Release of the fairyland blue bird, the witch said she couldn't stand it

Chapter 353 Jiang Chen: I feel like I'm being targeted
Amidst the enthusiastic gazes of the crowd.

Nine elderly men with sage-like demeanor slowly ascended the high platform erected in the center of the square.

"Indeed, we just sensed several strong Confucian and Taoist auras. It seems that many outstanding individuals have arrived today."

"I hope that everyone can showcase their literary talents and win first place in the competition."

"To ensure fairness, each of our nine academies has selected a renowned scholar to serve as a judge for this event."

"Next, Dean Lu Ming of Zhulu Academy will set the questions."

The dean of Luming Academy stepped forward and spoke:

"Alright, then for this competition, we will compose poems on the theme of 'Time'."

"Participants can inscribe their poems on the stone slab in front of them, or they can recite them aloud themselves."

time?

Are you playing this hard?

Many Confucian scholars began to frown and ponder.

The difficulty was clearly beyond the scope of the curriculum, and almost none of them guessed the questions correctly.

In previous years, the themes were generally based on personal emotions such as "farewell" and "love".

Time, as an eternal theme in philosophy and literature, involves grand concepts such as the passage of life and the laws of the universe.

They need to transform abstract concepts into concrete expressions in a short period of time, which places extremely high demands on the Confucian scholar's critical thinking ability and literary skills.

simply put.

This is the difference between "argumentative essays" and "narrative essays".

Moreover, this "discussion" took place in front of a group of truly great Confucian scholars.

"time."

Many talented men and women were silently reciting two words.

Xiao Huo touched the ring on his hand.

"Old Bone, you've lived for so long, you must have a very thorough understanding of time, right?"

【Humph! 】

A cold snort came from the ring, but Elder Bone did not hold back:

I'm not good at composing poetry, but I can still give you some inspiration.

soon.

With the help provided by Elder Gu, Xiao Huo quickly began to carve on the stone slab in front of him:

As the first student to provide the answer.

Xiao Huo's actions naturally attracted a lot of attention, and even the cameraman's lens was specially focused on him.

Time flies like an arrow, emptying the bag.
Time flies like a knife cutting leeks, keeping us busy.

If you ask what I plan for in this life?
Overtime pay reflects the hardships of life.

"hiss!"

After reading it, Jiang Chen couldn't help but gasp.

Why does this guy give off such a miserable vibe?

Despite being quite young, an age when one should be striving and working hard, the things he writes have a distinct flavor of being old and unsuccessful.

Damn it!
Seeing Xiao Huoda's stubborn poetic bones cursing loudly inside the ring!
What I wanted you to write was a poem about "not working hard when you're young," not one about a life of hardship and toil!

Is this even possible?

Her original intention was to make Xiao Huo understand that what he was doing was a waste of time, and that he should take it as a warning, cheer up, and cultivate diligently to avenge himself.

The result was that this guy's answer gave people the feeling that he was hopeless, like a broken pot that had given up and a dead pig that wasn't afraid of getting burned.
But Old Bone's criticisms are just that.

Xiao Huo's answer was quite commendable.

The nine sages on the judging panel exchanged glances, and Dean Lu Ming of Zhulu Academy was the first to stroke his beard and offer his comments:

"This poem is quite unique."

He tapped the stone slab lightly with his fingertips:
"【Time flies like an arrow, emptying the bag】uses the imagery of martial arts to symbolize the passage of time; 【Years pass like a knife, busy harvesting leeks】subtly reflects the hardships of farmers, but these last two lines—"

His voice trailed off abruptly, and his eyes beneath his white eyebrows twitched slightly.

The judges of Wencai Academy suddenly slammed their fists on the table:

"What a fine example of 'calculating hardships in overtime pay'!"

This renowned Confucian scholar, known for his unorthodox teachings, laughed so hard he almost fell over:

"I've reviewed hundreds of poems, and this is the first time I've seen one that so powerfully captures the bitterness of the corporate slave! Not bad! It even dares to allude to the Wan San Group; it's got guts!"

