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, extremely 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 name for a long time, meeting 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 Tournament, Lord Marquis of Yue Land, the favorite of His Majesty, Immortal Hero, Supreme Leader... Wang Xiaoqiang, you truly live up to your name!!"

"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 came today to participate in our Yueyang Academy's student selection, right?"

"Exactly." Wang Xiaoqiang felt somewhat apprehensive, fearing the Old Master would bring up the matter of jesting with Dongfang Qi outside just now.

Unexpectedly, the Old Master did not mention it, merely nodded and said, "Well, in fact, half a month ago, His Majesty already informed me about it, saying he would recommend 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 achievement. As for your cultivation strength, there's no need for further testing, now I want to test your literary skills...

Literature is something without a clear measuring 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 me 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 Time... 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 elementary, 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 Time."

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 moment, the Old Master's eyes flashed, "What is it? Speak!"

With a thought, Wang Xiaoqiang brought Dai Yu out of the Sumeru 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 name is Dai Yu; she has always been with me supporting each other. I hope to bring her with me 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 came 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 embarrassment,

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, merely his god-sister. Back then, my entire family was slaughtered by evildoers, if not for Brother Qiang's timely intervention, I would not be alive now. Brother Qiang avenged my family's death and adopted me, treating me as a true sister, taking me 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 immediately showed amazement, nodding to the Old Master,

seeing his excited expression, the Old Master said, "Read it to me."

The young man read, "In front of my bed, the bright moonlight, seemed like frost on the ground. I raise my head to look at the bright moon, lower my head and think of home!"

After reciting, except for Wang Xiaoqiang, the other three were deeply shocked, even the usually composed Old Master couldn't suppress his excitement, 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 sentiment of a wanderer longing for home fully expressed within, wonderful, truly wonderful…" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)

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