Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Although the results were already decided, he still wanted to hear the Judge from the Merit Department’s evaluation.

Judge Li’s red robes billowed in the wind. His gaze swept over the ten young, upright figures below. He nodded slightly, a rare look of approval on his face.

"Decisive in killing, resourceful in their methods, and resilient in spirit."

Judge Li began to speak slowly. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. "The leading prospects were particularly impressive. Ji Li’s dominance and Chu Bai’s nearly demonic growth rate both left a deep impression on me. The students of this Daoist School truly get stronger with each generation."

He paused, his gaze shifting to the dean, a smile playing on his lips.

"The spots have been confirmed. In that case, I shall bestow the talismans."

The outcome of this Immortal Official Examination was somewhat unexpected.

Normally, following past procedures, the second round would eliminate most people, but twenty to thirty would always advance to the third round of arena battles to determine the top ten.

But who could have expected that this year would produce two Gods of Slaughter like Chu Bai and Ji Li, who refused to play by the rules?

Their competitive slaughter on the mountain peak had directly eliminated the vast majority of the dozens of elites who had painstakingly climbed up.

Coupled with the brutal melees in other areas, only these few toughest contenders were left standing.

Even if there was an element of luck, it would have been impossible without the strength to back it up.

Although the spots were decided, this didn’t mean the examination was over, nor did it mean they could go home and celebrate just yet.

The significance of being an Immortal Official lay in Receiving Talisman.

This was not only a symbol of status but also a source of power.

"First, you will receive the White Talismans. Then, we will determine the rankings."

Judge Li smiled faintly. With a flick of his right hand, a Bronze Official Seal radiating a vast and majestic aura materialized out of thin air.

As he infused it with his Spiritual Power, the Official Seal shot out a pillar of golden light that pierced the heavens, as if connecting with the Great Zhou Law Net in the unseen world.

"By my authority!"

Following the soft cry,

ten talismans, as white as jade and glowing with a faint divine light, flew out from the golden pillar. Like ten graceful white cranes, they soared through the air and landed precisely on the foreheads of the ten individuals below.

Chu Bai felt a coolness on his forehead.

In that instant, a strange and immense power flooded his Sea of Consciousness.

BOOM!

His vision suddenly transformed.

The world, once familiar, seemed to have a mysterious veil lifted from it.

Countless golden threads, previously unseen and untouchable, now wove a net through the void, covering all of Dayuan Prefecture and even the territories far beyond.

That was... the Law Net!

Those who received a White Talisman were considered to have one foot in the system, possessing a formal Official Status.

If they intended to enter service, they only had to await their assignments to be formally appointed and wield authority over a region.

Furthermore, they could now begin to invoke the power of the Law Net, be blessed by Destiny, and avoid misfortune while attracting good fortune.

Although the exact amount of the Law Net’s power he could wield would require further study, the greatest benefit of this White Talisman for Chu Bai was immediate and apparent.

The worldly shackles that had been subtly suppressing him, preventing him from breaking through to the next Realm at will, seemed to melt away like ice and snow.

One could even say that as long as he wished it and accumulated enough Spiritual Power, his path through the subsequent stages of the Qi Cultivation Realm would be smooth and unimpeded, a natural progression without any more limits.

This was the blessing of Destiny that came with Official Status—the privilege countless Cultivators dreamed of!

Chu Bai took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He straightened his clothes and stood solemnly with the other nine.

The ten of them bowed deeply in unison toward Judge Li high above, their hands clasped. Their voices were loud and clear, echoing across the plaza.

"Thank you for bestowing the talismans, Lord Judge!"

High above, Judge Li stood with his hands behind his back, his expression still serene as he received their thanks.

"Receiving Talisman is a mandate from the heavens, not my achievement. It is something you have earned through your own efforts."

His gaze swept over the ten young, energetic faces below. His tone was calm yet dignified. "Although the spots have been decided, the Immortal Official Examination is, after all, a grand ceremony of the Celestial Court. The proper procedures must still be completed."

