Zhu Wuyuan stared at Zhang Yu, slowly shook his head, and said with a hint of feigned pity, "I won't make things too difficult for you. As long as you meet the standards for an ordinary student of the Imperial Academy, I'll consider you to have passed the first test."
"You call this difficult?"
Murong Bai exploded on the spot, shouting:
"The students of the Imperial Academy are all exceptional talents, selected from among thousands."
The first criterion for admission is that one has achieved Literary Dao success, producing magnificent articles that resonate with heaven and earth.
"You know perfectly well that His Your Highness has been living in exile and has never cultivated Literary Dao, so how could he possibly write such a thing?"
The old man of the Wang Family was so angry that his beard stood on end. "That's right, this is blatant harassment."
Zhu Wuyuan sneered, feigning indifference. "Sheng Yu made the bet himself. If he goes back on his word, then disregard what I said."
He had his own plans in mind.
If Zhang Yu goes back on his word, the Sheng Family will lose all face and will have no chance of becoming emperor again.
Zhang Lingyun muttered to herself, "I don't understand literature either, good luck to you."
Zhang Yu, however, didn't care at all.
He's just a time traveler from Earth, what does he know about Literary Dao?
But he knows how to copy!
Isn't it just beautiful writing?
Isn't Li Bai's "Bring in the Wine" wild and elegant enough?
He cleared his throat and said loudly:
"Isn't it just beautiful writing?"
I won't use paper and pen; I'll just recite it for you right here.
As soon as he opened his mouth, a burst of laughter erupted from all around.
"This wild boy from the backwaters really thinks he's some kind of Star of Literary Brilliance?"
"Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror!"
"Few members of the Sheng Family can rival Literary Dao, yet he dares to show off his limited skills before an expert."
Sima Sheng was so anxious he kept wringing his hands, wondering where this kid got the courage from.
Zhu Wuyuan shook his head inwardly, convinced that he had brought this humiliation upon himself.
However--
"Have you not seen the Yellow River's waters come from the sky—flowing to the sea never to return!"
Upon hearing the first sentence, Zhu Wuyuan's brow twitched violently.
What unrestrained verses!
Sima Sheng's eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed.
There's hope!
Could it be that Zhang Yu is truly a Literary Dao genius who is hiding his true abilities?
As for Murong Bai and the others, they listened in vain, unable to discern whether it was good or bad.
Zhang Yu was completely unaware, immersed in his own recitation:
"Have you not seen the bright mirror in the high hall reflecting the sorrow of white hair, like black silk in the morning turning to snow by evening...? Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful, don't let the golden goblet stand empty before the moon... Heaven has endowed me with talents, which will surely be put to use; though a thousand pieces of gold are spent, they will return..."
Each famous line from the ages flows like a mighty river, full of grandeur.
The clamor in the square gradually subsided, and everyone was stunned by the sudden poem.
Murong Qiushui couldn't help but glance at her, her eyes filled with amazement.
Murong Bai and Old Master Wang, who were unfamiliar with the subject, looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they did not understand the mystery, they were also infected by the momentum of the article and their hearts were secretly moved.
When Zhang Yu read the last sentence--
"A dappled horse, a thousand pieces of gold—call the boy to exchange them for fine wine, to dispel with you our age-old sorrows!"
In an instant, Rosy Clouds glow descended from the sky, enveloping the entire square.
A gentle breeze stirred, ruffling Zhang Yu's robes, as if an unseen resonant force was vibrating in the air!
Resonance between Heaven and Earth?
It really is a resonance between heaven and earth!
Zhu Wuyuan was completely dumbfounded.
He was just making things difficult for Zhang Yu at will, but he never expected that Zhang Yu could actually draw upon the power of heaven and earth.
This is no longer the level of an ordinary student, but the talent of Literary Dao Grandmaster who can shake the court and the public.
Sima Sheng was so excited that he trembled all over, while Murong Bai and Old Master Wang were dumbfounded.
The crowd in the square was completely silent, but everyone's gaze towards Zhang Yu had changed, now filled with a hint of curiosity and admiration.
After all, those who can write articles that resonate with heaven and earth are extremely rare even in the Eastern Sheng Kingdom.
Everyone secretly thought to themselves, "It seems that Sheng Yu isn't so bad after all."
Zhu Wuyuan's face turned ashen, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms.
His meticulously designed challenges unexpectedly became the stage for Zhang Yu to make a name for himself!
He never expected that Zhang Yu's article would actually resonate with heaven and earth; this was far beyond his expectations.
Zhang Yu simply smiled slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire room, as if he had expected all of this.
