Chapter 134: Examination

The next day was the official first day of enrollment; all new students had to gather in the square to choose their academy and master.

The academy had two educational models, corresponding to two selection methods.

Those who had not yet taken a master could search within the academy for one; if they took a liking, they could become disciples and study under that master.

Those who found no suitable master must choose an academy, complete a set curriculum, and accumulate sufficient credits.

Every student had at most five years to accumulate sixty credits; only after passing the examination could they receive their talisman, officially becoming a Daoist, and qualify to hold divine office in Daoist courts and temples nationwide.

Like Pan Yun and Miao Zhen and Miao He, who already had masters, the first path was closed to them—they could only choose the second.

Of course, before their selection, the academy would test their abilities and disclose the cultivation levels of each Daoist, to aid mutual choice.

The academy's tests fell into three categories.

One was spellcraft testing, primarily assessing techniques for subduing demons and monsters, swordplay, and divination.

One was talisman and array techniques, primarily assessing recognition and engraving of talismans and arrays.

One was qi cultivation and alchemy, primarily assessing internal strength, herb identification, elixir recognition, memorization of elixir formulas, and basic alchemy.

Each student chose one test, received a grade of A, B, C, or D, and then the results were published for mutual selection.

Pan Yun's gaze passed over talisman and array techniques, landing on spellcraft testing; though she had studied talisman and array techniques in university and graduate school, she had also mastered subduing demons and monsters' spells, and her swordplay was formidable—after all, her school occasionally sent students on field missions.

And what could better awe the heart than direct spellcraft?

So Pan Yun decisively chose the first test.

Miao Zhen, seeing her choose spellcraft, immediately picked talisman and array techniques; Miao He followed her heart and chose qi cultivation and alchemy.

The three went forward to collect their tokens.

Different exams issued tokens of different colors: spellcraft was red, talisman and array techniques blue, qi cultivation and alchemy green.

The three received different tokens, each marked with a number.

Pan Yun pulled out her token and said, "I'm number five. What about you?"

Miao Zhen held up her token. "Eleven."

Miao He: "Twenty-three."

Pan Yun mused, "Fair enough. Let's go—separate for the exams. See those Daoists sitting at the tables?"

Miao Zhen and Miao He nodded.

"If you encounter injustice in the exam hall, don't be afraid, don't hesitate—just shout up. Under so many eyes, they won't dare ignore you."

Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but everyone nearby heard it.

All turned to look—some with complex expressions, others with disdain.

"Isn't the greatest injustice here them? They haven't even reached the age requirement."

"Don't gossip—word is Long Hushan committed some offense, and Mount Sanqing caught them in the act, so they were forced to grant these three extra slots."

"What offense could warrant three extra slots?"

"You don't know? Pan Yun is the little disciple of Mount Sanqing's mountain god. Long Hushan lost the letter requesting Mount Sanqing to appoint her as temple attendant, leaving her unordained as a divine official. Long Hushan demands she pass the exam before ordination, so Mount Sanqing was granted three extra slots."

"Mount Sanqing says she's the mountain god's disciple—does that make it true?"

"Of course not—Mount Sanqing can't decide alone. But she has a divine seal on her wrist."

Someone murmured enviously, "Why does the Mount Sanqing mountain god love taking disciples so much? If only I could go to Mount Sanqing…"

"Do you think anyone can become the mountain god's disciple? Countless others thought the same—hence the proliferation of Daoist temples and monasteries in Yushan County; unable to enter Mount Sanqing's temple, they lodge at nearby ones, yet no one has ever won the mountain god's favor."

"Forget outsiders—look at those inside Mount Sanqing's temple. Aren't they all listed under the mountain god's name by Master Wang, yet never actually taken as disciples? What's remarkable is Pan Yun herself—so young, once a servant, yet suddenly chosen by the mountain god."

"She was a servant? Is that true?"

"True—it came from Fifth Daoist of Long Hushan. How could it be false?"

"Isn't Fifth Daoist her patron at Long Hushan? Why would he spread such a rumor?"

"Little aunt…" Miao Zhen looked at her, worried.

