Scholars of Today Split into Three Paths

"Is this Qiu Yan?"

Welcome Inn is renowned Yuan Ning.

The building has three floors: a lobby on the first floor, private rooms on the second floor, and guest rooms on the third floor.

At that moment, three people were sitting by the window on the second floor. One of them was looking out the window and whispering to himself.

The man was dressed in Confucian robes, with his hair wrapped in a turban. He sat upright in a chair, his head turned to look out the window, but his feet were steady, his shoulders level, his hands on the table, and his back straight.

Sit upright like a bell!

It gives people an impression of being meticulous to the point of being harsh.

Opposite this man sat two other men, also dressed as scholars, but lacking the refined air of the other, with ingratiating smiles on their faces.

One of Human Path, "Young Master Zhen, we are quite familiar with Qiu Yan. He was originally just a bookworm with little ability, but after the war in the Southern Border, he suddenly became enlightened and his calligraphy and scholarship have greatly improved."

Young Master Zhen glanced at the two of them and said calmly, "Everything has a cause. Qiu Yan didn't suddenly become Aperture Opening; there must be a reason behind it. However, some principles in this world are concrete and can be seen by everyone, while others are abstract and cannot be known without investigating things. It's normal for you to only have a superficial understanding."

Upon hearing this, the two men opposite nodded repeatedly and hurriedly said, "Yes! We understand."

Seeing this, Young Master Zhen smiled, took out a few coins from his pocket, placed them on the table, and then got up and left the table.

"Young Master Zhen, what's wrong...?"

The other two were startled, their faces turning pale. They thought they had neglected the other person and quickly stood up to try and persuade them to stay.

"Don't misunderstand, Qiu Yan already knows I'm looking at him, so he wants to go and pay his respects. I came here to learn about his life and studies. Rather than listening to your words, I'd rather meet him in person."

After saying that, he walked to the top of the stairs and turned to go down.

The remaining two exchanged glances, then subconsciously looked out the window. They saw Qiu Yan looking in their direction from a distance.

"He actually found it! How did he find it from such a distance?"

"Zhang Yu and Liu Kuang? Who is the person with them? His Literary Thought is so insightful, even from this distance, I can clearly sense it! How did Zhang Yu and Liu Kuang get in touch with such a person?"

After gazing into the distance, Qiu Yan turned and headed towards Welcome Inn.

After his scholar clone left the Zhang Residence, he was filled with the feeling of being probed. He then spread his consciousness throughout his body, his energy reaching his flesh and blood. His skin sensitivity suddenly increased, and he could react to being stared at from afar, even if his gaze was directed at him. He then discovered the source of the problem.

Zhang Yu and Liu Kuang, like Qiu Yan, were from Qingchang and were also Xiucai. They were once prominent figures in the county school and often mocked Qiu Yan and Zheng Zhongsen. Later, when Ma Yang temporarily stayed in Qingchang and valued Qiu Yan, the others were resentful and wanted to use their Imperial Examinations achievements to suppress Qiu Yan. Unexpectedly, Qiu Yan directly took first place in the examination.

Zhang Yu and Liu Kuang did not participate in this Provincial Examination, presumably because they lacked confidence in their own knowledge. Qiu Yan naturally wouldn't take such people seriously, but unexpectedly, he encountered them here. Moreover, the scholar with them exuded Literary Thought Aura. Although ordinary people could not sense it, Qiu Yan's Living Soul had already Half-Step Fusion, so he could clearly sense it.

After walking a few steps, before even reaching Yue Ran Ju, Qiu Yan encountered the scholar along the way.

This person had a well-proportioned figure, and his gait contained a certain rhythm. With each step, the distance between his feet was neither too much nor too little, and he walked straight toward Qiu Yan.

His arrival seemed to make the somewhat noisy street fade into the distance, as if he possessed an aura that isolated the surrounding area.

When the man reached Qiu Yan, he bowed and said, "I am Zhen Zhizuo, a disciple of Junior Chen of the Principle Sect. I greet you, Brother Qiu."

"Principle Sect? Junior Chen?"

