Gu Hai received four hundred calligraphy Dao recommendation talismans. He bowed to the four hundred calligraphy Dao cultivators and said, “Many thanks!”
“Mister Gu, you are too polite!” The four hundred calligraphy Dao cultivators returned the bow.
“Mister Gu, will you finish your composition?”
“Indeed. Mister Gu, finish it.”
“Mister Gu, what is next? How many more lines are there?”
The calligraphy Dao participants felt curious.
The surroundings quieted. After all, that five-character-phrase poem brimmed with noble spirit. It was definitely extraordinary. Many people wanted to see it.
“‘Song of Noble Spirit’ has a total of sixty five-character phrases. I have not thought of the remaining fifty-two phrases. Sorry,” Gu Hai said with a bitter smile.
“Huh?” The calligraphy Dao cultivators felt slightly startled.
Sixty phrases? You have even thought about how many phrases there will be but not the phrases themselves? How can that be possible? Do you think that we will believe that? If you have not thought of the latter phrases, how could you say there were still fifty-two more phrases?
The participants frowned slightly, but no one reproached Gu Hai. Instead, they raised their heads and looked at the sages with strange expressions. Mister Gu definitely wants to use this to mock the calligraphy Dao sages.
“Mister Gu, well said! Let them feel regret and disappointment!” the citizens cried out excitedly.
“Humph!” the five hundred calligraphy Dao sages snorted coldly.
Clearly, they had nothing to say after the eight thousand sages’ disdain and Gu Hai’s mockery, feeling very depressed.
Gu Hai could only smile bitterly. The “Song of Noble Spirit” does indeed still have fifty-two more phrases. However, I am stuck; I cannot alter them. There are many historical people of Earth mentioned, and I cannot change them on the fly. I am speaking the truth; why does no one believe me?
No matter what anyone thought, the first round of the Ten Thousand Sages Convention had ended. Gu Hai extremely carefully furled up what Purple Subtlety wrote.
These were first editions. Back then, a vast amount of noble spirit poured into Gu Hai when he tore “Bring in the Wine,” giving him the strength of a Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. “Questions and Answers” and the half-done “Song of Noble Spirit” would only be stronger.
Gu Hai extremely carefully put the two scrolls away. Perhaps he would have use of them one day.
Upon seeing Gu Hai put away the scrolls, several people felt regret. After all, many people wanted them.
After Yehua left the plaza, he headed straight for the Supreme Genesis’s side.
“Father, this child has embarrassed Father,” Yehua said with a bitter smile.
The Supreme Genesis looked at the plaza and shook his head. “You are not to blame. Even if you gained some results, it would be useless.”
“Ah? Why?” Yehua felt slightly startled.
“You have not figured it out, but the Azure Emperor and Emperor Kong already did.” The Supreme Genesis narrowed his eyes slightly at the Azure Emperor’s group and Emperor Kong’s group.
“Oh? Before the calligraphy Dao competition started, the Azure Emperor and Emperor Kong left with the Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s and Huang Heavenly Dynasty’s representatives. Wasn’t it because they felt that they could not defeat Gu Hai?” Yehua said in shock.
The Supreme Genesis shook his head. “The Azure Emperor is extraordinary, and Emperor Kong is smart. They should have noticed the Qian Nation’s preparations long ago, so they decided not to humiliate themselves.”
“Humiliate themselves?”
“Do you think that Gongyang Sheng only has bribery up his sleeves?” The Supreme Genesis narrowed his eyes slightly.
“If not bribery, would he use force to snatch the other recommendation talismans?” Yehua’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The Supreme Genesis did not deny that. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, “If they had not achieved their desired effect, it might be possible. However, it is unexpected that Long Zhanguo is so determined. What exactly is he plotting?”
In the south, the Grand Mohist looked at the Qian Heavenly Emperor.
“Grand Mohist, Old Mister Guan Qi used many schemes to get into the Cultural Dao Sage Palace. Why doesn’t the Qian Heavenly Emperor participate in person? Doesn’t he want to enter the Cultural Dao Sage Palace? If he does not enter the Cultural Dao Sage Palace, what is the point of scheming so much?” a Supreme Ascendant Dao disciple asked.
The Grand Mohist shook her head and replied, “No one can figure out the Qian Heavenly Emperor.”
In the west, the Future Buddha remained silent, not saying a word.
“Imperial Lord, the Qian Heavenly Emperor can’t be doing this just to help Gu Hai, right?” Dan Wang said with a frown.
The Azure Emperor shook his head. “Long Zhanguo never does anything useless. Gu Hai is not qualified to move him into investing all of the Qian Nation’s resources. There must be a scheme.”
“However, what is the scheme? Even if Gu Hai succeeds, the Qian Heavenly Emperor cannot gain anything, right?” Dan Wang asked in confusion.
“I’m not sure for now.” The Azure Emperor shook his head.
In the sky, the two thousand sages had already moved aside. The one hundred pregnant sages had yet to awaken. The incredibly prideful sages of earlier now left gloomily in utter defeat.
The eight thousand sages moved to the sky directly above the center of the plaza, looking down at Gu Hai. This scene appeared much more majestic than the earlier two thousand sages. Not only were there four times more sages, but the quality of these sages was much better.
“The Ten Thousand Sages Convention’s first round is over. Those who obtained recommendation talismans will move on to the second round. The second round will take place between the representatives of the Solar Divine Palace, the Myriad Age Daoist Sect, and the Spirit Mountain Holy Land and the participants with recommendation talismans from the first round. They will compete for the sages’ recommendations. Everyone, please make your preparations. We will formally begin the Ten Thousand Sages Convention’s second round in two hours,” Gongyang Sheng shouted.
