Pawn Crossing the River

In the Taoist ancestral court, for Taoist priests at all levels, the most terrifying thing is not Ziwei Hall. In the worst case, they will be dismissed from office and go home to live with their wives and children, nor is it Tiangang Hall. Tiangang Hall is only for external affairs, not internal.

The most terrifying thing is Beichen Hall, which corresponds to the Ministry of Justice of the imperial court. But in terms of functions, it is more like the Qingluan Guard, which has the power to directly examine Taoist priests below the third rank. With the authorization of Jinque, it can examine the Taoist priests of the third rank Youyi. If authorized by Zixiao Palace, second-grade Taiyi Taoist priests can be examined.

Fourth-grade Taoist priests are called Jijiu Taoist priests, and the world calls them "Masters". They are either responsible for a county, or hold important positions in the West Kunlun Ancestral Court, and are qualified to accept disciples.

Third-grade Taoist priests are called Youyi Taoist priests, and the world calls them "high-gong masters". They are either responsible for a place in a government, or hold a deputy position in the ancestral court.

The second-grade Taoist priest is called Taiyi Taoist priest, and the world calls him "Zhenren". He has a transcendent status. Whether he holds an official position in the ancestral court or is responsible for a state locally, he is extremely powerful and has the power to elect the chief priest.

The first-grade Taoist priests are called innocent Taoist priests, and the world calls them "Dacheng Zhenren", or "Dacheng Zhenren" for short. Among them, the three deputy masters of Da Zhenren are the leaders of Taiping Tao, Quanzhen Tao and Zhengyi Tao. They live in Yunjin Mountain Dazhen respectively. Mansion, Zhongnanshan Wanshou Chongyang Palace, Penglai Island Zhenjing Villa.

The ancestral court has always been called "Yujing, Xuandu, Zifu, and Jinque". The four are from large to small. If we want to compare the imperial capital with the city, "Yujing" is equivalent to the outer city of the imperial capital, and "Xuandu" is equivalent to the outer city of the imperial capital. In the inner city, the "Purple Mansion" is equivalent to the imperial palace, and the "Jinque" is equivalent to the Jinluan Palace.

Jinque is where the thirty-six masters discuss matters, and Zixiao Palace is where the great leader lives.

Beichen Hall directly obeys the orders of Jinque and Zixiao Palace, and its power is far superior to the other six halls. It is also called the Third Hall together with Ziwei Hall and Tiangang Hall.

Now that the position of the Grand Master is vacant, Jiutang, which is directly under the Grand Master, is temporarily taking orders from the three deputy Masters, Da Zhenren.

Today, the great master of Taiping Dao controls Beichen Hall, the great master of Quanzhen Dao controls Ziwei Hall, and the great master of Zhengdao controls Tiangang Hall, checking and balancing each other. The three great masters take turns to assume the authority of the great master. If there are major issues, they will be decided through discussion together.

This year marks the 41st year of Jiushi. In the first half of the year, from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the 30th of June, the Great Master Zhengyi will act as the Great Master. In the second half of the year, from the first day of the seventh lunar month to the 30th of the New Year, the Great Master Quanzhen Taoism will A real person acts as the Great Master’s teaching authority. It happens to be the Hungry Ghost Festival on July 15th, and it is the turn of Quanzhen Taoist Master.

Zifu.

Outside the Chiming Palace, a large number of high-quality Taoist priests who were not easily seen at ordinary times gathered.

The most eye-catching one is Zhao Jiaowu, a third-grade Youyi Taoist priest who assisted Fei Ling in taking charge of the Western Region Taoist House. He is the seventh-generation Quanzhen Taoist disciple after the ZTE, although he is still one step away from the second-grade Taiyi Taoist priest. , but he is not yet fifty years old this year and is in his prime. Everyone believes that he can be promoted to the second-grade Taiyi Taoist priest before he is sixty years old.

