Cultivation: Tax Evasion!

However, Ren Qing still gave up on independently cultivating the Divine Leg Sutra, because attempting to use it to ascend to the Ghost Envoy realm would consume far too much energy.

No matter how one thought about it, the loss outweighed the gain.

It would be better to wait until the Prison Within the Abdomen completed its first anomalous transformation, then accumulate lifespan to ascend, he would be able to bring the other arts to the Ghost Envoy realm in no time at all.

Moreover, his lifespan had already approached fifty years.

Ren Qing patiently awaited the imperial examination.

During this time, he also secretly paid attention to matters regarding the Earth Deity, but only knew that the location was set in the northern suburbs of the city, with over a dozen Restraint Officers participating.

Sanxiang City showed no unusual signs on the surface, it was very likely taking place underground.

According to the customs of the Restraint Officers' Hall, they would likely use the distraction of the imperial examination to have Tu Di consume the Supernatural Remnant of Winter Insect Decisive.

Before Ren Qing realized it, several days had already flown by.

On the day of the imperial examination, the west side of the city bustled as if it were New Year's, everywhere in the streets were students and scholars carrying their baggage.

Several hundred people would be staying inside the Qinghe Examination Yard for nine days. The exam was divided into three sessions, and to prevent cheating, they were required to remain inside throughout.

The stalls beside the examination yard cleverly sought auspicious business.

They sold snacks like Top Scholar Cakes and Juren Noodles, and truthfully, there were quite a few customers, especially among the examinees.

The townspeople conversed among themselves,

A student from such-and-such private school had Photographic Memory and would surely claim the top spot.

The main gates of the Qinghe Examination Yard opened completely when the sun rose to mid-sky, but even though the exam had not officially started, soldiers were already in place.

Next, soldiers would check each examinee's belongings, to prevent them from smuggling in any prohibited materials.

However, this time the imperial exam was slightly different.

Even though the soldiers had already completed all preparations, the examination yard still hadn't called the examinees to enter one by one, instead, it seemed like they were waiting for something.

All the examinees were prideful and lofty, seeing this, they immediately grew dissatisfied, their words filled with criticism.

Clerk Zhao stood in front of the Qinghe Examination Yard and looked around, occasionally wiping sweat from his forehead, a faint feeling of regret rising in his heart.

He had clearly told Ren Qing earlier to arrive at the yard in advance to prepare, yet now he still hadn't arrived.

If this provoked the students' anger, it would definitely turn into no small trouble.

Just as Clerk Zhao was hesitating whether to stop waiting for Ren Qing, a figure suddenly appeared in the makeshift inspection zone under the tarpaulin.

"Lord Zhao, you may announce the start of the examination."

"Yes, yes, yes."

The complaints in Clerk Zhao's heart instantly vanished without a trace.

Not far away, Ren Qing was wearing a bamboo hat. At his waist hung a palm-sized token, engraved with the character "Restraint".

Clerk Zhao had no idea that a token with white lettering didn't mean one was a formal Restraint Officer, he only assumed that Ren Qing had officially become one of the mystics within the government office.

He couldn't help but feel pleased, it was naturally good to have someone powerful to rely on.

In fact, Ren Qing had arrived near the Qinghe Examination Yard much earlier, but he suddenly felt his soul grow uneasy, as if it were a premonition from the Twin Nightmare Ghosts.

He dared not be negligent, and searched around the Examination Yard for traces of arts, if nothing else, at least to guard against unexpected events.

But the result was nothing.

Ren Qing came back to himself and gave Clerk Zhao a slight nod.

Then, under the soldiers' guidance, the examinees entered the enclosure under the tarpaulin one by one, waiting for their items to be inspected.

Ren Qing still didn't feel at ease, planning to head inside the Qinghe Examination Yard to take a look.

He greeted Clerk Zhao, and as soon as he stepped across the threshold, his expression grew extremely grim, his gaze flickering.

