Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 796 The Appearance of the Philosophers

Logically speaking, the provincial examination, which is held only once every three years, should not require this high-ranking official to personally oversee it... Could it be that there are other arrangements in the court? Or is there some hidden secret in this provincial examination?
At this moment, thousands of scholars had already held their breath and consciously formed an orderly queue.

The governor led the examiners to the statue of Confucius to burn incense and pay their respects. The whole process was solemn and dignified, without any disturbance.

Many scholars were praying silently with their eyes closed, and he followed suit, bowing his head in greeting.

At this moment of unity, Xu Xuan's spiritual senses suddenly stung – countless pure and terrifyingly powerful wishes were gathering above the examination hall, their immense power almost solidifying into a tangible form.

Looking up, one can see dozens of illusory figures faintly emerging under the canopy: there are scholars holding books and deep in thought, literary giants wielding their brushes, and ancient sages standing with their hands behind their backs... These projections of Confucian sages always appear in their divine form during major examinations, both to protect the examination hall and to suppress evil spirits.

They hurriedly suppressed their aura, and even the white lotus Dharma form curled up into a ball.

At this point, I really mustn't cause any more trouble. Let me just finish this exam peacefully...

The governor's eulogy was nearing its end, and Xu Xuan bowed once more with the others.

As he straightened up, he noticed that the phantom of the sage above the examination hall seemed to glance in his direction, which startled him so much that a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

A hallucination, or... do you have something to tell me?
After waiting for a while, there was no sign of time freezing or being trapped in another dimension, so it seems there's no major problem.

At this moment, the bailiffs dressed in black robes lined up on both sides, holding rosters and began to call out names loudly.

The candidates lined up in a long queue and underwent inspections one by one before entering the examination hall.

Xu Xuan took a deep breath and moved slowly forward with the group.

Suddenly a commotion arose ahead—

"Let me go! I know I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!" A scholar was dragged out of the line by two yamen runners who held his arms.

His face was deathly pale, and his legs were kicking weakly on the ground, one of his boots had even fallen off.

Before everyone could react, another examinee was dragged out. "Innocent! Your Honor, please see the truth!" the man struggled desperately. "Who copied this scripture onto my robe?! Someone must have framed me!"

The third one, however, was much more boastful, opening with: "My father, Zhang... *slap!*"

An iron ruler flew out from the direction of the governor and struck him directly in the mouth.

At this point, mentioning anyone's name will only make things worse; just call directly.

The most astonishing one is the fourth place.

This seemingly frail scholar suddenly erupted after being caught smuggling goods. He swept his leg and kicked two constables to the ground, then snatched the iron ruler and wielded it with great force.

"Heh, quite the martial arts expert." Xu Xuan raised an eyebrow. In this world overrun by demons, it's not uncommon for scholars to be hidden talents.

This scholar wields a beautiful "single-sword-to-ruler" technique; in the martial arts world, he would definitely earn the nickname "Deadly Scholar."

Unfortunately, this is Shouchun City, the seat of Yangzhou.

A follower behind the governor leaped out, his movements as swift as a hawk, and he reached the door in a few bounds.

The two exchanged blows for no more than ten rounds before the scholar was subdued by a grappling technique.

Without saying a word, the attendant pulled out an iron hook and pierced his collarbone, the blood immediately staining his blue robe red.

The onlookers gasped in surprise, some shook their heads and sighed, some pointed and whispered, and some vendors took the opportunity to sell snacks.

This triennial "body search drama" has become the most popular and traditional program in Shouchun City.

This year's show is especially exciting, featuring not only scenes of crying and begging for mercy but also action sequences, making the ticket price well worth it.

The students in the group all looked pale, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it was as if they were waiting for judgment outside the gates of hell.

Even candidates who have a clear conscience can't help but tremble when they see their classmates being dragged around in public and losing all their dignity.

None of the scholars who were dragged away were masked, and they lost all face in front of everyone, which was truly regrettable.

