How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

Chapter 129 The Grave of Time

Suddenly, light began to flow within the dewdrop, as if the curtain of night had been drawn back, revealing a scene within the dewdrop—none other than the Lixian Academy where he resided.

He also saw the scene inside the Lixian Academy; it was during the day!

His teammates were all there, but everyone's movements were incredibly fast, as if the film were fast-forwarding.

Zhou Wenju's expression changed: "Senior, what's going on?"

Do you know where this place is?

"I don't know, I hope you can enlighten me, senior." Zhou Wenju felt uneasy as he watched the dewdrops rapidly disappear.

In modern society, videos can be fast-forwarded.

In the world of cultivation, it's not unusual for photos to be fast-forwarded. However, Zhou Wenju knew that the scene before him was not a photo, because his group had just arrived at the Spirit Clan's territory, and it was already close to dusk when they arrived, so there was no record of a photo taken during the day.

The time shown in the dewdrop is daytime, yet his teammates are present, indicating a time discrepancy.

"This place is called the Tomb of Time," which, as the name suggests, is the graveyard of time! One day here is equivalent to a hundred days outside! Your slight delay in the cave has already made two days pass, and tomorrow is the day of the Green Mountain Literary Gathering!" The old man said, "You must go out now!"

"Thank you, senior!" Zhou Wenju's back was covered in cold sweat, and he immediately turned around.

"If you can't find your way out, I'll help you!" The old man flicked his finger, and a window opened out of thin air. When the window opened, the sun was still shining, but by the time the window was fully formed, the sun had already set.

"I will thank you again for your help later!" Zhou Wenju stepped into the air and flew out of the window.

As soon as he put it on, the strange tree reappeared in front of him.

In the sky, a crescent moon hangs in the air, and on a large tree, the tendrils of the spider lily sway gently.

A gust of wind blew, taking away the coolness from Zhou Wenju's forehead.

His heart was pounding wildly—

Judging from this waxing crescent moon, today is no longer the third day of the lunar month when we first arrived in the Spirit Clan; it should be the fifth or sixth day.

He fell into the "Tomb of Time," feeling as if only an hour had passed, but in reality, three days had already gone by!

This is not a hallucination caused by poisoning.

This is a real time trap.

Because he wasn't hungry, the bowl of rice he ate three days ago hadn't been digested yet.

Three days passed by in the blink of an eye!

In the laws of time, among the seven laws and three hundred rules of the Heavenly Dao, space reigns supreme, and time is paramount.

This is the time law that grants supremacy!

Entering the Eldar realm, a short journey indeed —

Extremely dangerous.

He was willing to bet on his own "character," which he might not even have, that he had actually been poisoned.

If it weren't for Little Butterfly's instinct to "feed on malevolent energy," his literary talent would be tarnished, and participating in the Green Mountain Literary Gathering in this state would only bring him shame, with no chance of gaining anything.

After the little butterfly was cured, he fell into the Time House and met an old man.

If it weren't for the old man's reminder, he would have been completely unaware that time was passing by at a rate he couldn't afford to waste.

If the old man hadn't acted decisively and opened a special passage, it would have been much more difficult for him to get out of the cave in a short time.

Even if he successfully escapes from this strange and unpredictable place, he doesn't know how much time will pass.

Once you miss the Aoyama Literary Gathering.

Then Zhou Wenju truly became a sinner for all time in the Great Yu Kingdom.

Even a fool could guess what kind of storm would be brewing against him in the imperial court.

Fortunately, it's not too late!

The old man, whom he had only met briefly in his life, had shown him immense kindness—

Who is he?

Why are you so determined to help him?

He clearly remembered that when he said he came from the Great Yu Kingdom, the old man's eyes shone with an unusual light.

Perhaps the old man's real reason for helping him wasn't because of him as a person, but because of the Great Yu Kingdom.

This person must have some connection with the Great Yu Kingdom!

