I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 116 Qi Refining Ninth Level, Word Realm Third Stage
"What the hell is this?"

Xue Xiang couldn't figure out the ring, so he stopped paying attention to it.

He began to plan for the future. There were still seven months until the autumn examinations, and attending tutoring at the academy was not part of his plans.

His exceptional memory was his ultimate trump card in the imperial examinations.

These days, he has not neglected his studies and has put in a lot of hard work.

In addition, he benefited greatly from the notes given to him by the woman in the yellow dress.

He was not worried about the written examination portion of the county examination.

What he was worried about was the test of spiritual practice and teaching.

After all, quite a few people came this time, and I heard there were even Foundation Establishment cultivators among them.

In this situation, the pressure to stand out is unprecedented.

Xie Haiya repeatedly emphasized that everyone should strive to be the best in every exam.

Because outstanding results not only help one stand out and gain the attention of important figures, but also help one gain a voice within the Tongjiang School.

More importantly, the top-ranking scholars in each imperial examination received generous rewards.

Xue Xiang is enthusiastic about anything related to rewards.

Therefore, his top priority was to try again to improve his cultivation level.

That day, after making dumplings with his family and enjoying a hearty meal, Xue Xiang announced that he was going to travel and study abroad.

I will return to my hometown after the county examination is over.

Although reluctant, the whole family was mentally prepared for this.

Aside from the little one being a bit down, everyone unanimously expressed their support.

After all, in this era, traveling for study was an essential step for scholars to pass the imperial examinations.

Xue Xiang disliked the feeling of saying goodbye, so early the next morning, while his family was still asleep, he quietly went out through the thin mist.

As soon as he turned around, he saw the beautiful Liu Mei standing not far away, smiling at him.

Xue Xiang opened his arms, Liu Mei stepped forward, gently hugged him, and whispered in his ear, "I'll take care of things at home, my love, don't worry."

"Sister Mei, if I get first place, will there be a reward?"

What reward do you want?

"I can't really say, but I'll give you a book. Once you've read it, you'll know what reward I want."

Xue Xiang flicked his sleeve, and a book slipped into his palm, which he then placed in Liu Mei's arms.

Liu Mei turned the page and immediately recognized the handwriting as Xue Xiang's.

The title page was blank, with only the main text. After glancing at the beginning, it seemed to be a cultivation-themed story or legend, similar to those in the mortal world, except that the main characters were two women, one named Huang Rong and the other Luo Bing.

She had only read a few lines when she became engrossed and couldn't help but read on. Suddenly, the text became bold and provocative, and when she looked up again, Xue Xiang was nowhere to be seen.

But this book seemed to open up a whole new world for her. She felt both ashamed and curious, both afraid and unable to suppress her voyeuristic desires.

Just as the pretty girl's heart was pounding, Xue Xiang had already walked out onto the front street.

He had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.

Although Sister Mei is indeed a beauty of unparalleled grace, unfortunately she is conservative in her thinking and has almost no knowledge in that area.

Even the most beautiful woman, if she is not charming, how much fun is there in getting close to her?

Unfortunately, knowledge about that kind of thing has hardly been disseminated in this world.

Left with no other choice, Xue Da Guanren had to personally step in and become an enlightener of the intellectual world.

Half an incense stick later, Xue Xiang appeared in a secluded courtyard in the east of the city, a house he had rented long ago.

He said that his reason for traveling abroad was simply to avoid family interference and focus on his spiritual practice.

Upon returning to his room, he immediately slipped into the Wenxu Blessed Land.

Immediately, he activated the blessed spiritual realm within the portrait of the sage, took out spirit stones and the Nebula Box, activated the Nebula Overlord Body Technique, and began to draw spiritual energy into his body.

Two hours later, he felt his body was nearing its limit, so he stopped drawing spiritual energy into his body.

Then I began to refine the words with literary flair.

More than an hour later, his internal energy could no longer support his writing, so he stopped cultivating and began to review his books.

After reading two books of model essays by various famous authors, I felt exhausted and started reading some miscellaneous books.

The so-called miscellaneous books mainly consist of cultivation insights and experiences submitted by Ni Quanwen, Su Jianmo, and others.

Xue Xiang used to only skim through it, but now that he has time, he's started to read it carefully.

This careful reading actually revealed some interesting insights.

