An Unusual Encounter Aboard the Ship

The first painting unfurled to reveal a vast desert. Above it hung lonely smoke and a setting sun, desolate yet heroic. The painting's power instantly seemed to carry the entire ship into that bleak, boundless world.

Lei Ruoxian gently stroked the painting before him. "This painting was made east of the Crimson Kingdom. When I arrived, dark clouds covered the sky. To see the legendary desert sunset with my own eyes, I stayed in that desert for a full half month."

"Heroic and open-hearted! Brother Lei, those half a month of waiting were well worth it!" Lin Su praised.

"There is still blank space above this painting. If I asked Brother Lin to inscribe two lines of poetry upon it, what would you write?"

The moment those words fell, Zhou Mei's heart stirred...

Ask him to compose poetry?

Would he write something that shook the world?

Without even thinking, Lin Su directly recited two lines. "The lone smoke in the vast desert rose straight; the setting sun over the long river hung round!"

Zhou Mei savored those two lines, her eyes shining like stars.

What fine poetry! Exquisite! If the painting rated an eight, these verses were at least a nine. Combined, the painting had come alive...

The meeting of two Literary Way Geniuses had begun with sparks flying—no, with starlight blazing...

Lei Ruoxian struck his palm in admiration. "Brother Lin, just two lines from your lips have exhausted the limits of imagination. Admirable, admirable! For this painting of mine to receive Brother Lin's poetry, it is a blessing earned over three lifetimes, a blessing earned over three lifetimes!... What about this one?"

He extended his hand, and another painting appeared before Lin Su...

An iron-blooded, majestic pass stood beneath the same desolate, blood-red remnant of a setting sun. A