I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 107 Above Immortals, I Am Invincible

“Literary style, it is literary style.”

"So what if he's cultured? Does a mere brat think he can kill us with a war of words?"

"The literary tradition is low and the literary energy is scattered, so he needs to have the ability to mobilize it."

"Don't underestimate him, everyone. Xue is quite famous for his writing. He might have some excellent works up his sleeve to use to harm us."

"........."

Ignoring the clamor, Xue Xiang stood up, dusted himself off, threw off his filthy clothes, and revealed skin as white as snow.

He calmly let his hair down, scattering dirt and stones all over the ground.

He glanced up at the wound on his shoulder; thanks to the nourishing effect of the Great Rejuvenating Pill, it had become just a shallow scar.

"By virtue of its strength, the good wind sent me to Qingyun."

As Xue Xiang finished reciting, a large amount of black literary energy fell around him, and he vanished like a drifting cloud.

When he reappeared, he was already holding Liu Mei in his arms.

Every inch of her skin was covered in scales, and the scales that covered her skin had all peeled off.

His entire body was limp and collapsed, and his breath was so faint as to be imperceptible.

Xue Xiang was heartbroken. He took out two Great Rejuvenation Pills and two Rejuvenation Pills and stuffed them into Liu Mei's mouth.

In front of everyone, Xue Xiang easily rescued Liu Mei, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
"Shuzi!"

Yama, the King of Hell, roared to the heavens, and the wind and clouds surged.

The group of masked men finally sensed Yama's displeasure.

“Execute Xue Xiang, but spare the Ling clan.”

Heilong boldly ordered, "Whoever obtains Xue Xiang's head will be the greatest contributor."

These words aroused outrage among the members of the Witch God Cult.

Xue Xiang snorted coldly, "Water."

As soon as he finished speaking, large clumps of water automatically fell from the Xiang River, cascading down from mid-air.

He wiped the blood off Liu Mei's body as if no one else was around.

The medicine began to take effect, and Liu Mei's spiritual body became incredibly hot.

The river water poured over her, instantly creating a large cloud of mist.

"He treats us as nothing, so what if he awakens the literary tradition and the way of heaven? So what if he is endowed with talent? In a moment of haste, how many poems can he compose?"
All Core Formation cultivators should form a protective array, while Foundation Establishment cultivators should form an array to kill them.

After Black Dragon shouted loudly, the group of white-masked people who could no longer hold back rushed towards Xue Xiang.

This was not the first time they had clashed with Confucian scholars who were known for their literary talent. While the Confucian scholars were indeed skilled in literature, their talent was generally limited, and they could only produce a few masterpieces.
Now is the time to demonstrate individual bravery before King Yama, and everyone's fighting spirit is soaring.

"Damn Confucianism and Taoism, they presumptuously usurp the secrets of heaven, and should have been thrown into the dustbin of time long ago."

"If Confucianism and Taoism do not perish, Heaven will not tolerate it."

"Kill the thief!"

Dozens of white masks appeared out of nowhere, and ten people formed a formation, their array illuminating the sky.

While they verbally scorned Xue Xiang, they also knew the extent to which the power of Confucian scholars who could compose poems would be amplified in a battle scenario where the literary tradition was in decline.

Therefore, the seven formations—three offensive and four defensive—were airtight.

As the overwhelming array of light swept in, Xue Xiang didn't even raise his head; his eyes were only on Liu Mei.

Only this silly girl, who has undergone several transformations for herself and now has no resemblance to anyone else, remains.

Seeing that her breathing had calmed down, Xue Xiang fed her another pill, and his anxiety gradually subsided.

Just then, the fierce burst of light transformed into a solid halo, crushing the rocks beneath his feet.

"Ten years to forge a sword."

As soon as the sentence was completed, the purple literary energy fluttered down, and the whistling array of light seemed to hit an invisible iron wall, suddenly stopping!
The laughter and curses of the group of white-masked figures vanished abruptly, as if brutally severed by a giant hand.

The hopeful light in the blue raccoon's eyes was instantly extinguished.

A gleaming sword, seemingly about to burst into flame, slowly materialized before everyone's eyes.

