Chapter 746 The Fever of Examining the Ancestors (Thanks to reader 20241109130011914 for being the Alliance Leader)
Seeing Zhang Yu's silence, Yun Zhiguang shook her head, sensing that he still harbored a sliver of hope.
So she decided to be more explicit: "To tell you the truth, the fact that the selection exam for sect affairs officers has been extended to the lower levels is entirely orchestrated by the Heavenly Court, which wants to infiltrate the sects with impurities."
"The sect itself naturally disagrees with this matter."
"Finally, the Heavenly Court also reached an agreement with the higher-ups of the ten major sects that if the lower-level cultivators perform poorly in this selection exam for sect affairs officers, the exam will no longer be held at the lower level in the future."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu's heart stirred, and he thought to himself, "It seems that although immortals come from sects and the Heavenly Court is established by immortals, the demands of sects and the Heavenly Court are not entirely consistent, and there will still be conflicts and contradictions."
Yun Zhiguang continued, "Therefore, in this clan examination, no one will pass the fifth level or below."
“Those who have passed the 7th to 10th floors have already been selected, and only 5 people from my Wanfa Sect will pass.”
"The fact that these five people were able to pass is merely to show that there are people who can pass this examination for the position of Minister of the Imperial Clan, and that its difficulty is within a reasonable range. Those who fail are simply incompetent, so as to avoid any trouble from the Heavenly Court."
Zhang Yu asked, "Since people can get through floors 7 to 10, what about floors 5 and below...?"
Yun Zhiguang raised an index finger and shook it, then said, "Who do you think those five cultivators who can pass through levels 7 to 10 are? I can tell you, each of them is a reincarnation from within a sect."
“Each of them was someone who took exams for 20 or even 30 years in their previous life.”
"Don't think that just because they've taken the exam for 20 or 30 years and still haven't been accepted into a sect, they're weaklings."
"In their previous lives, they had elevated their personal cultivation, religious affairs aptitude tests, personal moral standards, professional abilities, and so on, to a level that could not be improved any further."
"They couldn't get in not because they were weak, but because the competition for the imperial examinations was just too fierce."
"The average time for each Zongkao candidate to pass the Zongkao is about 28 years."
“You should understand what this means. The cultivators born above are far superior to you in terms of both talent in the path of immortality and conditions for cultivation. But even so... they have to go through at least twenty or thirty years of training before they can successfully join a sect.”
"And now those five cultivators who have been reincarnated and come down to take the exam, they may not be able to compete with other opponents up there, but once they come down here, relying on their experience from their previous life and their preparation in this life... they will sweep through the exam hall."
"In contrast, you only have three months to prepare, and by then you probably won't even pass the minimum score for the civil service exam."
"Damn it, reincarnated down here to take the exam? This isn't just an exam for lineage and immigration, it's a direct reincarnation exam, right?" Although Zhang Yu was extremely dissatisfied, he still maintained a calm mind.
He thought to himself, "Did these reincarnated beings know the news in advance, so they took a different path and reincarnated to the underworld to examine the lineage?"
"No... this may just be a side purpose. The biggest reason is probably that someone within the sect has already made arrangements to deal with the Heavenly Court's promotion of the sect examination."
"Doesn't that mean that the Heavenly Court's system of examining ancestors and extending it downwards was planned long ago?"
"So, was this massive reconstruction... or even the university war, also planned long ago?"
Upon thinking of this, Zhang Yu felt a jolt in his heart.
Seeing Zhang Yu's silence, Yun Zhiguang assumed he understood the difficulty and nodded, saying, "Alright, if you understand, take a good rest. I have a lot of things for you to do next..."
Just then, Zhang Yu looked at Yun Zhiguang seriously and said, "Senior Sister Yun, no matter what, I still want to give it a try."
"Tsk..." Yun Zhiguang looked at Zhang Yu impatiently, and at this moment her evaluation of him dropped several points.
