Chapter 64

The second floor of the Xiu Hua Lou had a total of twenty-one private rooms. White gauze curtains hung down like waterfalls from the ceiling, and vases around the rooms held freshly picked flowers, making people feel as though they had stepped into a fairyland.

However, the curtains of the other private rooms had all been removed by the serving girls one by one, leaving only the curtains of the Crown Prince's three private rooms still covering them.

In one private room were the Crown Prince, Bai Li, Chen Ji, Liang Gou, and Liang Mao. She Dengke, Liu Quxing, and other Jianghu figures sat in the other two private rooms.

Liang Gou didn't care. Even if the curtains weren't removed, serving girls continuously brought in wine and food. He thought the wine cups in this Qingyin Small Class were too small, so he simply switched to using bowls.

The Crown Prince rolled up his sleeves and sat blankly behind the curtain at the desk. He held the brush rack and couldn't even write a single sentence of poetry.

He slowly looked towards Chen Ji. Chen Ji was still sleeping with a frown, so he was likely out of the question.

He then slowly looked towards Liang Gou, Liang Mao... forget it!

Finally, he looked at Bai Li: "Uh, Bai Li, can you write one? I remember you've written poetry before."

Bai Li said awkwardly: "My teachers criticized my writing as 'messy and chaotic.' I can't write. If I do, it'll just be a joke."

Liang Gou laughed happily: "This Qingyin Small Class just likes to pretend to be mysterious. It's clearly to make money, yet they still set up so many obstacles for you. But literati just fall for this! As I see it, Bai Yi Alley isn't as straightforward as Hong Yi Alley."

"The Xiang Niang of that Jinfang has absolute alcohol tolerance. You drink several cups, and she'll drink several cups with you, truly enjoyable."

Liang Mao pouted: "Brother, you just like her alcohol tolerance, I don't want to expose you!"

At this moment, outside the curtain, Chen Wenxiao's laughter came: "Why are there still three curtains not removed? Perhaps the friends inside feel this is more elegant and quiet?"

The Crown Prince retorted through the curtain: "Fine lines naturally formed, wonderful hand occasionally obtained. Writing poetry is not in quantity, but in quality. If it's not refined enough, what's the use of writing more? I feel Liu Hangshou's game is somewhat hasty, forcing everyone to immediately write three poems related to autumn. You can write them, but under such a rush, what good things can be written? Do you all think the poems you just wrote can be passed down for thousands of years?"

Outside the curtain, it quieted down. Some people were pondering the Crown Prince's words, while others were pondering the eight words 'Fine lines naturally formed, wonderful hand occasionally obtained.'

Chen Wenzong was silent for a moment: "I can't hear clearly, remove the curtain to speak."

Crown Prince: ......

He turned his head to look at Chen Ji, only able to place his last hope on Chen Ji waking up.

The Crown Prince was somewhat worried: "Chen Ji isn't dead, is he?"

"Impossible, he's still breathing," Bai Li Junzhu thought for a moment and said: "He was probably too tired after being injured and then tormented by you all."

"Let's wait a little longer and see if he wakes up."

Chen Ji didn't wake up. He had already fought to the point of exhaustion.

On the peak of Qing Shan, Chen Ji and the Ju Ji Zhan Shi were both panting. Just now, the two had exchanged over a hundred probing strikes, and neither was able to defeat the other.

Xuanyuan didn't know when he had changed into a black king's robe. The sleeves of the robe were embroidered with gold thread, depicting the Ziwei Gong in the center, with the Taiwei Gong and Tian Shi Yuan flanking it on both sides.

The golden armor and the king's banner had all disappeared.

Xuanyuan sat upright on the giant stone. He was clearly just sitting on a giant stone, yet he still looked like an emperor sitting on a golden chair.

His expression was dignified, solemn.

Like the black of his body's king's robe, calm, rational, beyond doubt.

Xuanyuan saw the two weren't moving, then urged coldly: "This round has already been fought for two incense sticks' time. How long do you two want to delay? On the real battlefield, shoulder to shoulder in battle arrays, where is there time for you to breathe!"

The Ju Ji Zhan Shi received the order and immediately swung the bronze ji, howling forward.