"The frost-covered blade has never been tested."

The solid sword suddenly shone brightly, emitting a cold light like that emanating from the depths of ancient ice, icy and piercing, carrying a sense of solitary brilliance that could cut through everything and test its edge against the world.

Wherever the sword's light touched, visible, fine ice crystals and frost flowers condensed in the air and drifted down.

Frost flowers fluttered down, affecting the burst of light, and like boiling water poured on snow, it caused the light to disappear inch by inch.

"Playing tricks! Let's all attack and kill him!"

"There's no need to be afraid. He can't write masterpieces every time. We'll wear him down."

"........."

Amidst shouts, three attack-type array lights pressed forward, stirring up violent spiritual energy turbulence, tearing apart the frozen air, and like a destructive torrent bursting its banks, fiercely attacking Xue Xiang from all directions.

Without making a sound, Xue Xiang popped a Rejuvenation Pill into his mouth.

"Today I present this to you."

Upon hearing this, the solidified sword suddenly leaped up, its sword light spitting out, stirring up the leaden clouds and forming a huge, incomparably large, slowly rotating vortex.

At the center of the vortex, a massive pillar of light, formed purely from chilling sword intent, pierced through the clouds with a deafening roar, like the eye of divine punishment suddenly opening.

The three dazzling arrays of light that converged to form a torrent of attack instantly crumbled under the illumination of the Eye of Divine Punishment.

"Who has a grievance to redress?"

boom!
The sword was thrust out, and the raging winds and clouds instantly subsided.

Then, a sword cry, clear and sharp to the extreme, suddenly resounded through the sky!
That hundred-foot-long, icy blade made no earth-shattering whistling sound as it pierced the air, nor did it shimmer with dazzling light. It simply "existed" here, and then "slashed" there.

Where the sword's edge points
The four defensive array lights shattered inch by inch, like glazed tiles under pressure.

"Gentlemen, please test your swords!"

Xue Xiang waved his hand, and the sword light shot out again, reaching a hundred feet in length. There was no earth-shattering explosion, nor a dazzling rain of light from the collision of spiritual energy.

Only a tooth-grinding, shattering sound, originating from the most fundamental level of matter, rang out densely and subtly.

Sizzle... sizzle sizzle...

The moment the array of lights shattered, all the white masks collapsed instantly.

There was no blood and flesh flying everywhere, no horrific sound of bones breaking.

The parts touched by the sword's light—whether it was their Taoist robes, protective aura, resilient bodies, or even their horrified expressions—all lost all color and vitality in the same instant, turning into a lifeless, dull gray-white.

Like the most exquisite meticulous painter, using a brush dipped in ink saturated with "annihilation," gently brushing across each vibrant life.

The grayish-white area spread and expanded silently.

Arms, shoulders, chest...

The white-masked figures froze in place, not even having time to feel fear, before their bodies, like rocks weathered over millions of years, silently peeled away and crumbled, turning into the most primitive particles, completely swallowed by that eternal, pitch-black crack, leaving no trace of their existence.

Once the poem was completed, dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators perished.

This terrifying scene shocked all the Core Formation experts, including the Black Dragon.

"I never imagined that such a small place as Suiyang would have such a scholar."

King Yama clapped his hands lightly and said loudly, "I value talent, so I will give you two paths."

First, join the Witch God Cult, and I will guarantee you a bright future.

Second, you have become my enemy. I have sacrificed the lives of 100,000 people in Suiyang and refined the spirit woman. I will then cut you into a thousand pieces.

Decide quickly what to do and what to do next.

Black Dragon and the other masked figures were all greatly alarmed.

In their memory, Yama was a figure from a hundred years ago, mysterious and powerful.

Every slumber is to avoid calamities, and every awakening will inevitably stir up a great storm.

He has always been arrogant and disdainful of others, yet at this moment, he expressed such a stance towards Xue Xiang.

This clearly shows that they cherish talent.

"Then I'll give you a choice: die!"

Xue Xiang pointed at Yama, saying, "I've heard of your name. You've destroyed three cities and refined countless villages. For a monster as ruthless as you to live even a single breath longer is the greatest mockery of the Heavenly Dao."

