Halfway up the mountain, Tingtao Pavilion.

Achang holds a copper mirror, depicting the scene below the mountain.

"Master, someone is offering wine to that Hundred Words Stele!"

Ding Qian immediately chuckled, "What kind of wine is it? Does that wine taste good?"

"I can't smell it, but seeing the crowd beside it stumbling around, that wine must be excellent. Some people are pounding their chests and stamping their feet, shaking their heads repeatedly..."

Achang's words were amusing, and Ding Qian laughed heartily upon hearing them.

He picked up a wine bottle flowing beside him and poured half a cup of fine wine, saying joyfully:

"Fine wine offered to the Hundred Words Stele, how can commoners know its charm? Surely a remarkable person has come to the foot of the mountain. I wonder when this person will be able to ascend the mountain? Alas."

He sighed again, feeling rather lonely.

Mr. Shu Yun shook his head and jokingly scolded him, "Yes, yes, we are all commoners, only you are not. You are not a commoner, but don't drink my wine!"

Ding Qian immediately turned his wine cup and drank the remaining fine wine in one gulp, then turned the cup upside down and chuckled, "I drank it, what will you do now?"

Mr. Shu Yun laughed and said, "I'll punish you by asking you to send me ten urns of fine wine next time."

Ding Qian immediately turned his head, the two locked eyes, seeming like flashes of lightning and thunder.

Seeing that neither would give way, Mr. Shu Yun suddenly asked, "After the fine wine was offered to the Hundred Words Stele, then what? How is that person now?"

Achang replied, "That person is reciting poetry facing the moss under the Hundred Words Stele."

Ding Qian exclaimed, "Moss, that's an unusual poetic theme. By the way, Shu Yun, does your literary gathering today have a poetic theme?"

Mr. Shu Yun took out an ancient inkstone from his sleeve and said:

"Today's gathering is a literary event, not a poetry meeting.

I'm asking you esteemed talents to help me solve the mystery within this ancient inkstone. Brother Shouyu, if you're interested, feel free to recite poetry impromptu, likewise for everyone else.

Perhaps, by reciting a few poems about this ancient inkstone, its mystery might be unraveled, who can say?"

After speaking, a servant behind him presented a wooden tray.

Mr. Shu Shi placed the ancient inkstone onto the tray and sent it into the Flowing Wine and Crooked River.

It is meant for everyone to take turns viewing the ancient inkstone and solve this mystery.

Traditionally, literary gatherings on Qihai Mountain have varied in style.

Tingtao Pavilion is halfway up the mountain, because Qihai Mountain actually towers into the clouds, making it extremely difficult to reach the top.

The literary gathering is held beside Tingtao Pavilion halfway up the mountain to make it convenient for ordinary citizens to ascend.

Beyond Tingtao Pavilion and the vast meadow halfway up the mountain, there's a long row of sheds by the roadside, storing grains and other items, as well as red envelopes with prizes.

The poor villagers who come up the mountain can search for alms over by the sheds.

Those who are confident can sit near Tingtao Pavilion.

But in reality, those who actually come near Tingtao Pavilion are either scholars or the sons of local wealthy and powerful families. Most commoners are on the shed side, watching and joining in the excitement.

Sometimes, no matter how bold you are, certain scenes instinctively make your heart timid.

In people's hearts, they often unconsciously divide the world into varying degrees of superiority to judge others and themselves.

Those seated near Tingtao Pavilion include Mr. Shu Shi, the host.

Others are young talents of Yunjiang, like Cui Yunqi, Zhang Mingyuan, Ningyu Studio, and others.

Most of these young people have already gained the title of Scholar, and now they need to promote their literary reputation while waiting for the autumn provincial examination.

There are also newly minted Scholars from various regions and counties, or even those without titles but unwilling to miss the grand event...

And there are older generations, leisurely heirs from Yunjiang's aristocratic families with outstanding literary talents despite not making significant achievements on the fame path.

Among them, Wei Song sits in the far corner, not very conspicuous, but followed by three or five young people.

Once Mr. Shu Yun placed the ancient inkstone into the Flowing Wine and Crooked River, everyone's heart and spirit were nearly drawn to the ancient inkstone on the tray.

In such lively situations, if anyone can solve the mystery within the ancient inkstone at once, wouldn't the fame exceed tens of articles?

Seeing the tray spin, about to float downstream.

Achang behind Ding Qian suddenly spoke, "Master, that person has finished their poem, would you like to hear it?"

Ding Qian replied leisurely, "Speak and let me see what kind of poem this interesting person who offers wine to the Hundred Words Stele can create."

His appearance was leisurely, yet he quietly shifted his left foot and right foot out of sight.

No one knew he was waiting for someone, endlessly hoping, alas, that person's poem... tantalizes him!

Why haven't they come yet?

Could it be they won't come today?

If they don't come today... No, no, he seems to remember hearing from the gatekeeper that they received a visiting card from the Jichuan County School yesterday?

Oh, if only that visiting card arrived yesterday, today's Ancient Inkstone Literary Society might not have been necessary!

Ding Qian rubbed the wine cup in his hand, absentmindedly listening to Achang slowly reciting:

"The sunlight doesn't reach here, yet youth comes on its own.

Moss flowers as small as rice grains, also learn to bloom like peonies."

Having finished reciting, Achang, who often hears Ding Qian read poems, commented, "Master, this poem is quite good.

It expresses the character of tiny moss, though not as good as the one from the other day... Oh dear!"

It was Ding Qian who suddenly threw the wine cup in his hand.

With a bang, it hit Achang's forehead.

Achang was almost knocked into a daze, nearly dropping the treasure mirror in his hand.

Ding Qian had already snatched the treasure mirror from his hand, angrily exclaiming, "You fool, who told you to recite the poem so slowly?

Oh, I'm furious, you don't even know how to appreciate poetry? First thing you say is it's quite good!

With such arrogance, why don't you blow yourself up to the sky?

Give it to me, give it to me... Oh!"

He sat in place, pounding his chest and stamping his feet, much like those beside the stone stele and in the mirror.

Ding Qian was furious: "How can such a poem be recited so casually?

Why not consider, if it's written on paper, what if the poem turns into green smoke?"

At the foot of Qihai Mountain, Chen Xu finished his poem for the tiny moss flowers under the stone stele.

The attributes of those little flowers had changed: [Stone Moss Flower, small flower growing under the Hundred Words Stele due to worldly affairs, possesses an indomitable spirit.

If brewed into tea, there's a sixty percent chance to discern injustice.]

The explanation of the attributes changed from a certain chance to [sixty percent chance to discern injustice]!

Simultaneously, the Food Cauldron Celestial Book provided new hints:

[You offered Spirit Wine to the Hundred Words Stele and recited poems in harmony, acquiring new spiritual material, a strand of Red Dust Qi.]

[New spiritual material unlocked, Fireworks Value +300.]

[The stone stele also expresses approval, acquiring Likes +1000.]

Indeed, the person offering wine to the stone stele was none other than Chen Xu.

He spontaneously wanted to try offering wine to the Hundred Words Stele to see if he could receive Likes.

And the result did not disappoint Chen Xu; the Hundred Words Stele not only gave him Likes but gave an astonishing +1000 Likes at once!

It's said the Hundred Words Stele has a spirit; from this, the rumor proves true.

Just what kind of creature is a spiritually evolved stone stele?

Today Chen Xu came to the foot of the mountain, offered a cup of Spirit Wine, received 1000 Likes, and for future visits…

Would he still get Likes?

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