Chương 219: Chapter 108: A Cultivator with All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Roots

"Unable to achieve Foundation Establishment?" Mu Daguang's brow furrowed tightly, a look of distinct surprise flashing across his weathered face. He clearly had not expected that the issue plaguing Reyn would turn out to be this.

After a brief moment of heavy silence, his deep, authoritative voice resonated through the hall: "According to what you say, despite being unable to break through to Foundation Establishment, your cultivation base has repeatedly shattered its bottlenecks, currently reaching the unheard-of Seventeenth Level of Qi Condensation. And precisely because of this, your Primordial Soul's strength experienced a massive surge, allowing it to reach its current formidable state."

"That is indeed the case. This disciple would not dare utter a single word of falsehood," Reyn replied respectfully, bowing his head slightly while keeping his expression perfectly composed. Beside them, Mu Nianxing's face stirred with intense shock once more. In the modern cultivation world, any standard cultivator could swallow a Foundation Establishment Pill at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation to successfully forge their foundation.

Even those with the most dismal natural talents could comfortably enter Foundation Establishment by the Ninth Level. Yet Reyn had cultivated all the way to the Seventeenth Level and was still trapped, entirely unable to establish his foundation!

"Ancestor, does the Dao of Cultivation truly possess levels beyond the Tenth Level of Qi Condensation?" Mu Nianxing asked, his eyes flickering with confusion as he cast a subtle, assessing glance toward Reyn. Mu Daguang nodded slowly upon hearing the question. He shot Reyn a deep, meaningful glance before speaking in a solemn tone: "Ancient scriptures record that during the primordial era, rumors existed within the cultivation realm regarding the 'Double Nine Limit' of Qi Condensation.

It was said that any cultivator capable of reaching the Eighteenth Level of Qi Condensation would receive a direct reward bestowed by the Heavenly Dao itself. However, as to what that reward actually entails, history has lost all record." Mu Nianxing's frame trembled slightly as he gasped, "If that is true, then Senior Brother Reyn is merely one single step away from reaching the Eighteenth Level of Qi Condensation and claiming that legendary reward from the Heavenly Dao!"

As the words left his mouth, an unmistakable trace of envy burned within his eyes. A reward directly from the Heavenly Dao—merely hearing its title was enough to deduce that it was no ordinary treasure. Once obtained, its boundless benefits toward one's future path of cultivation would be unfathomable! When Reyn heard these words, a bitter smile touched his lips. He shook his head slowly with a weary sigh and said, "If it were up to me, I would willingly forfeit this so-called heavenly reward altogether."

"Junior Brother Nianxing likely does not know that this legendary gift from the cosmos is by no means easy to claim. Reaching the first fifteen levels of Qi Condensation can be accomplished either through supreme natural talent or by consuming vast quantities of rare pills. However, for the final three levels, every single step forward requires walking the knife-edge between life and death. Only through pure, miraculous luck can one hope to force a breakthrough!" Reyn paused, his gaze growing dark and reflective.

"Before this, I was hunted down by deadly foes on two separate occasions, surviving only by the narrowest hair's breadth after enduring nine deaths and one life. If I were forced to go through such a harrowing ordeal a third time, I have not the slightest confidence I would come out alive. Thus, as tantalizing as this heavenly reward may sound, I would rather abandon it entirely. My only desire now is to find a reliable method to achieve Foundation Establishment as quickly as possible."

Mu Daguang's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, clearly startled that Reyn was aware of the true nature behind the Heavenly Dao's reward. He then nodded heavily in concurrence, saying, "What my disciple says is entirely correct. Nianxing, there is no need for you to envy him. How could anyone claim a gift from the heavens without first braving nine deaths to earn a single thread of life?" A look of sudden realization dawned upon Mu Nianxing's face.

He cast a comforting, sympathetic smile toward Reyn, while the latter offered nothing more than a faint, helpless grimace in return.

"A Spirit Root aptitude that defies all standard detection? And the harder he cultivates, the faster his progression becomes?" Mu Daguang's brows knit into a tight frown as he muttered these phrases under his breath several times.

"I seem to recall reading a similar record in an ancient text... What kind of special case was that? It definitely had something to do with Spirit Roots as well..." Spirit Roots?! Mu Daguang's eyes suddenly snapped wide open! His pupils contracted violently to pinpricks, his breathing turning heavy and rapid in an instant. His normally calm and serene eyes burst forth with a terrifying, piercing glare, locking onto Reyn with absolute intensity. Mu Nianxing's heart leaped into his throat.

