Daoist Competition
Chapter 72 - 36 Appraising the Meridian: The Path Ahead is Ambiguous_2

Chapter 72: Chapter 36 Appraising the Meridian: The Path Ahead is Ambiguous_2

It was not something he could presume to guess, no matter the origin.

Thinking of this, Shi Shoujing grew even more respectful in his demeanor and said, "Junior Brother, please wait a moment. A Senior Brother from the Upper Court responsible for assessing meridians will be arriving shortly."

Zhang Yan had returned to the mountain half a month ago. Normally, as soon as his successful Opening Meridians became known, an Immortal Master from the Upper Court qualified to evaluate meridians should have come immediately. Yet, for unknown reasons, they had delayed until today, when a concrete message was finally sent, summoning Zhang Yan here.

After waiting for about half an hour, a middle-aged Daoist clad in a Feather Robe and wearing a high crown finally arrived, his pace unhurried. His face was stern as he entered the great hall, exchanging perfunctory greetings with the three "Shou"-generation Stewards of the Lower Court.

Seeing this man, Shi Shoujing felt a faint sense of surprise in his heart but showed nothing on his face. As usual, he offered a courteous bow of respect to the Daoist.

The Daoist turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and stood at the center of the great hall. Casting an evaluating glance at Zhang Yan from head to toe, he frowned and said, "So, you are Zhang Yan? Quickly release your meridians and let me take a look."

Zhang Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not move.

"What now, do you not even know how?" The Daoist’s face revealed a trace of impatience as he said, "Rotate your Qi Mechanism, channel True Essence into your meridians, let it run through your acupoints, and it will naturally manifest into an image."

Yet Zhang Yan still did not comply. Instead, he calmly asked, "Your Excellency, who might you be?"

"You..."

The Daoist was rendered speechless, unable to respond for a long moment. He wanted to reprimand Zhang Yan but refrained, fearing it would lower his stature and expose him to ridicule. Restraining his anger, he responded coldly, "I am Wang Yixing from the Upper Court, responsible for evaluating meridians. I am here specifically to assess yours."

Meridian evaluations traditionally required an Immortal Master of at least the Xuan Guang Stage to be invited from the Upper Court, with a family elder of the evaluated present as a witness. However, as Zhang Yan did not hail from a Xuanmen Family, those in the Upper Court, thinking highly of themselves, were unwilling to come. As a result, the matter was repeatedly delayed. Nevertheless, the formal rules of the Mingcang Sect could not be ignored, so after over half a month, Wang Yixing, a cultivator merely in the Ming Qi Stage, was dispatched as a formality.

Wang Yixing himself belonged to a Xuanmen Family. Being assigned this task made him feel disgraced. Yet, as it was forced upon him by his senior brothers, he could not shirk the responsibility. Thus, his mood was already sour, and he found everything about Zhang Yan displeasing.

"Since the evaluation is to be conducted personally, let us proceed."

Without delay, Zhang Yan calmly drew upon his True Essence. Instantly, a mist-like aura emerged, spreading around him.

Wang Yixing couldn’t help but let out a soft "hmm" of surprise. Typically, a person’s meridian image required at least fifteen minutes to fully take shape after activation. However, Zhang Yan’s appeared in mere moments, an unusual feat. Yet, upon taking a closer look, he sneered derisively, saying, "Fog Phase, lowest grade." With a flick of his sleeve, he cupped his hands perfunctorily and said, "Farewell."

The three Stewards exchanged puzzled glances. Lowest grade? They had some discernment themselves. While Zhang Yan’s meridian image might not have been excellent, dismissing it as "lowest grade" seemed excessively arbitrary.

With the evaluation concluded, Zhang Yan did not linger either. He swiftly bid farewell to the three Stewards and left.

Shi Shoujing understood the significance of the meridian assessment for Zhang Yan’s future cultivation techniques. A verdict of "lowest grade" meant his choices would be severely limited. He accompanied Zhang Yan to the main hall’s entrance and offered comforting words, saying, "Junior Brother Zhang, in my judgment, though your meridians are of low grade, the Mechanism of the Image is complete, teeming with unlimited potential. Even if it is low grade, it is worthy of being considered within the Lower Upper Grade. To call it lowest grade is an injustice to you."

"It’s of no consequence. Low grade is low grade—where is the distinction between lower and upper grades?" Zhang Yan’s expression remained calm, betraying no trace of discontent.

Shi Shoujing nodded secretly, impressed. Regardless of Zhang Yan’s aptitude, his temperament was exemplary, indicating that he might well achieve great things in the future. Speaking in earnest, he added, "Tomorrow, someone will come to escort you to the Upper Court. If you have spare time in the future, do visit the Lower Court."

"As it should be. Senior Brother, take your time. I shall take my leave." Zhang Yan cupped his hands in salute, then departed with ease.

As he descended Haohue Peak, he exhaled deeply. If Wang Yixing had somehow identified his meridian image as "top top-grade," he would have had to waste effort explaining. Fortunately, Wang Yixing lacked the perception and was simply going through the motions, failing to discern the truth.

Zhang Yan was fully aware of his unique circumstances. As someone of non-elite background who had transitioned from the Lower Court to the Upper Court after Opening his Meridians, he was bound to attract attention—most of it hostile. Navigating such an environment would be challenging. The waters of the Upper Court ran far deeper than those of the Lower Court. Thus, it was not prudent to act conspicuously until he had gauged the situation thoroughly.

As for the cultivation techniques Shi Shoujing mentioned, Zhang Yan cared little. Now, with the Taiyin Golden Book in his possession, he could refine his Qi Mechanism to a level that could dissolve gold and melt iron, comparable to Dharma Treasure Flying Swords. This Daoist Book was something the Du Family would go to great lengths to acquire, far superior to what the sect would deign to grant. Thinking this, he raised his head to the sky and said to himself, "How could my path be hindered by any of you?"

Meanwhile, in the Lower Court, everyone was eagerly awaiting news of Zhang Yan’s meridian results. Soon after, word spread: as per the evaluation conducted by the Immortal Master, Zhang Yan’s revealed meridians were merely the lowest-grade Fog Phase.

Upon hearing this, many in the Lower Court felt a sense of relief. Most considered this outcome to be only natural. Without familial backing, without sect-provided blessings, how could someone of mortal descent possibly produce a meridian image worthy of recognition? Being able to Open Meridians and Break Through at all was already a stroke of fortune in their eyes. To expect more was sheer folly.

Nevertheless, regardless of the meridian grading, Zhang Yan’s progression to the Upper Court was now a foregone conclusion. While there had been cases of mortal-born disciples entering the Lower Court before, these individuals were often prodigious talents of rare aptitude, and noble families frequently sought to secure alliances with them through marriage, bringing them into their lineage. However, upon learning that Zhang Yan’s meridian image was merely of the lowest grade, any such intentions from notable families evaporated on the spot.

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