Qin Chuan woke from sleep, his eyes hazy with drowsiness.
Instinctively, he reached under his pillow for his phone.
After several groping attempts, he grasped at empty air.
A sense of foreboding arose. He immediately rolled up from the crude bamboo bed. That hard thing he had felt was a makeshift pillow made from a bamboo tube split in half.
The quilt on his body carried a damp odor.
*Plip-plop~*
Outside the bluestone house, rain was still dripping.
Suddenly, icy rain-mist beat against the window, carrying a gust of cold wind through the cracks into the room, making Qin Chuan shudder violently from head to toe.
The touch of the bed, the bone-piercing cold wind—he felt no trace of drowsiness and was completely awake!
“Where is this?”
He looked around.
Inside the room were a water vat, a wooden table, plastic basins, a plastic thermos, enamel mugs, an old, broken wooden cabinet with a kerosene lamp on top.
On the wall hung a yellowed New Year painting—a festive poster uniting a chubby white baby, a bellyband, the character “Fu,” a golden longevity lock, a big goldfish, and lotus flowers.
Looking up, he saw dilapidated roof beams and spiderwebs.
From the ceiling hung a yellowed lightbulb with a pull cord.
The mixed use of kerosene lamps and electric lights clearly showed an effort to save money.
Looking again at the wooden bed beneath him, the worn-out bedding—it was like he had returned to the countryside of the nineteen-eighties.
Outside, there seemed to be people busy washing, and the sound of conversation.
In his confusion, he heard a voice from outside:
“Chuan, your Third Grandfather is here. Hurry up and tidy yourself, come out to greet him.”
Hearing this, many fragmented memories immediately surfaced in Qin Chuan’s mind... Lushan Blessed Land, Jiuchuan County, Guniu Town, ordained Daoists... Eastern Ascension... the cultivation world!
This was a world where one had to pass examinations, receive bestowed diplomas, and obtain ordainment to comprehend the Dao and cultivate immortality!
He was a small-town exam grinder who dreamed of passing the civil service exam.
The two sets of memories intertwined, as if they had always both been him, yet also like two completely different people.
“Awakened past-life wisdom?”
His brow ached slightly.
He raised his hand to rub it, and upon lifting his hand, was astonished to discover a black imprint in his right palm—the shape of an incense burner, about an inch in size, very exquisite with distinct details.
“What is this?”
He was surprised.
Because in the memories of both lives, he seemed to have never seen this imprint on his palm; it was like a birthmark.
But just as he wanted to look carefully, the imprint in his palm gradually faded away.
If Qin Chuan hadn’t been staring at it the whole time, it would have seemed as though there had never been any black incense-burner imprint on his palm.
“What happened—it disappeared?”
He turned his palm over and over inspecting it, but no matter what, he couldn’t make that black incense-burner imprint appear again.
At this moment, a displeased, muffled old man’s voice came from outside:
“This child has been spoiled by you. What time is it, and he’s still sleeping, as if pretending he doesn’t know I’ve come.”
“No, no, Third Uncle, please don’t misunderstand. The child was studying scriptures bitterly through the night, so...”
This was the voice of a simple, honest middle-aged man, sounding obsequious and lacking confidence toward the old man.
The old man snorted coldly. “What’s the use of studying hard every night? Three consecutive years of exams, failing every year, and now it’s the fourth year... Do you really expect our Qin family’s ancestral graves to emit green smoke, for a golden phoenix to fly out of this mountain ditch?”
Hearing the voices outside, Qin Chuan quickly put on his outer garments, briefly wiped his face, opened the door, and walked out.
Coming out, he saw two people standing in the courtyard. The middle-aged man in simple clothes with a patch was his father, Qin Geng.
That old man, similarly dressed in simple cloth clothes but without patches, wearing a pair of boots, was his third grandfather by clan, Qin Fengnian.
In Guniu Town, there were many clans, all sharing one surname; the Qin clan was one such branch.
However, compared to the Qin Chuan family’s straitened circumstances, this Third Grandfather lived quite comfortably.
“Third Grandfather has arrived.” Qin Chuan reached the courtyard and respectfully bowed to the old man.
Because the moment he exited, he saw the old man carried two satchels on his back, and behind him was parked a cart. A piece of meat protruded from the satchels, while the cart held three bags of grain and several cans.
Seeing the youth before him in rough cloth clothes with handsome features respectfully greeting him, the displeasure on Qin Fengnian’s face lessened by half, but he still said indifferently:
“What I said to your father just now wasn’t hidden from you, Chuan. You’re eighteen this year; some things you need to see clearly.
Third Grandfather will tell you something unpleasant today.
Back when your grandfather, me, and your Second Grandfather divided the land, each family got over a dozen mu. Your father managed fine, but these past few years, because of your Daoist examinations, how great have the expenses been?
These things, you’re not unaware of.”
“I know.”