“You foolish brat!”

Yama, the King of Hell, roared, "They are nothing but cattle and horses, mere worms. When Zhang San ascends the throne, they kneel and worship him."

When Li Si came to power, they changed their allegiance to him.

How dare such a fool stand between heaven and earth?

My killing it is merely to purify heaven and earth.

"Are you really going to throw your life away for these bootlickers?" Xue Xiang sneered, pointing at Yama, then at himself. "You and I are just one of them. You've only managed to learn some demonic arts by chance, what are you pretending to be, some reclusive master?"

"I'll tear your dog mouth apart..."

King Yama was furious. With a wave of his hands, he declared, "The five aggregates are empty."

In an instant, the mountains and forests within a hundred miles trembled, and streaks of green wood energy were drawn into his palm.

Immediately, countless plants withered and died.

Immediately afterwards, the vast expanse of black water vapor, the crimson metal energy, the white fiery energy, and the purple earth energy all converged in his palm.

The five-colored energy swirled and ebbed in his palm, and the world returned to silence.

The black dragon murmured, "The five aggregates become empty, birth and death change, and spirit is given to form, which is imperishable and decayless. It is truly a divine magic."

Before he finished speaking, Yama King unleashed a halo of five-colored energy gathered in his palm.

The five-colored energy descended upon the grass, trees, and flying rocks. In an instant, the grass and trees transformed into human form, and the flying rocks became human figures. A boundless army instantly gathered together.

Instantly, a chilling aura, like that of a military formation, spread throughout the entire area.

"The plants, trees, soil, and rocks have become spirits; that's quite interesting."

"Black Phoenix said in a low voice."

With a flick of his finger, the black dragon unleashed a burst of spiritual energy that struck a stone monster as tall as two men, instantly shattering it into pieces.

Black Phoenix frowned slightly, about to speak.

The broken stones miraculously coalesced, reforming into a human form. The stone knife in his hand transformed into a stone hammer, charging towards Xue Xiang's raging torrent.

All the black-masked figures gasped. The black dragon asked, "What is the most important thing when fighting against divine abilities manifested from literary energy?"
It's not about attacking against attack, nor is it about grandeur against grandeur.

If we're comparing this, how can human effort possibly match the vivid imagination that embodies literary expression?

Therefore, the key lies in durability.

Yama, the King of Hell, clearly understood the essence of this art. He mastered the Five Aggregates Emptiness Divine Technique, which imbued plants, trees, and stones with spirits, forming a vast army.

The army of grass, trees, and stones forms a formidable formation, possessing both power and durability.

Even if Xue Xiang is exceptionally talented, how many masterpieces can he produce in a short period of time?

Just wait and see; it won't be long before he's beheaded.

"The Dragon Lord is the Dragon Lord."

"Incredible! If it weren't for the Dragon Lord, how could we possibly have fathomed its mysteries?"

"I've only read a few books, folks. We'll only encounter such an earth-shattering battle a few times in our lives. Let's all keep our eyes wide open and watch quietly."

"........."

"My lord, go..."

Liu Mei was unable to speak, but she could still keenly sense the approaching danger.

With her last ounce of will, she tried to warn Xue Xiang, struggling to stand up.

Xue Xiang hugged her tightly and whispered, "Good sister, don't worry."

Where the literary tradition and the heavenly way are lowly, those below the immortals are as rotten as mud, and those above the immortals are invincible.

That damned King Yama, if he dares to hurt you, I'll send him down to become a little devil of the real King Yama.

Before he finished speaking, the vanguard of the army of grass, trees, earth, and stones had already arrived.

Rumble!
Their momentum even surpassed that of a real human army; every step they took caused the earth to tremble.

Xue Xiang picked up Liu Mei and looked out at the boundless army, which was truly breathtaking.

"Xue Xiang, I'll ask you again, will you surrender or not?"

"If you surrender, I will spare your life; if you do not surrender, I will first destroy you, then take your spiritual blood, and finally annihilate the entire Suiyang. The deaths of countless people will all be due to your actions."

Yama, the King of Hell, shouted sternly.

"Dragon Lord, why does Yama show such favor to this fiend?"