Because he didn't want to see the Great Yu Kingdom suffer an "unbearable burden" because of the Qingshan Literary Conference, he stepped in to help this participant.

Alright, let's put everything aside until after the Aoyama Literary Society meeting —

Now, his top priority is to get back to the villa. He can imagine how panicked his teammates must be at this moment.

Put yourself in others' shoes. If you were leading a team in a competition, and one of your key players suddenly disappeared at the most crucial moment, even the most resilient person would find it unbearable.

Feeling sorry for the old scholar for three seconds, Zhou Wenju suddenly leaped back into the air!

Inside the wooden house, a flower suddenly lit up.

The saintess, gazing at the crescent moon by the window, flicked her hair slightly. Her gaze pierced through the hazy moonlight and landed on Zhou Wenju's gliding figure. Her expression changed slightly: "He actually came out!"

Swish!

The girl in purple suddenly appeared beside her, her face beaming with joy: "Holy Maiden, he appeared at the very last moment before the Green Mountain Literary Gathering. Isn't that fate?"

The saintess stared blankly at the girl's undisguised joy, unsure of what to say.

The major theories have already been explained.

With her intelligence, it's impossible that she didn't understand.

However, she remained stubborn—

Maybe this is what they call "your position determines your perspective"?

As a saint, she should naturally have a grand vision.

But she was just a girl; her world consisted only of her own personal feelings.

Just as Zhou Wenju had predicted.

At this moment, everyone in the Lixian Academy was in a state of utter confusion.

Zhuang Wenhua's face was ashen. If he could curse, if cursing could solve the problem, he would have already started cursing.

Tomorrow is the official opening day of the Aoyama Literary Association.

That bastard Zhou Wenju has disappeared.

For three whole days, there wasn't a soul in sight!

What are you trying to do?

Although he had always been at odds with those in the court, he was deeply moved at this moment, thinking that Zhou, that brat, was truly capable of causing trouble.

"Lord Xuezheng!" Master Xiang Bo, the master of the Daoist arts, frowned deeply. "Should we urgently request His Majesty's permission to send someone over in time? Should we replace him with a replacement commander at the last minute?"

"It's not the final moment yet, we can make a decision tomorrow!" Zhuang Wenhua took a deep breath.

At this moment, he was under immense pressure.

The meeting is about to start, and our team is one person short.

Under normal circumstances, he would need to communicate with His Majesty immediately to arrange a backup; otherwise, the realm of poetry would be defeated without a fight.

However, the two situations put him in a dilemma.

Firstly, the consequences of this matter are extremely dire. If he were to consult with His Majesty, Zhou Wenju would be completely ruined. How could His Majesty entrust such a heavy responsibility to someone who could falter on such an important occasion?

Secondly, this matter is extremely difficult to handle. After His Majesty learns of this sudden event, the only thing he can do is prepare a backup plan, but choosing such a backup plan is actually very difficult.

At the Drunken Star Pavilion, He Wenxin's Dao heart was shattered and his literary heart was clouded. He is still locked in his room, questioning the meaning of life. Can he come? And if he does, how much combat power can he bring?

The same applies to Bai Tianyang, the Six-Colored Flower.

Although he wasn't directly involved and wasn't directly affected, he was young and had a weaker mental fortitude. When Zhou Wenju recited his poem, he was also unsettled. In such a solemn and grand setting, he might also falter.

The only person qualified to be Zhou Wenju's successor was the great scholar Xiang Yuezhou, but the old man left the capital in sorrow the day after "Qing Yu An" was published, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Zhou Wenju, you're a real bastard! You ruined the other three candidates, leaving them in a state of utter disarray, and then you just vanished into thin air yourself!

They'll fry me in oil!

You better be back to the unit tonight. If you don't, you'll see what I do to you.

"It will be too late tomorrow, sir!" Zhang Yi said.

