Chapter 9: Nine Years Old Taking the Imperial Examination

  Ji Ruochen didn't have to wait for long before he heard Dao Zhang call out his name, and so he followed more than a dozen other children to a side room.

  The moral sect's annual examination system is divided into Wen exam and Wu exam. The Wen exam is divided into four items: explaining classics, drawing talismans, lecturing on Taoist teachings, and miscellaneous skills. The Wu exam is relatively simple, mainly testing the candidate's martial arts skills in the arena. Explaining classics involves the chief examiner assigning a passage from a classic text for the candidates to interpret. Drawing talismans includes drawing magical symbols, talismans, and charms. Lecturing on Taoist teachings involves the chief examiner giving a topic for the candidates to expound upon. Miscellaneous skills is the broadest category, encompassing alchemy, divination, Feng Shui, and more.

  This time, Zhen Guan Dao Chang personally came to preside over the trial of Ji Ruochen. He pondered that Ji Ruochen was from the Zi Yang True Man's Tai Chang Palace lineage, so he set topics that had some connection with Tai Chang Palace. Ji Ruochen received guidance from Qi Liao San Mai True Man and spent one year less than ordinary disciples in seeking the Way, but his answers were mediocre and didn't give Zhen Guan Dao Chang any surprising feeling. However, he far surpassed other disciples in terms of breadth of knowledge.

  Before long, the four items of examination were over, and it was time for the martial competition.

  The examination venue was set up in the courtyard, where a large courtyard was divided into twenty test venues by small yellow flags. It wasn't until Ji Ruochen stepped down that he saw his opponent was just a child who looked like he was only ** years old. When the disciples of the Moral Sect reached the Spiritual Saint realm, they could start converting their true yuan into external force, so these children seemed weak but once they activated their true yuan, their power was not small at all. By the time they reached perfection, their strength was almost comparable to that of a grown man.

  But this child's Tao is not much higher than Ji Ruocheng, and he doesn't have Ji Ruocheng's actual combat experience. Therefore, after three moves and two styles, he was deceived by Ji Ruocheng and pushed out of the trial field.

  His next opponent was a female disciple from the Dan Yuan Palace, who looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old. Her cultivation base was much higher than his, her figure fluttering like an immortal, her feet seeming to tread on waves as she moved, the wooden sword in her hand shaking back and forth, conjuring up layers of illusory sword shadows with each swing, looking very pleasing to the eye. Compared to her, Ji Ruochen's cultivation base and movement skills were far inferior, being circled around by her several times, he became somewhat flustered, unsure of how to deal with the sword shadows that filled the sky.

  The eight true men upstairs all opened their eyes, gazing at the competition in the arena. The young disciples in the courtyard were completely unaware that the eight true men were upstairs, as they focused on the intense battle in the arena and the tense preparations outside.

  Ji Ruocheng was fighting, his feet suddenly slipped, and he began to chant. How could that girl give him such an opportunity? She circled around Ji Ruocheng's back like a puff of smoke, her wooden sword swiftly pointing at Ji Ruocheng's back. The sword tip landed with a dull thud, not as if it had stabbed into flesh and blood, but rather as if it had pierced a rotten wood!

  Ji Ruocheng didn't dodge, instead he straightened his waist and used his back to push against the wooden sword. The wooden sword couldn't withstand this force and snapped in two with a loud "crack". The girl let out a cry of surprise, never expecting such an outcome. As she stood there at a loss for what to do, Ji Ruocheng had already turned around, raised his hand and pointed at her, and a fierce gust of wind came crashing down on her, carrying countless scorching hot grains of sand!

  She let out a cry of surprise and was knocked back several steps by countless red sands, falling to the ground outside the arena, this round was already lost.

  The master's face turned very ugly on the main building, and he turned to ask Zi Yun: "Congratulations on creating a new trick! But I don't know what this trick is called?"

  Zi Yun stroked his long beard and smiled, saying: "This is something I accidentally realized from the 'Shang Huang Jin Lu', which I named Dan Sha Jue. It's just a playful creation, don't take it seriously, Yu Xuan True Person."

