How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

Chapter 149 No Old Friends West of Yangguan Pass

Above the sky, the scene that everyone had just witnessed reappeared—

A desolate border town, a vast frontier, a long pavilion on an ancient road—a scene of farewell!

An aged, sacred voice echoed: "The morning rain in Luoyang dampens the light dust, the willows by the inn are fresh and green. I urge you to drink another cup of wine, for beyond Yangguan there will be no old friends!" The poem, now passed down through generations, was created by Zhou Wenju of the Great Yu Kingdom!

As soon as the sacred voice fell, twenty-eight characters rose into the air.

Above the sky, the still picture suddenly came to life, and the farewell scene at the pavilion came to life.

Inside the long pavilion, there were lifelike projections of the four people in the Listening to the Rain Pavilion.

"Heavenly Dao Green Poem!" Zhongba sprang to his feet!

Snapped!

In Tingyu Pavilion, someone's wine cups were overturned.

Nobody cared.

The emotions of the people in the pavilion instantly surged and churned like the still waters of Mirror Lake outside, unsettled in the springtime atmosphere.

"Heavenly Poem!" The entire city of Luoyang was shaken.

Countless windows opened.

All pedestrians on the street stopped.

At Luoyang Academy, all classes were suspended, and all students either rushed out of the classroom or opened the windows.

All the professors were gesticulating wildly.

One of them gazed at the sky for a long time, and then his eyes slowly closed.

The moment his eyes closed, Wenxin, who had been recuperating for a month, felt a sudden urge to break.

This person was none other than He Wenxin, the master of poetry at Luoyang Academy.

He was also the one who fueled this rumor.

He was originally the strongest contender among the participants of the Qingshan Literary Society's Poetry Conference.

However, at the Drunken Star Tower, he was decisively defeated by this country boy from Lingnan, who brutally beat him from every angle. How could he possibly accept this?

If Zhou Wenju loses the Qingshan Literary Gathering, he will naturally stir up a frenzy.

However, Zhou Wenju's success at the Qingshan Literary Gathering, which he single-handedly controlled two different paths, was something He Wenxin could never match in ten lifetimes. Therefore, with the help of powerful figures in the official and literary circles, he devised a new rumor to tell the world that Zhou Wenju's fame would be short-lived and that the Qingshan Literary Gathering would be his swan song. With the blessing of the words of Huangye Temple, many people believed this claim.

After all, in this world, too many geniuses are just flashes in the pan.

There have been far too many instances where a grand event has exhausted its luck.

After all, Huangye Temple's inscriptions have never been wrong.

However, today, Zhou Wenju's poem on the Dao of Heaven has suddenly appeared out of nowhere—

What is the significance of the Heavenly Dao Green Poem?

In the past thirty years, the entire Great Yu Kingdom has never seen a Heavenly Dao Azure Poem!

Zhou Wenju's last poem, "Qing Yu An," was a ci (a type of classical Chinese poetry).

This is a standard seven-character poem.

Some people question whether the lyrics are vulgar or not, but how can you doubt the ultimate in poetry?

What does this mean?

This means that he has taken another step forward in his already impressive career at the Qingshan Literary Society!

From this day forward, who would still believe that this unconventional poetic genius, who excelled in literature, has exhausted his life force?

Drunken Flower Shade!

Upstairs by the window, the otherworldly beauty of the young lady exhaled softly: "Just now, a beautiful melody, 'Yangguan Sandie,' left its mark on the heavens—the ultimate in music! And now, a poem about the way of heaven has also left its mark on the heavens, and it's the same mark as before! What does this mean?"

No one answered!

Nobody can answer that!

The young lady answered herself: "Poetry and music complement each other perfectly. Is it an interpretation of the poem or the music, or is the music itself an interpretation of the poem? Both the poem and the music are flawless, a masterpiece of poetry and music, truly a gem among men! Lin Shuiyao, how could you lose someone like that?"

Her gaze fell on Lin Shuiyao.

Lin Shuiyao stood there dumbfounded, completely oblivious to the young lady's attention.

She had completely lost consciousness and cognitive abilities; only one thought kept replaying in her mind—

Does this mean he has reached the pinnacle of the literary world?

If I follow him, wouldn't that mean I've already achieved my life's goal?

Standing in the spotlight, basking in the envy of all women?

Why did things turn out so badly when we had such a great hand?

On the lakeside, inside a sedan chair, the Seventh Princess's mouth was half open, and her chest heaved rapidly.

But this time, she didn't say a word.

The girl locked her head, her eyes wide open, her pupils seemingly writing two big words: It's over!

That damn Zhou, how can you cause so much trouble?

Look at how much you've bewitched the Seventh Princess, and you're still pushing her further and further in!

She'll really go crazy if this happens—

If she goes mad, I, Little Lockhead, am doomed! I'll be infinitely close to the dry well in the palace!

A bluish light permeated the Listening to Rain Pavilion.

Above the horizon, the Dao Sea slowly opened.

Twenty-eight characters connected in a line, piercing straight to the Dao Sea.

