Chapter 1909: Chapter 1909: End of the Talent Assessment
"Devouring others’ ’spiritual roots’ to strengthen one’s own ’spiritual roots’?"
Upon hearing Elder Fire’s words, Wyatt Barnes’ eyes lit up.
If this method works, it could be a ’shortcut’!
At least, it’s much more reliable than searching for those elusive spirit items.
"Yes, it’s about devouring others’ spiritual roots."
Elder Fire replied, "However, this method is currently just theoretical. Whether it works, you’ll have to practice it yourself! Moreover, if it does work, the person whose spiritual root you devour will lose their spiritual root completely."
"If they’re dead, it doesn’t matter... but if it’s a living person, after you devour their spiritual root, they can only stagnate for the rest of their life, with no chance to advance in cultivation."
Elder Fire continued.
Wyatt nodded.
Although devouring others’ spiritual roots sounds cruel.
He wouldn’t randomly devour others’ spiritual roots, only those of people who are deserving of it, or have provoked him.
That way, he wouldn’t feel guilty!
Even though this world respects the powerful, and survival of the fittest is the rule, Wyatt still retains the ’humanity’ humans should have.
If humanity is lost, what’s the difference from cold-blooded animals?
Humans are what they are because they possess humanity!
Hence, even though the method of improving spiritual roots with the ’Minor Devouring Technique’ sounds cruel, Wyatt doesn’t reject it, as he won’t randomly devour others’ spiritual roots.
He will only devour the spiritual roots of those deserving of it!
For example, Maximus Lee!
In an instant, Wyatt lifted his head and gazed at Elder Silver Flame from the Black Tortoise Hall, Maximus Lee, who was looking down at him with disdain, "Yet, with my current strength, it’s difficult even to get close to him, let alone devour his spiritual root... I need strength. My current strength is too weak!"
Facing Maximus, even though Wyatt’s current strength is not bad, he still feels powerless.
Maximus, not only a Saint Immortal Realm powerhouse, is also ranked among the top 300 on the Extreme Saint Ranking, beyond Wyatt’s current abilities.
Even if he were to wield the ’Splendid Fairy Sword’, it wouldn’t harm Maximus in the slightest and would instead lead to his own death at Maximus’s hand.
The gap between his current abilities and Maximus’s is too large!
"Even if I pass the examination and stay in the Black Tortoise Hall to remain within the Fire Worship Sect, Maximus surely wouldn’t personally make a move against me... If I had previously demonstrated the ’blue spiritual root’ talent valued by the Fire Worship Sect’s Sect Leader, he might take a reckless gamble! But now, upon seeing my spiritual root is merely a ’yellow spiritual root’, in his eyes, my life is insignificant, not worth the risk."
It’s also that Maximus doesn’t know what Wyatt is currently thinking, otherwise, he’d certainly be horrified.
Simply because that’s indeed what Maximus is thinking.
Originally, Maximus was mentally prepared to eliminate Wyatt as a future threat if Wyatt’s spiritual root turned out to be a ’blue spiritual root’.
Now, upon seeing Wyatt’s spiritual root is just an ordinary ’yellow spiritual root’, he no longer considers Wyatt a threat.
Merely an old man hiding his age with low talent...
Such a person, he wouldn’t even dirty his own hands by taking action!
"However, even if Maximus won’t risk making a move himself, he’ll surely send others to deal with me... And that Fifth Elder of North Qi Sect, Warren Yorke, will certainly also find ways to deal with me. By then, I can first devour the spiritual roots of those they send against me to strengthen my own spiritual roots!"
Thinking of this, Wyatt couldn’t help but feel excited.
He even eagerly hoped Maximus and Warren would quickly send people to deal with him!
"Am I thinking too far ahead now? Elder Fire said that the matter of devouring spiritual roots with the Minor Devouring Technique is currently merely ’theoretical’, and he believes it’s feasible in theory. Yet whether the Minor Devouring Technique can successfully devour others’ spiritual roots in practice and strengthen my own is still uncertain."
Upon this realization, it was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over Wyatt, instantly clearing his mind significantly.
With the assessment completed, Wyatt naturally retreated.
Unlike before, now that Wyatt’s spiritual root was known to be a ’yellow spiritual root’, few people around paid much attention to him.
In the eyes of most people around:
Wyatt, a mediocre person like them.
Not worth much attention!
Now, they entirely regarded Wyatt as someone using a secret technique to conceal his true age for vanity, even looking down on him!
"So old and still pretending to be young, tsk!"
There were also those who, unintentionally glancing at Wyatt, spit disdainfully.
"Pretending to be young is one thing... but pretending this ridiculously! Even deceived the two Silver Flame Elders of the Black Tortoise Hall, thinking he was some kind of peerless genius. Only to reveal his true self in the talent assessment!"
