This humble Taoist priest wants to take the college entrance exam.

Chapter 1 What kind of fish slipped through the net of nine-year compulsory education!

For the first time, the incense ash from Jingchen Temple piled up into a small mountain.

Chen Shi'an squatted in front of the funeral basin, using the chipped copper bell that his master loved to play with to sift through the ashes, his movements as practiced as if he were stir-frying leftover rice.

He had followed his master in organizing many funeral rites, but he never expected that the first rite of passage in his eighteenth year would be for his own master.

Of all Chen Shi'an's skills, the one he was most proficient in was performing the ritual of deliverance.

No wonder his master had given him so much instruction on this subject, and now he had arranged it for him.

The eighteen-year-old boy, dressed in a faded Taoist robe with soot from burning paper money on his sleeves, gazed at the throng of people crowding the mourning hall and suddenly felt that his master's departure had been very unjust—

During his lifetime, he ran a Taoist temple that resembled a branch of the Beggars' Sect, accumulating debts that could stretch from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain. Even on his deathbed, he didn't forget to leave a big gift for his disciple.

Yes, Master has devoted himself to cultivation for many years and has long lost contact with his worldly relatives and friends. The many people who have come to attend the funeral today are none other than creditors...

The old man had predicted when he would pass away, and these people were all people he had called over the night before!

[Shi'an, the debts we owe each other must always be repaid. A person without integrity cannot stand, whether in life or in the path of cultivation. It's not that I haven't repaid them all these years, but rather that I've delayed and slowed down, but ultimately they must be repaid. I entrust this matter to you, and I will now...]
[Master! Wait! Wait a minute! What do you mean by a debt owed between us?!]
Did you eat the half-pig of pork that Old Liu from the east end of the village gave you?
[have eaten.]
Did you sleep in the bed we changed in the winter?
[Going to sleep.]
[The debt I owe you is your debt.]
After the master finished speaking, he closed his eyes and, without waiting for Chen Shi'an to speak, rode away on a crane.

He left Chen Shi'an a letter, an account book, and a dilapidated Taoist temple in a remote, run-down place with an obscure reputation and years of losses.

Chen Shi'an hadn't even had a chance to look at the letters and accounts yet, but just looking at the creditors crowding the mourning hall made his face turn ashen, and grief welled up inside him...

Master! You've caused your disciple so much suffering! So many people, how much debt must this be incurred?!

The young man, who had been calm and composed just moments before, suddenly burst into tears and sobbed uncontrollably as the coffin lid was about to be closed...

"Master!! Don't leave me alone!!"

"Master!! Take me with you, Master!!"

Such a touching scene of teacher-student affection was deeply moving to the guests who came to pay their respects.

"Is this young Taoist priest the disciple that Master Chen mentioned?"

"Yes, Shi'an is also a child with a hard life. He was an abandoned baby that Master Chen found when he was traveling in his early years. Although they were master and disciple, their relationship was more like that of a grandfather and grandson..."

"He doesn't look very old, does he?"

"He just turned eighteen this year."

"Fortunately, they've reached the age where they can support themselves. So, after Master Chen leaves, what will become of Jingchen Temple..."

"There are only the two of them, master and disciple, in the temple, so naturally Shi'an will inherit it, right?"

"But he's still just a teenager...can he really do it?"

Chen Shi'an paid no attention to the whispers among the crowd.

To be honest, he didn't really feel the reality of his master's passing.

As the coffin lid slowly fell, Chen Shi'an was still lost in thought.

He stared at the narrowing gap and saw his master's sparse white hair sticking to the pillow, like a layer of snow that hadn't been swept away.

Only when the last ray of light was blocked by the heavy wood, and a dull thud struck his heart, did he snap back to reality—

After that, no one knocked on his door in the early morning and shouted, "It's time to copy the scriptures."

No one hummed a tune and pointed it out to him when he made a mistake in his footwork.

