The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 339 Offering Immortals (5k)

The pharmacist accepted the Ding Sword and the Ren Sword, stood still with both swords in hand, gazed at them for a long time, and said nothing.

Finally, he fastened the two swords back to his waist and slowly exhaled a long breath.

Seeing this, Du Yuan knew that he had grasped the importance of the matter and decided to turn around and leave.

Just as he turned around, Yakushi's voice suddenly came from behind him, sounding slightly hesitant:

"Immortal Master, there is one more thing I wish to ask you."

Du Yuan paused, turned around, nodded, and asked with a smile, "Oh? What is it?"

The pharmacist bowed respectfully, his gaze falling on Du Yuan's waist, and said sincerely:

"I am truly curious, so I dare to ask: what is the origin of the sword at your waist?"

Although Du Yuan had polished the sword quite a bit, it was still covered in rust and was unremarkable, lacking any trace of celestial aura.

Let alone something that can't be called divine, even if you casually toss it to a beggar on the street, it will probably be rejected and thrown away as a useless piece of scrap metal that's in the way!

Since it is a sword worn by an immortal and is carried with such care, its origin must be extraordinary.

The pharmacist grew increasingly curious and eagerly awaited Du Yuan's answer.

Unexpectedly, Du Yuan simply smiled faintly upon hearing this and said frankly:
"I also need to ask someone else about this."

The pharmacist was immediately stunned, his face filled with disbelief—even immortals didn't know this?

"You...you didn't even know? Then why did you wear it on your waist day and night, and hold it constantly?"

In his view, let alone celestial beings, even a young master with a bit of wealth in the mortal world would never carry such a weapon that has neither quality nor name.

Could it be that this sword, seemingly unremarkable and of mysterious origin, is actually incredibly powerful and hidden?
With this in mind, the pharmacist became even more certain that it was indeed so.

Unexpectedly, Du Yuan casually uttered a sentence:
"Simply because I like this sword, that's all."

The pharmacist was completely stunned. Was it just because he liked her?
Although he didn't speak, Du Yuan had already seen the confusion and bewilderment on his face.

Seeing this, he couldn't help but laugh loudly and said, "If it weren't something I truly loved, why would I carry it with me every day and never let it out of my sight?"

Having said that, Du Yuan said no more, turned around and drifted away.

Only the pharmacist remained standing there, his heart filled with questions and speculations, all stuck in his throat, unable to speak.

After standing there in a daze for a long time, he slowly came back to his senses, looked in the direction Du Yuan had left, and said thoughtfully:
"Regardless of the origin of the object or the depth of its power, mere joy is enough. So, is this the difference between immortals and mortals?"

At this moment, Yaoshi Yuan suddenly realized that he, the so-called hero emperor, was ultimately just a muddy person bound by worldly appearances.

Even if he obtained two celestial swords with boundless magical power and infinite might, he would still be just an ordinary mortal.

They can never compare to the celestial beings!

This realization left him gazing at the sky in melancholy for a long time.

After regaining his senses, he addressed the elders behind him:
"Our dynasty has been mired in national crisis, but fortunately, we were spared thanks to the mercy of the immortals. This is a matter of national importance, and an unprecedented upheaval in history. Do you, my esteemed ministers, think we should do something?"

The Grand Secretaries were all personally appointed by the Emperor. Having spent so many years with him, how could they not know that the Emperor had already made his decision?

Now, we're just waiting for them to bring it up.

After all, outsiders need to know that state affairs cannot be decided by the emperor alone!
But what should it be?

Because there were so many possibilities, even these high-ranking officials and shrewd individuals were somewhat baffled.

But seniority is always seniority, even if only for a short time. They then roughly grasped the direction.

The group exchanged glances, understanding each other implicitly. Li Song, as the head of the Grand Secretaries, stepped forward first, cupped his hands in greeting, and spoke respectfully yet precisely, hitting the nail on the head:
"Your Majesty is absolutely right! The immortals have saved the people from suffering, and such divine grace is boundless. We should repay this kindness with great ceremony. I believe that merely erecting a monument and building a shrine may not be enough to express our dynasty's reverence. We need a measure that can be passed down to future generations and benefit the world to truly demonstrate our sincerity."

"After all, in this way, people will always remember that they received a blessing because of the immortals today!"

Upon hearing this, the pharmacist's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, and he nodded, saying:
“What you say makes sense, my dear minister. But where should we begin with this ‘benefiting the whole world’ initiative? Ideally, it should be something that the people can always remember and look forward to!”

