The Ming Dynasty took an unconventional approach

There are many questions, very detailed and simple, so simple that Pan Yun has never read them and has never made any special effort to learn about them.

For example, which family is the most respected in the world's orthodoxy, and how is it manifested specifically?

This is not difficult. The Zhang family of Longhu Mountain is the only Taoist family in the court that has inherited the title of nobility.

But why do we still need to ask, how many elders are there in the Zhang family now, what is the highest generation, what official positions have they held in the court, and what contributions have they made to the court and the Taoist orthodoxy?
Pan Yun bit the tip of the pen.

How many elders are there in the Zhang family now? Is this something that will be written in textbooks?
The senior brother never told her about it, and the academy never taught her about it.

Pan Yun looked at the next question: What is the division of cultivation?

She knew this, the five times and seven periods. She had specifically looked into it. The division of cultivation levels in the Ming Dynasty was the same as in her previous life.

No, it should be said that the division in her previous life was the same as the division of cultivation levels in the Ming Dynasty. After all, it was a method of dividing cultivation levels extracted by experts from the Taoist tradition.

Next question, are the martial arts levels of the people in the martial arts world also divided in the same way?
right?

Could it be that the people in Jianghu have set up another system?
Intellectually, Pan Yun answered this way, but based on her many years of examination experience, her intuition told her that the answer was no.

Pan Yun bit the tip of the pen again.

For the next question, please write in full the title given by the imperial court to the Heavenly Master of the Heavenly Master Mansion in Mount Longhu.

Pan Yun bit the tip of the pen tightly.

Why, why ask such a simple question?

Please draw a complete picture of the Taoist ordination certificate of the imperial court.

She can do this!

Pan Yun started painting immediately.

Before the test, Miaozhen said that the Daoism Discipline Department would most likely test this question, so they practiced with Wang Cong's certificate of ordination, copying it completely in every detail.

Pan Yun finished drawing the complete certificate of ordination, glanced at the next question, and paused again.

The departments of the imperial court that managed the Taoist priests were listed from the highest to the lowest level;

The departments in charge of monks and nuns in the imperial court are listed from the highest to the lowest...

Pan Jun clicked her tongue and thought to herself as she wrote: Miao Zhen is really an expert at predicting the questions. In such a short time, she guessed three questions correctly.

Pan Jun answered with tears in her eyes. When she finished, before she could catch her breath, the bell rang, the papers were collected, and they were immediately sent to the side courtyard in groups of ten to take the next exam.

As soon as he entered the room, Jingxuan, who had been waiting for a long time, said with a cold face: "Everyone, choose a magic weapon from among them and test the music of Taoism."

Pan Jun was quick-eyed and quick-handed, and immediately took the Sanqing Bell. Hehehe, she and her senior brother had performed rituals several times, and they always took the Sanqing Bell. When she was in Sanqing Mountain, she also took the Sanqing Bell in order to cope with the exams.

The eldest senior brother said that in the first test, one must be able to play at least one musical instrument, in the second test, one must be able to play three, and when one goes to the capital to take the formal test for the ordination certificate, one must be able to play twenty-four. These twenty-four include not only musical instruments, but also other instruments.

Because when it comes to taking the test for the certificate of ordination, the examiner will most likely ask them to work together to complete a major ritual. At that time, the roles will be randomly assigned and they may be given any kind of ritual implements.

The requirements for the initial test were not so strict.

Jingxuan looked at them and nodded slightly after seeing that they had all chosen their instruments. Then he called them forward one by one to take the test.

After taking the Taoist music test, you will also have to take tests on scripture chanting, then stepping on the Gang steps, sword skills, and finally, you will have to form a random team to complete a ritual.

The so-called randomness means that the invigilators from the Discipline Department randomly assign two teammates to them, and then randomly draw ritual topics for them.

For the last item, Pan Yun was very lucky, as their team drew the funeral venue.

She is familiar with this, as she has done it three times with the senior brother.