With Wencai Academy taking the lead, the other two judges, who also came from humble backgrounds, also gave their evaluations:

"Hey, everyone says that we scholars have the most straightforward pens, but I've never seen anyone dare to allude to the Wan San Group. Although this student wrote a doggerel, his spirit is commendable."

"Yes, everyone says that sword cultivators would rather break than bend, but now they've all turned to the flying car industry. Nowadays, only we Confucian cultivators dare to criticize certain groups."

"Hmph! The world has suffered under the Wan San Group for far too long!"

"Because of the emergence of the Wan San Group, we cultivators can no longer see a way out!"

Ouch, what the fuck?

Jiang Chen, who was in the audience, was stunned when he heard this.

Why have I suffered for so long?

You old fogies, do you want to go back to that era of fighting and killing?

No!

Originally, Jiang Chen just wanted to come and watch the excitement, and to plagiarize Bai Lingtian's work to help him build his foundation.

Now it seems to him that it is very necessary to keep an eye on these old Confucian scholars who have nothing better to do than criticize this and that all day long.

Upon seeing Xiao Huo's poem, the audience erupted in excitement.

Thunderous applause erupted in the men's area, and some people even used phone stands to broadcast live from the ground.

"Look, brothers! The first poem of the day is finished!"

The female cultivators frowned.

Boos came from Qin Xiao's fan club.
"This dares to call itself poetry? It's not even as valuable as a casually written character by our Holy Son Qin!"

The camera panned across the judges' panel and discovered that the nine sages were divided into two factions.

The eyes of the three elderly men from humble backgrounds at the academy were red.

He passionately denounced how the younger generation of the Spirit Continent had completely lost the vigor and fighting spirit that cultivators should have under the influence of the Wan San Group!

The judges from aristocratic families turned ashen-faced, and the judges from Haoran Academy, who were deeply connected to the Great Dream Holy Land, even threw down their vermilion pens.

"This is an insult to literature! The words 'overtime pay' are simply... simply... how can such colloquial language appear in a poem?"

"You're right, I don't think this is poetry at all!"

Suddenly, a monk in a coarse cloth robe stood up from the back of the audience, holding up a brand-new 13,000 yuan mobile phone and shouting:

"Fellow Daoist Xiao is right! Which of us cultivators hasn't exchanged our lives for spirit stones?"

This immediately triggered a chain reaction, with dozens of other simply dressed monks echoing in unison.

Jiang Chen chuckled softly in the VIP section, then turned to Huang Wansan and whispered:
"Make a note of this Xiao Huo and keep an eye on him."

He pointed to the rapidly increasing number of viewers during the live stream:

"Hehe, this kind of creation that can resonate with the grassroots is much more valuable than those romantic and sentimental works, but it is often not conducive to social progress and unity."

"Ah."

Huang Wansan nodded with a serious expression.

He didn't expect it either.

It's unbelievable that someone would dare to allude to the overtime system of Wan San Group on such an important occasion.

As for Xiao Huo, the person who answered the question, he was completely dumbfounded.

That's not what he meant!

He didn't mean to allude to the Wan San Group!

Wouldn't that be useless?
This is ridiculous! I'm definitely going to get a talk with my boss at work tomorrow!
At this moment, it wouldn't be an exaggeration for Xiao Huo to say that he was filled with deep regret.

"But things have come to this point, so we have no choice but to go all the way! As long as we can get the reward, even if we're forced to leave the company, it won't be a loss!"

Followed by.

Other renowned talents also gave their answers.

Qin Xiao gathered sword intent at his fingertips and carved gilded verses onto the answer stone slab:
"The Song of the Sword"

The water clock ticks away the changing seasons, while the golden crow chases the moon's wheel.

A sword honed for a thousand years, its frosty edge yet to be tested.

Today I present this to you; who has a grievance to redress?
The bottom of the box resounds with the stars, the sheath weeps for ghosts and gods.

Mountains and rivers yield even a sliver of iron, the sun and moon temper its sharpness.

A cold light condenses on the Big Dipper, and dragon energy permeates Kunlun!
Demons and monsters flee at the light, wind and thunder penetrate the soul of the blade. Frost and snow cover thirty thousand miles, sweeping away all worldly dust!
After the carving was finished, the scabbard trembled slightly, and a dragon's roar echoed for three breaths.

