Chapter 746: Sect Exam Craze (Thanks to Book Friend 2024110913001191)

Chapter 746: The Sect Examination Craze (With gratitude to Book Friend 20241109130011914 for the Alliance Lord sponsorship)

Looking at Zhang Yu’s silent demeanor, Yun Zhiguang shook her head, feeling only that he still harbored illusions of luck in his heart.

Thus, she decided to speak even more plainly: "To tell you the truth, this time the promotion of the sect civil servant selection examination down to the lower levels was spearheaded entirely by the Heavenly Court. They want to mix sand into the sects."

"The sects themselves naturally disagree with this matter."

"In the end, the Heavenly Court reached an agreement with the high-level leadership of the ten great sects. If the lower-level cultivators perform poorly in this civil servant selection examination, such examinations will never be held in the lower levels again."

Zhang Yu’s heart stirred upon hearing this, and he thought to himself, "It seems... although the immortals hail from the sects, and the Heavenly Court was established by those immortals, the desires of the sects and the Heavenly Court are not entirely aligned, and there will still be conflicts and contradictions."

Yun Zhiguang continued, saying, "Therefore, in this particular examination, not a single person will pass from the fifth layer and below."

"As for the seventh to the tenth layers, the people who will pass have already been selected in advance. Even within my Wanfa Sect, only five individuals will pass."

"And the only reason these five are allowed to pass is to demonstrate that the civil servant examination is indeed passable, that its difficulty lies within a reasonable range, and that those who fail simply lack capability, thus preventing the Heavenly Court from finding fault."

Zhang Yu asked, "Since people can pass from the seventh to the tenth layers, then below the fifth layer..."

Yun Zhiguang raised an index finger and shook it, then continued, "Who do you think those five cultivators passing from the seventh to the tenth layers actually are? I can tell you that every single one of them is someone who reincarnated down here from within the sect itself."

"Every single one of them spent twenty, or even thirty years taking the examination in their past lives."

"Do not assume that because they spent twenty or thirty years taking the exam and still failed to enter the sect, they are somehow weak."

"In their past lives, they raised their personal cultivation, their aptitude tests for sect affairs, their personal moral standards, and their professional capabilities to a peak where no further elevation was possible."

"Their failure to enter was not because they were weak, but because the competition for the sect examination is simply too fierce."

"Up above, the average time an accepted candidate spends taking the exam is about twenty-eight years."

"You ought to understand what this represents. Cultivators born up above are far superior to you in both their innate talent for the immortal path and their cultivation conditions. Yet even so... they must endure at least twenty or thirty years of grinding before it is possible to successfully enter a sect."

"And now, those five cultivators who have reincarnated down here to take the exam might have been unable to compete against their rivals up above for the longest time, but coming down here, relying on the experience of their past lives and the preparations of this life... they will completely sweep the examination halls."

"In contrast, you all only have a mere three months to prepare. When the time comes, I am afraid you won't even cross the passing line of the civil servant examination."

Reincarnating down here just to take an exam? This wasn't just exam migration; it was straight-up reincarnation for an exam, wasn't it? Although ten thousand dissatisfactions rose in Zhang Yu’s heart, he still maintained his calm analytical thoughts.

He mused inwardly, "Did these reincarnated fellows learn the news far in advance, thus finding an alternative path and reincarnating below to take the sect exam?"

"No... that might only be a secondary purpose. The greatest reason is likely that someone within the sects had long laid out a strategy to counter the Heavenly Court's promotion of the sect examination."

"Doesn't that imply that the Heavenly Court's downward promotion of the examination began its layout a very long time ago?"

"Then this Great Reconstruction... and even the University War, were they also planned long ago?"

Thinking to this point, Zhang Yu’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

Seeing Zhang Yu’s silence, Yun Zhiguang assumed he finally understood the sheer difficulty of the matter. She nodded and said, "Alright, now that you understand, take a good rest and recuperate. Next, I have many things that require you to..."

