Chapter 6: A Gift of Immortal Fate, A Humble Place Among the Learned

Chen Rui clenched his fists, his expression one of suppressed resentment.

"It is merely some idle gossip! Grandmother, please do not take it to heart; it is not worth making yourself ill over.

Although an immortal acolyte is not the same as a formal disciple of the immortal sect, one has still set a foot across the threshold of the immortal gate—this is a great stroke of fortune!

Once I pass the grand examination and enter Taixuan, those people will certainly not dare to look down upon Grandmother!"

Old Madam Cui felt a measure of comfort, a faint smile appearing on her face as she looked toward another person.

"Yu-jie, what do you think?"

Chen Yu thought for a moment. "Granddaughter does not understand those grand principles, but since Grandmother wishes for us to enter the Taixuan Sect, I will certainly do my utmost to ensure Grandmother is satisfied."

Old Madam Cui nodded and looked at the last person.

"Youling, what do you think?"

Jiang Youling sat up straight and replied, "When parents love their children, they plan for them far into the future. The Taixuan Sect is a place of immortality; even if one is but a servant tasked with sweeping, one may still learn true techniques to establish oneself and glimpse the Heavenly Dao to seek longevity. How can this be compared to those who drift through the mundane world, wasting their years in vain?

Having been favored with this opportunity, Youling is truly fearful and trembling, yet I shall certainly be diligent and self-disciplined, strictly observing the ancestral teachings to live up to the expectations of my kind mother and stern father."

Old Madam Cui felt deeply gratified, sensing that these words spoke to the very depths of her heart. She arranged for everyone to review their studies and then summoned Jiang Youling alone to ask her questions with earnest concern.

"Does Youling know how many hurdles are set by the Taixuan examination?"

She replied, "One is the literary examination, which tests knowledge and comprehension; the other is the martial examination, which tests physical skill and endurance."

Old Madam Cui nodded silently, then said, "Beyond the literary and martial examinations, there is a third hurdle that tests a disciple's character and adaptability. You must be mindful of this!"

She then slowly explained the essentials for passing this third hurdle.

Jiang Youling noted them down one by one, inwardly marveling at the multitude of rules and the difficulty of the assessments in the immortal sect.

To select a mere immortal acolyte, they set so many layers of obstacles—it is truly difficult to become a formal disciple of the immortal sect!

No wonder Mother and Uncle have taken the exam for so many years and still remain off the list.

Time passed in a flash, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the official examination arrived.

The Chen family had four candidates, drawing much attention.

"Look, that is the granddaughter Old Madam Cui recently took in. She looks quite spirited."

"Thinking back to those years, the Chen family had three immortal acolytes and was a well-known wealthy household far and wide. But following the passing of Old Master Chen and the accidental death of the eldest son, the Chen family gradually declined..."

"Old Madam Cui is straining herself to force her children and grandchildren to study, hoping to bring glory to the family name and recreate the splendor of the past. Unfortunately, times have changed. Now that Taixuan implements a recommendation system and has tightened its selection, there are few immortal acolytes... Alas, how sad, how lamentable!"

Old Madam Cui acted as if she had not heard the surrounding gossip, only instructing her family, "Do you remember what I told you at home?"

"We remember, Mother (Grandmother)!"

Old Madam Cui nodded slightly. "Go then, I shall wait here for the good news."

Jiang Youling took one last look at Grandmother Cui, then followed the footsteps of her mother, uncle, and cousin, joining the crowd of candidates as they entered the Asking Dao Hall.

The Asking Dao Hall was vast, capable of holding thousands of people. The four of them were lost in the sea of people, as insignificant as smoke.

At the head of the hall stood an old man, like a white crane amidst the clouds, ethereal and aloof.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, and an immortal scroll floated up from before him, slowly unfurling.

"Today, our Taixuan Immortal Sect, bearing the fortune of the Heavenly Dao and the opportunity of immortal fate, specially opens its gates to select a number of immortal acolytes.

All those who are fifteen years of age, possess a resilient character, and have committed no crimes may come to be selected.

