills," which were better than nothing but barely significant.

Even more disheartening was his assigned cave-dwelling—a crude small shack near the Hundred Herb Garden, where the spiritual energy was thinnest and most remote. Calling it a cave-dwelling was an overstatement; it was a common thatched hut, leaving him in a state of semi-exile. This stood in stark contrast to the Single-Element (Heavenly Root) disciples, who were fought over by Core Formation Elders and gifted blessed lands and abundant resources the moment they entered.

Wen Buhuo knew that even within the sect, he was still the same rogue cultivator with nothing to rely on. Talent was the "original sin," and he could only depend on himself.

He looked around; though the spiritual energy here was thin, the shack was remote and hidden, fitting his low-profile style. Perhaps this would be a peaceful place for him to cultivate without distraction.

After settling in, Wen Buhuo headed to the Task Hall early the next morning, intending to claim some sect missions to earn spirit stones.

The Task Hall was crowded with disciples of all levels. When Wen Buhuo stepped forward, the disciples who had joined at the same time recognized him as the Pseudo-Root. Some whispered, some cast contemptuous glares, and others ignored him entirely. This open disdain and exclusion made Wen Buhuo realize the strict hierarchy within the sect.

Just then, a cool, clear voice rang out, breaking the tension.

"If you have the time to wag your tongues, why don't you spend it reaching Foundation Establishment yourselves!"

The crowd looked toward the source of the voice and saw a female cultivator in a pale blue flowing dress walking toward them. She was beautiful with an ethereal aura, and her cultivation had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage—it was Chen Qiaoqian. Once she spoke, the disciples dared not say more and quickly dispersed.

Wen Buhuo cast a grateful glance at Chen Qiaoqian, though he only gave a slight nod. He quickly found a task for guarding a herb garden. Since Old Man Yao had taught him much about herbs, and with the help of his small green bottle, he felt this task might yield some benefits.

Just as he was about to claim the task, Chen Qiaoqian walked up and asked gently, "Junior Brother, do you have some knowledge of pharmacology?"

Wen Buhuo answered honestly, and a flash of admiration crossed Chen Qiaoqian's eyes.

However, a coarse voice interrupted their conversation.

"Junior Sister Qiaoqian, why are you talking to this Pseudo-Root waste?!"

A tall, fierce-looking young man walked over—Senior Brother Lu. He was a suitor of Chen Qiaoqian and constantly harassed her. Although the two were often seen together, Wen Buhuo keenly sensed that Chen Qiaoqian did not like him.

Seeing Chen Qiaoqian defend Wen Buhuo, Lu’s eyes ignited with the fire of jealousy. He glared at Wen Buhuo. "A Pseudo-Root dares to enter our Yellow Maple Valley? How short of people has our sect become?"

Not wanting to cause trouble, Wen Buhuo cupped his hands and said, "Senior Brother, I'll take my leave."

He turned to depart. Chen Qiaoqian wanted to say something, but she was stopped by Lu’s piercing gaze and eventually swallowed her words.

Arriving at the herb garden, Wen Buhuo couldn't help but sigh: whether in the mortal world or the cultivation world, arrogant and rude people were everywhere. It seemed he would have to be even more cautious in the future.

The herb garden was sealed by layers of restrictions. Standing outside the barrier, Wen Buhuo shouted loudly: "Senior, I am disciple Wen Buhuo, here to tend the herb garden!"