  Yu Xuan snorted, saying: "I see that the Dan Sha Jue's power is cut off and not continuous, its function is biased and incomplete. I'm afraid it's specifically used to restrain certain Dao methods?"

  Zi Yun Zhen Ren chuckled and didn't respond, giving Yu Xuan Zhen Ren a default. Yu Xuan Zhen Ren's face was as cold as frost, just when he didn't know what to say, suddenly a flash of lightning illuminated the courtyard, accompanied by the cries of countless children, a pale blue bolt of lightning descended from the sky.

  "What? How could he possibly draw the Heavenly Heart Seal?" Ziyun True Person's face revealed a look of astonishment. He immediately came to his senses, turned his head and glared at Taiwei True Person, saying: "You're really willing to give it up!"

  At this time, a young disciple was lying in front of Ji Ruocheng, with a dark face, who was the Tiankong Palace disciple of Ziyun Zhenren. This disciple was originally deeply cultivated and had almost reached the spiritual saint realm, but he never thought that Ji Ruocheng would suddenly take out a One-Air-Thunderbolt Talisman with a wave of his hand. How could he withstand the power of the Heavenly Heart Seal's falling thunder? He fell down in one move.

  Since he saw Ji Ruochen win against Ziyun True Person's Tiankong Palace with his own methods, Taiwei True Person simply sat upright and pretended not to hear what Ziyun True Person was saying. In his heart, there was still a worry that the true people had secretly taught Ji Ruochen many methods in order to suppress other sects, so he couldn't be complacent now. What if his own Caikong Palace disciples also fell into Ji Ruochen's hands?

  At this time, a black fog suddenly rose in the courtyard, and after a short while, another flame rose, and it turned out that Ji Ruochen used the remaining two Xuan Dou Lock Soul Symbols and Yang Yan Symbol to defeat the two disciples of Taiji Palace and Yangming Palace. It wasn't until then that Taimei Zhenren stroked his beard with a smile, slightly pleased.

  Ji Ruocheng's path may be at the end, but his magical tools and talismans are really formidable, and he also has a way to restrain the various palace paths. In an instant, he won several battles in a row, and his momentum was like breaking bamboo. After a brief rest, standing in front of him was a disciple from the North Pole Palace.

  Bei Ji Gong's true person has deeply researched the original Taoist scriptures, directly pointing to the root of the Great Way. Unlike other palaces where each disciple excels in different areas of study, Bei Ji Gong's disciples are all well-versed in various subjects. As a result, Ji Ruochen found himself at a loss for how to defeat Bei Ji Gong's disciples. Seeing that this child has a calm demeanor and profound Taoist skills, it is clear that he will not be easy to deal with.

  Ji Ruochen hesitated for a moment, and had already thought of a plan in his mind. He glanced at the sky and calculated the position again before bowing to the disciple, indicating that they could start the trial. After the host gave the order, Ji Ruochen put away the wooden sword on his back and took out an eight trigrams plate made of black iron. With his feet stepping on the trigram positions, he slowly walked around the disciple.

  This trial was unexpectedly prolonged, with Ji Yufei only defending and not attacking. The Eight Trigrams Plate above him flowed with flames, and wherever his feet stepped, the corresponding trigram would light up. The Northern Pole Palace disciple felt that the three-foot radius around Ji Yufei had suddenly transformed into a different world, with wind and stillness alternating, waves surging and then calm, and countless dark currents flowing, making it unpredictable. His wooden sword required additional force to maintain its stance whenever it entered the three-foot radius around Ji Yufei's body. As a result, each sword strike consumed an extra third of his true energy. In contrast, Ji Yufei used the Xuan Tie Eight Trigrams Plate to borrow energy from heaven and earth, even borrowing a fraction of his spiritual power, making him much more economical with his energy. However, Ji Yufei had made up his mind to only defend and not attack, no matter how the Northern Pole Palace disciple tried to provoke him, he remained hidden behind the Eight Trigrams Plate, clearly intending to exhaust his opponent to the end.

