Breaking the Stalemate

A moment later, Zhang Sheng finally looked up and asked, "Isn't there still an internal review by the sect? What's the standard this time?"

Sun Yu said, "The internal review only looks at the overall examination scores. I heard that this year's standard is within five points up or down. There's room for maneuver within five points, but it's ironclad beyond that."

Zhang Sheng said, "In other words, as long as Yuan'er scores five points more than the fourth-ranked person, there will be a spot."

"Basically, that's right."

Zhang Sheng lightly tapped the armrest, running through the regulations, the list of all candidates, and Wei Yuan's unique traits and strengths in his mind. His thoughts paused on Wei Yuan's fortune, but he shook his head.

Nowadays, fortune is as common as cow hair in this world. Disciples of wealthy and influential families all possess some degree of fortune, otherwise, how could they have been born into such good families instead of Wei Yuan? Even if they themselves don't have fortune, as long as they are born into a prominent family, someone will naturally take the fortune of others and bestow it upon them.

So, it has long been said that one's birth is the most important fortune of all.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Sheng made up his mind and said slowly, "Yuan'er is my direct disciple. For three full years, I didn't cultivate or travel, I only taught him! For the Literary Assessment, he should have no rivals. With Yuan'er's foundation and fortune, the Dao Assessment should also be a piece of cake. The key is the Martial Assessment."

Zhang Sheng took a piece of paper and quickly wrote down a verse, handing it to Sun Yu. "Brother, please give this to Yuan'er."

Sun Yu took it and exclaimed, "Southern Vermilion Bird Unclear Technique? Is this a fortune secret technique from the Azure Hall?"

Zhang Sheng said, "Those disciples from high-ranking families all have fortune supporting them, how could they not know fortune secret techniques? Although our Azure Hall's fortune secret technique is not as good as the Four Saints Academy's Xing Li Chapter, nor as good as the Bao family's Forget Flowing Years, these two families are not aiming for Taichu Palace this year, so it's enough to deal with the other five families."

Before participating in the overall examination, candidates are strictly forbidden from private cultivation to avoid corrupting their foundation. However, prominent families have their own methods to deal with this, and fortune secret techniques are one of them. Fortune secret techniques can draw upon one's own fortune to empower oneself, transforming into various spiritual powers, and this is not considered cultivation. Although the effect of secret technique enhancement is not significant during non-cultivation periods, in the Martial Assessment, having a secret technique or not is the difference between a cultivator and a mortal.

Zhang Sheng was no ordinary person; he could see at a glance the methods that prominent families would use in the Martial Assessment and immediately addressed Wei Yuan's critical weakness.

Sun Yu held the Southern Vermilion Bird Unclear Technique and said slowly, "When I first joined the sect, I was often bullied and insulted by disciples from noble families. It's a pity that I was cowardly then and didn't have the courage to fight back on the spot. I still regret it when I think about it. This time, I'll take the blame with you, Junior Brother! Why should they be able to do it, and we can't?"

Zhang Sheng said, "Then I'll entrust Yuan'er to you, Senior Brother. I need to go into seclusion now to recover my Dao Power before the Martial Assessment ends."

Sun Yu was shocked. "How can you do that! Li Quan Powder has a potent effect. After taking it, you must remain in seclusion for a full three days! If the seclusion time is insufficient, it might even damage your Dao Foundation!"

Zhang Sheng said calmly, "No matter what those people desire, they will take it for granted that it should be theirs. If Yuan'er can break through the encirclement, we are merely taking back what is ours. But those people will only feel that Yuan'er is snatching food from their mouths. With their nature, how could they let it go? So after Yuan'er finishes his exams, there will likely be a good 'discussion' with them. This is something I, as his teacher, must handle."

In the dormitory, Wei Yuan had already set aside the regulations and sat at his desk, recalling his past studies from beginning to end.

After Li Zhi left, three to four more groups of people knocked on his door with similar proposals. These people, in terms of aura and demeanor, were far inferior to Li Zhi, so Wei Yuan naturally refused them all.

