Inside the clock tower, everyone felt somewhat uneasy, looking around at their surroundings with a sense of unease and fear.
Yang Zhen looked around casually and asked Xue Zonglin beside him, "What exactly is this monthly competition about, and how are the rankings determined?"
Xue Zonglin was stunned. He looked around and whispered, "The monthly competition isn't limited to any particular work. Any work that can embody Literary Brilliance can be submitted for Great Master Su to judge. The judging process is unknown to anyone; it's all based on Great Master Su's opinion."
"Just one person's opinion?" Yang Zhen was taken aback and asked, "Wouldn't just one person's opinion be unfair?"
Just as Xue Zonglin was about to speak, Yanhua, standing beside him, said with a smile, " The Dao of Literary Talent Qi is not like grading papers for the imperial examination. Whether a talent can be aroused or how much talent can be gathered is immediately apparent. Only a few extremely special works are somewhat difficult to judge."
Yang Zhen said "Oh," and immediately understood. Great Master Su must have a special method to activate the Literary Brilliance of these works.
At this moment, Gan Bailin suddenly walked over, looked at Yang Zhen, and said, " Yang Kang, the monthly competition is a contest of truly talented people. How could someone like you, who only cares about fame and fortune, possibly understand it?"
Yang Zhen smiled but didn't speak. Xue Zonglin, exasperated, glared at Gan Bailin and said, " Gan Bailin, stop being sarcastic. If you're so capable, go and compete with Yang Zhen. Yang Zhen is younger than you, yet he caused a huge sensation on Turtle-Snake Island. His Heavenly Sound Grand Chant brought everyone into a state of enlightenment, and the Phoenix Painting and Tiger Roaring in the Mountain Forest Painting he created were masterpieces of Literary Talent Qi. Can you do that?"
Gan Bailin laughed heartily and said, "That Yang Zhen is nothing but a fame-seeker. If he truly possessed such talent, why would he be a pariah, hated by everyone, and never reappear?"
Xue Zonglin's expression froze, and he was about to speak when Gan Bailin sneered and said with a sneer, "Don't tell me those rumors. You actually believe such fabricated stories?"
At this point, Gan Bailin smiled at Yang Zhen and asked, "What do you think, Brother Yang?"
Yang Zhen said in a serious tone, "Maybe Yang Zhen just thinks you're not worth his time, and he's too lazy to even put on a show?"
"You..." Gan Bailin sneered, "You're sharp-tongued. Wait until you meet Great Master Su and see what you have to say when you're exposed for who you really are!"
Yang Zhen smiled and didn't say anything more. He glanced at Xue Zonglin, who seemed about to speak but hesitated, Xue Zonglin immediately shut his mouth.
Just then, a commotion suddenly arose in the crowd, and everyone looked towards the second floor of the clock tower.
Yang Zhen looked up and his eyes lit up.
At the top of the stairs on the second floor, Great Master Su, dressed in a snow-white gown, gracefully approached. Every movement of hers exuded a refined and Literary Qi, yet it was also gentle, sweet, and elegant, causing one's breath to quicken slightly.
Great Master Su wore a gentle smile, but it was just a smile, devoid of any emotion. She glanced at everyone, then parted her lips slightly and said, "I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting!"
Everyone immediately began to speak politely, exchanging greetings with clasped hands.
Gan Bailin shifted his feet slightly, blocking Yang Zhen's view with his body, and said to Great Master Su, "I have long admired Great Master Su's elegance. Meeting you today, I feel as if I am bathed in a spring breeze. Great Master Su's radiance is extraordinary; you truly deserve to be called a peerless beauty, the most outstanding woman in Tieling City!"
Great Master Su smiled, bowed to Gan Bailin Yingying, and said, "Young Master Gan, you flatter me!"
Gan Bailin's expression brightened, and he was about to speak when Great Master Su suddenly turned to Yang Zhen and said, "This must be Yang Kang!"
Seeing that Great Master Su was no longer paying attention to him, Gan Bailin's face turned cold. He glanced at Yang Zhen and sneered repeatedly.
If Yang Zhen were here, given his arrogant personality, Gan Bailin might even feel a bit jealous. But Yang Kang is not Yang Zhen after all. Compared to Yang Zhen, this Yang Kang is simply too low-key and incompetent.