Xu Xuan was watching with great interest when he suddenly noticed that the guy in front of him in line had already turned on the vibration mode.

Sure enough… The man muttered, his lips trembling, “The God of Literature promised to bless me… how could this be… ugh!” He covered his mouth before he could finish speaking, his face paler than paper.

Then, without waiting to be searched, he left on his own.

It seems that when the time came, he didn't really trust Wenquxingjun (the God of Literature).

When it was Xu Xuan's turn, he calmly spread his arms for inspection. His blue robe accentuated his upright figure, and his dignified demeanor and remarkably healthy physique made the soldiers conducting the search soften their movements.

The scene of those colleagues being brutally killed on the spot by the "Deadly Scholar" was still fresh in everyone's mind, and no one wanted to risk that misfortune.

"Please, young master." The soldier quickly inspected the examination basket and respectfully stepped aside.

The moment Xu Xuan stepped across the threshold of the examination hall, he suddenly felt a warm current flowing into his head from the Baihui acupoint, instantly spreading throughout his limbs and bones.

He was startled and involuntarily looked up—he saw a dazzling starlight descending from the heavens under the bright blue sky, enveloping the entire examination hall like an inverted Milky Way.

The starlight contained a vast literary spirit, which blended with the literary atmosphere above the examination hall to form a pillar of light that reached the heavens and the earth.

"This is... the power of the Wenchang Star?"

His pupils contracted slightly, and he was secretly alarmed.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the entire examination hall was sealed off by multiple forces: the Confucian and Taoist fortunes transformed into golden chains, the imperial dragon energy condensed into a purple barrier, the human willpower wove an invisible net, and countless worldly desires surged like a tide... Under such a net, not to mention him, even a wandering immortal's Yang God dared not approach even a fraction of a second.

"What a 'heavenly net is inescapable'..." Xu Xuan shook his head with a wry smile.

I had originally been thinking about whether I could leave my body and do something, but now it seems I can completely give up that idea.

These layers of protection were clearly intended to ensure the absolute fairness and impartiality of the imperial examinations.

Following the officer's directions, Xu Xuan arrived at his assigned cell.

This is a cramped space that can only fit a table and a chair, with three brick walls and one wooden fence, resembling an exquisite cage.

"To stay in a place like this for three days and two nights..." He shook his head as he looked around at the tiny space.

Candidates are not allowed to move around freely during the exam; they must eat, drink, and relieve themselves in this small, windowless space.

If it happens to be during the sweltering summer, the stuffy humidity combined with the stench of sweat is practically torture.

He recalled the rumors that every year, weak scholars would faint in their examination cells, and couldn't help but feel grateful that Chongqi Academy usually emphasized physical training.

And her own ethereal beauty and jade-like bones gave her an even greater advantage—she didn't need to eat, drink, or relieve herself, nor did she sweat or smell, thus avoiding many embarrassing situations.

Spiritual practice is truly wonderful.

This was a heartfelt exclamation from him.

He placed the examination basket in the corner, and took out his writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, arranging them on the table. The clear water in the inkstone rippled slightly, reflecting his thoughtful face.

"Should I try to get the top score in the provincial examination?" He closed his eyes to rest, pondering the matter.

Being too high-profile inevitably attracts attention, but being too low-profile is also...

"Alright, let's take a look at the questions first. If they're easy, we can hold back a bit; if they're tricky..."

"Jie Jie Jie Jie..."

"Dong—" With the sound of a bell, the test questions were distributed to each candidate by the officials.

Upon unfolding the text, the first question is a quote from "The Great Learning": "Things have their roots and branches; affairs have their beginnings and ends. If one knows what comes first and what comes last, then one is near to the Way."

Xu Xuan's spirits lifted; this level of difficulty was passable.

At this moment, the various beings in the examination hall are all different. As they rack their brains, the sparks of wisdom fly into the illusory figures of the philosophers in the sky like nourishment.

Before he knew it, a statue appeared above Xu Xuan's head.

(End of this chapter)