Seeing that the two children didn’t have any more questions and seemed eager to try it out, Elder Chu turned to the array and inserted the crystals. He stepped back and motioned at the array. "This is everything that needs to be prepared. The first of you can step in now and see whether he has spirit veins."

Shao Hai looked at Xiao Dong with sparkling eyes. He couldn’t help but hope that Xiao Dong wouldn’t mind if he went first. He really wanted to know what kind of spirit veins he had.

Xiao Dong smiled and motioned at the array. "Why don’t you go first, Shao Hai? You were the one who wanted to go here in the first place. So you’re probably curious what your spirit veins are, aren’t you?"

Shao Hai couldn’t help but feel that this person wasn’t that bad after all. Sure, he was a nuisance and somehow, he was also at fault for him missing out on time with Xiao Yi but he might be willing to forgive him if he was more like this from now on. He nodded happily and then stepped into the array.

Xiao Dong fixed his gaze on the thing, prepared to hinder it from lighting up. He didn’t know for sure how it worked but as long as at least one of the crystals was damaged, there shouldn’t be any reaction at all, should there?

He set his sights on the air spiritual energy crystal and lightly moved his hand, pouring his own energy into it. A breeze came up and the crystal cracked.

All three of them stared at the array. Elder Chu’s expression changed the earliest. His lips twitched and he couldn’t help but rub his brow. What was Wu Min Huan doing? First, he brought along a trash and treated him as if he was the most talented among these disciples and now, he actually brought a child that didn’t have any spirit veins at all! Was this some kind of joke?

Even though he thought that he couldn’t bring himself to tell that to the child. He could only give a sigh and shake his head. "I’m afraid you don’t have spirit veins."

Shao Hai turned to the Elder with a blank expression. "No spirit veins? But …" He looked at the array below his feet that still hadn’t lit up. "But that can’t be! Xiao Yi also has spirit veins! He came to the sect not long ago and is a disciple now. Why can’t I become a disciple?"

The Elder sighed again. "To become a cultivator, you must be able to cultivate. And you can’t cultivate without spirit veins. I’m sorry but that is just the way it is."

Shao Hai furrowed his brows. "Then is there no way to get spirit veins? I can work hard!"

The Elder shook his head. "There isn’t." Well, there was but it wasn’t a way that a small child would be able to go. One could only use a pill to acquire spirit veins but refining such a pill would require not just an extremely rare recipe, but also need many ingredients that couldn’t even be bought with money. That kind of thing … Who would be able to get it in a sect such as theirs? You probably had to be the son or the daughter of the Sect Master of one of the premier sects to have the privilege of even thinking of something like this. And even they wouldn’t be able to guarantee that they could successfully refine such a pill.

Shao Hai collapsed on the ground. "Then what should I do now? Then I won’t be able to see Xiao Yi again! Father said I can’t marry him if I don’t become a cultivator myself."

The Elder rubbed his brow. How come this sounded as if the brat only wanted to become a cultivator to get married? It wasn’t logical at all! Didn’t children that age all want to become a cultivator to be able to fly on swords and fight with bad guys? What was this about marriage?!

Xiao Dong actually felt happy but he made sure to show a sad expression so that Shao Hai wouldn’t get angry. Even if he had managed to prevent Shao Hai from becoming a disciple, he still hadn’t made him fall in love with him. So his task still couldn’t be considered accomplished.

He went over and crouched down next to the boy, tugging at his sleeve. "You don’t worry about that. Maybe there’ll be a way the future. Let’s just go back home, alright? Your father is certainly worried and my mother …" He stopped. Honestly, his mother probably wouldn’t be too worried. For all he knew, she might have already run back to the dragon realm and was enjoying her alone time with his father.

Shao Hai didn’t seem to be reassured. "But … I want to marry Xiao Yi!"

Xiao Dong pulled him to his feet and out of the array. "Well, your father doesn’t know everything, does he? Maybe there is a way to marry a cultivator. You can see about that later."

Shao Hai nodded. That was also true. Even if he couldn’t become a cultivator, that didn’t necessarily mean that he couldn’t marry Xiao Yi. He just had to find a way to do it.

Elder Chu cleared his throat. "So what about you?"

Xiao Dong shook his head in response. "Since Shao Hai can’t become a disciple, I won’t become a disciple either. Regardless of whether I have spirit veins or not."

Shao Hai looked up at this person and couldn’t help but feel that he really wasn’t as bad as he had always thought. Mn, even though he wasn’t able to reciprocate his feelings, he could at least treat him as a friend from now. He tugged at Xiao Dong’s sleeve and then motioned to the buildings around them. "Xiao Dong, since Jing Yi is here already, can’t we look for Xiao Yi? I at least want to see him and tell him that I came and tried to become a disciple."

Xiao Dong suddenly felt cold sweat cover his back. Go and see His Majesty’s beloved? Wouldn’t that be suicide?! If His Majesty saw, he would definitely get the wrong impression! "Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Wouldn’t he be very busy now that he’s become a disciple? It’s better if you don’t disturb him. Let’s just return home."

Shao Hai didn’t think that was a good idea. He turned to the Elder and smiled. "Elder, since we’re here already, can’t we go and see my friend? He came here with the other disciples this year when you tested them on the market square in the capital."

Elder Chu sighed. Well, it wasn’t the child’s fault that he didn’t have spirit veins and that Wu Min Huan hadn’t tested him before. "Well, I can bring you to the building where they are staying. I don’t know who he is so you’ll have to look around yourself though."

Shao Hai beamed. "No problem, Elder! I’m sure we’ll be able to find Xiao Yi." With that, the three people made their way over to the building where Jing Yi was staying.