?55: Chapter 49: Gathering of Scholars and Warriors, Dragon and Tiger Knock on the Gate!

    _2 55: Chapter 49: Gathering of Scholars and Warriors, Dragon and Tiger Knock on the Gate!

    _2 “This girl whom I dote on, even if she likes to dress as a man, let her be,”

    As for matters concerning individuals like Fang Ziqiao and Du Keming, even Changsun Wuchou was aware.

    He had never seen a young man who needed to have dispatches sent by the Golden Feathered Eagle twice in a row.

    To wield a Three-foot Sword and pacify the Four Seas, to achieve an unrivaled accomplishment.

    That Second Miss must be very fond of this phrase, no?—

    No, perhaps it is this one.

    To establish eternal peace for all generations!

    Changsun Wuchou raised his glass to drink, and images seemed to emerge before his eyes: the contention in the Western Regions, the fierce winds, and the life-and-death crises of these past years, suddenly feeling a bit drunk.

    Let the white cloth reveal its vastness!

    At today’s Literary Meeting, there were many scholars and celebrities, exchanging cups and engaging in idle talk and listening to music.

    Xue Shuangtao himself enjoyed the Zither’s Sound, and as he listened leisurely, he felt it truly deserved to be such a grand assembly.

    Those who played the zither were experts, far surpassing his own skills, while beside him, Li Guanyi turned his head to have a quiet chat with Changsun Wuchou.

    Suddenly, the young man’s movement paused, and he turned to look at the woman playing the zither, saying naturally:

    “She made a mistake...”

    Xue Shuangtao was stunned.

    He saw the young man casually continue discussing the Desert’s scenery with Changsun Wuchou.

    Li Guanyi, curious about areas beyond Chen Country, enjoyed casual chats, while Elder Xue sat there enjoying himself thoroughly, the other young scholars unaware of the sights their elders had seen before.

    They did not understand why their elders suddenly appeared listless.

    In their eyes, the youth wearing the knife was nothing more than a coarse Martial Artist!

    Today, the title of the top disciple of Mr.

    Wang Tong would inevitably be mine.

    Du Keming was the second to stand up.

    He glanced at Li Guanyi, thought about the recent issues, and without hesitation, crumpled his original official document.

    He spoke plainly and made the topic clear, saying:

    “Today, let’s talk about benevolence and righteousness.”

    “Additionally, write a poem.

    That will suffice.”

    A young man in a green robe exclaimed, “How bizarre, how strange!

    Isn’t today about choosing Mr.

    Wang Tong’s closed-door disciple?

    It should be a very serious matter, yet why does this second trial seem so rough?

    It’s as if it’s being carelessly fudged.”

    Righteousness is the foundation of Confucianism.

    Many noble sons were well-prepared.

    They stood up one by one, discussing their own insights, quoting extensively, displaying flamboyant literary talent, and drawing praise from bystanders.

    Li Guanyi listened until he felt drowsy.

    Since entering the Literary Meeting today, the bronze tripod had been continuously emitting a hot flow, putting him on edge.

    He examined his Inner Qi, but the bronze tripod showed no change.

    It just gave him a feeling as if it were waiting for something.

    At that moment, Du Keming looked at the young man sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

    After hearing those two sentences, no one else caught his eye.

    He decisively said, “Li Guanyi, what do you think?”

    Li Guanyi opened his eyes.

    And saw the young man with sharp features.

    He felt the gaze of the people around him.

    He thought that he had already turned in a blank paper, making it clear he wouldn’t make the list and wouldn’t gain the grand Literary Fortune even more valuable than an official document, so he didn’t understand why Du Keming would ask for his opinion.

    Having already lost, there was no need to care.

    Perhaps it was General Xue’s rough treatment.

    Li Guanyi’s heart was like still water.

    Even now, as he looked at these people who were clearly of high status and wealthy birth staring at him, his Mental State felt not the slightest ripple.

    He looked up calmly and said, “Benevolence?”

    Li Guanyi sat there.

    He could have answered with the responses he had heard before.

    But at this moment, he had his own interpretation of the word.

    He said:

    “Martial Arts, that is benevolence!”

    A gasp went through the crowd, and even the music stopped.

    Those scholars were quietly exchanging words, and someone, referring to a “coarse Martial Artist,” finally could not help but laugh out loud, unable to be suppressed.

    Some were laughing and scolding, saying, “A benevolent person loves others; a courteous person respects others.”

    “One who cultivates oneself is a residence of wisdom; one who loves to give is the beginning of benevolence.

    Loving others, being generous, that is benevolence.”

    “How is killing with Martial Arts considered benevolence?

    After all, you’re just a crude Martial Artist!”

