An Underling's Poetic Talent

The academy's three great scholars were fighting? Had their debate on the Dao gone beyond its limits, escalating from a battle of words between gentlemen into a brawl? The eldest princess was startled. She had once studied at Cloud Deer Academy for a time.

The academy's four great scholars often sat together discussing the Dao. When they were happy, they laughed and smiled; when they grew heated, they would even abandon their dignity and curse at one another.

But she had never seen them come to blows.

After all, great scholars held esteemed positions and served as models for others. How could they resort to violence so readily?

Zhao Shou frowned slightly and set down his teacup. "Why are they fighting?"

The old gentleman shook his head and said helplessly, "I don't know. Master Mubai was writing an inscription when the other two masters suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Then they started fighting."

After a pause, the old gentleman added with a worried look, "One called the other an 'old fool,' and the other shouted back, 'Shameless old thief.' They looked genuinely furious."

Even the academy head, who had remained serene and unmoving as a mountain, was startled. He realized something was amiss.

The eldest princess said, "Academy head, take me with you."

Zhao Shou said in a deep voice, "Within one zhang of me lies the Sage's Hall."

The eldest princess's vision blurred for an instant. Then she saw the statue of the sage holding a scroll, candles burning, and wisps of smoke curling through the hall.

A clamor rose outside. Gust after gust of raging wind swept into the hall, snuffing out the candles.

Academy Head Zhao Shou had vanished from across the table. The eldest princess walked toward the hall's entrance against the wind.

The strong wind sent her skirts flying behind her and pressed her robes tight against her chest. Even her thick winter clothes could not conceal the curves of her figure.

She looked into the distance and saw three great scholars standing on empty air.

A vast, majestic, upright, and unyielding presence rippled from the three of them. Their presences collided, churning the air into fierce winds.

Zhang Shen snorted. "Li Mubai, you shameless scoundrel! It was bad enough that you fought me for a student that day, but today you've done something so despicable! Did all your study of the sage's teachings end up in a dog's belly?"

The eldest princess was taken aback. She had no idea what Great Scholar Li Mubai had done to fill Great Scholar Zhang Shen with such righteous indignation.

Fought over a student? Those two had fought over a student before?

Li Mubai retorted loudly, "What's wrong with a teacher helping his disciple polish his essays and poems? Clearly, you're just an old fool jealous of my talent."

Chen Tai said, "Oh, shut your mouth. Even I can't stand watching this anymore."

Li Mubai shot him a sidelong glance. "The man surnamed Zhang has some reason to be angry with me, but what does this have to do with you, Chen Tai? Go cool off somewhere else."

Just then, Zhang Shen pulled a scroll from his robes and said leisurely, "It seems we won't settle this by pitting our Vast Righteous Qi against each other."

He tore out a page and set it alight.

The instant the paper burned away, a green cloud sprang into existence and came buzzing toward Li Mubai.

It was a densely packed swarm of beetles, green from head to tail, with ferocious mouthparts, like a swarm of locusts.

"My travels around the world a few years ago weren't without their gains." Li Mubai showed no sign of panic. He too pulled out a scroll, tore out two pages, and set them both alight.

One page burned away and turned into a crimson lizard, poised between reality and illusion.

The crimson lizard's cheeks bulged, and it suddenly spat a jet of flame several dozen zhang long, burning the green cloud that filled the sky to ashes.

At the same time, the other page finished burning and transformed into a scantily clad young woman. Light and graceful as a swimming fish, she glided toward Zhang Shen.

As she drew near, Great Scholar Zhang's eyelids grew heavy, and an irresistible drowsiness came over him.

The young woman's lips curled slightly as she approached Zhang Shen with a seductive smile.

Just then, Chen Tai also burned a page he held. A brilliant Golden Core manifested, bursting with golden light.

"Ow!"

Caught off guard by the sudden stab in the back, Li Mubai staggered under the golden light. Zhang Shen was also scorched by the Golden Core, breaking free of his drowsiness. He hurriedly stirred his Vast Righteous Qi and dispersed the scantily clad young woman.

The eldest princess watched in silence.

Those at the Sixth-Rank Confucian Scholar Realm could learn the supreme arts of other systems, commit them to the page, and record them in books.

