Bai Shijue took a deep breath, and he placed his palm on Han Shun’s back. He closed his eyes and transferred his energy to Han Shun to inspect the spiritual root of this young man. He could do this as the Plum Blossom Immortal Sect leader to check whether one of his disciples was having trouble or whether it was someone from a demonic sect who tried to infiltrate.
Bai Shijue started transferring his energy and his consciousness to check Han Shun’s spiritual roots.
Yet, when he entered Han Shun’s deep consciousness, he saw nothing, no flowing energy from his qi, and no sign of spiritual root that would be sufficient for him to start his cultivation practice.
Han Shun... had nothing in his body. He was nothing but a regular human, which absolutely baffled Bai Shijue.
[Wait, where the hell is his spiritual root? No flowing qi either. He has zero internal foundation! Han Shun’s body is literally just a mortal body?!]
[Pupa: Wait, I’m trying to scan his body. There is no way he didn’t have any of those because he is the male lead. He is supposed to have everything.]
Bai Yunyu waited patiently because he didn’t know what he needed to do next without any sign of talent from Han Shun.
As harsh as it sounded, there was no mortal with zero spiritual roots that could cultivate. It was the most basic requirement to be a cultivator.
Pupa scanned Han Shun’s body once more and found the same thing.
[Pupa: You’re right, there is no foundation for Han Shun to start cultivating. But it’s very questionable how could he have zero qi in his body. Qi is vital energy. If he has zero, he wouldn’t even be able to walk, let alone defeat General Fei.]
[Then what should we do now?]
[Pupa: Train him again? I think that’s the best for now.]
[... can I give him pills instead? Something that would boost his qi refining skill, or at least give him superb vigor. I don’t have the heart to tell him that he has no way to start cultivating.]
[Pupa: You’re not allowed to tamper with the mortals, remember? As long as Han Shun hasn’t started his cultivation practice, then you have zero right to give him something from the immortal realm.]
...
Bai Shijue opened his eyes after that. He stared at the back of the young man, and he was tongue-tied because he didn’t know what to say to Han Shun.
Han Shun looked over his shoulder and asked, "Bai Gege, is there something wrong? What is my element of affinity? I’ve always thought that I have a great connection to fire!"
...
"Bai Gege?"
Bai Shijue got up from the ground and then said, "Han Shun, I think you should practice even more. You still have a good amount of time until you’re mature enough to absorb my teaching."
"Eh? But I beat General Fei. Isn’t that enough proof that I’m capable of learning it, Gege? General Fei is possibly one of the strongest men on earth!"
Bai Shijue took a deep breath. He didn’t have the heart to tell the truth to a young man with a big dream like Han Shun.
"You need more physical training. After you are strong enough, I will start giving you a cultivation manual," Bai Shijue said. "Wash your teeth and go to sleep. You should take a bath tomorrow morning and start training, okay?"
"But—"
Bai Shijue walked away quickly, as he didn’t know how to answer Han Shun if he started questioning stuff.
Han Shun sat in a daze as he saw his Bai Gege walk away and return to his room.
"What happened to Bai Gege?" Han Shun was confused by the sudden reluctant behavior from Bai Gege. He might not be an expert at reading someone’s expression, but it was blatant that Bai Gege didn’t even want to look in his eyes.
"Did I do something wrong?" Han Shun asked himself. "All I did was follow his instruction. I just want to live with Bai Gege forever...."
Han Shun was grieving in his heart when he got up and returned to his courtyard. He was his teeth, brushed his face, and returned to his room. He was full in his stomach, but the only thing in his mind right now was Bai Gege’s expression.
Han Shun was curious about what made Bai Gege look reluctant to stare at him.
Han Shun kept thinking and thinking without an answer until he got tired and fell asleep soon after.
’Pathetic.’
’You’re weak, so useless.’
’That’s why he doesn’t want to look at you. He is disappointed in you!’
Han Shun opened his eyes and looked around the empty dark space warily. This was the same place where he met that handsome man with a black-golden robe.
"You—"
"Yes, it is I, the person who saved you from seeing a real-life nightmare of seeing Bai Shijue marrying General Fei," The man in black-golden robe said arrogantly.
Han Shun didn’t like how this guy kept on bragging about how important he was.
"What do you want?" Han Shun asked.
"Me? I want nothing. I’m here to help you out if you want to get a new kind of power. I have plenty anyway," the black-golden robe man said. "I don’t think you need an explanation why Bai Shijue suddenly looked away from you. He is unsure on how to tell you the truth!"
"The truth?"
"Yes, the truth is that you have no spiritual roots. Your qi is blocked, and you have no internal foundation. That means you’re unfit to start practicing cultivation for the rest of your life."
"FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?!" Han Shun’s jaw dropped when he heard that. He didn’t think it would be that severe. He thought Bai Gege tried to avoid him because he wasn’t strong enough thus he truly needed more training.
"D—Does that mean... I will never be able to live with Bai Gege? Bai Gege will leave me?!"
The golden-black robe man smirked mysteriously, "He will leave you eventually. But worry not, I have something to make sure that you can start cultivating your body."