Innovating and Renovating

Two Daoist Priests arrived, descending before Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan in a flash of light. The elder Daoist Priest glanced at Wei Yuan, then at the booklet in his hand, and said, "Wei Yuan of Fengyuan Commandery, confirmed. Take him to the dormitories!"

Zhang Sheng was taken aback. "Why do we have to go to the dormitories now?"

Sun Yu, arriving a step behind and appearing beside Zhang Sheng, said, "Junior Brother, don't rush. This year, there are many candidates from Fengyuan Commandery, so a special rule has been set: all candidates must immediately reside in the dormitories upon entering the Immortal Sect's gates and are forbidden from further contact with outsiders until the examinations conclude."

Zhang Sheng looked at Sun Yu, then at the two Daoist Priests, and then at the countless auspicious beasts from various Immortal Prefectures in the plaza. Lost in thought, he said gently to Wei Yuan, "Then let's go. Don't be afraid. Just display your knowledge; your master will handle everything else."

Wei Yuan nodded vigorously. He had been precocious since birth and could already sense something unusual about the atmosphere.

Zhang Sheng took a step back. The young Daoist Priest then grabbed Wei Yuan, and in a flash, they vanished. The elder Daoist Priest made a checkmark on his booklet, offered an apology, and departed.

Zhang Sheng's gaze slowly swept across the entire plaza.

Though his Dao Power was sealed, his discerning eye remained. He could recognize most of the mounts and auspicious beasts just by their appearance. The flying boats and immortal carriages, while varied in style, mostly bore family crests or clan emblems, which Zhang Sheng also recognized. Just a glance revealed seven or eight prominent conveyances, belonging to descendants of either esteemed noble families or sect leaders and elders of major Immortal Sects.

The two Nine-Colored Treasure Deer from the East Sea wouldn't even rank in the top five here.

Sun Yu said, "Junior Brother, you don't need to worry. You know the rules of the dormitories, and besides, there are True Persons and Great Scholars watching right now. No one would dare to make a move."

Zhang Sheng said dismissively, "No one would dare? I'm afraid very few wouldn't dare!"

Sun Yu pretended not to hear and said, "It's not just our Taichu Palace here; the Four Saints Academy and the Great Precious Flower Pure Land have also sent representatives."

Zhang Sheng immediately recalled the terrifying fortune that had converged at the Wushui Heguan Array six years ago. Six years had passed, and this fortune should now be merging with individuals, giving rise to many extraordinary talents. It seemed the powers that be had foreseen this, hence the presence of three representatives from each of the four major Immortal Palaces, along with numerous Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands, all prepared to vie for the Children of Fortune.

However, the thought of those fortunes made Zhang Sheng feel a peculiar unease. He wondered what King Ji and Emperor Tang would think if the Immortal Sects took these individuals in.

Just then, the white jade boat from the East Sea finally finished parking. A procession of people disembarked, forming a protective circle around a young boy. The boy, about eight or nine years old, had dark skin, slightly curly hair, and a few small, pearl-colored scales around his throat, guarding his airway. His pupils were a bright amber. This boy was clearly of pure East Sea lineage, as evidenced by his eyes.

Seeing the boy's appearance, Zhang Sheng's expression shifted. He asked, "Is this person a native of Fengyuan Commandery?"

The Immortal Sect Unified Examination had always stipulated that candidates must have relatives who had resided in a particular Commandery for three generations to be eligible to test there; otherwise, they had to take the unified examination in their original prefecture. This rule had always been strictly enforced without exception. The East Sea was tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of miles from Yongzhou. It was understandable for a collateral branch of the Yan family to have mixed blood, but how could a pure-blooded direct descendant be connected to Fengyuan Commandery?

However, Sun Yu looked down at his nose, his voice unwavering, "He is indeed a native of Fengyuan Commandery."

Zhang Sheng sneered, "The Yan Family of the East Sea, the Grand Elder of the Bishui Liushang Sect, and the Little Sage of Shiming Academy—these three families are within a million miles of Fengyuan Commandery, with the furthest being several million miles away. Do they all have relatives there for three generations?"

Sun Yu sighed and said, "They do. It's just that, from what I've heard, some of these relatives only acknowledged their ancestry last month. But with witnesses and evidence, they are all legitimate blood relatives, and you can't overturn it, Junior Brother."

Sun Yu emphasized the words "legitimate blood relatives." It was already difficult for him to say this much; if these words were heard by the relevant powerful families, it would be tantamount to making mortal enemies.

A look of mockery appeared on Zhang Sheng's face. He said slowly, "Aren't you even going to pretend?"

