I attained immortality in the real world.

Chapter 41 Destiny

it works!

Use with caution!

The Imperial Advisor Su Ji's words were tantamount to recommending Chen Jing to be listed on the Tai Sui List.

Although Chen Jing knew that all the information would be gathered by the Grand Preceptor, he was unaware that he had fallen into the eyes of the Tai Sui King.

The next morning, he went to participate in the Tai Sui examination, and then his consciousness withdrew from the Wuxiang Realm, handing over control to Zhu Kui.

Li Banxian said this when he was teaching the secrets of divination.

The Secret Manual of Fortune Telling - Volume 2: It can help you get listed at the bottom of the Tai Sui ranking.

The Secret Manual of Physiognomy - Volume 2: It can help one achieve a mid-level ranking on the Tai Sui List.

The Secret Manual of Fortune Telling - Volume 1: It can help you topping the list of those destined to meet the Grand Duke Jupiter.

The first volume has now been completed, and according to calculations, it should be able to achieve the top spot on the Tai Sui list!
"The selection of officials in the Tai Sui Kingdom is very fair, but fairness does not equal equality. The assistance that family background can provide is also taken into account. Even if I scheme to intensify conflicts and cause infighting among the sons of aristocratic families to minimize my competitors, I will only have a slim chance of becoming the top of the Tai Sui list."

Chen Jing chose to believe Li Banxian once, and nine out of ten predictions were wrong, but there was one time when he was right.

Arriving at Tai Sui City only two days in advance was to let things take their natural course and see if I could really become the top of the Tai Sui list as calculated.
"........."

The day after the Tai Sui examination, Chen Jing received an invitation to a banquet at the royal palace.

After a palace guard confirmed his identity, he led Chen Jing toward the direction of the Tai Sui Palace.

Outside the palace square, eunuchs from the Ministry of Rites were maintaining order, briefly explaining some etiquette to the scholars and arranging dozens of them into lines according to their height. Chen Jing was also pulled into the crowd.

A thin-faced scholar behind him asked in a low voice, "Brother, judging from your humble origins, you are so calm and composed. You must have passed the Tai Sui test more than once, right?"

Chen Jing nodded: "This time is different. Last time, we went to the ancestral mausoleum to accompany the sacrificial ceremony. Although there was a banquet afterwards, it was not held in the palace."

The scholar's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, and he continued to ask, "We are all from humble backgrounds, so I would appreciate any guidance on what challenges we might face at the banquet?"

Chen Jing did not hide anything and replied, "There is no test. It's just an ordinary banquet. It's just that the person hosting the banquet is of noble status. Please be casual."

The scholar snorted coldly, assuming that Chen Jing regarded him as a rival and was unwilling to speak, and then struck up a conversation with another scholar beside him.

Once all one hundred scholars who passed the Tai Sui civil service examination had arrived, guards carrying ceremonial weapons were stationed in all directions, leading the group into the palace and onto the first white jade steps.

"Dong dong!"

A deep bell rang out, sounding as if the majestic palace before them was making a sound.

Step by step, the scholars born into aristocratic families moved in unison, creating a unified and harmonious rhythm, while those born into humble backgrounds were excluded from this strange rhythm.

The slender scholar who had spoken to Chen Jing hadn't even finished the first step of the white jade staircase when a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead; he was so nervous that his thoughts were almost frozen.

All around, pairs of eyes were watching the crowd, using their knowledge of physiognomy to analyze and record every detail and every movement.

"The Wuxiang Realm was in an era of feudalism and warlordism, but it wasn't strictly enforced. The Tai Sui Kingdom had paper and clothing that didn't belong to this era. The selection of officials was like a combination of the ancient imperial examination and modern written and oral exams, and there was even a 35-year age limit." "It's not actually difficult for a poor family to pass the interview. The etiquette of the aristocratic families is just imitation. If you are their role model, you don't need to learn etiquette at all. Don't worry about it, just focus on walking!"

"There will be no tests at the banquet, because if there are tests, there will be ways to deal with them. If there is deliberate effort, there will be bias. The influence of generals and ministers in the Formless Realm is amplified tenfold. Just a banquet is enough for a skilled fortune teller to read a lot of information and make a conclusion about a person."

"At this moment, the Tai Sui Kingdom is a physiognomy system composed of people."

[The Heart Seal of the Literary Master!]

When Chen Jing switched to the Wenzong state, he did not use the illusionary form to enhance his true supernatural powers, nor did he use the method of manifesting sainthood.

The banquet will continue until dusk, and if the gods maintain their peak condition, they will not be able to withstand the strain.

"Dong dong!"

The deep chimes rang seven times.

The group then ascended the seven white jade steps. The short staircase soaked the scholars' clothes with sweat, as if a bronze bell were striking their hearts.

As the music began, a high-pitched voice announced: "Summon the talented scholars who are to be listed in this year's examination to enter the palace for an audience."

The group entered the royal court, where a crowned middle-aged man sat on a high platform, an old man in black robes sat in a secluded corner, and a dozen or so high-ranking officials of the Tai Sui Kingdom sat on the left and right sides of the hall.

Following the instructions of the master of ceremonies, the crowd bowed and paid their respects, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty, may you rest in peace."

As Chen Jing had predicted, the king only gave a brief lecture for an hour and did not set any tests. The Tai Sui literary examination had already proven his talent, and there was no need to prove it again now.

Around noon, servants led the scholars to the west side of the palace for the main meal of the banquet.

"........."

Chen Jing had been kneeling at the table for a short while when a young man dressed in a black robe with gold patterns approached him, raised his wine cup, and said, "Young sir, what a coincidence! We meet again! We had a very pleasant conversation last time, but we didn't introduce ourselves. My name is Qu Jiu."

The young man was the very person Chen Jing had met at the Wan Family Restaurant. Chen Jing had initially guessed he was a prince, but he hadn't expected him to be a crown prince. He raised his glass and smiled, replying, "Zhu Kui greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. Meeting you at your home is hardly a coincidence."

Qu Jiu showed no airs of a crown prince whatsoever, sitting at the same table as Chen Jing: "Father intends to put your name on the Tai Sui List, young master. What rank do you think you should be ranked?"

Chen Jing ate a piece of roasted meat, but his tongue didn't taste anything. He paused for a moment and said, "Without hesitation, I should be the champion."

"That probably won't work. This year's scholars include the sons of the Wang and Zhou families, who were already known as outstanding individuals from a young age."

"However, it's not entirely without a chance. Your teachings are insightful and I admire them greatly. To serve as the Crown Prince's tutor, besides highly respected senior officials, only the top-ranked official on the Tai Sui list is qualified."

Chen Jing sensed the underlying meaning in Qu Jiu's words and tactfully asked, "Then how can one become His Highness the Crown Prince's teacher?"

Two months ago, the results of Chen Banxian's ten-day fortune-telling reached Qu Jiu's ears, and Qu Jiu planned to become Chen Jing's apprentice. However, Chen Jing had already gone traveling at that time.

Fortunately, Chen Jing's destination was Tai Sui City, which gave him a legitimate opportunity to become his teacher.

A glint of light flashed in Qu Jiu's eyes, and he decisively spoke up: "Young Master, you have successfully predicted the fortunes of the next ten days. I have investigated! The culprit was not ordered by you, and Zhou Qing's affair with that woman was also a long-standing affair. I want to learn the art of fortune telling. Please teach me."

(End of this chapter)