Chapter 42: The Secret History of the Unified Exam

When the students’ astonishment began to fade, Feng Chutang continued: “The mishaps of two successive Sons of Destiny have shaken the immortal sects, who once stood so high above. But there’s another, more important reason: some immortal sects, concerned with their reputations, acted hesitantly and thus claimed little land; others paid no heed to appearances and seized vast territories outright.”

“As a result, the former long failed to attract even a few good disciples, while the latter swelled with students and surged in strength—inevitably breeding conflict. Those who failed to claim land demanded a redrawing of boundaries; those who had seized it refused outright. For over a hundred years, they quarreled, secretly and openly clashing, countless battles fought, many great cultivators perished.”

“At this point, the great immortal sects, having suffered enough, realized reform was essential. Then a remarkable figure emerged, proposing the concept of shared talent: the cultivation seeds of the human realm should be shared among all sects, with unified entrance examinations to ensure no genius was buried. Sects would be ranked by strength—top-tier sects chose first, low-tier sects received only scraps.”

The sect-wide examination has now been in place for over a thousand years; every student here rose through it and knows its rules intimately, taking them as natural. Yet hearing this hidden history, they still found the idea of that remarkable figure utterly astonishing—how could anyone conceive such a radical notion?

Feng Chutang smiled: “When I first learned this story, I too was stunned. Shared genius? There was never such a principle in all history! Public examinations and open selection? Unheard of. Can you guess who this remarkable figure was?”

“A transcendent reborn from a previous life?”

“A once-in-a-millennium genius?”

“A Son of Destiny?”

The students offered guesses one after another, but Feng Chutang merely shook his head. When no one else spoke, Feng Changqing said: “He came from another world—where such practices were commonplace.”

All the students, including Xiang Weiyuan, were stunned. Someone couldn’t help asking: “Are there other worlds?”

“Of course there are—not just one, but many. When you attain spiritual mastery, you’ll know for yourself.”

A girl said: “I know! It’s the Immortals’ mind-phenomenon worlds, isn’t it?”

Feng Chutang shook his head: “No. Those are real worlds. How exactly? When you reach the Realm of Soaring Vision, explore them yourself. Then, standing at the heights, you’ll realize your perspective has expanded a thousandfold—what you once saw and heard was nothing but the view from the bottom of a well.”

The boys and girls instantly felt awe and longing. This world held too many secrets waiting to be uncovered. Their youthful hearts burned to grow up at once, to ride the wind and wield swords, to explore the boundless realms.

Feng Chutang continued with what followed:

“Once this system was proposed, the great immortal sects supported it; the small ones’ objections were useless. But afterward, sects fought another hundred years over rankings and tiers—top, middle, bottom. Eventually, they settled on a formal arrangement: the Great Tang Immortal Sect instituted the unified recruitment examination, commonly known as the Immortal Gate Unified Exam. Sect tiers became: Immortal Sect, Heaven Grotto, Blessed Land, and Ordinary Sect.”

Xiang Weiyuan asked: “What about sects outside this system? Can they never recruit disciples again?”

Feng Changqing nodded at Xiang Weiyuan: “Good question. The solution was also proposed by that remarkable figure: the capable rise, the incompetent fall—open the channels between tiers. Specifically, every hundred years, all sects are reevaluated and reranked. The lowest-ranked sects are demoted to the next tier; the lowest-ranked among fourth-tier sects are expelled from the system, replaced by other capable candidate sects. This allows rapidly growing small sects to enter the system. Sects outside gain hope—they strive to join, not rebel.”

“Actually, that remarkable figure proposed this mechanism when he first introduced the Unified Exam. But the great sects, accustomed to their lofty status, dreamed of eternal rule—they refused to let newcomers share their spoils. Only after a hundred years, when infighting grew fierce and casualties mounted, did they reconsider this system.”

The class bell rang. Feng Chutang said: “Go home and write an essay on the merits and flaws of this system. If you have better ideas, include them. Submit it next class. If you finish early, leave it directly at my administrative hall—I’ll read it when I come.”

A girl suddenly stood up and asked: “Master, Senior Sister Liuli says a cultivator must be able to fight. Are you very good at fighting too?”

Feng Chutang smiled warmly: “I teach history. In the mortal world, I’d be a frail scholar—unable to lift a chicken. Fighting? I’m not skilled at it.”

The next day came the Senior Sister Liuli’s Foundation Establishment class.

In the first lesson, Ji Liuli outlined the basic knowledge of Foundation Establishment cultivation and the six universal methods. From this lesson onward, true cultivation began.

All students were divided into six groups based on their chosen method. Only Bao Yun and another boy, granted a blessing by the Ancestral Master, chose the Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon Diagram. His surname was Cui, his given name Yu—a scion of the famed Cui family.

The Jade Toad Gazing at the Moon Diagram demanded extreme personal destiny, but its benefit was strengthening one’s foundation; its drawback was that it offered nothing else. The other five methods each had their strengths and less stringent requirements, so the Jade Toad Diagram was always the least chosen.

Xiang Xiaoyu also possessed great destiny, but he had long planned his path and chose not the Jade Toad Diagram, but the Great Sun Embracing Sword Scripture—the deadliest of the six methods.

After grouping, everyone began cultivation on their own. Ji Liuli sat high on the lectern, observing the entire hall.

Xiang Weiyuan had already taken his second Heavy Tower Calming Sea Pill; his visualization range exceeded three zhang. But after subtracting the pill’s effect, his actual range was only two zhang five chi.

After nearly half a month of cultivation, this pace was far from fast—nowhere near the speed of the geniuses recorded in the texts. Yet Xiang Weiyuan noticed something: after Senior Sister’s purification of his foundation, his visualization range had shrunk by half a chi. Though smaller, its quality had clearly improved.

Cultivation cannot be rushed. Xiang Weiyuan understood this well, so he cared little for progress, instead calmly inhaling lunar essence each day.

The shadows within the full moon remained unmoved. Thin strands of black qi continuously entered Xiang Weiyuan’s body. As he absorbed more black qi, his rate of inhaling lunar essence slowly increased.

Ji Liuli observed the entire hall. Occasionally, she awakened a student with problems, gave guidance, then let them resume cultivation.

The class passed quickly. The bell roused all students from the state of self-forgetfulness. Cui Yu, seated near Xiang Weiyuan, suddenly raised his hand: “Senior Sister, I’ve completed my visualization diagram.”

Ji Liuli walked over, her pupils turning emerald. She studied it a moment, then nodded: “Six-zhang Moon-Gazing Diagram—near-perfect manifestation. Excellent. You may begin Body Casting.”

Cui Yu, delighted by the praise, looked eagerly at Ji Liuli and asked: “Can I forge an Immortal Foundation?”

Ji Liuli shook her head: “Heavenly Grade is possible, but Immortal Foundation depends on fortune. Your root quality is only eight chi—somewhat limiting. Return home and have your family gather as many rare treasures and immortal pills as possible to improve your talent. Do not be stingy.”

Cui Yu gritted his teeth: “Teacher, rest assured! If the Cui family lacks resources, no other house in the world is wealthy!”

Bao Yun rolled her eyes.

(End of Chapter)