Gentlemen, it's time to enter the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.

Chapter 395 Losing to the Poet Immortal is Not a Loss

Tonight was supposed to be a grand gathering for the literary circles of Yunzhou.

With the new imperial examination approaching, Yunzhou has a long history of literary excellence, producing numerous top scholars, including a glorious past of "five consecutive years of passing the examinations and achieving the highest honors in all three categories." Therefore, it has become a tradition for the Governor of Yunzhou to personally host a banquet to gather the nation's elite before each major examination.

On the surface, this was an elegant gathering where senior scholars mentored younger generations; behind the scenes, it was a way for the Yunzhou literati to consolidate their interests, allowing those aspiring to pass the imperial examinations to connect with literary giants who might hold high positions, thus forging connections. While this might not necessarily lead to cheating, it certainly gave Yunzhou students a greater, albeit intangible, advantage in the capital.

This "Ya Rong Ge Banquet" has produced more than a dozen top-ranking scholars over the decades, and its fame has spread far and wide. Countless talented men from other states are eager to obtain an invitation, hoping to achieve their goal of passing the imperial examinations.

Therefore, those who were turned away at the gate tonight included not only local talents from Yunzhou, but also several young scholars who came from other counties who had come to admire them.

The problem is, all the talented men are being kept out?
The governor of Yunzhou was completely baffled and could only cast his questioning gaze at the old man who was sitting firmly on the threshold blocking the way.

Once Chen Ye and Su Chun sat down, they remained rooted to the spot, not moving an inch. The two completely blocked the entrance to Ya Rong Pavilion. More than a dozen strong servants and guards came to protect them, but despite their best efforts, they couldn't even lift the hem of Chen Ye's clothes.

If we only try to move this old man, at worst we won't be able to move him even if we try our best.

But if anyone dared to show the slightest disrespect to that old woman, their fate would be far more tragic. Often, before her hand even touched her, they would be thrown back by an invisible yet powerful force, suffering anything from a head injury to broken bones.

This bizarre situation left everyone helpless and deeply troubled.

Even more helpless than the guards were the privileged young men who were kept out of the gate. Starting with Zhang Jieyuan, more than ten scholars had stepped forward to compete in poetry, but without exception, they all suffered a crushing defeat, losing everything.

This seemingly ordinary farmer, who has spent his entire life toiling in the fields, can effortlessly compose timeless masterpieces when discussing poetry. No matter how obscure the topic or how strict the rules, he can always effortlessly recite exquisite verses that will leave you speechless with admiration.

Such talent is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Considering his unpredictable and mysterious abilities, a thought arose in everyone's minds: Could this be a celestial poet banished to earth, here to test us mere mortals?

Someone murmured something under their breath, and instantly all the scholars present applauded in agreement.

That's right, it must be a celestial being descended to earth!
Losing to a mortal is a great disgrace, but being defeated by a banished immortal is an elegant affair that will be passed down through the ages! In order to save face and to turn this humiliation into a wonderful adventure, everyone tacitly reached a consensus and insisted that this old gentleman was the poet immortal who played among mortals.

With this title firmly established, no one dared to use force against Chen Ye, and they could only be blocked outside the door one by one.

Those who tried to cause trouble were also scolded back by the group of talented scholars who had lost earlier.

It's not that they were principled in their approach to writing, but rather that they lost from the start, allowing later generations to argue and "win," which would leave them with no face.

Everyone must lose together, and they must lose gracefully. Ideally, all the poems from tonight should be circulated, so they can also benefit from the loss.

Some clever ones were already recording everyone's poems and even whispered to the losers, "Why don't you revise them before they get out?"

Make some changes; you might not win, but at least don't lose too badly.

Impromptu poetry can never compare to careful preparation. While the excitement continues and before tonight's poems have spread far and wide, I'll revise my own poem to ensure it will be passed down through the ages.

This silenced many, who wished the night could last longer so they could come up with better words and phrases to boast about to others.

As a result, a group of people surrounded the entrance of Ya Rong Pavilion. No one mentioned going in for the banquet. Instead, they took turns trying to extract some more of the poet's timeless masterpieces from him.