Qin Chuan sighed inwardly at these words; this spoke the truth.
But before he could say anything.
Qin Geng, who had been acting obsequious, raised his head stubbornly and said:
“Third Uncle, Chuan has the aptitude.”
“Hmph! Since the Daoist examinations were opened, becoming a Daoist—that’s a myriad of soldiers crossing a single-log bridge! The number of ordained Daoist positions released by a county each year totals only about a dozen or so, yet the number of examinees? Tens of thousands wouldn’t even cover it.”
Third Grandfather Qin’s eyes bulged.
“Didn’t Qin Li pass back then... My son Chuan is no worse than him.” Qin Geng said sullenly.
He knew how bright his child was—from childhood, he memorized things several times faster than others.
Qin Chuan remained silent at the side, but in his heart he knew where his father’s unwillingness stemmed from. Qin Li was considered a clan uncle in his generation, the “child from another family” from his father’s time.
“Qin Li? That child was from the main branch of the family. How much land did the main branch own, how many copies of the Daoist Scriptures could they afford, how much cinnabar, talisman paper, and compasses? And your branch?”
Third Grandfather Qin demanded.
Without waiting for Qin Geng to speak, he turned to Qin Chuan and said:
“Your father is stubborn. You’re a smart person; look at what your family has become. Don’t forget, you still have a younger sister. If you keep taking the exams, your father will have to sell the house to support you.
Listen to Third Grandfather and stop taking the exams next year. I can use clan connections to find you work in the county town. In two more years, I’ll find you a wife. We mortals must accept our fate.”
Qin Chuan fell silent and turned to look at the kitchen. There was a little girl of about eight or nine helping his mother tend the fire, looking toward the courtyard from time to time.
This was his younger sister, Qin Kui.
The little girl was poking the fire with a fire poker, playing.
Qin Chuan knew that regarding the old man’s “for your own good” speech, he had to verbally comply for the moment.
After all, among so many clan members, this Third Grandfather’s concern went beyond lip service—he had truly brought quite a bit of grain to help their family get through this winter.
“Third Grandfather, rest assured. If I don’t pass this year, I’ll find work again and won’t let this family be ruined by my examinations.”
Qin Chuan looked at the old man earnestly.
Although the awakening of his past-life memories made him yearn even more for cultivation, especially for orthodox cultivators who could receive ordainment from the Heavenly Court.
But as someone who had studied the Daoist Canon bitterly for four years, he also understood:
If one could not receive ordainment and have their name ascend to the Heavenly Offices, there was actually another path—the “Talisman Diploma” path.
However, while the Talisman Diploma also allowed one to cultivate and refine qi, it only counted as being a rogue cultivator. No matter how high one’s cultivation, the Talisman Diploma did not contain any “rules or heavenly statutes.”
Compared to a Heavenly Ordained Daoist, a Talisman Diploma rogue cultivator was like the difference between a merchant and a government official.
Great wealth was not as good as great nobility. No matter how profound one’s supernatural powers, they could not rival the will of Heaven.
Seeing that his son had actually taken these words to heart, Qin Geng frowned and glared at Qin Chuan. It was only because Third Grandfather Qin was here that he didn’t lash out.
Third Grandfather Qin stroked his beard, satisfied with Qin Chuan’s reply, and dropped the satchel from his shoulder, saying:
“It’s good that you understand.”
After speaking, ignoring Qin Geng, he lit his pipe, took a puff, and said indifferently toward the kitchen:
“Wife of Qin Geng, don’t cook lunch today. The patriarch’s great-grandson is having his first-birthday ceremony, and they’ve set up flowing banquet tables outside the ancestral hall. Besides bringing you grain today, I also came to notify you to go eat at the banquet.”
...
The Qin Family Ancestral Hall.
Amid the sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers.
Arriving outside the ancestral hall, several dozen banquet tables were all set up outside.
After Qin Geng and his son arrived, they saw the Qin family’s eldest patriarch standing outside the ancestral hall, holding a chubby white baby, beaming with a face full of ruddy light.
This was the Qin family patriarch, Qin Youde. Seeing the trio of old, middle-aged, and young—Qin Fengnian, Qin Geng, and Qin Chuan.
The patriarch waved at Qin Fengnian and said with a smile:
“Come quickly, Fengnian, look at your great-grandson.”
The patriarch was of the same generation as Qin Fengnian, merely over ten years older.
After greeting Qin Fengnian, the patriarch extended a finger to tease the great-grandson, and asked Qin Geng:
“Old Ninth, is Chuan still taking the exams? How is it this year, any hope?”
Qin Chuan’s father, Qin Geng, was ranked ninth among the brothers of the previous generation.
Qin Geng replied vaguely, “There should be.”
The patriarch smiled at this and didn’t say much more, lowering his head to tease the great-grandson again.
*Should be? Then that means no!*
How could Daoist examinations be so easy to pass?