Having served beside the Mu Family Ancestor for nearly three years, he had never once seen the old master lose his composure to such a degree! For a moment, the way he looked at Reyn became profoundly complex. Although he had always been publicly hailed as the undisputed top genius among the younger generation of the Mu Family, when compared to the monster standing before him now, he seemed utterly eclipsed. In stark contrast, Reyn remained unperturbed on the surface, revealing not the slightest ripple of panic.

Yet internally, he was laughing bitterly again and again. Don't tell me this grand patriarch is going to fall for the exact same misunderstanding as the others? Unfortunately, this was a secret he could never clarify; doing so would immediately blow the cover off his entire fabricated background.

"A Hidden Spirit Root!" the Mu Family Ancestor barked out after taking several deep, heavy breaths, barely managing to suppress the raging torrent of emotion surging within his chest as he stared directly into Reyn's eyes. Mu Nianxing stared blankly for a second before the true weight of those words slammed into his mind. His face drained of all color, replacing his confusion with pure, unadulterated shock!

At the same time, a deeply concealed spark of fiery desire flashed across his eyes before he forcefully crushed it down. Reyn sighed inwardly, thinking to himself that it had indeed turned out just as expected. On the outside, however, he put on a look of moderate astonishment and bowed.

"Master's divine foresight is truly incredible to discern this so quickly. Back when I was at the Xuanxiao Sect, Sect Master Qing Xiaozi and Senior Dan Chenzi had also brought up this possibility. However, because I could not verify whether it was true or false, I refrained from mentioning it to Master earlier." Mu Daguang nodded with supreme confidence and said, "According to your description, it indeed matches the ancient records of a Hidden Spirit Root almost perfectly.

But how could a pair of mere Golden Core cultivators ever hope to compare to this monarch? What they lacked the ability to definitively test is nothing more than a trivial matter to me." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Reyn felt a subtle jolt in his heart. If this old monster Mu Daguang truly possessed some exotic method capable of detecting the complete absence of Spirit Roots within his body, things were going to turn extremely troublesome!

Right at that moment, a smug grin spread across Mu Daguang's face. With a brisk slap against the storage bag at his waist, a crystal-clear, fist-sized sphere that sparkled like pure diamond appeared in his hand, which he promptly set down onto the bluestone platform.

"This treasure was something I stumbled upon during my younger years while exploring the cave abode of an ancient cultivator. It serves no offensive or defensive purpose, but when it comes to testing a cultivator's internal Spirit Roots, its accuracy is absolute! Whether one possesses standard Five Elements Spirit Roots or extremely rare Mutated Spirit Roots, this pearl will reveal all without exception." Mu Daguang gestured toward the artifact, his voice full of pride.

"My disciple Reyn, you need only channel a stream of your spiritual mana into this orb, and this monarch will be able to verify beyond a shadow of a doubt whether you truly possess a Hidden Spirit Root." Looking at the transparent sphere resting on the stone platform, Reyn froze for a fraction of a second before quickly returning to his normal expression. Internally, however, he was practically doubled over with silent laughter.

The world was truly vast and full of absurdities; miraculous coincidences always seemed to arrive right when his life depended on them! The testing pearl that Mu Daguang had just pulled out was identical in every conceivable way to the testing orb Sect Master Qing Xiaozi had used on him back at the Xuanxiao Sect. Since that was the case, what was there left to fear? After all, he had already played out this exact scene once before...

Without a moment's hesitation, Reyn stepped forward with steady, confident strides to the stone platform. He pressed his palm firmly against the cool surface of the crystal sphere, unleashing a surging tide of spiritual mana directly into its core. A few moments passed, and Reyn retracted his hand, taking a step back to stand calmly to the side. Mu Daguang stared intently at the testing pearl, which remained entirely crystal-clear and devoid of any elemental color shifts.

The Nascent Soul patriarch trembled violently with sheer, uncontrollable excitement, exclaiming again and again: "A Hidden Spirit Root! It is undeniably an All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root!" Reyn was completely speechless, cursing silently under his breath.

"Disciple Reyn," Ancestor Mu Daguang declared, his eyes shining with unbridled excitement as he stared at the crystal sphere.

"I suspect you are not merely a cultivator with a Hidden Spirit Root, but an All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root—an extraordinary rarity even among rare talents! Otherwise, this Testing Pearl would have displayed at least a flicker of color instead of remaining so pristine and pure." Reyn froze, his expression locking up for a fraction of a second. He had assumed that masquerading as a Hidden Spirit Root genius was already pushing the boundaries of credibility.

Yet he had never anticipated that the Mu Family Ancestor would take his wild speculation even further, instantly concluding that Reyn was a legendary All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root prodigy! The Mu Family Ancestor's face flushed with ecstatic fervor. Looking at him, one would think he was far more thrilled by this revelation than Reyn himself.

