Longevity from Liao Zhai

Chapter 137: It’s hard to get into the elegant hall
Outside the secret realm.

Yue Yunfeng was fiddling with his coffin.

Wu Da Ge walked into Yueyun Peak. Because he was a seventh-rank cultivator, he did not go in.

"Old Yue, why aren't you going in yet?" Wu Dage's thin body looked like a child.

Yue Yunfeng glanced at Wu Da Ge and said, "You haven't gone in yet, so I won't go in either."

Although Yue Yunfeng's last name is Yue, he is half a member of the Wu family. Moreover, he is very talented and is the best player among the younger generation of the Wu family, except for Wu Da Ge.

The methods of these two are among the best among the younger generation.

Wu Da Ge stood on a stone, barely as tall as Yue Yunfeng: "Then let's wait a little longer."

Yue Yunfeng looked at the triangular-eyed Wu Laosan in the distance, then smiled and said, "Then just wait."

Yue Yunfeng knew that Wu Dage wanted to enter the secret realm because Wu Dage did not have the storage jade.

Therefore, the secret realm is very attractive to Wu Dage.

Yue Yunfeng just wanted to enter the secret realm to find some rare treasures, so he was not in a hurry. In Yue Yunfeng's opinion, whether it was the Buddhist family or the 100 soldiers led by Zhao Tiancheng, they were not as powerful as Wu Da.

Although Wu Dage is of the seventh rank and cannot enter the secret realm, a person's cultivation level is not static and can be lowered by oneself.

However, self-degradation can cause great harm to the practitioner.

It is easy to downgrade yourself, but it is difficult to return to your original state.

Qinghe County.

Zhou Ping learned calligraphy under the guidance of Fan Shiyi.

The escort agency brought Uncle Bo's message. A man named Wu Da Ge offered Zhou Ping five hundred taels to follow him into the secret realm to search for treasure.

In addition to the five hundred taels, Zhou Ping can also choose any treasures in the secret realm.

Zhou Ping had an impression of Wu Dage, because although his name sounded very tall, he was actually very short.

Zhou Ping decisively refused! First, he had no shortage of money, and second, he had no shortage of spiritual jade for storage.

The journey to the secret realm was still too dangerous. Moreover, the examination for the postgraduate degree would begin in three days, and he had to practice calligraphy as fast as possible.

"How can you write like this?" Fan Shiyi was very satisfied with Zhou Ping's progress.

In order to practice calligraphy, Zhou Ping could go without sleep for a whole day and a whole night.

In just over ten days, Zhou Ping's handwriting had become barely legible.

Fan Shiyi grabbed Zhou Ping's pen and taught him how to write. However, Fan Shiyi did not touch Zhou Ping's hand.

Zhou Ping heard from Fan Shiyi that she didn't like touching men and felt disgusted when she touched a man.

So even though she was teaching Zhou Ping calligraphy, Fan Shiyi didn't touch him. She just held the top of the pen and taught him to write.

Fan Shiyi is on Zhou Ping's right.

A ray of sunlight just happened to shine through the window onto Fan Shiyi's face.

From this angle, Zhou Ping could only see her profile.

A strand of black hair fell from Fan Shiyi's head. Against the backdrop of the black hair, Fan Shiyi's face did not look like a man's, but rather a woman's.

It is so beautiful that it is beyond words.

Just a side profile shows Fan Shiyi's beauty to the fullest, and you can't even tell that he is a man.

Zhou Ping only felt a dry throat. Am I going to make a decision that goes against my ancestors?

"Zhou Ping, what are you doing?" Fan Shiyi saw Zhou Ping's absent-mindedness.

Zhou Ping said "Oh" in a panic: "Nothing, there was a bug on your face just now."

Xiao Qing suddenly appeared and said with a wicked smile: "A bug fascinated you?"

Zhou Ping was really speechless about Xiaoqing. Xiaoqing always made him feel embarrassed. He couldn't say that he was obsessed with Fan Shiyi because she was too beautiful.

"I'm going out for some fresh air." Zhou Ping dropped his pen and ran away.

Fan Shiyi was still a little confused. She looked at Xiaoqing and asked, "What happened?"

Xiao Qing looked at Fan Shiyi, gloating a little: "Do you remember Master Liu?"

Fan Shiyi asked in confusion: "What Young Master Liu?"

Xiao Qing said with a malicious look: "In August of the year before last, there was a young man named Liu, and in February of last year, there was a young man named Li. Do you still remember them?"

Fan Shiyi shuddered suddenly and felt chilled all over.

These two men once confessed their love to Fan Shiyi, but they did not know Fan Shiyi's identity.

What’s even more terrifying is that the two of them ended up together.

Fan Shiyi said in horror: "Are you saying that Zhou Ping is also this kind of person?"

Xiao Qing shook her head and said, "Not yet. If I stay with you any longer, I'm afraid it will be."

Fan Shiyi
The entrance to the secret realm.

A paper man floated out swayingly.

The paper man was in human form, but now it was only half.

"Paper man magic, Master Zhao Tiancheng has sent us a message." When Wu Laosan saw the paper man, he immediately rushed forward and caught the paper man.

