From Celestial Official to Great Celestial Venerable

Chapter 2, Family Tree, on a separate page.

Qin Chuan exclaimed in disbelief: "I really won?!"

He was already planning to find another way out.

Qin Li smiled and nodded: "You passed. I was in the county on business and saw your name on the list posted by the Mengxu Academy. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but after asking, I found out it was true. Look, the people behind me are the ones who came to deliver the 'Taoist scriptures' to you. I came back with them."

These words instantly made the heads of all the people from Guniu Town who were attending the banquet that day, especially the Qin clan members, buzz.

Taoist?

The sound even penetrated the wall and threshold of the ancestral hall, landing on several tables inside the inner hall.

Qin Chuan has passed the Taoist exam!
Qin Chuan has passed the Taoist exam!
Qin Chuan has passed the Taoist exam!
The words seemed to echo.

The words echoed in the ears of Old Master Qin, Qin Fengnian, and many other high-ranking elders of the Qin clan, causing them to exchange glances.

"Taoist!"

Then they all got excited, stood up, and walked quickly towards the outside of the ancestral hall at the same time.

When the Qin family elders and local worthies from Guniu Town rushed out from the inner hall, they saw the person delivering the document reading aloud a yellow plaque:
Jiuchuan County - Daoxuansi Clerk
An investigation revealed a newly appointed Taoist priest named Qin Chuan, from Guniu Town, Jiuchuan County, a blessed land in Lushan. He is eighteen years old, of good character, and of upright conduct.

In the year of Yi Si, the Heavenly Court held a grand examination for Taoist priests. He achieved excellent results in the test on herbal spiritual plants and was ranked as a superior according to custom. He was then selected by the Nongling Temple and hereby specially bestowed the title of "Firework Taoist Priest".

All stipends and ceremonial allowances shall be paid by Nongling Temple.

On the fifteenth of this month, Er Qinchuan went to 'Nongling Temple in Jiuchuan County' to report for duty.

Date of issuance: May 5th, 9728 (the year of the Heavenly Venerable).

After the Taoist priest, who was in charge of reciting the document, finished reading, he solemnly rolled it up again and handed another document-like object to Qin Chuan with both hands:
"The document has been read aloud. This is your talisman. From this day forward, you may use this talisman to draw spiritual energy from heaven and earth into your body for cultivation."

Qin Chuan quickly reached out to take the two items.

He was deeply shocked at that moment.

After all, this was a great stroke of luck that suddenly fell upon him.

Taoist priest.

The most prestigious status in the world, bar none, especially in this world where sects govern the world, Taoists are the low-level celestial officials used by the Heavenly Court to govern this land.

It sounds somewhat similar to the yamen runners of ancient times, but due to the differences between the two worlds, the gap is vast.

Although the Taoist priest was not yet ordained and his ordination certificate was similar to that of a fire-working Taoist priest who had only received an intern certificate, this very certificate was the key that could truly unlock the door to the path of cultivation.

A road leading to immortality and power.

These thoughts flashed through Qin Chuan's mind as he reached out to take the documents and ordination certificate.

Suddenly, as his right hand touched the documents and ordination certificate, a line of words appeared in his mind.

The documents from the Jiuchuan County Selection Office contain profound legal principles... which can be extracted/reworked.

The 'Eastern Victory Heavenly Fire-Crafting Taoist Talisman' contains magical essence... it can be refined/reforged.

These words...

what?
Qin Chuan was taken aback.

"Intelligent?"

He subconsciously assumed that the two documents and the ordination certificate possessed magical power, which allowed words to appear in his mind. However, when he looked down, his pupils shrank slightly.

But a black birthmark was faintly visible in the palm of his hand.

It looks like an incense burner.

boom!
His mind went blank. Wasn't this the mysterious black incense burner he had seen in his palm after his rebirth today?
It happened suddenly.

He associated the words that came to mind with this mysterious black incense burner.

Immediately, he instinctively turned his wrist, placing the talisman, document, and black mark in his palm simultaneously in front of his chest, palm facing his chest, not daring to let others see them.

The others, seeing Qin Chuan's absent-minded and dazed expression, began to whisper among themselves.

"Oh no! This must be some great joy! They're going crazy with happiness!"

When Old Master Qin and Third Master Qin came out of the ancestral hall and saw Qin Chuan's appearance, their expressions changed slightly.

Especially for Third Master Qin, his heart skipped a beat:
"Oh no, the pursuit of cultivation is a lifelong endeavor for anyone. I've heard of people who have taken the exam for decades, only to finally pass it in their forties or fifties, only to be driven mad by the good news on the day of their success, becoming a laughing stock."

He immediately strode up to Qin Geng and said solemnly:

"Ninth Brother, it looks like Chuan Yazi has been provoked. Go over there and slap him, make a fierce face, scare him, and wake him up. We mustn't let him lose his mind."

