Upon hearing Yang Zhen's words, Gan Bailin was taken aback, then glared at Yang Zhen and said, "My father's surname is naturally Gan... You scoundrel, how dare you play me?"
Yang Zhen pursed his lips and said, "I wasn't playing a trick on you. You see, I'm different from you. I'm a very polite person. I just asked you out of politeness. Your father's surname is naturally Gan. What's wrong with that? Do you think that's not necessarily true?"
"You!" Gan Bailin snorted coldly, his face turning ashen with anger. He pointed at Yang Zhen and said, "This is utterly disgraceful! How can someone as rude as you be standing in front of the Bell Tower?"
Yang Zhen scoffed, staring at Gan Bailin and said, "I have no manners whatsoever. I ask you, do I even know you?"
"Don't know him!" Gan Bailin snorted coldly.
"Then do you know me?" Yang Zhen retorted firmly.
"Don't know him!" Gan Bailin glanced at Yang Zhen arrogantly.
Yang Zhen slapped Gan Bailin on the head and cursed, "Damn it, I don't know you, and you don't know me. You come here like an idiot and start cursing at me. Are you out of your mind?"
"You... you dare to hit someone?" Gan Bailin covered his head, looking at Yang Zhen with a furious expression. Suddenly, the Literary Talent Qi Inscriptions on his body erupted, pointing directly at Yang Zhen.
Yang Zhen glanced sideways at Gan Bailin and said, "If you provoke this 'Sage of Saunter' again, I won't just beat you, I'll beat you so badly that even your own mother won't recognize you, you believe me?"
Gan Bailin roared, "Insolence! Who do you think you are...?"
"Quiet!"
The woman in white snorted coldly and said, "Young Master Gan, Young Master Yang, your personal feud can be settled elsewhere. Do you intend to make everyone here delay Great Master Su's announcement time because of you two?"
Yang Zhen glanced at Gan Bailin and said with a grin, "Miss, go ahead and post the notice. If anyone keeps babbling on and on, I, Yang Kang, will teach them a lesson for you!"
The woman in white chuckled, glared at Yang Zhen, and said, "You have an interesting way of speaking, but I'm afraid you won't gain Great Master Su's approval. If you want to get to know Great Master Su, don't say such vulgar things!"
Yang Zhen curled his lip and said, "Miss, you don't understand. As the saying goes, rough words don't mean no problem. I'm straightforward and spontaneous, which is much better than those hypocritical guys."
"The words may be rough, but the principle is sound?" The woman in purple was taken aback, then smiled and said, "There is some truth to it. Sister Wei, we've been delayed for too long. Let's make sure Great Master Su, is waiting patiently. Let's post the notice as soon as possible!"
Bai Wei'er nodded and said, "In that case, let's wait until the announcement is posted before discussing anything else."
At this point, Bai Wei'er's expression turned serious, and she said crisply, "As always, I am only responsible for posting the list. Other matters, such as any objections to this list, are Great Master Su's decisions. Anyone who is dissatisfied can challenge the people on the list face to face!"
As she spoke, Bai Yi Wei'er gestured to Zi Yi Cai'er to post the notice as soon as possible.
Gan Bailin snorted coldly, staring at Yang Zhen with a sinister expression, his eyes flashing with a chilling light, seemingly lost in thought.
Xue Zonglin sighed, his face still pale and ashen. He glanced at Gan Bailin's expression and said to Yang Zhen, who was craning his neck to watch curiously, "Brother Yang Kang, you shouldn't have been so rash. Offending Gan Bailin is not a good thing. Moreover, Gan Bailin is very likely to win the top spot this time, which will make his status in Tieling City even more incomparable."
Yang Zhen waved his hand and said, "It's just an empty title, what's so great about it!"
"A hollow reputation?" Gan Bailin sneered and said, " Yang Kang, is it? Do you dare to debate with me for what you call a hollow reputation?"
"Eloquence?" Yang Zhen glanced at Gan Bailin and shook his head, saying, "You're not worthy!"
Suddenly, a gasp rang out from the crowd, and everyone looked in the direction of the gasp.