Those who have cultivated to the level of Ni Quanwen and others are all senior cultivators, and their insights and experiences on the path of cultivation are the condensation of many years of cultivation experience.

Upon careful consideration, one can appreciate its many subtleties.

Time passed day by day, and more than half a month went by in the blink of an eye. Apart from sending out a few letters to his family, Xie Haiya, and Wei Yang to let them know he was safe, Xue Xiang basically stayed in Wenxu Blessed Land to cultivate.

His cultivation progress was astonishing. Soon, he reached the sixth level of Qi Refining and hit the barrier to cultivation.

Just the day before yesterday, five Wenxu Beads appeared in Wenxu.

Clearly, this is a fixed output of Wenxu Blessed Land every year.

Now, he possesses seventeen Wenxu Pearls.

On this day, after Xue Xiang had bathed and changed his clothes, he sat cross-legged on the Wenxu Terrace.

As he activated the Nebula Overlord Body Technique, he channeled a large amount of spiritual energy from the Nebula Box into his body.

Immediately afterwards, he activated the Breakthrough Realm ability of the Wenxu Platform with his mind. As one Wenxu Pearl was consumed, the Breakthrough Platform emitted a faint light, enveloping Xue Xiang's entire body.

Before long, all the acupoints on his body resonated, and a warm current rushed from his chest and abdomen straight to his forehead.

Suddenly, a row of light spots appeared directly above his navel; upon closer inspection, there were exactly seven.

"Late stage of Qi Refining."

Xue Xiang felt neither sorrow nor joy.

After breaking through to the seventh level of Qi Refining, his life remained unchanged. He continued to cultivate and read books. If there was any change, it was that he became much more adept at cultivating literary Qi.

Previously, at the sixth level of Qi Refining, spiritual power was insufficient to support the writing of characters created by Qi, but now it is finally possible to begin refining them.

As his cultivation of literary energy deepened, he vaguely felt that he was about to touch the barrier of the third level of the Word Realm.

In the blink of an eye, another month has passed, and he continues to cultivate diligently. There seems to be some unusual activity outside the Wenxu Blessed Land.

He brushed aside the Wenxu Terrace and saw a lot of people standing outside.

Upon reflection, I realized that I hadn't given a lecture on "heavenly books" in a long time, which had led these people to come looking for me.

At that moment, Xue Xiangwen, his face covered in anger, arrived at the cave entrance.

"Greetings, Senior."

Everyone saluted.

Xue returned the greeting, his gaze sweeping over familiar faces. Soon, he spotted Murong Yu and his follower, Guang De.

"Gentlemen, this old man's soul wandered to the eight extremes and was almost annihilated in the magnetic storm. He was fortunate enough to return, but he is really weak."

It took some time for him to recover.

I'm so sorry to have taken up your time.

Xue Da Guanren's skill in playing the victim gradually became unparalleled.

He was still thinking about what these people had said about crowdfunding to buy him some miracle drugs, and he couldn't just talk the talk and then disappear.

"I have a treasure that I wish to offer to my elders."

Murong Yu floated forward, holding a red bottle the size of a fingernail in her hands. "This is a ten-thousand-year-old stalactite. Senior has allowed this junior to come here to listen to the lecture, and this junior dares not fail to express her gratitude."

The stalactite is formed from the essence of ten-thousand-year-old spiritual milk, and only one drop is obtained every ten years.

It can be used to treat injuries. I dare not say it can bring the dead back to life or heal flesh and bones, but as long as there is still a breath left, I guarantee it can save them.

In addition, this substance can be refined into elixirs to obtain divine pills and precious medicines.

"The elder's vital energy is weak; if he receives nourishment from this drop of ancient stalactite, he will surely be able to recover some of his vitality and prolong his life."

"Is it that high-end?"

Xue Xiang was secretly shocked; he had never even heard of this ancient stalactite.

Judging from everyone's reactions, it's safe to assume it's a high-end product.

Murong Yu used her spiritual power to present the red bottle. Xue Xiang took it and sighed, "The older I get, the more I crave this mortal world. With this drop of ten-thousand-year-old stalactite, I may be able to prolong my days a little longer."

My dear friend, thank you very much. "

"Senior, we are also searching for a divine medicine to help you cultivate your health."

"Yes, there's already some progress. Please be patient, senior."

"..."

Everyone expressed their opinions, fearing that Xue Xiang might think that only Murong Yu cared about his life or death.

