I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 165 My Justice, I Will Uphold It Myself

The sky was as white as iron, and the wind carried snow from between the peaks, rustling against our faces.

Xue Xiang hugged Zhou Ping tightly, his mind filled with her every smile and gentle demeanor.

The tranquil state of mind, like an ancient well formed from the foundation of unparalleled cultivation, was instantly shattered.

The murderous intent in his heart was rising rapidly.

Wei Ruyi's killing intent rose to its peak even faster than his.

His chest heaved violently, and his eyes were bloodshot.

In his view, even if she were dead, she should still be his.

"Thieves, please die!"

Wei Ruyi let out a long roar and his figure shot forward like a bolt of cold lightning towards Xue Xiang: "So what if you have achieved an unparalleled Dao Foundation?"
Ultimately, it's just the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

So what if this place is filled with literary atmosphere? How can a few lines of poetry bridge the gap in artistic realm?
"I will settle both old and new scores; today, I will make you wish you were dead."

Xue Xiang stood up, not even glancing at Wei Ruyi. With a gentle wave of his hand, he used his spiritual power to support Zhou Ping's body, transforming it into a ray of light that safely flew back into the depths of the cave.

In an instant, Wei Ruyi was already close by. "I want to see how many crooked poems and nonsense lyrics you've hidden away?"

"Killing you is as easy as slaughtering a dog, why bother finding fault with the text!"

Xue Xiang's sword trembled, and its snow-white scales suddenly spread out.

With a light step, the figure flickered, as if sucked into the sky, disappearing like a wisp of smoke.

In the next instant, he appeared silently behind Wei Ruyi, his long sword thrusting out with a chilling light.

Wei Ruyi felt a chill in her abdomen and a bone-chilling coldness spread down her spine. Her spiritual energy surged, and she was sent flying backward.

It was still too late; a huge gash was torn open in his abdomen, and blood gushed out.

All who witnessed it paled in shock!
"How could this be? This person's cultivation is almost devoid of spiritual energy fluctuations; it's like a ghost."

"When he makes a move, his spiritual power doesn't leak out?"

"As we all know, when practicing a cultivation technique, there will inevitably be some leakage, with five or six out of ten being lost. The stronger the practitioner, the greater the loss. Yet, I can't sense any spiritual energy fluctuations from him."

"Could this be the peerless Dao Foundation? When activated, the spiritual energy utilization was nearly at its maximum?"

"........."

The wind and snow were howling, and the world was cold.

Xue Xiang moved like a wisp of smoke, his steps like a ghost.

Wei Ruyi's underestimation of her opponent vanished instantly, and she frantically activated her spiritual energy shield.

Having just stabilized his formation, his anger blazing, he immediately unleashed his most powerful abilities.

He suddenly channeled his spiritual power, and crimson flames shot into the sky from his body.

The flames resembled the flapping wings of ten thousand vermilion birds, the raging flames suddenly contracting into a blazing sea of ​​fire that engulfed Xue Xiangsheng.

"Three Thousand Flames of Phoenix City!"

"Royal forbidden technique!"

"This technique has an extremely strong backlash. It amplifies the power of the Fire element among the Five Elements through supernatural abilities. Its power is so great that it can burn gold and refine iron."

"What's even more terrifying is that the power of the Blazing Fire can form a Blazing Fire Shield. Once someone is surrounded by this magic, they will be imprisoned within it."

"The overall situation has been decided."

"........."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their eyes glued to the scene of the battle.

Xue Xiang seemed to be imprisoned within, motionless, and strangely enough, his clothes appeared to be normal.

Having succeeded in one move, Wei Ruyi burst into laughter, her hatred overflowing.

Before the laughter subsided, he suddenly realized something was wrong. His gaze pierced through the firelight and he discovered that Xue Xiang still had a cold smile on his face, his eyes full of contempt.

"This is impossible!"

Wei Ruyi's eyes were bloodshot.

Xue Xiang had already stepped on flames and was rushing towards them.

"wrong."

