Immortal Road.

"Stop crying!"

Lin Shan coldly rebuked, too lazy to give Jin Chi the old Taoist a kind look. "At your age, still crying and wailing, what kind of behavior is this?"

He strode out, and the old Taoist priest, seeing this, hurriedly chased after him, clutching his fishing rod, and followed closely behind, asking him where he was going.

Upon learning that he was going to attend an antique appraisal event, he immediately bowed and scraped, eager to lead the way.

"I, an old Daoist, failed at fishing. Now I'm placing all my hopes on you, my friend. If you become rich and powerful, don't forget me. If you rise to officialdom and make a fortune, remember to give me a hand."

"Alright, lead the way!"

Lin Shanxiang was imposing and full of arrogance, and his imposing manner was no exaggeration; he completely intimidated the old Taoist Jinchi!

Who would dare to be so arrogant if they weren't capable?

Recalling his recent trip to the city, where he learned that this young man was a certified seventh-grade appraiser from the Tianjian Bureau, he became even more certain that he had encountered a master and that he must cling to his coattails.

He immediately followed like an old steward. For a cultivator in the Void Realm to be so humble and obsequious would make one think that a young master from some noble family was on an outing!
The various venues of the Yunzhou Grand Event were all right next to each other, and soon we arrived at the location of the treasure appraisal conference.

Here stood a group of officials in blue robes adorned with gold, lined up with imposing swords and guarding the entrance.

"They are the Golden Guards of the Observatory!"

The old Taoist priest Jinchi whispered a reminder that the Jinlan Guard was an institution only equipped in the capital cities of various immortal realms, and its organization was equivalent to that of the Jinwu Guard at the Golden Palace Ascension Platform. Both were official guards of the Heavenly Court.

"Stop right there! What are you two doing here?"

Sure enough, one of the Jinlan Guards stepped forward and stopped them.

Lin Shan took out his seventh-grade appraiser badge.

"I want to participate in the treasure appraisal event."

The other party took it, checked it, and, with a wave of their hand, let it pass without uttering a single unnecessary word, clearly handling the matter strictly by official procedures.

Because of his connections, the old Taoist priest Jinchi was also allowed to enter.

This is a square covering ten acres, surrounded by a viewing platform. Preparations are in full swing, and there is still some time before the conference begins. Everyone is waiting on the platform.

An official from the Observatory was waiting to greet them. They approached to inquire about the competition rules and were told that the competition would start in three days. If they didn't mind the inconvenience, they could wait here first, as the organizers would provide food and lodging for the participating cultivators.

Furthermore, any officially certified appraiser can participate for free.

Compared to that, the treasure appraisal event is much more formal!

After all, it was an event organized by the government.

"Fellow Daoist, you are already a seventh-grade appraiser at such a young age. You must come from a prestigious family. I noticed that when you were certified in the South China Sea, you weren't called Xing Shu Zi?"

"Ahem, I'm new here, so I'm just changing my nickname for now."

"It doesn't matter, as long as it's you, your identity or disguise doesn't matter."

The official who received him was quite kind and showed him great favor. He was obviously impressed by his age and potential, thinking that someone so young must have been raised by a prestigious family, otherwise how could he stand out and compete with so many older people?
Looking around, the appraisers on site were mostly covered in long, white beards!

There's no way around it; the appraisal industry relies on accumulating experience, and Lin Shan's age is truly unusual.

According to the ranking system, the Treasure Appraisal Competition is divided into three levels: the Void Realm Group, the Primordial Spirit Group, and the Nascent Soul Group, which correspond to the seventh, sixth, and fifth ranks, respectively.

With over a thousand participants, the top ten will receive generous rewards.

After seeing the reward announcement, Lin Shan's mouth watered. He asked if he could participate in both the Yuan Shen and Dong Xu groups at the same time, but was told that he could not switch groups. Once he selected the Dong Xu group, he could only compete in that group.

