Chapter 8: Apprenticeship

The old Taoist priest extended two fingers, and with a forceful motion, he broke into the password box. With a swift pull, he neatly divided the entire box into two exceptionally even halves

He was suddenly enlightened, disregarding the void beneath his feet, and knelt down in mid-air. Since he intended to take him as his disciple, he certainly could not allow him to fall to his death.

You follow the old way.

No one knows where spiritual roots originate, but within the realm of immortality, there exists a legend that those who possess spiritual roots are all descendants of ancient immortals

There is no need to ask; this must be the work of the old Taoist. Although I do not know what he intends to do, even if it leads to death, at the very least, I must take someone down with me

Xiao Wenbing's eyes quickly scanned the room; it contained only a table, a bed, and a chair. In stark contrast to the exquisitely decorated guest room he resided in, this space was vastly different.

"Hmm, very good." The old Taoist smiled and nodded, his gaze towards Xiao Wenbing growing increasingly joyful

Ming Mei responded with a sound, turned around, and left. As he walked away, he cast an envious glance at Xiao Wenbing.

Xiao Wenbing let out a bitter smile; apart from what is necessary, what other choice could he make

What is your name

The old Taoist casually took it and tore off the seal on the password box

Xiao Wenbing followed the old Taoist to the door, and although he did not see the old Taoist make any movements, he suddenly sensed something unusual.

His feet felt light as if they were not bearing any weight, a sensation akin to stepping on a cloud of cotton. However, this was not the most important matter.

No longer concerned about etiquette, Xiao Wenbing decisively made his most prudent choice and firmly embraced the old Taoist priest

Most importantly, the scenery before him was continuously descending, as his body was rising higher and higher; he was actually flying into the air out of nowhere

If at this moment one still cannot guess their intentions, then Xiao Wenbing would truly be a complete fool

Xiao Wenbing stood dumbfounded at the side, mimicking Ming Mei's demeanor to perform a bow, lowering his head, yet he was unsure how to address her

He has always wondered why, upon their first meeting, Ming Mei used that astonishingly extraordinary lightness charm on him, fully aware that the mountain gate is a restricted area that not just anyone can enter, yet still daringly brought him along.

With a flick of his wrist, the jade bottle instantly vanished. Xiao Wenbing had been paying close attention for some time, yet he still could not discern the technique employed, which was astonishingly swift and unparalleled

It is indeed a challenge for him, having not performed such a special action for over a hundred years; for a moment, www.hetushu.com was truly somewhat unaccustomed to it

Soon, they arrived at the room of the old Taoist priest

Xiao Wenbing's voice suddenly came to a halt, as if a sharp blade had sliced through it, dividing the sentence into two distinct parts

The disciple Mingmei respectfully greets the master. Mingmei bows with utmost respect.

"How about it? Do you want to learn?" The old Taoist squinted his eyes and smiled cheerfully, as if he were casually asking. In reality, he was already fully focused in his heart, just waiting for Xiao Wenbing to agree.

Swallowing the bit of saliva in his throat with great difficulty, if he had not seen it with his own eyes, no, even having seen it with his own eyes, Xiao Wenbing could hardly believe that his eyes were not deceiving him

I have already informed my master; you should quickly accompany me to pay your respects.

Riding on clouds and mist, it turns out that the legends are indeed based on reality

However, the old Taoist's lapse did not last long, and he quickly returned to normal

Once such individuals embark on the path of cultivation, their achievements are undoubtedly superior. Even more enviable is the fact that throughout history, those endowed with spiritual roots have never encountered the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Tribulation when facing the final hurdle of ascension.

In his heart, several titles flashed through his mind in an instant, but he ultimately decided to refer to himself as a junior.

"What message does the military child want you to convey?" The old Taoist, having entertained himself with the illustrations and books for quite some time, finally remembered the important matter and inquired.

The old Taoist priest held the jade bottle, and suddenly his expression changed dramatically, clearly revealing a look of surprise and ecstasy, even more excited than when he had just heard that Xiao Wenbing possessed spiritual roots.

