[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-lies-hidden":3,"chapter-the-dragon-lies-hidden-the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-11":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon Lies Hidden",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289309,4477,"Chapter 11: Go With the Flow","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-11",11,"\u003Cp>The cultivation method used in the Dao assessment is part of the exam, extremely easy to learn, requiring no prior practice—just follow the incantation to circulate Qi. This incantation has changed only three times in the past few hundred years, and has remained unchanged for the last century.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he circulated the incantation, Wei Yuan felt the mat beneath him and the two incense burners gradually merge with his body. A continuous thread of coolness generated from the mat entered Wei Yuan’s body; under its stimulation, two invisible substances emerged within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The incense burners on either side generated a pulling force, drawing in the two invisible substances. These two substances clearly existed, overlapping yet sharply distinct. As the incantation continued, the pull from the incense burners grew stronger, forming two channels that slowly drew the two invisible masses into the burners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The left incense burner drew in his foundation; the right, his fortune. Wei Yuan’s foundation was average, but as the incantation progressed, the invisible substance representing his fortune rose like an iceberg breaking the sea surface, growing larger and larger, showing no sign of stopping. In moments, this mass of fortune expanded beyond the boundaries of his body and faintly connected with some deep, unseen realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan did not know what would happen during the Dao assessment; he assumed this was normal and maintained his focus, continuing to cultivate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the incantation intensified, Wei Yuan’s fortune grew increasingly massive and heavy; the channels began to feel too narrow, insufficient to allow the fortune to pass through smoothly. Wei Yuan could only exert his full strength, as if lifting a small mountain and slowly pushing it through the passage. As time passed, he felt the burden grow heavier, and even his foundation began to be slightly affected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan poured all his attention into the incantation, unaware that the hall above had already erupted into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the assessors’ eyes, Wei Yuan’s foundation pillar glowed crimson and had been rising slowly; it had just passed seven feet when its speed began to slow. This was an upper-tier foundation, but not astonishing. Yet his fortune pillar, as thick as a washbasin, had already surged past nine feet—and kept climbing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan’s fortune pillar was white-gray. Though extremely tall and thick, its texture was exceedingly sparse; only with full concentration could the six assessors sense a faint trace of it. Had the pillar not been visibly present, assessors unskilled in spiritual perception might have thought the space empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At intervals, a wisp of black mist rose from the incense burners beside Wei Yuan, merging into his fortune pillar and causing it to grow longer, yet its texture remained utterly unconsolidated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six assessors had never seen such fortune before. They exchanged glances as Wei Yuan’s fortune pillar finally surpassed one zhang—another super-grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian turned to the Daoist and said: “Master Fufeng, this is your Tai Chu Palace’s internal matter—how should it be handled?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Fufeng’s peripheral gaze flickered momentarily toward the vacant seat, his expression unreadable as he replied slowly: “Impartially.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian nodded: “Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the other assessors understood. Their eyes returned to the disciples below. Strangely, even now, Wei Yuan’s two pillars continued to rise slowly, while the pillars of all other candidates in this group had long since stopped growing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>DONG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long, mournful bell rang. Wei Yuan shuddered, severing his connection with the mat and incense burners; the remaining invisible substances slowly faded. Wei Yuan assumed this was normal, rose, and hurried out of the hall under the Daoist’s urging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wei Yuan rose, his foundation pillar stood at seven feet nine inches; his fortune pillar at one zhang one chi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next group of candidates entered the hall in sequence, and another round of Dao assessment began. As the chime faded, two jade-colored pillars shot skyward! They were dense as solid matter—if their texture resembled colossal jade pillars, then Wei Yuan’s fortune pillar had been nothing but rising smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assessors looked down and saw a girl, exquisitely delicate. She cultivated calmly, a faint divine glow shimmering on her small face. Within each jade pillar, a vast, shadowy figure of a divine or demonic being faintly emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the girl’s face, the assessors understood: it was the Bao family’s daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This round required no further observation—the girl surged far ahead, her twin pillars racing toward one zhang, while the rest were insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young cultivator, appearing no older than twenty, broke the silence: “Bao Miss’s evaluation is unquestionable, but how should we assess the previous candidate? We must establish a standard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young cultivator glanced at Master Fufeng, but Master Fufeng remained silent. The young cultivator smiled: “It seems Master Fufeng wishes to avoid suspicion—then let us discuss among ourselves!