Chapter 24: I Want to Enter Tai Chu Palace

Xiang Weiyuan stepped out of the main hall to find Zhang Sheng and Sun Yu already waiting in the square.

Seeing Xiang Weiyuan, Zhang Sheng reached out and snatched him midair, then both vanished.

Instantly, Zhang Sheng appeared with Xiang Weiyuan in a secluded side hall, set him down, circled him once, bent to examine his pupils closely, then pinched various parts of his body, repeatedly asking: “Any primordial spirit pain? Any mental restlessness or agitation? Any vision of demonic illusions or phantom scenes?…”

Zhang Sheng asked seven or eight questions; Xiang Weiyuan shook his head to each. Still uneasy, Zhang Sheng shot a streak of green light from his fingertip into Xiang Weiyuan’s third eye. As the green aura entered, Zhang Sheng’s face grew even paler.

Sun Yu watched silently and asked: “Are you worried about something? Master Ning Xi is an expert in healing arts—if things turn dire, we can ask him for help after returning to the palace.”

Zhang Sheng sat down and said: “This isn’t a matter of medicine or pills. The celestial fortune I gave Yuan’er isn’t enough to sustain repeated use of the Heavenly Rogue Technique. He’s used it too much—perhaps no harm now, but I fear future backlash. So I’ve planted a sword qi in his mind sea. If fortune backlash comes, it’ll buy us time.”

Sun Yu gasped: “You’re taking the tribulation upon yourself!! How can you do this?!”

Taking the tribulation in one’s stead was defying heaven itself—the burden could easily multiply manyfold, and one misstep meant death and dissolution of the Dao. No wonder Sun Yu lost composure.

Zhang Sheng raised a hand to stop him: “I’ve decided. No more talk.”

“But—!” A wisp of green sword qi floated before Sun Yu, sealing his lips.

Sun Yu sighed and sat down, sullen.

Zhang Sheng flipped his hand, revealing a jade paper, and handed it to Xiang Weiyuan: “This is your Dao and Literature test results. Read them yourself.”

Xiang Weiyuan took the jade paper—the score far exceeded his expectations. The Dao test didn’t matter; he’d always been confused, unaware of others’ levels. But the Literature test—he’d had clear expectations. Based on Zhang Sheng’s past teachings, he believed he’d scored at least twenty-eight or twenty-nine, certainly no lower. Yet he’d lost over ten points. The gap between expectation and result was too vast. Had Zhang Sheng taught him wrong?

Xiang Weiyuan looked up, suspiciously, at Zhang Sheng.

Zhang Sheng, who’d lived with him for three years, knew instantly what that look meant. He exploded: “You think I taught you wrong?!”

Xiang Weiyuan quickly bowed his head: “Disciple dares not!”

“Dares not?! You’re thinking it!” Zhang Sheng grew even angrier.

Sun Yu stepped in: “Enough, enough. This boy is top of Feng Yuanjun! In the past several generations, Feng Yuanjun’s exam results this year are likely unmatched across the entire Tang Empire! He’s brought you this much honor—and still you complain? If you don’t want to teach him, give him to me!”

“Dream on!” Zhang Sheng shot back, then stared at Xiang Weiyuan with visible pain: “For this brat, I’ve been fined three years’ salary! Sigh… my annual stipend is quite high.”

Sun Yu nodded in deep sympathy: “Indeed, younger brother, endure.”

Zhang Sheng took back the jade paper and asked: “Do you know why I showed you these scores?”

Xiang Weiyuan shook his head: “Disciple does not know.”

Sun Yu also shook his head: “Always beating around the bush—can’t you just speak plainly?”

Zhang Sheng grew slightly embarrassed, cleared his throat, and said: “The Immortal Path is perilous, no less so than the mortal world. The gap between your expected and actual score proves it. If you ever face an unsolvable crisis, remember: don’t be stubborn. When necessary, endure. As long as the green mountains remain, firewood will never run out—this is mortal wisdom, yet it still applies to the Immortal Path. Take me, for instance—I’ve mastered the essence of concealing brilliance and adapting flexibly. Back in my day…”

Sun Yu snorted: “Like you ever endured anything!”

Zhang Sheng pretended not to hear.

After Zhang Sheng finished his advice, Sun Yu asked curiously: “What about those wild boars?”

Xiang Weiyuan answered honestly: “When I used the secret technique, I felt a connection to many things around me—I could attach fortune to them. At the time, I couldn’t move well and needed a mount, so I tried attaching fortune to one boar. It grew larger and obeyed my will.”

“What was the cost?”

Xiang Weiyuan thought carefully: “It didn’t seem to cost anything. When the boar died, the attached fortune returned to me.”

Sun Yu blinked in surprise: “That contradicts the Grand Master’s Great Dao. How can controlling phantom beasts or puppets have no cost?”

But Sun Yu knew fortune arts weren’t his strength, so he didn’t press further. He turned to Zhang Sheng: “Yuan’er came in first this time. That boy from the Yan family of the Eastern Sea must’ve been pushed out. Younger brother, be careful going forward.”

Zhang Sheng shrugged: “How many enemies have I made already? One more Yan family won’t matter.”

Night had fallen. Zhang Sheng told Xiang Weiyuan to rest. Tomorrow morning, they’d depart for Tai Chu Palace.

At this moment, in a lavish hall of Chi Chao Sect, Bao Yun sat gracefully, her voice soft and gentle: “I don’t care—I won’t go to Da Bao Hua Jingtu. I’m going to Tai Chu Palace.”

The young cultivator sighed helplessly: “Young mistress, this isn’t something you can simply swap out. Besides, you possess wisdom from past lives—the Buddha-form destined for you in the Da Bao Hua Jingtu has been preserved for seven full years! If you switch to Tai Chu Palace, you’ll face far greater hardships in cultivation, and your Dao method will never compare to the Ruyi Liuli Fuxiang.”

Bao Yun remained unmoved: “Father said, with my Twin Heavenly Armor talent, whatever I cultivate will ultimately be the same. I’m going to Tai Chu Palace.”

The young cultivator could only smile bitterly: “This isn’t a game, Young Mistress! If you still care about that pig-riding boy, why not let me capture him so you can beat him up and vent? Join Da Bao Hua Jingtu first, then everything else can be arranged!”

Bao Yun spoke softly: “You can’t beat his teacher. Don’t lie to me. I’m going to Tai Chu Palace.”

“I can’t, but I can ask my master to intervene.”

“His teacher has a teacher too—your master can’t beat Burning Sea True Person.”

“Then I’ll ask my grandmaster!”

“Even he can’t match Xuan Yue True Jun.”

Bao Yun shut down every option. She turned to the old man standing beside her: “Tell Father—I’m going to Tai Chu Palace.”

The old man nodded, closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to reveal a finely sealed jade letter in his hand: “The Tai Chu Palace slot is secured. Just write your name and birth details.”

(End of Chapter)