Ye Family Flower Hall.

Ye Haoran seated True Man Wanxuan in the place of honor. After the maids served fragrant tea, Ye Haoran gestured for Ye Cai to lead the maids and servants out of the hall. Only he, Ye Wei, Second Wife, and an uninvited Third Wife who’d brazenly refused to leave remained in the great hall.

Seeing no outsiders present, True Man Wanxuan got straight to the point. He slapped the storage pouch at his waist, and a snow-white jade-like book appeared in his hand. Then he placed the book on the square table and slowly pushed it toward Ye Haoran’s side, saying, “The Ye family treasure book – Wan has studied it for five years with immense gratitude. Now I return it to its original owner. Please inspect it, General Ye.”

“Ah? True Man, you’re too polite.” Ye Haoran reached out to press down on the other side of the book and pushed it back, smiling. “My Ye family are all mortals. This object is useless to us. If True Man needs it, please take it…”

Unexpectedly, True Man Wanxuan also laughed heartily and pushed the book back over. “General Ye is too kind, but this thing is equally useless to Wan. After studying it for five years and showing it to many senior cultivators, none of them could recognize the text in this treasure book. In Wan’s view, this isn’t a cultivation manual or magical treasure at all.”

Ye Haoran was shocked to hear this. His Ye family had preserved this book for nearly a thousand years, passed down through generations. Each generation told the next it was an immortal text, yet now True Man Wanxuan flatly denied it.

Ye Haoran questioned, “True Man, if it’s not an immortal treasure book, why has it remained pristine as jade after a thousand years? Why can’t these pages, thin as cicada wings, be damaged by blades or fire?”

True Man Wanxuan didn’t get angry, but said calmly, “This book is woven from silk spun by Ice Soul Cold Silkworms, naturally invulnerable to water and fire. Though Ice Soul Cold Silkworm silk is precious, it’s not particularly rare. General Ye, this thing is truly useless to Wan. The Ye family should keep it safe.”

With him saying that, Ye Haoran couldn’t insist further. Who forces someone to accept garbage? Actually, Ye Haoran felt resentful – if you knew it was useless, why borrow it for five years?

True Man Wanxuan had a good temperament though, and explained unhurriedly, “Wan has been stuck at early Foundation Establishment for decades. Seeing my lifespan approaching its end without progress, I searched everywhere for ancient texts and classics, hoping to achieve a breakthrough. To be honest with General Ye, in these five years Wan has traveled to all the major cultivation sects – Spirit Medicine Mountain, Azure Nether Valley, Flower Room Sect, Sword Arsenal noodles– even visited the demon cultivators’ Yin Corpse Sect. Fortunately, Wan has wide connections. Senior cultivators from those major sects all examined it for me, but they unanimously agreed this was a useless object. From the material, it’s not particularly rare. No spiritual energy flows within it. As for the content, no one recognizes the script, and moreover…”

As True Man Wanxuan spoke, he slapped his storage pouch again. In his hand appeared a jade-green flat rectangular container.

“This is what cultivators use to store manuals and formulas – a spirit slip. You just need to place your divine sense inside to read it. It’s been this way for ten thousand years. So no immortal senior would write formulas and techniques in books used by mortals, unless it’s the most basic beginner techniques for those without divine sense to study. Even so, what use would this old man have for beginner techniques?”

True Man Wanxuan spoke with such certainty that while Ye Haoran didn’t completely believe him, he believed most of it. To think his Ye family’s generations-passed “treasure” was actually worthless garbage – the disappointment in his heart was beyond words.

“My Ye family has preserved this for hundreds of years. To think it’s not an immortal treasure after all, and we made True Man travel for five years. Ye truly feels…” Ye Haoran shook his head dejectedly.

He’d originally hoped the immortal would owe him a favor. Now it seemed he owed the other party instead. He wondered inwardly how to bring up the matter of taking disciples.

“Oh, General needn’t be discouraged. Perhaps Wan failed to recognize a pearl. General should still keep it safe – after all, Ice Soul Cold Silkworms aren’t common creatures.” True Man Wanxuan offered a few words of comfort, returned the spirit slip to his storage pouch, but then took out a small bottle.

