Many people wanted to follow him, but Celestial Master Zhang dared not accept them yet, as he was waiting for the Celestial Masters Council's approval to establish his own independent sect. The Celestial Master path was a minor branch of Immortality Cultivation, but it did not focus on longevity or pleasure. Their primary objective was 'Exorcising Demons and Protecting the Righteous Path' (Tr? ma v? ??o). They frequently ventured into dangerous and deadly places, which resulted in very few people choosing to follow this pursuit.
Because Celestial Master Zhang's fame was so immense, affecting the entire Celestial Master community, the number of people wanting to learn the path grew rapidly. This, coupled with Celestial Master Zhang’s petition to establish a sect, led to the formation of the Celestial Masters Council to inspect and evaluate whether he was qualified to manage a sect.
On that day, Celestial Master Zhang (Vong Tran) and White Tiger (a Beastman with a White Tiger head) were riding a carriage to the designated meeting place set by the council.
Having nothing better to do, White Tiger asked, "Why are you so tense today? Did you have extra money to take a carriage again? Why not just fly on a stream of talismans for a quicker trip?"
Celestial Master Zhang (Vong Tran), with a worried expression, replied, "It’s important. I’m about to undergo an assessment to see if I’m qualified to establish a Sect."
White Tiger laughed and said, "Worrying is pointless; it will only make you more tired. Just talk it out and relax."
Celestial Master Zhang replied, "What should I talk about now? My mind is completely blank."
White Tiger said, "Then let me ask. How many major Celestial Master sects are there currently, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?"
Celestial Master Zhang answered, "Currently, there are three main sects situated on three different mountains:
- Ngoc Than Mountain: The Grand Celestial Master's Purple Robe School, or the Sect call God, Exorcist (Khu Th?n T?ng), specializes in setting up altars to summon Heavenly Soldiers, Heavenly Generals, and the Heavenly Emperor for aid.
- Moc Linh Mountain: The Grand Celestial Master's Sect call Spirit, Exorcist (Khu Linh T?ng), specializes in summoning the Twelve Spirit Beast Gods, focusing on talismans, curses removal, and healing.
- Am Ty Palace: The Grand Celestial Master's Sect call Soul, Exorcist (Khu ?m T?ng), specializes in summoning Order Soul Generals and Ghost Messengers, focusing on seals, detoxification, and healing."
White Tiger said, "Oh, so they can control ghosts too? Isn’t that taking advantage too much? Even the dead aren't at peace."
Celestial Master Zhang sighed, "You don't understand. Those ghosts are just wandering Soul, rootless and lost. Using them is like drafting beggars into the army—they are weak and easy to kill, which is actually just suffering and torment. The Order Soul Generals, on the other hand, are deceased generals worshiped by the common people. They have their own temples and shrines, possessing great power. Some Order Soul Generals are even officially recognized by the Heavenly Dao as City Gods, Earth Gods, Order Soul Generals, or Order Soul Soldiers, allowing them to walk in broad daylight without issue."
White Tiger said, "Oh, I see. So, even the dead have jobs? I thought being dead was the end of it."
Celestial Master Zhang shook his head, "You don't have the Yin-Yang Eye, so you can't see them. Ghosts come in many types; there are both good and bad ones."
White Tiger asked a tricky question, "Are there any neutral souls? Neither good nor bad."
Celestial Master Zhang replied, "Yes, of course. They all go on to reincarnate..."
White Tiger continued to lead the conversation to keep Vong Tran talking, making the long journey feel shorter and more interesting, far from the tedious trip it had initially been. The coachman, sitting in front, found it intriguing and also joined in, asking about the spiritual and eerie world he had heard of. He even asked Celestial Master Zhang to solve a problem in his village, and the Celestial Master agreed to help upon their return.
They arrived at Ngoc Than Mountain, home of the Sect call God, Exorcist. Many Celestial Masters were already there to get a look at the famous Celestial Master Zhang. Most were yellow-robed Celestial Masters, like him, and were very friendly, bowing politely to introduce themselves. Only a small handful stood at a distance, observing with faces full of envy. Next to every Celestial Master, there was either an invisible Divine Soldier, a Soul Spirit Beast, or an Order Soul General standing by for assistance. Only Celestial Master Zhang was accompanied by a living creature (White Tiger Beastman). Celestial Masters were naturally solitary people, preferring not to have teammates for fear that demonic illusions would transform into their comrades and stab them in the back.
He stepped into the Main Hall of the Sect call God, Exorcist. At the far end were three purple seats reserved for the three Grand Celestial Masters, who rarely appeared all together. This time, however, was an exception; all three were present.
A loud voice boomed, "Invite the Ghost Valley Celestial Master into the Hall!"
Celestial Master Zhang walked in under the curious gaze of many people. Everyone fell silent, creating an extremely solemn atmosphere. The purple-robed Grand Celestial Master in the center, named Phong Cat Hong, spoke with a hearty laugh:
"Haha, it's been a long time since I last saw you, child. You've grown up now. How is your grandfather, my old friend?"