Right at that moment, Zhang Yu looked at Yun Zhiguang with a serious expression and spoke, "Senior Sister Yun, no matter what, I still want to give it a try."

"Tsk..." Yun Zhiguang looked at Zhang Yu with impatience. In this instant, her evaluation of him plummeted significantly.

"I truly wasted my breath saying so much to you."

"Fine, if you want to bash your head until it bleeds, then go ahead and bash it."

Yun Zhiguang’s projection vanished directly, as if she could no longer be bothered to speak another word to Zhang Yu.

In any case, from her perspective, once Zhang Yu exhausted all his strength and failed to pass in the end, he would naturally and obediently follow her arrangements.

As for Zhang Yu, looking at the vanished projection of Yun Zhiguang, he continued to ponder over the matter of selecting a post.

He gathered the sect information he had heard from the Magnetic Pole Divine Lord, the Green Wood Divine Lord, and True Lord Spark, summarizing it all... and listed a few options for himself.

"Either become a researcher in the Qiankun Pavilion, or go to the Shuntian Hall that True Lord Spark mentioned to participate in the orthodox-demonic martial arts struggles, producing various elements of the immortal path and the like."

"And then there is Ah Zhen..."

The figure of Bai Zhenzhen surfaced in Zhang Yu’s mind: "The vast majority of the intelligence currently known is related to the Wanfa Sect. If Ah Zhen wants to apply for a post in the Heavenly Sword Sect, we must find a way to obtain more information about them."

However, among the cultivators Zhang Yu knew, they were either those who had never even set foot in the Heavenly Sword Sect, or those who had only gone there for training many years ago.

Regarding the current latest conditions and data of the Heavenly Sword Sect, there was a severe lack.

Not long after Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen spent their time pondering and gathering information, Zhang Pianpian sent another message to Zhang Yu: Meet at the old place.

...

Within the Taiqing Realm, Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Pianpian’s figure and said, "Sister."

Zhang Pianpian said, "I am about to leave."

Zhang Yu felt a shock in his heart and said, "Leave?"

Zhang Pianpian said, "I will be heading to the regions above the eleventh layer. The exact location is hard to say for now."

Looking at Zhang Yu, Zhang Pianpian continued, "Have you decided which post in the Wanfa Sect you will apply for?"

After Zhang Yu recounted his thoughts and hesitations, Zhang Pianpian said, "The Qiankun Pavilion and the Shuntian Hall each have their merits and drawbacks. It is entirely normal for you to feel hesitant."

"It so happens that I have also gathered some news, and I feel there is a place that might suit you quite well."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu immediately pricked up his ears. He listened as Zhang Pianpian introduced, "Within the Wanfa Sect, all kinds of newly born immortal path technologies each year need to establish their own copyrights."

"During this process, it naturally requires people to conduct reviews and approvals, judging the practicality, novelty, and creativity of these immortal path technologies one by one."

"And the place that presides over this work is called the Yufa Pavilion."

"The Yufa Pavilion?" Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s eyes suddenly lit up. "Doesn't that mean the people reviewing immortal path technologies in the Yufa Pavilion can directly acquire all kinds of the most cutting-edge immortal path knowledge?"

Zhang Pianpian said, "That is not necessarily the case. You must know that whether within the sects, universities, or corporations, the pressure to research and develop immortal path technology is immense. It can be said that a massive ocean of various technologies is developed every year, and old versions are constantly being updated."

"The level of these newly created and updated technologies each year varies. Take techniques alone as an example."

"The vast majority of those created and updated are bound to be basic, advanced, and expert-level techniques. Military-grade techniques are an absolute minority, and the proportion of sect-grade techniques is naturally even scarcer."

"Most of the review work within the Yufa Pavilion is surely directed at the basic, advanced, and expert levels. Those capable of being responsible for the military-grade or even sect-grade reviews are certainly not just anyone."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly, understanding in an instant. Even if he entered the Yufa Pavilion, if he wished to come into contact with the most cutting-edge immortal path knowledge, he would still have to climb upward continuously.