Upon hearing this, the Grand Secretaries immediately understood that the Emperor's thoughts were focused on the "Imperial Examination."

There are many stubborn and foolish people among the common people, and simply showering them with favors may not yield good results.

For example, if a festival is designated, and the imperial court distributes wine and meat on that day, it will likely only remind them for a short time. Soon, as it becomes a habit, they will gradually forget the original intention.

I only remember that there was a festival, and the imperial court would hold a very grand celebration on that day.

As for other things, they mostly don't care.

Therefore, we need to give them something to look forward to, something that is difficult to truly grasp.

After much thought, I concluded that the imperial examination system was the best!

The common people all longed to become officials because the immortals added an extra round of selection for officials. Putting aside everything else, those scholars who considered themselves the 'voice' of the world would remember this for the rest of their lives!

Furthermore, since immortals live far from the mortal world, even if something goes wrong later, the blame is directed at the emperor and the court, not the immortals.

They might even become more eager for the immortal to 'uphold justice' because of this.

This is the perfect way to express our gratitude to the immortals!

Having grasped the key point, Minister of Revenue Wang Yan immediately responded, his tone earnest:

"Your Majesty, the world is in turmoil, and the people yearn for peace. Selecting officials for the court is a fundamental strategy. The descent of an immortal to save the world is a divinely granted opportunity."

"Therefore, I dare to propose that a special imperial examination be set up for this purpose and made a regular event!"

"By recruiting students from all over the world, we can not only demonstrate the court's desire to seek out talented people, but also spread the benevolence of the immortals throughout the world under the name of the special imperial examination, so that all people know that the prosperity of our dynasty is entirely due to the protection of the immortals."

The pharmacist feigned contemplation, lightly tapping the cauldron sword at his waist with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:

"A special imperial ceremony? That's an idea. But an ordinary ceremony doesn't seem enough to match this auspicious omen from heaven."

Zhang Heng, who was standing nearby, immediately understood and stepped forward to add:

"Your Majesty is wise! I believe that we can take advantage of this special imperial examination to slightly modify the method of selecting officials in our dynasty and add a new subject, 'General Knowledge of Immortals.' This first special imperial examination in a time of great change can simply test the students' strategies for dealing with such a turbulent era, and select the best candidates!"

"In the future, it should gradually become a test for students on their knowledge of immortals, demons, monsters and monsters. In this way, not only can our dynasty have a group of capable people who are good at dealing with such a world of great change, but students all over the world can also know the way of immortals and have awe in their hearts."

"At the same time, I believe that today should be designated as the 'Heavenly Grace Festival,' and every imperial examination will be held on this day thereafter. This is both to commemorate the day the immortals saved us from our suffering and to demonstrate our dynasty's reverence for Heaven and love for its people!"

These words struck a chord with the Medicine Master. His face showed approval, and he nodded slowly.
"What you, my esteemed ministers, have said is exactly what I intended! So let us proceed with this proposal, revise the imperial examination regulations, and add a new subject on the Daoist knowledge. Today shall be the beginning of this special examination to express our gratitude to the immortals! This matter shall be entrusted to you, my esteemed ministers, to oversee and ensure that it is carried out thoroughly and properly."

All the Grand Secretaries bowed and said in unison, "Your Majesty, we obey your decree!"

Without needing to say much, they had already grasped the emperor's pulse, implementing measures in accordance with his wishes while preserving the dignity of "court deliberations." This was the tacit understanding between the emperor and his ministers over many years, and also the unspoken secrets deep within the palace.

The emperor and his minister tacitly agreed to the matter, but Zhang Heng suddenly bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, this method is still a poor choice!"

The pharmacist's approving expression froze instantly, and he asked in astonishment:
"This is still a last resort?"

His words just now clearly hit the nail on the head. They showed respect and flattery to the immortals, and also allowed him to express gratitude for the imperial examination and recruit talents from all over the world. How could such a comprehensive method be considered a bad strategy?

Zhang Heng smiled wryly, cupped his hands in greeting, and said helplessly:

"Your Majesty, since this ceremony and festival were established to express our gratitude to the immortal, it is only natural that we should use the immortal's honorific name as our title to show our respect. But we don't even know the immortal's exact name!"

These words struck like a thunderbolt. The Pharmacist, disregarding any semblance of imperial dignity, slapped his thigh, his face filled with regret, and exclaimed:
"How could I have forgotten this! How could I have forgotten!"

After saying that, he subconsciously looked up at the outside of the palace, trying to find Du Yuan's figure, but he only saw the empty palace courtyard, and there was no trace of the immortal.