On the judging panel, a renowned scholar from the academy slammed his fist on the table and stood up:

"A stunningly talented woman!"

"What a masterpiece, 'A Sword Forged in a Thousand Years'! It perfectly blends the sharpness of swordsmanship with the Confucian way of cultivating inner strength!"

"The jade water clock urges the changing of the seasons, and the golden crow chasing the moon also points out the theme of time. Not bad, very good."

Some judges also frowned and gave different opinions:
"If this poem were simply a poem that moved even ghosts and gods to tears, it would be fine. However, such lengthy verses not only dilute the analysis of the subject [time], but also have the suspicion of showing off one's knowledge."

"Hmm, what you say makes sense, but since Saint Qin has real talent and learning, why is he showing off?"

In short.

People generally have a high opinion of Qin Xiao's poems.

The president of Qin Xiao's fan club, sitting in the audience, held up his phone to broadcast the live stream.

"See that? This is true Confucian and sword cultivation! It's a million times better than those who write overtime pay!"

"Can the person who answered 'overtime pay' really be a genius? They're obviously just a workaholic who works overtime every day!"

"He's definitely not some rich young master. That poem gives off a feeling of someone who has a very miserable life."

However, the male cultivation area remained silent.

After a long pause, someone snorted coldly:
"All that fancy stuff is just because they have a prestigious family background."

"That's right. If we're really talking about swordsmanship, Qin Xiao might not be able to compare with other sword cultivators."

"Indeed, when it comes to Confucianism and Taoism, Qin Xiao is no match for those truly great talents."

"Ha, dual cultivation of Confucianism and swordsmanship? I think it's a case of being useless in both fields!"

"Because he is not proficient in either, he tries to learn both. His knowledge as a sword cultivator is not as good as his knowledge as that of a Confucian cultivator. He can only say that he has won. 666."

"Isn't that a cunning tactic?"

"I feel like there's something wrong with the old graves in the family of the person who likes Qin Xiao."

The female cultivators were enraged upon hearing this and immediately retaliated:

"What do you know? How could you mediocre people like you possibly understand Qin Shengzi's talent?"

It looked like the two sides were about to start arguing again.

The erudite scholars on the judging panel quickly spoke up to stop it.

"Silence! Silence! Please maintain the demeanor of Confucian scholars!"

The Holy Maiden of Ziyang took off her jade flute and held it to her lips. The sound of the flute solidified into physical characters that appeared on the stone slab:

"White Horse Gap"

With delicate hands, she scoops up the flowing sand; the celestial sphere turns silently and frequently.

Before the dance in her flowing robes was over, her black hair was already streaked with stars.

The female judges from Miaocai Academy were amazed:
"Poetry infused with rhythm! The five characters '[Her hair is already dyed with stars]' perfectly capture the sorrow of fleeting beauty, and the calligraphy is exquisitely beautiful, making it the most stunning boudoir style of this year!"

However, the overall evaluation is not high.

But that’s okay.

The Holy Maiden of Ziyang was not a Confucian scholar; she was just writing something casually. As long as her answer wasn't too outrageous, people would give her some praise out of respect for her status.

After careful consideration, the truly talented scholar finally submitted his answer.

However, they answered very well.

One student even gave the answer "The Poem of Forgetfulness," which surprised many renowned scholars.

I was once captivated by her jade-like figure and intoxicated by her icy skin; tonight, gazing in the mirror, my heart remains unchanged.

Red powder and smoke gather and disperse, skulls, flowers, and the moon are all in disarray.

A thousand forms are all empty forms; how could I be foolish to be confined to a mere speck of earthly existence?

Looking back at where the wind has blown the leaves away, the green hills and white waters are a perfect match.

However, these talented individuals were far less distinguished by their social status and family background than the previous ones.

Despite the judges' high praise, the crowd watching the spectacle didn't react much.

Because these talented men's answers did not resonate with them as much as Xiao Huo's.

Unlike Qin Xiao and the Holy Maiden of Ziyang, they were not famous and no one knew them.

