Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Chapter 165: Chapter 109: Appointment as an Immortal Official, Where Authority Lies

”I’m a simple man; I can’t wrap my head around all these complexities. If I can’t figure it out in these three days, I’ll just go try for the Merit Department.

Judge Li looks impressive, and that place holds a lot of power. If I can snag a position there, even a minor one, it’ll be convenient for getting some resources for my family in the future.”

Chu Bai couldn’t help but chuckle. The reasoning was simple and practical.

”I’m still hesitating, too.”

Wang Qingli, standing to the side, sighed softly. She carried the faint, fresh scent of plants and trees, and her expression was gentle. ”All the fighting and killing... it really doesn’t suit me. I might apply to the Dean to stay at the Daoist School and become a Steward. In a pure land like this, I could teach and guide students, and I’d also be able to borrow books from the Library Pavilion. It’s more stable and a better fit for cultivating my Wood Element Daoist Skill.”

Chu Bai nodded slightly in understanding.

Lü Qing’s path was to leverage power, while Wang Qingli’s was to seek stability. For each of them, their chosen paths were indeed excellent options.

The Merit Department was a center of real power, holding high authority and overseeing assessments; a Daoist School Steward, on the other hand, held a respected and stable position with no lack of resources.

But...

Chu Bai shook his head inwardly.

’What might be a golden path for others isn’t necessarily the optimal solution for me.’

’The reason is simple: I possess the special Fate Chart, Seal and Ribbon Mutual Generation, Merit and Demerit Shape Destiny.’

He had already experienced the overwhelming power of this Fate Chart. Merely eliminating a minor rat infestation—one that hadn’t even fully developed—had been recorded as a trivial merit, yet it had brought him immense benefits in his cultivation.

’If I could perform a great merit, or slay a truly wicked and sinful person, how astonishing would the feedback be?’

Using this as a baseline to re-examine the two paths:

’The Merit Department is good, but a central agency like the Ministry of Personnel focuses more on paperwork and judging the merits and demerits of others.’

’It’s like being an accountant guarding a granary; I’d watch others perform meritorious deeds and receive rewards, while I myself would likely have few opportunities, especially early on, to personally enter the fray and earn tangible combat merit.’

’As for staying at the school to be a Steward, that’s taking stability too far. I would spend my days teaching new students or organizing ancient texts. Where would I find any heinous villains to slay?’

’Where would I find any earth-shattering cases to solve?’

’If I choose either of these paths, my Merit and Demerit Shape Destiny Fate Chart will likely gather dust for a long time.’

’Judge Li said that those who become Immortal Officials are like living chess pieces, free to take up positions in any department...’

Chu Bai’s eyes narrowed slightly as his thoughts began to clear.

’Since the essence of being an Immortal Official is the freedom of choice, there’s no need to rush a decision right now.’

’I still know very little about the structure of the Great Zhou Bureaucracy and the specific functions of its various departments. Making a rash bet now would be unwise.’

’For now, I’ll set aside these two seemingly glamorous options.’

’Looks like I’ll have to do some proper investigation over the next few days.’

With his mind made up, a faint smile touched Chu Bai’s lips.

After all, he already had a spot as an Immortal Official secured. With the White Talisman in his possession, the initiative was his.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

After a series of vicious battles, his mind had been stretched taut. The moment he finally relaxed, a deep exhaustion washed over him like a tide.

Chu Bai returned to his familiar room. The sun had not yet set, and its slanting rays filtered through the window lattice, illuminating the somewhat empty space.

His roommates had been out all day for the past few days, so the room was unusually quiet.

He sat cross-legged on his bed and skillfully formed a hand seal. Several streams of gentle green light appeared at his fingertips.

The Rejuvenation Seal.

As the Seal sank into his chest and abdomen, a cool, life-giving energy quickly coursed through his body, soothing the subtle internal injuries in his meridians left by his excessive outbursts of power.

Once his aura stabilized somewhat, Chu Bai closed his eyes, performed his Breath Regulation, and silently circulated the Guiyuan Technique.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard familiar footsteps and conversation outside the door.

The door was pushed open, and Jiang Kuo, Zhou Tong, and Chen Shi entered one after another.

Traces of fatigue showed on their faces; they had clearly been busy all day preparing for the upcoming first-year final exams.

”Chu Bai?”

Jiang Kuo, who was walking in front, stopped in his tracks. He looked at the figure sitting upright on the bed, a surprised expression on his face.

’For the past few days, Chu Bai has been as elusive as a phantom. We’ve all seen his desperate drive; he usually doesn’t return until late at night. Why is he back today before sunset?’

”Brother Chu, what’s with all the free time today?”

Zhou Tong set down the book in his hands and poured himself some water as he teased, ”Are you all done preparing for the exams? Everyone’s been guessing these past few days that the top spot in the final exams is yours for the taking. We brothers are all waiting to admire your performance in the arena.”

Chu Bai slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath. He looked at the roommates he saw day in and day out, a calm smile playing on his lips.

”Gentlemen, I’m afraid you won’t be seeing my performance in the final exams.”

He paused, his tone calm yet tinged with an unconcealable ease:

”I’m afraid I’ll have to take a step ahead of you all.”

”Today was the Immortal Official Examination. I was lucky enough to pass. I suppose you could say... I’ve graduated early.”

Silence.

A brief, dead silence fell over the room.

Followed by—

”PFFT— COUGH COUGH COUGH!” Zhou Tong, who had been drinking water, spat it all out.

”Hahaha! Brother Chu, are you telling a joke just to help us de-stress because you see how tense we are?”

Chen Shi clutched his stomach, roaring with laughter and slapping his thigh. ”The Immortal Official Examination? That’s where all those monstrous third-year prodigies fight tooth and nail! What’s that got to do with us!”

”Exactly! Brother Chu, you took that joke a little too far,” Zhou Tong added, wiping the water from his mouth and shaking his head with a laugh.

’In their minds, this was simply preposterous. A first-year student participating in the Immortal Official Examination, an event only the third-year elites could enter?’

’And he even passed?’

’How is that possible!’

Only Jiang Kuo wasn’t laughing.

His brows furrowed slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Chu Bai.