"Yes, I have also heard the secrets of Yama, the King of Hell. He has even killed the rulers of small countries."

"What you may not know is that Yama did not awaken today, but rather long ago, and has been lying dormant, replenishing his spiritual power."

This time, Xue Xiang came to explore the coal mine, and it was Yama who first targeted him.

The blue fox reported Xue Xiang's details, which I then relayed to King Yama.

Yama admired him greatly and even commented that in the competition among the top beings, top-notch poetic talent was enough to turn the tide of a great defeat.

Ultimately, until the very foundation of this world's culture and destiny is shattered, these damned, exceptionally talented Confucian scholars are the most valuable resource.

"I see. But it's too late to say anything now. The five aggregates have already been emptied. It's a fight to the death."

"I'd like to see how this thief will escape."

"........."

Before the group of masked men had finished their discussion, Xue Xiang recited aloud, “The peaks and mists gather like a crowd, the waves surge like fury.”

No sooner had the words been uttered than the distant Cangshan Mountain suddenly rose higher, and countless rocks transformed into meteors that hurtled towards this place.

Not far away, the Xiang River rises up like pillars of water from the sky, angrily shooting towards the army of grass, trees, and rocks.

In an instant, the entire earth trembled violently.

In an instant, Xue Xiang transformed the world before him into an apocalypse.

"The Tongguan Pass is located between mountains and rivers."

In an instant, the earth collapsed, and countless plants, trees, and rocks were buried underground.

"Looking westward towards the capital, I hesitate, heartbroken at the places where the Qin and Han dynasties once stood, their palaces now turned to dust."

In an instant, countless rocks and soil in the collapsed area generated violent spiritual power, which firmly locked onto Yama, the King of Hell, in mid-air.

Tongguan Pass, Qin and Han dynasties, are not part of this territory.

Xue Xiang did not change a single word, because he did not want to ruin the meaning of the words.

All he wanted was a good result.

As for how others will judge this poem in the future.

Xue Xiang believed that as long as his lyrics were of high quality and he was famous enough, great scholars would naturally defend him.

The Book of Poetry (Shijing) has been interpreted by more than a thousand scholars throughout history.

He was afraid of the yarn being unreasonable.

"How dare you!"

King Yama was furious, and his body suddenly swelled up, transforming into a giant over ten feet tall.

No matter how hard he tried to break free, it was as if he were buried under countless stones and earth; no matter how much effort he exerted, he could not escape.

Instead, a group of people in black masks took to the air, as if avoiding demons, trying to escape as high and as far as possible.

"When prosperity comes, the people suffer."

In an instant, the mountains echoed and the valleys resounded.

Countless energies emerged from the ground, and the struggling grass, trees, and rocks were all buried deep by the violently rippling surface.

Even Yama, the King of Hell, was forcibly locked from mid-air to the ground by this terrifying aura.

He was filled with helplessness, "Why, why must such a good article be used on myself?"

"You only need to submit to me, and I will take you with me. With such a peerless literary work capable of destroying a nation, you can contend for supremacy in the Three Realms. Isn't that perfect?"

"When the country falls, the people suffer."

A thunderous roar echoed across the sky and the earth, as if countless creatures were clapping their hooves.

In the Xiang River not far away, a large number of fish were splashing on the surface, crowded together, and countless scales were shed.

It was as if the sound had a magical power to save the world; even fish that couldn't understand it would vie to hear this sound that conformed to the ultimate truth of nature.

"When prosperity comes, the people suffer; when decline comes, the people suffer."

Black Dragon muttered, "How many years has it been? The Confucian school is about to produce another great sage. It's truly despicable."

Clearly, numerous literary steles are on the verge of collapse; clearly, this world has the opportunity to be transformed. Why, why…

"The endless energy is firmly locked onto Yama, what should we do?"

"It's time for us to make a move; we can't just stand by and watch Yama be in danger."

"Make a move? How can we make a move? We haven't moved, which is why we haven't been targeted by these energies."

Once I make a move, I'll be locked on immediately. Even Yama, the King of Hell, can't break free, so what can I do?

"........."

Instantly, all the black-masked figures turned to look at the black dragon.

(End of this chapter)