Chen Ji's eyes did not flinch. He stared intently at the horizontally chopping ji blade. His body only leaned back slightly, and the ji blade passed over his nose bridge, yet it didn't injure him at all.

This dodge was light and casual, as if breathing with the world, natural, lifting heavy as light.

Inside Chen Ji's body, the furnace fire had already lit sixteen lamps. His strength already surpassed ordinary people, even wrestling with Jing Dynasty spies, he steadily held the upper hand.

But he had suddenly gained a body of strength, and he wasn't even familiar with his own body, also lacking force techniques.

Force techniques are like a lever. Without this lever, ten percent strength can only be used at eight percent. With this lever, ten percent strength can be exerted at twelve percent.

Now, Chen Ji already knew what his body was like, where his strength was hidden!

However, the Ju Ji Zhan Shi was also not weak. Seeing that one strike missed, he immediately twisted his waist and turned his body, forcibly changing the direction of the ji blade with the strength of his waist and hips.

Clearly, it was sweeping a thousand troops from left to right, yet suddenly it reversed with a pick!

The ji blade passed over Chen Ji's chest, leaving a wound, forcing back Chen Ji's attempt to take advantage and sneak attack.

But, after being injured, Chen Ji didn't bow his head to look at the wound, but still stared intently at the Ju Ji Zhan Shi, as if the wound wasn't painful, like a leopard slightly bending its waist.

Although injured, there was no sign of falling behind.

Xuanyuan had once said that Chen Ji had lost his fighting instinct, but he suddenly realized he was wrong.

In just one day, he personally witnessed the other go from embarrassingly running all over the mountain to now fighting evenly with the Ju Ji Zhan Shi.

His steps, techniques, even force techniques were becoming more and more rough, yet more and more authentic.

A casual punch or kick clearly looked very rushed and clumsy, yet full of violence and direct domineering.

"Only six hours ah,"

Xuanyuan sighed lightly.

The fighting instinct in the other's body, like a ten-thousand-year-old unseen immortal long sword, was being little by little wiped off the dust.

But although Xuanyuan thought so, his mouth yet mocked: "Six hours already, still can't win? This Ju Ji Zhan Shi is merely a soldier in my army array."

Chen Ji, while panting, looked at the Ju Ji Zhan Shi and said with a smile: "He's not good with words, don't mind him ah, you are very powerful, it's very normal not to defeat you."

Xuanyuan raised an eyebrow.

Chen Ji's expression was tired. He had fought for six hours. The Ju Ji Zhan Shi could stand here time after time full of energy, but he could not.

At this time, every minute, every second was torture for him.

How many times had he died in one day? Forty times or sixty times? He couldn't remember.

At a certain moment, Chen Ji thought, or just give up, it's fine if he doesn't learn the path of the sword seed.

But, when he thought of learning a few more things, having a bit more certainty, then new fighting spirit was ignited. The next moment, the Ju Ji Zhan Shi swung forward again. Chen Ji's body moved, but he pulled the wound on his chest, causing his action to lag. His body was not in time to side, and a piece of flesh was cut off his entire left arm!

This strike was like a watershed. From then on, Chen Ji could only dodge embarrassingly, no longer having any opportunity to actively attack. Xuanyuan mocked Chen Ji: "I see you have no hope, or you simply let me return to the world and leave your last words. Who did you originally want to kill? I'll help you kill them."

"I'll do it myself,"

Chen Ji said while dodging the Ju Ji Zhan Shi's attack and panting.

"Oh? You are very attached to that world?"

"I still have a cat. What will it do if I'm gone?"

Xuanyuan was puzzled: "Cat?"

"I also just made a few friends."

Xuanyuan laughed heartily: "You also need friends? You've said a long time ago that you don't need friends!"

"Were we once friends?"

"Yes, but not anymore."

"Then let's get to know each other again."

When the bronze ji chopped down vertically again,

Chen Ji suddenly bent down and rushed towards the Ju Ji Zhan Shi. Both his eyes were like hooks, tightly locked onto the other's ji blade.

The bronze ji's crescent blade chopped down from above. The Ju Ji Zhan Shi was already prepared for Chen Ji's dodge and various changes afterwards, but this time Chen Ji precisely did not dodge!