Wang Xiaofeng said, "Look quickly, a five-colored lotus flower floats between this person's eyebrows, and the light of fire in the center of the lotus is as fierce as the sun."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a blazing flame burning brightly in the center of the five-colored lotus between Xue Xiang's eyebrows, while the five-colored lotus platform unfolded, its petals layered, and slowly rotated.

"A peerless foundation of cultivation, impervious to the Five Elements."

The long-browed old man murmured, "The foundation of the peerless Dao has reached the effect of perfect harmony of the five elements."

All attacks from the Five Elements will be assimilated by the peerless Dao Foundation.

At this moment, the most powerful attack unleashed by Prince Puan, seemingly possessing the might of a raging inferno capable of scorching rivers and boiling seas, was actually completely filtered out by the peerless Dao Foundation of that person.

Everyone gasped.

King Chujiang exclaimed, "According to you, isn't this person invincible?"

The long-browed old man shook his head, "How can an unparalleled Dao foundation filter out the power of swords and spears?"

Moreover, his cultivation level is still weak.

The power of a peerless Dao Foundation is limited. A true powerhouse who transcends a major realm might unleash Five Elements Forbidden Techniques, which their peerless Dao Foundation might not be able to completely filter.

King Chujiang said urgently, "Thank you for your explanation, sir."

It seems unlikely that Ruyi will be able to deal with him now. Please, sir, and everyone else… wait, where are Mr. Wen and Mr. Wu?”

King Chujiang was surprised to find that Wu Meng, Wen Xiang, Huang Feng, Liu Quanwen, and Su Beichen had disappeared without a trace.

The old man with long eyebrows said coldly, "These people are truly despicable. Seeing that the traitor Han has the talent to compose palindromic poems, they feared that the literary atmosphere here would help the traitor Han to unleash his power, so they fled first."

He had long disliked King Chujiang's habit of accepting women as gifts.

A shadow crossed King Chujiang's eyes. He cupped his hands to the old man with long eyebrows and said, "I beg you, sir, to take action and eliminate the traitor Han. If you can get rid of him..."

The position of Chief Elder of the Prince's Palace is currently vacant.

It is unclear when, but King Chujiang's feelings toward Xue Xiang have undergone a tremendous change, from initial greed to later resentment, and now to deep fear.

The long-browed old man responded loudly.

Unexpectedly, no sooner had he finished speaking than the situation in the center of the battlefield changed again.

Realizing that even the forbidden technique's divine power couldn't harm Xue Xiang, Wei Ruyi made a gesture, and a giant black bone sword appeared in her palm.

The bone sword was chilling and shrouded in evil aura. His figure trembled, and he suddenly shot out at maximum speed, wrapped in boundless hatred, aiming straight at Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang's gaze was cold and sharp. With a clear whistle, he pushed the Breath of Wind Step to its limit.

His figure was like mist and smoke, closing in on Wei Ruyi in an instant, his sword half-hidden, his shoulder slightly visible.

Wei Ruyi noticed the flaw and was overjoyed. He then slashed down with the Black Bone Greatsword.

boom!
The sword seemed to pierce through metal; when he tried to pull it out, the giant sword seemed to be stuck in his bones.

Xue Xiang smiled slightly, a cold light flashed in his palm, and a sword hovered in the air.

In an instant, a chilling sword light flashed in Wei Ruyi's pupils, and then the world fell silent.

His magnificent head flew into the sky, and the blood mist transformed into a dazzling, vibrant color amidst the wind and snow.

"This can't be! I can't die..."

Wei Ruyi's head flew in the air, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the beautiful figure in the cave. He even saw her little finger tremble slightly.

The wind continued to blow, the head hit the ground with a thunderous crash.

"With his body tempered by the Heavenly Secrets, his physical strength is probably only slightly inferior to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator."

"Having survived the heavenly tribulation and received so many heavenly secrets, such an opportunity, such a destiny..."

"Now you all know why the cultivation world says that those with unparalleled Dao Foundations seize all the world's fortune and are universally despised. The scene before you is the reason."

"That's too much. That's too much."

