How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

Chapter 127 A Stupid Mistake at the Welcoming Ceremony

The group disembarked from the flying shuttle and stepped onto the silver bridge.

As the wind blew, the clouds beneath our feet rippled like waves on water.

Clouds also drifted in the sky.

There are clouds beneath my feet, and clouds in the sky. Deep within the clouds beneath my feet lie mountains and rivers. This world, too, contains mountains and rivers. For a moment, it truly feels like a dream.

They were gazing upon this sacred scene of the Spirit Race, a sight rarely seen or found by ordinary people.

The Spirit Clan members were also observing this group of literary masters.

Zhou Wenju and Cui Wusheng undoubtedly received the most attention, as they were the only two young people in the team.

Zhou Wenju's gaze swept over the mountain peaks on both sides, and the scenery beside the bridge—

He couldn't help but think to himself, "The Spirit Race is truly a race with great looks; almost everyone is."

The men were handsome, the women were beautiful, and looking around, there wasn't a single ugly one.

Putting everything else aside, their looks alone make them perfect for a marriage alliance.

The beauty and handsomeness that everyone in the world pursues are everywhere here; connecting with them is a sure win!

A voice transmission from Cui Wusheng reached his ears, a soft chuckle: "Brother Zhou, there's a saying in the world that one should marry a woman from the Spirit Clan. Do you feel the same way?"

"You've thought about it?" Zhou Wenju smiled gently.

"I must say, the women of the Spirit Race are truly captivating to the hearts of men in the world. What's even more captivating is their long lifespan. By the time you're old and gray, they'll still be as fresh and vibrant as freshly picked flower buds. Just imagine how that feels!"

"A pair of lovers under the quilt at night, a pear blossom tree overshadowing a crabapple?"

"A pair of lovers under the quilt at night, a pear tree in full bloom pressing down on a crabapple? Haha, I must write down this casual poem of yours, a masterpiece of poetry, and tell the whole world how you have interpreted the phrase 'disrespectful to elders' in such an extraordinary way."

"You brought this upon yourself. If you make me infamous for all time, you yourself will also be infamous for all time—"

Amidst the joking, they entered the Lixian Villa.

There is more than one Lixian Villa.

There are several buildings.

They entered the right-hand courtyard, and as they entered, someone from the left-hand courtyard stepped onto the balcony.

Although this person was dressed in the attire of a great Confucian scholar, his steps were extremely steady, almost like a soldier's gait.

Cui Wusheng's relaxed smile vanished instantly, and a voice reached Zhou Wenju's ears: "They've arrived. The person on the balcony is your opponent, Wang Zhiyi. I've seen his portrait in the Dingchao Division's records."

Zhou Wenju nodded slightly: "Did you notice a detail? They're positioned on the left."

"That doesn't prove anything, does it? After all, they arrived first."

Zhou Wenju did not answer.

The order of arrival doesn't explain anything.

The information collected by Chung-hachi and Shin-san is not necessarily indicative of any problem.

However, this arrangement is problematic.

There are more than two Lixian Villas, some on the left and some on the right, and in fact, some on the north and some on the south.

The proper approach is to differentiate between the North and the South, which corresponds to the geographical locations of the two countries, is reasonable and compliant, and does not imply any hierarchy.

However, the Eldar's arrangement was precisely left and right.

The left is considered superior in the world.

Etiquette is generally not a big deal.

Zhou Wenju was not a person who cared about etiquette; in fact, one could say he was the person in the world who cared least about etiquette.

However, it depends on the situation.

In such a serious setting, on such a sensitive issue, and on the turf of what appears to be a neutral third party, the occurrence of such minor issues regarding etiquette reveals something far more serious than what is initially apparent.

His gaze fell on team leader Zhuang Wenhua.

Zhuang Wenhua's face darkened.

It seems that he wasn't the only one who noticed the problem; Zhuang Wenhua did too.

Upon entering the Lixian Villa, the maids who served them greeted them with impeccable manners, but Zhuang Wenhua's expression remained unchanged. After everyone had settled into their respective rooms, Zhuang Wenhua's voice rang out: "Esteemed masters, please come to my room for a chat!"

The group entered his room.

Zhuang Wenhua flicked his finger lightly, and the teacup on the table suddenly became empty.

The tea vaporized, sealing off the surroundings.

This is his literary Dao blockade. His literary Dao cultivation has reached the pinnacle of literary achievement. His blockade is so powerful that no one outside can hear it.

"Have you all realized that the Eldar have made a basic mistake?" Zhuang Wenhua asked.

Everyone looked up at the same time—

"Does Master Xuezheng mean: Yan Zuo Er Yu You?" asked Zhang Yi, the master of Yi Dao.

"Exactly!" Zhuang Wenhua said, "If there were only two villas, it would be understandable if they arrived first, took the left one, and left the right one. The problem is, there are more than two villas; both the north and south sides are empty. By taking the left one and leaving the right one, they have already established a hierarchy between our two countries!"

To put it bluntly in one sentence.

Everyone was shocked.