Haha... the old Taoist laughed heartily and said: "This is merely a trivial skill, it is truly nothing of significance. Among my five disciples, all of them are capable of achieving this."

However, the old Taoist's hands were simply several times more powerful than lasers, effortlessly prying the box apart, as if... was this still a human being

Generally speaking, for those who practice immortality, arduous cultivation is certainly indispensable; however, without exceptional talent, they often end up with nothing after all their efforts.

The old Taoist priest took in all of his expressions, feeling secretly pleased in his heart

No matter how solid the foundation of an ordinary person is, they will always be outmatched by those with innate spiritual roots. The path of cultivation is fraught with tribulations, and those who can safely navigate through all of them and achieve their aspirations are exceedingly rare, with a probability of one in a thousand.

Xiao Wenbing responded and stood up; the visitor was none other than Daoist Mingmei.

Mr. Lu did not give the key to his junior, nor did he inform them of the combination to the box, so ...

In his mind, the scene of his meeting with Lu Jun and Ming Mei flashed by in an instant, and a sudden clarity surged within him

This... how is this possible? Where did Jun'er get this and the book from?

This old Taoist priest, possessing an elegant demeanor and refined qualities, performed a series of crude, bare-handed steel-breaking actions that were in stark contrast to his own image

Master, please allow your disciple to pay their respects with a bow

This safe is made of high-quality steel; even with a full set of tools, it would take a considerable amount of time to pry it open.

No matter how hard Xiao Wenbing tried to figure it out, he could not understand what was good about his name. However, since the old Taoist liked it, it was certainly not a bad thing

Mr. Lu asked a younger person to deliver something to you. Xiao Wenbing took off the travel bag he had been carrying and retrieved the password box from inside, handing it over.

Spiritual roots are a special constitution that all cultivators dream of possessing. Those who have spiritual roots excel far beyond ordinary individuals, whether in practicing spells or accumulating spiritual energy

In other words, as long as there are no unforeseen circumstances and one does not perish in the calamities of war, achieving immortality through spiritual roots is almost certain.

A wave of envy surged in his eyes; to say that he remained indifferent upon witnessing such skill would mean he was truly not human

At this moment, it further entices one's yearning heart with the allure of riding the clouds and mist

I... I am not, I am the junior, Xiao Wenbing

The old Taoist's eyes suddenly opened wide, revealing a hint of a smile, and he said: "You may go down first and find Zhao Feng."

Brother Xiao

He is well aware of his master's temperament and the nature of the *illustrated* books, which are always met with a stern demeanor towards his disciples. However, today, he displayed a rare amiable expression, which clearly indicates the importance he places on Xiao Wenbing.

"Old Immortal, you truly possess remarkable skills." The flattery from Xiao Wenbing flowed like a tide, yet his hands gripped tighter and tighter, refusing to loosen even the slightest bit.

Inside the box is a jade bottle, which is not large in size and can be easily held in one hand

Xiao Wenbing managed to force a smile, and the fact that he could still smile at this moment was indeed beyond his expectations, indicating that he was quite bold after all

Within Daoism, the inheritance of sects is regarded with utmost importance, especially for the small sects that establish themselves on Earth. If a sect can have a disciple endowed with spiritual roots, it is undoubtedly a matter worthy of great celebration and a source of pride for the sect.

Xiao Wenbing was taken aback and looked up, seeing the incredibly kind smile of the old Taoist priest

"It's nothing, don't worry. With the old master here, I will definitely ensure that you encounter no mishaps at all." The old Taoist smiled gently, comforting him, allowing him to act recklessly without showing any signs of annoyance.

After floating in mid-air for quite some time, Xiao Wenbing's courage grew, and he attempted to loosen his grip. Surprisingly, apart from the soft and somewhat unfamiliar sensation beneath his feet, he did not fall at all.

The body with spiritual roots indeed has an overwhelming advantage in this regard