The method Zhang Shen had just used belonged to a Gu master, while the young woman from Li Mubai's page should have belonged to the Sorcerer System. She was not sure which rank, however.

As for what Chen Tai had used, if her eyes had not deceived her, it was the Daoist School's Golden Core.

The three great scholars fought fiercely in midair while the students below watched with relish. Although they were somewhat bewildered and worried by the sudden clash between the three senior members of their school, a chance to see great scholars fight came but once in a thousand years. It was far too rare.

When Zhang Shen saw that he still could not defeat Li Mubai, an idea struck him. "Li Mubai, your pants fell down."

A chill ran between Li Mubai's legs. To his astonishment, his pants had already slipped down to his ankles.

"Damn it!" Li Mubai lost his composure and roared, "Everyone's pants fall down!"

Below, countless people bent over in alarm to pull up their pants.

A milky-white jade pendant at the eldest princess's waist lit up in response.

A majestic voice rang out, reaching everyone's ears clearly. "Fellow members of the same school are forbidden to harm one another here."

"Floating in the air is forbidden here. Get down!"

As the words fell, the Vast Righteous Qi surging around the three great scholars dispersed of its own accord. Newton regained his dignity and dragged them down from the air.

Zhao Shou, dressed in hemp robes, his graying hair hanging loose, walked up to the three with a grim face. He scrutinized them with a sharp gaze. "What happened?"

Zhang Shen and Li Mubai silently exchanged a glance and reached an understanding at once. The former snorted. "It's nothing. We merely had a disagreement over our studies, and neither of us could convince the other."

The latter followed up, "So we changed our approach."

Winning people over with reason suited the Confucian School's way of doing things.

"Academy head, I'm reporting them. They're both lying to you." Out of nowhere, Great Scholar Chen Tai stabbed them both in the back, scoring a double kill.

Zhang Shen and Li Mubai turned their heads together and glared at him.

Chen Tai looked toward the low wall. "Academy head, you know the poem 'Seeing Yang Qian Off to Qingzhou at Sheep Pavilion,' don't you?"

Zhao Shou looked toward the low wall and studied it for a moment. When he saw the line of small characters, he immediately understood.

He knew that Zhang Jinyan and Li Chunjing had been envious of Layman Ziyang during this time.

The poem on the low wall was indeed a fine one. Once it spread, it would bring its author great fame, and it had an excellent chance of being passed down to future generations as well. Their quarrel over fame was understandable. Wait, what did they mean by hiding it from me just now? Academy Head Zhao's face twitched.

He was about to speak when, from the corner of his eye, he saw the eldest princess approaching gracefully, her long skirt trailing along the ground, her bearing cool, beautiful, and noble.

He immediately swallowed the words he had been about to say.

The eldest princess's lovely gaze moved between them, and she smiled reservedly. "What poem caused the conflict between you two great scholars?"

Zhang Shen and Li Mubai hurriedly cupped their hands in greeting. "It was merely a poem encouraging study."

The eldest princess turned her gaze to the low wall, and her beautiful eyes lit up. "A fine poem."

After a pause, she parted her lips. "Who wrote this poem?"

Zhang Shen steeled himself. "It was my student. Mm, he also wrote 'Seeing Yang Qian Off to Qingzhou at Sheep Pavilion.'"

"That runner from the Changle County yamen?" A strange look flashed in the eldest princess's eyes.

"His name is Xu Qi'an," Li Mubai answered, adding, "He's also my disciple."

The eldest princess found the name somewhat familiar. Someone seemed to have mentioned it to her, but she had not committed it to memory and could not recall who.

For a talent of his caliber to serve as a runner at the Changle County yamen is far beneath him. Even if he can only write poetry, that's enough for me to keep him at my residence as an adviser, the eldest princess thought.

The academy's students stood at a distance, admiring the eldest princess's breathtaking face. She was as beautiful as a snow lotus standing apart from the world, and her noble bearing made anyone who saw her forget all that was mundane.

"Where is he?" The eldest princess's clear gaze swept over the crowd, resting on them unhurriedly.

"He went sightseeing in the mountains," Chen Tai said.

The students who heard their conversation were utterly shocked. At last, they knew who had written the poem encouraging study.

I just washed my face. Quick, slap me with your recommendation votes. Don't go easy on me.