The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

The officials from the prefecture were still standing in Tianxin Square. However, their number had increased from four to sixteen, including officials responsible for the Shennong Division, the Military Division, the Engineering Workshop, and the Weaving Division.

Since the end of the civil service exam for the Shennong officers, they had been standing still like statues, awaiting the designated time to reopen the Tianxin Hall.

"Why does time feel like it's passing so slowly today?" Xiao Ze rubbed his hands together, sweating slightly from his palms.

"It's not time moving slowly, you're just too anxious," Wen Nanxing whispered beside him.

"Aren't you nervous?" Xiao Ze asked. "If we don't pass, we'll have to wait another year. Who knows what might happen next year?"

Wen Nanxing had no reply, as he too felt uneasy.

"The only one who seems sure to pass is probably Zhao Xing," Wen Nanxing looked at Zhao Xing's back as he stood with Zong Shichang, chatting and laughing as if unconcerned.

"Zong Shichang looks so relaxed too. Could he be confident about passing?" Xiao Ze glanced ahead in confusion, even pricking up his ears to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I don't have much confidence," Zong Shichang dusted off his sleeves. "But it's not a big deal if I don't pass this time; I can always pass next year."

Zhao Xing chuckled, "What if you still don't pass next year?"

Zong Shichang waved it off casually, "Doesn't matter. If I don't pass, my father will intervene, and I can still become an official by other means. Our dynasty doesn't only offer civil service exams as a path to officialdom."

"And if all else fails, I can go to Xiangshan Prefecture, work for the Duke of Xiangshan for a few years, build up my merits, and find a way to transfer back to Nanyang."

Zhao Xing laughed, "I envy you noble families."

Taking the civil service exam was one path to officialdom, but serving as a vassal under a prince was another.

In Nanyang Prefecture, though the Nanyang Duke enshrined in the temples was a figure from a thousand years ago, his title had long been reduced to that of an earl, with no real power. Although he still had lands and collected taxes, these were only symbolic; he had no true domain.

True vassals, on the other hand, could recruit troops, appoint officials, and levy taxes — their power was considerable.

The Duke of Xiangshan, mentioned by Zong Shichang, was the cousin of Emperor Jing, and although not particularly close, he still held the legitimate title of Duke, allowing him to establish his own fiefdom.

Becoming a vassal's subordinate was a legitimate alternative, and if one performed well, they could eventually transition to a formal court official. This path, however, required connections that commoners could not hope for.

During Emperor Wen's reign, many nobles used this route to enter government service. Once they were in, they had no shortage of ways to accumulate achievements.

Nowadays, though, Emperor Jing was stricter not just with officials but even with his brothers, making this path much harder. But it was still easier than the formal civil service exams.

"What are you competing with me for? Once you officially become an official, it won't be long before your family flourishes, and the Zhao family becomes a notable family in Nanyang Prefecture. You'll be too busy competing with yourself!" Zong Shichang quipped.

"You're not wrong," Zhao Xing nodded. Networking was crucial. Just like General Long had said, without connections, even after passing the exam and waiting for an assignment, he would never be considered for a position in the Shenwei Army.

No matter how long he waited, he'd never be selected and would have to take additional exams to join the military as a Shennong officer. But with connections like Chen Shijie and General Long, he could bypass the exam process during his assignment.

Although Yang An was only the Earl of Bo Ping County, as the newly appointed general of the Shenwei Army, he had the authority to choose officials from other regions. A ninth-ranked official could be handpicked as long as there was a vacancy.

"Still, it would be best if I could pass directly," Zong Shichang muttered. "If I have to go the Xiangshan route, my family's fortune will shrink by half."

"How was your practical exam?" Zhao Xing asked. "Did you recognize the twelve-hour plants? Timing the hours is tricky."

"Who do you think you're underestimating?" Zong Shichang responded with surprise. "Yes, the timing is a bit tricky, but my family has cultivated twelve-hour plants since I was a child, and we even visited Shangluo together with my father. Of course, I recognize them."

Zhao Xing laughed.

"Enough chatting. It's almost time. Stay quiet," Chen Shijie reminded them.

Li Wenzheng was more direct, activating a group silencing spell.

The square fell into a hush.

At precisely the scheduled hour, the officials, who had been standing still like statues, began to move, reopening the Tianxin Hall.

"Whoosh!" The grand bronze incense burner inside the hall began to burn with golden flames, and before long, a list floated out.

The list emerged and unfurled in midair outside the hall.

One by one, names appeared on the list, drawing everyone's attention.

Zhao Xing, Top Rank.

The first name on the list was Zhao Xing.

Chen Shijie smiled, and Xue Wenzhong nodded in satisfaction.

Others around them looked on with admiration.

Although it had been expected that Zhao Xing would pass, nothing was certain until the results were officially announced.

Now that his name was out, all uncertainties were dispelled.

"Top rank means at least one full score. He wasn't lying—he really did score full marks in the practical exam," Gao Linong murmured to himself.