Most of the one hundred people with recommendation talismans came from the three holy lands. Hence, it was mainly Gu Hai against the three holy lands.
The Supreme Genesis, the Grand Mohist, and the Future Buddha were about to say something when a voice suddenly rang out in the sky. “Wait!”
“Huh?” Gongyang Sheng turned to look at the sky.
It was a sage who had interjected.
Everyone raised their head to look at the sky.
That sage said, “During the Ten Thousand Sages Convention’s second round, we will set the topic. However, we will also set a restriction on all the participants!”
“Set a restriction? Sage, please speak!” Gongyang Sheng urged.
“During the second round, one is to rely on their personal means. All participants are to use the same brush, zither, and Go sets. During the second round, you are not permitted to use heaven-grade zithers or heaven-grade brushes!” the sage said.
“What? You are not letting us participate?” Purple Subtlety glared.
“You old thing, do you believe that I will get Ensnaring Performance to sing you a song?” Longevity immediately became agitated.
A confounded Ensnaring Performance stared at Longevity, then turned his head to look at the sages in the sky. “I’ll get Longevity to draw you an egg!”
Before the crowd could react, Ensnaring Performance, Purple Subtlety, and Longevity started causing a commotion.
“How audacious!” that sage shouted.
At this moment, Gu Hai frowned.
While others did not know the situation, Gu Hai did. He was good at only Go and not the other three Dao. Furthermore, he did not have any artistic conception.
“Mister Gu?” Gongyang Sheng frowned as he looked at Gu Hai, wanting to see Gu Hai’s stance.
Gu Hai frowned and remained silent, and Gongyang Sheng immediately understood.
That earlier sage said coldly, “We saw it clearly in the first round. Gu Hai relied on Longevity for the painting Dao, right? Then, he relied on Ensnaring Performance for the music Dao, right? Indeed, the calligraphy Dao was the result of your own ability. You wrote good compositions, but so what? Although we won’t choose you, we won’t let you lie to the world, either.”
“Hah! Lie? You are wrong,” Gu Hai said with a cold smile.
“Huh?” That sage glared.
“I’ll repeat what I said before; I am good at only the Go Dao. I don’t understand the music Dao or the painting Dao. Actually, I don’t even understand the calligraphy Dao at all,” Gu Hai said with a cold smile.
Gu Hai spoke the truth, but no one believed him.
Be it the Qian Heavenly Emperor, the Azure Emperor, Emperor Kong, the Supreme Genesis, or the Future Buddha, no one believed Gu Hai.
“Mister Gu is speaking in irony!”
“Indeed! Mister Gu is so incredible at Go, music, calligraphy, and painting. How could he not understand them at all?”
“That sage is a worthless thing. Is there a need to bully others like this?”
“I thought that these eight thousand sages were better than the earlier two thousand sages. It turns out that they are birds of a feather!”
“Ptooey!”
Criticism immediately rang out in the surroundings.
Even the sages felt that Gu Hai was speaking in irony. After all, Gu Hai demonstrated his firm foundation in the calligraphy Dao earlier.
“Humph! We are the ones who set the rules, so you have to do as we say,” that sage said coldly.
Gongyang Sheng said coldly, “So, the sage’s intention is that everyone can participate in only one of the four Dao? The leaders of the three holy lands can only participate in one segment?”
“They can participate in however many they wish. When did I say that everyone can participate in only one segment?” that sage said coldly.
“Just because you did not say it does not mean that it won’t happen that way. We four hosts can coordinate our timing and get the four segments to end at the same time. Even the leaders of the three holy lands can participate in only one segment. Do you believe that?” Gongyang Sheng said coldly.
“How audacious!”
“Audacious? How am I being audacious? The purpose of a heaven-grade brush or heaven-grade zither is to substitute for a participant in another segment while the participant is engaged in a segment. This was how Gu Hai used them earlier. By not permitting the use of heaven-grade zithers or heaven-grade brushes, aren’t you restricting each participant to one segment?” Gongyang Sheng said coldly.
That sage stared at Gongyang Sheng.
“Humph! Since that is the case, then every participant can pick three people as assistants. However, they cannot use heaven-grade zithers or heaven-grade brushes. This is our final compromise!” that sage said coldly.
As Gongyang Sheng looked back at that sage coldly, he felt helpless.
Now that Gu Hai lost Ensnaring Performance, Longevity, and Purple Subtlety, things immediately became tricky.
“Alright. We will begin two hours later. Make your preparations!” the sage in the sky said.
“Mister Gu, do you need anything prepared? What kind of assistants would you like?” Gongyang Sheng asked.
Looking at the Supreme Genesis, the Grand Mohist, and the Future Buddha, Gu Hai showed a faint, bitter smile. He was sure that these three would be much stronger than the participants of the first round. With them having such strong foundations in the cultural Dao and the eight thousand sages’ support, how was he to continue in this competition?
Now, he could not even use Ensnaring Performance, Longevity, and Purple Subtlety. Furthermore, the recommendation talismans of these eight thousand sages would be extremely difficult to obtain.
“Never mind. Ensnaring Performance, Longevity, and Purple Subtlety, you withdraw first. Send Bing Ji, Mo Yike, and Mu Chenfeng over,” Gu Hai said.
