Chapter 131: Sevenfold Spiritual Roots, Laws Not Taught Lightly
“Yin and Yang Five Elements, Spiritual Root Seven Meridians.”
Fang Shu stared intently at the booklet in his hand, silently reciting in his heart.
His eyes revealed traces of surprise.
According to the booklet’s description, the Spiritual Roots of this world were not simply divided into the five types of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth as rumored in Gu Ling Town, but reached Yin and Yang Five Elements, a total of seven types.
Moreover, these Spiritual Roots were respectively called Horse Kingye, Medicine Kingye, Long Wangye, Zao Wangye, Yan Wangye, Tai Sui, and Heaven and Earth Lord, corresponding to the seven meridians of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, yin, and yang.
However, according to the booklet’s description, this correspondence was not entirely accurate.
For instance, the Yan Wangye meridian and the Tai Sui meridian—exactly which one was better at cultivating yin Daoist Magic or earth Daoist Magic—were often endlessly disputed, with no conclusion to this day.
In addition, besides these universally recognized seven-meridian Spiritual Roots, there were also quite a few variant Spiritual Roots in the world, and their enhancements and promotions for Daoist Magic were not necessarily inferior to the seven-meridian Spiritual Roots.
For example, the innate thunder Spiritual Root called Thunder Lordye far surpassed Zao Wangye in enhancing the power of various thunder-fire magics, but it was often too singular and excessively fierce.
Fang Shu silently digested this, still astonished in his heart: “Naming Spiritual Roots after deities is quite interesting.”
Soon, he flipped to the later pages and understood why the Immortal Cultivators used “deities” to classify Spiritual Root types.
According to the book’s records, there were two explanations.
First, it was said that these seven-meridian deities were the seven orthodox gods nurtured and worshipped by mortals in ancient times, born without personality from human belief, and the origin of Immortal Studies’ “borrowing the false to cultivate truth.”
The Immortal Cultivators of that time also relied on worshipping them and spreading teachings to gain the ability to nurture gods and exorcise ghosts; their behaviors were like those of shamans, but they successfully protected the human race, allowing humans to stand out among the myriad races.
Later, the Immortal Cultivators broke free from conventions, established various covenants, step by step observed heaven and earth nature, shed shaman habits, and created modern Immortal Studies; only then did these seven-meridian orthodox gods gradually retreat, becoming legends.
But the Spiritual Root types classified by the seven-meridian deities, even with the current Nine Branches of Immortal Studies, remained a customary habit, and had even become part of the Great Dao Rules in the Outer World.
This first explanation was also considered the most likely by the classics in the Five Viscera Temple.
As for the second explanation, it was much simpler and more straightforward.
It directly stated that modern humans were mostly descendants of those seven deities, named deities but actually ancestors.
This explanation held that everyone possessed a Spiritual Root, and everyone could become a god.
So-called innate Spiritual Roots were merely atavism. The various qualities of Spiritual Roots were just the amount of ancestral divine blood in the body, a legacy from ancestors to descendants.
In addition, this explanation gave rise to various inbreeding phenomena in some Immortal Sect clans.
Such behavior was condemned in the Five Viscera Temple classics as “shaman habit remnants,” viewed with great disdain, considered a poison-drinking thirst-quenching strategy; descendants of such clans often became increasingly deranged, turning neither human nor ghost.
In the Quiet Room shop, Fang Shu thoroughly understood the origins of the seven-meridian Spiritual Roots and felt he had gained much knowledge.
However, as for which of these two explanations was right or wrong, or closer to the truth, it held no meaning for him.
The reason was simple: regardless of the explanation, as a mere mortal, the seven-meridian innate Spiritual Roots had nothing to do with him at all.
What truly related to him was the “False Spiritual Root.”
And according to the book, False Spiritual Roots could plant Spiritual Roots of endless variety, not limited to the seven-meridian Spiritual Roots.
One only needed to, after planting the Spiritual Root, select a similar one from the seven-meridian Spiritual Roots based on its performance, as a reference for one’s future cultivation.
After gaining knowledge, Fang Shu finished reading one classic, then took another from the bookshelf, and carefully searched again for content on “Planting Spiritual Root.”