On the upper half of the paper man's body, it was written: "Save me!"

Wu Laosan's face changed drastically. In this group, not only Zhao Tiancheng brought his retainers and hundreds of soldiers, but also a dozen monks, and then the younger generation of the Wu family headed by Wu Dafu.

Even so, they actually sent out paper men to ask for help, which shows how dangerous the situation inside is.

"We were careless!" Wu Laosan's face immediately darkened. The dozens of young people from the Wu family who entered the tomb were the elites of the younger generation.

Once these dozens of people die, the Wu family’s vitality will probably be seriously damaged.

With so many young people from the Wu family having died, the Wu family will definitely not let Wu Lao San go.

What's more, Zhao Tiancheng is also inside. He is the second son of the county magistrate. If Zhao Tiancheng dies in there, the county magistrate will definitely vent his anger on the Wu family, and by then the Wu family will probably be reduced to a small family.

Although the small group of corpse-drivers may not be very noticeable, they are still a family after all, and they are backed by the government.

If the county magistrate vents his anger on the Wu family, the Wu family may fall apart, and Wu Lao San will no longer have such a high status.

Wu Laosan was almost so anxious that he lost his temper. He glanced around and saw Wu Da Ge and Yue Yunfeng: "There is still hope, there is still hope."

Wu Laosan walked towards the two of them, rubbing his hands, and begging in his tone: "Big guy, Yunfeng, your brothers are in trouble now, and we need you to save them."

Wu Da Ge shook his head: "Uncle San, I am a seventh-rank cultivator, I cannot enter."

Yue Yunfeng sighed, he touched the coffin and said, "Third Uncle, although I was once the son-in-law of the Wu family, the family has long since removed me from the family tree, and when the Wu family sees me, they want to snatch my youngest sister away."

Wu Lao San knew that the two were negotiating with him, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Yun Feng, as long as you are willing to go in and save people, you can return to the Wu family. I can also report the matter of the youngest sister to the elders, and I will not pursue it in the future."

There was a glimmer of joy in Yue Yunfeng's eyes. He took his lover's body and refined her into a zombie, which violated the clan rules of the Wu family and was not tolerated by the Wu family. Moreover, when the Wu family saw him, they always tried to snatch the youngest sister back.

Yue Yunfeng was like a rat crossing the street, everyone was shouting and beating him.

"Forget about going back to the Wu family. I just want the Wu family to stop disturbing me and my youngest sister in the future." Yue Yunfeng said.

Wu Laosan gritted his teeth and said, "No problem! I can make the decision on this matter."

Yue Yunfeng looked at the coffin and nodded.

Wu Laosan dealt with Yue Yunfeng, and then looked at Wu Da Ge: "Da Ge, although you are at the seventh level, you can lower your cultivation to the eighth level, and then you can enter the secret book." Wu Laosan said as he took out a pill: "This realm-breaking pill can help you restore your original realm."

Wu Da Ge looked at the pill in Wu Lao San's hand, his face was normal, but he was extremely excited inside. The reason why he didn't enter the secret realm was that he was waiting for Wu Lao San to come and ask him for help.

Since you have entered the secret realm with your cultivation, you have gained nothing.

But since Wu Laosan came to ask him for help, Wu Daguo could negotiate the terms.

"One pill is not enough." said Wu Dage.

Wu Lao San said angrily: "You dwarf, I gave you a pill for the sake of my family, and you are still asking for more?"

Wu Da Ge snorted coldly: "Uncle San, you also said that I am a dwarf. I don't have the ability to save people."

Wu Laosan suppressed his anger and said, "Okay, two pills then!"

Wu Da Ge then slowly took the two pills and put them in his arms: "I have one more condition."

Wu Lao San was completely furious. He was the elder of the family and had a very high status, but he didn't expect to be threatened by a junior: "Wu Da Ge, don't go too far!"

Wu Da Ge said hurriedly: "It's not an excessive condition. There is a bodyguard named Zhou Ping in Qinghe County. I want him to accompany us."

When Wu Laosan heard Wu Da's request, his anger immediately disappeared by half: "I thought it was nothing, it's just hiring a bodyguard. As long as he is willing to come, the Wu family is willing to pay any amount of money."

Wu Da Ge shook his head and said, "Activator is a bit cautious and doesn't want to wade into this muddy water."

"Humph, that's not up to him." Wu Laosan knew that County Magistrate Lu also came from Qianzhou City, and his father was the county governor's legal advisor.

With this relationship in place, Zhou Ping has to come even if he doesn't want to!
Three days later, Qinghe County held the Tongsheng Examination.

It’s just that this year’s Tongsheng examination was a bit deserted.

In the past, there would be a lot of people at the entrance of the examination center.

But this year, many people in Qinghe County have entered the tunnel.

There is a secret place in the tunnel, which attracts many outsiders.

These outsiders always need to eat, drink, defecate and urinate, so the people of Qinghe County all set up stalls to sell things.

Even Chen Li went there.

So Qinghe County seems a bit deserted.

There were hundreds of people taking the Tongsheng examination in Qinghe County, but only ten were selected!
There are hundreds of sets of tables and chairs in the examination hall.

