Only a few minutes remained before the second round of poetry and verse composition drew to a close.
Across the gathering grounds, the once-lively chorus of recitations had gradually dwindled. Only a handful of Heavenly Prodigies were still racking their brains or weighing their words before reciting their finished poems aloud.
Everyone's eyes shone keenly as they turned, almost in unison, toward those exceptionally gifted figures who had yet to speak. Among them, Du Xiangmei was undoubtedly the focus of the entire gathering.
After all, she was the premier courtesan of the Gathering Fortune House under the Misty Sect. Not only did she possess peerless beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms, but she also excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, her talent and beauty equally unmatched.
Her song accompanied by the zither had already stunned everyone present, so they eagerly anticipated the poem she would offer next, hoping she would give them another moment to remember.
Yet now, beneath the gaze of countless eyes, an indescribable timidity welled up in Du Xiangmei's heart.
Fine beads of sweat had formed at her temples and slowly trickled down her fair cheeks. She instinctively raised a hand to wipe them away, but the coolness of her fingertips did nothing to settle her agitation.
It was not that she had no ideas. In fact, she had already composed two or three poems in her mind. Yet no matter how often she revised them, they still seemed flawed, falling short of her own standard of perfection.
As the fine sand trickled through the hourglass and the deadline drew ever closer, anxiety and tension grew like wild vines in Du Xiangmei's heart, winding tightly around her thoughts. Her once-lively inspiration ground to a complete halt, unable to produce another spark.
Her hands at