This part of the Dao Sea was also bathed in a blue light.

Zhou Wenju's hand suddenly sank, and a blue Wen Dao spirit fish emerged from the water, flowing straight into his sea of ​​consciousness, Wen Shan, along the silk thread.

The azure spirit fish didn't look very big, but the literary energy it contained was almost liquid. Its literary mountain was lush and verdant, and the newly formed literary heart on the literary mountain had grown a size larger.

The azure aura flowed down the wall between heaven and earth, directly into the five mountains within the body.

At this moment, Wudaoshan seemed to have stepped into spring.

It is full of vitality.

In the vibrant Wudaoshan Mountain, life seems to be faintly emerging.

There is a heart that quietly sprouts in the unknown.

The Daoist state of mind is almost there!

Zhuque Road.

Lin House.

In the misty drizzle, the red pavilion looked exceptionally elegant.

Lin Nongyue sat in the red pavilion, her face as if she had just drunk three jugs of wine.

Gazing at the "Qing Shi Liu Ying" (a poem title) in the sky, I was completely mesmerized.

"Sister Nongyue, have you copied it down yet?" came the voice of Lin Ruoruo, the fourth young lady of the Lin family, from the side.

"What?" Lin Nongyue woke up with a start.

"This poem about the way of heaven that your husband wrote?" Lin Ruoruo said.

"Ah—oh—" Lin Nongyue's heart pounded wildly. She quickly took out a pen and started copying under the paper umbrella.

After she finished copying, the twenty-eight characters in the sky disappeared.

"Sister Nongyue, my father said he—he's coming tomorrow!" Lin Ruoruo asked. "When he comes, will he take you to his house?"

"No, he—he said he would take me home," Lin Nongyue said.

"When are you two getting married?"

"This—" Lin Nongyue couldn't answer. She really couldn't tell this girl in front of her that she and he weren't in that kind of relationship; she had only traveled with him once.

She stayed at the Lin residence to spend time with her father.

Father was just worried that his affair would be exposed, so he made up a lie, saying that this illegitimate daughter was his woman and that he took her in so that he could go to the meeting at Qingshan in peace.

Essentially, she and Lin Ruoruo in front of her were vying for her father's affections.

But this girl is completely infatuated with that jerk, and all she wants is to "steal his man" from her. What kind of mess is this?

"Sister Nongyue, I advise you not to be so reserved. There are a lot of people eyeing your husband. If you relax even a little bit, he might really be snatched away by someone else, really—"

"For example—you?" Lin Nongyue glanced at her sideways.

"Sister, why are you like this? I—I'm different, I—I—if I really were—then you would definitely be the legal wife!"

This was probably her most explicit statement yet.

I don't deny that she likes him.

However, she did not vie for the position.

Lin Nongyue was completely distraught.

Or, Zhou, you big jerk, you'd better not come over tomorrow.

I'll come find you, okay?

Otherwise, my sister would be in big trouble.

The city is full of diverse scenes, but the main theme is excitement.

Of course, not everyone was excited.

At least one young man in a private room at a restaurant had an extremely solemn expression on his face.

He is Bai Luoshui.

Bai Luoshui, a renowned master of chess, usually moves like black and white pieces on a chessboard, possessing an elegant and refined demeanor reminiscent of a celestial being.

But today, the chess piece in his hand seems to weigh a ton.

The cup of tea in front of him had long since gone cold.

"Young master, this person's wonderful music and his poem on the Dao of Heaven have made him famous throughout the capital. He is currently enjoying unparalleled fame. Should we temporarily avoid his wrath?" A woman behind him breathed a sigh of relief.

She is also a wise person.

She has a clear understanding of the situation.

The young master has arranged an operation.

Today is the day to implement it.

However, the fact that the other party made such a big commotion today has attracted the attention of the entire city.

In this situation, can it still move?

Logically speaking, one should avoid confrontation in this situation.

Bai Luoshui slowly raised her gaze: "Humans observe the weather before acting; I will strike where the enemy is strongest! Proceed according to plan!"

"yes!"

The woman behind him flickered and disappeared from the spot.

It was as if it had never existed.

Bai Luoshui picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and felt the cool tea penetrate his lungs. He quietly exhaled.

He is a master of Go.

He's actually the best at reading the "sky," but today, he's a bit flustered.

Because he suddenly realized that he couldn't wait any longer!

This person's strength has repeatedly defied his predictions.

People like this can't be waited for!

It seems that every day brings new variables.

Even though he considers himself unbeatable among the younger generation in his chess skills, he still feels apprehensive when faced with these ever-changing variables.

God knows what other astonishing new tricks he'll come up with in a few days.

Therefore, we must take action tonight!

Just when he was at the height of his power, we struck him so hard he would never recover!

Eliminate this potential problem forever!

Time passed minute by minute.

Inside the Listening to the Rain Pavilion, wine cups clinked and maids bustled about.

Until dusk.

The four of them were already quite drunk.

The banquet was coming to an end.