"The Prince of Pu'an? That's the Prince of Pu'an from the imperial court. You can just kill him like that?"

"........."

Amidst a cacophony of voices, a long howl suddenly rang out: "I, Han, am here! Anyone who dares to kill me, come up here at once!"

The snow wind blows, the blood mist dissipates, and the world is filled with a chilling atmosphere.

Xue Xiang stood amidst the wind and snow, his voice booming like waves.

His robes were tattered, his expression was cold and stern, and his murderous intent soared to the heavens.

"Young man, once you gain power, don't be arrogant."

The old man with long eyebrows floated out, his robes fluttering, his voice like the ringing of a bell: "For me, a cultivator at the peak of the Core Formation stage, to kill you would ultimately be seen as bullying the weak."

I'll give you three moves; you can use your literary skills or your supernatural powers.

"Only after three moves will I kill you."

Xue Xiang's expression was icy. Without saying a word, he recited aloud: "When drawing a bow, draw a strong one; when using an arrow, use a long one."

In an instant, golden literary energy surged between heaven and earth, intertwining with brilliance, instantly manifesting a giant bow that stretched across the void, its bowstring like a rainbow, with faint flashes of lightning as it was pulled.

A giant arrow materialized on the bow, its cold light radiating outwards, its sharp edge silencing all mountains and rivers.

Before the giant bow was fully drawn, the old man with long eyebrows suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, his hair stood on end, and the aura of death rushed towards him.

"Oh my God! How is this possible!"

The old man with long eyebrows changed his expression drastically, wishing he could take back his boastful words.

In an instant, a protective shield of spiritual energy surged out around him, and he dared not stand still, fearing that he would be locked onto by that terrifying killing intent. His figure flickered and darted about.

At the same time, the profound power was running wildly, and spiritual light emanated from his palm, instantly gathering into a blazing sun.

The onlookers were all greatly surprised.

The four friends from eastern Zhejiang all had solemn expressions.

"Brother Qian, how could just two lines of poetry stir up such a strange phenomenon, and I don't see anything particularly remarkable about them? What's going on?"

Deng Ming, one of the Four Friends of Eastern Zhejiang, asked in a low voice.

Qian Qianshui shook her head, her face cold and sinister.

Wang Xiaofeng said, "As we all know, famous quotes and masterpieces must form a grand and magnificent scene, condensing boundless power."

Either one's first stroke is a famous line, or after revealing half of the outline, one can know where the layout is headed.

Today, these two ordinary sentences alone have stirred up such power.

It's as if the very essence of literature, guided by the will of Heaven, already knew in advance that this was a masterpiece; how wondrous and strange indeed!

As the crowd discussed this, Xue Xiang recited again, "To shoot a man, shoot his horse first!"

The giant arrow left the bowstring like a thunderstorm.

boom!
The giant arrow pierced the sky with a sound like splitting the heavens, its light dazzling, even tearing a long slit in the night.

The old man with long eyebrows unleashed his long-awaited ultimate move.

With a roar of blazing sun from both palms, a pillar of light suddenly appeared and shot into the sky, not heading towards Xue Xiang, but directly attacking the giant arrow.

Giant arrows thundered, and pillars of light shone like the sun. Both sides unleashed terrifying pressure, shaking the surrounding area.

Then Xue Xiang recited again: "To catch a thief, first catch the king."

Upon hearing this, the Four Friends of Eastern Zhejiang all changed color.

"To shoot a man, shoot a horse first; to capture a thief, capture the king first."

These two sentences alone carried the weight of a mountain, looming over the four men's hearts. Just then, the giant arrow that had been aimed at the pillar of light vanished into thin air like a smoke bubble.

The next instant, a chilling light appeared above King Chujiang's head, pointing directly at his throat.

He then remembered that he was the "king".

King Chujiang was terrified, his face turned deathly pale, and he cried out in a panic, "Lord Qian, save me!"

The four men turned pale, all feeling alarmed, but it was too late to make a move.

In his panic, King Chujiang raised both hands and crushed the protective jade pendant, sending out a protective talisman that was over ten feet long.

