Fang Yun smoothly passed through the Second Pavilion of the Third Mountain. Upon reaching the Third Pavilion, he found the plaque inscribed with the words "Poetry and Painting."
The question for the Third Mountain appeared before Fang Yun. It actually required him to use the Second Realm of Calligraphy, Blossoming Brush, and the Second Danqing Realm, Vivid as Life, to create a poem and painting of birdsong deep in the mountains.
Fang Yun stared blankly at the question.
"Impossible! If the Third Pavilion of the Third Mountain tested such a question, then forget Academy Students and Provincial Graduates—even Metropolitan Graduates would have no chance of passing. Specializing in poetry and prose while possessing a broad grasp of the hundred arts is the highest pursuit. Only those unable to specialize in poetry and prose would settle for the next best thing and devote themselves to one or several of the hundred arts. The first two mountains were difficult, but as long as one had sufficient inspiration, one could pass them. Even without understanding, one could slowly deduce the answer after finding the method. But Second Realm poetry and painting have drawn a line that no Academy Student or Provincial Graduate could possibly cross."
"Something is wrong. Very wrong!"
Fang Yun turned the matter over and over in his mind, but could never grasp the thread. He felt uneasy, yet faintly sensed there might be another mystery behind it all. After all, Book Mountain had been created by Sage Kong; it could not have been designed specifically to harm him. After much deliberation, he ultimately chose to give up. Before doing so, however, he carefully examined the entire Book Mountain.
Several hours later, everyone was sent out of Book Mountain.
"Was I really going to fail like this?" Fang Yun was deeply