Chapter 6: Replacing the Old with the New

At that moment, two Daoists descended in beams of light, landing before Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan. The elder Daoist glanced at Wei Yuan, then at the book in his hand, and said: “Wei Yuan of Feng Yuanjun—confirmed. Take him to the dormitory.”

Zhang Sheng blinked. “Why are we sending him to the dormitory now?”

Sun Yu stepped in a moment later, appearing beside Zhang Sheng. “Young brother, don’t rush. This year’s candidates from Feng Yuanjun are numerous, so a new rule has been set: all candidates must move into the dormitory immediately upon entering the Immortal Gate, with no further contact with outsiders until the exam concludes.”

Zhang Sheng looked from Sun Yu to the two Daoists, then to the countless auspicious beasts across the square, his gaze thoughtful. He spoke gently to Wei Yuan: “Go then. Don’t be afraid. Give your all—you need only focus on your skills. Everything else is my concern.”

Wei Yuan nodded firmly. Born with early wisdom, he already sensed something unusual in the air.

Zhang Sheng stepped back. The younger Daoist seized Wei Yuan’s arm, his figure flickering—then vanished. The elder Daoist marked a check on the book, offered an apology, and departed.

Zhang Sheng’s gaze slowly swept across the entire square.

Though his spiritual power was sealed, his insight remained. Merely by the mounts and auspicious beasts’ appearances, he recognized most of them. Though the flying boats and immortal carriages came in many styles, most bore family crests or clan emblems—he recognized most of those too. In a single glance, he spotted Qiba noble carriages, belonging either to mighty aristocratic clans or to descendants of sect leaders or elders from great immortal sects.

Those two nine-colored treasure deer from the Eastern Sea couldn’t even break into the top five here.

Sun Yu said: “Young brother, don’t overthink it. You know the dormitory rules. Besides, True Persons and Grand Scholars are watching now—no one dares interfere.”

Zhang Sheng replied coolly: “No one dares interfere? I’d say few dare not.”

Sun Yu pretended not to hear. “This year, it’s not just our Tai Chu Palace. The Four Sacred Academies and the Great Precious Pure Land have also come.”

Zhang Sheng immediately recalled the terrifying spiritual fortunes at the Qui Shui Combined Light Array six years ago. Six years had passed—those fortunes should now be merging with mortals, giving rise to countless extraordinary individuals. Clearly, the great ones above had foreseen this, which is why three of the Four Immortal Palaces have arrived, along with countless Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands—all ready to claim the children of fortune.

Yet the moment he thought of those fortunes, Zhang Sheng felt a strange unease. The immortal sects are summoning these people back—what would Prince Ji think? What would Emperor Tang think?

At that moment, the white jade boat from the Eastern Sea finally docked. A line of people disembarked, surrounding a boy like stars circling the moon. The boy was eight or nine years old, with dark skin and slightly curled hair. Several fine, pearl-colored scales lined his neck, protecting his throat. His pupils glowed bright amber—a clear sign of pure Eastern Sea lineage.

Seeing the boy’s face, Zhang Sheng’s expression changed. “Is he from Feng Yuanjun?”

The immortal sect’s imperial exam rules have always required candidates to have direct blood relatives residing in the same commandery for three generations to be eligible to register there; otherwise, they must take the exam in their ancestral commandery. This rule had always been strictly enforced, without exception. The Eastern Sea was tens of thousands of miles from Yongzhou—even if not a million, it was certainly tens of thousands. It might be plausible for a collateral branch with mixed blood to appear, but how could a pure-blooded scion of the Yan family possibly be tied to Feng Yuanjun?

But Sun Yu stared at the tip of his nose, his voice utterly calm: “He is indeed from Feng Yuanjun.”

Zhang Sheng sneered: “The Yan family of the Eastern Sea, the Great Elder of Bishui Shangshang Sect, the Little Sage of Shiming Academy—these three are nearly a million miles from Feng Yuanjun, and hundreds of thousands more distant. Do they all have direct blood relatives here within three generations?”

Sun Yu sighed. “They do. But I heard some of those blood relatives only formally returned to the ancestral lineage last month. Still, witnesses and evidence are all in place—they’re genuine blood relatives. Young brother, you can’t overturn them.”

Sun Yu emphasized the phrase “genuine blood relatives.” He had said enough. If these words reached the ears of the relevant aristocratic clans, it would be a death sentence.

