Chapter 8

"Fortune and opportunity?!" All the villagers were completely at a loss, unable to understand the meaning behind General Li's words. Fortune and opportunity? Could fortune and opportunity be used for an examination?

Fang Zhengzhi was also slightly stunned for a moment.

The legendary fortune and opportunity had appeared? Was it really that fast? I wasn’t even prepared! Most importantly, I’m only six years old, a minor!

"Open it!" General Li did not explain much but turned to the eight soldiers carrying the mysterious object and said.

"Yes!" The eight soldiers immediately responded.

Then, the eight soldiers walked to the side of the mysterious object, extended their hands simultaneously, grabbed the golden silk fabric covering it, and carefully lifted it up.

"What is this thing?"

"Could this be... the Map of All Things?! My goodness, the final test is actually the Map of All Things!"

When a huge jade stele made entirely of black jade was revealed, all the villagers were dumbfounded, staring at the stele as if they were facing a great enemy.

Especially the eight people who had passed the second round, their eyes were wide open like copper bells, afraid of missing even a moment.

On the black jade stele, a faint golden light faintly flowed, consisting of countless golden patterns, including text and images, intricately intertwined from the top of the jade to the bottom.

The further down, the more complex the text and images became, starting from simple text and basic geometric shapes, gradually turning into combinations of circles and squares, and finally, stars, the sun, the moon, and various other shapes and texts...

At the bottom was a vast map of mountains and rivers.

After seeing the villagers' expressions, General Li smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Yes, this is the Map of All Things! Although it is the lowest level of the Map of All Things, it is impossible to solve without a strong and profound foundation! The Map of All Things is both a fortune and a challenge!"

"To pass the final round of the Shenhou Mansion's examination, there are two paths: First, solve the Map of All Things! Second, achieve a top ranking in the 'Dao Canon Examination' in the capital city, which will also earn you our Shenhou Mansion's focused cultivation!"

As soon as General Li finished speaking, all the villagers began to discuss.

For them, both paths were extremely difficult. The first path was even more challenging. The Map of All Things, a legendary object that even those who have entered the Dao might not be able to solve, was impossible for them, who had barely glanced at the 'Dao Canon.'

The second path was also extremely difficult. Although it was just the capital city's Dao Canon Examination, it required a top ranking. In other words, even if they passed the examination, if they only achieved a second-tier ranking, it would be useless!

Either path was extremely difficult for the villagers who couldn't even recognize a single character.

However, this was the Shenhou Mansion.

Entering the Shenhou Mansion was like ascending to the heavens; how could it be easy? The villagers discussed but no one raised any objections.

"General has shown you the path; how you choose to walk it is up to you. Although both paths are currently very difficult for you, through the first two rounds of testing, General has seen the great potential of Nanshan Village. I will request from Shenhou to set up a 'Dao Hall' in Nanshan Village, allowing those who passed the first two rounds to gain the opportunity to study in the Dao Hall.

"I hope that one day, through the Dao Hall's education, you can achieve a top ranking in the capital city's Dao Canon Examination!"

General Li did not mention the path of solving the Map of All Things, as he himself felt it was too difficult. Not to mention Nanshan Village, even in the Shenhou Mansion, only the young lady, besides Shenhou and the 'guest scholars,' could solve this so-called 'lowest level Map of All Things.'

As for General Li, who had entered the Dao, he could only sigh at the sight of the map.

Thinking of this, General Li immediately thought of his young lady. At the age of five, she solved the Map of All Things, which even the current emperor was shocked to hear. He immediately issued an imperial edict, praising the Shenhou Mansion for producing an outstanding 'Heaven's Pride.'

Although it was just a simple praise, it was an imperial edict! According to legend, since the founding of the Daxia Dynasty, only thirty imperial edicts have been issued, the rest were just imperial decrees.

"Alright, let's put away the Map of All Things. Although solving the Map of All Things is a great fortune that can instantly solidify one's Dao heart, leading to a faster path to entering the Dao, not everyone can achieve it. Only those who have accumulated enough can... can..."

General Li could not continue speaking at this point.

Because, at this moment, the Map of All Things was shining with an incredibly brilliant light. The faint golden light that had been flowing faintly was now as hot as the sun.

The entire Map of All Things seemed to be completely ignited, with a brilliant golden glow!

Village Chief Meng Bai, who was standing on the high platform and listening respectfully, suddenly noticed that General Li had stopped speaking, feeling somewhat puzzled. He then looked up at General Li.

"General Li?" Village Chief Meng Bai reminded him softly.

When he saw the golden light shining from the Map of All Things, he almost cried.

"Is this... is this really...?" Village Chief Meng Bai was extremely excited, his eyes turning red. He pinched his thigh hard, confirming that he wasn't dreaming.

The golden light on the Map of All Things was still as obvious as ever.

All the villagers were also staring at the Map of All Things in a daze. They couldn't understand why it suddenly lit up and seemed to be getting brighter...

Many of the villagers were unaware, but General Li was very clear. Because of this clarity, his shock was impossible to hide.

Not just General Li, but all the soldiers on and off the platform were also looking at the glowing sacred stele in shock.

"How, how is this possible?!"

"The Map of All Things has been... solved by someone!"

"Who? In a place like Nanshan Village, someone can solve the Map of All Things?!"

"How long did it take? Less than a quarter of an hour..."

All the soldiers could not believe their eyes. Not to mention Nanshan Village, even in the Shenhou Mansion, very few people could solve the Map of All Things.

This was not to say that no one could solve the Map of All Things.

However, no one in Nanshan Village had entered the Dao! To solve the Map of All Things before entering the Dao was like a person who couldn't even walk competing in a race with a black wind leopard and winning!

It was unbelievable, even unimaginable.

Over the years, the Shenhou Mansion had sent a team every year to spread the Dao in various cities of the Northern Desert, carrying the Map of All Things. The real purpose was mainly to spread the Dao, set up Dao Halls, and give more people the opportunity to study the 'Dao Canon,' gradually leading them to the path of cultivation.

As for carrying the Map of All Things, it was just following the ancestral rules.

But now...

Just as General Li was preparing to go through the motions, showing the villagers the Map of All Things for a moment before putting it away, he discovered that someone had already solved it?!

How could he not be shocked? How could he not be terrified!

And most importantly, it took less than a quarter of an hour.

He remembered that the young lady took a whole week to solve the Map of All Things, and even so, her talent had amazed the entire Daxia Dynasty.

Who was it? Who solved it? Was it really that fast? Could it be any more exaggerated?

...

(Thank you: Chuiyan Yong Xiaohuo, Long Ao Qiantan, Tiancheng Guya [1888 donation], Jin Suo Xin Fei, Xue Xia Zhi Rui, Yongyuan de Huangdi, Nian Nian Tian Nian Na Pengyou, Piaomiao 10 Tuti, for your support and donations!)

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