Xue Xiang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you all, young friends. Alright, enough of this small talk. I will continue recording the Heavenly Book. Listen carefully..."

As he chanted, another earthquake shook the earth, and the landscape changed color.

Everyone quietly meditated, and after half an incense stick's time, they opened their eyes and prepared to take their leave.

Xue Xiang suddenly spoke again, "The Heavenly Book ultimately belongs to someone else. I am grateful for your kindness and should give back to you all with something of my own."

I have a Confucian philosophy that I have painstakingly studied over the years, and I would like to share it with you all.

Even those who don't practice Confucianism or Taoism can benefit from listening; it may offer some insight.

It wasn't that Xue Xiang was deliberately showing off, but rather that his persona as a superior person needed to be carefully maintained at all times.

The "Teacher's Discourse" and the story of capturing a dragon with one hand are, after all, things from a long time ago. Relying solely on so-called recordings of divine texts to maintain a customer base is rather weak.

Moreover, now that the Lord of Fortune and Profound Yellow has arrived, how can he control this person if he doesn't reveal some real skills?
"I humbly accept your teachings, senior."

"The way of the university lies in manifesting one's bright virtue and in loving the people..."

Xue Xiangfu copied the famous essay "The Great Learning" from the Four Books.

The first part of this famous piece was recorded by Xue Xiang when he was inspiring the image of a sage and stimulating the literary spirit of the Black Tiger.

The natural order of literature only reacts differently to novel ideas.

Therefore, although he was recording famous passages, he did not trigger any extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth. While the listeners gained something from the lecture, they also wondered in their hearts whether this content was truly from the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan.

Otherwise, given the profound meaning of these words, they should have triggered extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth.

Xue Xiang was not in a hurry. He quietly recorded the passage until he wrote, "Knowing when to stop leads to stability, and stability leads to tranquility." Finally, the sky began to rise and the wind and clouds surged.

On the sea, waves surged, rolling up dozens of feet high, and the Azure Dragon leaped and frolicked joyfully among the waves.

Everyone was greatly shocked. Only then did they realize that this masterpiece was the most treasured work of the Master of Mingde Dongxuan.

Therefore, the investigation of things leads to the extension of knowledge.

After saying this, Xue Xiang stopped transcribing the famous passage.

After all, a steady, long-term approach is the key to long-term success.

He then turned his attention to the secrets of the text he was reading.

Upon hearing that this was a classic Confucian text, though not belonging to this place, everyone had their own thoughts, but how could they so quickly grasp its essence?

Xue Xiang's question, drawn from Zhu Xi's annotated classics, is not so easy to answer.

He asked a series of questions, but no one could answer them.

Xue Xiang sighed and said, "Gentlemen, you still need to work harder in order to broaden the moral standards of our Confucian school."

After saying that, he turned and walked into the cave.

"The senior is indeed an unparalleled sage of Confucianism."

"Yes, although this chapter on the Great Learning is not yet finished, it already shows the grandeur of a classic. Its arguments are profound and its reasoning is clear. It is truly a masterpiece that will endure for all time in the Confucian school."

“When my predecessor wrote ‘On Teachers,’ I knew that he must be a master of Confucianism.”

Now that only a corner of the "Great Learning" chapter has been revealed, I observe that the predecessors' vision is even greater than that of the masters.

"I had never paid any attention to Confucianism before, but today, after listening to the elders discuss Confucianism, I feel as if I have been enlightened. It seems that it is not impossible for me to switch my studies to Confucianism."

"........."

Amidst the discussions, Murong Yu and Guang De quietly left the scene. When someone inquired whether there were any more ancient stalactites for sale, the two claimed they had no stock and quickly slipped away.

Upon reaching Ailao Peak, the two entered a remote mountain cave, which surprisingly contained a teleportation array.

This place serves as one of the transit points between the Murong family and the outside world.

Otherwise, with distances often reaching thousands of miles, it would be truly difficult for Murong Yu to attend a single lesson.

Guangde laid out the spirit stones and waited for the teleportation array to open. Murong Yu said, "Senior's discourse on Confucianism is truly a gem. I am extremely fortunate to have met the Master of Mingde Dongxuan."

"Mr. De, what do you think?"

Guangde stroked his long beard and said, “Apart from the sages of the past, no one today has been able to make such a profound statement.”