No one would put a heater in his bed on a cold night anymore.

When Chen Shi'an realized this fact, he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. It was like when he was a child, he was catching fish in a mountain stream and he slipped and fell into the water. The first thing he felt was not cold, but suffocation.

At that moment, the feeling of suffocation gripped his lungs, and his eyes felt sore and swollen, as if they had been steamed by the heat of an incense burner.

He remembered his master always saying, "Life and death are like the alternation of day and night," and he remembered the phrase he had copied: "Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs."

But those principles turned into bitter grains of sand in the mouth the moment the coffin lid was closed.

I can't spit it all out, and I can't swallow it down.

It turns out that no matter how much you understand the principles, they can't compensate for this sudden void.

He was crying loudly just a moment ago, but now he can't cry at all.

Everyone fell silent at that moment.

The once bustling funeral hall returned to solemn silence...

……

When the rain stopped, water was still dripping from the eaves.

Inside the room, the flickering candle in the incense burner burned crookedly, its smoke rings carrying the damp, cold air upwards, striking the cobweb-covered beams and dispersing into fine mist.

The hinges of the east hall door were badly rusted and creaked loudly in the wind.

Chen Shi'an has recovered.

He stood in the courtyard, using the rules his master had taught him to guide the departing guests down the mountain.

"Shi'an, please accept my condolences."

Uncle Liu, who sells pork at the east end of the village, patted Chen Shi'an on the shoulder.

"I'm fine, thank you, Uncle Liu."

"Your master always said you were a reincarnation of the God of Literature, but you never had the chance to be exposed to the world of books. But there's another saying... 'Reading is not as good as walking.' I think, Shi'an, you should go out and relax. You've been staying on the mountain for so many years, it's time to go out and see the world. Times are changing so fast these days."

Chen Shi'an nodded silently, thinking to himself, "You've probably misunderstood. I'm covered in the scent of incense, and right now I'm probably adding the resentment of my creditors to the mix..."

Thinking of this, Chen Shi'an finally had time to observe the creditors who came to offer their condolences today.

This was somewhat unexpected.

Despite his young age and lack of worldly experience due to his long years living in the mountains, Chen Shi'an's ability to judge people's appearances is by no means lacking.

People have their own aura, which is a projection of their identity, personality, and emotions.

But the creditors who came to pay their respects to their master this time didn't show much resentment on their faces; instead, they mostly expressed genuine regret. Chen Shi'an was somewhat confused. Could it be that the people in this world who least wanted you to die were actually your creditors?

Moreover, judging from the clothing and demeanor of these creditors, they all seem to be people of considerable status.

The road up the mountain is difficult to walk, and it becomes even more muddy on rainy days, making it impossible for cars to drive up. The only option is to walk all the way from the foot of the mountain.

They traveled such a long and arduous journey, their shoes covered in mud, yet they still made the trip.

Chen Shi'an was intelligent and vaguely sensed that things were not simple.

However, he was a complete stranger to these creditors, and did not know who was who, who owed whom, or how much. Seeing that most of them did not intend to talk to him, he simply treated them politely, thinking that he would check his master's account books later to clarify the debt relationship.

Seeing that the matter was settled, a young man who had been waiting outside for a long time walked in. His eyes, behind his glasses, scanned the dilapidated Taoist temple as if he were appraising cultural relics, and finally settled on Chen Shi'an.

"Hello, Master Chen. I am Yang Yao, a clerk from the Yunqi City Taoist Association. According to regulations, you need to provide relevant documents to inherit a Taoist temple. I'm here to process your paperwork."

"So fast?"

Chen Shi'an was thinking of doing it himself in a few days, but he didn't expect that the other party would come to his door in person.

"Master Chen informed us in advance."

"..."

Fine, fine, you're already worrying about what will happen after someone's gone, even when they're still alive. What happened to taking life and death lightly?

