At the age of eight, he impersonated the orphan of a military officer and went to the martial world.

Chapter 101 Yue Qingfeng, the eldest grandson of General Zhenyue

"Oh dear! How come I didn't think of that!" Another person slapped their thigh suddenly. "Master Su of Ningxiang Pavilion!"

She also adored Jin Yuan Gongzi's calligraphy and paintings, and once boasted that a single piece of his ink was worth a thousand pieces of gold! This poem—this poem—" He didn't care about appearances anymore and ran after the person in front of him.

"And the owner of Zuiyuezhai! He loves collecting poems and lyrics by famous calligraphers!"

"Quick! Copy it down! Make several copies!"

In an instant, the refined gentlemen who had been talking so eloquently just moments before scattered like birds and beasts.

Only a handful of people remained at the gathering, including Qian Mobai and Sun Hao, along with a few elderly people who were stunned and unable to react.

Qian Mobai and Sun Hao exchanged a glance, both revealing a complex smile that was both bitter and relieved.

Their long-standing debate over who would be the best in literature seemed to amount to a huge joke in front of Young Master Jin Yuan and the mysterious "Peach Blossom Prince's" poem.

All the preparations, all the pride, seemed so pale and powerless.

"Never mind—" Qian Mobai shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"There are always people better than you—" Sun Hao sighed softly.

Just as the two remained silent and the Lan Yue Tower fell into a brief stillness, a clear and elegant pipa melody drifted from a riverside painted boat or an elegant teahouse on the long street outside the tower.

Immediately afterwards, a melodious and slightly languid female voice, in harmony with the tune, clearly sang: "A few peach blossoms bloom outside the bamboo grove, the ducks are the first to know when the spring river warms—"

Those moving verses, carried by the night breeze and the sound of the zither, spread swiftly and silently, like ripples on a lake, to every corner of the brightly lit city of Luyang.

The name "Peach Blossom Gentleman" spread quietly throughout Luyang Prefecture overnight, just like the verses in the night wind.

The morning light streamed through the window.

Zhang Yuan pushed open the door and walked out of the side room.

The inn's lobby was already bustling with activity.

Chen Zijing, Fang Jingsong, Zhao Yuanchen, Sun Wenbai, and other people from Fengming County were gathered together, their faces filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Zhao Yuanchen, who came from a humble background, was waving his arms, his voice trembling with excitement: "Who could have imagined! Young Master Jin Yuan! He actually made an exception and decided to participate in this Qingyun Ranking competition! This is simply—simply a grand event for the Confucian community! We are fortunate enough to witness it firsthand; we can boast about it for the rest of our lives!"

A companion beside him nodded repeatedly, adding, "Yes, yes, Young Master Jin Yuan! He's the undisputed number one Confucian scholar among the younger generation in our Luyang Prefecture! His painting skills are divine, his literary talent is boundless, even the great Confucian scholars of the prefectural school address him respectfully as 'Master'!" He had never bothered to participate in such competitions before, but this time he actually—"

Chen Zijing, with his sharp eyes, saw Zhang Yuan coming down and immediately waved, calling out, "Qingyang! Come here quickly! Do you know the name of Young Master Jinyuan, Li Jinyuan?"

Zhang Yuan walked closer and nodded: "Understood."

Immediately, someone nearby chuckled and interjected, "Brother Zijing, are you confused? Young Master Qingyang was personally recommended by Young Master Li Jintang of the Li family and entered the prefectural city with the Li family's visiting card. How could he not know the name of Young Master Jinyuan? Young Master Jinyuan is none other than Young Master Jintang's own elder brother!"

Chen Zijing slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "Oh my memory! Right, right, that's it!"

He then leaned closer to Zhang Yuan, lowered his voice, and asked with intense curiosity, "Then—Qingyang, do you know who that mysterious Peach Blossom Gentleman is? Overnight, the whole city was praising his poetic talent, and even Young Master Jin Yuan made an exception to help him!"

Zhang Yuan looked bewildered and shook his head: "Peach Blossom Prince? Never heard of him."

Sun Wenbo immediately chimed in, his tone tinged with excitement and a hint of envy: "A few peach blossoms bloom outside the bamboo grove, the ducks are the first to know the warmth of the spring river." This Peach Blossom Gentleman's poetry is truly exquisite, fresh, natural, and full of vitality!

"Now, the brothels, teahouses, and taverns of the prefectural city are all reciting this poem. I've heard that the Su family of Ningxiang Pavilion has offered five hundred taels of silver just to invite this Peach Blossom Gentleman to their pavilion for a chat and to learn from him in person!"

Zhang Yuan's lips twitched. Isn't this the poem I wrote?

How did it spread throughout the city overnight? It was something I casually made yesterday while sparring with Li Jinyuan at the Li residence, and it's already been given the title "Peach Blossom Prince"?

"And so it is Liu Yingying, the young lady of Yicui Tower—"

Everyone was talking at once, discussing this suddenly emerging literary star, and the atmosphere was lively.

Just then, a much bigger commotion and shouts suddenly erupted from the street outside the inn, the sound sweeping in like a tidal wave: "My God! Look! It's the insignia of General Zhenyue's Mansion!"

"Hiss—that young man on horseback—could it be—General Yue?"

"Yue Qingfeng! He's the grandson of General Zhenyue, the young General Yue Qingfeng!"

"He—he actually came too?!"

"I've heard that he reached the Innate Realm at the young age of ten, possessing extraordinary talent. He's considered the apple of General Yue's eye, and General Yue personally taught him the essence of the 'Suppressing Yue Spear' and the 'Iron Wall Formation'!"

"A ten-year-old at the Innate Realm? This—how is this possible?!"

"It's absolutely true! Everyone says he's the youngest but most likely strongest contender to win the Qingyun Ranking Martial Arts Trial!"

"The champion of martial arts—isn't that none other than General Yue?"

"My goodness, this year's Qingyun Ranking is truly a fierce battle! Young Master Jin Yuan, Young Master Tao Hua, General Yue—it's a spectacle that happens only once in a century!"

The people inside the inn were also drawn by the commotion outside and rushed to the door to look out. They saw a group of well-armored and imposing knights galloping past from the other end of the long street.

The horses' hooves clattered on the cobblestones, producing a crisp and rhythmic sound, before disappearing around the street corner in the blink of an eye.

"The grandson of General Zhenyue—a ten-year-old Xiantian cultivator—" Chen Zijing murmured to himself, his face full of shock. "This Qingyun Ranking is getting more and more interesting, and also—more and more difficult."

Fang Jingsong and the others were also filled with emotion, feeling excited to be able to compete with such a prodigy, but also feeling immense pressure.

Zhang Yuan had no interest in listening to these discussions.

He quietly left the noisy crowd, passed through the back door of the inn, and entered the backyard.

In the backyard, Wang Ziteng was sweating profusely and awkwardly punching the courtyard wall.

His movements remained stiff, as if he were carrying an invisible shackle.

With each punch, the air emitted a muffled whistling sound, and the blue bricks beneath his feet were already covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

He Dashan stood to the side, clutching his aching chest, a trace of blood still lingering at the corner of his mouth.

"Ziteng!" Zhang Yuan called out and quickly stepped forward.

Upon hearing the sound, Wang Ziteng withdrew his fist and subconsciously tried to take a step back, but he stumbled and with a crisp "crack," a thick blue brick was crushed to pieces by his foot!

He swayed before regaining his balance, looking at the mess on the ground with annoyance.

"Ouch—" He Dashan shook his head with a wry smile, his voice filled with exhaustion and a hint of helplessness, "That kid Wang Ziteng's strength—is terrifying."

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