Pan Yun smiled, but before her lips could rise to their fullest, Jing Xuan raised her head and said, "Funeral rituals - Hell-breaking rituals. You have half an hour to prepare." Pan Yun opened her mouth wide and quickly turned to ask her fellow Taoist who happened to be with her, "Fellow Taoist, why is there a Hell-breaking ritual? Aren't funeral rituals just about opening the Heaven Gate and the Snow Mountain ritual?"

"Did you only answer these two when answering the questions? Then you are done. I answered all three."

Pan Yun: "...This is the key. The key is that I don't know how to break the Hell Ritual."

The other party grinned: "I don't know either."

Pan Yun: "...You don't know what you are happy about?"

"Although I don't know how to do it, I answered the question correctly, so I must have one more point than you."

Pan Yun’s fists became stiff.

The older Taoist friends nearby hurriedly urged them: "Hurry up, if you don't know how to play, just hold your instruments, and I will lead the way."

Although Pan Yun herself didn't know how to do it, she hurried to cooperate, fearing that she would ruin her fellow Taoist's test. She picked up the Sanqing Bell and asked, "How many times should I chop?"

The older Taoist priest gave her an approving look and said, "Kill nine times."

Pan Yun said he understood.

Although she has not learned the Hell-Breaking Ritual, she knows the Sanqing Bell, which is almost the same, so she can still assist.

Pan Yun's calmness made the young Taoist priest beside him concerned, "What about my magic sword?"

The older Taoist priest looked at him with a tangled expression, and after a moment he said, "Why don't you give up the sword and chant the sutras to guide you. The sword requires footwork, and you haven't learned it yet, so how can you do it?"

"I have learned to open the Heaven Gate."

"This is the breaking of hell, which is different from opening the gate of heaven," the elder Taoist said. "Opening the gate of heaven is a funeral ritual for ordinary people. Only the souls of those who have committed many evil deeds and fallen into hell, or those who have fallen into hell accidentally, need to break hell and pull the souls out of hell and send them to the gate of heaven. Not even a single step can be missed here."

Pan Yun nodded repeatedly: "It's a pity that I am young and have never had the opportunity to follow my senior brother to perform rituals for people who have done many evil things, so I don't know the method of breaking the hell. This Taoist friend looks quite old, has he never encountered such a ritual?"

The other party's cheeks turned red after being bullied by Pan Yun, and he could only choose to recite scriptures to help.

Pan Yun got his revenge and felt refreshed.

Their team completed the hell-breaking ritual without any danger, and the examiner gave them seven and a half points.

The examiner did not shy away from the question and pointed at Pan Yun and said, "Deduct one point from you."

He turned his finger and pointed at another young Taoist priest and said, "Deduct one and a half points from you."

Then he nodded to the older Taoist priest and said, "Yun Chenzi, you did it perfectly, and you were the leader, so you did the best job."

Yun Chenzi smiled so much that his eyes curved. He quickly bowed and walked out.

Pan Yun's team was in the later stage. When they went out, there were already many Taoist friends who had completed the exam standing outside. When they saw them coming out, they rushed up to them and asked, "Fellow Taoists, what ritual did you draw?"

"Breaking hell? It's more difficult than ours. We need to perform a ritual to pray for blessings, thank the gods, cure diseases and prolong life."

Pan Jun raised her eyelids and sighed. This auspicious fasting and offering ceremony was her favorite because she had learned it most completely.

Not only did they learn everything at Mount Sanqing, but in their previous lives, they also liked this kind of blessing ritual. On the contrary, they had never performed rituals like breaking through hell.

It seems that going to hell is not a terrible thing for people in the 26th century.

Pan Yun was deep in thought when Miao Zhen and Miao He's voices came: "Little Master Uncle, Little Master Uncle——"

Pan Yun came back to her senses and quickly tiptoed to find them: "Have you finished the exam?"

The two little girls were standing with a group of Kun Daoists, and Pan Yun also saw Xuan Li. (End of this chapter)