Talent, aptitude, silver, training—none could be lacking, and it was still a myriad of soldiers crossing a single-log bridge.
For such a large Qin clan, decades had passed, and only his third son had emerged. Now he served in the county’s Jing’an Office, responsible for hunting demons, catching thieves, and dispatching patrol talisman soldiers. He was a Daoist of the seventh layer of Qi Refinement who lived on immortal provisions.
Before long, the old and young of Guniu Town arrived outside the ancestral hall, congratulating Patriarch Qin on having four generations under one roof.
Patriarch Qin held his great-grandson and said many happy words. Finally, amid everyone’s eager waiting, he shouted in a voice full of vigor:
“I won’t say anything else—let’s start the feast!”
In the festive atmosphere, the people tacitly divided into two groups.
A small group followed Third Patriarch Qin into the ancestral hall—that was the “inner hall.”
The other group, the majority represented by Qin Chuan and his father, remained at the flowing banquet tables outside the ancestral hall.
This was an intangible difference in status and position; especially at the ancestral hall, it seemed even more rigid.
Those left outside the ancestral hall found their own seats.
Qin Chuan didn’t sit with his father either.
At his age, still studying scriptures and not yet married, he could only sit at a table with village youths and children of similar age.
Father Qin Geng went to sit at a table with the fathers of his generation, chatting and laughing.
But Qin Chuan observed that at his father’s table, the others didn’t pay much attention to his father. Even when conversing, no one actively engaged him in conversation, as if afraid of being entangled by Qin Geng, and later when drunk, being asked to borrow something.
Qin Chuan sighed softly.
Now that he had awakened his innate wisdom, he had to think of a way to let his family live better days and with more dignity.
The banquet was in full swing, and various dishes were brought to the tables.
Qin Chuan still remembered to bring tasty food for his sister, so he didn’t join the conversations of his peers. He only kept his eyes on the dishes on the table while thinking about future plans.
“Qin Chuan, why aren’t you eating yourself?”
A chubby youth at the table had his mouth stuffed full of greasy food. He watched as Qin Chuan wrapped up a chicken drumstick he’d obtained in a bag.
“It’s for my sister,” Qin Chuan replied.
The ancestral hall was a family temple. Except for some venerable old matriarchs, women were generally not allowed to approach. So his family’s Kui could only count on her brother bringing back some tasty food from the banquet.
Suddenly, someone shouted:
“Ah, the Third Young Master has returned!”
Some of the Qin family’s hired hands recognized from afar amidst the gongs and drums a stalwart man with crystalline hair, his entire person exuding a vibrant sense of vitality.
This was precisely the Qin family’s Third Young Master, Qin Li, the only one in decades from the Qin clan to pass the Daoist examination.
“Huh, why are there so many people following behind the Third Young Master?”
“Could it be they’ve come to arrest someone!”
Someone mentioned this, and everyone’s faces tensed.
The Jing’an Office was an official guard bureau that protected security. Normally it solved large and small cases, pursuing and arresting demons and heretical cultists.
Instantly, everyone at the outdoor banquet tables fell silent, watching Third Young Master Qin approach the ancestral hall with seven or eight people behind him.
Qin Chuan also curiously sized up this clan uncle who had received the Heavenly Ordainment.
In his memory, after this clan uncle received ordainment, he rarely returned to the town. He had already bought property and settled in the county town. Added to that, the Jing’an Office’s official duties were busy—even for New Year’s ancestral worship, he was often absent.
Today, this was...
Under everyone’s nervous gaze, an old clan uncle of the Qin family, relying on his seniority, asked:
“Qin Li, why have you brought so many people with such an aggressive bearing?”
But Qin Li didn’t respond. His tiger-like eyes swept over the people at the dozens of banquet tables. Very quickly, he locked onto one direction and walked over with the people behind him.
“Whoa, he really is here to arrest someone!”
This imposing manner made everyone else even more nervously convinced of their misunderstanding.
*Who in our clan committed a crime!*
Qin Geng’s expression greatly changed.
He saw this clan brother who had overshadowed them since childhood actually take one step, his figure vanishing from where he stood, and in the next instant...
He actually appeared before his own son.
Qin Chuan also had no time to react before he saw this clan uncle from afar blur, carrying a gust of fierce wind, and directly appear before him.
*Teleportation?*
“So this is a cultivator?”
Before this thought could finish flashing through his mind.
He heard the majestic clan uncle standing before him speak several words:
“Chuan, you’ve passed.”
*Passed?*
The first thing everyone thought of was something bad.
“What kind of case has he gotten into!”
Instantly, though the voice wasn’t loud, it made everyone at the surrounding tables tense again, guessing madly:
“Was he implicated in a case?”
Hearing the various speculations, Qin Li took a deep breath and smiled, his voice ringing out loudly in all directions:
“Qin Chuan has passed the Daoist examination!”
New author with a new book—I hope everyone will support me greatly.