The old Taoist priest Jinchi standing next to him stared wide-eyed, his voice trembling with envy.

"First Place: Reward: Dew of the Law; Recommendation for entry into the Heavenly Appraisal Bureau; Title of Immortal Appraiser."

"Second place: Reward: Secret Technique of the Law; Recommendation for entry into the Heavenly Observation Bureau; One Immortal Cultivation Technique of your choice."

"Third Place: Reward: Scroll of Laws; recommendation quota for the Heavenly Observation Bureau; one immortal herb of your choice."

"Fourth to sixth place: one Breakthrough Pill; guest elder status from one of the top ten immortal sects in Yunzhou; and one Xuan Tian spiritual treasure of your choice."

"Seventh to tenth place: one Xuan Tian Secret Treasure; black card VIP treatment from major chambers of commerce in Yunzhou; fifty bottles of cultivation pills for the Void Realm stage of your choice."

The rewards are clearly stated and written out in detail. The rewards are so generous that they are astonishing. Looking back, that "fishing to make friends" scheme was a complete rip-off!

Lin Shan was filled with excitement and high aspirations.

The best prize here is undoubtedly the reward for the top three finishers.

Drinking the Dew of Laws can transform oneself into a Holy Body of Laws, and over time one will naturally comprehend the laws.

Needless to say, the Law Scroll can help cultivators comprehend their own laws.

He possesses the secret techniques of laws; Immortal Lord Xuheng once gave him one, which can be used to refine laws, and both are considered rare and precious immortal treasures!

If he really had to choose, the first and third rewards would undoubtedly be very tempting, the key difference being the additional rewards that follow.

When asked about the purpose of titles such as "Immortal Item Appraiser," an official from the Heavenly Appraisal Bureau explained it to him.

"A Celestial Appraiser generally represents someone with the ability to appraise celestial treasures. This is not only true in the Cloud Wind Celestial Realm, but also anywhere in the Celestial Realm. All forces will treat them with great respect!"

"At the same time, as long as one can be rated as a Celestial Appraiser, one can enter the Celestial Appraisal Bureau at any time to serve as an official and automatically obtain a place in the ranks of immortals!"

"Even without holding an official position, merely being nominally affiliated with someone allows one to receive annual offerings from appraisers in various regions, including but not limited to resources or materials for one's own cultivation."

Is this so great?
You can get free cultivation resources just by registering your name!

Old Taoist Jinchi tugged at his sleeve and whispered a reminder:

"Don't just look at the offerings; what's important is the spot among the immortals. Do you know what that means? It's said that many true immortals would beg for it but can't get it!"

The official from the Observatory next to him nodded with a smile.

"That's right. Not to mention the rogue cultivators and the sects and families outside, even the Golden Palace, which is on par with the Heavenly Observation Bureau, has far more spots than it can offer for those who want to be ranked among the immortals. Many Golden Palace officials have waited for tens of thousands of years without getting a spot! But because our Heavenly Observation Bureau has a small number of people, the supply of spots is not tight. Those who come here to serve as officials can basically get a spot after a long time."

Lin Shan has been in the Immortal Realm for some time now and has a general understanding of what it means to be 'ranked among the immortals'.

The term "Immortal Rank" literally means a position within the Heavenly Court. It signifies that holding this position grants access to the central government of the celestial realm and confers political status.

In reality, however, most true immortals are not qualified to attend court, but possessing this immortal title can grant them an official rank, signifying their true entry into officialdom and the enjoyment of privileges in the immortal realm!

The most direct benefit is the reduction of disasters and calamities; there is no upper limit to the five signs of decay for each realm of beings!
What does it mean?
When a normal person's lifespan is about to end, the Five Signs of Decay will descend upon them. As long as they overcome one of these, they can borrow more lifespan from heaven. A Void Realm cultivator can borrow one thousand years at a time, while a True Immortal can borrow three thousand years. There are a total of five such tribulations, after which one will completely pass away.