"It's alright. At the literary gathering, the classics will lead the way, and poetry will come later. If he hasn't returned by the time the gathering starts, I will ask His Majesty again. During the time allotted for the competitions in classics, calligraphy, painting, chess, and mathematics, there will be enough time for our backup personnel to arrive." This was probably the only thing Zhuang Wenhua could do: give him one more night.

The group looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

However, the frustration and worry in everyone's hearts were still reflected on their faces.

The participants of the Qingshan Literary Gathering were all scholars. Since ancient times, it has been customary for scholars to belittle each other. In private, no one was willing to admit defeat to anyone else. However, everyone was also a sensible person. Only if the Great Yu Kingdom won the Qingshan Literary Gathering could they talk about their personal glory for eternity. If they lost, no matter how well you performed, it would be greatly diminished.

At this moment, everyone is one.

We share both glory and shame!

Everyone's life's honor is pinned on this literary gathering; if Zhou Wenju falters, they will all suffer.

Ding Yuchou gritted his teeth: "All the officials in the court say that this boy is lawless, acts recklessly, and is utterly worthless. Today, I have truly experienced his wisdom."

"Master Xuezheng, esteemed masters, please don't do this." Cui Wusheng said with a worried expression, "Based on my understanding of Brother Zhou, he is not the type to make mistakes without reason. I am worried that he has fallen into the enemy's trap."

"Follow the enemy's methods? If you were in the Academy of Learning, under the protection of the Academic Master, whose methods could you possibly follow?" Ding Yuchou retorted angrily, "He went out on his own; even if something went wrong, it was his own fault!"

Upon learning of Zhou Wenju's disappearance, Xuezheng Zhuang Wenhua immediately performed the "Yin-Yang Divination" of the Yin-Yang School. The result of the divination, which revealed that he had left the room voluntarily, undoubtedly infuriated everyone.

As a member of the team, ignoring team discipline and leaving the team without permission is an act of lawlessness.

Just then, a figure flashed in the courtyard, and a figure came flying through the air.

It was none other than Zhou Wenju.

"Brother Zhou—" Cui Wusheng exclaimed in surprise, overjoyed.

Zhuang Wenhua locked his gaze on the object at a glance, his eyes gleaming.

There are small sparks of anger, and there is also the joy of something lost and then found again.

The others all breathed a sigh of relief. All seven pairs of bright eyes simultaneously fell on Zhou Wenju's face.

Zhou Wenju bowed deeply: "Master Xuezheng, esteemed masters, I apologize. My trip has violated team spirit."

He admitted his mistake.

Zhuang Wenhua slowly exhaled: "Why did Grandmaster Zhou leave without permission?"

Zhou Wenju said, "I went out on my own to learn about the customs and opinions of the Spirit Clan."

Ding Yuchou coldly replied, "What kind of time is this to still have the mind to understand the people's sentiments and opinions?"

At least several masters share this sentiment.

What time is this?

It was the eve of the Aoyama Literary Society meeting.

The only priority for all attendees is to prepare for tomorrow's big test.

Who has the time or inclination to understand the people's sentiments and opinions?

Zhou Wenju raised his eyes: "Does Master Ding think that the Green Mountain Literary Gathering is everything?"

Ok?

Ding Yuchou frowned: "What do you mean?"

"When nations interact, interests come first. A so-called contract is merely a pretext on the table. What truly determines the marriage alliance between the Great Yu Kingdom and the Spirit Clan is what each side needs." Zhou Wenju said, "I would like to know, from the Spirit Clan's perspective, is it more advantageous to go south or north?"

These words sent a jolt through everyone present.

Zhuang Wenhua, in particular, was a member of the Wenyuan Pavilion. Although he was also a subject of the Great Yu Kingdom, his status was far superior to that of ordinary people.

He understood what Zhou Wenju was saying—

He was also moved by Zhou Wenju's statement that "when countries make diplomatic relations, interests come first, and a so-called contract is nothing more than a pretext on the table."