“To repay the favor of borrowing it, Wan has nothing to offer. This bottle contains Impurity Cleansing Pills I brought back from Spirit Medicine Mountain – twenty of them. Though they’re useless to cultivators, they can eliminate all illnesses and extend your lifespans by over ten years.”

Hearing about the spirit pill’s effects, the Ye family members’ eyes all brightened at once. The brightest were Ye Haoran’s. One pill meant over ten years. If he took all twenty together… Wow, then I, Ye Haoran, could live two or three hundred years longer!

True Man Wanxuan probably guessed his thoughts and smiled. “Impurity Cleansing Pills – each person can only take one in their lifetime. The second pill has no effect.”

Ye Haoran’s eyes immediately dimmed considerably. However, even so, giving them to children and friends to take, [visit our site]or using them to curry favor, would still be excellent gifts.

But he refused. “True Man’s kind intentions are appreciated, but if True Man ever has need, my entire Ye family is at your disposal. We didn’t lend the book seeking True Man’s benefits, much less when this book didn’t help True Man at all, but instead troubled you to travel and inquire everywhere. How could we accept True Man’s gift?”

True Man Wanxuan initially thought Ye Haoran was just being polite about accepting, but after some back and forth, he discovered the other party was genuinely refusing.

Now it was True Man Wanxuan’s turn to feel embarrassed. He put away the pills and said, “General Ye, regardless, you were willing to lend me the book for five years. Consider this old man owing you a favor. If you need anything in the future, just ask directly.”

Ye Haoran was overjoyed and could no longer hold back. He quickly stood and bowed before True Man Wanxuan. “True Man! Ye truly does have a presumptuous request.”

True Man Wanxuan was stunned. So that’s why he wouldn’t accept the pills – he really did have something waiting.

“General Ye, just speak. Why perform such grand ceremony?” True Man Wanxuan quickly walked over to help Ye Haoran up.

But Ye Haoran knelt and wouldn’t rise, saying, “True Man, I have long yearned for the immortal path. I beg True Man not to disdain me, and accept Ye as a disciple. Ye knows his aptitude is dull, but serving True Man tea and water – Ye can manage that.”

True Man Wanxuan smiled wryly, walked back to his seat, and with a wave of his hand, a great force struck. Ye Haoran could no longer kneel.

Then True Man Wanxuan laughed. “General Ye is a pillar of the nation. How could you sever mortal ties and go to the mountains to cultivate? Moreover… I already tested the General just now. You have no immortal cultivation aptitude. Even if you followed me back to the mountain, you wouldn’t take a single step on the immortal path.”

Ye Haoran had already guessed this result, and immediately said, “Then [Read on Jormuntl]please, Immortal, trouble yourself to examine my Ye family children’s aptitude. If Ye cannot walk the immortal path, but one child can become an immortal, this life will be complete.”

True Man Wanxuan shook his head. How easy was it to find spiritual roots? However, remembering he’d just said he owed a favor, he shouldn’t refuse so directly. Besides, if he found a disciple with decent aptitude, that would also count as a contribution to his sect.

True Man Wanxuan changed what he was about to say. “Then let’s have them come and see.”

“Thank you, True Man, for granting this!” Ye Haoran was overjoyed and quickly told Ye Wei, “Go quickly! Call your brothers and sisters out!”

Next door, the Ye family brothers who’d been waiting were already getting impatient.

“Little Wu, do you think we’ll have immortal cultivation aptitude?” Ye Wen asked anxiously in a low voice.

“I don’t know. If we can become immortals, we can live forever and fly in the sky.” Ye Wu thought about the benefits of being an immortal, his heart both excited and nervous.

“I just fear our aptitude won’t be enough.” Ye Wen said hesitantly.

“If we don’t have aptitude, they won’t either.” Ye Wu glanced at the brothers behind them and said quietly, “They were supposed to call that idiot too, but Mother had Ye Cai not notify him. Haha, the idiot really wants to become an immortal too. The other day I heard him asking the teacher about immortals.”

“A toad wanting to eat swan meat – he should look in a mirror.” Ye Wen snorted disdainfully through his nose, then said, “Mother did right. An idiot like that, being able to read would be good enough. Still dreaming of becoming an immortal! Calling him would only embarrass our family! Just look at his mother’s face… really, like a toad. Haha, mother and son are both toads.”

