Lu Changfeng raised an eyebrow. "This is..."
"The [Monthly Appraisal]."
Xu Yuanzhi explained candidly, "The All-Knowing Tower's greatest treasure. I studied under its master, who graciously bestowed the name 'Yuanzhi' upon me, meaning to carry on the past and usher in the future. My teacher compiled the Record of Strange Things and the Ten Absolutes Rankings to document the established order. But over the past few years, ancient relics have begun stirring, and rising talents have emerged one after another. The old rankings can no longer capture all these changes."
"Recognizing this, my teacher specifically ordered me to take this treasure out into the world and follow the example of Xu Zijiang in the late Han. With an age of great contention poised to begin, and heroes and hidden dragons not yet fully revealed, I am to observe fortune, examine true character, appraise the people of the realm, and record this gathering of wind and cloud."
His gaze shone clear as he looked toward distant Mount Yunmeng, wreathed in clouds and mist, then back at Lu Changfeng. "In his day, Xu Zijiang appraised people each month, praising and censuring those both at court and beyond. Though his judgments might be only a few words, they could determine a person's reputation and influence the course of events."
"I dare not compare myself to that sage of old, but with this ancient scroll as my guide, I wish to witness this great age firsthand. You and I have never met, yet your 'fortune' has already entered the Monthly Appraisal. I followed its guidance and waited here for one reason alone-to meet... the bearer of that fortune."
"The Monthly Appraisal..."
Lu Changfeng's interest stirred as he listened.
The All-Knowing Tower was a rather unusual force in Jianghu. It did not contend through military