"Furthermore, these final rankings will determine the grade of your future appointments and the allocation of resources. They must not be taken lightly."

"The third round will begin in half a double-hour."

Beside him, Vice-Dean Lu He nodded in agreement. "Precisely. The final rankings will determine the ultimate placements for this year’s Daoist School graduation examinations.

Since all of you have come this far, you must not leave with any regrets. You must give it your all."

As he finished speaking, his gaze lingered on Chu Bai for a moment, and he felt a sense of disbelief.

’This kid... he truly is an anomaly.’

’In previous years, the graduation rankings were always a stage for the third-year veterans. This year, a first-year rookie has brutally fought his way to the very end and is even vying for the top spot...’

He vaguely recalled presiding over the new student initiation ceremony just one year ago, watching that young man in a worn-out robe receive the lowest-tier Gray Talisman.

Who could have imagined that in just one short year, that same young man would leap over the Dragon Gate, receive a White Talisman, and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the chosen ones of heaven?

Such speed was simply unheard of.

According to the rules explained earlier, this third round was, conversely, the simplest and purest one.

There were no fancy rules, no complex environmental interference, and no schemes of the many ganging up on the few.

One-on-one battles, an arena showdown—the victor is king!

In this round, the element of luck was minimized. It all came down to a Cultivator’s past accumulations and individual hard power.

Now that they possessed White Talismans, the pressure of elimination hanging over their heads had vanished. All that remained was a competitive Dao Heart.

"The ten of you will be divided into five pairs for a double-elimination tournament. The losers will enter a losers’ bracket. A total of seven rounds will decide the outcome."

"Therefore, even if you face a strong opponent early on and lose a match, you’re not out of the running. As long as you can fight your way back through the losers’ bracket, you can still vie for a top spot."

When this rule was announced, the contestants’ expressions remained grave, but the fighting spirit in their eyes burned even brighter.

Of the ten people standing here today, who among them was weak?

Lü Qing, Wang Qingli, Wu Jianfei, Jiangg Yingqiao... every single one of them was an elite forged in countless battles.

Even when facing those two seemingly invincible monsters, they wanted to test their mettle and see what the gap in power truly was.

Only through battle could the victor be decided; only through battle could they prove their Dao Heart.

This was especially true for Chu Bai and Ji Li.

Standing several yards apart, their gazes met in midair, and it was as if sparks flew.

That momentary exchange of looks said more than a thousand words.

"See you in the finals."

This was the silent understanding between them.

Everyone else knew in their hearts that the final championship match was most likely already set.

These two were already acknowledged as the strongest on the field. In the first two rounds, they had reaped a mad harvest, accumulating far more Evil Qi and advantages than anyone else.

Now, whether in terms of aura or raw power, they stood head and shoulders above the rest.

A moment ago in the Spirit Realm, if the spots hadn’t been decided ahead of schedule, their battle might have already ended in a matter of life and death.

’As for which of them will emerge victorious...’

Many gazes shifted back and forth between the two, as people speculated internally.

’It’s still anyone’s guess.’

One was the domineering and undefeated Noble’s Scion; the other, a monstrous rookie who had risen from nowhere with an endless arsenal of techniques.

Whoever won this final match would claim the crown symbolizing the strongest of their generation at the Dayuan Prefecture Daoist School.

This was more than just a title, after all.

The rankings in the Immortal Official Examination naturally came with rewards from both the Daoist School and the Merit Department.

When it came to one’s Dao path, nothing was a small matter.

For fame, for fortune, and even more for that unyielding spirit in their hearts that refused to admit defeat.

Chu Bai and Ji Li retracted their gazes at the same time and, as if by silent agreement, sat down cross-legged, closed their eyes, and began their Breath Regulation.

In half a double-hour, the final battle would be decided!

’Evil Qi is graded by concentration into three colors: gray, red, and black.’

’I’ve already obtained black Evil Qi, which provides a massive boost, but I haven’t had a chance to test it specifically.’

’I wonder if I’ll be able to unleash the full power of my Dharma Artifacts then...’