Gan Bailin sneered, about to forcefully Great Master Su and Yang Zhen, when suddenly a cry of surprise rang out, "Brother Yang Zhen!"
Yang Zhen... brother?
Upon hearing these four words, everyone was immediately terrified and looked in the direction of the sound with horror.
Even Yang Zhen was startled, and looked in surprise toward the source of the sound, his eyes widening instantly!
" Tian Rou?"
No wonder the name sounded familiar; seeing the little girl coming down the stairs, Yang Zhen immediately remembered.
"Yang Yang Zhen?" Xue Zonglin was startled, even jumping up and down to stand opposite Yang Zhen. He looked Yang Zhen up and down with suspicion and asked, "Brother Yang... Yang, aren't you called Yang Guo?"
Gan Bailin stared blankly at Yang Zhen, a look of absurdity flashing in his eyes, and said incredulously, "Impossible! How could he possibly be Yang Zhen!"
"What? Yang Kang is Yang Zhen? This... how is this possible?"
"How could it be impossible? Tian Rou's words were just a slip of the tongue, how could they be false? I never expected Yang Kang to be Yang Zhen. This bastard actually barged into this place without me even realizing it!"
"Oh no! We can't let him hurt Great Master Su! Everyone, quickly capture Yang Zhen!"
The group's expressions gradually changed, and many even began to surround Yang Zhen, staring at Yang Zhen and shouting, "You're the Yang Zhen who spouted such nonsense?"
Among the crowd, the most surprised were Yanhua and Great Master Su. After exchanging a glance, they both saw surprise in each other's eyes.
For a moment, the entire clock tower fell silent. Everyone stared at Yang Zhen with shock and disbelief, their expressions trembling!
"Brother Yang Zhen, what are you doing here?" Tian Rou skipped over to Yang Zhen's side and looked up at him as Yang Zhen asked.
Yang Zhen laughed heartily, ruffled Tian Rou's hair, and said, "Little girl, I didn't expect you to come here. Why didn't you go to that Spirit Learning Palace?"
" The Spirit Learning Palace?" Gan Bailin sneered, saying, "So you really are Yang Zhen? This is outrageous! Did you think the Spirit Learning Palace was so easy to enter?"
Yang Zhen shook his head and said, "It seems a little difficult for you, but it's not difficult for the little girl!"
"Utterly arrogant!" Gan Bailin sneered, and said loudly, "Everyone has heard this. This Yang Kang before us is the same Yang Zhen who spoke such arrogant words. He dared to insult Great Master Su! I propose that we all seize Yang Zhen and make him pay the price he deserves!"
At this point, Gan Bailin secretly glanced at Great Master Su's expression. Seeing that Great Master Su didn't object, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Yang Zhen with a gloating expression.
At this moment, Yang Zhen suddenly revealed a strange smile, looked at Gan Bailin and said, "This is a bit strange. You keep saying that I insulted Great Master Su, but what exactly did I say?"
"You said..." Gan Bailin's words faltered, his face darkening as he stared at Yang Zhen. He couldn't possibly let Yang Zhen say in front of everyone, especially Great Master Su, that Great Master Su wasn't even worthy of making his bed, could he?
At this moment, Yang Zhen suddenly chuckled and stared at Gan Bailin, saying, "I don't know anything about Great Master Su Sage of Saunter, and I'm not targeting any particular person Sage of Saunter..."
Yang Zhen looked around at everyone and said with a grin, "What this 'Sage of Saunter' just wants to say is that everyone here is actually trash!"
Upon hearing Yang Zhen's words, everyone present was stunned, then enraged, and they all criticized Yang Zhen, shouting and yelling.
Gan Bailin laughed loudly and pointed at Yang Zhen, saying, " Yang Zhen, anyone can talk big. Do you dare to compete with me?"
"Compare with him!"
"This is utterly absurd! How can there be such arrogant people in the world?"
" Yang Zhen, you brat, don't be so arrogant! If you're so capable, why don't you have a match with Young Master Gan!"
Listening to the crowd's incessant cursing, Yang Zhen suddenly felt a pang of doubt. What exactly did that bastard, Shameless Cat, want him to do?