Chapter 153: One Day of Instant Fame

Though the Chu family seemed to have no one in official positions at court, their influence in the capital was not to be underestimated. However, this didn't particularly pique Jiyuan's interest, and he remained seated in the pavilion, reading a book and eating baozi.

Jiyuan ate very slowly when he was absorbed in reading. Five baozi, which a strong man could finish in seven or eight bites, lasted much longer in his hands; the more engrossed he became in his book, the slower he ate.

He continued reading until the sun began to set in the west. Jiyuan had almost finished browsing the entire *Hundred Prefectures Compendium*, yet there was still a small corner of a baozi left in his hand, as if it were waiting for him to finish the whole set of books.

After reading the last sentence and turning to the back cover of the sixth volume of the *Hundred Prefectures Compendium*, Jiyuan finally put the last bit of baozi into his mouth. His expression suggested he was savoring either the baozi or the contents of the book.

Jiyuan's current state of mind was not entirely different from his previous life, but it was at least much more peaceful and patient. Even so, he sometimes reminisced about things like mobile phones and the internet, where information on local customs was just a few clicks away.

After returning the *Hundred Prefectures Compendium* downstairs, Jiyuan came back to the third floor, ready for sleep. However, his sleep wasn't ordinary rest; he used the time to comprehend the special techniques borrowed from the old dragon.

Although the old dragon's techniques weren't orthodox immortal methods, they belonged to a true dragon. As long as the old dragon was truly interested, he had ample time to research them. At the very least, there would be a semblance of a useful product, like the precursor to the white deer's immortal beast cultivation method, which Jiyuan felt was quite remarkable after he refined it.

Among the borrowed jade slips, Jiyuan was most interested in "transferring spirit through objects" and "cloud-soaring." The former was easier to practice, while the latter was one of the renowned flying arts, requiring meticulous contemplation and repeated practice in both his mindscape and dreams.

Normal cultivators, when learning aerial spells, would have elders accompanying them for protection, fearing a fatal fall.

However, Jiyuan wasn't afraid of falling to his death. If he truly felt insecure, he wouldn't hesitate to ask the old dragon for supervision. At worst, it would greatly surprise the old dragon, or even lead to some teasing, but the dragon would definitely help. Jiyuan was quite accurate in his judgment of people (and dragons); the old dragon didn't befriend him for his abilities in the first place.

The old dragon's unique techniques were quite special. Some descriptions were incredibly precise, suggesting that "cloud-soaring" wasn't merely flying on clouds but also incorporated elements of water and wind manipulation, as well as unique manifestations. It differed significantly from the cloud-soaring techniques described in the *Compendium of Enlightenment*.

As the saying goes, "wind follows the tiger, clouds follow the dragon." Cloud-soaring was an innate divine ability of the dragon species, and true dragons were preeminent among them, needing little to no study. Since the old dragon bothered to devise a peculiar technique, whether he was idle at the time or not, it was bound to be extraordinary.

Jiyuan's sleep setup was simple: he took the gray cloth bundle hidden at the top of the pavilion's curtain, placed it on the floor as a pillow, and lay on his side. With a jade slip beneath his head, he drifted into peaceful slumber within a few breaths, cultivating the unique techniques in his restful dreams.

Unlike the quiet seclusion of ordinary cultivators entering meditation, such a refined method as Jiyuan's could probably only be employed by a unique individual like him, whose mindscape could manifest as mountains and rivers and constantly overlap with reality.

Just as Jiyuan entered his dream, someone in Yan Hui Lane, off Yong'an Street, awoke from a long one.

Wang Li woke up feeling groggy, rubbing his eyes as he opened them. His gaze fell upon the ceiling of his rented room. He sat up, slightly dazed, stretched, and yawned.

"Haaaah!"

Tears welled up from the yawn, making him feel much more awake.

He noted the dimness of the room; it must be late.

The bowls and chopsticks on the bedside table were gone; perhaps someone from the landlord's family had tidied up again.

Wang Li was still feeling a bit bewildered.

"How did I suddenly fall asleep? I feel like I had a very long dream..."

His eyes swept across the tabletop and landed on a yellowed piece of paper with the characters "White Deer's Fate" written at the top.

In an instant, his mind felt a jolt, and everything from the long dream he had that day came rushing back.

Wang Li's demeanor shifted from confusion to a tremor, and then gradually to excitement. He threw off his covers and scrambled to his desk.

"White Deer's Fate! White Deer's Fate! I must write this down! A celestial being imparted this story! I must record it immediately!"

His heart pounding, Wang Li quickly added some water to the inkstone and began grinding ink. The story he had to write was not short, but with his storyteller's instinct, he had already woven the plot into an even more captivating narrative in his mind.

"This story should be five chapters... no, no, it must be six chapters, at least six chapters to tell it all..."

His hands trembled with excitement as he murmured to himself, his ink-grinding motions resembling a shiver.

Having just woken up, a chill swept over him, and Wang Li shivered again, quickly pulling the quilt to wrap himself.

Seeing that the sky was already darkening, he picked up the tinderbox on the table to light the oil lamp, but upon opening the cap, he found the spark inside had burned out.

"Xiaodong! Xiaodong, are you there?"

Wang Li let go of the quilt, got out of bed, and walked to the door, calling out. However, he dared not open the door, knowing it would be even colder outside.

"Ay, coming! Father, Mother, Mr. Wang is awake and calling me!"

"He's been asleep all day, he must be hungry!"

Laughter and conversation drifted from the next room, and then a boy came running to Wang Li's door and opened it.

Woosh... woosh...