Sun Yu sighed, "Isn't it always like this? Come with me to the Hall of Serenity first; it's more convenient to talk there. Also, the regulations for this year's Fengyuan Commandery unified examination have been greatly revised, with talk of innovation. You need to read them too."

Zhang Sheng stood still until he saw the two Daoist Priests also escorting the young boy from the East Sea away. Only then did he leave with Sun Yu.

The young Daoist Priest led Wei Yuan to a scenic valley. Inside the valley stood rows of two-story buildings, all rooms facing a corridor, with numbers on their doors.

As soon as Wei Yuan entered, a number lit up.

The young Daoist Priest stepped with Wei Yuan to the room and said, "This is number seventy-seven. It will be your codename during the unified examination. Before the exam, you can move freely within the dormitory. You might even encounter other candidates. Communication is allowed, but remember not to reveal your identity or name. Discovery will result in severe punishment! Do you understand?"

Wei Yuan nodded.

The young Daoist Priest pushed the door open. The room was simply but exquisitely furnished, with a bed, a desk, a chair, and a sandalwood flower stand. On the stand sat a potted fruit tree about the size of an arm, laden with golden fruits that emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance.

"This is a Chonglou Fruit Tree. It can help clear your mind and stabilize your spirit. You cannot eat the fruit; eating it will result in death."

"This is the North Sea Ice Pear Bed. Sleeping on it can expel inner devils and nourish the Primordial Spirit. You haven't cultivated yet, so you won't benefit directly. However, sleeping on this bed for an hour each day can restore your energy."

"This is the Tianji Desk, this is the Lihuo Inkstone, and this is the Shuiyuan Brush..."

After explaining the functions of each item in the room, the young Daoist Priest said, "The unified examination regulations will be distributed at You Shi (5-7 PM). Read them carefully so you aren't caught off guard. Tomorrow morning is the Dao Assessment, so don't be late."

After his instructions, the young Daoist Priest pushed the door open and left.

Wei Yuan suddenly noticed a booklet by the doorway, seemingly dropped by the young Daoist Priest. He picked it up and saw the words "Great Tang Immortal Sect Disciple Recruitment Unified Examination Regulations" written on the cover.

The regulations were supposed to be distributed at You Shi, but it was only past Wu Shi (11 AM - 1 PM), with a full two hours remaining until You Shi. Wei Yuan understood that this was the young Daoist Priest secretly granting him a small convenience.

Wei Yuan sat down at the desk and began to read the regulations. As he read, he became somewhat surprised. The examination rules in the regulations were vastly different from what Zhang Sheng had described.

According to Zhang Sheng, the Immortal Sect Unified Examination consisted of two parts: the Dao Assessment and the Literary Assessment. The Dao Assessment tested cultivation talent, foundation, and whether one possessed fortune. The Literary Assessment covered worldly affairs, including essays, history, policy discussions, military strategy, and so on. Typically, two or three questions would be given, requiring an essay for each.

The Literary Assessment didn't just look for correct answers but also evaluated comprehension. A candidate might present a biased argument, but if they could offer a unique perspective and justify it logically, they would gain points for comprehension.

However, the regulations in Wei Yuan's hand stated that this year, in addition to the Dao and Literary Assessments, there would be a Martial Assessment. The Dao Assessment, which originally examined foundation and fortune, was also divided more finely, with more detailed grading tiers, each corresponding to a specific score.

Due to the addition of the Martial Assessment, the proportion of each test in the overall evaluation changed to 40% for the Dao Assessment, 30% for the Literary Assessment, and 30% for the Martial Assessment. Previously, it was 60% for the Dao Assessment and 40% for the Literary Assessment.

The grading for the three tests was no longer the vague Heaven, Earth, and Human tiers of the past but a point system. The Dao Assessment was worth forty points, while the Literary and Martial Assessments were each worth thirty, for a total of one hundred points. The final ranking would be determined by the total score.

Zhang Sheng had also mentioned that Fengyuan Commandery was remote and had recently suffered a great disaster, with countless deaths, so the number of candidates this year would not exceed twenty. However, just from the number of dormitory rooms, there were clearly over two hundred. From the fleeting glimpse upon entering the Immortal Sect's gates, Wei Yuan knew countless prominent figures had arrived, clearly for the unified examination.

With the drastic changes to the regulations and the unprecedentedly fierce competition, Wei Yuan vaguely felt dark clouds gathering overhead. But having studied under Zhang Sheng for three years, he had inherited his master's resilient spirit, which grew stronger when faced with adversity and pushed forward against the current. Despite the immense pressure, Wei Yuan calmed down and began to study the regulations meticulously.

As Zhang Sheng had taught him, in the face of any major event, one must remain calm.