Starting with a Family System to Become an Immortal Official Chapter 90

On the central observation dais.

The floating mirrors shimmered with scenes from the vast examination grounds.

Gu Bingyue lifted her delicate teacup, brought it gracefully to her lips, and took a slow, savoring sip. The faint fragrance of the orchid tea curled into the air as she set the cup back down with perfect poise.

"Fellow Daoist Song Yan."

Her voice is soft but full of authority.

This is the same gentle tone she used to train men into being her submissive staff.

Gu Bingyue is a lady that loves to humble men.

A cruel woman beyond that fluffy facade.

"Perhaps you have forgotten how the immortal official exams are structured. There are three phases in total. The first two phases... surviving the wilderness and gathering spirit resources trial that each award twenty-five marks. Only the third phase, the provincial management, carries the full weight of fifty marks."

She raised one slender finger.

"I, Gu Bingyue, am willing to make a small wager with you today. Every single member of my Gu family will place within the top hundred rankings. As for your... Li Qingmu?"

Her lips curved into the faintest mocking smile.

"He will not even touch the top one thousand."

Song Yan’s blood instantly felt like molten lava surging through her veins.

Just hearing that woman speak made her want to shatter the entire dais with one palm.

The only thing stopping her from slapping that smug face was the terrifying gap in their cultivation plus the authority the Gu clan held in the Central World State.

The Song family was still rising.

They could not yet afford open enmity.

『The only reason a heaven-defying talent like Qingmu might fail this cycle... is because these vipers keep twisting the rules against him!』

Song Yan thought bitterly.

『I begged for him not to be given a spot until the next exam period. By then his cultivation would have reached a monstrous level no one could suppress. But the Gu clan forced our hand. They know. They all know.』

Her delicate fists clenched until vibrated with fear.

Gu Bingyue tilted her head, watching Song Yan’s barely restrained fury with amusement.

Song Yan inhaled and forced her voice steady.

"The exam has only just begun. No one can predict the final outcome with certainty. Isn’t making such a bet now a little too overconfident, Lady Gu?"

Gu Bingyue gave her a slow, sideways glance.

"So you’re still refusing?"

She stared at the teacup in her gentle grasp.

If she wanted, she could turn the tea into a whole ocean and drown Song Yan in it.

There are many ways to punish this lady.

But she chose to suppress her annoyance.

"Well... that makes perfect sense. More than eight hours have already passed, and your precious Li Qingmu hasn’t collected even one spirit pill bottle. At this rate, failing like a nobody is practically guaranteed."

Song Yan’s fingers dug into the armrest so hard that faint cracking sounds echoed from it.

She loathed anyone speaking ill of Qingmu.

He was a man dearest to her heart.

More precious than any treasure or title.

Before she could retort, Ye Zirou let out a cold scoff.

"If it were up to me, garbage like Li Qingmu would be banished back to whatever backwater realm he crawled out of so he never tarnishes my clan’s reputation again."

She shrugged with a small smile.

"Alas..."

It was the first time Song Yan had seen Ye Zirou smile since their forced interactions began.

And of course, that smile was nothing but malice.

Song Yan opened her mouth.

"Quiet."

Ye Zirou cut her off smoothly.

"It’s unwise to be so impatient, Daoist Song. Let us at least discuss the stakes properly. I’ll make sure they’re worth your time."

Gu Bingyue giggled softly behind her sleeve.

"Indeed."

Song Yan stood rigid as deep anger churned in her rising robust chest.

But she couldn’t speak her mind.

Gu Linyuan stood behind her.

He could snap her neck in seconds.

The beautiful Ye Zirou crossed her long, elegant legs and spoke languidly.

"If the Gu family loses this bet, I will personally request that Li Qingmu be granted an official position in the Lower Heaven Realm. In addition... the Song family will receive the True Thunder Halberd."

Gu Linyuan’s brows rose slightly. He smiled at Ye Zirou.

"The True Thunder Halberd? Your clan’s renowned spiritual treasure? Its cutting power rivals a full-powered strike from an Ancestor realm expert."

Ye Zirou gave a soft hmph.

"But if I win..."

She batted her gorgeous lashes.

"The entire Golden Sun Pavilion will become a subsidiary sect under the Ye family. And Li Qingmu... will become a servant to both myself and Brother Linyuan."

