Chapter 112: The Secret Realm of the Great Emperor Opens! One Hundred Enter, Competing for Opportunities
*People experience sorrow, joy, separation, and reunion. The moon waxes and wanes—such things have been difficult to perfect since ancient times. May we live long, sharing the moon even thousands of miles apart.*
As Lin Qi’an finished reciting, everyone’s expressions changed dramatically. The final line recited by the Crown Prince was completely different from Ji Bai’s version!
The scholars gathered from all over the country visibly became excited, their bodies even trembling with emotion.
That final line—”May we live long, sharing the moon even thousands of miles apart”—was beyond what could be described as exquisite. For a moment, no one dared to speak, and the crowd fell into silent reflection, savoring the full poem in the quiet night.
After a long pause, someone finally broke the silence with a single word, “Brilliant!”
That one enthusiastic exclamation instantly ignited the crowd like a stone dropped into a still pond, causing waves of excitement.
“What an incredible line—’May we live long, sharing the moon even thousands of miles apart!’”
“That line completes the entire poem like the finishing touch on a masterpiece!”
“I never expected the last line to be so profound. It’s on a completely different level from the previous version.”
“Haha! Truly a timeless classic!”
Even those who weren’t true scholars, but rather ordinary people who had managed to sneak in, could tell how much better the Crown Prince’s version was compared to Ji Bai’s.
After hearing it, many couldn’t help but silently repeat the lines in their hearts, over and over again. The more they tasted it, the more they discovered its depth—it was simply indescribable.
Countless admiring gazes converged on Lin Qi’an. If not for him, today’s masterpiece might have remained buried and forgotten! Even the maids, who had known the Crown Prince for some time, were genuinely surprised.
They had no idea the Crown Prince had such literary talent! Handsome, naturally gifted, an extraordinary cultivator, and now revealed to be a scholar of considerable merit as well—could so many virtues truly reside in one man?
“I… I think I’ve had an epiphany!” Lu Miaoyin’s beautiful eyes trembled as she felt the energy within her suddenly surge. Previously, when she heard Ji Bai recite the poem, she had thought it was a decent composition.
But after listening to Lin Qi’an’s rendition, and understanding the deep familial longing conveyed within the poem, her comprehension had undergone a dramatic transformation!
Through literature, she found her path into the Dao. The resonance between the two lifted her cultivation to the next level. In an instant, she ascended from the fourth stage of the Transcendent Realm to the fifth!
Lu Miaoyin realized then how right Lin Qi’an had been. If not for him, they would have all been misled.
“Magnificent poem!”
The Holy Master of Literature, Wang Yi, stood up abruptly, raising his wine cup. His deep voice resonated throughout the crowd, “In gratitude to the Crown Prince, this Saint offers a toast!”
With that, he drained his cup in one go. The other scholars and guests marveled, for a saint who cultivated through literature to offer a public toast spoke volumes about how extraordinary this poem was.
Lin Qi’an had become the center of everyone’s attention.
Zhao Ziyu, watching Lin Qi’an steal the limelight once again, felt a twinge of displeasure. In frustration, he sent a voice transmission to the National Preceptor. “Is this poem really that good?”
“A treasure of literature!” replied the Preceptor without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Ji Bai’s face had turned deathly pale. “Impossible… impossible…” He staggered a few steps, his lips trembling.
How could Lin Qi’an know the poem written by the Wenchu Emperor? It was only recorded in a casual manuscript. How could Lin Qi’an know the complete version? As his mind reeled, the crowd’s disdain intensified.
“So it really was plagiarism, and he didn’t even copy it all!”
“How disgusting! I can’t believe I was defending him earlier.”
“Exactly! He insulted our intelligence—what a disgrace!”
“Get out! You’ve embarrassed yourself enough.”
Those who had previously doubted Lin Qi’an or questioned his abilities now felt overwhelming guilt, wishing they could kneel and apologize.
Their guilt quickly turned into anger, and they began shouting accusations at Ji Bai. Such a person wasn’t fit to be called a scholar; even common folk would look down on him.
Ji Bai clenched his fists, his gaze turning to Lu Miaoyin in desperation, “Miaoyin, please listen to me! I didn’t plagiarize it!”
“There’s no need for further words,” Lu Miaoyin replied coolly. “From this day forward, you and Qinglian Immortal Island are no longer connected.”
Her delicate features remained impassive, her demeanor cold and distant, as though an unbridgeable chasm now separated them.
【Ding! The path of Ji Bai’s rise has been cut off. His luck value -200, and host villain value +2000.】
At this point, Ji Bai’s fortune had dropped to just 300. Lin Qi’an could easily kill him now and seize his core of fortune. But what was the point? It would be too easy, and the reward wouldn’t be worth much.
“Everyone, quiet!” One of the scholars spoke up, “May I ask the Crown Prince to reveal the true author of this poem?”
The crowd was curious. If neither Ji Bai nor the Crown Prince wrote the poem, then who did?
Lin Qi’an, without taking credit, calmly replied, “Naturally, it was written by the Wenchu Emperor. Beiyang was fortunate enough to come across a fragment of his work, and I’ve read part of it.”
“So it was written by the Wenchu Emperor!”
“Does the Crown Prince have any more unpublished works of his?”
“Please, Crown Prince, share them with us!”
The crowd erupted in excitement, their voices filled with anticipation.
Lin Qi’an smiled lightly and said, “Indeed, there is one more.”