"I've wasted all that time talking to you."
"Fine, if you want to smash your head in and get a bloody nose, then go ahead and do it."
Yun Zhiguang's projection disappeared completely, seemingly too lazy to say anything more to Zhang Yu.
In her opinion, since Zhang Yu had tried his best but failed the exam, he would naturally obey her arrangements.
As Zhang Yu watched the projection of Yun Zhiguang disappear, he continued to ponder the matter of job selection.
He compiled the sect information he had heard from Magnetism God, Green Wood God, and Starfire True Lord, and after summarizing it, he listed several of his own options.
"Either work as a researcher at Qiankun Pavilion, or go to Shuntian Hall, as Xinghuo Zhenjun mentioned, to participate in the battle between good and evil, and to produce various immortal elements."
"And Ah Zhen..."
Bai Zhenzhen's image flashed through Zhang Yu's mind: "Most of the information we have now is related to the Myriad Laws Sect. If A-Zhen wants to take the exam for a position in the Heavenly Sword Sect, she needs to find a way to get more information about the Heavenly Sword Sect."
However, among the cultivators Zhang Yu knew, some had never even entered the Heavenly Sword Sect, while others had gone to the Heavenly Sword Sect for training many years ago.
There is a severe lack of information regarding the latest situation and details of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Shortly after Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen finished thinking and gathering information, Zhang Pianpian sent Zhang Yu another message: See you at the usual place.
...
Within the territory of Taiqing, Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Pianpian's figure and said, "Sister."
Zhang Pianpian said, "I'm leaving soon."
Zhang Yu was startled and said, "Leave?"
Zhang Pianpian said, "I will go to the area above the 11th floor, but I can't say exactly where yet."
Looking at Zhang Yu, Zhang Pianpian continued, "Have you decided which position in the Myriad Laws Sect you want to apply for?"
After Zhang Yu expressed his thoughts and hesitations, Zhang Pianpian said, "Qiankun Pavilion and Shuntian Palace each have their advantages and disadvantages, so it's normal for you to feel hesitant."
"I've also gathered some information and think there's a place that might be suitable for you."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu immediately perked up his ears, only to hear Zhang Pianpian explain: "Within the Myriad Laws Sect, every new immortal technique that emerges each year needs to establish its own copyright."
"In this process, someone will naturally need to conduct the approval process and make a judgment on the practicality, novelty, creativity, and other aspects of these immortal techniques."
"And the place where this work was carried out was called the Imperial Law Pavilion."
"The Imperial Law Pavilion?" Zhang Yu's eyes lit up suddenly upon hearing this: "Doesn't that mean that the people who approve immortal techniques in the Imperial Law Pavilion can directly access all kinds of cutting-edge immortal techniques?"
Zhang Pianpian said, "That's not necessarily true. You should know that whether in a sect, a university, or a company, the pressure to develop immortal techniques is immense. Every year, a huge number of various immortal techniques are developed, and old versions of techniques are constantly being updated."
"And the level of new and updated technologies varies each year, let's just take the cultivation techniques as an example."
"The vast majority of those created and updated are inevitably basic, advanced, and expert-level cultivation techniques. Military-grade techniques are extremely rare, and the proportion of immortal-level techniques is naturally even smaller."
"The vast majority of the review work within the Imperial Law Pavilion is definitely aimed at the basic, advanced, and expert levels. Not just anyone can be the person in charge of military-level or even immortal-level approvals."
Zhang Yu nodded slightly, instantly understanding. Even if one entered the Imperial Law Pavilion, one would still have to keep climbing higher to access the most cutting-edge knowledge of immortality.
He also asked another question he was concerned about: "What if the staff of the Imperial Law Pavilion learn the cultivation technique themselves during the approval process?"
Zhang Pianpian said, "This is the biggest advantage of the Imperial Law Pavilion. For every immortal technology approved, we have the right to use it in a way that is not for commercial purposes and cannot be shared with others."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu's eyes lit up.