In a world where Confucianism and Taoism are revered, literature is always more important than poetry. Those who can articulate such profound theories in a systematic way will have limitless potential for future achievements.

It's a pity, this person is about to die. Young master, you must not miss this good match.

If things go well, the inheritance of the Mingde Dongxuan Wenxu Blessed Land might even fall into your hands.

Murong Yujun blushed slightly, "I only admire your learning, senior, I never thought of this."

"Master De, a virtuous person should maintain upright conduct; how could he harbor such wicked thoughts?"

While shaking his head and smiling wryly, Guangde also felt quite gratified.

Judging from the reactions of the crowd at the Wenxu Terrace, the lecture had clearly had a good effect, and Xue Xiang felt relieved.

He then threw himself back into cultivation.

Having broken through the barriers of the sixth and seventh levels, the project of guiding spirits into the body has once again entered a fast track.

With the blessing of the Blessed Spirit Realm, he broke through the eighth level in another twenty days, and then broke through the ninth level in another twenty-four days.

It is worth mentioning that in these forty-odd days, his literary cultivation has finally reached the threshold from the second to the third level of the Word Realm.

It was a mysterious feeling that couldn't be expressed in words, and Xue Xiang knew that he had truly hit a barrier in his cultivation.

And this is exactly what he has been waiting for; otherwise, what would be the point of his painstakingly accumulating Wenxu Pearls?

At that moment, he sat cross-legged on the Wenxu Platform, and with a thought, the platform's breakthrough ability was activated.

As the Wenxu Pearl was consumed, the literary energy within the Wen Palace began to surge violently, and a large amount of wish energy and talent energy were absorbed into this surge.

Before long, streams of energy shot out from between his eyebrows, causing his literary palace to tremble violently, as if it were about to shatter at any moment.

The whole process lasted for a full half incense stick's time.

Suddenly, Xue Xiang felt his mind lighten, his thoughts seemed to transform into feathers, soaring into the clouds, swaying with the clouds, and drifting with the wind.

"Light!"

Xue Xiang gave a soft shout, and a single character for "light" condensed, instantly emitting a blindingly bright light.

This light was the aurora he had imagined.

In the past, he was extremely difficult to summon, but now he has been easily formed.

This also signifies that he has officially entered the third stage of the Word Realm: the Formless Realm.

The so-called formlessness is the myriad forms, capable of evoking imagined images.

This is also the foundation for connecting words into sentences.

Xue Xiang sat on the Wenxu Platform for half a cup of tea before coming down. When he entered the Wenxu Platform with his mind, he was surprised to find that several Wenxu Pearls had been used up, leaving eleven.

This also proves that breaking through to the next level in the literary realm is far more difficult than breaking through in the Qi Refining realm.

Thanks to the help of this platform, otherwise, my cultivation speed would not have been so fast; I would have been blocked by one realm barrier after another.

Xue Xiang disregarded the loss of Wen Xuzhu's energy and sat down cross-legged, wanting to temper his mind and stabilize his cultivation level.

After all, while the speed of cultivation had increased through seclusion and breakthroughs, the state of mind had not kept pace.

Xue Xiang hadn't been reading the notes and insights of all the Core Formation experts for nothing these past few days.

He was well aware that this state was dangerous; at best, it would cause his cultivation level to drop, and at worst, he would suffer from demonic possession.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and Xue Xiang's mood was not at ease; on the contrary, it became increasingly heavy.

I also felt intense soreness and numbness in my temples and Shenmen acupoint.

This is precisely a sign of going astray in cultivation.

"No, this absolutely cannot continue."

Xue Xiang simply stopped meditating, left Wenxu Blessed Land, and went to the rented room.

He had just appeared in the main room when he startled the group of thieves, who had mistaken the place for an empty one and used it as a temporary refuge.

They set up a pot and started a fire in the yard, stewing a pot of tender meat.

Xue Xiang suddenly appeared, and the few thieves were so frightened that they couldn't move.

Xue Xiang ignored them, walked straight to the pot, picked up an earthen bowl and bamboo chopsticks, and stuck the chopsticks into the pot, piercing through a piece of cooked meat.

I quickly took it to the cutting board, sliced ​​it thinly, and prepared a dipping sauce made of minced garlic, chopped green onions, chili peppers, and vinegar. One bite at a time, and in no time, I had sent more than a pound of meat to my stomach.