However, if one is ranked among the immortals and protected by the Heavenly Court's fortune, the so-called tribulations will not be limited to five times. One can borrow life indefinitely, which is equivalent to a form of immortality!

This is what all cultivators pursue throughout their lives!

However, the tribulations of decline are definitely more severe with each one. Even if there is no upper limit, it is uncertain how many times you can survive them. But the rank of immortal can appropriately weaken the power of the tribulations of decline, buying you time.

If one breaks through to a higher level during this period, then naturally there will be no need to worry about lifespan.

As long as you're alive, anything is possible!
Which old monster wouldn't be tempted?
Of course, immortality is a privilege enjoyed by only a select few. It's impossible for everyone to achieve immortality, as the universe would collapse under the pressure. That's why there's the concept of quotas.

In today's world, the Heavenly Court controls the quotas. It can give them to you or take them back at any time. The difference is whether you are willing to serve the court.

Many powerful beings are unwilling to be restricted, so they don't want the spots even if I offer them. However, most independent cultivators still flock to them, so the supply can't meet the demand.

Lin Shan currently has ample lifespan, so he doesn't value this much. Instead, he prefers the immortal-grade spiritual herbs awarded for third place, as well as the Void-Breaking Pills awarded for fourth to sixth place. These are divine pills that can help break through to the minor realm of the Void Transformation stage!
"If I get into the top three, can I exchange two of the prizes for immortal-grade spiritual herbs and Void-Breaking Pills?"

Jin Chi rolled his eyes. "You haven't even started the competition yet, and you're already talking about conditions. Who do you think you are?"
The officials from the Observatory were very patient, explaining that this was a decision made by higher authorities and could not be changed arbitrarily; each ranking would come with a fixed reward.

"Alright, fellow Daoist, take the token and go rest and prepare. We look forward to your performance at the treasure appraisal event in three days."

Lin Shan took the plaque, which read 'Forty-Three'. It seemed that there were quite a few seventh-grade appraisers from Xiaorong City. He wondered how fierce the competition was in other immortal cities in Yunzhou.

He sighed, shook his head, and walked onto the high platform.

The old Taoist priest Jinchi followed him and asked why he sighed.

When I learned that this kid was struggling with whether the reward for first place or fourth place was better, I almost bit my tongue!
That's outrageous! Even more outrageous than the old man who just talked about "making friends through fishing"!
It's as if the entire treasure appraisal event was just a game of make-believe to you.

"I don't need the laws right now, and even if I were given them, I wouldn't be able to comprehend them. I'd have to wait until at least the late Void Realm stage. But if I had a Void Breaking Pill, I could break through to the mid-Void Realm stage quickly, shortening the time spent on cultivation in the early stages and growing faster. It's such a difficult choice."

Lin Shan muttered to himself, and the old Taoist Jin Chi next to him felt quite uncomfortable. He felt a pang of jealousy and couldn't help but wonder, "Do you even have the ability to fantasize like that?"
But he couldn't resist the confidence he had shown along the way, so he stuck to the side like a shadow, acting like a follower.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Most people who can afford to wait this long choose to stay put.

The Tiansi Bureau provided temporary shelter, which helped wash away some of the dust and fatigue from their journey, leaving many contestants refreshed and invigorated.

Lin Shan had nothing to do these past few days, so he took some time to participate in a "Beast Taming Horse Racing" next door. It was similar to "Making Friends Through Fishing," mainly a competition of the speed of the mounts.

The Zouwu Venerable was finally released. Hearing that he would have a chance to prove himself and that there would be a generous reward if he won, he excitedly let out a long, loud roar to the sky!
Surely a fine horse has its uses?

And here comes the opportunity!

If I can make a name for myself on the field, perhaps a powerful figure from the celestial realm will take notice and spend a fortune to buy me from this kid, so I can transform into a great man's mount.