Zhang Pianpian smiled slightly. She had chosen the Imperial Law Pavilion as her target precisely because she felt that her younger brother learned everything very quickly.
Zhang Pianpian said, "But precisely because of this, the Imperial Law Pavilion has extremely high requirements for recruiting officials in the selection examination, and the examination is extremely difficult. Moreover, it has always been a popular position, and every examination is fiercely competitive."
Zhang Yu nodded. The exam was definitely difficult, but the competition was fierce... This time, all the participants in the sect exam were cultivators from the 1st to the 10th level, so the intensity of the competition was definitely not as high as that of those above.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, "This time... might actually be my biggest chance to get this kind of popular job."
Zhang Pianpian continued, "And because the annual technical review work is heavy and numerous, the staff within the Imperial Law Pavilion is large and the competition is extremely fierce."
"But any cultivator who can climb to the upper levels of the Imperial Law Pavilion is a powerful cultivator who is knowledgeable in ancient and modern times, has a profound foundation, and is proficient in various immortal techniques."
"Whether you pursue a career in research and development or seek advancement in management, your potential is extremely high."
Zhang Yu understood immediately. The Imperial Law Pavilion was clearly a place where top cultivators from the Myriad Laws Sect gathered. The fierce competition meant that advancement was difficult, but once one emerged from it, one would be powerful and have a bright future.
Zhang Pianpian then reminded him, "Therefore, there are many disciples from powerful sects in the Imperial Law Pavilion who are extremely confident in their talents and wealth and want to rise to the top in the world. The competition is much fiercer than in other sects."
As she spoke, Zhang Pianpian observed the change in Zhang Yu's expression and said, "It seems you've already made up your mind."
Zhang Yu nodded and said, "The Imperial Law Pavilion is indeed very suitable for me. I want to give it a try."
After discussing the information about the Imperial Law Pavilion with Zhang Pianpian, Zhang Yu inquired about the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Zhang Pianpian understood that Zhang Yu was asking about this for Bai Zhenzhen's sake.
"Before I leave, I will try to gather some relevant information and send it to you together."
Then Zhang Yu asked about the different attitudes of the Heavenly Court and the sects towards the selection examination for sect affairs officers.
Zhang Pianpian said, "The sect has always resisted the Heavenly Court's interference."
"Therefore, the Heavenly Court has always been supporting new forces within the sects. This time, the sect examination is also intended to establish a long-term practice, so that cultivators from the 1st to 10th levels have a publicly available and continuous channel to join a sect, reducing the information gap. The ten major sects will naturally oppose this."
"However, the struggle between the two sides will be kept within a certain intensity. Although the content of the exam is arranged by the sect, the process is supervised by the Heavenly Court. As long as you can pass the sect exam with your true abilities, the sect will not stop you."
As she spoke, Zhang Pianpian dropped another bombshell: "It won't be long before the Heavenly Court provides you with some support."
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the spirit realm, under a 10x acceleration, True Lord Xinghuo was imparting knowledge of the sect examination to the three. He said, "As far as I know, the sect examination is divided into a preliminary examination, a re-examination, and an interview."
"The preliminary test is a unified examination that tests the candidate's personal character, moral standards, and comprehensive abilities and aptitudes in religious affairs. The total score is 200 points, and a passing score of 150 or above is required to enter the retest."
"Moral standards are based on the sect's rules and regulations. Sect affairs capabilities are assessed based on comprehension, judgment, and organizational skills in various situations..."
"These tests are conducted within an illusion, examining each person's most authentic and direct reactions."
“When I was still in the sect, I heard that a preliminary test would take about 3 hours. A Nascent Soul cultivator would have to go through more than 1,000 illusions and answer more than 10,000 questions in those 3 hours. He would have to make a judgment on a complex problem almost every 0.25 seconds. This whole process was actually to test the candidate’s inner reaction in a high-pressure way that exceeded the candidate’s limits.”
