Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Can Lu Also Write Poetry?
The Xia Kingdom’s Royal City, Tianyu City, was ablaze with lights at the night market, bustling with crowds and extraordinary excitement.
Lu Changsheng led his team to the Royal City and was stunned by the scene of empty alleys thronged with tens of thousands of people, “Why is the Royal City so lively?”
The Second Princess gave him a look of surprise, “Daoist Lu, could it be that you do not know of the Begging Immortal Festival?”
“I would like to hear the details.”
“Legend has it that about a hundred thousand years ago, there were two peerless geniuses who made a pact to be together forever once they attained immortality and mastered the Dao of Longevity. However, the female, blessed with exceptional talent, successfully passed the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation and ascended to the Immortal Realm. The male reached the eight tribulations on his day of tribulation, but fell at the last, failing to overcome the final Heavenly Tribulation, resulting in complete annihilation.”
“At that time, these two had vanquished demons and evils, bestowing kindness upon the people of Xia State. As the lovers could not unite, the common folk lamented, and thus the Begging Immortal Festival came about, in memory of the pair. The festival also embodies the wish ‘to join hands and tie black hair together, to share a life of everlasting union’.”
The Second Princess recounted the story gracefully.
Lu Changsheng was slightly moved, the story behind it truly regrettable.
Xia Ningxue pondered, “This is not a mere legend, but the truth. The one who ascended to the Immortal Realm was the then Pavilion Master of the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion—Fairy Qingxia.”
“What?”
The people of Xia Kingdom as well as those from Mount Shu were startled.
As the Holy Maiden of the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion, Xia Ningxue had access to the Pavilion’s secrets.
Who would have thought that the story behind the Begging Immortal Festival was based on real events!
This was gossip that could shake the entire world!
Even the lofty State Preceptor of Great Xia couldn’t help but ask, “May I inquire, Fairy Xia, who was the male mentioned in the story?”
Xia Ningxue suddenly looked towards Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng shrugged his shoulders, he certainly wasn’t some old monster who had lived for a hundred thousand years.
As an elder of Mount Shu, Xia Ningxue’s gaze towards him—could it imply that the male was a figure from Mount Shu a hundred thousand years ago?
Xia Ningxue slowly said, “The one who perished under the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation, unable to stay forever with Fairy Qingxia, was the twenty-first Sect Leader of Mount Shu—Grandmaster Taixu.”
Astir.
There was an uproar among the people of the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion and Mount Shu.
With their status, they had no access to secrets from a hundred thousand years ago, especially ones that involved the leaders of the two major factions, Mount Shu and the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion.
Xia Ningxue continued, “Although the Ancestral Master of Mount Shu is universally acknowledged as the foremost figure, our Inquiry Immortal Pavilion too, had once birthed two peerless geniuses. One was an unnamed fairy who established the Pavilion two hundred thousand years ago, and the other was Fairy Qingxia from a hundred thousand years ago. They both successfully ascended to the Immortal Realm. Grandmaster Taixu’s talent indeed far exceeded that of ordinary people, but it was still somewhat lacking.”
“Even a person like Grandmaster Taixu could not become an immortal and pursue the path, passing by Fairy Qingxia, it truly is lamentable,” the State Preceptor of Great Xia expressed his sighs.
All Sect Leaders of Mount Shu were exceptional geniuses with unfathomable cultivation, yet such figures could not transcend the Heavenly Tribulation and ascend to immortality, which shows just how difficult the path to becoming an immortal is.
Compared to Grandmaster Taixu, the State Preceptor of Great Xia was merely at the seventh level of the Dao Palace realm, far from ready for the tribulation.
“I imagine even Fairy Qingxia would be shaken in her Dao heart after ascending to the Immortal Realm.”
Xia Ningxue sighed softly.
She too had been moved when she first came across this secret.
“I had not thought that there was such a secret behind the Begging Immortal Festival. Moved by this story, upon my return to the Literary Court, I shall compose a poem to commemorate the tale of Grandmaster Taixu and Fairy Qjngxia,” remarked the Literary Sage of Great Xia, inspiration surging through him. He turned to Lu and said, “Lu, although I may not match your talent in cultivation, when it comes to poetry, you are far from my equal.”