"Come, come! Disciple Reyn, commit this Scripture of Myriad Incinerations to memory at once!" Mu Daguang slapped his hand against the storage bag at his waist. Rays of light flashed, and two items appeared in his hands: an ancient jade slip radiating faint heat and a delicate jade bottle.

"I originally intended to pass this technique down to you later, but this presents the perfect opportunity to test whether you can master its arts! Within this bottle lies an Origin-Consolidating Life-Extension Pill. Take them both, and refine the pill once you return to your quarters."

"Thank you for the generous gift, Master!" Reyn forced a look of overwhelmed gratitude onto his face. He bowed respectfully before stepping forward to accept both the jade slip and the translucent bottle. The bottle was made of semi-translucent material. Through its milky surface, Reyn could faintly discern a golden pill the size of a longan fruit, pulsating with dense vital energy.

This was indeed the legendary Origin-Consolidating Life-Extension Pill, a treasure capable of extending a cultivator's lifespan by fifty years upon digestion! With a smooth flick of his wrist, Reyn stowed the medicinal pill safely into his storage bag. Under the burning, expectant gazes of the two men, he lifted the jade slip and pressed it against his forehead. An hour passed in absolute stillness. Slowly, Reyn opened his eyes, allowing a carefully crafted expression of awe to wash across his features.

The technique was truly formidable. As a Heaven-grade Low-rank technique, mastering the Scripture of Myriad Incinerations allowed a cultivator to condense nine ultimate flames capable of incinerating the firmament and boiling the vast oceans!

"Well? Have you grasped the essence of the technique?" Mu Daguang asked hastily, his voice tight with anticipation. Reyn stowed the jade slip away into his storage bag and lowered his head in respectful humility.

"The Scripture of Myriad Incinerations is profoundly deep, Master. In such a short time, I have only managed to comprehend the bare surface of its principles. However, I might be able to attempt a basic demonstration."

"Execute it at once! Let us see if you can manifest the power of fire!" Mu Daguang urged, leaning forward with intense curiosity.

"As you command!" Reyn stepped back several paces. His gaze sharpened into total concentration as he recited the foundational mantra of the Scripture of Myriad Incinerations in his mind. Verifying every verse to ensure no mistakes, he suddenly snapped his fingers and barked out a single word: "Manifest!" He thrust his hand forward, forming a sword sign with his index and middle fingers, stabbing into the open air! Pop!

The tip of his finger struck the empty atmosphere like a stone dropped into a tranquil pond, producing a crisp ripple sound. A streak of scorching crimson mana surged out from his fingertip, blasting across the room like a miniature comet before slamming directly against the stone wall. Boom! The spell detonated into a burst of bright flame. Powerful protective restrictions embedded within the stone walls flashed with a brilliant sheen, absorbing the searing heat and shockwave completely without taking a scratch.

Reyn feigned surprise and quickly bowed in apology.

"My control over the flame is still clumsy, Master. Please forgive my lack of mastery!"

"An All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root... You truly possess an All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root!" Mu Daguang muttered over and over. Staring at the dissipating fiery sparks, his face betrayed an intense excitement that he could no longer suppress.

"Ancestor," Mu Nianxing chimed in, taking a deep breath to suppress his own turbulent thoughts.

"Does wielding spells of various elements truly confirm an All-Attribute Spirit Root? Any ordinary cultivator can cast basic spells like Fireballs, Water Needles, or Stone Spikes. How is this any different?" Mu Daguang paused, casting a deep, intense look toward Reyn before answering.

"There is a profound difference between the two."

"Low-tier spells like Fireballs, Water Needles, or Stone Spikes consume negligible mana, so the elemental repulsion from an incompatible Spirit Root is too weak to prevent activation. Anyone can force them out. However, the Scripture of Myriad Incinerations is a Heaven-grade Low-rank technique—a high-level fire elemental manual. Without a genuine Fire Spirit Root aptitude, mastering even its first layer would be utterly impossible!"

"Reyn previously displayed wood-attribute mana within his body, yet now he has successfully channeled high-grade fire-attribute mana as well. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is an All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root cultivator!" Understanding dawned upon Mu Nianxing's face, though a deeply buried flame of jealousy and desire flared in the depths of his eyes. Cupping his hands toward Reyn, he said, "Senior Brother Reyn truly possesses a peerless talent rarely seen in ten thousand years.

No wonder your cultivation reached such terrifying heights in a mere two years! I am thoroughly filled with admiration!" Reyn looked at the two Mu Family men glowing with fanatical joy and felt like weeping tears of utter helplessness. Internally, he roared in silent frustration: 'I don't care about being some stupidly overpowered All-Attribute Hidden Spirit Root genius! All I want is to reach Foundation Establishment!'