He then asked another question of concern: "Then what happens if the reviewers of the Yufa Pavilion learn a technique during the process of reviewing it?"

Zhang Pianpian said, "This is precisely the greatest benefit of the Yufa Pavilion. For every immortal path technology reviewed, one gains a non-commercial, non-disclosable right of use."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s eyes could not help but light up even more.

Zhang Pianpian smiled faintly. It was precisely because she felt this younger brother of hers learned everything extraordinarily fast that she had sought out the Yufa Pavilion as a target.

Zhang Pianpian continued, saying, "But precisely because of this, the recruitment requirements of the Yufa Pavilion in the civil servant selection examination are exceptionally high, and the exam difficulty is immense. Furthermore, it has always been a highly popular post, and every single sect examination can be described as fiercely contested."

Zhang Yu nodded. The high difficulty of the exam was a certainty, but as for the fierce competition... this particular sect examination was only participated in by cultivators from the first to the tenth layers, so the intensity of the competition would definitely not match the levels above.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "This time... might instead be my greatest opportunity to secure such a popular post."

Zhang Pianpian added, "And because the annual technology review work is heavy and vast, the internal personnel of the Yufa Pavilion are numerous and complex, and the competition is also exceptionally fierce."

"However, any cultivator who manages to climb to the upper echelons of the Yufa Pavilion is without exception someone of immense erudition, possessing a profound foundation, and a formidable mastery over all kinds of immortal path technologies."

"Whether they develop toward research and development afterward, or seek advancement in management, their upper limit is extremely high."

Zhang Yu understood as soon as he heard it. This Yufa Pavilion was clearly a place where the supreme competitors of the Wanfa Sect gathered. Fierce competition meant difficult promotion, but once one emerged victorious from such competition, they would possess formidable strength and a grand future.

Zhang Pianpian then reminded, "Therefore, there are many sect disciples with profound backgrounds in the Yufa Pavilion, all of whom possess extreme confidence in their own talent and wealth, wishing to soar to greatness within it. The intensity of the competition is far higher than that of other factions."

As she spoke, Zhang Pianpian observed the changes in Zhang Yu’s expression and said, "It seems you have already made your decision."

Zhang Yu nodded and said, “The Yufa Pavilion truly suits me. I’d like to give it a try.”

After finishing his discussion with Zhang Pianpian about the Yufa Pavilion, Zhang Yu turned to ask about the Tianjian Sect.

Zhang Pianpian understood—Zhang Yu was inquiring on behalf of Bai Zhenzhen.

“I’ll gather as much relevant intelligence as I can before I leave, and send it all to you at once.”

Then Zhang Yu asked about the differing attitudes between the Heavenly Court and the sects regarding the Sect Affairs Officer selection exam.

Zhang Pianpian explained, “Sects have always resisted interference from the Heavenly Court.”

“That’s why the Heavenly Court has continually fostered new factions within the sects. This time, by arranging the Sect Exam, they aim to establish a long-term precedent—a consistent, public channel through which cultivators from Levels 1 to 10 can formally join sects, thereby reducing information asymmetry. Naturally, the Ten Great Sects oppose this.”

“But their conflict will remain within certain bounds. Though the sects design the exam content, the Heavenly Court oversees the entire process. As long as you pass the exam through genuine ability, the sects won’t block you outright.”

Then Zhang Pianpian revealed another piece of news: “Soon, the Heavenly Court should be offering you some support.”

Days passed in the blink of an eye.

Within the Spirit Realm, accelerated tenfold by its temporal flow, Starfire True Lord was instructing the three of them on the Sect Exam. He said, “As far as I know, the Sect Exam consists of three stages: preliminary, secondary, and interview.”

“The preliminary exam is standardized, testing your cultivation level, moral character, and aptitude for sect affairs. It’s scored out of 200 points; you need at least 150 to qualify for the next round.”