“That remains to be seen.”
Lu Changsheng had memorized quite a few poems before his transmigration, and could be considered somewhat of a literary youth.
“Could it be that Lu has a talent for poetry? Why not take this Begging Immortality Festival as a subject and compose a poem on the spot? If you truly can create a fine poem, I will be completely convinced,” the State Preceptor of Great Xia said.
The State Preceptor of Great Xia thought Lu Changsheng was just speaking off the cuff.
Without extensive reading and studying in the Literary Court, an ordinary person would find it difficult to compose a poem on the spot, either failing to rhyme or missing the point.
The State Preceptor of Great Xia did not believe that Lu Changsheng was an all- around genius.
Xia Ningxue, Si Yan, Lian, and many Great Confucians looked at Lu Changsheng together, as if by some tacit agreement.
Could it be that Lu Changsheng truly had the ability to write poetry?
Lu Changsheng slightly altered the Tang Dynasty poet Cui Hao’s sevencharacter ancient poem “Double Seventh Festival” and, advancing seven steps forward, he recited slowly, “In Tianyu City, the moon is like a ribbon, every household this night holds needle and thread. Immortal robes and jade pendants known only to themselves, never to meet between heaven and earth.”
“Hiss…”
The State Preceptor of Great Xia was dumbfounded.
He just made a casual remark, not expecting Lu Changsheng to truly compose a poem within seven steps, his talent even surpassing many Great Confucians from the Literary Court of Great Xia!
“The first part of the poem describes the Begging Immortality Festival in Tianyu City, and the last part talks about the legend of Grandmaster Taixu and Fairy Qingxia behind the festival, combining reality and fantasy, with profound meaning—truly a fine poem. If Lu were to join our Literary Court, I would even relinquish my position of State Preceptor to him,” the State Preceptor of Great Xia analyzed Lu Changsheng’s seven-character poem and was completely convinced.
Lu Changsheng was not only close to him in terms of cultivation but even surpassed him in literary grace, which forced him to admire Lu.
“Immortal robes and jade pendants known only to themselves, never to meet between heaven and earth…” Xia Ningxue repeated the line, her gaze brightening as she looked at Lu Changsheng, “This line fits the story of Fairy Qjngxia perfectly; it is most ingenious.”
“Daoist Lu truly is a peerless marvel in this world,” the Second Princess, Si Yan, expressed increasing admiration for Lu Changsheng.
Lu Changsheng was simply borrowing from a Tang Dynasty poet’s sevencharacter poem, yet it drew the attention of everyone present.
If he recited the entire “Complete Tang Poems,” wouldn’t he be treated as a Literary Sage?
The Second Princess arranged for the cultivators from Mount Shu and the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion to stay within her own palace grounds.
The Second Princess, a cultivator of the Dao Palace realm, was deeply favored by the Emperor and had her own luxurious palace, complete with dance pavilions and singing platforms, lacking nothing.
The next day, the Second Princess led Lu Changsheng to the treasure vault of the Xia Kingdom to select elixir pills as a thank-you gift.
Learning that Lu Changsheng had joined forces with the State Preceptor to kill several unparalleled experts of the Dao Palace realm from the Reincarnation Hall, the Emperor of Great Xia knew that Lu Changsheng’s future was boundless. By fostering good relations with Lu Changsheng, he was also doing the same with Mount Shu, so he agreed to the Second Princess’s decision.
“Your Highness, the treasure vault is a restricted area. Unless there is an imperial decree, even you may not enter,” the old eunuch guarding the treasure vault stopped the Second Princess and Lu Changsheng.
A Dao Palace realm expert?
Lu Changsheng was slightly surprised.
But then he thought, a place as important as the Great Xia treasure vault would only be guarded by a highly-trusted, high-level confidant of the Emperor of Great Xia.
The Second Princess took out a paper, “Here is the imperial decree from Father Emperor. And this is Elder Lu from Mount Shu, who has shown great favor to Great Xia. That is why Father Emperor has instructed me to choose thirty fourth or fifth-grade elixir pills as a thank-you gift.”
“This servant obeys the command.”
The old eunuch tried to perceive Lu Changsheng’s cultivation level, but Lu Changsheng’s aura was like a black hole, impossible to ascertain.