Pan Yun paid it no mind, lifting her chin. "Let them talk. Miao Zhen, remember this: those who truly become Daoists in this age—aside from Fourth Sister, who comes from a lineage of Daoists—are all flawed.

Either fatherless, motherless, or poor—five misfortunes, three deficiencies, one of them always lacking. So don't look down on others; no need for shame. Who's more pitiful? It's not about the past—it's about now and the future."

The murmurs around them fell silent.

Because what she said was undeniably true.

After leveling the playing field for everyone, Pan Yun walked to the registration desk with her token.

Soon after, everyone had collected their tokens and registered; a Daoist came forward to guide them to their respective exam halls.

Candidates for different exams entered different halls.

Pan Yun merely nodded to Miao Zhen and Miao He, then confidently walked toward the red pavilion.

A Daoist called out numbers ahead. Pan Yun didn't know the questions or the format; before coming, Fourth Sister said the exam format changed every year—sometimes pure combat, sometimes combat combined with demonstrations, sometimes interviews by the teachers.

No one knew this year's format. But Fourth Sister said: as long as the exam was fair, the three of them had nothing to fear regarding ranking.

Pan Yun wasn't worried anyway—because even if Miao Zhen and Miao He finished last, she'd protect them.

After all, anyone who made it this far would be admitted, regardless of rank.

Pan Yun noticed the Daoist at the red pavilion called a number every ten breaths. The four ahead of her entered one by one—but none emerged.

She looked up at the enclosed exam hall, unable to see inside, raised an eyebrow, and asked Pan Xiaohei on her shoulder, 【Can you go in?】

Pan Xiaohei: 【I don't want to go in, but I can't stay far from you—what choice do I have?】

【This hall doesn't look large. Shouldn't be a problem—unless there's spatial folding inside.】

Pan Xiaohei: 【How do you know there isn't? I like this body. I don't want it to die from my spirit leaving.】

【When the time comes, act as you see fit. If you can't enter, find a safe place to hide. Even if your spirit-body detaches, no one will take the corpse. When I come out, maybe I can still get in.】

Pan Xiaohei: …

"Number five." A person and a cat stood before the Daoist. Pan Yun handed over her token.

The Daoist checked it, then looked at the cat on her shoulder, frowning slightly.

Pan Yun said, "This is my spirit cat. Raised since birth, inseparable from me. It is my companion, my artifact, my life."

The Daoist: "…I never said you couldn't bring it in. But be warned—keep it close. If it dies or is injured, the academy won't be responsible."

Pan Yun nodded cheerfully. "Fine!"

【Did you hear? There's danger to life inside!】

【If I don't die, you won't die.】

Pan Yun's lips curled slightly as she stepped into the red pavilion.

A flash of white mist—Pan Yun nearly lost her balance. She steadied herself, then landed—only for a fireball to hurtle straight at her. Instinctively, she flicked her hand, raising a barrier, then struck with her palm, sending the fireball flying back.

The fireball crashed into the wall and scattered, igniting instantly into roaring flames.

!. Read

Pan Yun looked around and realized she stood in a courtyard surrounded by stone walls, with flowers, trees, a small stream, and a wooden bridge.

But now, scattered embers quickly merged into spreading sheets of fire.

The flames were fast approaching her.

She saw no question—but instinctively knew she had to extinguish the fire.

She thought a moment, formed a hand seal, summoned water. A water dragon rose from the stream, arced into the sky, then rained down. In less than half a minute, the fire was slowly extinguished.

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow. 【That easy?】

Pan Xiaohei also lifted its head, sensing something too simple.

Pan Yun scanned the stone walls and ground, then used Plum Blossom Numerology to calculate steps: "Zhen four, Xun five—Wood thrives in spring, spring is wood, in the east…"

She walked three steps east, stopped, calculated again: "Qian three connected, Kun six broken—Metal thrives in autumn…"

She walked a few steps, calculated again, twisting and turning until she reached a stone wall.

She studied the wall, then pulled a stone—immediately, the wall opened. She waited a moment before stepping through.

As soon as she stepped in, she felt wrong—her foot sank instantly. She pulled back her foot, but the wall slammed shut at incredible speed. She had to lift both feet in, yet dared not apply force.

