On the Avenue.

Chapter 294: Passing the Exam Without Hands
On this day, many people were looking up at the sky.

There is one less cloud in the sky of Xijing.

The cloud covered Xijing for eight months. It appeared from nothing and grew bigger and bigger, becoming a dark cloud in everyone's heart that was difficult to clear up.

When the clouds came, there was an earthquake in the officialdom of Xijing. The chief minister of the cabinet resigned, the eunuch who held the seal resigned, the three dukes, the grand tutors, the grand guardians, and the grand mentors resigned, the left and right generals of the five armies resigned, the left and right pillars of the civil and military affairs resigned, the left and right censors-in-chief resigned, and more than half of the six ministers resigned!

After the cloud arrived, many people in Xijing did die. Even though some people resigned from their official positions, they could not escape the cloud and became guests in the cloud, hanging vividly in the sky dozens of miles away.

The people of Xijing were in a panic, and everyone wanted to find the culprit and hand him over to avoid being implicated. But they didn't know much about what happened eleven years ago.

They spent eight months under such pressure.

Now, the cloud has finally gone.

Many people felt relieved.

The director and deputy director of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory hurriedly ordered the morning officials, doctors, and clerks under them to get busy and search for the whereabouts of the cloud.

Many Sky Listeners also became busier. Whenever you looked up, you could always see a few Sky Listeners with big ears flying in the air. Outside the city of Xijing, some trees and grass had many ears growing out of them, and even the cliffs had ears of all sizes growing out of them. The kings and lords among the Sky Listeners also came out.

Some great souls went deep into the underworld, looked around, and searched whether the cloud was hidden in the underworld.

When the cloud was there, they were terrified, fearing that it would find them.

After the cloud left, they became anxious again, thinking that it was no longer under their surveillance and there was always some danger, so they always wanted to find the cloud again.

This busyness did not affect Chen Shi.

He came to the Xinxiang Guild Hall and found Hu Feifei and other scholars from Xinxiang. He also found Tian Yue'e, Huang Fengnian, Fu Xiu and other scholars who were going to Beijing for the imperial examination. He invited them to practice in the Small Heaven together.

During these days, Tian Yue'e, Huang Fengnian and others stayed in Xijing. They had to spend money on food, clothing and other daily expenses. They came from the countryside and could barely scrape together enough money for the journey before taking the exam. Some of them didn't even have enough money for the journey, and they made a living by drawing talismans for people and exorcising evil spirits along the way.

When they arrived in Xijing, Hu Feifei took them to find Hongshan Hall and asked them to join the hall as talisman masters. These days, they helped the people around Xijing to eliminate evil spirits and earned some money to make a living, and their cultivation strength also improved a lot.

The Small Universe is hidden in the Fox Grape Mirror. It looks like just a mirror, but the space inside is extremely vast, even larger than Xijing City.

The positive energy of heaven and earth inside is extremely abundant, and practicing inside is dozens of times better than practicing outside.

Everyone entered the small universe, looked around, and were amazed.

"The sun, moon, stars and rivers here are all wrong. When you cultivate to the Return to Void Realm, don't practice according to them." Chen Shi ordered.

Hu Guanghan laughed and said, "Returning to the Void Realm? Chen Jieyuan, you think too highly of us. In this lifetime, we can never cultivate to the Returning to the Void Realm. It's already amazing to be able to cultivate to the Transformation of the Spirit or the Descending of the Spirit. Even if we follow the right person, we can only be at the Refining of the Void Realm at best."

As soon as these words were spoken, Fang Wuji, Panga and others nodded.

Chen Shi was puzzled and asked, "Why is this?"

Tian Yue'e laughed heartily and said, "For people like us, the Transformation Realm should have been the top. But the next two realms, the God's Descent Realm and the Refining Void Realm, are realms bestowed by the True Gods from Beyond Heaven and have nothing to do with cultivation. Therefore, we can only cultivate to the Refining Void Realm at best. To go further, we need skills, money, Taoist companions, resources and other things. Without money, no one can go up."

Chen Shi suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. No wonder Master Sun Yisheng has been stuck in the Refining Void Realm and can never break through."

Sun Yisheng is the ambassador of Guanghuiku. He has cultivated to the peak of the Refining Void Realm. However, it is estimated that he lacks three of the following: wealth, companion, land, and law, and has never been able to break through.

Chen Shi also thought that many officials like Sun Yisheng in Xijing seemed to be trapped in the Refining Void Realm and could not go any further. For example, some of the Shenjiying soldiers who were chasing them on the road were in this realm.

