Everyone present understood poetry and prose, and there were even quite a few big shots among them.
Sometimes, a couplet was not impressive just because it was long. Sometimes, a few simple characters could be utterly astonishing.
Take "Mist Locks Willow by the Pond," for example.
Even on Earth, this had been an exceptionally difficult puzzle. In ancient times, it had been an almost impossible first line.
Generation after generation had produced many matching second lines, but they always fell somewhat short and were never especially balanced.
Let alone producing a perfectly matched second line in such a short time here—it was extremely difficult.
When Mo Bai first saw this first line, he had thought it should be easy, since it was only five characters.
But...
After examining it carefully, he realized that this first line was far from simple!
The five radicals of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth were easy enough, but having all five radicals come together to form a sentence—a sentence depicting a scene, and one that had to be exceptionally beautiful...
Honestly, it was far too difficult.
At this moment, Master Wuxin, Huang Lian, and the others were also pondering it carefully.
That's right!
They no longer regarded this merely as a contest between the two of them. They themselves found it immensely challenging as well.
Mo Bai stood there in deep thought.
"The five radicals are easy enough, but if they must also come together into such a beautiful scene..."
Mo Bai then cupped his fist toward Ye Tianyi.
"The difficulty is immense! I fear This Venerable cannot provide Brother Ye with a matching second line in such a short time!"
Mo Bai had no way around it!
He truly had no solution at all.
He knew he could not give an answer anytime soon.