From the moment Qiu Yan saw this person, he recognized him as the one who had been observing him earlier. However, he did not expect the other party to get straight to the point and introduce himself directly.

The two living Sages of the Eastern Capital Principle Sect were surnamed Chen, and there was a distinction between the Great Chen Junior Chen.

Qiu Yan immediately thought of the governor's letter of recommendation and the apprenticeship invitation he had received. He wasn't surprised that the other party recognized him, and simply returned the greeting with clasped hands. "I am Qiu Yan, greetings to Brother Zhen."

After speaking, he looked up and, sensing the other man's profound Literary Thought Aura, couldn't help but ask, "Brother Zhen, what brings you here?"

Zhen Zhizuo didn't mince words and went straight to the point. "Everyone who wants to join the Entering Principle sect has their life and learning examined. This time, Liu Jing recommended two people, one of whom is located in Shu Region. I happened to be visiting my family here, so I asked for this job."

Qiu Yan had already roughly guessed the other party's purpose, and upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "Oh? So, Brother Zhen has come to assess me. I wonder what he found?"

Zhen Zhizuo was equally blunt. "The top scholar from Jiannan is superior to others. I have read your essay. While it lacks literary flair, it is well-organized. Although it lacks Literary Heart, it is still a rough gem. Once you enter my Principle Sect Academy, you will surely shine."

While this person acknowledged Qiu Yan's talent, there was also a hint of condescending scrutiny in their words.

Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, met the other person's gaze for a few moments, and suddenly asked, "What is Literary Heart?"

Zhen Zhizuo seemed to have anticipated Qiu Yan's question, and said with a faint smile, "My teacher once said: 'Scholars today are divided into three categories. Those who are good at writing are called scholars, those who discuss the classics are called lecturers, and only those who understand the Way are called Confucian scholars.'"

As he spoke, his Literary Thought Aura flowed endlessly, subtly evolving the principles of Yin-Yang, as if he were expounding the ultimate truths of the universe!

"Oh? One who knows the 'Dao'? It seems this 'Dao' is the Literary Heart ..." Qiu Yan the word, suddenly recalling the Dao Heart and Fist Intent mentioned in the Ancient Seal Script and longsword, "So that's how it is..."

As he pondered, his senses enveloped the other person, and then he was secretly alarmed—

"As Zhen Zhizuo spoke, there was a flow of Yin-Yang, but no trace of his Living Soul Spirit Projection, clearly indicating that he had not cultivated Dao Arts..."

Just as Qiu Yan was wondering what was going on, a voice suddenly called his name from behind.

"Hmm?" He turned his head to look behind him, and what he saw was the young calligrapher Qi Jiulian.

Compared to a little over a month ago, Qi Jiulian's demeanor had changed slightly; the arrogance on his face had lessened somewhat. He carried a scroll and walked slowly, unhurriedly, with a servant following behind him.

Zhen Zhizuo also noticed him and showed a hint of surprise. "Oh? Brother Qi, I didn't expect to run into you here."

Judging from these words, Zhen Zhizuo was actually acquainted with Qi Jiulian.

"Brother Zhen," Qi Jiulian with surprise upon seeing Zhen Zhizuo, glancing at Qiu Yan before appearing thoughtful. "Could it be that you intend to bring Qiu Yan into the Entering Principle?"

Zhen Zhizuo smiled faintly and said, "That's right. Brother Qiu's words and writings have already begun to show promise, but they need guidance from a renowned teacher so that they don't become a hidden gem."

"What a coincidence." Qi Jiulian sneered. "I wrote to my ancestor before and mentioned Qiu Yan. He was very interested in the idea that calligraphy is like bone and words are like blood, and that the brush tip is full of Qi and Blood. He said it aligns with the Way of the Void and he wants to find an opportunity to meet Qiu Yan."

"Hmm? Void Master also knows about Qiu Yan?" Zhen Zhizuo's smile faded, and his expression changed slightly. "Could it be that he wants to recruit Qiu Yan into the Void Academy?"

"I'm not aware of this matter, nor do I have any interest in getting involved," Qi Jiulian said, looking at Qiu Yan and handing over the scroll in his hand. "I've come here to seek your guidance."