It can be seen that the blessing of the true God, which bestowed two realms, did narrow the gap between ordinary cultivators and the children of aristocratic families.

Although Chen Shi taught them according to their aptitude and passed on to them various skills from the True King's Tomb, it was not enough to have the skills. They also needed money, a partner, and land.

The so-called wealth is not difficult to understand. When practicing, consolidating and breaking through the realm, you need money. Refining elixirs to treat injuries and illnesses, creating talismans, talismans, and even magic weapons also requires a huge amount of wealth.

Land is a treasure land like the Small Universe and the Cave Heaven Blessed Land. Even Chen Shi felt it was very inconvenient when he practiced at home or in the Guangjiku. He had a blessed land like the Small Universe and the Small Temple, but it was still like this. Others didn't even have a treasure land for cultivation.

The word "lü" does not simply mean a partner, but a Taoist partner. A Taoist partner is someone who is on the same path as you. They can be elders in the school, or they can be fellow practitioners. They can call back your soul and soul when your soul and soul are out of your body, save your life when you are possessed by the devil, and fight side by side with you when you encounter an enemy. The biggest role of a Taoist partner is to help you break through the realm at a critical time.

Wealth, friends, place and dharma, these four are crucial to spiritual practice.

If one or two things are missing, there is still a possibility of a breakthrough, but most cultivators often lack all four.

Chen Shi smiled and said, "If you can't make it, just come to me. I will help you make it!"

There are only three days left before the imperial examination. During these three days, two or three hundred people have gathered in the small heavens, and they are all practicing diligently.

It is rare for people to come across a blessed land, so they practice in the small heavens, forgetting to eat and sleep.

Chen Shi was also cultivating in the Small Universe. His Nascent Soul was gradually growing bigger and now looked like a child of four or five years old.

The Nascent Soul is the same size as his body, which is the limit of his cultivation. Only then can it be compatible with the soul and spirit and cultivate into the Primordial Spirit.

He had not returned home for the past few days, but Chen Tang did not take it seriously. He continued to attend court and leave every day, and went to the Ministry of Revenue for official business, returning only in the evening.

On the afternoon of the third day, Chen Shi invited everyone out of the small world and said, "Gentlemen, you have studied hard in the cold winter and trained hard in the summer, all for a chance of success. Tomorrow, in the examination room, I wish you all success in the exam!"

More than 200 candidates bowed in return and said with a smile: "If it weren't for Chen Jieyuan's cultivation, I'm afraid we would have failed the exam and don't know when we would have the opportunity to stand out."

"I will never forget your kindness in cultivating me in this life!"

Chen Shi parted with them and walked towards the Chen Mansion.

When he passed by Chengdu Street, he suddenly heard a voice saying with a smile: "Chen Jieyuan, please stay."

When Chen Shi heard the voice, his heart was slightly shaken. He stopped and looked in the direction of the sound.

He saw a young man in his twenties standing across the street in Chengdu, facing him across a two-meter-wide road.

Between the two of them was a busy street with heavy traffic.

The young man was followed by several people, two of whom were familiar faces, namely Fang Tan and Wei Xize, the military officers of the Fuzheng Pavilion.

The young man is handsome, tall and well-proportioned, with no extra muscles on his body.

He has fair skin and perfect facial features. His nose is straight and neither too big nor too small, his eyes are bright, his lips are neither thick nor thin, his earlobes are plump, and he is clean-shaven.

There was a red mole between his eyebrows, no one knew whether it was dotted with cinnabar or was natural. He wore a purple gold crown on his head, with his hair tied up and decorated with a red ball in his hairpin. The red ball swayed when he walked, which was very eye-catching.

He wore a white long coat and trousers inside and a red padded jacket outside, a green jade belt around his waist, and a pair of cloud-climbing boots on his feet. The boots had a white sole and a black surface, with golden dragons embroidered with gold thread and clouds embroidered with silver thread. They must be a talisman that had been tempered thousands of times.

When Chen Shi saw the pair of boots, he knew that there must be six Dings and six Jias inside the boots.

"Sir?"

Chen Shi continued to walk forward and said calmly, "After I killed all the members of Taiping Sect on Phoenix Ridge, I heard your voice through the Thousand Miles Sound Token."

The young master walked on the road across the street, separated from him by the crowd, and said with a smile: "Since I came to the capital, I have been in seclusion for these days, and I came out today. Many people in Fuzheng Pavilion knew that I was coming to see you, and they all dissuaded me, saying that you are a lawless person and it is not appropriate for me to come to see you. But I still came, I must meet the famous child scholar in person, and I must have a heart-to-heart talk with you."