Chen Ye was annoyed by them. He came to fish for a demon, not to be a plagiarist. He couldn't be bothered to listen to what these so-called talented people were saying.

Since no one dared to press the issue, the situation became increasingly awkward.

When the Governor of Yunzhou arrived and heard the explanations from the people in front of him, he was dumbfounded.

A banished immortal descended to earth? These scholars have gone mad from all their reading! What kind of supernatural nonsense are they spouting here?!
But he was, after all, a high-ranking official with a keen eye, and he had already discerned that this elderly couple were no ordinary people. Even if they weren't immortals, they must be extraordinary individuals with unique skills.

The Governor of Yunzhou glanced at his side without making a sound.

A middle-aged Taoist priest in a black robe, standing beside the governor, immediately understood. He flicked his whisk, stepped forward from the crowd, approached Chen Ye, and bowed respectfully.

"I am Chixu of the Randeng Sect. May I ask who this fellow Daoist is and why he is making things difficult for a group of ordinary scholars?"

"The Burning Lamp Sect?" Upon hearing this, Chen Ye slightly opened his eyes, but his brows furrowed tightly.

He remembered the name, and coincidentally, they had some old grudges against each other.

Back then, when he went to the northern frontier to recover the ancestral spirits, the Incense Burning Sect suspected he possessed a great treasure, so they sent cultivators from this vassal sect to test him, even spreading rumors and slander behind his back, going to great lengths to defame him. Upon closer inspection, the red-bearded Taoist in front of him seemed to be one of the rumor-mongers from back then.

Later, the Incense Burning Sect was destroyed overnight by the Demon Lord Wujiu, and Chen Ye never heard any news about the Burning Lamp Sect again.

Even if a sect that once relied on a major unorthodox sect has fallen into decline, how could it possibly be involved with officials of the imperial court, let alone have any connection with the demonic sect?

Chen Ye's heart sank.

Could it be that all my efforts were misguided?

Having already assumed the trip would be fruitless, Chen Ye, who had little affection for the Burning Lamp Sect, naturally darkened upon hearing their name, his eyes revealing a hint of displeasure.

Upon seeing this, the red-bearded Taoist priest felt a surge of displeasure. Although his Burning Lamp Sect was an appendage of the Incense Burning Sect, it was still quite renowned among the unorthodox sects. This old man, upon hearing his name, not only showed no respect but also displayed a disdainful expression—this was blatant disrespect to the Burning Lamp Sect!

"If you are also one of us, you might as well reveal your identity, lest the flood washes away the Dragon King's temple and damage the harmony between our two families." The red-bearded Taoist's tone already carried a hint of veiled threat.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice: "Afraid of hurting the harmony? I know your Burning Lamp Sect's ways very well. You bully helpless rogue cultivators at will; you fawn over disciples of powerful sects. Now you want to find out my background? If I am truly someone you can't afford to offend, are you really going to abandon this Governor of Yunzhou and just leave?"

These words caused the Governor of Yunzhou to turn his gaze and secretly observe the red-bearded Taoist priest.

Having been publicly humiliated by Chen Ye, how could the red-bearded Taoist possibly save face? His face turned ashen, and he roared, "Since you refuse to reveal your sect, then this humble Taoist has no choice but to offend you!" Before his words even finished, he drew a profound talisman across his chest with his fingers like a sword. The long sword behind him appeared as if summoned, transforming into a streak of light that hovered above his head. The sword hummed, its sharp aura slicing through the air with a whistling sound, as if it were about to strike down at any moment.

"Please make way, fellow Daoist, or my sword will not be so discerning!" the red-bearded Daoist shouted sternly.

Chen Ye looked at the flying sword circling in the air, a playful smile curving his lips. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "You really are a bit blind."

How could this red-bearded Taoist possibly be so foolish as to play with flying swords in front of Su Chunyi, a disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect?

Hearing Chen Ye's provocative words again, the red-bearded Taoist could no longer restrain himself. With a thought, the flying sword above his head shot out like an arrow, carrying sharp sword energy, straight for Chen Ye's face.