This is only the second Taoist priest to emerge from the Qin family in a hundred years. If he suffers a nightmare because he can't handle the shock, not only will he be unable to take up his post in the county, but the entire Qin family will also become a laughing stock in Guniu Town.

"Ah? My son! Is he having a nightmare?"

Upon hearing this, Qin's father was terrified and rushed over.

Seeing that Qin Geng, this honest man, was worried about his son and was about to perform the Soul Returning Hand Seal on him, Third Master Qin was worried.

Normally, he wouldn't say a word; he would just roll up his sleeves and get to work.

But now that Qin Chuan has been attacked by the Taoist priest, he doesn't dare to fight him.

In a county town, tens of thousands of people are vying for just a dozen or twenty positions as a Taoist priest.

The elders have said that those who can pass the Taoist exam were cultivators in their past lives, their wisdom still intact, and they are reincarnations of immortals.

He was just a lowly mortal; even someone of the Third Master's generation wouldn't dare to fight him.

Only Qin Chuan's biological father could do this, after all, there are no unfaithful or unfilial gods in the world, even immortals must recognize their biological parents.

call!
Qin Geng rushed over and swung his hand at the back of his son's head, creating a gust of wind. Just as it was about to land, a hand grabbed it in mid-air, preventing it from falling.

"what are you doing?"

"It's Qin Li," he asked in surprise.
"Why are you still beating your son now that he's become a Taoist master?"

Qin Geng was both angry and anxious when he saw that it was his childhood rival blocking his way. He exclaimed in shock and anger:

"Chuan Yazi is suffering from a nightmare. You've delayed my son's return to life. You can take responsibility for that..."

The words are not finished yet.

"Dad, what are you saying? I'm fine."

Qin Chuan was indeed somewhat stunned by the unexpected surprise.

But the mysterious incense burner in his palm was the key to shaking his mind.

This might be related to his second reincarnation, which is why he was stunned for a moment.

He didn't want his father to think he was like Fan Jin passing the imperial examination.

He immediately stepped forward and explained several times.

"Is it really okay?"

Qin Geng looked at his son with great joy, but did not notice that his own chest was heaving even more violently.

"Really, I..."

Qin Chuan was both amused and exasperated, and was about to say something more.

"If nothing's wrong... that's good."

After letting out a sigh of relief, Qin Geng felt as if he had been tense for too long, and he completely relaxed, collapsing to the ground.

"Father!" Qin Chuan exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward.

Fortunately, Qin Li held onto Qin Geng's arm the whole time, pulled him to a chair, and immediately took his pulse. After a moment, his expression softened, and he said to Qin Chuan:
"Don't worry, your dad is fine. He just had a bit of a choking fit after all that joy and shock. I'll help him catch his breath, and he'll wake up soon."

Sure enough, after Qin Li held Qin Geng's wrist and channeled some spiritual energy into it, Qin Geng slowly opened his eyes.

After waking up, I was in a daze for a moment.

Seeing the endless feast around him, and everyone, including the clan elders, focusing on him, he stared blankly into space. Finally, as if remembering something, he looked at the ordination certificate and documents his son was clutching to his chest, and suddenly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
"It's true, it's true, my son really won!"

"father!"

Seeing his father like this, Qin Chuan felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. Having lived two lives, how could he not know how much his father had done for him in this one?

Now, my dream has finally come true.

"It's not a dream, your son Chuanya really won."

After Qin Li revived his cousin, he helped him to his feet and jokingly said:
“From now on, you should stop chasing after me. It’s my son’s turn to make his cousin his life goal.”

He has an eldest daughter and a youngest son; his son is three years younger than Qin Chuan.

If Qin Geng were to be teased like this by his cousin, whom he had always considered his rival, he would have already stormed off in anger.

Now, his rough face flushed slightly, and he mumbled:

“Your son Yu is smart; he’ll be able to pass the exam in two years.”

After saying that, fearing the other party might think he was being perfunctory, he quickly added earnestly:
"Absolutely!"

Qin Li didn't say much. Just as Qin Geng understood his son, he also understood his son, who wasn't cut out to become a Daoist.

Therefore, he admired Qin Chuan, who had black hair and sword-like eyebrows, even more.

Nephew, the character for "son" is in his name, so how come he's not his son?

"Thanks to Third Uncle just now."

At this moment, Qin Chuan quickly bowed to the uncle.

"For cultivators, it's as simple as breathing. Now that you have the talisman, you can practice Qi, and you'll be able to do it in the future too."

Qin Li patted Qin Chuan on the shoulder.

Qin Chuan's eyes lit up: "Like the teleportation Uncle San did just now?"

Qin Li shook his head: "That won't work. This kind of movement technique can only be performed by those at the seventh level of Qi Refining. Your 'Fire Worker Daoist' talisman is not enough. The Fire Worker Daoist's ordination certificate only qualifies you to cultivate up to the fourth level of Qi Refining. To go further, you need to be officially ordained and become a 'Heavenly Talisman Daoist' before you can cultivate further."