Once you enter Taixuan, you must endure hardship and guard your original intent. Tending to spirit fields, sweeping the halls, and serving the alchemy furnaces—all must be done with your utmost effort.

Even if you lack the innate talent for immortality, you may still enter our sect. If you work diligently and practice hard in the future, it is not impossible to be taught the true path and catch a glimpse of the immortal mystery.

Anyone found guilty of deceit, theft, or harboring evil intentions will be expelled from the sect immediately upon verification and never employed again."

His voice was like a great bell, deafening and profound. The thousands of people below all responded in unison.

The old man waved his hand, and thousands of paper scrolls flew down like a sky full of white snow, yet they landed precisely in front of every candidate without a single one being out of place.

He then lit a stick of incense before the steps and announced to the candidates, "When this incense has finished burning, the literary examination shall be concluded."

Those who had taken the exam before, such as Chen Ling and Chen Yong, had seen the old man’s methods many times and were long since accustomed to it; they picked up their brushes and began to answer.

Those taking it for the first time, like Jiang Youling, were stunned by the old man’s display of immortal arts, but as the incense burned and the smoke curled, she dared not be distracted further and focused on the scroll.

With a plan in mind, she set her brush to paper to decide her fate.

Ink fell upon the paper, the brush moving like a dragon or snake, each word pouring out like pearls.

However, the surrounding candidates were all frowning in deep thought, their writing labored. Some even scratched their heads and fidgeted as if sitting on pins and needles.

When the incense burned out, the answer sheets flew away without a breeze, and wails erupted everywhere.

Some clutched their papers tightly, refusing to let go. "Immortal, please listen! I have not finished this question yet, I beg you to grant me another quarter of an hour!"

Others wept bitterly, "It’s over! I’ve failed the exam again. What am I to do!"

Some were so devastated they had lost all hope, sighing, "Worn out shoes on stone steps, drawing water and climbing mountains all in vain. With no spirit root awakened, the immortal fate is severed; I face the cold lamp alone, counting the passing years."

The old man shook his head slightly and summoned a gust of wind, sending everyone outside the hall.

Chen Ling’s brow was furrowed. "Brother, how did you do on the exam? How did you answer the second-to-last question?"

Chen Yong’s expression was calm, though a closer look revealed a faint sense of resignation. "How else could I answer? I used my brush to copy the question again just to make the paper look less empty."

Chen Ling was speechless and held her forehead, her own panic receding slightly.

She steadied herself and looked at her nephew, who seemed somewhat distracted. "What about Rui-er?"

"Ah?"

Chen Rui’s eyes drifted, looking left and right, but he dared not look at his aunt.

Seeing this, what else was there for Chen Ling to know?

"Forget it, I shouldn't have counted on you two anyway... What about Youling?"

Chen Ling looked around, only to see Jiang Youling descending the steps slowly.

Amidst the noise of the mountain market and the wailing of the crowd, the young girl remained calm and composed, her grace self-evident.

Chen Ling’s restless heart suddenly calmed.

That was right. She had tested Ling-jie with those difficult problems from previous years, and she had answered them all fluently.

If even Jiang Youling could not pass this literary exam, then no one else could.

Jiang Youling seemed to sense something and, seeing Chen Ling in the crowd, walked over quickly.

"Mother."

A thousand thoughts rose in Chen Ling’s heart, but she quickly hid them away. "In a quarter of an hour, the Immortal Master will announce the results of the literary exam. We need only wait here."

Jiang Youling nodded and waited patiently.

A quarter of an hour later, the white-haired immortal appeared once more.

The moment he stepped out of the hall, the noise and wailing faded away like a receding tide, turning the mountain into silence, with only the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects remaining.

A breeze blew by, and the immortal slowly unfurled the scroll in his hand.

"Those whose names I call shall participate in the second trial, the martial examination. The rest of you, depart at once."

The crowd’s hearts tightened, all listening intently, fearing they might miss their own names.

"Jiang Youling, Xu Ke, Ye Cangzhou, Shen Yingshu..."

Jiang Youling’s name was prominently at the top of the list.