Master Fei Ling, who was also from Quanzhen Taoism, was very optimistic about his nephew and believed that he could successfully take over the responsibility of the Western Region Taoist Palace and take charge of the Daxue Mountain Palace - just like the Taiping Palace of Luzhou Taoist House in Taiping Mountain, the Western Region Taoist Palace The palace is located in the Daxue Mountain Palace, and people in the Taoist sect often use Yaochi to refer to the Taoist mansion in the Western Regions.

Nowadays, Zhao Jiaowu is surrounded by many Taoist priests from the Quanzhen Tao, all of them are Taoist priests of the fourth grade of sacrificial wine. After all, this is the ancestral court, and the most indispensable thing is the Taoist priest who offers wine.

Next is the deputy head of Duzhi Hall, Li Mingzhi, who is also a third-grade Youyi Taoist priest.

The seniority of the Li family is as follows: "Spring and Autumn are all spent, and a hundred years old is gone. If you follow the Tao and follow the law, you will have a destiny." The first-generation headmaster who revitalized the Taoist sect and was honored as "Xuansheng" was born in the Li family. He is "such as "The word generation, Li Mingzhi is the word "ming". From the perspective of seniority, he is the fifth generation grandson of Xuan Sheng.

Another circle formed around him. They all came from Taiping Dao, were incompatible with Quanzhen Dao, and were even hostile to each other.

In addition, there are two groups of people.

This group is the Zhengyi Dao, forming a three-talented force with Quanzhen Dao and Taiping Dao, but they are very restrained and not as aggressive as the two sides.

The other group is those who directly belong to the Grand Master. Originally, they had the highest status in the ancestral court. However, as the Grand Master's position became vacant and the three great masters took turns taking power, their situation became embarrassing. These people maintain a clear distance from members of the other three major factions and are even more silent.

"Why isn't this eldest lady here yet?"

"The noble man speaks late and comes too late."

"I advise you to say less. If this word reaches other people's ears, it will be bad. As the saying goes, thirty years to the east of the river and thirty years to the west of the river. Don't bully young people into poverty. If you ask me, it doesn't have to be thirty years. The year is almost here, brother, don’t regret today’s Meng Lang.”

"A fourth-grade wine-sacrifice Taoist priest who is less than twenty-five years old has been given a semi-immortal object. He really has a bright future."

"This means that the Grand Master has ascended and passed away. If the Grand Master is still in power, he will be accepted as his direct disciple."

"There is no way. You were able to climb to the position of a fourth-grade wine-sacrifice Taoist priest before you were thirty years old. You also had such treatment."

"After all, I was named by several real people in person. I'm really envious."

While everyone was waiting, they began to chat in low voices.

The person we are talking about is today's protagonist, the Taoist genius who even Qi Xuansu, who is far away from the center, has heard about it. He became a fourth-level Taoist priest in his early twenties. He once served as the director of Beichen Hall and was given one and a half items. Immortal, as long as he doesn't die in the middle of the journey, he will almost certainly become one of the thirty-six true practitioners of Shenzhi.

Suddenly, there was a clear and unobstructed sound of footsteps in the distance.

"The real person is here."

"Silence!"

The real big shot has arrived.

Everything returns to silence.

The headmaster of Tiangang Hall and the deputy head of Beichen Hall walked slowly and came to the steps of Chiming Palace.

I don’t know the real age of this real person in charge. Judging from his appearance, he is probably of no older age. He has five long beards, a strange appearance, light robes and slow-sleeved clothes, and a very chic expression.

The deputy head of Beichen Hall is roughly the same, but his demeanor is slightly sinister.

Although people in the Taoist sect are good at keeping their appearance, they generally don't make themselves look too young. Most of them keep their appearance around forty years old. Firstly, they don't hide their Taoist immortality, and secondly, they have the demeanor of an elder without losing their majesty. .

Both Zhao Jiaowu and Li Mingzhi saluted.