Zhang Sheng’s face twisted with mockery. “They don’t even bother hiding anymore?”

Sun Yu sighed again. “Hasn’t it always been this way? Come with me to the Quiet Mind Hall—it’s better for talking. Also, the Feng Yuanjun imperial exam rules have been overhauled. They say they’re ‘replacing the old with the new.’ You need to read them.”

Zhang Sheng stood still until he saw the two Daoists lead away the Yan family boy from the Eastern Sea—then he followed Sun Yu.

The younger Daoist brought Wei Yuan to a beautiful valley. Rows of two-story pavilions lined the valley, each room’s door opening onto a corridor, numbered distinctly.

As soon as Wei Yuan entered, one of the room numbers lit up.

The younger Daoist stepped forward, appearing instantly before the room. “This is Room 77. Your exam code for this test. Before the exam, you may move freely within the dormitory—you may even meet other candidates. Conversation is allowed, but never reveal your identity or name. If caught, you will be severely punished. Understood?”

Wei Yuan nodded.

The younger Daoist pushed open the door. The room was simple yet refined: a bed, a desk, a chair, and a sandalwood flower stand holding a potted fruit tree, its branches heavy with golden fruits emitting a faint, tranquil fragrance.

“This is the Chonglou fruit tree. It clears your spirit and steadies your mind. Do not eat the fruit—it will kill you.”

“This is the Beihai Ice Pear Bed. Sleeping on it dispels inner demons and nourishes your Primordial Spirit. You haven’t cultivated yet, so you won’t gain these benefits—but sleeping here one hour daily will restore your vitality.”

“This is the Heaven’s Mechanism Desk, this the Li Fire Inkstone, this the Water Origin Brush…”

After explaining the function of each object, the younger Daoist said: “The exam regulations will be distributed at You Hour. Read them carefully—don’t be caught unprepared. Tomorrow morning is the Dao Assessment. Don’t be late.”

With that, the younger Daoist left.

Wei Yuan suddenly noticed a book lying by the door—as if the Daoist had accidentally dropped it. He picked it up. On the cover were the words: “Imperial Recruitment Examination Regulations of the Great Tang Immortal Sect.”

The regulations were supposed to be distributed at You Hour—it was still only noon, two full hours away. Wei Yuan understood: the younger Daoist had secretly given him a small favor.

Wei Yuan sat at the desk and began reading the regulations. As he read, he grew puzzled. The exam rules here differed greatly from what Zhang Sheng had described.

According to Zhang Sheng, the imperial exam consisted of two parts: Dao Assessment and Literary Assessment. Dao Assessment tested cultivation potential and whether one bore spiritual fortune. Literary Assessment examined worldly knowledge: essays, history, policy proposals, military strategy—typically three or four prompts, each requiring an essay.

Literary Assessment didn’t just judge accuracy—it tested insight. A candidate might hold radical views, but if he could present original, self-consistent arguments, he gained extra points for insight.

But the regulation in Wei Yuan’s hands stated that this year, in addition to Dao and Literary Assessments, there would be a Martial Assessment. The Dao Assessment’s evaluation of foundation and fortune was now subdivided into finer grades, each with corresponding scores.

With the addition of Martial Assessment, the weightings changed: Dao Assessment 40%, Literary Assessment 30%, Martial Assessment 30%. Previously, it had been Dao 60%, Literary 40%.

The grading system no longer used the vague Heaven-Earth-Man categories. Instead, it used a point system: Dao Assessment worth 40 points, Literary and Martial each 30, totaling 100 points—final ranking determined by total score.

Earlier, Zhang Sheng had said Feng Yuanjun was remote and had just suffered a great disaster, with countless deaths—so this year’s candidates would number no more than twenty. But just from the dormitory rooms, Wei Yuan could see over two hundred. His brief glimpse after entering the Immortal Gate confirmed countless prominent figures had arrived—clearly here for the exam.

The regulations had changed drastically, and competition was fiercer than ever. Wei Yuan felt a heavy cloud gathering above him. Yet he had trained under Zhang Sheng for three years—he had inherited his master’s nature: rising stronger with every setback. Now, under immense pressure, Wei Yuan grew calm. He began studying the regulations in detail.

As Zhang Sheng had taught: when facing great matters, one must maintain inner stillness.

(End of Chapter)