Ye Wen was chuckling foolishly when he saw Ye Wei coming to call them to the flower hall.

Ye Wu quickly said, “Brother, stop laughing. Father and Big Brother haven’t noticed the idiot isn’t here yet. Don’t remind them.”

“Oh, right, right.”

In the flower hall, True Man Wanxuan sat with closed eyes stroking his beard, a faint smile on his face. Originally he hadn’t paid attention, but now releasing his divine sense to look, he saw batches of youths in the courtyards on both sides, all waiting. It seemed Ye Haoran had been well prepared.

True Man Wanxuan had a good temperament and didn’t blame him, but he did point this out to Ye Haoran. Opening his eyes, he said, “General Ye, immortal cultivation has requirements. One must have aptitude that ordinary people lack. In cultivator terms, that’s spiritual roots. Those with spiritual roots are one or two in ten thousand. Since you’ve prepared many people, why not have them all come out at once?”

Ye Haoran’s face reddened at being caught preparing two batches of people. He said awkwardly, “True Man is an immortal – nothing can be hidden from you. I truly did prepare many candidates, just fearing they wouldn’t have the fortune.”

“Those with spiritual roots are very rare. It requires fate and destiny – it cannot be forced, otherwise it defeats the purpose.” True Man Wanxuan’s tone carried a hint of admonishment.

Ye Haoran, who commanded tens of thousands and held military power, didn’t dare breathe too loudly before the immortal. He spoke even more carefully. “True Man’s lesson is correct. What I did was indeed somewhat improper. Please forgive me, True Man.”

“Then have them all come together. This will settle the debt for borrowing your book. However, if none have spiritual roots, that’s heaven’s will.” True Man Wanxuan spoke very clearly – this aptitude examination would repay your favor, and afterward we’ll owe the Ye family nothing. Even if not one candidate has spiritual roots, that’s destiny, and we’re still even.

Actually, True Man Wanxuan felt this was for the best. Cultivators most feared having matters weighing on their hearts – obsessions. Cultivation emphasized freedom from attachments. If he kept remembering he owed someone a favor, it would affect his state of mind.

Ye Haoran naturally understood True Man Wanxuan’s meaning and [noodles]quickly said, “Just this once. We’ll never disturb True Man again.” Then he had Second Wife go call out the candidates from the other side.

It was around 2 PM. The sun hung high, making people sweat, but the dozens of young men and women standing packed in front of the flower hall didn’t feel hot at all. Each one was nervous, gripping their small fists, waiting for their turn.

They all knew the old man sitting inside was an immortal! If the immortal took a liking to them and accepted them as disciples, in ten-some years they’d be immortals too! Wow, eternal life, flying on swords, spirit pills and miraculous medicines, flower-like fairy maidens – just thinking about it made them drool.

But imagination is always beautiful while reality is cruel. As these youths saw the old immortal shake his head at each one, their expressions looked like they’d received death sentences.

The person with the most colorful expressions was none other than Ye Haoran. Each time a son or daughter came forward, he was full of anticipation. But when True Man shook his head without exception, his face showed dejection.

“It’s fine, there’s still more below. If none of the Ye family children have it, perhaps relatives, friends, or servants’ children will. Having even one immortal emerge would be good!” He kept consoling himself, but hope cruelly turning to disappointment continued to play out.

“Next one!” Ye Haoran was nearly despairing.

But no next one appeared. Ye Haoran looked up, and his despair became complete. There was no next one – the courtyard full of young men and women had all been tested. Not a single one had spiritual roots!

True Man Wanxuan had seen such scenes many times and consoled him. “General Ye, don’t be discouraged. Those with spiritual roots are one or two in ten thousand, and even those one or two come from cultivation families. For mortal families like yours, having none is very normal.”

“I’ve made True Man laugh at me.” Ye Haoran smiled, but that smile looked worse than crying. He’d calculated so well, yet who knew not one would have it? This was too much – so much he didn’t know what to say.

But just as he was despairing, watching True Man Wanxuan about to take his leave, he suddenly heard Ye Wei say, “Father, it seems… one Ye family ​Read on Jormuntl​child hasn’t come yet…”

“Who…” Ye Haoran was like a drowning man grasping at a straw. Even his voice trembled.