Luckily, he hadn't spoken rashly three days ago; otherwise, he'd have been humiliated.

"The civil service exams select from the top tier of candidates, which is divided into three ranks: top, middle, and bottom."

"Among the millions of examinees, only a handful make it to the top rank. Those who do have a significant advantage during the assignment process."

"He's sure to be assigned to a prosperous, wealthy area as an official."

"Envious, indeed."

…

The list continued to unfurl.

Zhao Xing noticed that there were four people from the Shennong Division on the list.

Besides himself, Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, and Zong Shichang were all in the bottom rank.

As long as one was listed, they were considered successful.

Zhao Xing hadn't expected Zong Shichang to also make it to the bottom rank.

Although they were still under a silence spell, Zong Shichang's entire demeanor radiated pride as he stood tall and puffed out his chest. If he weren't under a silencing spell, he would probably be calling his servants over to distribute celebratory coins.

"Four out of fifteen—about a third, which is consistent with previous years," Zhao Xing thought.

Though the questions had been difficult, the selection ratio wasn't much different from prior years.

As for the other divisions, Shen Chui from the Military Division also achieved a top rank, while eighteen others made it to the list.

The Ritual Hall had ten people on the list.

The Engineering Workshop had eight, and the Weaving Division had six.

The Temple Division had only two.

The Military Division had the most candidates, followed by the Ritual Hall, then the Engineering Workshop, and the Weaving Division. The Shennong Division had the second-fewest candidates, with the Temple Division having the least.

"In the prefecture capital, there would also be professions like physicians, musicians, and dancers, but in Gu County, we don't have those professions," Zhao Xing mused.

The square remained quiet.

Releasing the list was just the first step.

Next was the ceremony to receive the national fortune.

"Candidates on the list, please enter Tianxin Hall."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xing stepped forward and entered the hall.

Although many entered together, once inside, everyone could only see themselves, unable to see anyone else.

Inside the hall, there were now two statues and a tablet.

The statues represented the founders of the dynasty, the first and second emperors, while the tablet belonged to Emperor Jing. Since Emperor Jing was still alive, he did not have a statue, only a merit tablet.

Following the prescribed ritual, Zhao Xing bowed to the statues and the tablet.

After three bows, the two statues and the tablet emitted specks of golden light, which quickly filled the hall.

Buzz...

The golden light entered Zhao Xing's body, and he felt a grand, majestic power flowing into him.

In a trance, he saw a heavenly gate. Behind the gate, a vast complex of palaces stretched out, and countless civil and military officials stood in ranks.

A giant golden figure sat on an enormous throne, looking down upon the world.

The giant gently pointed a finger, and a cloud carried Zhao Xing through the gate, heading toward the grand palace.

Buzz...

As soon as he passed through the gate, Zhao Xing felt an invisible barrier disappear.

Before, his understanding of five-elemental spells had been obscured as if by a veil, but now it became clear.

Next, his life soul stirred, and he closed his eyes instinctively, observing his life soul through inner vision.

A thin layer of golden light spread beneath his life soul's feet.

What had once been a cold, void space was now filled with warmth and brightness.

"The golden light beneath the life soul signifies the entry of national fortune, laying the foundation for my life palace," Zhao Xing realized.

However, since he had already reached the entry-level grade, his foundation was solid, so the golden light only covered his feet.

The majority of the golden light was absorbed directly by his life soul.

Part of it extended his lifespan, while another part increased his luck.

Buzz...

Zhao Xing's experience of the life soul absorbing the foundation of national fortune did not last long. For those whose cultivation was lower, the process would be more complicated, as it would elevate them to at least the ninth rank.

Opening his eyes again, Zhao Xing found himself still inside the grand hall.

Looking around, he saw an endless stream of civil and military officials, as if they extended infinitely.

He stood near the door, at the very end of the ranks, as a ninth-ranked official.

His figure was normal in size.

But the further forward he looked, the larger the figures became.

And the most massive, singular golden giant was Emperor Jing himself.

Zhao Xing understood.

From the moment he entered this hall, he had officially become part of the national fortune system of the Zhou Dynasty.

"Minister Zhao Xing, offering my thanks to the Emperor!"

"May the Emperor live forever!"

This was the only part of the process where he had to kneel, and Zhao Xing, without hesitation, knelt to show his gratitude.

With that, the national fortune process was complete.

The next moment, mist surrounded him.

Zhao Xing found himself back in Tianxin Hall.

Now wasn't the time to review his status; there was still another task to complete.

That task was the Yin God Selection.

After becoming an official, one didn't immediately receive an appointment but entered a selection process.

First selected, then assigned.

After the appointment, the gods would ask the new official where they preferred to be stationed. However, it had become merely a formality, as preferences were rarely accommodated.

Since the imperial court was no longer in need of many officials, there weren't as many vacancies. It wasn't the same as the early days of the dynasty when there were many positions to fill.

To be assigned somewhere at all was already fortunate—picking a spot was wishful thinking.

Buzz...

A figure with kind eyes and a gentle smile appeared in the temple, wearing hemp clothes like a farmer.

