The Ten Directions Jungle

Jiang Hanzhi was not as nervous as his nephew. At Jiang Huannian's question, he merely shook his head gently and said in a low voice:

"I hear this lord is from the Dao Army. He probably hasn't been back from another world for long, so it's normal for him to act a little roug... bold."

Jiang Hanzhi's voice was full of reverence. He did, after all, hold a post at the town Dao Academy and was fairly well informed.

Naturally, he had heard of this Black Gu Daoist.

Generally speaking, the head of a County Daoist Academy was selected from among seventh-rank Daoists. Once they broke through to the sixth rank, they would be transferred elsewhere.

Since Black Gu Daoist was still the academy head, he presumably had yet to enter the Sixth-Rank Realm.

But Jiang Hanzhi had seen more than one seventh-rank Daoist.

Judging solely by the might Black Gu Daoist had just displayed, even all those he had met put together probably would not have been a match for him.

"The Dao Army..." Jiang Huannian sighed with feeling too.

Break through to the seventh rank, join the Dao Army, wage war across planes, and climb ever higher along the immortal path!

Who had never dreamed of such things? Yet few could accomplish them. He felt he had no hope himself; it remained to be seen whether Jiang Yan could do it.

"All right, stop thinking about it. Yan will certainly have no trouble getting into the Prefecture Academy. Let's just go home and wait for news."

Uncle and nephew talked as they walked out of the Dao Academy.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yan was having a rather unpleasant time.

A massive shadow swept across the sky. It was the Black Gu Tree.

Most of its leaves were now tightly curled around people, packed close together.

The disciples taking the Prefecture Examination hung from its branches like so many fruits.

The leaves had wrapped not only their bodies but their heads as well, sealing them up tightly.

That alone would have been tolerable. After all, although his head was covered, his breathing was unaffected, and Jiang Yan could endure it.

But though these pitch-black leaves looked like banana leaves, only when they came close did Jiang Yan see clearly: these were no leaves at all, but living worms!

Where they wrapped close against his body, he could even feel a faint wriggling.

Firm-minded as Jiang Yan was, he could not help feeling his hair stand on end.

Thinking of Black Gu Daoist's title, he was most likely someone who followed the Witchcraft and Gu Ritual Path, so there was no need to guess what these worms were.

Black Gu Daoist said just now that this tree is called the Black Gu Tree. That really is simple and clear-plain at a glance.

But judging by how he acts, he doesn't seem much like a good person... could he be someone from the Evil Dao in disguise?

While Jiang Yan's thoughts wandered, the worm bodies wrapped around their heads shifted slightly, exposing their mouths.

Jiang Yan turned his head and looked in every direction. All ten branches were laden with "fruit."

"You little ones, do you think this Daoist's conduct is rather improper?"

Black Gu Daoist remained seated cross-legged atop the canopy. Without opening his eyes, he asked the question mildly.

Although their restraints had now been loosened, everything remained quiet. Not a single person spoke.

None of those eligible for the Prefecture Examination were fools. With their entire bodies under someone else's control, no one dared take a risk.

Fortunately, Black Gu Daoist did not care about Jiang Yan and the others' reaction.

He continued, "It's only natural for you to have some thoughts about this.

"Being treated like this by me today, you can still be frightened and timid.

"But if you reach the seventh rank someday and go to other planes, you had better not behave like this again. You would disgrace this Daoist far too much."

With that, Black Gu Daoist raised his hand and waved.

Jiang Yan felt the Gu worm wrapped around him wriggle along his body, finally becoming a round disc that supported him from below.

"We'll be there soon. If there's anything you wish to ask, I, your academy head, can clear up your doubts."

It seemed Black Gu Daoist had only meant to offer them some advice, and his manner was fairly amiable.

"This student is Zhang Xisheng. Your Law Power is profound, Academy Head, and I admire you greatly. May I ask what rank your cultivation is? Could you reveal a little?"

At last, one disciple gritted his teeth and boldly asked.

Jiang Yan glanced at him, then withdrew his gaze. He did not know this person well; he had only heard that his clan had some strength and counted among the powerful families in the county town.

Black Gu Daoist glanced down, seemingly not expecting anyone to ask such a useless question, but he answered nonetheless.

"A boy from the Zhang family? My cultivation is at the Seventh Grade Upper Stage.

"If I broke through to the sixth rank, I would no longer hold a post at a county academy. I'd be transferred to the Prefecture Academy, and become at least one of the Five Lords."