Master Wu Tianliang, a master of painting, said, "The Dingchao Division has gathered relevant intelligence, stating that the Yan Kingdom has been infiltrating the Spirit Clan for many years, and most of the clan's elders have benefited from them. It seems this is true!"

"If that's really the case, the situation in our dynasty is dire!" said Ding Yuchou, a master of divination.

"I doubt it's that blatant favoritism is necessary," Cui Wusheng said.

"What does blatant ...

Cui Wusheng's expression changed.

Yes, some things are considered blatant when they are out in the open, but if people don't bring them to the table, even if they are blatant, there's always a layer of secrecy to cover it up, so you can't really be sure.

Cui Wusheng was young after all, and his past life was full of romantic escapades. He was not quite used to this kind of occasion.

Zhou Wenju spoke up: "Master Xuezheng and all the masters have explained the reasons and hidden dangers of taking the left and keeping the right. We also need to be aware of another signal conveyed by this low-level mistake."

"Another signal?" Zhuang Wenhua frowned.

"Yes!" Zhou Wenju said, "Under normal circumstances, the Spirit Clan wouldn't make such a basic mistake. There's only one exception: they've already predetermined the outcome of the literary gathering, and they're confident that the Yan Kingdom will win. Otherwise, they wouldn't bother giving others cause for criticism!"

Zhuang Wenhua suddenly understood—

Even this seasoned veteran didn't realize this.

He only focused on the cause and potential problems of the matter, without considering the reflection of the "signal"—

If the Spirit Race cannot predict the final outcome of the literary contest between the two countries, there is no need for them to offend the Great Yu Kingdom at this time (if the Great Yu Kingdom wins, they will have to form an alliance with Great Yu through marriage, and at that time, they will have to fix this "rudeness" that could have been avoided. Is it worth it?).

Their disregard for offending the Great Yu Kingdom signals that they have already controlled the outcome.

They knew that Daewoo was bound to lose this literary contest!

After Da Yu lost, the Ling Clan formed an alliance with the Yan Kingdom.

The Great Yu Kingdom is an enemy country!

Why bother with etiquette when dealing with an enemy country?

"Master Zhou's words have revealed the secret of heaven!" Zhuang Wenhua took a deep breath. "This literary gathering is far from as optimistic as we imagined! I wonder if Master Zhou—does he have a way to resolve this?"

He called out "Master Zhou" twice in a row.

This was the first time in Zhou Wenju's life that he had been addressed in this way.

This shows that Zhuang Wenhua has begun to value him.

"Being in the territory of the Spirit Clan, where the rules are set by them, there's no hope of extricating ourselves from the rules," Zhou Wenju said. "The only solution is to devise multiple contingency plans, ensuring that no matter what challenges they pose in your area, you won't be caught off guard. Furthermore, you need unwavering confidence, believing that absolute power renders cunning ineffective!"

Zhuang Wenhua nodded slowly: "Faced with absolute strength, there are no schemes! These words are golden advice. Esteemed masters, the literary gathering lasts for two days. Use these two days to hone your skills! The fate of the Great Yu Dynasty and its three billion people rests in your hands. I urge you all to give it your all!"

He bowed deeply.

The seven masters bowed simultaneously, their eyes filled with determination.

They went to their rooms and began to cram before the battle.

Cui Wusheng didn't have time to talk to Zhou Wenju. He went into his room and had two days to perfect his "Qingyu'an". Once he truly reached the "Heavenly Market", he would have no fear of anyone.

Zhou Wenju went into his room.

This room is truly elegant.

The view outside the window was like a fairyland.

The interior is a quiet room filled with the fragrance of books.

The windowsill, serving as a connection between the quiet study and the outdoor paradise, is also cleverly designed.

The fence is made of vines.

A dozen or so purple flowers were in bloom on the railing.

The air was filled with the faint fragrance of flowers.

It carries the spiritual energy that the Spirit Race is born with and has been passed down for thousands of years.

What he didn't expect was—

The flowers swayed, and his face was reflected in a dewdrop on another large flower.

This large flower sways on a branch of the sacred tree of the Spirit Clan.

The branches form a wooden house.

There were two women in the wooden house.

The woman sitting there had a beautiful face, even more stunning than the most extravagant paintings.

Her beauty draws upon the delicate charm of daffodils, the vibrant beauty of peonies, the purity of orchids, and the allure of peach blossoms.

On her forehead was a strange pattern, shaped like a five-petaled flower.

Many women in the world like to put flower stickers on their foreheads, a practice known as "applying flower stickers".

This mark has an outline similar to yellow flowers, but it is not yellow flowers, nor is it pasted on; it grows naturally.

Looking at her face alone, one might think she is a beauty of unparalleled grace and natural charm. However, upon closer inspection of her sharp, clean lines, one is surprised to find a murderous aura between her brows!

This yellow flower seems to be her deadly weapon.

Standing to the side was a woman dressed in purple, who looked like a fairy. If you singled her out, she would be comparable to a lady from a noble family. However, standing behind her, she was just an ordinary maid.