Students will take exams here.

And above, there are three tables.

In the middle of the table is a middle-aged scholar, on the right is the county magistrate Lu, and on the left is Chen Chao.

"Sir, have some tea." Chen Chao served tea to the middle-aged scholar.

The middle-aged scholar was named Meng Jiusheng, and he was the dean of Qianzhou Academy.

The Great Wei established an academy in the capital, which in turn had branches in nine counties.

Meng Jiusheng is the dean of the Qianzhou branch.

Originally, Meng Jiusheng did not need to take the Tongsheng examination. Someone of his level would only be an invigilator in the Xiucai election examination.

It’s just that Qinghe County has been quite lively recently, so Meng Jiusheng also came to join in the fun.

Meng Jiusheng took the tea and said, "I never thought that there would be a ninth-rank scholar in Qinghe County."

In the hundreds of counties of Qianzhou, each county has scholars who are qualified to enter the imperial examinations, and the highest rank is the ninth rank.

There can be one eighth-grade official in a county, and there are very few such counties, less than ten.

Qinghe County has not had a ninth rank for many years.

Although it is said that the poor are good at literature and the rich are good at martial arts, poverty is only relative to wealth. The poverty here means that there is no worry about food and clothing, and you can afford to buy writing brushes, inkstones, paper and inkstones.

According to this standard, not many people in Qinghe County can afford to read books, after all, paper is very expensive.

Most of the scholars are in Qianzhou City, especially in the academies in Qianzhou City.

So Meng Jiusheng was still a little surprised when he saw that Chen Chao was actually a ninth-rank official.

Chen Chao had never thought that he could sit with a third-rank cultivator. He was flattered and said, "This is all thanks to Master Fan Shiyi. He has been in Qinghe County for such a long time, and many people have followed him to enter the rank."

Meng Jiusheng nodded.

"Well, I heard that Fan Shiyi is here."

"This boy is the most talented person I have ever seen in the past two hundred years!"

Meng Jiusheng paused, then continued: "Perhaps he will become the most talented person in the Wei Dynasty and go down in history."

Chen Chao and Magistrate Lu beside him nodded. They had all read a lot of books and seen Fan Shiyi's poetry collection, so they knew that it was true.

"Chen Chao, you should be the most accomplished Confucian scholar in Qinghe County, do you have any poems?" Meng Jiusheng had nothing to do and wanted to see what the poems written by Chen Chao were like.

Meng Jiusheng had also seen County Magistrate Lu in Qianzhou County and knew that this person was not good at writing poetry or reading. He could become a county magistrate purely because he had a good father.

Chen Chao had prepared a collection of poems long ago, and then gave it to Meng Jiusheng. He wanted to explain that he was not the most accomplished Confucian in Qinghe County.

Because Miss Mingyue is an eighth-rank Confucian!
However, considering that Mingyue was just a girl in a brothel, Chen Chao felt that it would be reasonable for him not to say anything.

Mingyue’s ancestral home is not Qinghe County.

“These are some of the best poems I have ever written,” Chen Chao said.

Meng Jiusheng flipped through the poetry collection and nodded slightly. After reading some of it, he gave the collection to Chen Chao and said, "It's okay. You can come to Qianzhou Academy to listen to my lectures next year."

Chen Chao was so excited that he didn't know what to say.

Not everyone can enter Qianzhou Academy. One must at least reach the seventh rank to enter the academy, but Chen Chao is only at the ninth rank now.

After entering the academy, there are famous teachers and classmates. We study together and our skills improve very quickly.

The criteria for entering the academy were either to reach the seventh rank or to be recommended by a high-ranking official.

Chen Chao was very skeptical about whether he could reach the seventh rank, so he kept trying to please Fan Shiyi, hoping that Fan Shiyi could say a word for him and allow him to enter Qianzhou Academy.

But Fan Shiyi didn't seem to have that intention.

Chen Chao never thought that he would realize his dream today.

"Thank you, Meng Ru!" Chen Chao bowed respectfully.

Meng Jiusheng nodded. He felt that for someone in such a remote place like Qinghe County to be able to reach the ninth rank, it meant that they had good talent.

In poorer places, the Confucian scholars who can enter the ninth rank rely on their own understanding. Those who can reach the ninth rank in small places all have potential.

While the three were talking, candidates began to enter the examination room one by one.

"Zhou Ping?" Meng Jiusheng actually saw Zhou Ping. He snorted coldly, "A bodyguard dares to take the exam. Do you really think that anyone can take the exam?"

County Magistrate Lu also saw Zhou Ping and was slightly surprised: "I didn't expect him to come too."

Meng Jiusheng asked, "Who's coming?"

"Meng Ru, you may not know that there is a poem circulating in the streets before. I wonder if you have heard of it." County Magistrate Lu explained, "The moon shines brightly in front of my bed. I wonder if it is frost on the ground. I look up at the bright moon."

When Magistrate Lu heard the poem, he interrupted him before he finished speaking. His face looked a little ugly: "Don't read it. This doggerel is not worthy of being read in a formal hall!"

(End of this chapter)