I attained immortality in the real world.

Chapter 40 Tai Sui Tai Sui
The Realm of No Form, the City of Tai Sui.

As the royal residence, it was naturally more magnificent and spectacular than the five great cities.

The city walls, several meters high, are weathered by time, and the city gates are also several meters wide, with merchants coming and going in an endless stream.

Old Song couldn't help but show his fear before even reaching the city gate. Looking at the high city walls and the burly soldiers guarding the gate, he said, "Young Master, we've arrived at Tai Sui City! Should I wait at the inn outside the city as usual..."

Chen Jing shook his head and interrupted, "This time it won't work. If they don't even dare to drive into the city, how can they be worthy of being on the list?"

The Tai Sui test was not what Zhu Kui thought, starting from when the candidates entered the palace. Rather, it began the moment they entered the city gate. Although it wasn't a deliberately designed test, there were people secretly observing them.

Why abandon the convenience of a horse-drawn carriage and choose to walk into the city? Whether it's due to cowardice, a kind heart that prevents control over subordinates, or a reluctance to exercise one's due authority, it's a very poor assessment for someone aspiring to a career in government.

As the carriage approached the city gate, a soldier blocked its path and shouted, "Halt! Don't you know that carriages and horses are not allowed to enter the outer city?"

Old Song was startled. Before he could beg the soldiers for mercy, Chen Jing took out his scholar's certificate and handed it to the soldiers guarding the city to check.

The soldier looked him over carefully, then waved his hand: "You're a scholar on your way to the imperial examinations, you have academic qualifications, let him go!"

The carriage slowly entered the inner city, where roads stretched in all directions, unlike Zhu Zicheng where there were only a few main roads accessible by carriage.

Chen Jing searched Zhu Kui's memory of Tai Sui City, and directed Old Song to change direction. They first went to the Tai Sui City government office to report and verify their identity, and obtain the qualification to participate in this year's Tai Sui Examination, before finally arriving at an inn to check in.

"There are still two days until the Tai Sui civil service exam, so I might as well take a tour of Tai Sui City..."

No preparation was needed for the written test, but the physical examination had already been prepared. After settling in, Chen Jing left the inn, intending to first visit the Tai Sui Wenzu Temple to pay homage to the deity, who was said to have cloud-like patterns on his face.

Without self, without others, without sentient beings, auspicious clouds belong to the realm of no sentient beings, having transcended the category of living beings, and are a cut above the tiger and black bird forms.

The Wenzu Temple is much larger than the Huwei General Temple, and its incense burns continuously. Scholars who are taking the Tai Sui examination usually come to this temple to burn incense.

An old man selling incense at the temple entrance saw Chen Jing and immediately tried to solicit his business: "Young master, please wait. Buying a stick of incense will ensure your academic success and that you will be listed on the imperial examination."

Chen Jing followed the crowd, took out a small piece of silver to exchange for three sticks of incense, lit them in a fire-beast-head incense burner in the courtyard, and followed the flow of people to the main hall to offer incense.

[Wenzu — Qumo.]

A tall sculpture came into view, with a face like jade, resolute eyebrows, and lowered eyes as if in thought, and a sword that had not yet been drawn was placed at its waist.

The statue exudes a certain imposing aura, as deep and impenetrable as a prison, but it is not as domineering and imposing as General Huwei.

Chen Jing could only glimpse a hint of the king's appearance from the statue, but he could not capture the charm of the cloud pattern.

You sighed softly, "As I suspected, the sculpture can at most capture a few aspects of the human condition; it can't capture anything beyond the higher levels of human existence!"

A person's appearance is the most authentic thing. Whether it is a tycoon, a high-ranking official, a general, or a king, you can see them if you have the chance.

The appearances of tigers, cranes, turtles, and black birds—these appearances of all living beings sound like the appearances of animals, but they don't exist in the real world. Just as there are no winged tigers in the world, there are no humans with the might of a tiger. But at least you can piece them together and imagine them.