What made his brows furrow was that these classics only expounded greatly on the differences in Spiritual Roots, the pros and cons of Planting Spiritual Root, and how to test the attributes of planted Spiritual Roots… but lacked specific steps for “Planting Spiritual Root.”
At that moment, Manager Sun, who had been feigning sleep at the counter, suddenly spoke up:
“Looking for a method to Plant Spiritual Root? Don’t waste your effort; such specific cultivation methods wouldn’t be placed here for you to freely browse.”
Hearing this, Fang Shu was slightly stunned and sighed inwardly, knowing it was the truth.
Without hesitation, he immediately made a bow toward Manager Sun:
“Please give guidance, Manager Sun; how can this junior obtain the method to Plant Spiritual Root.”
Hearing this, Manager Sun showed a strange smile on his face: “Temple rules: methods are not lightly taught, no convenient doors opened.”
The old man spoke ambiguously, then took out a stack of papers from the cabinet and tapped the table:
“These are recruitment notices written by temple disciples, including Foundation Establishment elders, listing rewards for various Planting Spiritual Root methods, along with corresponding conditions and tasks; you can handle it yourself.”
Pausing, Manager Sun added: “Besides what I have here, there are also corresponding notices where the menial laborers take odd jobs. Those often have lower thresholds, but come with risks.”
After speaking, the other party pressed on these notices and squinted at Fang Shu.
Fang Shu thought for a moment, then obediently handed over one tael of Spirit Stone.
“Heh, take your time looking.” Seeing Fang Shu so compliant, the other party smiled and released his hand from the papers.
Fang Shu stepped forward, took the stack of notices, and quickly flipped through them.
Amid the rustling, the more Fang Shu looked, the tighter his brows furrowed.
【Long-term sincere recruitment of Medicine Slaves, under thirty years old, must take medicine three times a month; after one full year, granted one Spiritual Root Manual, plus corresponding materials.】
【Ages eighteen to twenty, good-looking, male or female, commit to attending to someone’s daily needs for three full years to receive a Spiritual Root Manual.】
【Complete Spiritual Root Manual available, can plant metal and stone class Spiritual Roots, buy quickly. Note: Planting process must allow observation, promise no interference. But if it fails, seller has right to claim the corpse.】
……
The conditions and requirements on these papers varied from high to low, but without exception, all required a significant price.
Among them, becoming a slave or servant was secondary; more critically, the risks were unclear, with almost no guarantee of personal safety.
Fang Shu patiently flipped through all the notices, yet found not a single satisfactory one.
He looked at Manager Sun at the counter and spoke awkwardly: “This…”
Seeing his bitter face, Manager Sun immediately let out another strange laugh.
But the other party didn’t feel he had tricked Fang Shu at all, and spoke:
“These are advance recruitments, so naturally they come with conditions and thresholds. At least those posting here, this old man has checked, all have real goods. If you seek out people yourself, you might suffer hardships while the benefits get delayed indefinitely.”
Shaking his head as he spoke, Manager Sun added: “Go back and think it over carefully; if you want, come find this old man anytime. No extra charge then.”
This explanation slightly eased Fang Shu’s expression.
However, he didn’t leave immediately, but after pondering, cupped his hands and asked:
“Dare I ask Manager Sun, is there a way in the temple to obtain methods with even lower risks?”
Manager Sun eyed him and nodded: “Of course there is.”
Fang Shu’s heart stirred, and he bowed deeper.
Then he heard the other party say lazily:
“By temple rules, every full year as a menial laborer, passing the evaluation grants one Dao Merit.
Three Dao Merits can be exchanged in the temple’s Dao Repository Pavilion for a Spiritual Root cultivation method.
But when exchanging, you’ll still need to pay extra to buy it. Once you get the method, not only must you comprehend it yourself, but also prepare the materials and such yourself. It’s just a bit more stable, no other benefits.”
Hearing this, Fang Shu’s expression didn’t change; he only confirmed: “Truly, besides Dao Merit, no other requirements?”
Manager Sun nodded lazily.
When Fang Shu wanted to ask more clearly, the other party muttered: “No ambition; what’s good about hard labor, wasting time. More specifics you’ll learn naturally once you’re a menial laborer.”
After speaking, the fellow drooped his eyelids, looking bored and unwilling to say more.