Song Yan’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

『I see exactly what this vicious woman is plotting. If I accept and lose, Golden Sun Pavilion and Heavenly Sun City fall into Ye hands. During the upcoming resource battle, no one will be left to challenge them.』

She took another steadying breath.

"You’re quite decisive, Daoist Ye. Almost as if you planned these stakes long before today."

Ye Zirou yawned delicately behind her fan.

"I have no idea what you mean."

Gu Linyuan chuckled mildly.

But it felt dangerous.

"So, what do you think, Sister Song? There’s no reason to hesitate... unless you’ve suddenly lost confidence in this Li Qingmu of yours, hm?"

Gu Bingyue lifted her teacup again and took another leisurely sip.

"It’s not an option, dear sister."

Song Yan’s body trembled with fury but she forced herself to still.

"Fine. I accept the bet."

Ye Zirou nodded once.

"Good. A smart choice."

Song Yan closed her eyes.

『I can only pray for a miracle now... there must still be enough spirit pill bottles left for Qingmu to secure at least the first twenty-five marks...』

That was when Gu Linyuan casually stepped in front of the three women.

"Oh, there’s something you should know."

With a flick of his sleeve, he opened his spatial ring.

A massive heap of glowing pill bottles poured out.

Hundreds, then thousands...

They piled into a small mountain that shimmered with spiritual light.

Song Yan’s eyes widened in shock.

Gu Linyuan loved that look on her face.

"I’m not in the examination grounds right now because I’ve already passed the first phase by collecting over fifty thousand pill bottles."

Song Yan slammed her fist against the armrest.

"You only need one to pass!!"

The young master shook his head, smiling innocently.

"That’s not all I did..."

Song Yan gnashed her teeth so hard they screeched.

"Elaborate."

Gu Linyuan giggled in a chillingly pure manner.

"You’re so worried that Li Qingmu won’t get even one pill bottle... when really, you should be far more concerned about whether he’ll leave the desert alive at all."

Song Yan froze as her heart lurched.

══════

Meanwhile, in the scorching southwest quadrant.

Song Ruyi trudged forward.

Each step was heavier than the last.

No elegance in them like there usually would.

The sun burned mercilessly overhead.

For the first time in her life she could see beads of sweat rolling down her own flawless skin.

She was a pampered holy daughter... raised with the finest spirit elixirs, the gentlest cultivation methods, never once forced to do manual labor. That was precisely why her skin remained like polished white jade, unblemished even at eighteen. In just a few more years she would blossom into a devastating beauty capable of toppling kingdoms with a single glance.

She wiped sweat from her brow and gritted her teeth.

『Father warned me... he told me not to enter the exams until I was truly ready. Now I understand why. This place is brutal, cruel, unforgiving...』

But she had come anyway.

Because of him.

That crude, insolent Li Qingmu.

The man Auntie Yan’er kept writing about in her private diary with such tenderness. Auntie Yan’er was strict and cold to everyone... except her precious little Ruyi. So when did she start liking a man? When did she start fearing someone might steal her away?

『I won’t let him! I absolutely won’t let that Li Qingmu take Auntie away from me!』

She mustered what little strength remained and forced her legs onward through the dragging sand.

Behind her walked Su Liyue and Li Qingmu.

They were three meters away from her.

They maintained the distance because earlier Song Ruyi had shrieked at them, calling them "filthy pests" and ordering them to stay away.

Yet all three were heading the same direction.

Li Qingmu finally called out.

"Song Ruyi—"

"Shut up!"

She snapped without turning.

He sighed dramatically.

"A noble miss like yourself really shouldn’t go around calling people perverts. Why don’t we walk together properly? We could get to know each other."

"NO!"

Song Ruyi stomped her small foot.

That sent up a cloud of sand that made her sneeze.

"Chuuu ♥️"

Even her sneezes were beautiful.

Su Liyue spoke next.

"You don’t even know our names. How can you judge what kind of people we are? The wilderness is full of fiend beasts. It’s safer if we travel as a group. Can’t we simply team up for a bit?"

Song Ruyi finally stopped walking.

Her small face still had a mean, adorable pout.

"Fine."

She huffed like a spoiled child.

"But don’t touch me or talk to me!"

Li Qingmu shrugged, completely unbothered.

"That’s fine by me."

And so the strange trio began walking together.