Chapter 251 - 143: The Master’s Grace, Honing the Physical Body

Chapter 251: Chapter 143: The Master’s Grace, Honing the Physical Body

"Good."

Seeing the determination in Chu Bai’s eyes, Zhang Cheng’s hand, which had been stroking his wine cup, paused. He then broke into a smile of deep approval.

He looked at the young man before him, marveling internally.

Before today, he might have only seen Chu Bai as a highly promising junior, a capable subordinate.

But now, hearing him say he wanted to go see Qingzhou, Zhang Cheng suddenly realized that in just a few years, this young man might stand as a colleague to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator like himself.

The Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty was governed by a strict hierarchy.

White Talisman Cultivators could pour their heart and soul into their work, yet their highest possible rank was merely Junior Eighth Grade. However, once a cultivator climbed the Celestial Ladder in the Qingzhou Celestial Examination and received a Cyan Talisman, it was like getting a ticket into the upper echelons of the Immortal Dynasty.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, one’s career began at the Junior Seventh Grade.

This wasn’t just a shift in authority; it was a complete leap in one’s very level of existence and political standing.

Had it been any other subordinate, Zhang Cheng might have offered a word of caution, advising them to first secure a stable position of power here in Anping County and not be overly ambitious.

But with Chu Bai, whom he had recruited himself, he was keenly aware of the young man’s ambition.

He still remembered Chu Bai’s performance during the Heart Inquiry trial, back when he himself had presided over the selection for Immortal Officials at the Dayuan Prefecture Daoist School.

In that trial, rife with Illusion Realms that interrogated one’s very Divine Soul, only this young man had a Dao Heart like a stubborn stone that had weathered ten thousand years. No matter how the winds howled or waves crashed against it, his resolve remained singular: to advance, to never retreat, to question the heavens with his sword.

A Dao Heart like that is a Seeker’s sharpest spear.

When Zhang Cheng had first recruited Chu Bai, his intention had been to add a sharp, demon-slaying blade to his newly reformed Evil Suppression Department. Chu Bai had not let him down. He had not only carved out a fearsome reputation for himself but had, over the past year and more, cleared away much of the darkness looming over Anping County on Zhang Cheng’s behalf.

"If that’s your goal, then for the next year or so, you truly cannot afford to be distracted by trivial matters."

Zhang Cheng sighed. His voice held a hint of melancholy at the thought of losing such a talent, but it was overshadowed by a sense of open-minded acceptance.

"Since you hold such a grand ambition, you must dedicate yourself to your cultivation. The gap between the Late-stage of Qi Cultivation and Perfection is only a couple of steps, but the Heaven-Scaling Ladder tests far more than just the depth of your Magical Power."

He paused before adding, "As for the Demon-slaying Team’s official duties, I’ll have Feng Qin and Hu Hao take on more responsibility. You can use your time to train them. But from now on, stay out of the major Demon cases and the power struggles at the County Yamen."

For Zhang Cheng, personally sending a future Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator—a renowned official bearing a Cyan Talisman—on the path to the Qingzhou Celestial Examination was also an incredibly valuable political investment.

"Thank you for your kindness, Master."

Upon hearing this, Chu Bai’s expression turned solemn. He raised his half-finished cup of wine and performed an ancient, respectful rite toward Zhang Cheng.

He was thanking Zhang Cheng for his sharp judgment years ago, when he served as Chief Examiner at the Daoist School and ensured a student from a Humble Family like himself was not overlooked. He was also thanking him for this day, for not using his authority to hold him back, but instead honoring his heart’s desire to seek the Dao.

In the officialdom of the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, the difference between a "superior" and a "Master" was as vast as heaven and earth.

The former implied a bond of official duty; the latter, a deep karmic connection forged through mentorship and recognition.

Hearing Chu Bai call him Master, the smile on Zhang Cheng’s face widened fully, and even the oppressive aura of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator around him seemed to lessen. He laughed heartily, clinked his cup with Chu Bai’s, and drained it.

"Excellent! I accept the title of Master."

The fire in the private room’s brazier slowly died down, but the look in Zhang Cheng’s eyes grew more profound. He set down his empty cup, his expression becoming more solemn than ever. Leaning forward slightly, he lowered his voice. "Chu Bai, since you’ve made up your mind, there are some crucial details about the Celestial Examination I must tell you in advance, so that you know what to expect."

Seeing his change in demeanor, Chu Bai straightened his posture and cupped his hands. "Please enlighten me, Master."

"The Cyan Register Celestial Examination is known among common folk as the Merit Examination. But among us cultivators, it has a more fitting name—the Heaven-Scaling Ladder."

Zhang Cheng began, his voice faint and tinged with melancholy. "Do you know why this threshold bars the path for most of the world’s White Talisman Cultivators?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

Before Chu Bai could answer, Zhang Cheng continued, "Because the Celestial Ladder is not located within the grand territories of the Great Zhou, but inside a Wild Secret Realm, a place the Law Net can barely reach."

Chu Bai’s brow furrowed. ’A Wild Secret Realm?’ He was inwardly alarmed.

The Law Net was the most fundamental tool of the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty. By linking into the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism, it served not only as an extension of imperial authority but also as the ultimate guarantee of a cultivator’s safety.

In any place covered by the Law Net, wherever Official Qi was present, all manner of evil would be repelled.

Once a Secret Realm was refined, it became known as a Spirit Realm. Chu Bai had seen one of those before at the Daoist School.

"Correct. Beyond the Law Net, they are worlds unto themselves."

Zhang Cheng went on, "The Secret Realm used for each Celestial Examination is different. They are always unowned, wild places—Ancient Ruins or fractured lesser worlds.

In such places, without the suppression of the Law Net, the ferocity of demons and the volatility of the Spiritual Mechanism are ten, even a hundred times greater than in the outside world.

Even the laws of the Great Zhou become murky and indistinct there."

"In other words, it is a true killing field."

A hint of reminiscence—and even lingering fear—flickered in Zhang Cheng’s eyes. "For every Celestial Examination, tens of thousands of prodigies at Late-stage Qi Cultivation and the Perfection Realm gather within Qingzhou.

They might be the scions of Noble Races with profound heritages, or battle-hardened veterans from the Border Army. Yet in the end, the number who manage to seize the Spiritual Mechanism within the Secret Realm and earn a Cyan Talisman is a mere few hundred each time."

"A few hundred chosen from tens of thousands. And because it all takes place in a Wild Secret Realm, it’s difficult for the Government to stage a rescue in time. The casualty rate has never dropped below thirty percent."

At these words, the air in the private room seemed to freeze solid.