Chapter 296: The Unity of Talismans and Spells

The second round of the literary exam was still held in the same main hall, and the supervisors were still those examiners along with Fuxi and Bixie. Fifteen desks, fifteen meditation cushions; the examinees remained Chen Shi, the Young Master, and Zhang You.

This round’s essay topics were still on subjects like the combined use of civil and military governance, the theory of great unification, and so on.

Chen Shi chose “The Unity of Talismans and Spells,” wrote down his name and native place, and the clerk hesitated a moment before taking up his pen to write the essay on his behalf.

Zhang You also picked his topic and handed it to the clerk beside him, then glanced at Chen Shi and the Young Master ahead with a smile and said, “Have you two heard? Last night something major happened in the inner city of the Western Capital. Even my uncle was alarmed and personally went to Qianyang Street.”

The Young Master’s body gave a slight shudder, and he sat motionless.

Chen Shi felt a small stir inside. Qianyang Street? That street was just in front of the Chen residence, wasn’t it?

“What happened last night?” he asked.

Zhang You smiled. “People heard fox cries and sheep bleating coming from the street. There was a burst of light that lit up the Western Capital in an instant, really astonishing. I also heard that during the morning court session some high officials fell ill and didn’t attend, so many rumors started spreading.”

The Young Master asked coldly, “What kind of rumors?”

Zhang You smiled. “They say there was a big brawl in the inner city last night, someone tried to pull off a major move but lacked the skill. I also heard that one fellow was particularly sinister, hiding his strength until last night and shocking a lot of people.”

The Young Master’s eye twitched.

Zhang You was a core scion of the Zhang Family; he had tried many times to curry favor with the Young Master. Strangely, the Young Master always kept him at a measured distance—courteous, but never showing the blind loyalty other great-clan scions displayed.

What Zhang You had said spread inside Fu Zheng Pavilion after Chen Shi spent the night cultivating and woke up; he had also heard them discussing the incident.

“I didn’t know what Fu Zheng Pavilion did last night,” the Young Master said suddenly. “If I had known, I would have stopped them. I’ll rely on my own skill to obtain success in this exam; I don’t need such low tricks.”

His voice contained a hint of anger, and it sounded like an explanation to Chen Shi.

His subordinates clearly lacked confidence in him; they acted on their own to attack the Chen residence at night and suffered defeat. Even Middle Captain Fan Peng died at the Chen residence. That night’s actions were thunderous in rumor but small in result, a laughingstock that embarrassed him.

Chen Shi glanced at him. He knew nothing of what Zhang You and the Young Master spoke about; when he woke that morning the house was clean and the street as ordinary as ever.

He watched the clerk before him write away furiously, and loudly asked, “Examiners, may I write my own essay?”

The examiners’ faces darkened. “No talking!”

Chen Shi felt exasperated.

He had chosen the Unity of Talismans and Spells precisely to give the clerk a hard time.

He had studied talismans and spells the most; with family scholarship backing him, his starting point was already higher than the others. Achieving unity of talismans and spells was extremely difficult for anyone else—beyond innate talent it required decades of effort.

He wanted the clerk to recognize the difficulty and back down, to write it himself; otherwise what fun would the literary exam be?

But the clerk before him seemed confident in his own skill. His brush flew as if guided by a divine hand; quickly he filled the page, pressed the paper under a paperweight, and let it dry.

Chen Shi read the essay word by word and couldn’t help but be moved. He glanced at the clerk who had written it: the man was only in his thirties, not yet forty, wearing an administrative clerk’s robe rather than an official’s uniform—apparently a Ministry of Rites clerk responsible for catching pens during exams.

“Brother, your attainment in the unity of talismans and spells is very high! You’ve essentially integrated talismans and spells—worthy of a master,” Chen Shi couldn’t help saying.

“I’ve seen many talisman masters, but few exceed you in understanding of both talismans and spellcraft. Why are you just a clerk at the Ministry of Rites?” he asked.

The clerk’s expression dimmed. In a low voice he said, “My origins are humble.”

Chen Shi was silent for a moment and asked, “What cultivation level are you?”

The clerk glanced furtively at the examiners and lowered his voice. “I have reached the Refining Void realm. I can scarcely make any further progress.”

Chen Shi remembered Tian Yue’e and the others’ words. “Refining Void is already your limit; to go further you would need a patron. But with your talent in talismans and spells—having achieved talismans transforming into spells, talismans born of the heart—the next step is spells born of the heart. If you refine to that step you won’t need anyone’s patronage. In the whole Western Capital, how many can reach that level?”

He was full of feeling.

A talisman master of master level, reduced to a mere clerk in the Ministry of Rites, assigned to help nobles cheat—what an enormous irony.

The clerk dared not speak.

Chen Shi smiled. “However, you still have a few omissions.”

The clerk looked up in surprise and focused on Chen Shi.