Both of their voices were not loud, but they were clearly heard by each other.

Chen Shi said: "You have seen it now. You can go back now."

The young man looked at the road ahead and said sincerely: "I thought there must be a misunderstanding between you and me. Chen Jieyuan, I firmly believe that you are a man with great ambitions. You were born in the countryside and have witnessed the evil spirits wreaking havoc on the countryside. You have witnessed the struggles of all living beings under the transformation of demons, and you have also seen that officials are worse than the evil spirits. This world is like a cage that has trapped you and me. I thought you also had the heart to change the world." There was a convincing power in his voice and he always attracted the attention of others when he spoke eloquently.

"But it was not like that in the era of the True King. In the era of the True King, the demons surrendered, the people lived and worked in peace, the elderly had a place to live, the strong had a place to work, the young had a place to grow, and the sick had a place to get medical treatment."

The young master said, "At that time, there were few evil spirits and they could not form a climate. But all this changed with the death of the True King. Over the years, the people have been suffering more and more, and the evil spirits have become more rampant. The devils have blossomed like flowers, everywhere. The government and the country have been corrupt for a long time. Officials do not make decisions for the people, but only want to maintain their own ruling status and make their descendants prosperous. The big families control the government, the small families control the local areas, and the scholars have become the clean stream, who can only talk and brag."

He sighed, "I believe that you, like me, are deeply saddened by this scene. You can also feel the same pain when you see the people suffering. Before they even have time to grow old, they die at the hands of evil spirits. Finally, under the harsh rule, young and strong people have no place to use their talents, and the court is full of incorruptible people. Children are sold, and the young have no talents. Plagues are rampant, and there is no cure for the disease. The Ming Dynasty has become corrupt!"

The young master turned his head and looked at Chen Shi with a warm gaze: "I think you want to change all this just like me! You want to eradicate corruption, you want to suppress the demons, you want to overturn everything that causes suffering in the world! You want to restore the glory of the True King era! Similarly, this is what I want too!"

He said excitedly: "They told me not to come to see you. They said you were a stubborn person, an evil person, and an unforgivable gangster. But I know you are not! You and I are the same kind of people!"

"You have a kind heart, but you are misunderstood. You have the will to change the world, but you have nowhere to put your strength to use. You have great ambitions and abilities, but you have no place to use them! Chen Jieyuan, you and I are the same kind of people. We are not enemies!"

The young master said loudly: "You and I should join forces, we should influence the current situation, we should restore order, we should win in chaos, we should change this world, and work together to build an ideal era of the True King!"

He extended his hand to Chen Shi and said earnestly: "Chen Jieyuan, there are not many people in this world who understand you. You and I are not strangers. Come, come over here and give me a hand!"

Fang Tan and Wei Xize were so moved by his words that they couldn't help but have tears in their eyes.

The young master's heartfelt words also resonated with them.

Chen Shi looked ahead and said calmly, "Are you done?"

The sincere expression on the young master's face froze.

Chen Shi ignored his hand and continued to walk forward, saying, "Now that you're done, go back and clean your neck. I'll slaughter you like a chicken when the big exam comes."

The young master's face darkened. He stopped and watched him walk further and further away.

The next morning, Chen Shi woke up early. Chen Tang did not go to court. He took him to wash and burn incense for his grandfather Chen Yindu's spirit tablet. He also asked Chen Shi to pay respect to his mother and said, "You cannot bring talismans, weapons, and magic weapons to the imperial examination. If you have any, take them off. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing if someone finds them. It is also easy to lose them."

Chen Shi took out the Youquan Youlong Sword and some treasures on his body and handed them to him.

"You must also change into ordinary clothes. You cannot wear clothes with talismans or have talismans drawn on them."

Chen Tang thought for a moment and said, "Firearms won't work either."

Chen Shi muttered something and took out some caltrops from the small temple.

Chen Tang looked at these caltrops that were taller than him, his eyes twitched, and he said, "Cannons are not allowed, and dragon head rockets are not allowed either."

Chen Shi was dejected and took out two large cannons and a dozen rockets.

Chen Tang looked at these two-meter-long behemoths and couldn't help but have a headache. Is the temple behind this child's head so big? How could so many things be stuffed in it?

"If there is a big cannon, there must be a projectile. Take out the projectile."

Chen Shi took out another bullet and said, "There's nothing this time."

Chen Tang was a little unconvinced, so he went into his small temple, searched around, and invited Fu Shen Tianji and Shiji Niangniang out, and then said, "You plant these spiritual medicines in the Small Universe. You can't take these with you. Don't worry, you put these things in the Small Universe, I will keep them for you, they won't be lost."