Having received his answer, Zhang Xisheng rose and bowed respectfully, then said nothing more.

The Immortal Dynasty's Dao Academies bore great responsibilities and formed the foundation of the Dao Realm.

From the central academy down, the Dao Academies of every province, commandery, and prefecture all followed the Ten Directions Jungle System.

As for County Daoist Academies and those below them, most of their disciples were in the Tenth-Rank Realm, so they did not need too many people to administer them.

Under the so-called Ten Directions Jungle System, all affairs below the academy head were handled by the Three Directors, Five Masters, and Eighteen Heads.

The Five Masters were senior figures within the Dao Academy, divided into the Masters of Quietude, the Hall, the Palace, the Scriptures, and Transformation. They oversaw numerous matters and held great authority.

Above them were the Three Overseers: the Overseer of Administration, the Overseer of Instruction, and the Overseer of the Kitchen. These were the Dao Academy's highest administrators, overseeing all matters great and small.

Below them were the Eighteen Heads, stewards whose responsibilities were divided more specifically, each managing one particular area.

The academy head, by contrast, often did not manage affairs directly.

According to Black Gu Daoist, even if he broke through to the lower stage of the sixth rank, he could only land a position among the Five Lords at the Prefecture Academy.

Then what cultivation would the Three Capitals have? What about the head of the Prefecture Academy?

But Jiang Yan had no way of knowing any of this.

With Zhang Xisheng having set an example, several more disciples below rose one after another, some asking about their destination, others about the Prefecture Examination.

One particularly bold disciple even prostrated himself on his disc and asked to become Black Gu Daoist's apprentice, only to be impatiently rejected.

"Our Donghe Prefecture administers twenty-three counties. Each year, the Prefecture Examination rotates among them. This year, it's Rosyglow County's turn."

"As for the Prefecture Examination questions, I don't know them yet either. We'll find out once we arrive. Any more questions?"

Seemingly irritated by the disciple who had asked to become his apprentice, Black Gu Daoist frowned, though he still told them where the Prefecture Examination would take place.

Hearing the impatience in his voice, no one dared ask another question.

Black Gu Daoist said no more either, and everyone continued in silence.

The Black Gu Tree flew tirelessly at tremendous speed, until a cluster of buildings appeared on the distant ground before them.

Time passed slowly in silence, so Jiang Yan simply closed his eyes and began cultivating.

By the time he opened his eyes again, they had reached Rosyglow County.

Watching Rosyglow County grow larger in his sight, he could not help being astonished by Black Gu Daoist's strength.

Although he did not know the exact distance between Rosyglow County and Zisha County, he had a rough idea. Unless he was mistaken, it should have been around ten thousand li!

In previous years, instructors taking disciples there had needed a full day of travel aboard a spirit boat.

Yet Black Gu Daoist had cast the spell alone, even bringing an entire group of academy examinees with him.

To have arrived in merely half a day was truly astonishing.

Without pausing, Black Gu Daoist took everyone straight to Rosyglow County's Dao Academy.

The situation here was the same as in Zisha County: the academy gates were tightly shut.

In the open space outside the entrance, a group of Dao-seeking households saw another group of Prefecture Examination examinees arrive and began shouting from below.

They were eager to use every trick at their disposal, asking only to take a Prefecture Academy disciple as their master.

Naturally, no one paid them any attention. Without stopping, Black Gu Daoist flew straight into the academy with everyone and arrived at a spacious square.

Several figures already occupied the space above the square, some sitting and others reclining.

Judging by their imposing presence, the heads of the various Dao Academies had actually all come in person.

Seeing more people arrive, they all looked over.

"Hahaha, Black Gu's here! Come, sit down!"

Black Gu Daoist casually formed a hand seal. The Black Gu Tree immediately shook, dumping the many disciples onto the ground.

The scene instantly descended into chaos, but he paid it no mind. The Black Gu Tree transformed, shrinking to the size of a meditation cushion, and he sat on it.

The disorder on the ground soon subsided, and Jiang Yan and the others gathered together of their own accord.

From the seats in the sky, cheerful voices and laughter rang out from time to time.

On the ground, the examinees from each county gathered separately, the boundaries between their groups clear.

Time passed slowly, and Jiang Yan counted silently to himself.

At last, the Dao Academy from the twenty-third county arrived, and its head took his seat.

All the examinees participating in this Prefecture Examination were now present.

In the sky, a burly man with two hooves for feet and two horns on his head set down his wine cup.

"Since everyone is here, why don't we begin?"