Celestial Master Zhang replied, "Yes, sir, he is well."
Phong Cat Hong said, "I've known you since you were little. Your grandfather, the Grand Elder, is a very reputable person here. However, this is a serious setting; we will not discuss relationships, only ability and knowledge. I am one of the three main examiners here, and I will not go easy on you just because we know each other."
As his words ended, the entire room became noisy because the Grand Elder was a very powerful man, respected by everyone present. He had once helped and indebted many Celestial Masters here, but ever since one grandson died tragically and the other two went missing, he stopped coming here, dedicating himself to raising the next generation at home.
Celestial Master Zhang said, "Yes, I understand, sir."
Phong Cat Hong said, "Good. The first test is a practical combat assessment. Would you like to take some time to think, or would you like to duel now?"
Celestial Master Zhang replied, "I'd like to duel now, sir."
Phong Cat Hong replied, "Good. Among the Celestial Masters here, who wishes to challenge him first?"
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A bulky man stepped forward, carrying a large sword box on his back that could hold thirteen swords at once. His name was Zhang Wu Song, a flying sword genius. Since entering the Qi Condensation stage, he could control multiple flying swords simultaneously, and had been in the Foundation Establishment stage for many years. All this time, everyone had mistaken him for the legendary Celestial Master Zhang due to the shared surname and profession. Thus, he wanted to challenge Vong Tran to see who was truly stronger.
Celestial Master Zhang bowed and said, "Greetings, friend. We haven't met, but I've long heard your name. Please go easy on me."
Zhang Wu Song laughed heartily, "Haha, no need to be polite. Don't worry, this is just a practice match; the swords will stop upon contact. I assume the same for you." He drew one sword, and the other twelve immediately flew to follow, standing from the back to the sides, only leaving the front clear, protecting him all around. They always maintained a safe distance from their master.
Celestial Master Zhang said, "What excellent defensive swordsmanship! Not a single flaw is exposed. I also know how to use the sword. Allow me to demonstrate: Asura’s Four Swords." He clasped his hands together, forming a hand seal—a method of chanting a spell without sound, countering the Silence technique. He then formed a hand gesture (B? th?) and erected an energy shield. While chanting a spell, four shadowy arms emerged, each holding a small sword. This was how Celestial Master Zhang performed two spells simultaneously.
The two sides clashed, swinging their swords repeatedly. Flashing lights and sparks erupted from the colliding blades. Celestial Master Zhang initially seemed to overwhelm Zhang Wu Song as his four swords attacked from four directions and constantly changed their vectors. He was very proficient in the Art of Distraction (Phan tam chi thu?t). However, the longer the fight dragged on, the more Zhang Wu Song gained the upper hand due to his sharp focus. He had thirteen swords but, in reality, only controlled one; the other twelve had been trained to fly close to him. Each time he spun, the twelve swords would follow, attacking the opponent again.
Zhang Wu Song laughed while fighting, "Haha, you are very skilled. But you are overusing your Art of Distraction. It's extremely taxing on the spirit; the longer you fight, the more exhausted you'll become. I also used to think controlling more objects was better, but then your movements become prone to mistakes, making it easy to fall into a trap."
Celestial Master Zhang was sweating profusely because he had to control five things at once: the energy shield and the four shadowy arms. He stopped when he heard the mention of a trap. He focused his observation and noticed that only ten of the twelve flying swords surrounding Zhang Wu Song remained; the other two were positioned elsewhere. He accidentally stepped into the space between those two swords, and they immediately flew toward him, swapping places with each other. He tested it again, and the two swords flew into the middle and swapped positions once more.
Seeing this, Celestial Master Zhang praised it, admitting it was indeed an interesting trap—spirit-saving yet incredibly effective.
Zhang Wu Song said, "There's more! Twelve Star Array Swords." The twelve swords immediately flew out and surrounded Celestial Master Zhang. With every step he took, two or three pairs of swords flew toward him, forcing him to tiredly parry and dodge, making him dizzy and terribly exhausted.
White Tiger, seeing the danger, immediately dumped two baskets full of talismans. There were thousands of talismans in them, and he shouted loudly, "Throw those swords away! Use what you're best at!" The Celestial Masters in the hall stared wide-eyed, having never seen so many talismans at once. Most of them only carried a dozen talismans on them at most.
Celestial Master Zhang retracted the four shadowy arms, his hands still maintaining the hand gesture to sustain the Energy Shield. He commanded, "Heavenly Talisman Suppression Technique, Execute the Edict Now! (Thiên phù Tr?n áp chi thu?t c?p c?p thi hành lu?t l?nh)"
The thousands of talismans at White Tiger's feet immediately linked together, forming many long strings that flew toward Zhang Wu Song, surrounding him. Other talismans stuck to the ground like landmines. Zhang Wu Song immediately retracted the twelve flying swords, having them hover around him for defense. The talisman strings began to Explode, or Discharge Electricity, or Freeze to slow him down. He tried to dodge or parry but was pushed back, stepping on a Talisman Trap, creating a continuous chain reaction. When the dust and smoke cleared, Zhang Wu Song was still standing but his clothes were tattered, and his flying swords had fallen to the ground.