This is why the response was lukewarm.

"Second brother? It's your turn to make a move."

Situ Chengfeng nudged Situ Wen.

The latter is one of the most renowned geniuses at Haoran Academy.

However, because he was first addicted to the game "Running Man" and later to "Eternal Elite" and "Dungeon Fighter Online", his studies were neglected, but his foundation is still there.

At this moment, I watched as the students in front of me continuously came up with brilliant lines of poetry.

Situ Wen suddenly regretted wasting all his time on games.

After hesitating and pondering for a while, he lazily got up, gathered spiritual energy at his fingertips, carved on the stone slab, and wrote his answer:

Time's Playful Notes

The inkstone is not yet dry as spring turns to autumn, and the chessboard is worn out and the axe handle is put away.

Laughing, I ask, what does time sell for? Half for cultivation, half for sorrow.

Eh?
nice.

It could even be described as a wonderful poem.

"Time's Playful Pen" impressed many judges.

It was insightful without being pretentious, unlike other students who, even if they answered well, still had a sense of "forcing a new poem to express sorrow."

But Situ Wen was too young.

Otherwise, he might have been able to join the ranks of great Confucian scholars based on this poem.

Many judges sat up straight, discussing the poem's depth and significance:

The first couplet uses "the inkstone is not yet dry" to metaphorically describe the swift passage of time, subtly reflecting the experience of a cultivator neglecting his studies.

The phrase "楸枰局烂" (literally, "the chessboard is ruined") alludes to the story of Wang Zhi, the founder of Luming Academy, who famously "watched the chess game until the axe handle rotted," thus emphasizing the fleeting nature of time.

The final couplet fully reveals his conflicted state of mind.

Knowing that time is precious and should be used for cultivation (orthodox Confucian view of cultivation), yet self-deprecatingly admitting that time is wasted on games and entertainment, resulting in vain sorrow (the dilemma of contemporary cultivators).

The poem is well-structured and rhymed, with natural allusions, befitting the level of a top genius in the academy.

The main thing is.

This question was randomly generated!
In other words, Situ Wen's poem has surpassed the ranks of the academy's top geniuses.

The judges from Haoran Academy were clearly happy, but they pretended to be angry and slammed their fists on the table.

"Nonsense! What kind of nonsense is this, 'half cultivation, half sorrow'? How can a disciple of Haoran treat time so lightly?"

He seemed angry.

In reality, it was a way of highlighting Situ Wen's identity, giving himself and Haoran Academy a boost in prestige.

The judges from Haoran Academy, swaying their heads, were still immersed in the poem:

"Brilliant! The poem subtly satirizes the addiction to games by using the allegory of Wang Zhi, a sage-king of Confucianism, and the final couplet perfectly captures the predicament of contemporary cultivators."

He then glanced at where the Wan San Group members were seated and said calmly:

"If there were a few more of these resounding verses from the Spiritual Continent, some people would probably get restless."

The judges from the academy for students from humble backgrounds had slightly red eyes, and their voices carried a hint of pain:

"This child may seem carefree and lazy, but he is actually deeply pained! I have seen many geniuses from academies who ultimately end up living lives where they have 'half-heartedly devoted to cultivation and half-heartedly devoted to sorrow'."

Then he suddenly pointed to the audience seats:
"Those of you in the audience who are criticizing this poem, those who say it's inferior to Qin Xiao's, dare you say you haven't been wasting your time on Douyin?! You really should learn something from this poem! Wake up!"

The square fell silent immediately.

Everyone could see that the judges genuinely liked this poem.

It's worth noting that even the judges from prestigious families who usually oppose the various academies for students from humble backgrounds were unusually silent this time.

Only Jiang Chen.

His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

It’s time to say it or not.

He felt he was being targeted today.

Bai Lingtian gently tugged at Jiang Chen's sleeve;

“Senior, I feel that the poem written by this student named Situ Wen makes a lot of sense. How should we deal with it? Should we give up? As for the righteous spirit in the back, I wonder if we can think of another way to get it.”

"That makes sense?"

Jiang Chen scoffed:
"That makes absolutely no sense! Just answer as I say."

(End of this chapter)