From then on, he continuously leveraged his strengths to climb higher, growing into a giant among the demon race!
Lin Shan was unaware of its ulterior motives. He simply signed up with a try-it-out attitude, paid an entrance fee of one sixth-grade spirit stone, and was then assigned to the Nascent Soul Great Demon Group according to his cultivation level.

As soon as the race started, Zouwu Venerable was slow at the starting line and was overtaken by several spirit beasts next to him. No matter how hard it tried to catch up, the gap kept widening!
However, spirit beasts are allowed to use their innate speed-related bloodline abilities, so many powerful demons can chase the wind and lightning, leaving afterimages all over the ground.

The Zouwu Venerable also used his best skill. When he ran, his whole body trembled, and large beads of sweat dripped down like blood. If you didn't know better, you would think he was a blood-sweating horse.

When Lin Shan saw it, he thought that the precious horse he brought from the lower realm was going to give him a chance to win the prize!

We were too quick to celebrate.

Despite a series of swift and aggressive moves, their ranking plummeted.

The Zouwu Venerable originally boasted that he was the ancestor of the demon race in the Devouring Star Mountain Range of the lower realm, and that he still had some true spirit bloodline. He thought he could at least compete for a place in the top ten, but who knew that reality would give him a harsh slap in the face.

He ultimately finished 78th overall.

"waste!"

After the competition, the guy was exhausted, lying on the ground with his tongue lolling out, panting heavily, looking pitifully at his owner.

Lin Shan was furious. He had not only paid for the tickets, but also made a huge bet, which he lost entirely and didn't earn back a single penny!

Compared to the fine steeds carefully nurtured by the scions of the large sects and aristocratic families in the Immortal Realm, Venerable Zouwu, a burden brought up from the lower realm, is, to put it bluntly, just a mixed-breed!
After leaving the racetrack, other horses passed by it without even glancing at it, strutting around arrogantly, thinking, "Why should I even look at a bastard?"

After this competition, Lin Shan completely abandoned any other thoughts. He had considered participating in various feng shui, metaphysics, and astrology competitions, but since he was only a dabbler, he decided to focus on the treasure appraisal event.

Today the sky is clear and bright, the wind is gentle and the sun is shining, the clouds are thick and the sky is clear for miles.

The treasure appraisal competition was packed with people, with many contestants and spectators filling the high platform.

Most excitingly, the chief judge of the Heavenly Observation Bureau was actually a true immortal!
"Immortal Yuanjian, this is the Chief Judge of the Tianjian Division of our Xiaorong City, and also one of the most renowned immortal appraisers in Yunzhou and even the Yunfeng Immortal Realm!"

"The treasure appraisal event is much more interesting. Look at those competitions outside, they're all a mess, and you even need tickets to participate!"

"That goes without saying. The Treasure Appraisal Conference is hosted by the Tiantian Bureau. With official involvement, it's definitely more legitimate than one hosted by local forces. That's the backbone of this grand event in Yunzhou!"

"Look everyone, over there are also True Immortal Commanders from Jinque, True Immortal Elders from Xiaorong City, and even the patriarchs of the three major immortal sects nearby."

Amidst gasps of surprise, six True Immortals descended from the crowd, chatting and reminiscing, demonstrating the importance they placed on this treasure appraisal event.

Lin Shan was slightly nervous. It was the first time he had seen so many immortals. He wondered whether the impact of becoming famous would be good or bad.

A head squeezed through the crowd, and Jinchi Daoist finally managed to push through the crowd to report the information he had gathered over the past few days.

"Fellow Daoist Xing, the favorites to win the Treasure Appraisal Competition have been announced, and you're not among them."

"That goes without saying!"

Lin Shan rolled his eyes. He was a newcomer, an unknown rogue cultivator. It would be strange if he were here.

Perfect timing! Now that we're completely in the dark, knowing ourselves and our enemy is crucial for success.

"Tell me, who are the favorites to win? I want to see who's qualified to challenge me on the field!" (End of Chapter)