Chen Shi said, “Your understanding of talisman-spell unity favors the technique side—you’re more like a spellcaster. Mastering talismans grants an understanding of the corresponding cultivation methods. That’s where you’re lacking. In your essay your interpretation of the spells contained errors. Here.”

He pointed at a line of characters. “You say talisman techniques arise from nature, and by ‘fa’ you mean technique rather than cultivation method. You seek technique through talismans, but you don’t pursue cultivation method through them.”

The clerk tilted his head, pondering carefully. Indeed his argument had shortcomings; he was moved and bowed, asking, “May I learn from you?”

Lately Chen Shi had been contemplating Creation Little Five’s words about deriving the Ghost and God Domain from talismans. Although his gains were still limited, he had some grasp of deducing cultivation methods from talismans. He immediately shared what he had learned.

“I’ve been studying the Taishang Eight Trigrams Protective Talisman, reversing it to deduce spells, and then reversing the spells to deduce the Eight-Trigram protective formula. I’ve made some progress.”

Chen Shi raised his right hand; his qi and blood flowed and various bright hexagram symbols appeared around him. The Eight Trigrams quickly became three-dimensional; the various line-symbols shifted unpredictably, transforming into celestial and terrestrial signs—heaven, earth, wind, fire, thunder, lakes, and so forth.

Chen Shi shaped a trigram with his right hand; all eight surrounding trigrams turned into the Gen trigram. “This is technique,” he said.

The clerk nodded slightly.

Chen Shi changed his hand seals and quickly demonstrated the eight basic spells of the Eight-Trigram protection talisman. “From talisman to spell, one can be called a master. From the Eight Trigrams to the sixty-four hexagrams, using yourself as a crucible to evolve the sixty-four changes encompassing myriad variations, one can be called a grandmaster.”

On impulse he stood up and, while demonstrating in the exam hall, explained step by step—how the Eight Trigrams expanded into the sixty-four hexagrams.

The clerk kept nodding vigorously.

What he argued in his essay about the unity of talismans and spells had reached this level!

Zhang You and the Young Master both turned to watch.

Even the examiners, surprisingly, did not stop Chen Shi; they were apparently absorbed by his exposition on talisman-spell unity.

Now Chen Shi used his body as a crucible; his internal qi and blood shifted with the hexagrams, treating his body as heaven and earth and demonstrating the natural process of cultivation step by step.

“Heavenly and earthly signs are my signs; the flesh is the Eight-Trigram furnace. With this, refining the Golden Core, cultivating the Nascent Soul, transforming the Primordial Spirit, achieving Unity to slay the Three Corpses, refining the Spirit to Return to Emptiness—none of it is impossible!”

Chen Shi ended his demonstration; the hexagrams around him kept shifting and were drawn into his internal Eight-Trigram furnace to be refined within. “I believe this is the hidden cultivation method embedded within the Taishang Eight Trigrams Protective Talisman!”

The clerk’s eyes went wide; he leapt to his feet, repeatedly exclaiming, “So it is! This truly is the unity of talismans and spells!”

He was moved beyond measure, performed a deep formal bow to Chen Shi, and then felt that wasn’t solemn enough so he knelt and kowtowed, crying, “Student has been instructed!”

He had originally thought Chen Shi was like other idle great-clan sons and had been arranged to have someone write for him. He never expected Chen Shi’s attainment in talismans to surpass his own by such a margin.

Chen Shi helped him up. The clerk was still trembling with excitement. “I thought my talisman-spell cultivation had reached the peak, but I have been taught by a nobleman!”

Zhang You and the Young Master raised their brows but said nothing.

In the past they would have assumed the clerk was planted by Chen Shi to stage-manage public opinion—both Zhang You and the Young Master had done such things before. The Young Master especially was adept at it.

But this time they had seen it with their own eyes.

Chen Shi had genuinely impressed a highly skilled clerk by talent alone, and had indeed reversed talismans to deduce cultivation methods and demonstrated the whole thing before them!

That kind of talent weighed on both their minds.

Only half an hour had passed since the exam began.

Suddenly the clerk’s body trembled; an enormous Primordial Spirit three zhang tall surfaced involuntarily. Auspicious energy streamed from his body, radiant clouds connected to the Primordial Spirit.

His Primordial Spirit fused with his body; in an instant his body grew to three zhang tall, forcing him to bow his head inside the main hall to avoid hitting the ceiling.

The clerk froze, quickly dispersing the unification and then prostrating himself before Chen Shi. “Student Cheng Qi bows and thanks my teacher for your guidance!”

While Chen Shi explained the Eight-Trigram protection formula, the clerk had a sudden enlightenment and grasped the Refining Void unification method, breaking through into the Unity realm right in the exam hall!

He had thought himself impossible to advance in this lifetime; he never expected this chance event while substituting in an exam. From then on he no longer called Chen Shi a noble benefactor but addressed him as teacher.

Chen Shi highly praised his scholarship and smiled, “Brother Cheng, no need for formalities. Your knowledge is extensive; I too admire it.”

