I start by accepting Sun Wukong as my disciple and reshape the Journey to the West

Chapter 172 The Immortal of Wine

"Then I'll show you what a true poet is today!"

"If you are happy in life, you must have all the fun, and don't let the golden bottle stand empty against the moon!"

hum!
As soon as he finished speaking, the Heavenly Dao chains around Li Bai instantly vanished. Da Fantian felt the commotion in the restaurant return, and the power of the Yellow River dissipated.

Inside the restaurant, the previous toasts and drinking had been so unrestrained and carefree.

He seemed like a frail old man, out of place here. Li Bai became the one surrounded by people, looking down at him with disdain in his eyes.

"Impossible, impossible! How could you still be so arrogant? You've already failed the exam, and even this banquet was bought with all your valuables!"

Brahma's eyes were filled with disbelief. When did humans become so courageous? The illusion he had created through his own efforts could not completely destroy his spirit.

He refused to believe it!
"I am born with talents that will be useful, and I will come back after all the money I have spent!"

puff!
As Li Bai recited this line of poetry, Brahma knelt directly on the ground, his bones utterly powerless, as if he were the one who had been struck down.

“Everyone has their own unique talents, and even if you spend all your wealth, it will come back again. What confidence you have! If all the future generations of humanity were like you, then this world would have to make way for you, whether it be the demon race or the immortals and gods.” Brahma murmured, now extremely grateful for his previous decision.

"Let's cook lamb and slaughter cattle for fun, and drink three hundred cups of wine in one go. Master Cen, Master Danqiu."

"Yes!" the two replied in unison.

"Let's drink, don't stop the cup! I'll sing you a song, please lend me your ear!"

"it is good!"

With tears in their eyes, the two men downed their drinks in one gulp.

"Bells and drums, delicacies and jade are not worth treasuring; I only wish to be drunk forever and never wake up."

In ancient times, the saints and sages were lonely, and only the drinkers kept their names.

In the old days, Wang Chen feasted and fought for peace and joy.

What is the master's word for less money, you have to sell to the king.

I will call my son to exchange the five-colored horse and the fur worth thousands of gold for the fine wine, so that we can share the eternal sorrow together. "

When Li Bai finished reciting a poem, the students seemed to be moved, and they all burst into tears.

Even Brahma was moved to tears, especially upon hearing the line: "A dappled horse, a thousand pieces of gold, call the boy to exchange them for fine wine, to dispel with you the sorrows of ages past!"

He understood that he had lost, lost to the tide of events. It wasn't that he was unwilling to admit that he had lost to Li Bai; it was just that everything had happened too coincidentally.

He had forced the start of the great battle with his murderous intent, and he was confident that the outcome was already in His hands. He believed that Li Bai had no chance of turning the tide. He had considered that even if Li Bai wrote a poem, He could directly determine that the poem was not suitable for the previous situation, and thus He could still succeed.

The problem is that when He mocked Li Bai for not being on the list, Li Bai replied that everyone has their own talents; when He mocked Li Bai for spending all his gold and silver, Li Bai replied that even if he spent all his gold, it would come back again; and the four phrases "Master Cen," "Master Danqiu," "Five-flowered horse," and "Thousand-gold fur coat" are more like labels, making it impossible for Brahma to call a deer a horse.

As He thought this, His body began to turn into wisps of green smoke, dissipating along with the students.

Let us together dispel eternal sorrow!
"You actually managed to evoke poems that break through illusions and mental barriers within the poems. In this round, we have suffered a complete defeat." Brahma's tone held a newfound respect.

The Poet Immortal is indeed the Poet Immortal. This poem was created by him with a grand vision and a dreamlike atmosphere, yet Li Bai broke through all his difficulties with just one poem.

Master Cen and Danqiu Sheng stepped forward and hugged Li Bai tightly, the two grown men bursting into tears. "We only had this bond for a day, but we will always remember you," Master Cen said.