His trusted men, as if waking from a dream, tried to escape, only to find that the might of the giant arrows covering the area was three zhang wide.

They were standing too close to King Chujiang, and now, locked on by the arrows, they were unable to move.

boom!
The giant arrow fell like a falling star.

With a deafening roar, the protective light barrier formed by King Chujiang and his subordinates shattered instantly, like brittle porcelain striking a stone wall, turning into countless fragments of light.

The King of Chujiang's chest was pierced, and his flesh and bones instantly shattered under the arrow's force, his entire body, along with the protective shield, exploded into countless fragments.

Those standing closest to him were also affected by the residual force, turning into large chunks of flesh that were scattered by the wind and snow.

The world was silent, save for the howling wind that blew the remaining snow across the sky, reflecting the ruthlessness and ferocity of the attack.

"There are limits to killing, and each nation has its own borders."

If we can control aggression, why resort to excessive killing?

Xue Xiang continued chanting, and the shattered light of the giant arrow transformed into beams of light, like fortresses, enveloping the long-browed old man.

The onlookers were already dumbfounded, only the four friends from Zhejiang showed bitter smiles.

After Xue Xiang finished reciting, his chilling killing intent transformed into endless sighs.

The most speechless one was the long-browed old man. His overwhelming fighting spirit had solidified, and all kinds of powerful moves were ready. As a perfected Core Formation cultivator, he had drawn all his attacks to the limit, just waiting to fight Xue Xiang to the death.

Unexpectedly, Xue Xiangyong's poems and essays underwent a sudden change in style, with his murderous intent transforming into a sense of war-weariness.

Countless light screens, imbued with a sense of war-weariness, suppressed his overwhelming fighting spirit.

The more violently the long-browed old man resisted, the more domineering the compression of the light barrier became.

Finally, dozens of light screens compressed completely, enveloping the long-browed old man within them, as if he were the culprit who had started the war.

After a few breaths, the light screen finally compressed into a ball, and after more than ten breaths, the giant scene formed by the poetic imagery dissipated.

The old man with long eyebrows had turned into a pool of blood, and a storage ring lay quietly in the blood.

With a wave of his hand, Xue Xiang acquired all the stored treasures of Wei Ruyi, King Chujiang and his entourage, as well as the long-browed old man.

Everyone knows that their storage treasures must contain rare and precious items.

While Xue Xiang and the long-browed old man were locked in fierce combat, they certainly didn't have time to care about these storage treasures, yet no one dared to take the opportunity to steal them.

The wind and snow have not yet stopped, and the blood and qi are still strong.

Suddenly someone shouted, "That woman was clearly forced to her death by Wei Ruyi. As for King Chujiang, coveting someone else's treasure, he's no good either!"

Immediately, someone chimed in: "Young Master Han is the real gentleman. I've earned a lot of crystal cores by following him, I can vouch for it!"

Qian Qianshui stood with her hands behind her back and spoke loudly: "It turns out it was all a misunderstanding, and we were almost taken advantage of by villains."

I almost thought you had ulterior motives, young friend, and nearly fell for their tricks.

Changing the subject, his eyes gleamed, "May I ask who your teacher is? Perhaps I have some connection with your master."

Xue Xiang did not answer, but simply raised his head and recited aloud: "At the head of the Xunyang River, I saw off a guest at night, the maple leaves and reeds rustling in the autumn breeze..."

As the sound faded, the heavens and earth roared.

The magnificent scenery of the river unfolds from the void, with the sound of waves surging, maple leaves like fire, reeds like snow, and rustling and falling in the cold wind.

The vast and magnificent scene instantly covered the entire area, enveloping the mountains and all the cultivators within it.

Qian Qianshui's expression changed drastically, and she shouted sternly, "How dare you! What are you doing?"

"Could it be that they intend to wipe them all out?"

"Young man, I advise you not to be arrogant."

"Do you really think that having some literary talent can shake the world?"

"........."

There was much discussion in the room; the imagery of the colossal scene in the sky could turn into a deadly attack at any moment.