He picked up another piece, sliced ​​it thinly, and then switched to a large bowl. He finished the bowl without turning his head and said, "I paid the rent for a year, and there are still seven or eight months left. You can take care of yourselves and don't damage their things."

As they watched Xue Xiang leave, the thieves exchanged bewildered glances, as if in a dream.

After finishing his bowl of meat, Xue Xiang held the empty bowl, his heart still heavy, unsure of where to go.

Wandering aimlessly through two long streets, I heard a rough voice singing, "Everyone knows the immortals are good, but they can't forget fame and fortune..."

This is Xu Yi's copy of the "Good Song" from Dream of the Red Chamber in "In the Mortal World".

When he copied it into the book, Xue Xiang felt nothing. But when that voice sang it out at this moment, it was three parts helplessness, three parts self-mockery, and four parts magnanimity.

Unbeknownst to him, he followed the sound and saw an old beggar in hemp clothing, singing a song of good fortune while clapping bamboo clappers, carrying a chipped earthen bowl, begging for food along the street.

Xue Xiang seemed to be possessed, following him from day to night.

Xue Xiang strode forward as soon as the old beggar sat down at the foot of the south wall. Upon hearing the sound, the old beggar held out his earthen bowl.

Xue Xiang paused for a moment, then took out a money bag and poured all three spirit stones inside into the old beggar's earthen bowl.

The old beggar was stunned. Suddenly, he grabbed three spirit stones and tossed them away like pebbles. He grinned, revealing his yellow, sparse teeth. "Trying to fool this old man with fake spirit stones? I noticed you a while ago. You're new to this business, aren't you? Your clothes are quite presentable."

The bowl in your hand isn't good enough, it's not broken enough, and the key is that you won't open your mouth, you haven't been willing to open your teeth the whole way.

In our line of work, if you're unwilling to cut your teeth, you'll just have to wait to go hungry.

As he spoke, the old beggar took out a yellowish-brown cornbread from his pocket, broke it in half, and handed one half to Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang was stunned on the spot.

He suddenly remembered a sentence from a book of insights: the root cause of the bottleneck in spiritual practice lies in the superficial understanding of the Great Dao and life, lacking the touch of "truth" and "emotion," so that the Dao heart is like a beautiful jade covered in dust.

At the time, Xue Xiang was not moved when he read these words, but now, thinking about them and staring at the half-eaten cornbread in front of him, he suddenly felt that his heart was like an egg slowly cracking open.

Xue Xiang took half a steamed bun, sat down next to the old beggar against the south wall, and grinned, "Old man, you have a good eye for people. I'm new to your place and would like to ask for some food. Would you be willing to teach me?"

"teach you?"

The old beggar grinned and said, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'Teach your apprentice, and you'll starve to death'? No way!"

“You taught me, and I will share half of the food I begged for with you.”

"Well, well... it's not impossible, after all, helping others brings joy."

From then on, Xue Xiang followed the old beggar, begging from the east of the city to the west, and from the south to the north.

He knew many people in Yunmeng, but no one would associate the disheveled beggars with the imposing Chief Xue.

As promised, he gave half of the food he received each day to the old beggar.

In the daily begging, the pressure in his heart no longer increased. Cold stares, ridicule, charity, and sighs all turned into a warm current that warmed his icy heart.

On this day, Xue Xiang bid farewell to the old beggar, giving him his only pair of shoes. Barefoot, leaning on a cane and holding a broken bowl, he walked out of Yunmeng City.

At this moment, he no longer thought about the county examination or cultivation; all he thought about was what to eat for dinner.

He mobilized his qi and blood to block the Dazhui acupoint, which was equivalent to sealing off his cultivation.

His legs were no longer strong, and his skin was no longer as tough as cowhide. The exhaustion of walking barefoot and the stinging pain of pebbles cutting his skin made him embrace the world with profound sorrow.

On this day, he arrived at Anlu City, the northernmost city in Canaan County.

His begging skills were also improving rapidly. He became increasingly adept at speaking human language to humans and ghost language to ghosts. He could not only beg for rice and steamed buns, but also for spiritual threads.

That day, to avoid the wind and rain, he took shelter in a shabby alley. He had just curled up against a low door frame when the door creaked open.

A woman covered in patches pointed to a low stool by the threshold, gesturing for him to sit down and take shelter from the rain.

(End of this chapter)