A gust of cold evening wind blew in, making Wang Li involuntarily shiver.

"Mr. Wang, you're awake? We've prepared food for you. Today is the first day of the month, we have braised pork and sliced white-cut duck, hee hee hee, they're delicious!"

"Oh, oh, good, good. I'm quite hungry. Right, could you bring me a new tinderbox, one that's lit? The one in here went out."

The boy looked into the room, which was darker than outside, and crisply replied, "Okay!" before scurrying away.

A quarter of an hour later, the oil lamp was lit in Wang Li's room and its shade closed. On one side of his square table were writing implements, on the other, New Year's dishes, and in the middle, a neat stack of white paper.

The topmost sheet of paper bore only three large characters, "White Deer's Fate," precisely what Jiyuan had written. This was the paper Wang Li intended to use as the book's cover.

Given the exquisite calligraphy left by the celestial being, Wang Li was especially careful with his own writing this time. Though still not beautiful, he tried to be as neat as possible, lest he felt he was defiling the divine calligraphy.

At this moment, Jiyuan, in his dream, seemed to sense something. Even as he flew through the clouds in his dream, a smile appeared on his sleeping body in the scriptorium.

"Upon the Heavenly Bridge, at the table, he wields his fan; before the screen, with the clapper, he spins a tale."

The imperial examinations in Da Zhen had undergone several reforms, and now the Metropolitan and Palace Examinations were held once every three years.

Before the provincial examinations, local exams in various prefectures were relatively flexible, with test durations varying based on the questions—some lasting a few hours, others a full day. However, the Metropolitan Examination differed significantly.

Everyone knew what basic knowledge and memorized content to prepare. Most candidates would also have prepared for poetry and prose. However, there were more questions involving policy discussions and interpretations, as this was the stage for truly selecting officials, and thus required much longer time.

The Metropolitan Examination was generally led by the Ministry of Rites, with various government departments contributing questions. It began on the ninth day of the second month, with three sessions held on the ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth, each lasting three days.

The results of the Metropolitan Examination were usually announced when apricot blossoms were in full bloom, hence it was also known as the "Apricot Roll." Those whose names appeared on this roll were already considered talented individuals.

Five days after the Apricot Roll was revealed, the final Palace Examination would commence, where the top scholars of that generation from all over Da Zhen would compete for their final ranks. Although the top scholar might not necessarily attain a high official position, it was undoubtedly an honor that brought glory to one's ancestors.

Time passed quickly. Despite the continued cold, the hearts of the tribute scholars burned with fervor.

Today was the thirtieth of February, the day the Apricot Roll was to be revealed. Scholars and literary talents from all prefectures of Da Zhen were gathered outside the examination hall's wall in the capital, anxiously awaiting the officials to post the roll, their emotions a complex mix.

Jiyuan, who originally didn't know the examination hall's location, could pinpoint its exact spot from the Chu residence's pavilion simply by observing the dense, cloud-like cluster of literary aura there. It was impossible to ignore.

'Master Yin is already exceptionally talented, and with the clear qi of Heaven and Earth he received over the New Year, his vast righteous qi is now robust, and his mind's clarity is unparalleled. His results are sure to improve even further!'

With such confidence in his friend, Jiyuan didn't bother joining the crowd outside the examination hall.

Yin Zhaoxian and Shi Yusheng couldn't push their way through the crowd, nor did they have servants to clear a path, so they were squeezed into a corner by the throng of scholars.

"Oh, Brother Yin, why aren't you anxious at all? My heart feels like it's being clawed by a cat!"

The closer it got to the announcement time, the more nervous Shi Yusheng became; he was almost sweating. Yet, looking at Yin Zhaoxian beside him, he still appeared as calm as a gentle breeze.

Upon hearing Shi Yusheng's words, Yin Zhaoxian couldn't help but retort.

"Who said I'm not anxious? I'm extremely anxious! But what good will being anxious do? Will getting to the front improve your results?"

"What you say makes sense, but we're so far back we can't even see the list!"

Yin Zhaoxian gave a wry smile; this was beyond their control. Just as he was about to say something, the robust voice of an imperial official rang out.

"Silence!"

The previously boisterous environment outside the examination hall's wall instantly fell quiet.

"Post the roll!"

As the official's shout subsided, four imperial guards with silver-brimmed hats emerged from the examination hall. One of them carried a rolled-up yellow cloth, longer than the guard himself.

Outside, other guards held back the scholars with sticks. In front of the skilled guards, no matter how much the scholars pushed, they couldn't cross the line.

The four guards jointly unfolded the roll. Then, they all bent down and leaped up, using their swift footwork to propel themselves into the air, each grabbing a corner of the yellow cloth and slapping it onto the wall.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!* Four distinct sounds echoed as the roll hit the wall.

When the guards landed, the huge Apricot Roll was already posted.

Moments later, Yin Zhaoxian felt a familiar atmosphere, just like that time in Chunhui Prefecture in Jizhou.

Among the crowd, many scholars were spreading the news.

"Who is Yin Zhaoxian?" "Where is this person?"

"I'm on the list, ha ha ha, I'm on the list!" "Me too, ha ha ha!"

"Congratulations, congratulations..." "Oh, dear..."

"Do you know Yin Zhaoxian?" "No idea..."

"I know, I know! I've heard his name on Wenqu Street! He's the top scholar of Jizhou!"

"Oh, his talent is immense, truly immense!"

The voices rippled from front to back, and amidst the rolling clamor, the name "Yin Zhaoxian" was repeatedly mentioned. Shi Yusheng's expression was one of disbelief, and Yin Zhaoxian's own heart began to pound faster.