Everyone activated their spiritual energy shields, and each of them looked tense.

Qian Qianshui frowned and said coldly, "I see you as a promising talent and was originally going to give you a helping hand."

Although this place is filled with literary atmosphere and offers you room to showcase your talents, don't forget that I am a scholar of today, and my literary skills have reached the level of poetry.

"Let me ask you one more time, are you going to accept it or not?"

Xue Xiang let out a long roar, "Now you're here to uphold justice? What kind of justice is delayed? It's bullshit!"

Those who previously attacked the protective formation can leave their storage treasures and depart.

Of the four friends from eastern Zhejiang, only the one surnamed Qian must remain here and be suppressed for three hundred years; the other three can also be dismissed.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed, and a great uproar erupted, causing a huge shock.

"Who does he think he is? The ruler of the world?"

"What's so great about knowing some poetry and prose?"

"Does he really think he can dominate the world? Just now, we were merely not sincerely helping King Chujiang. This scoundrel is ungrateful and still dares to utter such arrogant words."

"........."

The discussion was heated, and the Four Friends of Eastern Zhejiang were so angry that they trembled with rage.

They are respected and honored everywhere, and have never suffered such humiliation.

"...Drunk and unable to find joy, we sadly parted. As we parted, the vast river reflected the moon, and suddenly the sound of a pipa was heard on the shore..."

Xue Xiang continued reciting, and the poetic imagery transformed into a vast landscape, continuing to unfold.

Qian Qianshui's eyes suddenly turned cold, filled with murderous intent.

With a flick of his sleeve, his body surged with literary energy, releasing a precious tree of literary energy with lush branches and roots like dragons.

He also recited aloud, and a poem about snow-covered mountains at dusk came out, his voice resounding through the valley, his literary spirit and imagery rushing out, colliding with the river scene created by Xue Xiang.

Snow-capped mountains rise to the sky, and the river crashes against the shore; these two magnificent scenes intertwine in the air, creating a deafening roar.

A moment later, the magnificent scene of snow-covered mountains condensed by Qian Qianshui, with the momentum of collapsing mountains, gradually overwhelmed Xue Xiang's vast river scene.

The wind howled, and snowflakes danced wildly.

The two poets' poetic realms clashed, shaking heaven and earth.

The wind and snow swept across the sky, and the murderous intent remained unabated.

Seeing that Qian Qianshui's giant tree of literary energy had already suppressed Xue Xiang to the point of losing power, many cultivators in the arena no longer hesitated and made their moves.

Sword light, flames, lightning, ice blades... all sorts of spells fell like a meteor shower, heading straight for Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang let out a long roar, pointed his large hand, and the giant scene of the river in the sky suddenly churned up, vast and boundless, with rolling waves like the Milky Way pouring down, swallowing up all the attacks.

The deafening roar caused the waves to surge into a curtain of water that crashed against the crowd.

Everyone paled and gathered their magical power to resist.

Wang Xiaofeng spoke loudly, his voice resounding through the mountains: "This is a contest between magnificent landscapes of poetry and literature. Since you are all enveloped by these magnificent landscapes, any magical attacks will be in vain!"
The air here is thick with literary atmosphere; only literary talent reigns supreme. Unorthodox methods are merely trivial details; there's no need to waste time struggling with them!

As soon as the words fell, all the cultivators in the room who were not Confucian scholars felt a pang of sympathy.

Only now did they truly understand why Confucianism and Taoism were revered throughout the world. A natural, pervasive literary atmosphere permeated the air.

If one is a talented person among ordinary people, one can compose a few fine lines and inspire poetic imagery here;
Although they possessed cultivation, literary talent was not their forte, and they could only watch helplessly as literary flair dominated the entire scene and poets vied for supremacy.

Qian Qianshui recited again, and the wind and snow of a thousand mountains gathered into a storm, its momentum growing stronger.

The literary tree above his head also shone brightly from afar. With the blessing of the literary tree, the magnificent scene he constructed became more solid and substantial, and the blizzard crushed the river waves.

