"Qing Qiu! I've written a poem for you!"
"Are you here? Reply! This poem is a world-class masterpiece, you'd regret missing out!"
Er Niu hid in a small grove, excitedly sending out this message.
Chatting with his crush at this moment, he felt immensely confident.
As a Martial Artist, he truly couldn't discern the quality of poetry, but knowing the poet's talent was enough!
Ruxian! A great talent renowned for his poetry, even an offhanded poem of his is certainly extraordinary!
Meanwhile, Ling Si looked at Su Mingyu's (Er Niu) communication talisman, and speechlessly slapped her forehead.
"This fool actually got hold of a poem?"
"Could he have really apprenticed under a Confucian path master?"
Ling Si shook her head amusingly.
Ling Si: "You, a Martial Artist, don't train properly, but keep busying yourself with these nonsensical things every day!"
Er Niu: "Aren't you going to compete with some jerk? My poem can definitely knock him out!"
Ling Si: "Come on, a poem from a Martial Artist like you is useless to me! I need maxims! Jueju!"
Er Niu: "I! This is! A maxim Jueju! Nothing can be more brilliant than this!"
Ling Si laughed exasperatedly at this.
This was the boldest Martial Artist she had ever seen, but bold in the wrong way.
Yet, amidst this commotion, her agitated heart did calm down considerably.
"Alright, send it over let me have a look, let's see if your martial talent also has hidden literary stature."
Ling Si leaned on a chair, resting her chin, face adorned with a teasing smile.
"Humph, what bad luck for you, just got hit by someone else."
"This time, I'm going to roast your lousy poem really well, hehe..."
Imagining that fool bowing his head and clenching his teeth, Ling Si smiled even brighter.
Soon, the communication talisman vibrated, and the poem was sent over.
Ling Si smiled while glancing down, but was instantly taken aback upon the first glance.
"The autumn wind clear, the autumn moon bright."
"Fallen leaves gather then disperse... cold crows perch again startling..."
Ling Si subconsciously murmured aloud.
But these few short words vividly painted a bleak late-autumn landscape in her mind.
Autumn wind, autumn moon, fallen leaves, cold crows... the powerful imagery was like being immersed in it.
The following verses made Ling Si blush even more.
"Enter my lovesick heart, know my lovesick pain."
"Long missed and long remembered, short missed yet endless."
"If I had known, hearts would thus be tied, perhaps better never to have met."
Seeing the burgeoning lovesickness in every word, Ling Si's face flushed scarlet.
Almost instinctively, a scene emerged in her mind.
On a deep autumn night, a young lad gazed at the bleak autumn wind and bright autumn moon, feeling the scene tugging at his heart, thinking of his beloved.
The poem's desolate imagery and the longing, wistfulness, and resignation between the lines nearly leapt off the page.
"This fool..."
Thinking about the lad's previous feelings for her, Ling Si's face turned even redder.
But soon she snapped out of it and abruptly stood up!
"This poem!"
Ling Si closely examined the poetry in the communication talisman.
Just moments ago, girl's shyness had made her forget the essence of the poem.
Now looking closely, the shock in her eyes could no longer be contained.
"First use objects to create scenery, then put emotions into the scene!"
"Late autumn scenery is inherently melancholic, blended with lovesickness, and complementing each other perfectly!"
"Hiss, this poem..."
Ling Si was deeply shaken, staring at the poem in her hand for a long time without returning to reality.
As a prodigy on the literary path, she fully understood the preciousness of this poem.
Even her recently composed poems, which had drained her lifelong talent, paled in comparison.
The lovesick imagery and the poignantly drawn sad autumn scene made her feel inadequate.
She never expected that Su Mingyu, a Martial Artist, would give her such a surprise.
"How is it? Are you shocked?"
Er Niu grinned widely.
"The poem's imagery is simply perfect, its rhythm and cadence unquestionable, a rare great poem!"
Ling Si was not stingy with her praise, giving this poem a very high evaluation.
Er Niu laughed with pride.
Nonsense, a poem by master Ruxian, what else could it be but a rare gem in the world?
Even if the Young Master obtained it through tricks, nonetheless, it's a rare work.
Seeing his crush stunned by him, Er Niu felt invigorated, standing tall with confidence.
Ling Si: "Who wrote this poem? Can you introduce me?"
Er Niu: "No need to introduce; just keep the poem and use it. Knock that kid out in two years with this!"
Ling Si: "Don't be ridiculous! If the poem's original author finds out, wouldn't they blame me?"
Er Niu: "Hehe, rest assured, the poem's author definitely won't care about these trivial matters; he's a reclusive Confucian path master."
As the leading literary figure, would Ruxian care about some petty affairs?
Of course not, especially since the poem was just casually composed by Ruxian and overheard by the Young Master.
Therefore, Er Niu spoke very confidently.
"A reclusive Confucian path master?"
No doubt, Ling Si was tempted.
For ordinary matters, she wouldn't stoop to cheating, but the competition in two years is different.
It's tied to the outcome between her master and Ruxian.
This is very important!
The grudge between Li Qingchen and Wei Cang in Zhongzhou wasn't much of a secret either.
Back then, Li Qingchen's teacher was Wei Cang's father, and the two should have been quite close.
Initially, it was indeed so, but as Ruxian's talents surfaced, their relationship slowly deteriorated.
And the main reason was Wei Cang's father.
Because Li Qingchen was too outstanding, so much so that Wei Cang felt a bit inferior.
Wei Cang's father noticed this too, be it out of frustration or disappointment, there was constant criticism.
It was easy to imagine, fiery young Wei Cang gradually grew resentful of that child praised by others.
He began to work hard, reading day and night, just aiming to prove his worth, show his father he's not inferior to anyone.
But if hard work sufficed, what would there be to discuss about talent?
Wei Cang competed with Li Qingchen time and again, yet every time he lost, never winning even once.
Such a contest would span a lifetime.
After Wei Cang's father passed away, this rivalry turned into an obsession for Wei Cang.
He no longer desired anything, just for that unexpressed sense of purpose throughout life.
Now, this sense fell upon Ling Si's shoulders.
Wei Cang had grown old, and barring accidents, this would be his last chance to win.
And this was why Ling Si cheated unhesitatingly to secure victory.
In moments of contemplation, Ling Si had already made a decision.
"It's just a simple competition; it shouldn't alarm that reclusive master."
"Afterwards, I'll personally apologize, explain the situation, and accept whatever punishment!"
Thinking thus, Ling Si began sending messages to Su Mingyu.
Ling Si: "Thank you! You've helped me a great deal; I'll start my retreat now. See you in two years..."
Waiting for the message, Er Niu jumped up in excitement.
"Hahaha, what's the use of words like thank you between us? If you need more poems, just say the word, I'll send you more of it next time."
Ling Si thought, taking one poem is taking it, taking two is also taking it, ultimately it's owing that master, then why not...
"The more the merrier, two years later I'll apologize to that master!"