Phong Cat Hong immediately spoke, "Ghost Valley Celestial Master loses, for receiving aid from a teammate."
Zhang Wu Song raised his hand to ask to speak, and Phong Cat Hong allowed it: "Grand Celestial Master, I concede. The Ghost Valley Celestial Master is very deserving."
Phong Cat Hong nodded and said, "I accept your surrender, but rules are rules. Both of you lose. I hereby declare the assessment for Celestial Master Zhang..."
The purple-robed Grand Celestial Master sitting on the left, named Phong Manh Hung, interrupted, "Wait, allow me to ask this Celestial Master a question."
Phong Cat Hong happily replied, "Go right ahead, brother. We are of the same rank and level; you don't need to ask my permission."
Phong Manh Hung smiled, then turned to look at Celestial Master Zhang and said, "Why didn't you use Talisman Manipulation (Ng? Phù) from the beginning, but instead used swords?"
Celestial Master Zhang said, "My grandfather told me that a Celestial Master must use a sword. Without a sword, you are not a Celestial Master."
Phong Manh Hung burst into laughter that echoed throughout the hall, making everyone's ears ring, as he unintentionally activated the first layer of his Heavenly Howl (V?ng Thiên H?ng) skill due to excitement: "Hahaha, that stubborn old man! Obsessed with the sword! Everything is about the sword! Hahaha! Hey, Celestial Master Zhang, throw away those swords! From now on, using Talisman Manipulation is enough! I have never seen anyone at your level who can control so many talismans! I support you!"
The Grand Celestial Master on the right, named Zhang Phong Ba, belonging to the Sect call Soul, Exorcist, said, "Among the three of us, one has failed you, and one has passed you. Therefore, I am the decider. My test is a knowledge assessment. If you answer correctly, you pass."
Zhang Phong Ba waved his hand, and a squad of ghost soldiers and an Order Ghost General appeared. Their form was like Ngoc Tran, holding a sword and wearing four elemental flags on his back, representing the Four Directions Array.
He said, "When I visited the capital, I found these souls. They are not benevolent souls, for they have killed innocent people. Nor are they great evil spirits, as they sacrificed their lives, feeling neither anger nor sorrow.
The Soul order is different in every era, but this one is divided into three areas:
- Benevolent Zone: For good ghosts who never harmed anyone in their lives and lived according to their conscience. This is a place of rest to await the next life.
- Wicked Zone: For evil ghosts who committed many bad deeds in their lives and went against their conscience. They are relegated here to be tormented, suffer, and endure pain until their karmic debt is paid before they can leave.
- Rage Zone: For good ghosts who died with unforgiving hatred in their hearts, having been wrongfully harmed by wicked people. They constantly demand revenge, their hearts full of anger, lamenting day and night.
Thus, the Soul order ignored them, and they became Wandering Ghosts."
Zhang Phong Ba paused for a moment and then said, "This is the question for you: Help me arrange a place for them."
Celestial Master Zhang's ears buzzed when he heard this. He asked himself, "Why such a difficult question?"
Zhang Phong Ba waited for a long time without a reply and then said, "No rush, no rush. Whenever you have an answer, come find me at the Sect call Soul, Exorcist. There is no time limit; you can come anytime you like, no prior notice needed."
Phong Cat Hong said, "The assessment concludes here. Everyone may leave. Anyone who wishes to stay is welcome. Our Sect call God, Exorcist has plenty of accommodation. Thank you, fellow Daoists, for attending this Celestial Master promotion event. Please."
Phong Cat Hong quickly left first, heading straight to the foot of the mountain, where he waited. He greeted anyone who was leaving with extreme warmth. He had endless things to talk about with them, from the difficulties of cultivation and emotional issues to family matters and marriage. Several Celestial Masters were even gifted items by him, ranging from simple healing elixirs to cultivation techniques and magical artifacts. Almost everyone received at least one item from him.
As Celestial Master Zhang and White Tiger descended the mountain, they met him. He said, "I hear people say you have a good relationship with the Royal Court. This has its benefits, but the negatives outweigh them, my child. The Royal Court mostly speaks of benefit and rarely of righteousness. If someone brings them greater benefit, they will support that person instead. Be careful, my child." He spoke to Celestial Master Zhang like a close family member. The young master could only bow and reply, "Yes, sir."
Phong Cat Hong took out a painting depicting the Great General Ngoc Tran and the Black Protector God Dog King fighting each other. He gave it to Celestial Master Zhang and said, "This will help you pass Zhang Phong Ba's knowledge test. I wish you a safe journey."