"This kind of person is so disgusting! I initially thought I’d met a peerless genius of the younger generation, but turns out it’s an old man who looks young with the help of a secret technique!"
"I say, people like this should be sent to the eighteenth level of Hell! They’re so revolting."
...
Though almost no one was paying attention to Wyatt Barnes, a few people who were certainly mocked him unreservedly.
"These few people..."
Wyatt Barnes furrowed his brow, glanced at the people mocking him, and showed a hint of displeasure. "I don’t seem to know them, nor have I offended them, right? Not to mention that I’m not pretending to be young; even if I were, a few comments would be fine... But now, they even wish for me to go to hell?"
The few people mocking Wyatt were standing not far from him. Seeing Wyatt frown and look over, they immediately displayed a look of disdain.
"Looking at what? Old man, getting pissed off after a few words?"
One of them glanced at Wyatt, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
If Wyatt Barnes were a genius possessing ’green roots,’ or even ’blue roots,’ he wouldn’t dare provoke him.
But now knowing that Wyatt’s talent roots are merely ’yellow roots,’ which are inferior even to his own, he naturally didn’t hold back, and even wanted to suppress Wyatt a bit to show off.
Perhaps he could even flatter the top Elder Silver Flame of the Black Tortoise Hall, ’Maximus Lee,’ why not?
"Watch your mouth!"
Wyatt Barnes’ expression darkened, speaking coldly.
He remembered this person, who was one of the few testing out as ’green roots,’ a fierce-looking middle-aged man named ’Arlo Drake.’
At this moment, when Arlo Drake looked at Wyatt, his face was filled with a cold, vicious smile, as though Wyatt had some deep vendetta with him.
"You, a martial artist with yellow roots, dare to throw a tantrum in front of me? Dare to talk back?"
Arlo Drake was taken aback.
Almost as soon as Arlo spoke, someone not far away laughed heartily, seemingly eager for chaos, and said, "Arlo, don’t forget he dared to kill the son of the Fifth Elder from the Northern Sacred Sect, Warren Yorke... How could he possibly care about a loose cultivator like you?"
Hearing this person’s words, Arlo Drake remembered that this Wyatt Barnes had killed the son of the Fifth Elder yesterday!
In an instant, a sense of dread inexplicably rose within him.
Perhaps, the opponent’s talent was inferior to his.
But judging by the actions of the opponent yesterday, Wyatt is undoubtedly fierce. Otherwise, he wouldn’t risk offending Elder Lee and killing Warren Yorke!
In an instant, Arlo Drake’s face changed dramatically, no longer as aggressive as before.
Indeed, he was afraid.
Seeing Arlo’s expression now, Wyatt Barnes easily guessed his state of mind, and a disdainful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
After casually glancing at Arlo, he no longer looked at him but focused on the four people currently undergoing the talent assessment in the arena.
Noticing Wyatt’s disdainful gaze, Arlo Drake felt immensely humiliated, clenched his fists tightly, his body shaking, almost grinding his teeth with hatred!!
But, in the end, he restrained himself.
Although he was a martial artist of the initial Earth Saint Realm, before figuring out Wyatt’s capabilities, he didn’t dare to act rashly.
Who knows if Wyatt Barnes exists at the mid-Earth Saint Realm level or higher!
"Wyatt Barnes, my talent surpasses yours. Even if I’m not as strong as you right now, there will come a day when I will crush you beneath my feet, begging for mercy!!"
Arlo Drake continued to roar internally, venting his inner grievances and frustration.
The minor conflict between Wyatt Barnes and Arlo Drake didn’t attract much attention; most people were focusing instead on those undergoing the talent assessment.
Later, two others tested with ’green roots.’
"Green roots..."
Looking at the two people with green roots, Wyatt Barnes’s eyes were full of envy; after all, his talent roots were only ’yellow roots,’ inferior to green roots by one level.
After the talent assessment came the strength assessment.
The strength assessment was conducted in two groups.
One group was the assessment for those with ’green roots.’ Their test was relatively simple; as long as one had a cultivation above the Human Saint Realm, they could almost certainly pass.
The other group was the assessment for those with ’yellow roots,’ and compared to the former group, their test was notably harder; without cultivation and strength above the Earth Saint Realm, it was impossible to pass.
"Those with green roots, follow me."
At the same time, Elder Silver Flame from the Black Tortoise Hall, ’Maximus Lee,’ spoke up. After he finished speaking, he took nine people with green roots, including ’Arlo Drake.’
This group’s strength assessment was his responsibility.
Before Maximus Lee left, he cast a cold, murderous glance at Wyatt Barnes.
However, Wyatt ignored it.
This made Maximus Lee’s expression become even darker, and he left with a cold face, taking the group away.