The appearances of clouds, rain, mountains, and rivers are even more illusory. How can living and non-living things be pieced together?

Chen Jing walked out of the temple, squatted down by the wall next to the old man selling incense, and said, "Grandpa, may I squat here for a couple of days?"

While others tour to see the scenery, Chen Jing tours to observe people. The Wenzu Temple is a densely populated area, and his brows furrowed as he scrutinizes passersby. The countenances of high-ranking officials! The countenances of wealth and nobility! The countenances of a life of leisure and happiness! As the residence of the king, Tai Sui City shows a noticeable increase in the proportion of people with auspicious appearances.

"........."

Two days passed in a blink of an eye.

While Chen Jing was staring at others, another pair of eyes were also staring at him.

The next day, at dusk, the Tai Sui examination was about to begin.

In another corner of the Wenzu Temple, beneath a tea stall, a bodyguard dressed as an ordinary tea drinker slowly withdrew his gaze from scrutinizing Chen Jing.

After two days of observation, I took out a piece of yellow paper and began to write:
Name: Zhu Zicheng - Zhu Kui.

Guan: Observe this child for two days. After the worship of the ancestor, he squatted idly at the foot of the temple wall. He would arrive at dawn and return at dusk.

Comment: Unremarkable, average talent.

Just as the guard was about to roll up the white paper and put it into the bamboo tube, a voice suddenly rang out: "I think you can change your evaluation to 'a prodigy with the air of a literary master,' which will help you get promoted in the future."

Upon hearing this, the guard's hand trembled instantly, and he almost dropped the bamboo tube. He turned his head and stared at Chen Jing in disbelief.

What is a secret guard?
They are guards who hide in the shadows without leaving a trace.

It's not that no secret guards have been exposed, but they all keep quiet about it, let alone those who have the audacity to ask for a change in the evaluation.
"........."

Tai Sui City, Royal Palace.

Imperial Advisor Su Ji was reading by candlelight late into the night, reviewing the materials of those who had participated in this year's Tai Sui examination for scholars.

Regardless of which generation of the Imperial Preceptor, their physiognomy skills were the best in the Tai Sui Kingdom. However, it is not that one can become the Imperial Preceptor only if one becomes the best in the Tai Sui Kingdom in physiognomy; rather, one can become the best in physiognomy only if one becomes the Imperial Preceptor.

Because only the Imperial Advisor can mobilize a large amount of manpower and resources to develop his own physiognomy techniques.

At this moment, the file of a scholar named Wu Dongyang not only records his life story and important events, but also the information observed by the secret guards recently.

Su Ji closed the file and shook his head: "In recent years, he has suddenly become charitable and generous, which is completely inconsistent with his usual behavior. How could he not know that for a monarch, a bad person is not necessarily unusable? Now, he has become more deliberate and hypocritical, making him less useful!"

Su Ji picked up another file, which contained information about Zhu Kui.

The materials include Zhu Kui's experience of learning physiognomy in the marketplace after failing the imperial examination, using the alias Chen Banxian to tell fortunes, and even predicting the deaths of Zhou Qing and Zhou Silang.

Then there's the information on the secret guards. The comments haven't been changed, but Chen Jing's last words have been added verbatim.

The Imperial Advisor Su Ji couldn't help but smile: "Interesting. Only a year has passed, and you dare to claim you have the aura of a literary emperor?"

The King of Tai Sui, following the sound, asked curiously, "What kind of unparalleled talent could pique the interest of the Imperial Advisor?"

Su Jichao cupped his hands on the high platform and said, "Your Majesty, I have discovered a person who seems to have successfully changed his fate through physiognomy. He was originally a person without a face, but after studying physiognomy for a year, he changed his face without cutting off his flesh and bones. His talent is beyond doubt, but no one can see through his face. I urge Your Majesty to use this person with caution."

(End of this chapter)