"Good news! Congratulations, Master Ning Xian, for passing the ninth place in the provincial examination in Dingzhou. He has been awarded the Yellow Grade by the capital newspaper! "
Outside the restaurant, the loud voice of the messenger could be heard, beating drums and gongs in a joyous manner.
Ning Boshang's expression was both sad and happy. He prepared the money and sent the messenger away.
"Congratulations, Brother Ning!"
The other scholars who were from the same hometown or knew him came forward to congratulate him. Even if they were jealous, they suppressed it.
The provincial examination was extremely difficult. Passing it was equivalent to becoming half an official.
In this era, it represented privilege and class.
Not to mention, the founder of the Great Zhou Dynasty had decreed that a scholar could have 200 mu of tax-free land. In reality, it could protect far more land and tenant farmers.
In the later stages of the dynasty, this power would be even greater.
After all, scholars ruled the world. Convenience for others was convenience for oneself.
In addition, one could also go to the capital to take the provincial examination. Once passed, one would be on a direct train to an official's career.
Even if one did not pass, one could still return to their hometown and live a good life without being bullied.
One could even directly become an official, although it was a little low.
In short, passing the provincial examination was indeed like making the great leap. From then on, one would be very different.
Ning Boshang was muddle-headed. For the next few days, he followed his peers who had passed the Imperial Examinations to pay respects to their masters. After that, he attended several banquets. One day, he was drunk. When he returned to the inn, he saw a fellow Elementary Scholar packing his luggage. He couldn't help but ask, "Elementary Scholar Wang, are you leaving just like that?"
"If I failed the examination, I would have left. The reason I stayed for a few days was because a friend invited me to see the opening of the mountain gate of Fang Xian …"
Scholar Wang's face was a little gloomy. "Now my hometown is being attacked by bandits … my parents do not want me to go back, but as a son, how can I tolerate this?"
Ning Boshang sighed and did not say anything else. Instead, he comforted him. "I heard that the imperial court has already sent His Highness, Prince Jin, with the imperial court's Heavenly Army. It's just a small rebellion, I think it will be settled very quickly. Why don't we go to Immortal Mountain tomorrow and relax …"
…
The next day.
Immortal Mountain.
Fang Xian said. The mountain gate was wide open, and the towering buildings were continuous. Although it was newly built, it had a different charm.
"Autumn is overflowing, vitality is hidden … but there is a Dao intent …"
A middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance was among the guests. He was dressed in a green robe and seemed to be an Elementary Scholar. However, he was not eye-catching.
After all, a group of officials had arrived. A mere Elementary Scholar was nothing to them.
The middle-aged man was also very happy. He strolled around and looked around casually.
This person was Prince Jin's aide, Mr. Zhou.
King Jin had received the order. Although he was still on the road, it was a matter of course for him to send trusted aides to investigate the situation in Dingzhou.
Zhou Zhu had only revealed a little of his intentions before he was sent here.
It just so happened that he was in time for the opening ceremony of Fang Xian's sect. Naturally, he wouldn't miss it.
"I heard that this Fang Xian Dao has annexed the Baodan Sect, Philosophy Watch, and other Dao lineages. As expected, their foundation has become much deeper. In the future, they might have the hopes of leading the Dao Sect?"
Zhou Zhu thought to himself as he saw another group of scholars walking past. The leader seemed to be a young High Scholar.
"Eh? This person … "
His eyes were bright and clear. He had cultivated the secret method of observing people. "He seems to have some fate energy? Although he is still a High Scholar, his future is limitless. Should I recommend him to the Prince? "
As he was thinking, he heard the morning bell and evening drum on the mountain peak.
"The auspicious time has come. Open the mountain gate!"
Tong Hezi stood in front of the mountain gate and acted as a welcoming guest. He shouted with a strong voice.
The sound of the bell and drum reverberated. It seemed to wash away the noise of the mortal world and let people enter the realm of immortals.
"This is …"
Zhou Zhu rubbed his eyes and looked at the side of the road.
A bunch of unknown wildflowers bloomed in an instant, and the autumn colors of the mountain turned into spring in an instant.
"The moment the flower blooms?"
"The supernatural power of the ancient immortals in the legends?"
Lord Ning picked a wild flower, put it to the tip of his nose and sniffed it. He could only feel the fragrance coming to his nose, he couldn't help but be stunned.
This flower was so real that he couldn't help but be amazed.
"Your Excellency …"
On the mountain path, a public servant looked at his superior. The superior looked gloomy but didn't say anything. He waved his hand and said, "Record it as it is …"
Whether it was a trick or a real supernatural power, as long as it was famous, the government would not tolerate it.
But this time, the target was too strong. Even the Prefecture City couldn't handle it.
Fortunately, Prince Jin was coming. They only needed to record everything and hand it to the Prince to decide.
People kept going up the mountain and finally gathered at the square.
The five Qi gathered and turned into a clear cloud that was about an acre big. A person sat on the cloud bed and spoke in a mysterious voice, "Dao can be Dao, but it is not Dao. Tribulations can be tribulations, but it is not Tribulations! Tribulations are life and death, karma, and destruction … "
"Greetings, Immortal!"
When the common people saw this scene, they were all dumbfounded. Even some rich merchants and scholars were kneeling.
Zhou Zhu was in the crowd. When he saw this, he was shocked and almost cried, "It's real! Immortal, a real immortal! Our path to immortality is not over yet! "
He calmed down and listened carefully to Fang Xian's preaching.
However, he found that the Daoist master only spoke for a while and didn't continue, which made him anxious.
"This time, I'm opening the mountain gate. Anyone who enters the mountain is a fated person. You can join the sect or find your own destiny …"
After Fang Xian finished his last sentence, he was surrounded by clouds and mist. His silhouette immediately disappeared.
"Immortal wants us to find our own destiny? Could it be that he hid some treasure? "
A scholar's eyes lit up beside Ning Boshang. "Everyone … if we don't find it now, when will we?"
Ning Boshang was a step slower, and when he saw his companions scatter, he couldn't help but laugh. "Even if immortals leave behind treasures, they're only given to fated people … This is something that depends on fate, so how can it be forced?"
With this thought, he strolled around Fang Xian's path.
"Although this Daoist temple is newly built, everything is in order. It's extraordinary … Sigh … Immortal path, Immortal path …"
Ning Boshang's eyes were a little blank.
In fact, he didn't have much ambition for his official career.
Especially after he saw the white ape demon being invincible and the Immortal showing his miracles, a kind of unwillingness emerged in his heart.
'Am I going to live an ordinary life like this and turn into bones while others become immortals?
No! No! '
While he was unwilling, he suddenly came to a flower garden.
"Eh?"
Ning Boshang looked at a big red flower bud and couldn't move his eyes away.
At this time, as their energies interacted, the huge flower bud suddenly bloomed, and a pill appeared in the stamen of the flower.
"This is … destiny? A destiny given to me by the Immortal? "
Ning Boshang's heart moved. He looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to him. He quickly put the pill into his sleeve.
This pill was a tribulation pill made by Fang Xian. It was said that the white ape's blood was used to make medicine, but in fact, it was made with the tiger demon and eagle demon's blood. Even so, it had endless magical effects.
At the same time, Zhou Zhu's heart was beating wildly. He hid something in his pocket and quickly went down the mountain.
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