The maid spoke up: "Holy Maiden, is this the Zhou Wenju who wrote 'I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd, then suddenly turning around, I found her where the lights were dim'?"

"It's him!" The saintess nodded gently. "He really does have the handsome appearance of someone who can be surrounded by a thousand beauties and stir up all sorts of women's hearts."

The girl smiled: "So, Holy Maiden, the Southern Dynasty is still worth looking forward to, isn't it?"

This extraordinary man from the Southern Dynasties was so handsome and dashing.

This extraordinary man from the Southern Dynasties also pioneered the art of ci poetry, writing such exquisite and deeply moving verses.

It was because of this Heavenly Dao Poem that countless women of the Spirit Clan yearned for the Southern Dynasty.

This is something Zhou Wenju probably didn't anticipate when he wrote "Qing Yu An".

His exquisite poetry had already begun to indirectly influence the mentality of the Elven race.

The saintess smiled gently: "The Southern Dynasty is certainly worth looking forward to, but my expectations are completely opposite to yours."

"On the contrary?" The girl frowned.

The Holy Maiden slowly rose to her feet: "Your expectations are nothing more than those of an ordinary person! To marry into the Southern Dynasty and let the flowers of the Spirit Clan bloom sporadically across its lands. But my expectation is to occupy the Jiangnan region of the Southern Dynasty, to let the roots of my Spirit Clan take hold in Jiangnan, and to ensure that the flowers of my Spirit Clan are no longer scattered!"

The girl's face changed—

She truly understood!

The saintess is different from her.

Her heart yearned for the Southern Dynasty.

The saintess also longed for the Southern Dynasty.

But the Holy Maiden's heart was with the Southern Dynasty, and she intended to conquer it!

To occupy the Southern Dynasty, an alliance with the Yan State is necessary.

By combining the strength of the two major powers, they occupied 100,000 li of territory in the Southern Dynasty. The Yan Kingdom took the north of the Yangtze River, and the Ling Clan obtained the south of the Yangtze River.

The Jiangnan region, with its fertile soil and pleasant climate, is the perfect place for the Spirit Race to take root, flourish, and thrive.

This is the saint's ambition!

This is the resolute determination of her to "bloom throughout the world" —

She loved the Southern Dynasty and wanted to marry into it; the Holy Maiden loved the Southern Dynasty and wanted to conquer it. They loved it, but made different choices.

"Holy Maiden, the clan elder's thoughts are... but not the same as yours." The girl took a deep breath.

"My father is old, so old that he's senile!" the Holy Maiden said. "He still remembers the agreement he made with Emperor Wu back then. Emperor Wu has long since turned to ashes. It was the Great Yu Dynasty that destroyed him. Based on our old friendship, he should avenge his old friend and destroy the Southern Dynasty!"

Instead of cozying up to the enemies of old friends!

"The clan chief is a sentimental person. Perhaps it is precisely because of the death of his deceased friend that he is even more unwilling to bring disaster upon his friend's homeland." The girl sighed softly, "Anyway, the clan chief and the elders have already reached a consensus, so let's put all this aside and face the consequences."

"Don't worry, the outcome will be as I wish! Father will accept it too."

"Holy Maiden, you—you wouldn't have made some arrangements, would you?" the maid asked in surprise.

The saintess smiled faintly: "Have you ever seen me do anything despicable? I've simply seen through it."

She was only talking about herself!

She didn't say that the other members of the Spirit Clan wouldn't do despicable things. The girl understood this implication, and her heart pounded wildly. Sure enough, there was a plan!

In the courtyard, Zhou Wenju did not notice Huaduo'er's peeping.

In fact, the fact that the Eldar were using the flowers to spy on others was something that no one could possibly know.

Flowers grow in nature; apart from the magical race of the Spirit Clan, who else could use them as a vessel?

His gaze pierced through the window, stretching into the distance.

His heart was filled with fear.

The Eldar have never been known for their military prowess, but from a military perspective, their combat potential is truly extraordinary.

The Eldar can control the vegetation covering the mountains.

The Eldar have an outrageously long lifespan.

With the help of the Spirit Race, the vast desolate mountains and borders will become a blockade.

The borders of the Great Yu Kingdom are secure and safe.

Conversely, if the Ling Clan allies with the Yan Kingdom, the Great Yu Kingdom will face annihilation.

This is why both the Great Yu and Great Yan kingdoms attach such importance to the Qingshan Literary Society.

Are nations friends or enemies?

Many people believe that it depends on the Aoyama Bunkai.

But Zhou Wenju was a modern man, and he knew that this claim was utter nonsense.

A nation or power is different from an individual.

Nations and powerful forces cannot be governed by benevolence and morality; everything they do is driven by self-interest.

Without genuine shared interests, even if an alliance is formed on the table, it will not last long.

If we can truly grasp the vital point of the Spirit Race, no matter how much they misbehave, there will always be "great scholars to defend us."

So, does the Spirit Race have a fatal weakness?

We need to investigate first.