"Although the Golden Core group's exam is one level lower in difficulty, it is still extremely difficult for cultivators at the Golden Core level."
"Therefore, if you want to get a high score in this process, you must understand the various situations of the sect, and you must also engrave all kinds of habits, reactions and knowledge into your bones."
"However, many common-sense things that are taken for granted within the sect are completely unknown and unknown to you. Therefore, knowledge such as the customs, laws, culture, history, and common sense of the Dharma realm within the Wanfa Sect is very important to you. The more you master, the higher your sect literacy will be. And these contents are all-encompassing... There are only three months left, and you must seize the time to study."
Just as Zhang Yu was studying diligently, a groan came from his mind.
"Cool!"
Fukihime shouted and laughed, "Finally, I've recovered to the rank of a level 3 evil god!"
Zhang Yu's eyes flickered, and he thought to himself, "You're finally awake. Hurry up and enhance my potential."
Fu Ji chuckled, and Zhang Yu felt a strange power surge into his sea of consciousness. Immediately afterward, he felt a sharp pain in his palm, and a transparent symbol was generated within it.
Upon seeing this transparent symbol, Zhang Yu felt a surge of anticipation.
Just like the initial opening of the Feather Book and its two subsequent upgrades, it also requires waiting until the symbol is filled with black.
"It should be finished in a few days."
Fukuhime then inquired about what had happened since she fell into a deep sleep and her current situation.
"Triple salary! Over 10 billion spirit coins spent?"
"Owes billions in debt?! Aaaaaaah!"
"The Heavenly Court has descended?!"
"The Religious Affairs Officer Exam!?"
Listening to what Zhang Yu said, Fu Ji felt as if she had been thrown into the sky and then crashed to the ground again and again. Pain, surprise, anger, shock... all kinds of emotions were released in an instant, leaving her speechless for a moment.
However, when the news of the civil affairs officer examination finally came, even the matter of owing tens of billions of debts was immediately overshadowed.
"If he passes the sect examination and successfully joins the sect, then the wish path given to Zhang Yu by the evil god ritual will be mostly fulfilled."
Fuki, upon considering this, was momentarily unsure whether the situation was good or bad.
Two days later, when Zhang Yu had accumulated about half of the runes, the news about the selection exam for sect affairs officers was officially released, and the various job positions and application requirements of the ten major sects were also announced.
Furthermore, some righteous gods began selling study materials for the imperial examinations, and sales skyrocketed in the blink of an eye.
In an instant, the top ten universities were abuzz with excitement, with everyone seemingly discussing the Zongkao (a type of religious examination). Many wealthy individuals even stopped working, planning to dedicate three months to preparing for the Zongkao.
At the same time, Deng Bingding also contacted Zhang Yu through the spirit world, and his projection appeared in front of Xinghuo Zhenjun and the others.
After greeting everyone, Deng Bingding explained the purpose of his visit.
“True Lord Xinghuo, the Heavenly Court hopes that in addition to Zhang Yu and the other two, some other students can be arranged to take extra classes together. They are all elites selected from the top ten universities.”
Before Xinghuo Zhenjun could refuse outright, Deng Bingding continued, "I know this will require extra effort from you, so the Heavenly Court is willing to provide support."
The assistance provided by the Heavenly Court is simple yet crucial: it offers a free illusionary realm simulating a sect's environment, a test simulating the sect's examination, and a free 20x acceleration function for the spirit world.
Upon hearing this, True Lord Xinghuo was immediately tempted.
After all, Kunxu is developing rapidly, and its immortal techniques, moral standards, and cultural trends are changing all the time.
True Monarch Xinghuo was unsure what changes had occurred within the sect during his absence, and even with the review materials purchased from the True God, he could not feel at ease.
Needless to say, the 20x acceleration of the spirit world is a given. The ordinary acceleration of the spirit world is at most 10x, and the 20x acceleration can increase their efficiency by 100%.