Seeing this, Fang Shu could only purse his lips, make a bow, and return the notices.
However, he didn’t leave immediately.
Having just given one tael of Spirit Stone, he at least had to stay and continue browsing all the books on this bookshelf.
Amid the rustling, Fang Shu glanced and flipped a page.
Seeing Fang Shu hadn’t left, Manager Sun opened his eyes again to look.
Seeing Fang Shu flipping books very quickly, the old man thought he was persistent, trying to find a feasible method from these worthless books.
He sneered inwardly, too lazy to drive him away, and let Fang Shu be.
After all, in Manager Sun’s view, guys like Fang Shu with delusional hopes appeared every few days, and it was quite amusing.
Sure enough.
When Fang Shu finished browsing all the classics on the bookshelf, their contents perfectly recorded without a word missing on the Dao Talisman, yet not half a feasible step-by-step method among them.
Anything slightly valuable was just some experience on Planting Spiritual Root. But these were fragmentary, vague, and mysterious, far less straightforward than what the Dojo Master had lectured.
With no choice, Fang Shu put down the books, cupped his hands toward Manager Sun, and slunk away from the place.
………………
After leaving the Quiet Room shop, the more Fang Shu thought, the more disappointed he became.
But even so, he had no thought of turning back to the shop to take a notice.
It was still early.
He simply continued wandering the streets, even checking the menial laborers’ odd-job area for luck, hoping to hear more information.
As a result, the odd-job area’s notices indeed had lower thresholds, but looked even less reliable; that Manager Sun hadn’t lied.
Instead, as Fang Shu wandered around, he saw someone selling Planting Spiritual Root methods right on the street, at cheap prices without so many requirements.
But when Fang Shu went up to look, he found that method was purely a handwritten copy, without a single Secret Script, unknown who it aimed to deceive.
As for the stall’s Spiritual Root methods with a bit of Secret Script, they were all rigidly copied, unknown from which magic they were cut and pasted; the content contradicted itself from start to finish.
Fang Shu continued strolling, soon learning from bystanders.
In the Five Viscera Temple, any cultivation method must bear the Five Viscera Temple scripture hall’s seal to be safely practiced; otherwise, it’s gambling with one’s life, easily plotted against, especially for Planting Spiritual Root methods.
Secondly, sellers peddling fakes on the market was one thing. But if anyone dared privately sell real goods, the scripture hall people would buy them first and make that person suffer.
All this showed that the Five Viscera Temple’s control over cultivation methods was even stricter than in Gu Ling Town, clearly forcing disciples to exchange with blood, sweat, and time.
“No, I don’t even count as a disciple yet, at most a prospective menial laborer.” Fang Shu sighed inwardly.
In this Five Viscera Temple, only those who succeed in Refining Qi count as Immortal Sect disciples.
Finally.
As dusk fell, Fang Shu wandered to a hall that seemed to sell Opportunity Talismans.
Looking closely, it was indeed selling Opportunity Talismans, in a quite novel way.
Unlike in Gu Ling Town, it had a pool dug, filled with misty immortal vapor, with toads of various sizes and appearances lying about, some big, some small, some ugly, some silly.
The seller would sell a long straw stem for poking the toads in the pool.
If lucky, one could hook a toad with the straw or make it spit out something from its belly for a corresponding reward.
Among them, the bigger the toad, the more and better things it could hide in its belly.
Fang Shu blended into the crowd, listening to the lively discussions.
According to the crowd, the pool not only had magics, Spirit Stones, Magic Tools, etc., but also Spiritual Root Manuals, Spiritual Root medicines, even inner sect disciple slots!
Out of curiosity, he spent two hundred Blood Money to buy one talisman and join the fun.
Soon, the result was naturally zero success.
The toad bit through the straw stem, then spat the half stem right in front of him, nearly on his face, croaking as if cursing “poor ghost.”
Fang Shu sighed and could only hold the remaining half straw stem and leave dejectedly.
As he withdrew, night had deepened, but the toad pool still drew endless Immortal Seeds and menial laborers; even the curfew couldn’t stop them.
They were clearly different from Fang Shu—not just for fun, but treating the toad pool as a hope for turning their lives around, just like the Blood Ghosts in Gu Ling Town.