Yet, he saw Chen Ji speed up again, actually passing over the position where the crescent blade chopped down, reaching the ji body. With both hands as if holding up mountains, he held the slender ji pole, forcibly stopping the trajectory of the bronze ji's fall!

The Ju Ji Zhan Shi wanted to pull back the bronze ji, but he was shocked to see Chen Ji pull down the ji body and shake it with both hands!

"Let go!"

An inexplicable immense force was transmitted to the bronze ji body, actually shaking the Ju Ji Zhan Shi to involuntarily let go. That strange ji seizing technique... was clearly what the Ju Ji Zhan Shi had used before, yet it was learned by Chen Ji!

"Eh!"

Xuanyuan's eyes brightened. This thousand-hammers-hundred-refinements weapon seizing technique was the absolute skill of his battle array, and it was actually learned in one day.

Only to see Chen Ji swing the bronze ji like a full moon, forcing the Ju Ji Zhan Shi to continuously retreat, like water unable to enter.

In an instant, one chased and one retreated. The Ju Ji Zhan Shi retreated to the edge of Qing Shan with no way to go and could only stand firm. And the bronze ji in Chen Ji's hand did not chop onto his body, but stopped at his neck.

"How about it?"

Chen Ji asked while panting: "Now can you teach me?

The long-lost joy of victory filled his heart.

In the hot breath, Chen Ji was like turning over an insurmountable mountain again, as if he had climbed all the way to the top, seeing the sunrise breaking through the sea of clouds, generally tranquil yet high-spirited.

Xuanyuan sat leisurely on the giant stone and said: "This is just satisfactory? Now your strength in my army array can only serve as a soldier."

"Hm?"

Chen Ji was puzzled.

Yet, he saw Xuanyuan beckon towards the battle array solidified by time on his face. Actually, another Pu Dao Shi carrying a long knife at his waist walked out of the ranks, walked onto this Qing Shan, and knelt on one knee facing Xuanyuan: "King, what matter do you summon?"

Xuanyuan pointed to Chen Ji: "This boy is already familiar with the Ju Ji Zhan Shi's attack and defense. Now it's your turn." Chen Ji's eyes widened. He looked at the battle array below the mountain with all eighteen kinds of weapons complete, and his face immediately changed: "I can't fight anymore today. My friends are still waiting for me to drink. See you tomorrow!"

Having said that, he actually jumped down voluntarily, falling below Qing Shan.

Xuanyuan looked at the empty cliff edge and said blankly: "I indeed need to get to know you again."

On the second floor of the Xiu Hua Lou, the curtains of the three private rooms were still not removed.

"Autumn, the character 'autumn' can be written." Liang Gou had already drunk until his face was completely red, while the Crown Prince was still scratching his ears and cheeks in front of the desk: what poetry ah.

Yet, he heard someone next to him softly say: "Wait until the ninth month, eighth day of autumn comes, my flowers will bloom after a hundred flowers are killed."

The Crown Prince turned his head to look, only to see Chen Ji had slowly opened his eyes, his eyes full of bloodshot, like a tiger hunting.

Bai Li muttered: "What dream did you have, so full of killing intent?"

The Crown Prince was overjoyed and said in a low voice: "You're finally awake, quick, quick, Bai Li, write down that sentence just now, we're still short eight sentences!"

Chen Ji looked at the handful of gold melon seeds in his hand... even this couldn't wake him up!

While putting the nine gold melon seeds into his sleeve, he considered: "Eight sentences, is it? Bai Li Junzhu, I'll say it, you write it."

Bai Li's eyes brightened: "Good, I'll write."

However, just as the two were speaking and writing, they heard Chen Wenxiao outside the curtain ask again: "Friends in these three private rooms, still haven't written poems related to the character 'autumn'? If you all delay, isn't it delaying everyone's exchange with Liu Hangshou?"

The Crown Prince responded with a smile: "Already writing, already writing."

Chen Wenxiao: "If you can write, why wait until now."

Lin Chaoking's laughter rang out: "I can tell who the friend behind the curtain is, it's the Crown Prince. How about this, Wenzong brother, it's just nine poems related to autumn. You and I were in the same school as the Crown Prince for three years, so let's help him together. I'll write four, you write five. After that, we'll consider them written by the Crown Prince and remove the curtains."

Chen Wenzong hesitated: "This doesn't seem proper."