This statement is insightful and reveals the essence of relations between countries.

Zhuang Wenhua said, "Master Zhou, please tell me what you have learned from your investigation!"

"Everything I've seen on this trip is just like the Jiangnan region of the Great Yu!"

Ten words!

Before Zhuang Wenhua's Wendao soundproofing ring is fully formed.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Wenhua immediately terminated the soundproofing of Wendao.

I'm not afraid of being overheard!

He even wanted people to eavesdrop!

Cui Wusheng looked up: "Brother Zhou's personal visit and impressions are completely consistent with my observations through the window. The Spirit Clan, whose core cultivation method revolves around the wood element, is exceptionally sensitive to soil and climate. The Great Yu Kingdom, located in the south, boasts fertile soil and a mild climate, making it a perfect match for the Spirit Clan. In contrast, the Yan Kingdom suffers from a harsh climate and barren land, completely incompatible with the Spirit Clan's characteristics. This is an innate advantage that even the most powerful methods cannot change. I imagine that ordinary members of the Spirit Clan would prefer the south?"

"That's exactly right!" Zhou Wenju said. "If there are even a few people in the Spirit Clan who are inclined to go north, they're either out of their minds or have the wrong motives."

Zhuang Wenhua smiled gently: "Public opinion is overwhelming, and their hearts are turned south, which is excellent! However, the rule that 'the parties previously agreed on the direction of the marriage alliance' has already been established, and this process must be completed. Everyone, you don't need to work hard tonight. Get some rest and prepare for tomorrow's meeting!"

"yes!"

The grandmasters bowed simultaneously and returned to their respective rooms.

A wooden house —

The saintess's eyes flickered—

"When nations interact, interests come first. A contract is merely a pretext on the table—" The saintess sighed softly, "This young man's vision and perspective are truly different from ordinary people."

"He was inherently intelligent! His wisdom has already been demonstrated in past events—" the purple-clad maid said, "Holy Maiden, I have gathered information about his past deeds. Would the Holy Maiden be interested in knowing more?"

"Hmm? Nothing much to do tonight, tell me about it—" the saintess said.

The girl in purple told the story—

His first notable achievement was on Mount Huding, when his childhood sweetheart and fiancée were abducted by the third prince of Rulan, who also subjected him to extreme humiliation.

With his poem "Let the bright moon descend to the west tower," he let go of his obsession and thus began his legendary literary career of fishing in the sea.

Then they made a wedding dress for the woman.

Unexpectedly, this wedding dress had another purpose: it exposed the woman's promiscuous nature, and even more incredibly, it used the power of propriety to kill the third prince of Rulan.

The saint's eyes suddenly lit up.

She is a member of the Wise Path, and she is known as the Flower of the Spirit Clan.

She excels at finding the sparks of wisdom in unusual events.

That's how it is.

A greenhorn, fresh out of school, plotted to kill the third prince? And with such exquisite skill?

Next is Lingnan —

He used the Mohist art of weapon crafting to forge spears, sweeping across two major families. It seemed like he was dancing on the edge of a knife, recklessly testing the limits on the precipice. However, the final result was that the turmoil was resolved overnight, and Zhou Wenju came into the Emperor's sight and stood out from the crowd.

The saint's eyes sparkled.

"Holy Maiden, this is the extraordinary tale he's accumulated in less than five months since his debut," the woman in purple said. "Does the Holy Maiden think he meets your approval?"

The saintess let out a long sigh: "Seeing through the current situation and discerning the hearts of those in power, what seems like suicidal is actually a display of great wisdom in strategic maneuvering. Such talent is extremely rare among the younger generation."

The woman in purple said, "Therefore—this servant thinks it would be better to befriend him?"

"You've forgotten the very foundation of my race!" the Holy Maiden declared. "The more outstanding he is, the more he deserves to die in my eyes!"