But I have to say, how come I never noticed before that you had such a big face, Master? Others come to your door to get things done, but you come to get things done?

What kind of place is this shabby Taoist temple that deserves this kind of treatment?

Chen Shi'an went back into the house and retrieved his Taoist certificate, ID card, and the ordination certificate proving the master-disciple lineage.

"Master Chen, you also have your academic credentials."

Chen Shi'an then took out the well-worn copy of the Tao Te Ching from his pocket.

The clerk and Chen Shi'an locked eyes, and a moment of silence fell between them.

"Master Chen, I'm sorry, this... isn't considered an academic certificate and can't be entered into the system. According to the Compulsory Education Law, you need..."

"and many more."

Chen Shi'an interrupted, "I inherited my master's Taoist temple, why do I need a diploma? I've never been to school, where am I supposed to get an academic certificate? Why don't you double-check?"

Well, he's not only a clueless idiot, but also completely ignorant of the law!
"Master Chen, it's like this: due to its special nature, a Taoist temple isn't considered private property. If you want it to be legally inherited, you will indeed need to provide the relevant documentation..."

What will happen if I really can't come up with the money?

"According to the regulations, it will be handed over to the association for disposal as unclaimed property."

Chen Shi'an frowned.

Imagine yourself, a Taoist priest who has memorized the doctrines and classics perfectly, whose cultivation, character, and lineage are all impeccable, how could a diploma trip up your desire to make progress?
What educational background is required?

"Obtain a diploma from a nationally recognized key university."

When the clerk said this, he himself found it unbelievable. After all, most small Taoist temples only have a high school diploma as a token gesture, let alone a dilapidated Taoist temple in a remote and neglected place.

Before coming, he checked the system at least three times and confirmed that the little-known Jingchen Temple was of a very high level in the system. If he wanted to legally inherit the temple and become its abbot, he would really need a bachelor's degree or above from a top university.

Chen Shi'an shrugged, unsure whether he meant he didn't have it or that he hadn't understood.

"Didn't you say my master contacted you beforehand? Does he know about this?"

"I know. Little Master Chen, there's no need to worry."

As the clerk spoke, she took something out of her briefcase, "When Master Chen asked us to come and complete the formalities, he gave this to you..."

Did my master ask someone else to leave something for me?

Chen Shi'an raised his eyes and glanced at the briefcase the clerk had opened, where a red, hard paper-like object was being taken out.

Chen Shi'an blinked, thinking to himself, "As expected, Master still cares about his disciple. Could it be that he directly got him a diploma?"
Finally, he got the red, stiff paper-like object into his hands.

Chen Shi'an was stunned as he stared at the gleaming gold lettering on it.

"Admission notice for Yunqi No.1 Middle School...?"

The promised diploma turned out to be an admission notice, leaving Chen Shi'an with a sense of absurd reversal. He looked at it in disbelief, turning it over and over in his mind:

Are you sure this is what my master told you to bring? You didn't take the wrong thing, did you?

"No one was picked up by mistake."

"Master Chen is a very disciplined person. He said that you, Master Chen, are a reincarnation of the God of Literature, so getting into university is not difficult for you. He told us to just follow the rules and procedures."

"Ah……"

Chen Shi'an stared at the words "Please bring this notice to Class 5, Grade 11 on September 1st" on his admission notice. He suddenly remembered the look in his master's eyes before he died. At the time, he thought his master was worried about the debts of the Taoist temple. Now he realized that his master had known all along that he would have to study hard!

"Where did this thing come from?"

"Master Chen said it was a degree borrowed for you."

borrow……

That means it has to be repaid.

"By the way, there's this..."

As the clerk spoke, he took out a set of "Five-Year College Entrance Examination and Three-Year Simulation" from his backpack.

“This was borrowed from me by Master Chen. Young Master Chen, please feel free to use it. I don’t need to return it.”

"..."

Thank you so much!

(End of this chapter)