The Secret Way of Immortality

However, Ren Qing still planned to abandon the self-advancement of the Godly Legs Sutra, because the energy consumed to reach the Ghost Envoy realm through this method was simply too much.

No matter how he thought about it, it would be a losing proposition.

It would be better to wait until the Prison in his abdomen completed its first transformation and then accumulate lifespan to advance. It probably wouldn't take long before he could bring the rest of his techniques to the Ghost Envoy realm.

Moreover, his lifespan was already approaching fifty years.

Ren Qing patiently waited for the imperial examination.

During this period, he secretly paid attention to the land affairs, but only knew that the location was in the northern suburbs, with more than a dozen prison guards participating.

However, the northern suburbs appeared normal on the surface, so it might be happening underground.

According to the habits of the Prison Guard Hall, they would probably take advantage of the imperial examination to attract attention and have the land devour the strange object of the Winter Worm Incantation.

Unconsciously, several days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the day of the imperial examination, the west of the city was as lively as a New Year celebration, with scholars and students carrying packages everywhere on the streets.

Hundreds of people would stay in the Qinghe Examination Hall for nine days. The imperial examination was divided into three sessions, and they were not allowed to leave during the examination to prevent cheating.

Various stalls were set up next to the Examination Hall.

They sold food like Number One Scholar Cakes and Successful Candidate Noodles. Surprisingly, there were quite a few customers, especially those students who wanted to get a good omen.

The residents discussed among themselves.

The gate of the Qinghe Examination Hall was not fully opened until the sun rose to the middle of the sky, but they still had to wait for the soldiers to be in place.

Next, the soldiers had to check the items on the candidates to avoid bringing in prohibited items.

However, this imperial examination was slightly different.

Even though the soldiers were fully prepared, the Examination Hall still did not notify the students to enter one after another, but seemed to be waiting for something.

The students were all proud and arrogant, and they immediately became dissatisfied and filled with criticism in their words.

Zhao Shuli stood in front of the Qinghe Examination Hall, looking around and wiping the sweat from his forehead from time to time, feeling a little regret in his heart.

He had clearly told Ren Qing to come to the Examination Hall early to prepare, but he had not arrived yet.

If he angered the students because of this, it would definitely be a big trouble if they made a scene.

Just as Zhao Shuli was hesitating whether to wait for Ren Qing, a figure suddenly appeared in the temporary awning inspection area.

"Official Zhao, notify the start of the imperial examination."

"Yes, yes, yes."

The complaints in Zhao Shuli's heart immediately disappeared.

Ren Qing, not far away, was wearing a bamboo hat and a palm-sized token hanging from his waist, with the word "Prison" engraved on it.

Zhao Shuli didn't know that the white font meant he wasn't an official prison guard yet, and only thought that Ren Qing had become a strange person in the yamen.

He couldn't help but feel happy in his heart, it was naturally good to have a big shot to rely on.

In fact, Ren Qing had already arrived near the Qinghe Examination Hall, but suddenly felt a little uneasy in his soul, which seemed to be a premonition from the Twin Nightmare Demons.

He didn't dare to neglect it at all, so he searched around the Qinghe Examination Hall for traces of techniques, even if it was to prevent unexpected events.

But there were no gains.

Ren Qing came back to his senses and nodded slightly to Zhao Shuli.

Then, under the greeting of the soldiers, the students entered the awning fence one by one, waiting to check the items they carried.

Ren Qing was still not at ease and planned to go to the Qinghe Examination Hall to take a look.

He greeted Zhao Shuli, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, his face became extremely ugly, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.

In Ren Qing's mind, a strange, hoarse voice sounded: "The Dao begets the Dao, the Dao of inaction..."

"Please, Dao Official, impart knowledge..."

He narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment without showing any signs, then returned to the awning fence, sat in the corner, and took out a book to record.

Could it be that someone is targeting me in secret?

It shouldn't be, the voice is only conveying a message, maybe the target is Wo Gu, but after his death, the technique was transferred to him.

But I must find him from the Qinghe Examination Hall.

Ren Qing walked into the awning fence, sat down, and took out a book. After the students saw his figure, they couldn't help but frown.

It was already very humiliating to be searched by the soldiers, and now there was another person, and the other party was not an official, what qualifications did he have to be here?

A middle-aged student said sarcastically in a loud voice: "You..."

Ren Qing asked indifferently, "Where is your registered residence?"

The middle-aged student trembled all over, inexplicably feeling fear, and quickly replied: "Queshan Town outside Sanxiang City..."

Ren Qing nodded, and then recorded a few strokes in the book.

Seeing that the student had become honest, the soldiers skillfully stripped off his clothes and checked, and no items in the package were missed.

"Sir, there is no cheating."

Ren Qing waved his hand, and several soldiers took the students away to the pre-arranged examination room locations.

The order of the Qinghe Examination Hall became well-organized.

The students were not stupid. When they saw others entering the awning fence, they were indignant, but when they came out, they seemed to be submissive and did not dare to say a word.

It took a full half a day for all the students to enter completely.

Ren Qing looked at the book in his hand, and the soldiers didn't know whether to ask.

The students from various towns in Xiangxiang who came to Sanxiang City had been counted in advance. After removing the students from An'nan Town, there were a total of two hundred and fifty-three people.

Because they were escorted by soldiers, there could be no error, but Ren Qing found that there were two hundred and fifty-five people after questioning.

Two more people out of thin air.

Ren Qing had looked at everyone, but he couldn't find any abnormality at all.

Zhao Shuli came over: "Ren Qing, is there a problem?"

Ren Qing handed the book to the other party: "The number of students is wrong."

Zhao Shuli hurried to do it. There were records in the yamen, so it was not troublesome to check it again, but he felt a little inexplicable.

Ren Qing waited for a moment.

As Zhao Shuli walked back quickly with the book full of corrections.

"It's okay, the registered residences of two of the students are elsewhere, but they have been living in Sanxiang City for the past few months..."

Ren Qing didn't reply, turned around and walked into the Qinghe Examination Hall.

The four examination rooms were silent, and the students were closing their eyes to rest during their free time.

Zhao Shuli marked the two people, in the west examination area and the east examination area respectively.

Ren Qing slowly walked into the east examination area, and the room suddenly became silent, and the students couldn't help but feel a little scared.

He took Zhao Shuli and several soldiers and went straight to the cubicle where the student in the book was.

Sitting inside was a dull, skinny man. Seeing such a big battle, his expression suddenly became panicked.

"E...Everyone...Sirs..."

Ren Qing directly used the information stream to check, and surprisingly, he was indeed an ordinary person.

But before he could react, the familiar tone came from his mind again.

"The Dao begets the Dao, the Dao of inaction, welcome Dao Official to impart the seal..."

Ren Qing felt a sign of separation between his body and soul, and he couldn't help but curse a few times. What means did the other party use to be so silent?

He simply let the separated soul leave the main body, and then a shocking thing happened.

In the vision of the separated soul, the examination room became more and more unfamiliar, the statues of the Three Pure Ones of Taoism stood in front of him, and the surroundings turned into a huge Taoist temple.

Hundreds of people were sitting on futons, looking like the two hundred or so students who participated in the imperial examination, each wearing a pure white Taoist robe.

Wait, doesn't the so-called Dao Official refer to me...?

Thank you for the rewards from Lu Bao Chuang Jianghu, 198 Kiss, and Zhi Xu Ji Shou Jing Du.