Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Chapter 163: Chapter 108: Immortal Official Examination Rewards, Patrolling on Behalf of Heaven

For many a Loose Cultivator, this was a treasure they could never hope to touch in their entire lifetime.

And now, Chu Bai had just gotten his hands on one!

As for the hundred Spirit Stones, they were practically hard currency.

While not used directly as currency in the Great Zhou, their value was extremely high.

They contained pure Spiritual Qi, making them excellent for setting up Arrays, powering puppets, or any number of other uses.

The sheer generosity of the rewards was simply staggering.

”Thank you, Dean!”

Chu Bai accepted the Storage Bag filled with Spirit Stones. As he gazed at the three Dharma Artifacts hovering before him, his heart surged with wild joy.

As for the other placements, those ranked second through fifth could choose one Middle-Grade Dharma Artifact and a number of Spirit Stones. Those ranked sixth and below would receive a Low-Grade Dharma Artifact.

While still impressive, these rewards were a full tier below what the champion received.

Once the awards were distributed, the Dean’s expression turned solemn. He spoke again, dropping another bombshell.

”Furthermore, all who have earned a position as an Immortal Official will be taught our Daoist School’s most guarded secret: the *Guardian Scripture*.”

Upon hearing this name, the senior students and Instructors in the audience who were in the know looked utterly shaken.

The *Guardian Scripture* was one of the Dayuan Prefecture Daoist School’s most treasured legacies!

Its purpose was not to enhance one’s Spiritual Power Cultivation, but to exclusively cultivate the most mysterious and unfathomable of all things—the Divine Soul!

It was common knowledge that Divine Thought was the signature ability of a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator. It could be projected out of the body to scout, used to control objects to slay enemies, and had countless other wondrous applications.

While Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators could achieve a simple form of perception, it could at best be called Spiritual Sense. In terms of both range and precision, the two were worlds apart.

And this *Guardian Scripture* was a supreme Secret Technique that allowed one to begin nurturing their Divine Soul and strengthening their Divine Thought even in the Qi Cultivation Stage!

This was something that truly gave one a head start.

”This is a secret of the Daoist School. Each year, only those who graduate with a position as an Immortal Official may learn it. This technique is not to be shared with anyone else. You must remember this.”

Chu Bai’s heart stirred upon hearing this.

He had once glimpsed a few words about the *Guardian Scripture* in the miscellaneous records of the Library Pavilion. He knew it was something wondrous, but he had never seen the actual cultivation technique.

He never expected to have the chance to learn its secrets today.

’A strong Divine Soul will have an immeasurable impact on my control of Magic Techniques, my perception of danger, and even on overcoming the Divine Barrier when I break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage in the future.’

Chu Bai clenched his fists.

’This whole endeavor has been a massive windfall.’

’Once I get a chance to study this Secret Technique, plus with the Dharma Artifact and the hundred Spirit Stones...’

In the end, Chu Bai’s hand wavered over the three Dharma Artifacts for a moment before finally settling on the ring that was as red as fire.

The Fire Element Ring.

Although the Gold Acceptance Seal offered both offense and defense and was highly versatile, and the Essence-Bearing Tripod possessed unparalleled suppressive power, Chu Bai ultimately chose the ring after careful consideration.

In the world of martial arts, speed reigns supreme.

In the Cultivation Realm, survival was always the top priority. The extreme speed and explosive power granted by the Fire Element Ring would not only allow him to advance and retreat at will in battle, seizing the initiative, but would also be extremely practical for daily travel.

Moreover, with this kind of speed, he would have the ultimate advantage, whether he was hunting someone down or making an escape.

’From now on, I’ll finally have a truly suitable Dharma Artifact of my own.’

Chu Bai caressed the warm ring in his hand before carefully putting it away.

Next, with the exception of Ji Li—who was still receiving treatment and remained unconscious—the other eight winners walked onto the high platform one by one to select their rewards according to their rankings.

Even though they could only choose Middle-Grade or Low-Grade Dharma Artifacts, it was more than enough to make them beam with joy.

After all, simply fighting their way through more than a hundred elites to claim one of the gleaming Immortal Official positions was the greatest fortune in itself.

Even with a lower rank, this Official Status and these rewards would pave the way for a smooth cultivation journey ahead. They would no longer have to fight desperately for every scrap of resource like Loose Cultivators.

As the dust settled, the grim atmosphere in the square finally gave way to celebration.

”Congratulations, Junior Brother Chu.”