The Young Master frowned slightly and glanced at the essay before him, meeting the expectant look of the clerk who had written for him.

His expression remained unchanged.

He had chosen the Great Unification theory; his clerk’s writing was excellent—he could find no fault and could not offer guidance.

Zhang You smiled too, ignoring his own clerk’s eager gaze without trying to correct him.

He knew his own limits; to give forced corrections would only make a fool of himself. He thought, “Indeed, hiring a substitute writer was a brilliant decision. Having a clerk write limits Chen Shi’s expression so he can at best earn the top score but won’t humiliate us.”

An hour later the examiners collected the papers.

Although Chen Shi had not personally written the essay, he felt extremely satisfied.

Guiding a struggling clerk to comprehend the mysteries of talisman-spell unity and achieve a breakthrough in realm—what was a casual deed for Chen Shi altered a life for Cheng Qi!

When Chen Shi left the Ministry of Rites compound, Chen Tang, Granny Sha, and the others approached, about to ask how his exam had gone. At that moment a Ministry of Rites official hurried up to Chen Shi and bowed. “Student Cheng Qi thanks Master. From now on, if Master gives orders, command me; Cheng Qi will obey unto death!”

Chen Shi hurriedly helped him up and laughed, “Brother Cheng, you already thanked me in the exam hall; no need to do it again. Please stand.”

Cheng Qi rose and spoke solemnly, “I have already thanked you in the exam hall for your instruction; I now thank you for helping me advance my realm!”

Chen Tang was utterly astonished. This Ministry clerk Cheng Qi treated Chen Shi with deep respect and observed a student’s rites—truly strange!

But Cheng Qi’s cultivation was astonishing—he had already reached a high Unity realm!

There were countless low-ranking clerks in the Western Capital—like carp crossing the river. Even at the Ministry of Revenue there were many ninth-rank minor officials with Refining Void cultivation. But a low-ranking clerk already at Unity realm with no official post—this was outrageous!

At that moment the Ministry of Rites’ Left Vice Minister passed by, expressionless. “Cheng Qi, you disrupted discipline during the metropolitan exam and have been dismissed by the Ministry of Rites. Come to the office this afternoon to collect your things.”

Cheng Qi’s face went pale, panicking as if the world tilted.

The Left Vice Minister walked off.

Cheng Qi steadied himself, despondent. He had served in the capital for over ten years; his family and fellow villagers all knew he had an official post in the Western Capital. They might not know his exact rank, but being an official in the capital was a source of great pride. If he was dismissed, that pride would be gone.

What could he do after returning home? Become a local tyrant? He would offend powerful local figures and be branded a rebel and consigned to the Myriad Soul Banner as its leader. Become a private-school teacher? People would gossip that he fell from grace due to criminality in the capital. Become a talisman master? Perhaps he could eke out a living.

Chen Shi smiled. “Brother Cheng, heaven never seals off all paths. Why not go to Red Mountain Hall as an instructor, incense master, or hall leader? The monthly stipend there is probably more than your Ministry salary. I’ll serve as an instructor at Red Mountain Hall too. These people are guest elders.”

He meant Granny Sha, Blue Goat, and the others.

Eunuch Feng Tianhuan, seated in a wheelchair, laughed. “Or you could come work for my Eastern Depot as a eunuch. If you don’t mind, you could call me your adoptive father.”

Cheng Qi frowned and decided to join Red Mountain Hall.

Eunuch Feng sighed in regret. “We at the Eastern Depot need talent like you. Becoming a eunuch isn’t bad; one cut relieves a thousand worries.”

At that moment Zhang You walked out of the Ministry of Rites compound and quickly greeted Eunuch Feng.

Eunuch Feng looked him over and exclaimed, “Excellent! How fares your father?”

“My father’s health is fine. He still worries about Uncle Feng’s legs,” Zhang You replied.

After some small talk, Zhang You took his leave.

Eunuch Feng watched him go and said to the group, “Another prodigy has come from the Zhang Family. This Zhang You is of the main Zhang line, being groomed to become the next clan leader. If Lord Chen meets him in the martial exam, be wary. Your father once barely drew even with someone like this.”

Chen Shi was surprised and whispered to Chen Tang, “Chen Tang, which head of the Thirteen Great Clans did you draw with?”

Before Chen Tang could answer, Eunuch Feng laughed, “The contemporary head of the Yan Family, Yan Hanqing. Old Yan has probably reached the Great Ascension Realm by now, or at least close. If you fought him again, Chen Tang, could you guarantee victory?”

Chen Tang shook his head humbly. “How dare I claim guaranteed victory? At best a tie.”

Chen Shi breathed easier and smiled faintly. “Then nothing to fear.”

Chen Tang’s face tightened and he scolded, “How can there be nothing to fear? A realm difference is still a difference!”

Chen Shi grinned. “Then I’ll level the realms, won’t I? I will make sure I place first in this metropolitan exam!”

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