  In the blink of an eye, a moment had passed, and both were already drenched in sweat, but the dull battle situation remained unchanged. The Beijidian disciple's sword moves became increasingly weak and feeble, and in his heart, he had secretly cursed Ji Ruochen countless times for being despicable and shameless, actually using such a rascal move.

  The master's face had already turned somewhat unsightly, and he finally couldn't help but say: "So that's how the pre-heavenly trigram of the true person is used."

  Gu Shouzhēn was easy-going, but unlike other true men who paid attention to demeanor and etiquette. He smiled and said: "If Dust can come up with another trick, using the Pre-Heavenly Trigrams in such a way, even I wouldn't have thought of it - this kind of talent is indeed rare! Speaking of which, this Xuan Tie Eight Trigram Plate, water and fire won't hurt it, and it's square and sturdy. Using it as a shield isn't a bad idea either."

  At this time, the Beijiao Palace disciple exerted himself and stabbed out with his sword again, but it was another empty strike. He finally couldn't hold on any longer, and his wooden sword struck the ground, barely supporting him so he didn't fall over. His Daoist robe was soaked through with sweat, like a fish that had been thrown onto the shore, gasping for air violently, unable to even say the words "I concede". On the other hand, Ji Ruochen was also extremely exhausted, but he stood firmly in place, clearly still able to fight another round. After all, Ji Ruochen was much older, and his physical strength was at a disadvantage.

  After another brief rest, with a loud command from Zhen Guan, more than ten Taoist priests withdrew the small yellow flags that separated the trial grounds. Ji Ruochen walked slowly into the arena, and standing opposite him was Ming Xin.

  This was the final match of this year's Ling Saint Boundary, and both sides had won every battle so far. The winner of this match would be the first in the Ling Saint Boundary. Although he had rested for a moment and taken some medicinal pills to replenish his energy, Ji Ruochen's face still looked somewhat pale. His opponent, Ming Xin, didn't look much better either.

  As the two men exchanged bows, Ming Xin suddenly gritted his teeth and said in a low voice: "Ji Ruochen, you shameless scoundrel, how dare you falsely accuse me of stealing from you! You've wronged me terribly! Just wait, after I defeat you, three months later I will naturally come to settle the score with you!"

  Ji Ruo Chen was taken aback, and said in a low voice: "I did lose something, but I didn't say you took it, why are you slandering me? You broke the rules, getting punished is only right, what's there to be dissatisfied about? Besides, this isn't the first time you're looking for trouble with me, when the time comes, just come and don't put on such a sanctimonious air. Next time you dare to provoke me again, it won't be as simple as being locked up for a few months."

  Ming Xin was still a child at heart, and having suffered injustice, he was suddenly provoked by Ji Ruochen. His anger flared up instantly, and with a thrust of his sword, he stabbed forward. This sudden attack, although motivated by indignation, was no different from a sneak attack. Ji Ruochen was caught off guard, and the wooden sword's tip had already reached his face! He dodged to the side with a roll, barely avoiding this strike.

  Zhen Guan hurriedly shouted for a halt to the trial, scolded Ming Xin a few times, and then allowed both sides to start again.

  At this time, seeing the disciples under his door behaving improperly, Jing Xiao's face had already turned somewhat gloomy.

  With a clear mind and sword in hand, like the wind, the sound of wind and thunder is hidden between strikes. The five elements sword technique is turned smoothly, changing unpredictably. He is determined to win this sword fight, seize the first place in the annual examination, and change his half-year meditation to three months, so he goes all out from the start.

  At this time, on the second floor, Zhen Guan's younger brother saw that no one was paying attention, opened a test paper and took a look, and quietly handed it to Zhen Guan. Zhen Guan took a look and found that it was Ming Xin's four-item essay test paper. He also opened Ji Ruochen's test paper, compared the two, and immediately picked up his pen and changed a few words on Ming Xin's paper, lowering his score by one grade. This way, even if Ji Ruochen lost to Ming Xin in the competition, he could still take first place in the annual examination.