Unfortunately, every time the river view seemed about to be completely overwhelmed, Xue Xiang would always have a follow-up sentence, seemingly endless.

"The icy spring is cold and astringent, the strings are frozen and silent, the sound is temporarily silenced. A hidden sorrow and resentment arise, at this moment silence speaks louder than words..."

Xue Xiang's poetic voice continued, and more than ten lines had already been uttered, still vast and unending, with the artistic conception layer upon layer, and the magnificent view of the river waves becoming even more expansive.

Unbeknownst to them, Qian Qianshui's poems had already come to an end.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the sky reversed, and Jiang Tao Hongjing's oppressive force intensified.

Qian Qianshui was shocked. He suddenly realized that Xue Xiang had carefully prepared a long narrative poem.

Do not seek a quick victory, but rather a vast and enduring one, like a spider spinning its silk, gradually entangling and ensnaring the enemy.

Upon thinking of this, and filled with worry, Qian Qianshui suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

At this moment, Wang Xiaofeng chanted urgently, and the magnificent scene unfolded again, but it was far less impressive than the commotion Qian Qianshui had created.

The poetic realm constructed by Xue Xiang is as vast as the sea, with the surging waves of the river sweeping down, instantly pressing down on the magnificent scene manifested by Wang Xiaofeng, making it teeter on the brink of collapse.

The situation took a sudden turn. Seeing this, the two friends from Zhejiang, along with other Confucian scholars and monks, also began to chant loudly.

A variety of poetic images soared into the sky, manifesting one magnificent scene after another, including mountains, long rivers, and stars.

Their arrival slightly halted the surging tide of the river, preventing the battle from collapsing immediately.

However, at this moment, time is clearly Xue Xiang's friend.

His long narrative poems are simply too extraordinary.

The poem continues for dozens of lines, as if the sound of waves stretches for thousands of miles, and the magnificent scenery continues to unfold between heaven and earth. The river surges mightily, and the artistic conception overlaps layer by layer, becoming more and more magnificent.

The crowd's faces grew paler.

Anyone could hear that these verses were interconnected, with a dense and intricate imagery, thus expanding the magnificent view of the river waves to become a vast ocean with an irresistible momentum.

In contrast, their individual chants, though capable of manifesting mountains, rivers, and stars, are fragmented and disconnected, like isolated little ponds, utterly incapable of competing with the boundless ocean.

Finally, someone could no longer hold on, his face ashen, he knelt on the ground, and in a trembling voice, took off his storage treasure and kowtowed to beg for mercy.

The four friends from eastern Zhejiang looked at each other for a long time, and finally three of them stood up, their faces somber, and pleaded guilty in unison.

Wang Xiaofeng, being more magnanimous, said loudly, "If you, fellow Daoist, can forgive us, we are willing to atone for our past sins."

I would gladly be imprisoned here for three hundred years in place of Brother Qian, and I would never regret it.

Qian Qianshui's face turned ashen. Finally, he raised his hand, bit his fingertip, and swore an oath with his blood: "I, Qian Qianshui, am willing to stay here for three hundred years. I will not leave until the time is up."

Xue Xiang's gaze was cold and sharp, his voice like the clash of iron: "Justice delayed is justice denied."

A compromise that comes too late is no compromise at all.

I will uphold justice myself.

When fate's footsteps came, you all turned a deaf ear.

Now, the footprints of fate have been laid; you may accept your destiny.

As the words fell, Xue Xiang's recitation grew more urgent: "I sighed upon hearing the pipa, and now these words bring me to tears again. Why must we have known each other before? We are both wanderers on the edge of the world..."

In an instant, the heavens and earth roared.

The colossal scene of the river waves had reached its peak, sweeping across the vast wilderness and crushing the poetic grandeur condensed by the cultivators, turning it into a phantom and vanishing without a trace.

Xue pointed with his large hand.

The endless roar of the waves crashed down, and white waves pounded against the sky.

In an instant, the world turned white.

The crowd plunged into the raging waves, their cries and terror drowned out, leaving only the sound of waves crashing against the shore and the swirling snow.

(End of this chapter)