Lin Chaoking smiled: "Then I'll write all nine myself."

Yet, he gathered his sleeves, called the serving girl of this Xiu Hua Lou to bring pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and with just a wave of a large brush, a poem was done.

The crowd surrounded him, only to see the other nine poems were done in one go, as if they were casually picked up, generally easy.

Lin Chaoking handed the poems to the serving girl: "Take these to Liu Hangshou to look. If they're not badly written, then remove the curtains on the Crown Prince's side."

"No need to show them to Liu Hangshou, even I, this vulgar girl, can see how good these poems are," the serving girl smiled shallowly: "I'll go remove the curtains."

Actually, the three private rooms' curtains being delayed in removal had made the Xiu Hua Lou a bit anxious.

However, the Crown Prince heard Chen Ji's every word like pearls, and saw Bai Li's quick pen like flying, and immediately became anxious: "Wait, we can write them ourselves, don't remove them!"

But by then, it was already too late.

Yet, they saw layer after layer of curtains being removed, and the three private rooms were exposed in front of the crowd.

Liang Gou was drinking in big gulps, already half-drunk. Liang Mao was eating dishes one after another, like eating at a flowing banquet.

Looking at She Dengke, Liu Quxing, and other Jianghu figures, they were also not much better, the table was already a mess. With a puff, Chen Wenxiao burst into laughter: "How have you all eaten and drunk like this?"

Lin Chaoking sat upright behind the desk, his face sinking: "It's rare for Liu Hangshou to come to Luocheng from Qinhuai He tonight. If she sees that the literati of Luocheng behave like this, how disappointed will she be? Crown Prince, tonight is an elegant gathering of literati, why bring these vulgar Jianghu warriors to join in the fun?"

The Crown Prince looked at Lin Chaoking: "I also wrote poetry before coming up, how, you can come, but my friends can't?"

Lin Chaoking shook his head: "Not that they can't come, but it's not suitable for them to come. These few Jianghu friends should eat roadside noodles, walk around Hong Yi Alley more. It also matches their identity and status. Coming here isn't a waste?"

The Crown Prince asked in a deep voice: "What kind of people should go to Hong Yi Alley?"

"Naturally, vulgar people seeking flowers and asking for willows."

The Crown Prince asked again in a deep voice: "Then what kind of people are suitable to come to Bai Yi Alley?"

"Naturally, people like you and me with knowledge and identity."

The Crown Prince slowly stood up. The crowd thought he was angry enough to fight with Lin Chaoking, but he suddenly turned towards Yu Dengke and others, cupped his hands, and apologized: "Sorry, today, because of my rashness, I brought everyone to see this kind of ignorant and arrogant people. I apologize to everyone. If Bai Yi Alley is full of this kind of literati and elegant scholars, then we won't come in the future either! It doesn't matter if I am insulted alone, but involving my friends in being insulted is my fault. Let's go!"

Liang Gou was puzzled: "Crown Prince, where are we going?"

The Crown Prince stood up straight and laughed loudly: "Let's go, go to Hong Yi Alley to drink Hua Jiu!"

Having said that, he actually brushed his sleeves and led the way downstairs.

Liang Gou and Liang Mao carried Chen Ji's bamboo chair and followed. A large group of people advanced and retreated together, not at all depressed, like attending a wedding, generally festive.

Bai Li sat behind the desk, holding her pen, and blankly looked at the group of people leaving in a black mass.

She opened her mouth wanting to speak but stopped: she had just finished writing the lines of poetry Chen Ji had recited ah.

The Crown Prince called from the stairs: "Bai Li, let's go!"

Bai Li originally planned to take the written poem away. She thought for a moment, then put down the rolled-up poem. Only then did she chase downstairs: "Coming, coming!"

The second floor of the Xiu Hua Lou quieted down again. Chen Wenzong glared fiercely at Chen Wenxiao, then stood up and came to the Crown Prince's desk, picking up the poem that had just been written to look.

But this look stunned him.

"Withered vines, old trees, dusk crows, small bridge, flowing water, people's homes, ancient road, west wind, thin horse, setting sun goes down, heartbroken person at the horizon." There was no character 'autumn', but reading it made one feel the bleak autumn wind and the desolation under the bridge.