Ethan stepped forward, cupping his fists respectfully. "We're just looking, sirs. I heard awakening costs a fortune—truth is, we can barely afford a meal, let alone gold coins. If that's the case, we'll just leave."
The old man's gaze was intense, making Ethan uneasy—he instinctively felt this was not somewhere he should linger.
The young woman snorted, her gaze flicking to Ethan's coin pouch—a flash of disdain in her eyes. Clearly, she'd already guessed there was more gold in that bag than Ethan let on.
Ethan, savvy as he was, caught her meaning. He wondered if his pouch had a hole—could her eyes really see through leather?
"Don't be so hasty. Since you're here, you might as well test for spirit roots," the old man rasped.
Ethan steadied himself. The old man's interest seemed focused not on him, but on Luna Yates. Was it her spiritual root he wanted to see? Had Luna not already been tested? Could this man tell with a glance? Or was there another reason altogether? He pulled Luna gently behind him, voice wary. "Sirs, my sister and I truly have no gold today, and don't wish to be tested. Forgive us."
The old man gave a thin smile. "Testing costs almost nothing—come inside, at least for a look."
Almost nothing for a test? Ethan frowned. Wasn't spirit-root testing supposed to run five hundred gold?
"Sir," Ethan said cautiously, "I always heard even testing costs five hundred gold. If it comes up Mortal Root and you try to awaken regardless, it's at least ten thousand for the cheapest herb!"
Had they not been so impressive, he'd have doubted their intentions—were they just sophisticated grifters?
The elder burst out laughing. "That's only if you HAVE a spirit root. Most are Mortal Roots, but the tower says, maybe you're rare, maybe our test missed it—why not just pay to awaken 'just in case'? No harm in trying!"
Suddenly, Ethan saw the trick. Most people who failed testing were told it might be a false negative, so they'd shell out big for a risky awakening—money easily made, especially from desperate or wealthy families.
At last, Ethan understood: his father had fallen for just this scheme. With no spirit root, but enough money, the tower's staff had still pushed him to buy the expensive service, preying on his hopes for his son.
"Stop there!" The tower guards tried to intervene, but even they didn't seem to know the white-bearded man and the young woman beside him.
The old man just snorted, and the very air seemed to vibrate with power—Ethan's ears rang, his heart skipped a beat.
Within seconds, a plump, anxious man hurried out—the tower's chief steward, no less.
Seeing the old man's token, he trembled and bowed low. "This way, sirs. I—I'm Chase Liu, chief steward. Please, the finest testing room is prepared."
An unseen force seemed to tug at Ethan as he and Luna followed the pair into the tower.
Ethan felt off-balance; he'd meant to be tested, yes, but not like this, swept up and utterly powerless.
Inside, the building was wide open, the lobby thronged with people paying for tests and awakenings.
Chase Liu quickly ushered them to the second floor. At the center stood a massive crystal pillar.
"You first," said the old man, gesturing carelessly at the platform behind the crystal.
Ethan knew the drill—just for show, a courtesy for Luna's sake. He'd guessed from the start that this was all about Luna Yates and her hidden potential.
Though he'd been tested once—and found to be a Mortal Root—he couldn't help hoping the earlier result was wrong, that he'd been written off too soon. If anything, maybe it was just a ploy to get more money from his father.
Still, deep down, he knew it was unlikely.
"Go on, young master," Luna urged softly, sensing his desire—just one more shot at a new life.
Ethan nodded, bracing himself, and stepped into place.
A dull gray light flickered in the crystal for an instant… and then nothing.
He might not know what a true awakening looked like, but this was definitely not it.
"Plain old Mortal Root. Destined for an ordinary life. Next." The old man's voice was flat, even impatient.
Ethan felt cold all over—a dizziness swept over him, heartbreak barely held in check by pride. He forced himself to step down, though his trembling hands betrayed him. Even the weakest spiritual root—why couldn't he have at least that?
"It's all right, young master—old master didn't have a spirit root, either," Luna soothed, protectively at his side.
Ethan forced a smile. "Doesn't matter. I've still got these hands. We'll do just fine, one way or another."
He left unsaid the rest: his father's fate—picked clean to the bone in Raozhou—had come from this very lack.
The young woman no longer even bothered to sneer at him—big dreams and fancy meals, fit only for those content to live as ants.
But the old man was already focused on Luna. "Your turn, young lady."
Luna shook her head. "No, I don't need to. I don't want to cultivate, I'd rather just follow my young master."
"You're here, so just try the test." The old man's calm finality overrode all protest—and Luna found herself, as if swept by a force, stepping onto the platform.
Ethan, fists tight, burned with resentment at her being forced—but what could he do? Before such power, even his anger was nothing.
The moment Luna took her place, the crystal exploded in a dazzling emerald light—climbing, climbing, almost touching the top.
"A supreme spiritual root!" both the old man and the young woman exclaimed at once, eyes bright with feverish excitement.
So it was Luna the whole time, Ethan realized. This was what they'd come for. A wave of helplessness washed over him.