Chapter 681 - 481: Located in the Northern Wilderness, Spirit Root Severely Damaged, Lower Grade_2

Among them, many looked towards Zheng Yi and Wang Xing.

Their test results just now were indeed genuine. Though they did not reach the middle grade, they still achieved the lower grade, which generally means they could pursue Immortal Cultivation and seek the Dao.

It was just that they didn’t meet the Qingyun Sect’s assessment criteria, thus their path to Immortal Cultivation appeared dim.

"Gentlemen, I am Luh Changhai from the Luh Family of Tianyang Valley.

If both of you are interested, you can join my Luh Family and work as an external tributor; you would also enjoy my Luh Family’s Immortal Cultivation Techniques and certain cultivation resources."

Luh Changhai extended the invitation.

Zheng Yi waved his hand to indicate refusal.

"It seems that fellow Daoist has other good places to go."

Luh Changhai didn’t show the slightest bit of disappointment in his expression, and turned around to recruit others.

To him, these people rejected by the Qingyun Sect possessed lower-grade qualifications, and even if Zheng Yi didn’t join, there were plenty of others willing to join the Luh Family.

"Brother Zheng Yi, what do we do now?"

Wang Xing continued to ask.

Zheng Yi walked down the mountain with his hands behind his back.

When he ascended the mountain, he noticed that many families were waiting midway up the mountain.

If they were too far away, they would miss out on the opportunity to recruit those with Spirit Roots to strengthen their forces; too close, and it would be seen as a challenge to the Qingyun Sect’s authority.

These small families attached to powerful forces lacked the ability and courage for such a provocation.

Zheng Yi also waited, hoping that there would be more people descending the mountain, making them less conspicuous.

Waiting midway up the mountain,

there were not only demonic path loose cultivators like Zheng Yi, but also some other forces.

For these forces,

people with Spirit Roots, potential cultivators, were more valuable than mortal flesh and blood.

Even though Zheng Yi possessed the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror, which allowed him to act with impunity when his cultivation was strong, now he had to tread carefully as if he were back to square one.

He continued down the mountain path.

"The Li Family of Baihua Valley is recruiting! There are cultivation resources, the entry-level Hundred Flowers Technique, and three Spirit Stones can be received each month; with outstanding contributions,

you can also get a helping of Hundred Flowers Honey that aids in breakthroughs."

A charming woman wearing a silver hairpin and dressed in a pink robe shouted with all her might.

Zheng Yi took just one look at her before walking past, knowing that Baihua Valley was mostly a women’s family, irrelevant to male cultivators like them.

Wang Xing couldn’t help but glance a few more times with a sheepish grin, "Brother Zheng Yi, that girl is really beautiful. We’ll never see anyone this pretty in Wang Family Village in a lifetime."

"Don’t worry, one day you’ll marry someone just as beautiful,"

Zheng Yi joked with a smile.

"Brother Zheng Yi, don’t tease me. How could I be so blessed?"

Wang Xing scratched his head and laughed foolishly.

Zheng Yi tapped the back of his head and continued, "You might have too many choices that leave you dazzled."

Zheng Yi’s gaze swept over several major families around him.

They were extremely enthusiastic in their recruitment.

Although Zheng Yi’s Spiritual Qi was nearly exhausted, and he couldn’t operate his cultivation technique, his Golden Core Body still had many uses.

Soon,

he picked out a family among those around him.

This family appeared clear and bright, although somewhat shrouded in mist, it was much better than other families.

What he needed now was time and cultivation resources; as long as he could get through the beginning, the future would be wide open.

Zheng Yi and Wang Xing headed in that direction.

"The Wang Family of Piaomiao Mountain, Wang Lei meets the two young friends."

Wang Lei’s face was gentle, with a friendly smile.

"Brother Zheng Yi, it’s someone from the Wang Family!"

Wang Xing had a simple look of excitement on his face.

Zheng Yi rolled his eyes.

How could the mundane Wang Family Village compare to the Wang Family of the Cultivation World?

He shook his head with a smile, and said, "We are willing to join the Wang Family of Piaomiao Mountain, please offer a contract; we agree wholeheartedly."

They had heard the Wang Family’s shouts before.

And it was not much different from other families: three low-grade Spirit Stones per month, the entry-level Celestial Cloud Technique, and those with outstanding contributions or technical proficiency might become a family tributor.

Instead of a dispensable external tributor.

Zheng Yi could see the essence of it.

"Good, young friend, decisive."