Starfire True Monarch immediately asked, "Was it generated based on the latest data?"
Deng Bingding smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, True Lord, everything is the latest version."
She then added, "Regarding the copyright and sale of the course recordings..."
Starfire True Monarch's eyes flashed, and he solemnly said, "We can talk about anything."
After some discussion, Xinghuo Zhenjun quickly reached an agreement with Deng Bingding.
Soon after, a new spirit world classroom was provided to Xinghuo Zhenjun and Zhang Yu and the other three, and the classroom had all the new functions that Deng Bingding had promised.
At the same time, Deng Bingding reminded, "If you want to invite anyone to this tutoring class, just let me know."
"We are willing to support more people to participate in tutoring to increase their chances of admission."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu's heart stirred slightly. He glanced at the figures of several people and said to Xinghuo Zhenjun beside him, "Teacher, I would like to recommend a few friends to participate. Is that alright?"
True Lord Xinghuo casually replied, "It's fine to listen in."
Over the next period of time, cultivators crossed the spirit realm one after another and arrived at this spirit realm classroom. The first to arrive were the cultivators from the top ten universities and those arranged by the Heavenly Court.
Tian Shenggong from the Immortal Soldier University spotted Xinghuo Zhenjun on the stage and Zhang Yu and others below.
"So, Zhang Yu will also participate in this clan examination?"
Tian Shenggong's eyes flashed, and he strode towards Zhang Yu's direction.
"The path to victory for Kao Tsongkhapa is already unfolding before my eyes; I must..."
In a flash, Tian Shenggong had already taken the shortest path towards Zhang Yu's location.
Since Zhang Yu's left and right sides were already occupied by Yu Xinghan and Bai Zhenzhen respectively, his target at this moment was the area behind Zhang Yu.
"I want to sit in the seat closest to Zhang Yu!"
But in the next moment, a dragon shadow suddenly appeared in front of Tian Shenggong.
Tian Shenggong's gaze sharpened as he looked at the figure: "Ying Mingchi from Tianyao University? This guy, did he see the same path to the shore as me?"
Ying Mingchi also saw Tian Shenggong vying for his seat and thought to himself, "As expected of the sect examination, the competition has already begun before the class has even started? But Zhang Yu is a human-demon who has awakened his demon bloodline, so I'll take the seat closest to him!"
But the next moment, the two figures suddenly stopped. Zhang Yu waved his hand, and a projection appeared beside them.
"Wanfa University...Le Mulan?" Tian Shenggong said unwillingly, "Who is this guy? How can he sit so close to Zhang Yu?"
Immediately afterwards, more figures appeared around Zhang Yu, including Shi Huaiyu, Ying Xin, and Shi Yunxiang.
Others include Ye Xingli, Bei Wufeng, Jin Jun, and Yan Qianji.
Seeing that Zhang Yu's surroundings were quickly filled with people, Tian Shenggong and Ying Mingchi could only squeeze in and sit down to the side.
At the same time, a message from Yin Quan Shen Jun appeared in Zhang Yu's eyes: "True Lord Zhu Yi, my son Wang Yin has also joined the tutoring class. If you still have any grievances about the past, you can raise any requests with me, his mother."
Zhang Yu: Any request is fine?
Meanwhile, Kuang Tianqing from Tianmo University was already sitting in the last row of the classroom, watching the elite students from the ten schools emerge one by one. He thought to himself, "These guys who were originally rivals..."
Images of the Ten Major Leagues and the University Wars flashed through Kuang Tianqing's eyes, showing scenes of the ten schools fighting and dragging each other down.
"But now we've become companions."
Kuang Tianqing sighed inwardly, "Is it all because of the oppression of the sects? They've forced cultivators from the same ecosystem to come together."
"We want to launch a joint attack on the sect, to break through the sect's examination and crash into the sect."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
