Beside Tingtao Pavilion, for a moment all seemed to be silent.

Only Liu Xi was bleeding from seven orifices, evidently breathing more outward than inward.

His appearance was so miserable, yet there was no one on the scene who pitied him.

"I am not..." he lay on the ground, asking hoarsely with his last vestige of defiance, "Why? It's been forty years, yet those people and events you recall so clearly and distinctly.

Were you sent by that treacherous son of mine, specifically... to harm me?"

Only the winding river flowed, the sound of water trickling by.

The young man stood in the early summer breeze, leisurely saying:

"My name is Chen Xu, the top scholar of the Yunjiang Prefecture academy exam in the eleventh year of Yonghui. Top scholar of a session, though a rather light title, but was I specifically invited to harm you?

You might be weighing yourself too heavily and looking down too lightly on a scholar.

As it happens, I was recently studying the 'Tian Nan Dao Geographic Records' and learned of a major river change in the Yuan Cang River forty years ago, which led me to inadvertently read various accounts from before and after the dam breach of that time.

As for why there would be such a coincidence..."

Chen Xu sighed: "Perhaps the spirit of Mister Iron Flute in the netherworld influenced something unknowingly?"

Mister Iron Flute's spirit in the netherworld!

With these words, Liu Xi, who was already on the brink of death, suddenly stiffened, his head thrown back as if shocked by electricity.

Pshhhh!

More blood gushed from his mouth and nose.

He groaned animalistic cries of collapse, shouting, "It's infuriating! Ah—"

As the shout fell, his whole body twisted and fell to the ground, silent thereafter.

He was dead.

He was not killed by anyone; he died from heartbreak.

The Food Cauldron Celestial Book flipped open, leaving a record: [You used a True Talisman to execute a Human Demon, feeling a surge of emotions, gaining one Hundred Evils Fruit as spiritual material.]

[New spiritual material unlocked, Fireworks Value +300]

Chen Xu suddenly clutched his chest, a light cough escaping, with a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

In the unspeakable silence of the field, Cui Yunqi awoke in shock, urgently calling, "Brother Chen!"

Chen Xu casually wiped away the blood at his mouth corner, saying: "No problem, just a bit of backlash from using the Truth Discerning Talisman. My cultivation is lacking, and I have made a fool of myself in front of you all."

There was indeed no backlash; it was merely a complete act.

Having stated that the Truth Discerning Talisman might cause backlash, there had to be "backlash."

Chen Xu lifted the ancient inkstone in his hand, placing it on a tray above the winding water.

Then he bid farewell to everyone: "Once met today, a pleasure to meet you all. Unfortunately, my frail condition prevents me from lingering.

Xu takes his leave first, wishing you all undiminished delight, with the breeze gentle and sun bright, mountains high and waters long."

Having said this, he cupped his hands in respect to the host Mr. Shu Shi, also signaling to Master Wu and others not to accompany him.

With these words, he turned and left, his stride several feet at a time, his figure as lofty as if accompanied by the wind.

Mr. Shu Yun stood up, voice smiling, cupped hands to see him off: "Xu's youthful brilliance is astonishing, solving the Ancient Inkstone Puzzle and mastering the True Talisman, truly pleasing.

Tomorrow, I will gift you a painting, wishing you health and successful cultivation."

Chen Xu turned to thank him, and walked away gracefully to the sound of Mr. Shu Yun's farewell.

Mountain winds swept through Tingtao Pavilion, pine needles on the mountainside swayed, hushing in sound.

Zhou Zhuo's gaze fell in the direction Chen Xu disappeared, letting out a heavy sigh, feeling somewhat lost.

He was only one step late, and he too had comprehended a rune in the ancient inkstone—

Yet that rune was still incomplete, which was: Qi Concealment Talisman.

The incomplete Qi Concealment Talisman, which Zhou Zhuo couldn't cast for now, thus couldn't be displayed.

He felt a slight regret, for he had lost to Chen Xu in the academy exam, and once again lost to him this time.

In his ear, he suddenly heard the crowd around him explode into a lively discussion.

People suddenly realized, as though discovering a great secret: "The 'Tian Nan Dao Geographic Records' never detailed the specific family backgrounds of those who participated in the Defensive Array back then!"

"Exactly, I never even heard of the Six Essences of Yun. Even if mentioned, the Geographic Records would just pass by with a brushstroke."

"For someone merely brushed over, he remembered and carefully researched their life stories? Is that, is that even possible?"

"Exactly, indeed, this is not a classic text, who would painstakingly study it?"

...

The discussion among people suddenly fell silent.

And then even more intense discussion broke out.

Someone exclaimed: "Could it be that Chen Xu truly came prepared for Liu Xi's matter, intending to expose him here?"

"Could you use a bit more brains? Liu Xi was mad, are you mad along with him?"

"How on earth did Chen Xu deduce Liu Xi's true background?"

"This, this..."

Hearing this, Zhou Zhuo couldn't help but sigh, turning to say: "If someone has read extensively, remembers everything upon seeing it, perceives subtexts, naturally whatever rare matter it is, he can correlate swiftly.

Like a web densely spun, myriad roads, yet instantaneously connected."

The fallen Liu Xi was carried away by Mr. Shu Yun's servants, but the story he brought was like a storm, sweeping over all who heard it.

Beside the mountain path, people cursed or sighed.

Mister Iron Flute Shi Rong was enough to have a heroic name passed down through generations; yet his descendants would be infamous forever.

Chen Xu was walking alone along the mountain path, not the one he took going up, but casually choosing a path less traveled.

Although he hadn't truly been backlashed by the Hidden Truth Talisman, his departure from the event was indeed due to his feelings.

The Hidden Truth Talisman hadn't backlashed him, but Liu Xi's story profoundly taught him the evil of human nature.

For a moment, all prosperity and excitement before his eyes seemed bland.

Life is like illusion, ultimately coming back to emptiness.

It's no wonder ancient sages always had dreams of pastoral life; there are too many strange and diverse things in the world, cluttering and disturbing the mind's peace.

How could it compete with picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, leisurely seeing the southern mountains?

Chen Xu continued on, observing, and as he ventured deeper into the mountain, his mood gradually improved.

The Innate Qi within him circulated silently, becoming more refined imperceptibly.

Suddenly, a peculiar rustling sound came from the pine forest ahead.

Chen Xu paused his steps, a familiar little head poked out through the ground covered in green fallen leaves ahead.

Ah, it was the little hedgehog Wei Yuan again.

Chen Xu felt a surge of delightful surprise, immediately taking a few steps forward, about to squat down to greet Wei Yuan.

However, Wei Yuan, bearing a bookcase, waved to Chen Xu, then suddenly turned and leapt away.

This little guy reached a pine tree beside it, choosing a branch almost level with Chen Xu's sightline, and stood there, cupping his hands towards Chen Xu in salute like a scholar: "Greetings, Mr. Chen."

Chen Xu's eyes were filled with a smile, returning the salute: "Greetings, Mr. Wei."

Wei Yuan asked with concern: "Mr. Chen, you were incredible in the literary meeting earlier, I saw it all. I also saw you cough blood, are you now okay?"

Before Chen Xu could reply, Wei Yuan swiftly pulled out a green leaf from behind.

Then, presenting it expectantly, asked: "Mr. Chen, guess what this is?"

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