"Tie? How is that possible!"
"Look! Gan Bailin is tied for first place with Natian Tian Rou! This... this is the first time this has happened in so many years!"
"What kind of work did Tian Rou produce that could be ranked first alongside Gan Bailin?"
Upon seeing the names of Gan Bailin and Tian Rou on the list, everyone was shocked, and a great deal of discussion and noise ensued.
Gan Bailin's expression gradually changed, and he coldly snorted, saying, "This is unfair! I, Gan, will not accept this!"
Bai Wei'er glanced at Gan Bailin and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Young Master Gan, on winning first place. If you have any questions, please ask Great Master Su directly!"
Gan Bailin's expression shifted between red and pale, but he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Rest assured, I will naturally ask Great Master Su in person what kind of work can compare to my painting of galloping horses!"
After saying that, Gan Bailin snorted coldly and glanced at Yang Zhen, saying, " Yang Kang, what do you have to say now?"
Yang Zhen pouted and said, "Speechless!"
A hint of disdain flashed across Gan Bailin's face as he sneered, "I'm truly disappointed in you. I had hoped you would achieve something in your studies, so I could teach you the lesson that there are always people more capable than you. It's just a pity that you didn't dare utter a single word in front of me, the top scholar..."
Upon hearing this, everyone present secretly shook their heads, clearly greatly disappointed in Yang Zhen. Some even sighed, for those personally selected as the top scholar by Dao of Literary Talent Qi Great Master Su were undoubtedly highly accomplished in the arts of talent, and under such circumstances, how could Yang Zhen dare to utter any criticism?
At this moment, Gan Bailin suddenly walked up to Caiwei and her companion in full view of everyone and said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, did you hear what this young master Yang Kang said just now...?"
At this point, Gan Bailin's eyes narrowed as he looked at Yang Zhen and sneered, "This Yang Kang, even if you say that the top spot on the Literary Brilliance Rankings is just an empty title!"
Upon hearing this, everyone present gasped in unison, glaring at Yang Zhen with furious expressions.
"This is outrageous! If the top spot on the Literary Brilliance Rankings is merely an empty title, then what is the point of our arduous pursuit of Dao of Literary Talent Qi to even make it onto the Literary Brilliance Rankings?"
"Absurd! This Yang Kang is so arrogant that he doesn't even care about the top scholar on the Literary Brilliance Rankings. Does he have some extraordinary Literary Talent Qi or achievement?"
"Throw him out! How dare someone like that come to my Tieling City!"
The crowd was filled with righteous indignation and condemned Yang Zhen, their expressions filled with anger and disdain.
Gan Bailin laughed and said, "Gentlemen, please calm down. Since Yang Kang dares to say such things, he must have great talent. Why don't we give him a chance to prove himself?"
"What talent could someone like that possibly have!"
"Yes, get him out of here quickly, lest he tarnish the reputation of my Tieling City!"
The crowd below the stage quickly parted to form a circle around Yang Zhen and Xue Zonglin, criticizing them repeatedly.
A sinister smile crept across Gan Bailin's face as he stared at Yang Zhen and said, "Boy, do you have anything else to say?"
Xue Zonglin looked pale and anxiously at Yang Zhen, fearing that Yang Zhen might say something that would anger the crowd.
Caiwei and the other two women stood aside, exchanged a glance, and did not interfere.
Scholars have always been prone to belittling each other, and Great Master Su Da) always advocated for eloquence. Only through debate and competition can one gain more insights into the principles of Literary Talent Qi.
Amidst the condemnation of everyone, Yang Zhen suddenly burst into laughter, startling everyone.
Everyone watched Yang Zhen with excitement, thinking that Yang Zhen had finally given in to Gan Bailin's provocation and agreed to the debate. But Yang Zhen suddenly turned around and left, pulling Xue Zonglin with him.
A group of people stared blankly at Yang Zhen, exchanging bewildered glances, completely dumbfounded.
He... just left like that?
That's quite an unconventional personality!
Just then, a clear voice rang out. "Young Master Yang, please wait!"