In fact, after hearing Li Zhi's words, Wei Yuan understood his situation. Li Zhi spoke nicely, but although Wei Yuan wasn't particularly skilled in the Art of War, he had memorized history books, so he naturally knew that once he was incorporated into the military system, he would have no control over himself. He would be ordered to charge, ordered to die. Being a Vanguard commander sounded good, but when armies clashed, who else would be cannon fodder if not him?

There was nothing to ponder about the Martial Assessment; it was all about adapting to circumstances and taking down whoever he could. Therefore, Wei Yuan was currently silently reciting the Tang History, recalling Zhang Sheng's explanations one by one.

In the blink of an eye, the sky turned dark, and the door suddenly opened silently. Wei Yuan felt something and turned his head.

Sun Yu stood at the doorway, feeling a little surprised: this child has such keen spiritual senses!

Wei Yuan recognized Sun Yu and knew he was close friends with his teacher, so he quickly got up to pay his respects. Sun Yu handed him a piece of paper and said, "This is a cultivation technique from your master. Memorize it well. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me. I can stay for another half an hour."

Wei Yuan took the cultivation technique and saw that the title read Southern Vermilion Bird Unclear Technique, followed by several hundred characters of the technique. This was only a part of the secret technique, specifically for the pre-cultivation stage, so it was very simple. Wei Yuan grasped it after one read. He then asked Sun Yu about one or two unclear points, and soon understood the entire piece.

Seeing that Wei Yuan had understood the technique, Sun Yu gave a few more pointers on the experience of using fortune secret techniques and then quietly departed.

As soon as Sun Yu left, Wei Yuan began to cultivate.

The Southern Vermilion Bird Unclear Technique was a secret art of the Azure Hall, excelling in balanced effects without obvious weaknesses. After running the secret technique, Wei Yuan felt an invisible force within him being activated, transforming into a trickle of warmth that spread throughout his body. Afterward, Wei Yuan felt the room gradually brighten, and a surge of power filled his body. He tried to grab the desk and lift it, and the desk, weighing several hundred pounds, was actually lifted.

Putting down the desk, Wei Yuan took a step and moved from one side of the room to the other. He then tried a few more evasive maneuvers before stopping the secret technique.

All fortune secret techniques draw upon one's own fortune as the source of spiritual power. The manual clearly stated that it could not be used for prolonged periods, so Wei Yuan stopped after testing it. However, after stopping, Wei Yuan felt that the invisible mass in his body had not diminished at all.

Wei Yuan sat down cross-legged and carefully savored the feeling. After the enhancement from the Southern Vermilion Bird Unclear Technique, his physical functions were improved in all aspects, with his strength and speed increasing by about double. Wei Yuan had been exceptionally strong since childhood, and with the addition of this secret technique, he was like a tiger with wings.

From then on, Wei Yuan stopped reciting history books and focused all his attention on studying the Southern Vermilion Bird Unclear Technique. He knew very well that this technique was the key to the Martial Assessment.

The Immortal Mountain has no sun or moon; between the brightening and darkening of the mountain scenery, the second day's morning had arrived.

Wei Yuan and the other candidates were summoned to the square early and were given breakfast. The so-called breakfast was actually a cup of clear water, which, after drinking, made one feel invigorated, dispelling all fatigue and hunger.

Then, several cultivators led the candidates out of the dormitories and into a square. At the end of the square was a grand hall containing twenty jade-colored meditation cushions. Next to each cushion were two incense burners, emitting wisps of smoke.

An elder Daoist priest, holding a stack of white paper, walked out of the hall. With a wave of his sleeve, each candidate found a piece of white paper in their hands. As the paper touched their hands, a cultivation method appeared on it.

The elder Daoist priest said in a deep voice, "This is the examination cultivation technique. First, familiarize yourselves with it. Then, when you hear your number, enter the hall and circulate the technique on the designated cushion. This technique can stimulate your destiny and innate talent and is crucial for the Dao Assessment. You must not be distracted. When you hear the bell, you must immediately cease cultivation and leave the hall. Do you all understand?"

"Understood!" all the candidates replied in unison.

The elder Daoist priest nodded and, drawing out his voice, announced loudly, "The Dao Assessment begins!" His voice, like a crane's cry, soared high into the clouds.