Seeing this, the pharmacist had no choice but to suppress his anxiety and turned to the several ministers, asking urgently, "My dear ministers, is there any way to remedy this?"

The senior ministers all looked troubled and said in unison:
"Your Majesty, the immortals are elusive and their whereabouts are unknown. Although we have some methods, such as posting notices, sending envoys to search for them, or setting up altars to pray to Heaven, most of them are ultimately ineffective!"

The pharmacist had long anticipated this; the methods they mentioned, while seemingly feasible, were entirely dependent on fate, and no one could say for sure how effective they would be.

He could only sigh and say:

"This matter is due to my oversight and incompetence. I ask my ministers to forgive me."

The ministers hurriedly bowed and replied in unison, "Your Majesty, we are humbled! You flatter us!"

Having said that, the group set off together. When they reached the palace gate, they all slowed down and huddled together to discuss something in hushed tones.

"His Majesty is going to establish a special imperial examination, and this is the first time since the founding of the country. Needless to say, it will be of paramount importance. In previous imperial examinations, Grand Secretary Chen has always been in charge of the examinations, and this time will likely be no exception."

"At most, the Emperor himself will intervene, and we will just assist him. So there are a few things I must explain to you, Grand Secretary Chen, in detail."

Among the senior officials, the elderly man at the end of the line was none other than Grand Secretary Chen. Upon hearing this, he immediately asked:

"What advice do you gentlemen have for us?"

As the Grand Secretary, Li Song's smile vanished. He stepped forward, firmly grasped Grand Secretary Chen's hand, and whispered instructions in his ear:
"Grand Secretary Chen has always been impartial and fair in his selection of talent, which we have all witnessed and know you have done the right thing. This time, it's naturally a cause for celebration that you've selected truly talented individuals; however, the students who came to take the exam have been rather disappointing."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly solemn:
"You must also find a way to carefully select the most outstanding talents in the world, and absolutely not let this great examination of divine favor fail to live up to its reputation!"

In previous years, the imperial examinations naturally prioritized fairness and talent, requiring impartiality and incorruptibility. But this special examination is dedicated to the immortals, and therefore cannot be conducted according to ordinary rules.

If nothing goes wrong, everyone will be happy; but if there is any mishap, it must be suppressed no matter what—after all, this is a matter of honoring the immortals, and no mistake can be tolerated in any aspect!

Therefore, it must be a once-in-a-millennium list worthy of the status of immortals!
'Isn't this asking me to cheat myself?!'

Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary Chen looked up in astonishment, only to see that all his colleagues were solemn and staring intently at him.

He was stunned for a long time before slowly lowering his head and saying, "This old man wishes to retire and return to his hometown to live out his days."

"If Elder Chen wants to resign, after the Enke matter is settled, you can step on my shoulders to get off the train and return to your hometown, and I will bear the burden with you! But this time, absolutely not!"

Li Song's voice was soft, but it left no room for argument.

Grand Secretary Chen looked up, incredulous, and said, "Is this going to ruin my reputation in my later years?"

Li Song stepped forward, his gaze sharp, his tone becoming increasingly serious:
"If you insist on resigning, you will not only ruin your reputation in your later years, but also the entire court!"

The rise and fall of the imperial court now almost entirely depends on this immortal! This imperial examination must not be allowed to go wrong in the slightest!

"Can't you just take it seriously if someone else does it?!"

Grand Secretary Chen pressed on, almost losing his composure, his tone filled with a resigned helplessness. He knew perfectly well that what everyone said was true, but to abandon the principles he had upheld throughout his life was simply unacceptable.

Grand Secretary Li Song slowly shook his head:
"This is a special examination established for immortals, and everything must be done to the highest standard. The students must be the best, and the examiners must be the most suitable! As the head of the Confucian school, you are indispensable for this matter!"

In today's world, when it comes to the prestige of Confucian scholars, no one can surpass Chen Rusong.

"Old Chen, you must remember this. If one person's public duty is betrayed by the common people, it becomes one person's private desire! What we bear on our shoulders is the foundation of the dynasty, the people of the world, not our own personal honor or disgrace!"

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, and Zhang Heng quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, smiling as he said:
"Please don't be angry, gentlemen. The Grand Secretary is acting in the best interests of the people, and Elder Chen has done nothing wrong! Besides, this is just a backup plan for the worst-case scenario. The court is now reviving, a celestial being has descended to earth, and the nation's fortunes are at their peak. How could we really fall into such a state?"