In Ren Qing's mind, an unfamiliar hoarse voice rang out:

"Dao Gives Birth to Dao, Dao of Non-Action..."

"May the Dao Officer please grant teachings..."

He narrowed his eyes and silently pondered for a moment, then returned to the enclosure, sitting in a corner and taking out his notebook.

Could someone be targeting me from the shadows?

Probably not, the voice merely delivered a message. Perhaps its target was Wogu, but after his death, the art had transferred to Ren Qing.

He had to find this person within the Qinghe Examination Yard!

Ren Qing walked into the enclosure and sat down, taking out his notebook. When the students spotted his presence, their brows couldn't help but furrow.

They already felt thoroughly humiliated being searched by soldiers, now there was another person present, and he wasn't even an official. What right did he have to be here?

A middle-aged student spoke out mockingly in a loud voice: "You..."

Ren Qing spoke calmly, asking, "Place of origin?"

The middle-aged student shuddered all over, a strange fear welling up from within him. He quickly replied: "Que Mountain Town, outside Sanxiang City..."

Ren Qing nodded, then made a few notes in his book.

The soldiers, seeing the student suddenly behave, skillfully stripped and inspected him. None of the items in his baggage were overlooked.

"My lord, no signs of cheating."

Ren Qing waved his hand, and several soldiers took the student away to their previously assigned examination room.

Order in the Qinghe Examination Yard was restored.

The examinees weren't fools, seeing how those who had gone in were furious, but came out meek and silent, none of them dared to utter a sound anymore.

It took more than half the day for all the examinees to finally enter the yard.

Ren Qing looked at the notebook in his hand, the soldiers weren't sure whether they should step forward to ask.

The students who had come to Sanxiang City from the towns across Xiangxiang had already been tallied in advance. Excluding those from Annan Town, there were a total of 253.

Because they had been escorted by soldiers, there should be no discrepancy, but according to Ren Qing's questioning, there were 255.

Two people had appeared out of nowhere.

Ren Qing had looked at each of them, but couldn't find anything unusual.

Clerk Zhao came up beside him. "Ren Qing, has something happened?"

Ren Qing handed the notebook to him. "The number of examinees is off."

Clerk Zhao hurried off to handle it, the records were kept in the government office, and cross-referencing wouldn't be difficult. Mostly, it just felt strange.

Ren Qing waited for a moment.

Soon, Clerk Zhao came jogging back with a notebook full of scribbles and corrections.

"No problem. Two of the students are registered with other places of origin, but they've been living in Sanxiang City for the past few months..."

Ren Qing said nothing, turning around and heading into the Qinghe Examination Yard.

The four examination halls were silent, each student taking advantage of the idle time to rest with closed eyes.

Clerk Zhao had marked the two students one in the western hall, the other in the eastern hall.

Ren Qing slowly entered the eastern examination hall. The room instantly grew silent; the students couldn't help but feel a bit fearful.

He brought Clerk Zhao and a few soldiers directly to the cubicle marked in the notebook.

Inside sat a dull, emaciated man. Seeing such a large group arrive, his expression turned panicked.

"M-my lords..."

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

But before he could react further, the familiar tone rang out again in his mind.

"Dao Gives Birth to Dao, Dao of Non-Action, welcoming the Dao Officer to transmit teachings and bestow talismans..."

Ren Qing felt a sign of soul separation. He couldn't help but curse inwardly, what method was the other party using to be so utterly silent?

He simply let his split soul leave his body, and what happened next shocked him.

The examination room became increasingly unfamiliar. Before him stood a statue of the Three Pure Dao Ancestors, and the surroundings had turned into a massive Daoist dojo.

Hundreds of people sat on meditation cushions, judging from their appearances, they were the two hundred-odd students taking the exam, each one wearing a pure white Daoist robe.

Wait a minute, could it be that the so-called Dao Officer they were referring to was him...?