“Moral character is judged according to sect regulations. Aptitude for sect affairs assesses your comprehension, judgment, and organizational skills when facing various scenarios…”

“All these are evaluated within illusions, probing your most instinctive, unfiltered reactions.”

“When I was still in the sect,” he continued, “I heard that a single preliminary exam typically lasts three hours. Nascent Soul cultivators must endure over a thousand illusionary scenarios and answer more than ten thousand questions—roughly one complex judgment every quarter-second. The whole ordeal is deliberately designed to push candidates beyond their limits, revealing their truest inner responses.”

“The Golden Core tier’s exam is slightly easier, but for Golden Core cultivators, it’s still extremely difficult.”

“To score highly, you must deeply understand the sect’s inner workings—and engrave its customs, reflexes, and knowledge into your very bones.”

“But what’s common sense inside sects is utterly foreign to you. Thus, everything—from local customs and legal codes to cultural history and jurisprudential norms within the Myriad Methods Sect—is vital. The more you master, the higher your sect literacy. And this knowledge is vast… You only have three months left. Study diligently.”

Just as Zhang Yu immersed himself in learning, a moan echoed from deep within his mind.

“Ahh!”

A loud cry rang out—Fuki laughed heartily: “Finally restored to my Third-Tier Demon God status!”

Zhang Yu’s eyes flickered. Inwardly, he said, “You’re finally awake. Hurry and enhance my potential.”

Fuki giggled. Immediately, a strange, sinister force surged into Zhang Yu’s sea of consciousness. A sharp sting flared in his palm, and a translucent symbol materialized there.

At the sight of it, anticipation swelled in Zhang Yu’s heart.

Just like the initial activation of the Feather Script—and its two subsequent upgrades—the symbol would only fulfill its purpose once filled entirely with black.

“It shouldn’t take more than a few days to complete.”

Meanwhile, Fuki began questioning him about everything that had happened during her slumber and their current situation.

“Triple pay! Spent over ten billion spirit coins?!”

“In debt for over a hundred billion?! Aaaaaah!”

“The Heavenly Court descended?!”

“A Sect Affairs Officer exam?!”

Listening to Zhang Yu recount these events, Fuki felt as if she were repeatedly hurled skyward only to crash back down—anguish, elation, fury, shock—all erupting at once, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Yet even the crushing weight of a hundred-billion-debt paled beside the news of the Sect Exam.

“If he passes the exam and successfully joins a sect,” Fuki mused, “then the wish-path assigned to Zhang Yu by the Demon God Ritual will already be halfway fulfilled.”

At that thought, she couldn’t decide whether this turn of events was fortunate or ominous.

Two days later, as the rune in Zhang Yu’s hand filled halfway, the official announcement for the Sect Affairs Officer selection exam was released. Details of available positions across the Ten Great Sects and their application requirements were made public.

Even Celestial Deities began selling exam prep materials—sales skyrocketed overnight.

Campuses of the Ten Great Academies erupted in fervor. Everyone seemed to be discussing the exam. Many wealthy individuals immediately quit their jobs, resolved to devote the next three months entirely to preparation.

Meanwhile, Deng Bingding contacted Zhang Yu through the Spirit Realm. Her projection appeared before Starfire True Lord and the others.

After exchanging greetings, Deng Bingding stated her purpose.

“Starfire True Lord, besides Zhang Yu and his two companions, the Heavenly Court hopes you might also tutor additional students—elite candidates selected from the Ten Great Academies.”

Before Starfire True Lord could refuse outright, Deng Bingding added, “I know this will demand extra effort from you, so the Heavenly Court is prepared to offer support.”

The assistance was simple yet invaluable: free access to simulated sect environments and mock exams, plus complimentary use of a 20x Spirit Realm time-acceleration function.

Hearing this, Starfire True Lord’s interest was instantly piqued.

After all, Kunxu evolved rapidly—its immortal arts, ethical standards, and cultural currents shifted constantly.

He wasn’t certain what changes had occurred within the sect during his absence. Even with study materials purchased from Celestial Deities, he couldn’t feel fully assured.

