Chu Bai, however, was the only one who, upon hearing this, lowered his gaze, his mind racing.
’Logically,’ he thought, ’I should be tried for the crime of Foundation Establishment Without a Talisman first. My merits and demerits are still undecided. Only after the trial should rewards be considered. And yet, Lord Shen wants to grant me a Talisman now...’
Chu Bai, being as sharp as he was, grasped the implications after a moment’s thought.
If he received the Cyan Talisman before his trial, his status would change from a Wild Cultivator to a prospective official formally registered with the Great Zhou.
With this new status, the very nature of the grave crime of "Foundation Establishment Without a Talisman" would be transformed.
He would go from being an outlaw who cultivated illicitly to "a pillar of the Court who, due to exceptional talent, broke through ahead of schedule before completing the proper procedures."
The former was a crime; the latter was merely a procedural flaw—a deviation from protocol, not a transgression of principle.
’Lord Shen is muddying the waters for me, taking down half of the blade hanging over my head...’
Chu Bai understood completely.
Although he knew the Merit Department would never let him off the hook completely over a small maneuver like this, it was undoubtedly a huge gesture of goodwill from Shen Xuance and a form of silent protection from Dayuan Prefecture.
’Thank you,’
Chu Bai thought silently, his gaze toward Shen Xuance now holding a new layer of respect.
On the stage, the ceremony had begun.
"Present the Official Seal, connect to the Law Net!"
Shen Xuance’s expression was solemn as he raised the White Jade Official Seal high, the symbol of authority for Dayuan Prefecture’s Examination Department.
High in the sky, an invisible, magnificent net seemed to tremble.
Streams of golden light, visible to the naked eye, cascaded from the Official Seal. They precisely split into nineteen strands, each one sinking into the brow of a person present.
This was the acknowledgment of the Great Zhou Law Net, a blessing of the Dynasty’s Destiny.
"By decree—the Cyan Talisman!"
As Shen Xuance issued the decree, Chu Bai felt a sudden warmth between his eyebrows.
Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the White Talisman that had represented his status as a Daoist Official of the Qi Cultivation Stage shattered. In its place formed a complex Talisman, so vividly cyan it seemed to drip with color, radiating an aura of vigorous life and majesty.
The moment the Cyan Talisman took form, Chu Bai felt as if the entire world had changed.
His connection to the Great Zhou Law Net had never been this clear, this profound.
If before he had only been borrowing a wisp of its aura, now he felt like a vital node on the great net itself.
A massive stream of information surged into his mind through the Cyan Talisman, detailing his newly unlocked permissions.
[Status: Great Zhou Cyan Register Immortal Official]
The Cyan Talisman corresponded to the Foundation Establishment realm.
To be appointed an official with this Talisman meant starting at the Regular Seventh Grade!
Keep in mind, back in Anping County, a Regular Ninth Grade Demon Slaying Officer was already a major figure. A Regular Seventh Grade official, however, was the highest authority in an entire county, and a person of substantial power even in a Prefecture City.
It was like ascending to the heavens in a single step, with a limitless future ahead.
As Chu Bai felt the power flowing from the Cyan Talisman, the Circulation Wheel Dao Foundation inside him seemed to grow smoother and more perfect from the infusion of the Dynasty’s Destiny.
’Now that I have this official cover, I’ll have more standing when I face the Merit Department’s questioning.’
As the nineteen rays of cyan light entered everyone’s brows, the golden glow on the Martial Arts Arena slowly receded.
Shen Xuance slowly retracted the Official Seal. The awe-inspiring pressure from the Law Net that surrounded him dissipated, and he once again became the Chief of the Examination Department—authoritative, yet with the dignified air of an elder.
His gaze swept across the nineteen young faces below the stage, and he spoke with earnest gravity.
"Now that you’ve obtained the Cyan Talisman, you’ve taken the first step toward becoming pillars of the Court. But the second step must be taken with your own strength."
"The Great Zhou Laws value talent, merit, and above all, strength. Therefore, after today, you are all to return to your original departments and resume your duties. Your current positions will not change."
Shen Xuance paused, his tone growing exceptionally grave. "With the Cyan Talisman and the empowerment of the Law Net, the barrier to Foundation Establishment has already been more than halfway removed for you. However, this is a leap to a higher state of being. It is not to be trifled with."
"When you feel you have accumulated enough power and are confident in breaking through, you must report to the Department. Find a Blessed Land rich in Spiritual Qi, prepare your Pills, and set aside ample time for seclusion. Remember: you may only make the attempt when everything is in place."
"If you reach Foundation Establishment, you can use this Talisman to be granted an actual position of power at the Regular Seventh Grade, or even higher. That will be the time for you to truly pursue your ambitions."
Upon hearing this, everyone below the stage beamed with joy, their hearts surging with excitement.
Everyone standing here was already a one-in-a-hundred prodigy who had battled their way out of various Secret Realms. Now, with the Cyan Talisman as their "key" and the assistance of the Great Zhou Law Net’s Destiny, reaching Foundation Establishment was almost just a matter of time.
For them, all that was missing were the perfect conditions—the right time and place. They just needed to find a good spot, get themselves into peak condition, and safely overcome that hurdle.
Shen Xuance looked at these high-spirited youths, as if seeing a reflection of his own younger self, and couldn’t help but add one more piece of advice.
"You are all promising candidates for Foundation Establishment. As such, I will offer my congratulations in advance."
"However..."
His tone shifted, and a profound warning glinted in his eyes. "The court is a furnace, and the hearts of men are its flames. Bearing the Cyan Talisman, you will inevitably attract recruitment attempts and the covetous eyes of various powers. Do not grow complacent because of this great honor, and certainly do not become too entangled in the cesspool of political strife."
"Remember: your Cultivation is forged iron, but an official’s hat is flowing water."
"In these chaotic times, true power vested in oneself is the only foundation. I urge you all to prioritize your Cultivation. Do not put the cart before the horse and jeopardize your future on the path of the Dao."

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