The fifth to fourth grade is a threshold, and the third to second grade is also a threshold. Only by reaching the second grade can one be truly qualified to discuss matters and participate in various major decisions of the Taoist sect.

The real big shot in the Taoist sect raised his hand to signal that everyone should not be formal and walked up the steps. The gatekeeper Taoist hurriedly pushed open the door of Chiming Palace, allowing the real person to step in first.

The rest of the people followed closely behind and entered the Chiming Palace one by one.

…

Zifu is a collective name for countless palaces, and people who are new to it can easily get lost in it.

Even if I have lived here for several years, I dare not say that I am completely familiar with all the roads in Zi Mansion. In addition, Zi Mansion prohibits flying, jumping and walking on the wind. Once lost, it will be difficult to find the right path.

At this time, Zhang Yuelu found himself in such an embarrassing situation.

"Zhang Yuelu" is one of the twenty-eight constellations, the fifth of the seven constellations in the south, and is also her name.

As the head of Beichen Hall, she accidentally got lost on her way to Chiming Palace to attend a meeting. This meeting was personally presided over by Master Tiangangtang to discuss the issue of demons in the Western Regions.

She took out an old pocket watch, opened the cover, and looked at the time.

Every moment.

If there were no accidents, the meeting had already begun. She didn't want to admit it, but she had to admit that she was... late.

That's all, the key is that she let go of the real person.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yuelu pursed his lips subconsciously, but the expression on his face remained calm, without any panic.

…

Lin Yongbai is an inconspicuous seventh-grade Taoist priest. After leaving the Wanxiang Taoist Palace, he was assigned to the Dao Zang Division in the ancestral court. Together with others, he was responsible for maintaining one hundred thousand Dao Zangs. It was neither hard nor easy. Ten yuan of peace money per month and three days of vacation.

In addition, Daozangsi's assessment is not strict, so he has been excellent in the assessment every year. According to the rules of the ancestral court, if he has been excellent in the assessment for three consecutive years, he can be promoted to a seventh-grade Taoist priest. In this way, he was promoted from a ninth-grade Taoist priest to a seventh-grade Taoist priest. Compared with his brothers from the same sect who worked hard to kill outside, he was really much better.

When he first came to Daozang Division, Lin Yongbai often imagined that there would be a peerless master hidden in Daozang Division? If he could be accepted as a disciple by a peerless master, he would be able to escape from his ordinary fate and even wear a sword of wisdom one day.

It's just that he stayed in Daozangsi for nearly ten years, but he didn't find a peerless master. His illusions were shattered, so he settled for the status quo. He went to Daozangsi every day at Chenshi and left at Shenshi, day after day, year after year.

Lin Yongbai was delayed for a moment because of some trivial matters today. When he walked quickly towards Daozangsi, he turned a corner and a figure appeared in front of him without any warning.

It startled him.

He stopped and looked intently.

It's a young woman.

Wearing a plain Taoist robe with no specific grade.

When Lin Yongbai's eyes fell on the woman's face, he felt his heart tremble.

There are many female crowns in the ancestral court, and Lin Yongbai has seen many of them, but until today, Lin Yongbai has truly realized what it means to be "astonished by the heavens".

The woman's appearance may not be top-notch, but her aura is unforgettable.

In an instant, Lin Yongbai had an idea in his heart: If he could stay with such a woman for the rest of his life, he would not change his position as a real person.

"Excuse me, Xiang Chi

How to get to Ming Palace? "The woman asked, very politely.

Lin Yongbai subconsciously pointed in the right direction: "Go straight forward and turn left at the second intersection. After about three hundred steps, walk about a mile to the west and you will almost be able to see Chiming Palace."

"Thank you." The woman walked quickly in the direction he pointed.

The two passed each other.

Lin Yongbai turned his head and looked at the woman's retreating back, unable to conceal his loneliness.

The only person who can go to Chiming Palace is at least a fourth-grade Taoist priest, which is beyond his imagination.