Refining Taoism and ascending to immortality

At this time, a crisp knock sounded outside. It was the sound of the bronze door knocker knocking on the silver doorknob, and the sound of the open mouth.

"Master Qing, are you home?"

After the knock, a peaceful voice came, saying, "I am Guan Ping."

Guan Ping, no stranger.

A figure appeared in front of Zhou Qing. He was of medium build, white face and beardless, with a warm smile on his face, making people feel like spring breeze.

He put away the joy of the perfection of inner cultivation, opened the window, and told Su Yun, the maid standing in the yard, to "open the door."

"Yes." Su Yun agreed, pulled up her skirt and went out.

After a while, the door bolt sounded, and the door creaked open. Su Yun walked in front, leading a middle-aged man in.

The person who came was Guan Ping. This middle-aged man walked into the house slowly and saw Zhou Qing in front of the window. The sun shone on the side of the young man, and his handsome face seemed to be hidden in a golden color. Behind the light, there was a shadowy dark color.

For some reason, Guan Ping's heart jumped inexplicably.

In the past, the other party was like a transparent glass ball in his eyes, and every detail was visible. But now, the glass ball was stained with a shadow, and there was an inexplicable strangeness, which made it difficult to see through and grasp.

Guan Ping suppressed the discomfort that came out, but the smile on his face became three points more prosperous. He greeted and complimented: "I haven't seen you for a while, Master Qing has become more elegant and handsome."

Zhou Qing waved his hand, looking as gentle as usual, and said: "Deacon Guan, you are too kind."

"Tell the truth."

Guan Ping looked very sincere and said: "In terms of appearance and temperament, among the young people of the Hengnan Zhou clan, Master Qing is one of the best."

This sentence is considered a big compliment.

After all, the Hengnan Zhou family is a big family. There are many young people in the direct line, collateral line, main line and branch line, and there are also people like Zhou Qing who are fostered in the family with their mother from the Hengnan Zhou family.

To stand out among so many young people, his appearance must be outstanding.

Zhou Qing smiled. In terms of appearance and temperament, he believed that he was not inferior to others in this aspect, but in this world, aptitude and cultivation were more important.

After the two talked for a while, Su Yun made tea, poured it into the green teacup, and then put it on a wooden tray and came to Guan Ping, saying: "Deacon Guan, please have tea."

Guan Ping took it and used the teacup to draw the rising hot air. The tea fragrance he smelled in his mouth and nose made him feel refreshed. He looked at the young man sitting opposite him drinking tea and decided not to hide it anymore. He said: "Master Qing, the family exam is about to take place, right?"

"It's coming."

Hearing this, Zhou Qing smiled in his heart, but his face deliberately showed a coldness. He sat there silently, motionless, as if he had become a clay statue, lifeless.

The Hengnan Zhou Clan has established a rule that all the children who enjoy treatment in the clan will have their qualifications checked by the clan elders, who will arrange all matters related to cultivation, and will conduct regular assessments to check the progress of their cultivation.

The assessment is divided into small and large tests, with upper, middle and lower grades.

The small test is held three times a year. If the clan determines that the cultivation is stagnant or the progress is slow, it will be rated as low. If a young disciple is rated as low, the clan will record the fault, hold a talk, and inform the whole clan. If the disciple is rated as low for two or more consecutive times, the clan will reduce the supply of cultivation resources in proportion. In serious cases, it will even be reduced by half.

The large test is different from the small test. It is only once, with no time limit, and ends at the age of sixteen. Although it is only once, it is extremely important and is called the Dragon Gate Test.

Because once the disciple is rated as low in this assessment, the clan will stop supplying all cultivation resources and give up training.

There are many people in a large clan, but the resources are limited after all. Resources will always be tilted towards those with outstanding talents and successful cultivation, allowing them to step forward and embark on the road to the great road.

Calculating the time, in less than half a year, he must take the clan's major examination. And in his current state, he cannot pass it.

Guan Ping had been observing secretly since he spoke, and found that Zhou Qing was obviously depressed after hearing about the clan assessment. After entering the room, the inexplicable haze in his heart was swept away, and he thought to himself: "I was almost fooled by this kid's pretense."

He felt relaxed and his movements were more relaxed. He put the teacup on the table, making a light collision sound, which attracted the other party's attention, and then continued to speak: "Master Qing, the competition in the clan has always been fierce. Even the direct descendants of the clan have many who failed the big test."

"Some clan members who failed the test were unwilling to give up, struggled desperately, and disappeared. Some people judged the situation and planned in advance, but they could shine in the future."

