This body read the classics and historical records; both parents had passed away, and he had often been bullied by his clan brothers. The maid who followed him did her utmost to protect him, and he saw it all.

Chapter 0004 Samuel Grant

　　The morning sunlight shone beneath the eaves, carrying the chill of late autumn. The scent of cooking smoke drifted in from outside the courtyard, mingling with faint human voices.

　　Fragments of memory surged and flowed within his sea of consciousness—some from the future, some from his own Earth.

　　In this world, at fifteen, he narrowly missed passing the child scholar exam; he failed the second time, and only on the third attempt did he become a tongsheng. Though he later advanced rapidly, winning the titles of xiucai and juren in succession, by then, a great catastrophe had already descended upon this world, bringing devastation to all living things.

　　During this calamity, heroes rose in great numbers, and the winds of change swept the land. Yet, having missed his time, he was powerless to meet the tide of the era, and perished at thirty at Cangye Manor.

　　The entire The Clark Family clan—seven hundred ninety-one people—none survived.

　　Thinking of this, Edward Clark withdrew his gaze, no longer watching the departing figure of his uncle.

　　Becoming a tongsheng was a prerequisite for earning the xiucai title; without the tongsheng rank, the path to the immortal way was cut off, for the immortal sects only recruited disciples with at least the tongsheng status.

　　This time, there was absolutely no reason to yield in the child scholar exam, even if it meant blood would be spilled among kin.

　　"Young master, please eat!"

　　Having composed herself, Grace remembered her duty and soon brought over a plate of pickled vegetables and two bowls of meat porridge, the aroma filling the air.

　　This was according to Edward Clark's instructions over the past two days. His body was too weak now and needed nourishment; otherwise, even if he practiced the highest-grade foundation-building techniques, the results would be greatly diminished.

　　Edward Clark took the chopsticks, brushed off the wooden stool with a casual sweep, and gestured for her to join him.

　　Grace sat down quietly to eat with him. She noticed that although Edward Clark was eating, his expression was somber, sometimes seeming happy, sometimes sad, clearly deep in thought. She wanted to ask, but swallowed her words.

　　These past few days, she had keenly sensed that the young master had become much more thoughtful, and at times, he unconsciously exuded a terrifying aura of killing intent and authority.

　　Such a calm yet indifferent authority—she had only ever seen it before in the criminal magistrate.

　　In great clans, there was a rule of not speaking during meals, so the two exchanged few words. After eating, it was naturally Grace who cleared the dishes.

　　"I'm going out for a bit!"

　　"Alright!" Grace replied, watching him leave. The sunlight shone on her jet-black eyes, making her expression a little dazed.

　　Leaving the house, Edward Clark headed straight for the back garden.

　　The The Clark Clan was considered a prominent family in Pingshou County; the The Clark Estate covered a vast area, and the back garden's paths wound and twisted, paved with bluestone, with ornamental green bamboo standing tall on both sides.

　　It was late autumn now, the sky clear and crisp, bamboo leaves withered and fallen, forming a thick layer on the paths that crunched underfoot. There was also a man-made hill, thirty meters high, reaching to the summit, where the cool breeze blew—quite pleasant.

　　Beyond this little hill was a stream that had been dammed into a lake. On the shore stood large, branching trees, which in summer would form a canopy for shade—a perfect place to cool off. But now, in autumn, the lakeside felt especially cold and desolate.

　　Seeing this place, Edward Clark couldn't help but nod inwardly. With his current knowledge, he could naturally see the profound mystery in this layout—it was a feng shui formation called "Small Ridge Encircling the Belt." While it wouldn't bring great wealth or nobility, it could benefit the clan's fortune and ensure the flourishing of descendants. Unfortunately, without a scholarly title now, he couldn't use Daoist arts or perceive the signs of fortune.

　　Standing and admiring the scenery, he felt his mind open and his spirit refreshed. After a long while, he sat down in the pavilion. With no one around, he moved his hand, and a scroll appeared out of thin air.

　　Under the shade of green bamboo, sunlight dappled the ground, illuminating the ancient script on the scroll's cover: "Chuanlin Notes!"

　　Edward Clark focused his mind and read quietly. Though he couldn't use Daoist arts, just holding it made him feel a surge of pure energy, his mind instantly clear, his spirit bright, his whole body comfortable. Looking closer, he noticed a faint layer of auspicious light around himself—barely perceptible—the limit of what a mortal could achieve.

　　Opening the scroll, only the first page was visible, bearing just sixteen characters: "When fortune reaches its ultimate, heaven collapses and earth crumbles; the four seas merge in darkness, and the universe is destroyed!"

　　Before the great catastrophe, someone had foreseen this, but at the time, no one paid attention. Only a lone Daoist wandered the world, recording major events of heaven and earth, trying to find the essence behind the upheaval...

　　But this well-intentioned Daoist died soon after. The Daoist sects said he tried to defy heaven and was punished. Whoever recovered the notes and handed them over to the sect would be greatly rewarded...

　　Though the reward wasn't that great, for many struggling Daoists, it was still a huge resource. In his previous life, during the last few years, many died fighting for this item, and in the end, it fell into his hands!

　　His previous life's death wasn't for this, but what was strange was that after dying and being reborn, all other treasures were lost, most Daoist scriptures erased from memory, yet this one remained with him.

　　He opened the notes and stared at the second page, which bore only four characters: "Six Yang Diagram Explanation," with the rest of the page blank.

　　Edward Clark was not disappointed. He closed the scroll, waved his hand, and the notes vanished, sinking into his sea of consciousness. At this moment, his heart trembled, and he gained some insight.

　　The Dao Lords had ruled heaven and earth for millions of years, order deeply embedded in the Dao. Everything had its laws. Edward Clark had a premonition—so long as he obtained the tongsheng qualification, a surprise awaited him.

　　"The Daoist imperial examination, publicly announced to the world, focuses on the study of Daoist theory. It is merely a means to select the wise and a raft for cultivating the Dao, not a literary examination for scholars."