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder Confucian, Liu Sigu, recalled Wei Yuan’s two striking pillars. By normal standards, Wei Yuan’s score should have surpassed Li Zhi’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, upon seeing Wei Yuan’s fortune, the elder Confucian felt an inexplicable aversion—now, even more so. Bao Miss’s extraordinary talent was already renowned; surpassing Li Zhi in the Dao assessment was expected. But this Wei Yuan, with such shallow roots, dared to overshadow the Academy’s designated champion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder Confucian mentally reviewed the list and confirmed Wei Yuan was not on any of the designated lists. He had made his decision. He stroked his long beard, his expression solemn: “This child’s foundation and fortune are decent, but their texture is insubstantial, and his fortune carries not a trace of righteous energy. Left among the common folk, he would surely become a rebel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young cultivator frowned slightly: “Throughout history, evaluation criteria have never included texture. Whether fortune is righteous or not has never affected its score. Elder Liu, your words are biased.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other assessors nodded slightly. Since ancient times, sects recruited disciples solely based on whether one bore fortune—having it was good; who cared if it was righteous or corrupt?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder Confucian did not argue, only said: “I offer only my personal opinion. You may decide as you see fit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having spoken, the elder Confucian ignored the others and immediately wrote on the roster: Earth Bing, twenty!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other five assessors were startled. Liu Sigu had given this score—he clearly intended to bury the boy in the Earth Realm, denying him even a chance at the Cave Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Fufeng’s eyes flashed sharply as he said slowly: “Elder Liu, this evaluation is excessive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder Confucian met his gaze without fear: “This Fengyuan examination is of great significance. We bear heavy responsibility—each of us trembles in duty. I’ve heard your palace’s Nawei  was missing for six years, yet upon return, you granted him the position of assessor—what great favor! But where is he now? Does he even consider you or me? Does he even respect the Immortal Sect’s unified examination?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Fufeng glanced at the vacant seat, snorted, and said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian intervened: “Elder Liu is blunt, his words direct—Master Fufeng, don’t take it to heart. But we all carry responsibility, unlike that one—he refuses to come, and that’s fine. You all know: the top rank in this examination is especially crucial for the son of Duke Hui’en. If Bao Miss competes, we all compete fairly—we’d accept defeat. But if someone else tries, we must avoid complications.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assessors now understood clearly: the elder Confucian had struck so hard because he feared Wei Yuan might threaten Li Zhi. The middle-aged Confucian’s words confirmed another truth: the Four Sacred Academies intended to use the top rank to build momentum for Li Zhi. If Li Zhi secured first place, he would soar—his cultivation path would become smooth beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Fufeng’s face remained expressionless, betraying nothing. But the other assessors had long anticipated his stance—they knew he would not interfere. Master Fufeng had his own mission: if Wei Yuan truly took first place, Li Zhi would suffer only a minor setback, but Tai Chu Palace would lose one of its three slots—something Master Fufeng could not explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Immortal Sect’s slots had already been divided. Even the chosen ones of fortune were no exception—unless one demanded another slot, like a monk might. If this matter of slots was botched, the powerful clans behind would rage—and these assessors could not bear the consequences. Though they held great authority, how they wielded it was not theirs to decide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Fufeng fell silent for a moment, then said: “I cannot interfere with how you two write your evaluations. But my junior brother Zhang is no easy man to deal with, and the dignity of Tai Chu Palace cannot be insulted. If you two look down on Tai Chu Palace, I shall have no choice but to test the Four Sacred Academies’ ultimate arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian, sensing the tension, bowed to Master Fufeng and smiled: “Master, calm yourself! Tai Chu Palace is Tai Chu Palace; that one is that one. We hold Tai Chu Palace in high regard. And frankly, no matter what evaluation Elder Liu gives Wei Yuan, it won’t affect Tai Chu Palace’s overall interests. As for your junior brother Zhang—whether he’s merely Dao Foundation like us, or even a True Person of the Law Form, we still cannot show favoritism. If the higher-ups blame us, none of us could bear it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was clear enough: the two Confucians only wished to suppress Wei Yuan, not interfere in Tai Chu Palace’s internal slot competition—they would not cross paths with Master Fufeng. As for Wei Yuan’s master, they were all Dao Foundation—neither side held a clear advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Sigu, confident and unyielding, said: “I’ve already written my evaluation—I cannot change it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian smiled: “Very well. Elder Liu detests evil and cherishes his reputation—let me shoulder the blame for being smooth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up his brush and wrote on the roster: Heaven Bing, twenty-five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assessors thought: cunning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged Confucian spoke sweetly, but his pen was no less sharp. Heaven Bing was an old-system rating—used here only as a formality, to show respect for ancient tradition. The real weight lay in the score: twenty-five. It seemed higher than Liu Sigu’s, but it still fell just short of Cave Heaven. With two assessors giving low scores, Wei Yuan’s chance of climbing to Cave Heaven was now extremely slim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This pit dug in the Dao assessment made it nearly impossible for him to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below, the next group of candidates had begun their Dao assessment. The assessors ceased their argument and each wrote their evaluation. On the stone tablet, a new line appeared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Yuan, Earth Jia, thirty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder Confucian’s face darkened. He glanced at the other assessors, searching for who dared oppose him. But every assessor was a seasoned schemer—none revealed a hint of their thoughts on their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1807,"2026-06-20T03:38:27.933Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","981fda27a14bf43275bb8ab24482bf930bb62165c8df506b6eefb5893cc5cd44","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-12","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-10",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-lies-hidden-cover.jpg"]