Wang Lei took out two contracts without hesitation.

Zheng Yi and Wang Xing both let their blood drip onto the contracts, activating them.

Then Zheng Yi, leading Wang Xing, took their place behind Wang Lei’s family’s line.

They waited until nightfall, when the prospective cultivators and recruiters gradually dispersed, and the surrounding families then left individually.

Wang Lei glanced back at the group, aside from him and several Wang Family members, a total of seventeen prospective cultivators were recruited this time, a substantial increase from previous years.

For the family, this was undoubtedly good news.

"Young friends, please come back to the Wang Family with me. After some time, you’ll be able to return to visit your families and reconnect with your loved ones."

While Wang Lei spoke, he slightly lifted his sleeve.

A small boat instantly appeared from the inner blue sleeves.

The boat emitted a phosphorescent glow, and in a blink,

the palm-sized boat transformed into a Spirit Ship capable of carrying people for flight, landing steadily before them.

Wang Lei was the first to board the Spirit Ship, followed closely by the other Wang Family members, then Zheng Yi and the others each found a seat and sat down.

The Spirit Ship whistled as it ascended into the air.

Many looked tense, firmly gripping the side of the ship, fearing they might fall from the high altitude.

Zheng Yi’s expression remained unchanged, his heart calm.

Wang Xing, sitting beside him, stole a glance downward, trembling in fear.

Seeing this, Zheng Yi reassured him, "Close your eyes, this journey will pass quickly."

Wang Lei, who was piloting the Spirit Ship, intermittently observed the state of mind of the prospective cultivators.

Noticing Zheng Yi’s poise,

he unconsciously nodded in approval.

Such a mindset indeed helps in cultivation.

Although Zheng Yi’s aptitude wasn’t the best in this group, his composure made one think more highly of him.

Remaining calm in the face of danger is far better than panicking.

"Kehehehehe..."

Suddenly, a raspy voice resonated in mid-air, becoming more eerie with the onset of nightfall.

"Wang Family of Piaomiao Mountain, today I’m taking your prospective cultivators!"

Along with the raspy voice, a blood-tinged Demon Blade slashed fiercely towards them.

"A middle-stage Qi Cultivation strength, and yet you dare rob our Wang Family’s prospective cultivators?

Puny thief, daring to act arrogantly before our Wang Family’s people, surely you have a death wish!"

Wang Lei’s expression turned sharp, and in his hand appeared a mid-grade magical artifact, the Red Flame Sword, which he swung forward, sending a torrent of flames rolling in fierce attack.

Simultaneously,

the other Wang Family members took over the Spirit Ship’s controls, and the other cultivators prepared to engage the enemy.

"Hahaha, besides me, there are also many Human-faced Moths enough for your Wang Family to handle!"

The Tribulation Cultivator hidden in the dark laughed loudly again, the laughter was steeped in malice.

Upon hearing this, the Wang Family cultivators couldn’t help but change their expressions, each retreating into the Spirit Ship at an extreme speed.

Wang Lei gritted his teeth, forced to watch helplessly as the Tribulation Cultivator departed.

He pulled several Vajra Talismans out from his bosom, and plastered them all over the Spirit Ship’s hull.

The Human-faced Moths frenziedly rammed the Spirit Ship, their high-frequency strikes making resounding "boom boom boom"

and "thud thud thud" sounds, like metal clashing, and coupled with the pressure in mid-air, caused many of the prospective cultivators inside the ship to vomit.

"Damn! This stench is unbearable! Can’t you hold it?"

"Sometimes nature calls, big brother! We can’t hold it!"

The prospective cultivators were in a panic.

"Don’t be afraid, these moths will disperse as long as they don’t smell blood.

But that Tribulation Cultivator was despicable to do such a vile thing; next time, he will be left with no place to be buried!"

Wang Lei shouted with indignation.

Zheng Yi gazed piercingly, not emitting light but clearly observing the surrounding Human-faced Moths.

This sudden danger.

Caused a tremor in Zheng Yi’s heart, with ripples like those across a calm lake.

Vaguely, Zheng Yi felt the bottleneck of his original Golden Core Stage cultivation loosening.

Though it was just a breakthrough from early-stage to middle-stage Golden Core, for Zheng Yi, this was an entirely unexpected and delightful surprise.

It was his first breakthrough achieved through personal cultivation without any external aid, a significant milestone.

Despite the situation around him, Zheng Yi didn’t intervene.

He understood.

The Vajra Talismans plastered around could hold out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.