"Choice is very important."

Su Yun, the little maid who was refilling the pot with water, had her ears perked up, listening to Guan Ping and her young master talking, but when she heard the few words just now, the picture of the clan members who failed the big test subconsciously emerged in her mind. Thinking of his young master's situation, he suddenly felt that he had difficulty breathing and his heartbeat accelerated.

Zhou Qing raised his eyebrows. Guan Ping's words were very contagious. With a few words, it seemed that he had handed over the weight of the choice to you, making you feel like you were there and unable to extricate yourself. He is really a good lobbyist!

Zhou Qing's thoughts turned quickly. He sat up straight, looked solemn, and asked, "Why does Deacon Guan teach me?"

"I don't dare to teach Young Master Qing."

Guan Ping's words were flawless. After he smiled and said modestly, he bowed and said his real purpose, saying, "A few days ago, Yecheng received a letter, wanting several young men in the mansion to come to the city to help. Young Master Qing, if you are interested, just apply to go directly."

After Zhou Qingren was surrounded by sunlight and the fragrance of tea, his face was blurred by light and shadow, and his expression could not be seen clearly. Only a faint voice came out, saying: "You want me to go to Yecheng and pursue an official career?"

Guan Ping believed that the young man opposite him was unwilling to pursue an official career so early, which was human nature. After all, in the eyes of the children of the aristocratic family, doing so is not the right path and is the choice of losers. He was prepared for this and persuaded him, saying: "Most of the children in the family who cannot pass the college entrance examination will also have to take the imperial examination. Young Master Qing If you take the initiative to apply to go to Yecheng at this time, you will not only be recommended by the powerful people in Yecheng, but it will also be easier to get an official position, and the clan will look at you differently and give you support. "

The action of the disciples who went to Yecheng was to share the family's worries. It was said to be a profound righteousness, and there must be rewards for meritorious deeds. As a family of cultivators, the Hengnan Zhou family can be passed down for thousands of years without any ambiguity in terms of rewards and punishments.

With the above-mentioned first-mover advantage, if you strive for success, you may not be able to rise to the top step by step in your official career.

After Guan Ping finished speaking these words in one breath, he felt thirsty, took a sip of tea, moistened his throat, looked at Zhou Qing, and said earnestly, "Young Master Qing, this opportunity is rare. I have also received the news, and I will tell you right away. Not many people know about it now, so it’s hard to say if the news will spread quickly.”

Zhou Qing didn't speak immediately. He sat in a trance for a while, then got up and walked around the room.

The footsteps are heavy and the clothes are rustling.

The sunlight casts down from the gaps in the green gauze at the window. Hundreds of strands are draped over the body, like a heavenly woven garment. The light golden color makes the young man's meditation unbearable to be disturbed.

"Entering the official career and becoming an official?"

Zhou Qing paced, sneering in his heart.

In his last life, he had just come to this world from the new century. When he was confused and frightened, he was persuaded by Guan Ping, with whom he had a good relationship, to leave the family, take part in the imperial examination, and enter the official career.

Only later did I gradually understand that in this world, once you enter an official career, you will be bound by the world of mortals. Everything is involved, and cause and effect are entangled. There is no time and energy for cultivation. In the end, it will only be reduced to a tool to do things for the family.

What is a tool? Cooperate with the clan's deployment, help collect information, find potential seeds, etc., help the family expand its power, deepen its roots, and accumulate luck.

No matter how well you do, in the future you will only be able to receive a family's divine talisman edict and become a god supported by incense.

How could we make the same mistakes again in this next life?

When Guan Ping saw Zhou Qing who was pacing suddenly stop, his expression was calm under the skylight. He knew that the other party had made a decision and thought that he had achieved what he wanted. He felt happy and stood up and said: "Young Master Qing."

He was confident about his trip.

Before the other person's uncle Zhou Ming became seriously ill, he often interacted with him, and they had a close relationship. He was known as the "elder". On the other hand, he knew that Zhou Qing had a soft temper and could not resist the persuasion in the name of "for your own good".

"Butler in charge."

Zhou Qing stood in front of the window without looking back. He seemed to be able to understand the other person's inner thoughts. He hid the coldness in his eyes and said, "Thank you for your kindness. However, there is only one big test in the clan, so I still have to pass it." Passed.”

The smile that had just appeared on Guan Ping's face suddenly solidified. He did not expect that after waiting for a long time, he would receive such a rejection. He was stunned for a while and then said dryly: "Young Master Qing, have you made up your mind?"

"I've made up my mind!"

Signed