"Your Prime Minister, I wonder if my essay is suitable for admission to the Imperial Academy?"
A faint smile played on Zhang Yu's lips, his eyes filled with a hint of provocation as he stared directly at Zhu Wuyuan.
Zhu Wuyuan's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "You've passed this test."
His tone suddenly turned sharp, abruptly changing the subject:
However, as Emperor, one must be proficient in both civil and military affairs.
Wenxiu, you have already reached the level of the Imperial Academy. In Martial Dao, you must at least reach the level of Martial Scholar to be considered qualified to be Emperor!
The moment the words "Martial Scholar" were uttered, the atmosphere in the square suddenly turned somber.
Murong Bai's face flushed red instantly, and he took a step forward, angrily shouting:
"Zhu Wuyuan, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"
You know perfectly well that the Sheng Family exhausted their Fortune by guarding the Demon Grotto, and that the aptitude of their members for cultivation is declining with each generation. How do you expect him to reach the level of Martial Scholar?
Old Master Wang was so angry that his beard trembled. He retorted, "The minimum requirement for a martial arts examination in Dongsheng Kingdom is a Grandmaster. This isn't just making things difficult; it's a blatant insult!"
"Your Highness, let's go, don't get entangled with this bastard!"
Old Master Wang immediately summoned the elders of the Four Great Families, signaling them to pack up and prepare to leave.
For them, Zhu Wuyuan's challenge was clearly intended to push Zhang Yu into a corner, and continuing the stalemate would only cause the Sheng Family to lose face completely.
Sima Sheng was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He quietly approached Zhang Yu and whispered:
"Your Highness, the Martial Scholar has indeed gone too far."
While the Great Grandmaster realm isn't considered outstanding in the Eastern Sheng Kingdom, you...
He looked at Zhang Yu, who only Cultivation First-Rank Martial Artist, and left unsaid, but his meaning was already very clear.
Zhu Wuyuan smiled without saying a word, staring intently at Zhang Yu, waiting for him to change his mind.
The public also joined in the commotion:
"If you can't afford to gamble, just back out. The idiots in the Sheng Family don't care about their reputation anyway!"
"Exactly, if you can't handle the game, don't play!"
But the next moment, their laughter stopped abruptly.
Zhang Yu slowly raised his hands, and his inner energy suddenly surged forth—
A powerful and profound Martial Dao aura swept across the entire plaza like a tidal wave!
The True Qi surged, the air seemed to be torn apart, and the tiny pebbles on the ground vibrated slightly.
Great Grandmaster?!
He's actually Great Grandmaster?!
How is that possible?!
Everyone was stunned.
It should be noted that for thousands of years, the Sheng Family has been shrouded in the curse of "low aptitude," with no one ever breaking through to the Xiantian, let alone reaching the Grandmaster Realm.
While Great Grandmaster aren't uncommon in the Eastern Sheng Kingdom, for one to appear in the Sheng Family is simply a fantasy!
"Zhang Yu... seems to be only in his early twenties?"
This talent would make him a top genius even in the Eastern Sheng Kingdom!
"Could it be... that the Curse of the Sheng Family has truly been broken through him?"
Whispers spread through the crowd.
The leaders of the Four Great Families, including Murong Bai and Old Master Wang, were all dumbfounded.
For the first time in many years, they witnessed a member of the Sheng Family reach the Grandmaster Realm!
"Old man Murong, are you sure he's of the Sheng Family bloodline?" Old Master Wang asked subconsciously.
Zhu Wuyuan frowned, wondering to himself: Could it be that Murong Bai has chosen the wrong person?
"It's fake, absolutely fake! This person is definitely an imposter!" someone shouted.
Murong Bai took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "We have already conducted bloodline testing, and Your Highness's identity is absolutely genuine!"
To dispel everyone's doubts, he actually activated the Testing Array again in front of everyone.
In a flash of inspiration, the bloodline chart clearly emerged—the insignia of the Sheng family's royal lineage was clearly visible.
Seeing this, everyone had no choice but to believe it.
Zhu Wuyuan gritted his teeth and forced a cold laugh, "Great Grandmaster is just the threshold for becoming a Martial Scholar, not the real qualification."
Lingyue, why don't you try your hand and see if this Your Highness has the ability to become Martial Scholar!
Before he could finish speaking, the Female General protecting him spurred her horse forward, her long spear gleaming coldly, pointing directly at Zhang Yu:
"This humble general Wu Lingyue, humbly requests Your Highness's guidance!"
Her aura had reached the Feathered Realm; the air seemed to freeze wherever the tip of her spear pointed.