As he spoke, he put his arm around Minister Chen's shoulder and comforted him:

"Don't worry, Elder Chen. You'll definitely meet several brilliant talents, which will make you beam with joy! Think about it, there are still many talented people in the world who haven't been recognized for their abilities and haven't entered officialdom. This is the highest-level selection ceremony in our dynasty, and they will surely come to hear about it!"

Grand Secretary Chen nodded dejectedly, with only a faint hope remaining in his heart, hoping that things wouldn't really come to that.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, a voice tinged with helplessness suddenly rang in everyone's ears:

"You don't have to do that, really."

The elders were all taken aback. They looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the immortal Du Yuan, whom the emperor had just been annoyed by missing, was now standing quietly on the opposite bank of the moat, his face full of helplessness.

Even though they were separated by a wide river and quite far apart, his voice was so clear it seemed to be right next to their ears. This must be some kind of supernatural power.

Because her cultivation level was rising daily, and the other party kept talking about her the whole time, Du Yuan really couldn't help but hear it even if she wanted to.

I could no longer tolerate it, so I finally spoke up to offer some advice.

"In the second year of the Jiayou era, the Millennium Dragon and Tiger Ranking was established. Why go through all this trouble?"

Putting everything else aside, just from what he had seen before, there were several exceptionally talented scholars eagerly awaiting the opportunity to take the imperial examination. How could such a situation have deteriorated to the point where someone needed to "make up the numbers"?

Seeing that the immortal had personally intervened to resolve the predicament, the elders felt as if they had been granted a pardon and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. They bowed respectfully and thanked him. But when they looked up again, Du Yuan had already disappeared from the opposite bank.

The group exchanged glances and could only sigh, "Truly, he's like a dragon whose head is seen but not its tail!"

But the next second, the ease on Zhang Heng's face vanished abruptly, his expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly grabbed Li Song's sleeve: "Lord Li! What the immortal was talking about just now was the Millennium Dragon and Tiger List in the second year of Jiayou?"

Li Song nodded, then asked in confusion, "That's right, what's wrong?"

Seeing that he hadn't reacted yet, Zhang Heng, his voice trembling slightly, hurriedly said, "Now...now is the first year of Jiayou!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked.

The immortal said that the second year of Jiayou was the Millennium Dragon and Tiger List, but now it is the first year of Jiayou, so isn't that a perfect coincidence?
In this case, even if a truly outstanding talent emerges this time, it would be a huge problem if they couldn't handle the major exam the following year!

And this doesn't sound as simple as just being unable to control it!

The Millennium Dragon and Tiger Ranking. This title is said to appear only once every thousand years, and it is difficult for anyone to surpass it!
However, after a brief moment of panic, Grand Secretary Li Song suddenly calmed down and then said:
"I remember the book 'Auspicious Omens' once said, 'When immortals descend to earth, auspicious omens herald the beginning of a new era, and the year can be changed to correspond with heavenly signs.'"

Upon hearing this, the Grand Secretaries were all overjoyed, and Zhang Heng even said:

"Very well, let's take this as evidence and report it to the Emperor so that an edict can be drafted and proclaimed to the world. Say that because of the descent of an immortal, the nation's fortunes will prosper, and the year will be changed to align with the immortal's words and fulfill the omen of the Thousand-Year Dragon and Tiger List!"

Li Song nodded, and then said:
"Quickly, inform His Majesty!"

The group didn't dare to delay and hurriedly ran off.

This is a very important matter, and we absolutely cannot allow the emperor to make a mistake due to poor communication.

Only Zhang Heng suddenly realized what was happening. After glancing at Grand Secretary Chen, he deliberately lagged behind a step and whispered a question to Li Song, the Grand Secretary who was also lagging behind:

"Master Li, where exactly is this sentence written in the 'Auspicious Omens'?"

For them, "Auspicious Omens" was like "The Doctrine of the Mean" and "The Analects" to Du Yuan.

As one of the cabinet members, he was naturally well-versed in the "Auspicious Omens." One could even say he knew it by heart!

But for a moment, I couldn't remember that sentence at all.

Unexpectedly, the Grand Secretary grabbed his hand and whispered an order:
"You can add it later and say it was an omission in the ancient books of the sages, and since you happen to have the original, it is only today that it is being made public!"

Zhang Heng was stunned, then exclaimed in astonishment:

"what?!"

Can it still be like this?
"What do you mean 'huh'? What else can we do?"

Zhang Heng opened his mouth, but finally smiled bitterly:

"Okay, I'll get in touch with that right away!"

Du Yuan had no idea that her casual remark, made in the course of her memory, would cause them to be in such a busy state.

(End of this chapter)