This sword strike, neither fast nor slow, gave Chen Ye just the right amount of time to dodge. The red-bearded Taoist's goal was simply to force Chen Ye to back down and clear the entrance to Ya Rong Pavilion, which would achieve his objective.

However, a shocking scene unfolded. The flying sword had only traveled halfway when it began to hum violently, its blade trembling wildly as if trying to break free from his control.

The red-bearded Taoist was startled. He had spent decades refining this treasure, pouring countless efforts into it, and had never encountered anything so out of control. He hadn't seen Chen Ye make any move at all; his prized magic weapon seemed to have been "startled" and completely lost control?
Chen Ye hadn't done anything, but Su Chunyi wouldn't just stand by and watch the flying sword pierce him. She simply released a wisp of sword intent, that invisible and intangible sword intent, yet it was like Mount Tai pressing down, instantly suppressing the flying sword completely, preventing it from advancing any further.

No matter how the red-bearded Taoist activated his magic, the flying sword seemed to be firmly blocked by an invisible iron wall, hovering in mid-air, unable to move.

Shame and fear mingled, turning the red-bearded Taoist's face bright red. He was now in a dilemma, caught between a rock and a hard place.

The Governor of Yunzhou took in everything before him and immediately understood that he had truly encountered an unparalleled master he could not defeat. He had personally witnessed the Red-Bearded Taoist's abilities; even hundreds of his personal guards combined could not withstand the power of his flying sword. But now, this powerful magic weapon could not even touch the hem of the old man's clothes; the difference in their abilities was obvious.

Continuing this stalemate will only drag him down. As the governor of a state, he would never allow himself to be placed under a precarious situation.

He acted swiftly, stepping forward to smooth things over, cupping his hands and saying, "Both of you are reclusive masters, why let such a trivial matter spoil your harmony? It was my fault that Ya Rong Pavilion failed to provide adequate hospitality today. Please, venerable sage, come inside and have a cup of fine wine. I will punish myself with three cups as an apology. What do you say?"

Chen Ye's purpose in coming here was not to bully mortals. Seeing that the hidden demon had not yet revealed himself, he was unwilling to be aggressive any longer.

The governor of Yunzhou was tactful and knew how to advance and retreat, so he was naturally happy to accept this opportunity to back down.

Chen Ye, arm in arm with Su Chunyi, slowly rose from the threshold, lightly patted non-existent dust off his robes, and said calmly, "The Governor is a distinguished person. When a distinguished person speaks, we country folk dare not disobey. Today, I am honored by the Governor's favor and would like to ask for a cup of wine."

Upon hearing this, the Governor of Yunzhou felt relieved and immediately bowed to welcome them, leading them into the Ya Rong Pavilion in single file.

Chen Ye and Su Chunyi followed the crowd and stepped over the threshold. Before leaving, Chen Ye glanced back casually. He saw that the red-bearded Taoist priest was already blushing with embarrassment. He wanted to follow, but hesitated because of his pride.

Seeing this, Chen Ye generously invited, "Fellow Daoist, please come in as well, lest you feel aggrieved and think that I am deliberately bullying you."

The red-bearded Taoist priest initially intended to glare angrily to show his defiance; even if he was outmatched, he couldn't allow the reputation of the Burning Lamp Sect to be ruined in his hands. However, just as he was burning with rage, Chen Ye smiled and opened his palm.

A crimson snake, smaller than a finger, was covered in fine bony armor. A faint firelight shone from its body, and its scarlet eyes stared intently at the red-bearded Taoist priest.

Stared at by those cold and murderous snake eyes, the red-bearded Taoist felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and was so frightened that his soul almost left his body!

Fiery Crimson Serpent!