"Today's meeting is a great comfort!" Zhongba raised his cup. "Let's drink another cup, wishing Brother Cui a speedy return!"

Xin Shisan also said, "Brother Cui, please don't worry about your family while you're away. Your mother is already a Lady of the Imperial Court, and no villain would dare to act recklessly. I will keep a close eye on her."

"Thank you, Brother Zhong, thank you, Brother Xin!" Cui Wusheng raised his cup in thanks.

Zhou Wenju and the other two got up to say goodbye, and Cui Wusheng saw them off at the courtyard gate.

After seeing them off, he returned home, with his mother standing in the backyard.

Cui Xiu'e gently raised her hand: "My son, do you truly wish to journey west?"

"yes!"

"Your father went west thirty-one years ago and has not returned since. My son will go west thirty-one years from now. Will I be able to wait for my son to return?" Tears welled up in Mother Cui's eyes.

"Mother, please rest assured. My purpose in coming here is to fulfill your wish. Whether I succeed or not, I will definitely return within three years!"

"Then your mother will wait for you here! Waiting for you and your brothers to recite poems and sing songs in Tingyuxuan again."

"Mother, let me play another piece for you. This piece was also composed by Brother Zhou, and I assure you that you have never heard such a wonderful piece before."

A song titled "Only Vines Entwine Trees in the World" was quietly played amidst the literary blockade. Accompanied by the lyrics, "Let's be bound together, our friendship will last a hundred years. If I die at ninety-seven, I'll wait for you on the Bridge of Helplessness for three years," Cui's mother burst into tears.

If I die at the age of ninety-seven, I will wait for three years on the Bridge of Helplessness.

She waited for far more than three years.

It has been a full thirty-one years —

The streets of Luoyang are ablaze with lights from every home.

On the bluestone road, three figures were stretched long by the streetlights.

After leaving Mirror Lake, we embarked on Xuanwu Avenue.

There was no tranquility like Mirror Lake around, only the luxurious feasts and wines of the wealthy in Luoyang.

Accompanied by the melodious music from the brothels on both sides—

"Brother Zhou, you'll be leaving Luoyang tomorrow and returning to the remote and impoverished Lingnan region. Will you be able to get used to it?" Zhongba asked.

Zhou Wenju smiled gently: "You say Lingnan is a poor and remote place, but in my eyes it is clearly a paradise on earth."

"Come on, Lingnan, a paradise on earth? Officials turn pale at the mention of Lingnan, regarding exile there as the ultimate punishment, and you call it a paradise?"

"That varies from person to person," Zhou Wenju said. "Perhaps I still prefer some peace and quiet."

"Tch! You like peace and quiet, but where have you ever found peace and quiet?" Chung-pachi glared at him.

They both laughed.

Xin Shisan also laughed: "I've been to Lingnan more times than Brother Zhong, so I agree with half of what Brother Zhou said."

Lingnan remains the same Lingnan, but Qishan today is no longer the Qishan it was before last winter. The people live in peace and prosperity, and the officials are honest and compassionate; it truly resembles a secluded paradise.

"Hmm?" Zhongba said, "So, Brother Zhou's reckless foolishness that day actually created a paradise on earth?"

"That's why I say the officialdom is truly hopeless now. Even you, Brother Zhong, think I'm just fooling around!" Zhou Wenju shook his head slightly.

"Brother Zhou, please don't say that. I just dare not openly admit that it was a good thing for you to wipe out an entire family, but that doesn't mean I don't secretly applaud it. Otherwise, why would we become like-minded friends?" His voice suddenly stopped.

Looking up, I saw a group of people coming out of the restaurant in front of me.

The person at the front, dressed in an exceptionally conspicuous white robe, with a white umbrella covering his head, was surrounded by a large group of family members. He strode towards Zhou Wenju and his two companions.

A voice came from Xin Shisan within Zhou Wenju's sea of ​​consciousness.

"He Liang, the third son of He Fang, the Vice Minister of Rites!"

He was a member of the "Faith" sect, and he had gathered a great deal of information.

Ever since this brother became enemies with He, Li, and Rulan Wang, he has been gathering information on all the important figures in these families.

He Liang, son of He Fang!

Zhou Wenju immediately filled in the blanks with this person's information in his mind —

If Xin Shisan is good at gathering information, then he certainly is even better at it. How could he not have some knowledge of the situation after entering the capital?

The third son, He Liang, did not stay in Qishan County, but went to Beijing with his father.

The fundamental reason is that he is successful.

Those who lack ambition stay in their hometowns, while those who are ambitious naturally step onto the biggest stage in the capital.

This young man is a literary prodigy.

He was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations.

Although he failed the imperial examination last year, he still holds considerable influence among the literary circles in the capital.

Everyone said that this child would surely become a great scholar and a successful candidate in the imperial examinations.

As an official, his greatest wish was for his descendants to pass the imperial examination with flying colors. Therefore, among the direct descendants of the He family, this person was highly valued by He Fang.

"Zhou Wenju, you've finally arrived in the capital!" He Liang waved his hand lightly, and the umbrella behind him came to rest.