I Also Want to Enter Taichu Palace

Wei Yuan walked out of the great hall's doors and saw Zhang Sheng and Sun Yu already waiting in the plaza.

Upon seeing Wei Yuan, Zhang Sheng reached out and grabbed him, pulling him through the air before disappearing.

An instant later, Zhang Sheng, carrying Wei Yuan, appeared in a secluded side hall. He put Wei Yuan down, then circled him once before bending down to examine Wei Yuan's pupils closely. Finally, he pinched various spots on Wei Yuan's body, repeatedly asking, "Any lingering pain in your primordial spirit? Any anxiety or restlessness in your mind? Have you seen inner demons arise, or illusions and phantoms appear?..."

Zhang Sheng asked seven or eight questions, and Wei Yuan shook his head to each one. Zhang Sheng remained uneasy and shot a stream of azure light from his fingertip into Wei Yuan's forehead. As this azure energy emerged, Zhang Sheng's face grew even paler.

Sun Yu, standing nearby, saw this and asked, "Is something troubling you? My master, True Lord Ning Xi, is skilled in medicine. If necessary, we can ask him to help when we return to the palace."

Zhang Sheng sat down and said, "This is not a matter of medicine. The extraterrestrial fortune I gave Yuan'er is not enough to continuously sustain the Heaven and Earth Madman. Yuan'er used it a bit too much. He might be fine now, but I worry about future backlash from the fortune. So, I've placed a sword qi in his sea of consciousness. If there is fortune backlash, it can at least block it for a while."

Sun Yu was greatly shocked and exclaimed, "You're taking on his tribulation yourself!! How can you do this?"

Taking on another's tribulation was akin to defying heaven. The tribulations one would face could easily be several times greater than those of the original person, and a single misstep could lead to death and the destruction of one's Dao. This was why Sun Yu had lost his composure.

Zhang Sheng raised his hand to stop Sun Yu and said, "I have decided on this matter. There's no need to say more."

"But!..." A wisp of azure sword qi floated before Sun Yu, sealing his words.

Sun Yu sighed and could only sit down, looking dejected.

Zhang Sheng flipped his hand, and a jade slip appeared. He handed it to Wei Yuan, saying, "These are your Dao Assessment and Literary Assessment results. Take a look yourself."

Wei Yuan took the jade slip. The scores far exceeded his expectations. The Dao Assessment was one thing; Wei Yuan had always been vague about it and didn't know the standards of others. However, he had expectations for the Literary Assessment. Based on Zhang Sheng's previous teachings, Wei Yuan felt his score should have been at least twenty-eight or twenty-nine, definitely not lower. To his surprise, he had lost more than ten points. Could it be... Zhang Sheng taught him incorrectly?

Wei Yuan looked up suspiciously at Zhang Sheng.

Having spent three years together day and night, Zhang Sheng knew exactly what Wei Yuan's gaze meant. He immediately flew into a rage, "You think I taught you incorrectly?!"

Wei Yuan quickly lowered his head, "This disciple wouldn't dare!"

"Wouldn't dare what! You clearly think so!" Zhang Sheng became even angrier.

Sun Yu stepped in to mediate, "Alright, alright. This child is the number one in Fengyuan Commandery! Looking at previous and current years, this unified exam in Fengyuan Commandery is probably unique throughout Great Tang! He's brought you so much honor, what more do you want? If you don't want to teach him, just give him to me?"

"Dream on!" Zhang Sheng retorted, then stared at Wei Yuan, his face contorted with pain. "For this brat, I was penalized three years of salary! Alas... my annual salary is quite high."

Sun Yu immediately empathized and sighed, "Indeed, Junior Brother, my condolences."

Zhang Sheng took the jade slip back from Wei Yuan and asked, "Do you know why I showed you these results?"

Wei Yuan shook his head, "This disciple does not know."

Sun Yu also shook his head, "You're always speaking in riddles. Can't you just say what you mean?"

Zhang Sheng looked a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat, saying, "The path of immortality is perilous, no less so than the mortal world. The vast difference between your expected score and your actual score is clear proof of this. In the future, when you encounter an unsolvable predicament, remember not to be reckless. If necessary, endure it. As the saying goes, 'As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn.' This is mortal wisdom, but it is not outdated for the immortal path. For example, I myself have deeply understood the essentials of biding one's time and being able to bend and stretch. Back in the day..."

Sun Yu scoffed beside him, "As if you've ever endured anything!"

Zhang Sheng pretended not to hear.

After Zhang Sheng finished his admonishments, Sun Yu asked Wei Yuan with great interest, "What was that about the wild boars?"

Wei Yuan honestly replied, "When I used the secret technique, besides myself, I felt a connection with many surrounding things, allowing me to attach fortune to them. I was immobile at the time and lacked a mount, so I tried attaching fortune to a wild boar. Then it grew larger and could act according to my will."

"The consumption?"

Wei Yuan pondered carefully, "It seemed to have no cost. After the wild boar died, the attached fortune returned to me on its own."

Sun Yu was stunned for a moment before saying, "This doesn't align with the Great Dao taught by our Patriarch? How can there be no consumption when controlling phantom beasts or puppets?"

However, Sun Yu knew that the art of fortune was not his forte, so he didn't dwell on it. He turned to Zhang Sheng and said, "Yuan'er ranked first this time. That child from the Yan Family of the East Sea must have been pushed out. Junior Brother, be careful in the future."

Zhang Sheng was unconcerned, "Haven't I offended enough people already? One more Yan Family won't make a difference."

By this time, it was late. Zhang Sheng told Wei Yuan to rest. They were to head to Taichu Palace early the next morning.

At this moment, in a luxurious hall of the Crimson Tide Sect, Bao Yun sat elegantly and serenely in a chair. She said softly, "I don't care. I'm not going to the Great Precious Flower Pure Land. I want to enter Taichu Palace."

The young cultivator looked helpless and earnestly tried to persuade her, "Young Miss, this isn't something you can just change. Moreover, you have innate wisdom. The ready-made Dharma Idol at the Great Precious Flower Pure Land is waiting for you; it's been waiting for seven whole years! If you switch to Taichu Palace, setting aside everything else, you'll have to endure much more hardship in your cultivation, and the Dao pháp you cultivate will certainly not be as good as that Ruyi Glazed Dharma Idol."

Bao Yun remained unmoved, "Father said that with my Heavenly Grade A talent, whatever I cultivate will end up the same. I want to enter Taichu Palace."

The young cultivator could only offer a wry smile, "This is truly no child's play, my Young Miss! If you're still thinking about that kid who rode a pig, how about I find a way to capture him for you to beat up and vent your anger? Go to the Great Precious Flower Pure Land first, and then we can talk about everything!"

Bao Yun said softly and gently, "You can't even beat his teacher, so don't lie to me. I want to enter Taichu Palace."

"I can't beat him, but I can ask my master to step in."

"His teacher also has a teacher, and your master can't defeat True Person Fen Hai."

"I still have my grandmaster!"

"Even he is no match for True Monarch Xuan Yue."

Bao Yun silenced the young cultivator with a few words. Then, she turned to an old man standing beside her and said, "Tell Father that I want to enter Taichu Palace."

The old man nodded, closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, a beautifully sealed jade letter was in his hand. "The spot for Taichu Palace has been secured. You just need to write your name and birth date."