”Junior Brother Chu, your performance today was magnificent! Defeating a powerful enemy despite the gap in your Realms... this battle will surely be remembered by everyone who witnessed it and become a celebrated tale in our Daoist School!”

Wang Qingli and Lü Qing came forward. Although they had been eliminated in the second or third rounds, there was no trace of resentment on their faces, only sincere congratulations.

Wang Qingli, in particular, had a peculiar glimmer in her eyes as she looked at Chu Bai.

Chu Bai smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, exchanging a few pleasantries with his two former sparring partners and rivals.

When he stepped down from the high platform, several Instructors who had been waiting for some time immediately rushed to greet him.

”Good kid! What a ferocious fighting style!”

Instructor Lei walked right up and gave Chu Bai a light punch on the chest. His thick beard trembled as he laughed, his eyes filled with shock and admiration. ”Especially that last-ditch, life-or-death charge! Taking on that Primordial Magnetic Storm head-on just to fight for a sliver of hope... you really scared me there for a second, kid!”

”But you fought well! You showed the fighting spirit of us Body Cultivators—er, I mean, of our Daoist School!”

Zhou Changkong, standing to the side, was more composed, but his usually stern face was filled with relief as he let out a long sigh.

”You did well.”

He patted Chu Bai’s shoulder, a thousand unspoken words finally turning into that simple phrase.

For Chu Bai to win the championship as a first-year student was not just a personal honor; it was a historic moment for the Daoist School.

As Chu Bai’s teacher, Zhou Changkong felt himself stand a little taller. His promising disciple had earned him a great deal of prestige today.

”Thank you, Master Zhou and Master Lei, for your guidance.”

Chu Bai bowed deeply to the Instructors, his etiquette impeccable.

Only then did the tension he had carried all day finally begin to melt away.

Three consecutive rounds of high-intensity examinations, especially the final life-or-death battle against Ji Li, had not only drained his Spiritual Power but had also taken a tremendous mental toll.

A profound wave of exhaustion washed over him, making his eyelids feel heavy.

But when he felt the warm White Talisman and the heavy Storage Bag tucked away in his robes, a satisfied smile involuntarily tugged at his lips.

He was exhausted, to be sure.

But judging by the results, it had all been worth it.

In a Healing Array at a corner of the square, Ji Li slowly opened his eyes.

The penetrating wound in his chest had mostly healed under the combined efforts of several Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators and was no longer life-threatening. However, the stinging pain from being pierced by Geng Metal Qi still lingered in his nerves, causing him to frown slightly.

What disturbed him even more was the lingering fear of having faced death at that moment.

He struggled to sit up, his gaze sweeping blankly across his surroundings before finally landing on the young man surrounded by the crowd, basking in glory.

Watching Chu Bai’s exhausted but still upright figure, the light in Ji Li’s eyes gradually dimmed, replaced by an unprecedented despondency.

”In the end... I couldn’t remain undefeated.”

He murmured, his voice as bitter as bile.

For the sake of this path of invincibility, he had suppressed his Cultivation, polished his foundations, and even risked breaking through mid-battle at the last moment, potentially damaging his future progress.

And for what?

’It’s a pity. There are countless geniuses in this world, and I still failed to claim the top spot.’

Ji Li let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, hiding the unwilling, glistening tears that welled within them.

Throughout his life, both within his clan and at the Daoist School, he had always been the one at the pinnacle, an existence others could only look up to.

Victory had always come as naturally as breathing to him, to the point that he believed it was his destiny.

He had never underestimated any of his opponents, including Chu Bai. But when true failure finally struck, the feeling of his entire belief system crumbling left him reeling.

The first time.

This was the first time in his life he had tasted the bitterness of failure.

”The Immortal Official Examination is now officially concluded!”

Just then, Judge Li’s authoritative voice rang out again, cutting through Ji Li’s self-pity.

”All who have earned a position, follow me.”

At these words, the ten victors, who had been lost in their own emotions, instantly sobered, their expressions turning solemn.

Even Ji Li forced himself to rally his spirits, getting to his feet with the help of others.

They all knew that while the examination was over, the moment that would truly change their destinies was just beginning.

Following Judge Li meant officially stepping into the behemoth known as the Great Zhou Bureaucracy. The Receiving Talisman ceremony was not just a ritual; it was a fundamental transformation of their status.

From this day forward, they would no longer be mere students of the Daoist School.

They would be the ones who wielded the Law Net and patrolled on heaven’s behalf—Immortal Officials!