After Chen Shi finished dealing with it, Chen Tang said, "You can't bring the dog with you either."

Hei Guo barked a few times in protest, but Chen Tang firmly refused.

He checked several times again to confirm that Chen Shi had nothing smuggled, and then he personally sent Chen Shi to the Ministry of Rites.

The examination was presided over by the Ministry of Rites, with the civil examination held in the Ministry of Rites and the military examination held in the Shenjiying.

The Ministry of Rites had already vacated many of its mansions a few days ago, so that candidates from all over the country could have a place to take the examination. The civil examination was divided into three parts: the first part tested righteousness, the second part tested essays, and the third part tested questions. The military examination was divided into three parts: the first part tested skills, the second part tested art, and the third part tested fighting.

The liberal arts exam is in the morning and the military exam is in the afternoon, and the exam lasts for three days.

The results will be known only after the announcement of the results one month later.

Then comes the palace examination.

When Chen Shi arrived at the Ministry of Rites, he saw that the place was full of masters from the Ministry of Rites and the Shenjiying. The soldiers of the Shenjiying wore swords on their waists, carried bird guns on their backs, hung medicine bottles, had cloth bags filled with lead bullets, and had caltrops hanging behind their buttocks.

In the sky, there stood many yellow-turbaned strongmen over ten feet tall, leaning down and looking at the candidates entering the examination room one by one.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites would then offer sacrifices to the Yuanshen and inspect the body of each candidate to check for any prohibited items.

In addition, there were huge stone statues of mythical beasts in each examination room. There were two types of mythical beasts. One was like a dragon but with four legs, shorter than a dragon, with a festive look and a smile. The other was like a tiger with dragon horns and scales, a mane on its back, a dignified look, and a look full of suspicion.

When Chen Shi arrived, several minor officials from the Ministry of Rites were burning incense and offering sacrifices such as cattle and sheep to the stone statue.

Suddenly, the stone statue began to move with clanging sounds, turning from stone into flesh and blood, leaping down from the altar, and began to examine each candidate.

"Those are Bi'an and Fuxi. Any cheater, even if they invite ghosts and gods, will not be able to escape their eyes and ears."

Chen Tang said, "Go in, take the exam well, and don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Chen Shi said yes and stepped forward to announce his name. An examiner heard his name and led him into the examination room.

Chen Shi sat on a cushion and saw that the examination room he was in was a large hall. Besides him, there were more than a dozen desks and cushions. Most of them were empty. Only two of the desks had people in front of them, one was a young master, and the other was a strange young man.

There were only three of them in the entire examination room.

"My name is Zhang You, nice to meet you Chen Jieyuan."

The strange young man sat on the futon, bowed slightly to Chen Shi, and said with a smile, "I don't live in Qixia Temple, I'm staying at my uncle's house."

"No whispering!" an examiner shouted.

Then, the two mythical beasts, Bi'an and Fuxi, stepped in, walked back and forth majestically, and looked at the three people.

With the sound of a bell, an examiner came to the front of the three people, with a dignified face, and said in a loud voice: "The first question of today's exam is divided into the meaning of the Four Books, the meaning of Yi, the meaning of poetry, and the meaning of Spring and Autumn. There are six questions on the meaning of the Four Books, three questions each on Yi, Poetry, and Spring and Autumn. Each candidate should choose one question and explain the meaning and answer it. The time limit is one hour."

Then, some clerks came over, pushing signs into the hall. On one of the signs was written: "The Meaning of the Four Books: One, follow the times of Xia, ride the chariot of Yin, wear the crown of Zhou, and dance to the music of Shao. Two, love your relatives and be kind to the people, be kind to the people and love things. Three..."

Chen Shi checked them one by one, and a minor official handed out pens, ink, paper and inkstone. The paper was Xuan paper, the ink had been ground, and the pens were ready.

The topic Chen Shi chose was, Thunder in the sky, great and strong. A gentleman does not act without propriety.

"Mr. Zhu has already talked about this question!"

He was quite excited and immediately wrote down his name, hometown and topic, and was about to start writing.

At this time, a clerk came over, took the rice paper from his hand, carefully studied his handwriting, and carefully thought about his topic.

Two other clerks also came over, took away Zhang You and the young master's papers, and studied the handwriting and topics beside them.

After a while, the three clerks actually sat down, and wrote the interpretations of their chosen topics on the papers with pens like the wind!
Chen Shi was stunned and hurriedly said to Bi'an and Fuxi: "Cheating! We cheated!"

The two divine beasts turned a deaf ear and ignored this scene.

(End of this chapter)