    “Hahaha, indeed, Elder Xue, were you deceived?”

    The young man, however, remained calm and collected, sitting there composedly.

    A crisp sound!

    Suppressed all the voices.

    Xue Shuangtao’s jade bracelet shattered against the large tripod, the breaking sound quieting the surroundings.

    As they looked at the broken jade bracelet, there was a deathly silence, followed by awkwardness.

    The young lady stood there, her eyes slightly lifting at the corners, her apricot pupils sweeping around, smiling softly as she bowed in apology,

    “Excuse me, I accidentally dropped my jade bracelet.”

    “Forgive my disturbance.

    As an apology, Shuangtao will play the zither for everyone.”

    As she carried the zither over, her black hair fell, and she winked at the young man over the zither, saying softly, “For you.”

    Giving you the chance to make a name for yourself.

    The surroundings fell quiet once again.

    Looking at Li Guanyi, Du Keming asked, “How would you resolve it?”

    The youth with the knife resting on his knee answered:

    “Restraining oneself and being charitable is merely to satisfy one’s urge to flaunt ‘benevolence’...

    And yet, after giving charity and feeling content, the gentleman boasts of his benevolence while the number of the suffering only increases.

    Why is that?”

    Slowly, no one had anything to say.

    The youth pressed the knife.

    His brows lifted sharply, feeling that he was merely pretending, yet at this moment he spoke his mind forthrightly:

    “To pacify the land and unify all under heaven.”

    “So that the people need not suffer from the chaos of war.”

    “That is true benevolence!”

    Du Keming fell silent, and Wei Xuancheng asked, “What is righteousness?”

    “Righteousness?”

    Li Guanyi said, “One’s words must be trustworthy, and one’s actions must be decisive.”

    “To repay kindness with kindness, grudge with grudge, virtue with virtue, and grievance with fairness.”

    “Even a feud spanning nine generations may still be avenged, in the name of righteousness.”

    The benevolent pacify the land, the righteous avenge blood feuds to the end.

    Wei Xuancheng’s eyes were shrewd, his lips moved slightly as he whispered to the two senior brothers beside him:

    “It’s over, his ambitions are great but his heart is small.”

    “This lad holds grudges.”

    The crowd fell silent, finding his words absurd yet there was an undeniable air of gravitas about him.

    The young girl played the zither with a poignant sound, Li Guanyi sat down, gave a slight bow in the direction of Elder Xue, and said, “These are but my own thoughts, please forgive the laugh.”

    The atmosphere finally calmed down, and Mr.

    Wang Tong looked at the youth, saying gently:

    “Then, please write a poem.”

    Li Guanyi asked, “May I know the theme?”

    Mr.

    Wang Tong smiled.

    “Whatever you like.”

    You could even write a lighthearted ditty here if you please.

    Li Guanyi’s eyebrows raised slightly, not sure why, but he felt Mr.

    Wang Tong, though without a Dharma Form, exuded an atmosphere of integrity and chill resolve.

    Li Guanyi felt the bronze tripod in his chest growing increasingly hot, with the Red Dragon and White Tiger coiling around it.

    The Red Dragon seemed eager to touch upon Literary Fortune.

    And such potency of Literary Energy reached its pinnacle the moment Mr.

    Wang Tong said “whatever you like.”

    Gathered like a sea of clouds, the Red Dragon swirled amongst them.

    Li Guanyi picked up the pen.

    In the biggest Literary Meeting of the past thirty years, the gaze of each distinguished personality present transformed Literary Fortune into an Azure Dragon dancing with the Dharma Forms.

    Li Guanyi intuitively felt a certain indescribable presence emerge as he penned his writing, as if his inner Qi could break through some barrier, but for some reason, he felt —

    He was one step short.

    One move behind.

    At that moment, suddenly, a series of roaring sounds came from the sky.

    Distant mountains shook, and the heavens blazed crimson red!

    As if Yin and Yang Qi were flowing.

    When Literary Fortune was stirred to its limit.

    The aura of Martial Arts came forth majestically.

    Vast and monumental, it surged upward, crashing into Li Guanyi’s bronze tripod.

    The aura of weaponry became a second White Tiger that roared, and thus Dragon and Tiger Dharma Forms soared, colliding within, Literary and Martial energies intertwined, manifesting as a tempest that twirled and looped.

    Li Guanyi’s actions stiffened as distant laughter was heard —

    Loud as thunder.

    “General Yue’s vanguard, Yue Qianfeng!!!”

    “I come here to challenge!!!”

    The voice reached Li Guanyi’s ears —

    And it was.

    A Dragon Roar, a Tiger’s Howl.

    The sky changed.