Because she knew this texture and pressure too well—it was a swamp.

Sure enough, when she looked up, she stood in a vast, empty expanse of swamp. The stone wall behind her vanished the moment she entered; only a single tree stood seven or eight hundred meters away.

She glanced around—confirmed: only the ground beneath the tree was solid; everywhere else was swamp.

Pan Yun looked down at her slowly sinking feet, thought a moment, then formed a hand seal, silently invoking her master's divine power to harden the swamp beneath her.

Once she felt solid ground, she swiftly lifted her feet. Two stone slabs formed instantly on the swamp—but they were rapidly being swallowed.

Pan Yun didn't hesitate. She leapt into the air, tapping the stone slabs with her toes, using lightness skill to dart across the swamp, landing on the tree.

She didn't land beneath it—she perched on a branch, scanned the surroundings, closed her eyes, then reopened them. "This is an illusion. Even if you can use spatial folding, you couldn't create such a vast swamp—otherwise, that courtyard wouldn't have been so small and square."

Pan Yun looked down at the tree beneath her, gritted her teeth, and stomped down hard, channeling force into her strike.

The world blurred—she suddenly stood in an ancient, elegant room.

She spun around—a five- or six-year-old girl with twin buns peered in from the doorway, eyes bright with curiosity.

Meeting her gaze, the girl ran forward. "Sister, where are you from?"

Pan Yun's eyes swept over the faint bruises beneath the girl's collar. Before the girl reached her, she flicked a finger—spirit light struck the girl's forehead, freezing her in place. Pan Yun sat cross-legged and began reciting the Sutra for the Departed.

The girl's innocent smile faded. Her liveliness vanished. Her bright clothes dissolved. Before Pan Yun stood a ragged, scarred child.

Pan Yun opened her eyes, pulled out a silk cloth, wiped the blood from the girl's face, and whispered, "Don't be afraid. It won't hurt soon."

A spirit light appeared above the girl. Her form slowly faded.

Within the light, the girl stared at Pan Yun, then suddenly smiled. She opened her mouth. "Thank you, big sister…"

Her voice faded—and she vanished.

One of the Daoists seated on the high platform suddenly rose, face pale, stepping forward as if to descend.

"Gongze," Zhang Ziwang called out to him, "let her continue."

The other's expression turned grim.

Lou Tong sneered: "I said it all along—even if testing magical arts, you shouldn't directly summon little ghosts for the exam. Now look, you've made a mess."

"It's not exactly a mess. This shows the girl's magical skill is exquisite. She's only been on the Dao for less than a year, yet she's cleared three trials in such a short time—truly impressive."

Pan Yun moved swiftly, faster than any of the senior Daoists on the stage had anticipated.

She soon reached the final trial, which tested swordplay. Originally, they had stationed only Zhang Weiyi to defend the platform.

Zhang Weiyi had more than enough skill to handle a group of novice Daoists who had just begun their cultivation.

He'd been waiting bored for nearly two qing—still not a single candidate had reached him.

Just as he thought he'd have to wait much longer, Pan Yun stepped out from around the corner.

Seeing Zhang Weiyi standing on the platform with a sword in hand, Pan Yun smiled. "What a coincidence—it's the Academy Head defending the arena."

Zhang Weiyi saw her and slowly straightened his posture, sword in hand. "I didn't expect the first to reach here would be my junior sister."

His gaze grew serious. "By the rules, you win if you move from Qian to Li without being stopped—or if you can block three of my strikes."

"That's not strict at all. Is the Academy overconfident in its Head—or just lacking faith in us newcomers?"

Pan Yun walked to the weapon rack, glanced at the sword in Zhang Weiyi's hand, and said: "Since the Academy Head uses a sword, I'll use one too."

Zhang Weiyi gripped his sword tighter. "This trial tests swordplay—no use of divine power or magical arts allowed."

"Do you suspect I'm borrowing my Master's divine power?" Pan Yun smiled faintly. "Rest assured, Academy Head—I won't borrow any divine power. In fact, I'd like to test my Mount Sanqing sword art against Long Hushan's."

Tail number 6

(End of chapter)