And the 20x acceleration needed no explanation—ordinary Spirit Realm acceleration capped at 10x; 20x would double their efficiency.

Starfire True Lord immediately asked, “Are these simulations generated from the latest data?”

Deng Bingding smiled faintly. “Rest assured, True Lord—everything is up to date.”

She then added, “Regarding copyright and sales of the recorded lectures…”

Starfire True Lord’s eyes gleamed. Solemnly, he replied, “Everything is negotiable.”

After brief deliberation, Starfire True Lord and Deng Bingding swiftly reached an agreement.

Soon after, a new Spirit Realm classroom—equipped with all the promised features—was provided to Starfire True Lord and Zhang Yu’s group of four.

Deng Bingding also reminded them, “If you’d like to invite anyone else to join this tutoring session, just let me know.”

“We’re eager to support more candidates and increase admission chances.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s thoughts stirred—he pictured several people and turned to Starfire True Lord. “Master, may I recommend a few friends to join? Would that be alright?”

Starfire True Lord waved casually. “Auditing is fine.”

Over the following days, cultivators began arriving in the Spirit Realm classroom from across the realms. First came those dispatched by the Ten Great Academies and the Heavenly Court.

Tian Shenggong of Immortal Soldier University caught sight of Starfire True Lord on the dais—and Zhang Yu seated below.

“So it’s true—Zhang Yu will take the Sect Exam too?”

His eyes flashed. Without hesitation, he strode toward Zhang Yu.

“The path to victory in this exam is already clear in my vision. I must…”

In a flash, Tian Shenggong moved along the shortest route toward Zhang Yu.

But Zhang Yu’s left and right were already occupied by Yu Xinghan and Bai Zhenzhen—so Tian Shenggong’s target became the seat directly behind Zhang Yu.

“I must sit closest to Zhang Yu!”

Yet in the next instant, a dragon-like silhouette abruptly manifested before him.

Tian Shenggong’s gaze sharpened. “Ying Mingchi from Heavenly Demon University? Has he seen the same path to success as I have?”

Ying Mingchi, likewise noticing his rival, thought inwardly, “So this is the Sect Exam—even before class begins, competition starts? But Zhang Yu is a human-demon hybrid awakened to ancestral demon bloodline. The seat nearest to him is mine!”

But just then, both froze.

Zhang Yu raised a hand—and a projection shimmered into existence beside him.

“Le Mu’lan… from Myriad Methods University?” Tian Shenggong gritted his teeth. “Who is this person? How dare they sit so close to Zhang Yu?”

Immediately afterward, more figures materialized around Zhang Yu—Shi Huaiyu, Ying Xin, Shi Yunxiang, and others.

Also present were Ye Xingli, Bei Wufeng, Jin Jun, Yan Qianji, and others.

Watching Zhang Yu’s side instantly fill up with people, Tian Shenggong and Ying Mingchi could only squeeze in beside them.

At that very moment, a message from Yin Quan Shenjun appeared within Zhang Yu’s eye sockets:

“Zhu Yi Zhenjun, my son Wang Yin has also joined the remedial class. If you still harbor any lingering grievances from the past, please feel free to make any demands of me, his mother.”

Zhang Yu: “Any demand at all?”

Meanwhile, Kuang Tianqing of Tianmo University had already taken a seat in the back row of the classroom. Gazing at the emerging elites from the Ten Great Academies, he thought to himself, “These were once rivals…”

Memories flashed before Kuang Tianqing’s eyes—scenes from the Ten-Academy Leagues and the University Wars, where the ten schools endlessly schemed against one another, sabotaging each other at every turn.

“And now we’ve become comrades.”

Kuang Tianqing sighed inwardly, “Is it solely because of the sects’ oppression? Forcing cultivators from the same ecosystem into uneasy alliance?”

“All of us yearn to charge together against the sects—to smash through the Sect Examinations and storm right into their inner sanctums.”

(End of chapter)