Wang Xiaoqiang followed the young man into the Taiqu Hall, released his Divine Sense to probe the seated elderly Confucian Scholar, and then was surprised to find that this elderly scholar's Cultivation Base had reached the Pinnacle of Immortal King, likely reaching the realm of Half-Step Immortal Emperor.
Furthermore, this scholar's Internal Breath was unfathomably deep, extrely profound, yet gave off an aura of modesty as vast as a valley. Wang Xiaoqiang thought, this elderly Confucian Scholar must be the legendary Old Master, the head of Yueyang Academy.
Indeed. The young man stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said, "Master, I have brought Wang Xiaoqiang."
Then, the young man introduced the elderly Confucian Scholar to Wang Xiaoqiang, saying, "This is the head of Yueyang Academy, Old Master."
The Old Master stood up from his cushion, gazed at Wang Xiaoqiang, his eyes gentle and bright, yet as piercing as a torch, giving a sense of sharp insight.
Wang Xiaoqiang clasped his fists, saying, "I have heard of the Old Master's great na for a long ti, eting today truly seems divine."
Wang Xiaoqiang's words carried a tinge of sarcasm, yet were flawless, so the Old Master couldn't find a reason to take issue, he seemingly smiled gently and said, "The champion of the Armor Snatching Tournant, Lord Marquis of Yue Land, the favorite of His Majesty, Immortal Hero, Supre Leader... Wang Xiaoqiang, you truly live up to your na!!"
"Old Master overpraises. Compared to you, I am like a glow compared to the stars and moon, one on the earth, the other in the sky, the difference is vast as heaven and earth..." Seeing the Old Master had a hint of sarcasm, Wang Xiaoqiang retaliated, after all, he was naturally articulate, would he fear this pedantic scholar?
"Haha, enough, if we continue flattering each other like this, goosebumps will fall off," the Old Master waved his hand with a wry smile, saying, "Wang Xiaoqiang, let's get back to the point. You ca today to participate in our Yueyang Academy's student selection, right?"
"Exactly." Wang Xiaoqiang felt sowhat apprehensive, fearing the Old Master would bring up the matter of jesting with Dongfang Qi outside just now.
Unexpectedly, the Old Master did not ntion it, rely nodded and said, "Well, in fact, half a month ago, His Majesty already inford about it, saying he would recomnd you coming in, but you refused, wishing to enter Yueyang Academy on your own strength, is that so?"
"That's correct." Wang Xiaoqiang replied.
"Hmm, very well." The Old Master showed a look of appreciation, stroking his beard and said, "Wang Xiaoqiang, I believe you know, our selection at Yueyang Academy is very strict, we require a certain standard of both cultivation and literary achievent. As for your cultivation strength, there's no need for further testing, now I want to test your literary skills...
Literature is sothing without a clear asuring standard, I will score based on your performance. If you score sixty, you can enter Yueyang Academy, if not, I'm sorry, you may leave, we will not accept..."
Wang Xiaoqiang felt the Old Master was a bit verbose, and interrupted before he could finish saying, "I understand all this, you can test at will."
"Good," the Old Master nodded, signaling the young man with a glance. The young man then explained to Wang Xiaoqiang, "Now to test your literary skills. The test is divided into two parts. The first part is matching couplets; I will give the first line, and you provide the second. The second part is composing a poem, to be completed independently within an Incense Stick Ti... Understand?"
Wang Xiaoqiang nodded, indicating understood.
The young man said, "Alright, let's start with the couplet. My first line is, 'Spring vistas, a thousand mountains flourish...'
Wang Xiaoqiang thought, this challenge is too elentary, compared to our magnificent Huaxia's millennia of culture, it's insignificant. After a brief contemplation, he answered, 'Flowers bloom, a fragrance spreads for miles.'
The young man was unprepared for Wang Xiaoqiang's quick and apt response, which demonstrated literary prowess that should be among the top of previous candidates,
his gaze turned to the Old Master, seeking confirmation.
The Old Master rubbed his beard, smiling and nodding, indicating approval.
The young man then went inside and fetched writing materials and an incense burner, arranged them on a desk, helped grind ink for Wang Xiaoqiang, and lit an incense, then said to Wang Xiaoqiang, "Alright, the second part begins, you are to compose a poem within an Incense Stick Ti."
Wang Xiaoqiang nodded, unfazed and composed. He did not approach the desk, instead, facing the Old Master, said, "Old Master, I have a request... If you agree, I will compose the poem, if not, there's no need for this poem…"
The Old Master and the young man were taken aback, this Wang Xiaoqiang was making conditions at a crucial mont, the Old Master's eyes flashed, "What is it? Speak!"
With a thought, Wang Xiaoqiang brought Dai Yu out of the Suru Ring,
seeing Wang Xiaoqiang using a Storage Ring to bring out a living person, moreover a beautiful woman, the Old Master and young man exchanged peculiar looks, scrutinizing Dai Yu.
"Old Master, this is my sister, her na is Dai Yu; she has always been with supporting each other. I hope to bring her with into Yueyang Academy…" Wang Xiaoqiang stepped over to the slightly startled Dai Yu, reassuring her with a pat on her fragrant shoulder.
"Wang Xiaoqiang, you ca from a Lower Plane, and I hadn't heard you had a sister upon arrival, clearly you're deceiving the Old Master!" the young man expressed indignantly.
Wang Xiaoqiang hadn't expected they had already figured out his background, causing him embarrassnt,
but unexpectedly, Dai Yu stepped forward, slightly bowed to the Old Master, and said, "Honored elder, I am indeed not Wang Xiaoqiang's blood sister, rely his god-sister. Back then, my entire family was slaughtered by evildoers, if not for Brother Qiang's tily intervention, I would not be alive now. Brother Qiang avenged my family's death and adopted , treating as a true sister, taking wherever he goes…"
Dai Yu's words left Wang Xiaoqiang speechless, he truly hadn't expected Dai Yu's ability to fabricate stories matched his own, speaking flawlessly,
the Old Master, well versed in Wang Xiaoqiang's background, but unaware of Dai Yu's details, nodded after listening and said:
"Hmm, alright, however, whether you siblings can both enter Yueyang Academy depends on Wang Xiaoqiang's performance in the second part."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaoqiang said nothing further, directly walked to the desk, took a deep breath, then picked up the brush and wrote a poem on the rice paper.
The poem was completed in one go, without the slightest hesitation, leaving the Old Master and the young man dumbfounded.
After finishing the poem, Wang Xiaoqiang exhaled deeply, placed the brush down, and said to the young man, "Done!"
The young man glanced at the incense on the desk, seeing only a fifth had burned, looked astonished and a bit eager, he moved to the desk, picked up Wang Xiaoqiang's poem, and read it silently, his expression imdiately showed amazent, nodding to the Old Master,
seeing his excited expression, the Old Master said, "Read it to ."
The young man read, "In front of my bed, the bright moonlight, seed like frost on the ground. I raise my head to look at the bright moon, lower my head and think of ho!"
After reciting, except for Wang Xiaoqiang, the other three were deeply shocked, even the usually composed Old Master couldn't suppress his excitent, applauding directly, "Wonderful, wonderful."
Then stepping forward, snatched the poem from the young man's hands, carefully perused it, repeated another reading, then praised while holding the poem, saying:
"This poem is simple and unadorned, but it conveys an Artistic Conception, the sentint of a wanderer longing for ho fully expressed within, wonderful, truly wonderful…" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndations, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.)
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