“Me too!” Danqiu Sheng chimed in.

Li Bai gently patted the two of them on the shoulders: "The power of time cannot be diminished, and I hope there will be a moment when you can meet again."

“Okay! It’s a deal then,” they both said in unison.

The two then turned into wisps of green smoke and vanished.

Meng Jiao bowed to Li Bai, whose figure had only become fainter and showed no signs of dissipating.

"I remembered that poem after passing the imperial examination," Meng Jiao said. "I will definitely remember it after I wake up from this dream."

"After passing the imperial examination? What a straightforward and easy-to-remember name." Li Bai smiled.

"I must also thank the Poet Immortal for leaving me his calligraphy." Meng Jiao rolled up his sleeves, and Li Bai then noticed that the poem written after passing the imperial examination on Meng Jiao's arm was gleaming with golden light.

"It's the power of the nation's destiny! And the mark of the imperial examination system on me. I'm starting to look forward to my era. How dazzling the Tang Dynasty must have been." Meng Jiao wiped his nose, unable to contain himself.

"If any poor students are lazy, I urge Brother Meng to write more poems to remind them. The imperial examination system was hard-won. After ten years of hard study, they must strive to make a good future for themselves so as not to waste their hard work."

Li Bai's earnest tone was like that of someone instructing a child about to embark on a long journey.

Meng Jiao's lips curled up, and he swallowed his salty tears, seemingly unaware of it. He simply bowed respectfully and earnestly, saying, "I will certainly not fail the poet's trust!"

As Meng Jiao's figure vanished, Li Bai also let out a deep breath.

He had been absolutely sincere in what he had said to Brahma before. Ever since Pei Yu gave him all of Li Bai's poems, he had studied them diligently every day and memorized them by rote. Although hard work pays off and he could recite them fluently, he had never been able to do so so smoothly and from the bottom of his heart as he did today.

"If it weren't for the aid of fine wine, how could I have memorized a hundred poems?" Li Bai sighed, taking a large gulp from the wine flask at his waist.

As darkness fell, the voices of passersby drifted over: "Have you heard? The poet Li Bai failed the imperial examination. To prove his talent, he went to the palace drunk and caused a scene, writing over a hundred poems to mock the Tang emperor for not recognizing his true abilities and for not allowing him to pass the exam."

"Of course I've heard about it. It's said that the twenty-four ministers were not only captivated by Li Bai's talent, but also by the image of him drinking. They commissioned the painting master Wu Daozi to create a painting, and for a time, there were many wine lovers in the capital."

"Huh?" Li Bai was surprised to find himself on a cloaked boat. He shook his head vigorously, the hangover making him disoriented.

"It's Chang'an! Poet Li Bai, it's been a long time!" Qin Qiong cupped his hands in greeting from the shore.

"The Emperor was captivated by your heroic bearing that day, and therefore intends to appoint you to an official position in the palace so that you may leave behind more masterpieces. Please come up here quickly."

Qin Qiong's words made Li Bai snort coldly: "It's too late to discover my true talents now!"

"Your arrogance is really unpleasant to look at, and you have no talent whatsoever. Now that His Majesty has shown you mercy, you'd better be sensible and not miss this opportunity."

"Is that so? In the general's eyes, I seem to be a good-for-nothing? If so, why should I obey the emperor's orders?" Li Bai sneered.

"You are ultimately just a commoner. Your title of 'Poet Immortal' was bestowed upon you by His Majesty. You are merely a lowly commoner. Do you really think His Majesty wouldn't dare to kill you?"

"Li Bai could write a hundred poems after drinking a bucket of wine, and he would sleep in a tavern in Chang'an."

"The emperor summoned me, but I refused to board the boat, proclaiming myself a wine immortal. General, please convey to His Majesty that from now on, I, Li Bai, am no longer the Poet Immortal, but the Wine Immortal!"

Li Bai leaned back, raised the wine jug high, and let the fine wine fall—how elegant!
(End of this chapter)