  Ji Ruocheng and Ming Xin were engaged in a fierce duel, but he didn't know that there was such a profound mystery within. Ming Xin was even more determined to win, and the wooden sword began to glow with a faint light, gradually producing the sound of wind and thunder. Ji Ruocheng's heart skipped a beat as he realized that Ming Xin had started using the powerful Five Elements Sword Technique. The Five Elements Sword Technique was extremely powerful but difficult to master; once out of control, it would often result in the complete exhaustion of one's true energy in a single sword strike. Ji Ruocheng had suffered greatly at the hands of this technique before, and if not for the presence of the Separation Immortal Technique, he would have been severely injured by Zhang Yinyin. However, in this arena, under the watchful eyes of everyone, how could he dare to use the Separation Technique again?

  At this moment, the dust settles and the spirit responds to battle. The wooden sword in his hand makes a turn, stabbing east and parrying west, the sword intent is ancient and awkward, although the true yuan is weak, but it has the majesty of heaven and earth, it is indeed the Li Que Sword taught by Yu Xuan True Man.

  Having made a move with Lie Que's sword, after several swords, Ji Ruochen turned around the unfavorable situation.

  Jing Xiao's face turned even uglier. Ming Xin's actions were not only unorthodox but also lacking in etiquette, making it seem like Taixuan Peak's disciples truly lacked refinement. And to make matters worse, Ji Ruochen had used the Liexu Sword technique taught by Yu Xuan True Person to break his Big Five Elements Sword Technique. As a result, regardless of the outcome, he would not be able to save face.

  Jing Xiao Zhenren's cultivation was incredibly profound, and with just one glance at the arena, he said: "The moves that Yu Chen used, these few styles of Lie Que Sword, taking meaning from broken chapters, go against the original intent of the Lie Que Sword. I'm afraid it's something created by Yu Xū Zhenren on a whim?"

  Yu Xū True Person smiled and said, "Jǐng Xiāo True Person's words are extremely correct. The Tai Xuān Peak's Five Elements Sword Manual is vast and profound, rarely matched in the world. Didn't Chén just suffer several injuries under the Five Elements Sword Manual? I taught him these few swords merely to let him protect himself."

  Jing Xiao snorted and fell silent. How could he not know that the Big Five Elements Sword Key couldn't be used lightly when it wasn't enough, and usually used to train his disciples? It was just that even Zhang Yin couldn't control the Big Five Elements sword energy, and Ming Xin's cultivation was one level lower, making it even more impossible to use the Big Five Elements Sword Key.

  At this moment, Ming Xin has already activated the wooden sword energy of Yimu, and the crime of Jingxiao Zhenren's disciple Wu Fang being unscrupulous is something that cannot be escaped.

  The clearer the mind and the more vigorous the sword energy in the arena, the uglier the face of Jing Xiao, the true person.

  At this moment, Ming Xin gritted his teeth and unsheathed his sword like the wind. The wooden sword was already covered in a faint blue glow. Ji Ruochen focused all his attention on the battle, not daring to be even slightly negligent. He had learned the Five Elements Sword Technique many times before and knew that mobilizing such powerful sword energy was already Ming Xin's limit. If he were to force it further, he might lose control.

  Although Ji Ruocheng was using the Lieque sword, which was specifically designed to counter the Big Five Elements Sword Intent, the two sides were far apart in terms of their Taoist cultivation. Every time they clashed, Ji Ruocheng's body would tremble and he would stumble backward. Ming Xin fought with a fierce passion, his eyes blazing red as he took advantage of the situation without mercy, shouting and continuously swinging his sword to pursue and kill, completely forgetting to control the Five Elements Sword Energy. In an instant, Ji Ruocheng was struck by multiple swords, although they were all blocked, the residual power of Ming Xin's sword left him in agony.

  At this time, Yu Xū said lightly: "The disciples under the door of Jingxiāo True Man are really full of murderous aura."