Qiu Yan took the scroll, unrolled it, and saw that it contained several characters, each one full and robust, as if it had flesh and blood.

Qi Jiulian, standing to the side, said, "Take a look at my words. How do they compare to yours?"

He was still young at heart. After being impressed by Qiu Yan, he refused to admit defeat and wanted to go even further. So, for more than a month, he stayed at home, practicing calligraphy in seclusion, hoping to emulate King Zhuang and make a name for himself.

"These words..." Looking at the words on the scroll, Qiu Yan frowned slightly and shook his head.

"What?" Qi Jiulian's expression changed immediately.

Zhen Zhizuo also glanced at the words, shook his head, and said, "Brother Qi, it's been a while since we last met. Your calligraphy skills have regressed rather than improved. Although my calligraphy is not as good as yours, I can still see that the artistic conception of expressing mountains and rivers in these words has been greatly reduced, and there is more of a craftsman's touch, and the script is bloated."

Qi Jiulian was not surprised to hear this, and simply said, "There is always a process to breaking down and then building up. I came here today just to let Qiu Yan see that my calligraphy can be improved to a higher level!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan shook his head slightly and said, "You're being a bit presumptuous to try to imitate the style Qi and Blood of my calligraphy. Our experiences State of Mind are different, so naturally our writing will be different. Forcing an imitation is not about learning from each other's strengths, but rather a poor imitation."

These words were anything but polite, Qi Jiulian's expression changed abruptly, his face instantly turning bright red.

But then Qiu Yan changed the subject. "Your calligraphy, which expresses the beauty of mountains and rivers, pursues Transcendence and naturalness. It has its own merits compared to my calligraphy. If it continues to develop, it can even interpret all things. After I saw it last time, I was greatly inspired and gained some insights. I was just about to ask you for your guidance."

Qiu Yan had previously said that Qi Jiulian was imitating Xi Shi poorly, and then said that he wanted to ask for advice. The back and forth seemed sarcastic, but the words were sincere, which dispelled the resentment in Qi Jiulian's heart.

As they were talking, a sudden Spiritual Light flashed through Qiu Yan's mind. She glanced at Zhen Zhizuo, then looked around, picked up a twig, walked to the muddy ground by the roadside, and closed her eyes.

In his mind, Divine Sense stirred, and the Divine Office fluctuations of Nine Spirits Mountain and Great Snow River rippled through him, revealing a trace of the aura of mountains and rivers, which nurtured his intent. Then, memories flowed, and the mountain forests and tribes of the Remnant Shedding Grounds passed through his mind, finally transforming into a wisp of Heart Demon smoke, like a dream...

Gradually, a strange aura rose from Qiu Yan's body, its reality and illusion uncertain.

Upon seeing this scene, both Qi Jiulian and Zhen Zhizuo were moved and walked over.

Just then, the branch in Qiu Yan's hand fell to the ground, as if transforming into a pen, its strokes flowing like dragons and snakes. The street was paved with stone slabs, but the sides were still dirt. With the strokes of the branch, it looked as if words were being written on paper.

In the blink of an eye, the two characters "mountains and rivers" were formed.

Suddenly, from deep within the soil, the feeling of thick earth surged forth, accompanied by the faint sound of flowing water.

The character for "mountain" is heavy, as if it is covered with clouds, while the character for "river" is light and graceful, like a continuous stream of water. When the two characters are placed side by side, they evoke a feeling of traversing mountains and rivers in the eyes of Qi Jiulian and Zhen Zhizuo.

Then Qiu Yan's hands moved without stopping, forming three characters at a time, then five characters in a row, creating a short sentence.

Mountains and rivers frequently appear in my dreams.

The last word "dream" is ethereal and uncertain, making one wonder if they are in a dream.

Upon seeing this word, Zhen Zhizuo's expression changed drastically.

"This character, though in its rudimentary form, already possesses the essence of Literary Heart!"

ps:

Thanks to "taishang0" and "I am a fish in the water" for the tips!

Thank you "Wingwind Sword Dance" for the monthly vote!