It was none other than the deity who had taught Zhao Xing, Cao Xi Zhenjun.

"Greetings, Zhenjun," Zhao Xing bowed.

Cao Xi spoke warmly, "Zhao Xing, now that you've become an official, the court has sent me to ask: where would you like to serve?"

Zhao Xing clasped his hands respectfully, "I would like to serve in the military and be placed on the selection list for the army."

Cao Xi seemed unsurprised by this request, "You've ranked at the top in this exam, so you can skip some steps in becoming a military Shennong officer."

"I must ask, which army would you like to join? You can select three to ten armies, and your name will be placed on their selection lists. If you are chosen, someone will come to assess you."

"The Shenwei Army," Zhao Xing replied without hesitation.

Cao Xi closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and shaking his head slightly, "Although you ranked highly, you have not yet reached the level required to enter the Shenwei Army. The chances of being selected are extremely low. I can only place your name on the reserve list for the Pingman Army."

"Thank you for the reminder, Zhenjun, but my decision remains the same," Zhao Xing responded firmly.

Seeing his determination, Cao Xi said no more and disappeared.

The Yin God Selection process was complete, and Zhao Xing exited Tianxin Hall.

He was now in the waiting-for-assignment stage.

Other officials also emerged from the hall.

Outside the temple, the atmosphere had grown lively.

Congratulatory voices echoed everywhere.

"Brother Zhao, Brother Zhao, wait up!"

Just as Zhao Xing was about to leave, three people called out to him.

It was Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, and Zong Shichang.

"Is something wrong?" Zhao Xing asked, turning around.

"Brother Zhao, please accept our bow," Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze cupped their hands and bowed deeply.

"What are you doing?" Zhao Xing asked in confusion. Why are they bowing to me?

After completing the bow, Xiao Ze smiled and said, "We all used Brother Zhao's answer for the final theory question."

Wen Nanxing added with emotion, "Brother Zhao's answer was truly a model. If not for scoring on that question, I might have failed the exam entirely."

Realizing this, Zhao Xing returned their gesture with a respectful bow of his own. "You two are too kind. Your success is due to your own abilities."

Zong Shichang grinned, "Same here. But I won't bow to you. After this is over, let's celebrate at my place. Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, you're both invited too. If you don't come, you'll be offending me, and I hold grudges!"

"Hahaha, in that case, we humbly accept."

"I've been wanting to taste the food at your place, Zong Da Shao. I've finally got the chance now, and even if you hadn't invited me, I'd have invited myself over!"

"In that case, I'll make sure to skip a couple of meals beforehand to save room for the feast! What do you think, Brother Zhao?"

The four of them laughed and joked as they walked down the steps together.

Whatever small rivalries Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze had with Zhao Xing due to past competition were now entirely gone. After passing the exam, and receiving Zhao Xing's help on the final question, any remaining resentment had completely disappeared.

In fact, they even laughed about their past competitive mindsets.

"You don't know this, Brother Zhao, but during that exam, when you used Earth Vein Consolidation, you drained all of my and Nanxing's energy. Afterward, we were reprimanded by Lord Chen for our lack of vigilance."

"Afterward, Nanxing got completely drunk, and even in his sleep, he kept muttering your name," Xiao Ze teased.

"You scoundrel, stop exaggerating!" Wen Nanxing laughed and cursed. "Besides, you were the one who swore to avenge yourself after getting drunk. Where do you get the nerve to tease me?"

"You both have a chance to settle the score tonight," Zong Shichang chimed in. "At my house, you can drink as much as you like, and you won't have to worry about getting revenge afterward. Isn't that right, Zhao Xing?"

"Not just you two—even if all three of you team up, you still might not out-drink me," Zhao Xing playfully challenged. "We'll see who's the last man standing tonight!"

"Such arrogance! I, Xiao Ze, will definitely humble you tonight!"

"Count me in, hahaha."

After leaving Tianxin Hall, Zhao Xing received many more congratulations from all directions.

The County Magistrate Li Wenzheng, Military Division Leader Wang Long, Temple Officer Meng Yun, Engineering Workshop Supervisor Gong Sunyang…

The walk from inside the temple to outside was short, but it took Zhao Xing a full hour to get through because of all the people surrounding him.

Chen Shijie and General Long didn't say much, only reminding him to visit their residences two days later.

Once outside the temple, Zhao Xing intended to check his status panel and assess the changes.

Now that he had officially entered the national fortune system, he should see increases in lifespan and luck, along with the removal of previous limitations.

However, before he could do so, he heard a familiar voice.

"Big Brother!"

"Big Brother is out!" Zhao Zheng ran over excitedly. "Congratulations, Big Brother!"

Zhao Xing ruffled his younger brother's hair and asked, "Where's Dad?"

"Over there." Zhao Zheng pointed. "He's waiting for you to come home for dinner."

Zhao Ruide had been waiting for a while, standing with Aunt Cai, both of them beaming with joy.

"Let's go home," Zhao Xing said.