This supernatural ability has long been known throughout the world thanks to the name of Chen Ye, the sect leader of the Yellow Springs Sect. Who doesn't know it? Who isn't familiar with it?
A thunderous roar erupted in the red-bearded Taoist's mind as he instantly recalled Chen Ye's words, "I know your Burning Lamp Sect's ways very well." Back in the Northern Frontier, he had personally slandered Chen Ye, fabricating countless baseless accusations against him!
The Yellow Springs Sect is now the fifth largest sect in the world, and Chen Ye is the number one expert in the Profound Realm, having long since replaced the Incense Burning Sect's former status. I am merely a minor disciple of an affiliated sect of the Incense Burning Sect; the difference in our status is like heaven and earth!

If Chen Ye wanted revenge... the red-bearded Taoist felt a chill run through his body, as if his death was imminent, and even breathing became difficult.

The red-bearded Taoist priest dared not attend the banquet with Chen Ye any longer and immediately turned and ran away. He had to notify the Burning Lamp Sect as soon as possible, or he might face annihilation.

Seeing his expression, Chen Ye burst out laughing. Let him scare himself; it's a way of getting revenge for the slander he suffered back then.

He no longer wasted time with this man. The thread of cause and effect had already been planted, and regardless of whether the red-bearded Taoist was colluding with the demonic sect, Chen Ye would always be able to find him by following this connection.

Continuing to lead Su Chunyi up the steps, before they could even sit down, Su Chunyi couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "I see that the red-bearded Taoist priest doesn't seem to have any connection with the demonic sect. In that case, it's probably difficult to find any trace of the demons at the Governor's residence in Yunzhou. Why are you still pretending to be friendly with them and sitting down to drink?"

Chen Ye explained, “During the poetry contest, I overheard these talented men praising each other, and I gleaned quite a bit of useful information from it. What I was interested in was not the Governor of Yunzhou, but rather that Young Master Zhang and Scholar Chen.”

He paused, then continued, "Based on their words, I feel that Young Master Zhang's age doesn't quite match up. Others boast that he became a scholar at the age of twenty, but look at him, does he look like he's twenty?"

Su Chunyi thought about it carefully and realized that the top scholar in the provincial examination did not seem like a twenty-year-old; his calm demeanor was more like that of someone in his early thirties.

Chen Ye continued, “That Scholar Chen is the same. People praise him as the top scholar twenty years ago, even more outstanding than Zhang Jieyuan, who became the top scholar at the age of twenty. That is to say, he is at most forty years old now. But look at his appearance, he has aged quite a bit. However, he seems to take good care of himself, and ordinary people would hardly notice. If I hadn’t checked his bone age with my spiritual eyes, I might not have been able to confirm his true age.”

Most cultivators cannot judge their age from their appearance, but as long as they are at the Awakening Spirit Realm, they can still roughly tell their age by observing with their spiritual eyes. Therefore, Chen Ye's early success in cultivation is so astonishing that others can tell he is a cultivation genius just by looking at his real age.

Su Chunyi frowned slightly, puzzled, and asked, "This is exactly the same as the mother and son we encountered before; their ages and identities don't match. Do you think this is a method used by the Demonic Sect?"

Chen Ye nodded, his expression growing increasingly solemn. He said to Su Chunyi, "Back then, that brat Hunhuo infiltrated the Burning Incense Sect, intending to seize the body of the Demon Lord Wujiu. Hunhuo was only at the Returning Void Realm; how could he be a match for Lu Xingzhou? But he mastered a powerful divine ability, capable of shooting 'Arrows of Time,' which could instantly add hundreds of years to a person's lifespan, forcing Lu Xingzhou to ascend to immortality. If my grandmaster hadn't intervened in time, Hunhuo's plan would probably have succeeded."

“The arrow of time… these prematurely aged talents of Yunzhou…” Su Chunyi fell into deep thought. Until the two of them sat down in the Ya Rong Pavilion, she could only helplessly say to Chen Ye, “I’ll listen to you, sir. I don’t understand the reason.”

Chen Ye laughed heartily. These words sounded familiar, just like when they first met.

Although Chen Ye couldn't figure out the connection at the moment, it was clear that he had found the key.

Yunzhou City has indeed been infiltrated by the Demonic Sect, but it is unknown how many mortals have become puppets without their knowledge.

What worries Chen Ye even more is that this manipulation may not be able to be lifted.

(End of this chapter)