  Jing Xiao just hummed.

  In the heat of battle, Ming Xin suddenly switched his sword to his left hand, and with his right hand, he pinched a seal. His middle and index fingers automatically snapped apart, releasing several drops of fresh blood. He took out a dark yellow talisman from his bosom, stained it with the bloody fingers, and then shouted loudly: "Behold my divine power!"

  A faint white true fire instantly burned the talisman paper, and the scene only heard a loud roar. Suddenly, a strong black wind blew, cutting like a knife, and countless flying sand and gravel appeared in the wind, with an unstoppable momentum. If one was not careful and hit by the sand and gravel, it would be lightly skinning and flesh bursting, or severely breaking bones and tendons. This was not just a Wind Sand Talisman, but a more powerful Crazy Sand Talisman!

  Ming Xin used up all the Xuan Huang Sand to create a Crazy Sand Talisman, and this was the moment he had been waiting for. With his wooden sword raised high, he was about to thoroughly defeat Ji Ruochen. But just as Ming Xin's wooden sword let out a humming sound, a bright blue light suddenly burst forth, instantly absorbing all of Ming Xin's true yuan, slipping out of his grasp and shooting towards Ji Ruochen like a swimming dragon!

  Sword intent out of control!

  His heart was shocked and almost stopped, knowing that he had already made a big mistake. For a moment, he stood still on the spot, not knowing what to do. But when he looked up, he suddenly found that the wooden sword had struck empty air, and in the wind and sand filling the sky, Ji Ruocheng's figure was nowhere to be seen.

  The wind and sand rose together, Ji Ruochen suddenly knew that things were going to go wrong. As expected, Ming Xin's wooden sword shone brightly in his hand, striking him with a flash of lightning!

  At this time, the gale was like a knife, and the sand and stones were like rain. In front of him, there was also a wooden sword that brought wind and thunder to attack. For a moment, Ji Ruochen had nowhere to dodge, no place to hide! Just as he was about to be seriously injured by Ming Xin's hands, Ji Ruochen's mind suddenly rang out with a loud noise, as if he had returned to the windy and sandy Great Wall outside the pass, while Ming Xin looked like a vicious fat sheep.

  As if dust didn't even have time to settle, she lifted her toes, bowed her waist and seemed to transform into a wisp of smoke. She lowered her head and let the wooden sword pass in front of her face, then took several large strides to flash behind Ming Xin's back. Her footsteps were silent and stealthy, her body like a ghost or specter, not a single thread of human aura on her entire being!

  He lifted his legs high and stepped lightly, walking through the vast expanse of sand and stone, just like a fish swimming through a gap, leaving no trace to be found.

  Ji Ruocheng held the wooden sword horizontally with both hands, using it as a club to silently strike Ming Xin's occipital bone. Ming Xin let out a muffled groan, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground.

  This action had been done countless times, and after calming down, he pointed at him again and shouted: "You this fatty..."

  Fortunately, Ji Ruochen still had a quick wit, and as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she knew they were wrong, and she swallowed the word "yang" back into her belly.

  The fourth floor was eerily quiet, with an undercurrent of ominous wind.

  After a moment of silence, Jing Xiao Zhenren asked: "Fellow Daoists, have you all seen clearly what method Gu Yu Dust just used?"

  Jing Xuan Zhenren looked at each of the Zhenrens, and they all had solemn expressions, furrowed their brows in deep thought, but none responded. Ji Ruochen's move was perfectly natural, changing and unpredictable, without stirring his true yuan or revealing any vital energy. Although the various Zhenrens were all knowledgeable and well-informed, none of them could recognize what method or technique Ji Ruochen had used.

  Ziyang Zhenren and Ji Ruochen spent the most time together, stroking his beard and muttering: "In my opinion, this move of his is purely based on human strength, without moving a single bit of true yuan, it's somewhat like the route of hitting someone from behind..."

  Just as he was halfway through his words, Zi Yang Zhen Ren stopped himself, thinking that it was also unbelievable, and shook his head again.