While Wu Min Huan and Yu Jin went to the Sect Master’s peak to ask Yuchi Bing Xia for advice, Shao Hai and Xiao Dong followed Elder Chu to a building that stood close to the array separating the outer sect from the inner sect. He turned to the two children and motioned at the door. "This is where our Yun Zou Sect stores all the materials for the outer sect. Wait a moment while I get the crystals that we use to determine whether somebody has spirit veins."

The boys nodded and watched him enter the building. Shao Hai couldn’t help but excitedly tug at Xiao Dong’s sleeve. "Did you hear that? In a bit, we’ll really be disciples of the Yun Zou Sect, just like how Xiao Yi!"

Xiao Dong pursed his lips. "I heard nothing like that. Didn’t he just say he’d get some crystals to check whether we have spirit veins? He said nothing about becoming a disciple."

Shao Hai harrumphed. "What do you know? Everyone with spirit veins can become a cultivator. So when they test us and see what type of spirit veins we have, then we’ll naturally become disciples. Why should they send us away?"

Xiao Dong raised his brows at that. "Then what if we don’t have any spirit veins? They wouldn’t make us disciples then, would they?"

Shao Hai’s eyes widened. That was true! What if they didn’t have spirit veins? He had never thought about that! He pondered but in the end, he didn’t think too much about it. Xiao Yi also had spirit veins. So why shouldn’t he? Most likely, a lot of people actually had spirit veins.

If he had known that this day would come, he certainly would’ve taken the test sooner. Hadn’t these people come to the capital every year? He should have done it earlier. Then he could have already been an experienced cultivator by now and could’ve taught Xiao Yi lots of things. Now, he was actually here later than him. What if Xiao Yi had already learned everything and needed to teach him instead? Wouldn’t he lose a lot of face in front of his future wife then?

Xiao Dong frowned when he saw Shao Hai’s expression. He could imagine what that stupid mortal child was thinking about again. Ah, just what did he need to do to make him give up on His Majesty’s beloved? Things couldn’t go on like this! Especially not now, that they really had gotten to the Yun Zou Sect. He could only hope that Shao Hai really wouldn’t have any spirit veins.

Xiao Dong paused at that thought. Right. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner? If Shao Hai didn’t have any spirit veins, then he wouldn’t be able to become a disciple. So in that case … He turned to the door where Elder Chu was just stepping back out. Xiao Dong’s expression that hadn’t been too enthusiastic before changed. "Elder, that crystal, how does it work? How will we know that we have spirit veins?"

Elder Chu smiled when even the child that hadn’t seemed too interested before couldn’t help but ask. Well, it wasn’t too unexpected. Who didn’t want to become a cultivator? If they had taken the trouble to come here on their own, then this should be their dream. Naturally, they would be curious about everything. And at that age, regardless of how much they tried to hide it, their feelings would still shine through. He opened his hands and showed the boys six small, transparent crystals.

Xiao Dong furrowed his brows when he saw them. These didn’t look special at all. He could only faintly feel that two of them gave off the spiritual energy that was tied to the water and air. The amount was minuscule though.

"These are spiritual crystals. Basically, they are a form of stone that stores spiritual energy. They can be found anywhere where large amounts of spiritual energy are gathered. So, for example, this one." He picked up the crystal from which Xiao Dong could feel the energy of the water and held it in front of them. "It might not look any different to you than the other five but it came from the deepest part of the ocean. There, the spiritual energy of the water is the strongest so this kind of crystal can form easily. They might also be found in lakes or ponds but they will be rarer there. You could say that the more of an element is gathered somewhere and the more its power is displayed, the more likely such a crystal will form."

Xiao Dong nodded. This wasn’t unexpected at all. "Then our spirit veins …"

Elder Chu smiled and waved them with him, going around the building. "There are six elements that can form such spiritual crystals. Similarly, there are six spirit veins that a person can have. How many and which ones a person is born with is determined by fate. If these crystals are put into an array and a person with spirit veins steps into that array, then it will light up."

Xiao Dong’s expression also lit up. So basically, if he wanted to keep Shao Hai from entering the Yun Zou Sect, then he only had to make sure that array would stay dull? As long as there was no light, they would have failed the test? This really was too easy! This was basically asking for him to mess with this array to make sure he could complete His Majesty’s task!