Qin Chuan nodded thoughtfully.

It sounds like using ranks and treatment instead of realms and cultivation levels makes it easier to understand the path of cultivation in this world.

"Don't worry, you got in through the civil service exam. As long as you work hard and follow the rules at Nongling Temple, and as long as nothing major goes wrong, you'll be officially hired after a year of fire-working internship. Nongling Temple will then confer your ordination."

After saying that, Qin Li took out a box from his sleeve and said:
“You’re going to work at Nongling Temple. I know about the work there; it’s mostly related to plants. You’ll be busy with things like cultivating soil, removing pests, and grafting. Removing pests is the hardest part, so before I came here, I bought you this set of ‘Golden Box Flying Needles’ from the spirit tool shop in the county. It has eighteen needles in total and is something that many of the fire-working Taoists at Nongling Temple have to learn. Try to practice a lot before you take up your post on the fifteenth, so that you won’t be scolded.”

"This is too valuable," Qin Chuan hesitated.

This is a magical treasure from the immortals.

"Not valuable, not valuable."

At this moment, old master Qin Youde finally found an opportunity to interject, his face beaming with joy, and said:

"It's just a set of spiritual tools. Your third uncle works at the Jing'an Office, and it wouldn't be too difficult for him to buy such a set with his salary. If you refuse, it would seem like you're being unreasonable. If you acknowledge the old man as the clan leader, then you should accept it quickly."

"Keep it, Chuan Yazi."

Qin Fengnian spoke with a smile.

They glanced at Old Master Qin; the old man was now afraid that Qin Chuan would become estranged from them.

He even speculated that if he weren't still alive, he would have had to find a way to adopt Qin Chuan and his son into his eldest branch of the family. But then again, now that Chuan Yazi has become a Taoist priest, it wouldn't be a problem for him to open another branch within the clan.

"Then, thank you very much, Uncle San." Qin Chuan no longer refused and accepted the set of "flying needles".

Unexpectedly, the moment he touched it, words appeared in his mind:

【Mother and Child Mithril Needles, containing magical essence...can be refined/remelted】

"Hmm? This set of flying needles can also cause the mysterious black furnace to react?"

Qin Chuan was extremely curious about the black stove.

If there weren't so many people here, he wouldn't be able to guarantee that there wouldn't be any unusual phenomena during the 'refining' and 're-refining' process, and he would have been tempted to test it on the spot.

While Qin Chuan was silently studying it in his mind.

The old man's voice was as loud as a bell, and he laughed heartily, bowing to everyone around him:

"Hahaha! Fellow villagers and friends from Guniu Town, today is a day of double joy for our Qin family. The original celebration of our great-grandson's first birthday is nothing compared to the fact that our Qin family has produced another Taoist priest. Therefore, we, the Qin family, will continue this banquet for another day!"

Congratulations! Congratulations! Great joy!

Amidst everyone's congratulations, there was envy, jealousy, admiration, and sighs.

It is conceivable that from this day forward, the Qin family will be transformed into a respectable family in the entire town, and the status of the Qin clan will also be subtly elevated above that of other clans in the town.

These are all reasons why a Taoist's status is so precious.

Qin Geng was even more surprised that in just half a day, he, who was originally someone who had no one to talk to while eating at banquets outside, was now not only receiving endless compliments and toasts from his clan brothers, but was also being warmly invited to a seat in the inner hall by the clan elder.

I crossed the threshold of the ancestral hall that symbolized my identity.

So, after a few rounds of drinks, Qin's father got completely drunk, but whenever someone offered him a drink, he never refused and drank it down with his head tilted back.

Seeing the way my dad looked.

It seems to be the most enjoyable day of my life.

The banquet ended in the evening.

Qin Chuan, without touching a drop of alcohol, carried his alcoholic father back to his home with the help of several young men from his clan.

Seeing Qin Geng already drunk and lying on the bed, still muttering incessantly:

“My son… can now have a separate page from the back of the family tree…”

Qin's mother had already received the news from the clan during the banquet. Now, she was wiping her husband's body with a damp cloth while looking at her son with tears in her eyes.

The woman, who was not good with words, kept crying tears of joy, her eyes brimming with pride and happiness.

For little Qin Kui, she didn't quite understand what was happening; she only knew that today was the happiest day for her family.

Because what her brother brought back for her today wasn't leftovers, but a whole roasted chicken.

Finally, after settling everyone in the family in...

Qin Chuan finally ended his exciting and busy day and returned to his small side room with bluestone bricks and tiles.

It's quiet at night.

Take a deep breath.

He looked at the black incense burner mark that had reappeared in his palm from constantly touching the talismans, documents, and flying needles.

"Come on, let me see what use you are?"

(End of this chapter)