The sage was determined to die.

Ji Bai also fell silent.

He looked at her with a hint of pity, his gaze like that of a top student caring for a desperate illiterate: "I didn't expect you couldn't even read."

The old lady was about to retort, "So what if I can't read? I've eaten more dirt than you've seen," when she heard the other person say with obvious disappointment:

"You can't even read, yet you don't know how to learn? No wonder the development of Shushan has stagnated for so many years. It seems that it's all because of you old employees who occupy positions without any ambition."

old lady:"……"

She made a last-ditch effort, even disdainfully mocking the doctor: "Ha, don't think I know nothing just because I can't read. Just because there's a 'iron' character inside this 'artwork,' you think you can just add an iron plate? If there's water inside, are you planning to put water in?"

Her intention was to mock the other party, but to her surprise, Ji Bai nodded and affirmed, "We can try that. We can't just wait for the Book Mountain to open every three years, then let these scholars walk into our trap and kill each other. In the end, their literary talents might even be taken away by someone else, right?"

old lady:"……"

Their conversations can be kept private and can be ignored by others.

Although the others couldn't hear their conversation, they could clearly see Ji Bai's actions. It seemed that he had persuaded the old lady in front of him. The once arrogant old lady was now as wilted as a frostbitten eggplant. Although she desperately wanted to attack Ji Bai, the first rule for these guards was that they could not kill their colleagues.

The old lady was seething with anger, but she didn't dare to actually hurt Ji Bai.

It's not that she lacks the ability; if she were to actually make a move, Ji Bai would most likely be no match for her. Yet, she is terrified of doing so.

These guards did not stay on the mountain of books voluntarily. Some guards had tried to challenge the rules, defect, or injure other colleagues, but they were ultimately eliminated by the power of the rules.

She still vividly remembers that scene: a guard far stronger than her tried to defect from the Book Mountain, but before he even reached the outside of the barrier, his body was torn apart inch by inch. His screams reached the ears of every guard, and he eventually turned into a pile of scorched earth, becoming an eternal part of the Book Mountain.

They can never escape the mountain of books.

Thinking of this, as she listened to Ji Bai's words, "It is indeed difficult for an old lady like you to start learning to read from scratch," and "Alas, perhaps this is what happens when you don't work hard when you're young and end up illiterate when you're old," she kept reminding herself in her heart.

She had to endure it.

Like these successful candidates in the imperial examinations, they, as guardians of the mountain of books, must obtain literary talent while abiding by the rules if they wish to leave.

Furthermore, the requirements for them are even higher.

At this moment, Ji Bai was unarmed, looking at the nervous-looking group of people. He suddenly thought of his two most important plans for coming to Shushan: first, to make a name for himself, and second, to be killed after making a name for himself.

The most important thing is to become famous.

Nobody knows who he is right now!

Do you know who I am?

Ji Bai approached them step by step, and the group of people involuntarily backed away. The red face, whose features were indistinct, looked particularly terrifying at that moment.

They dared not directly harm Ji Bai, and even the boldest of them, Gongsun Yang, could only grit his teeth and say, "I know, you are not human."

Ji Bai: "..."

Gongsun Yang instantly realized he had misspoke and quickly tried to make amends, saying, "You are a good person. If it weren't for your reminder, we would probably be fighting amongst ourselves right now, falling into the trap set by the Chu people."

He recounted how his father had encountered the so-called Chu traitorous scholar, who had guided him into the Puppet Forest after entering the Mountain of Books. Unexpectedly, his words were met with enthusiastic approval from the crowd, as they too had encountered similar Chu scholars...

Ji Bai nodded after they finished speaking and said, "Even if you kill each other, you still won't get this Wenxin."

His gaze drifted out of the forest. This puppet forest was like a barrier, with the inside and outside of it being two completely different worlds.

"Even if you drain all the blood from your body, you still won't be able to awaken this literary heart."

He looked at the group of people in front of him and said, "That prince of Chu probably knows how to get this Wenxin. Given your bloodlust at the sight of Wenxin, once you've all killed each other, they can just bring in a few more people and repeat the process. They can get Wenxin for free."

"Even if we can't catch them," Ji Bai cracked his knuckles a few times, his voice suddenly lowering, "hasn't Chu still managed to get a lot of its own scholars into the country?"

This is why the more people there are in a mountain of books, the greater the advantage.

Gongsun Yang and the others had now fully realized the extent of this cunning scheme, and their attitude was now very sincere. They thanked Ji Bai profusely, saying, "Thank you for saving our lives."

Ji Bai pursed his lips and suddenly said, "Actually, you should thank Ji Bai of Qi."

"Ji Bai? Who is this?"

The group was completely bewildered, their eyes filled with confusion.

"It sounds like a person's name. Is he a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) like us?"

A scholar from a small state muttered to himself, "Hasn't the State of Qi declined for a long time? I wonder when such a person has emerged."

The man cautiously looked at the red-faced examiner: "Excuse me, what is your relationship with this Ji Bai?"

Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see his face clearly, Ji Bai spoke calmly: "Ji Bai? You don't even know Ji Bai?"

Ji Bai turned his back inscrutably, showing no embarrassment at self-promotion, only the composure of someone striving to increase their fame. He seemed lost in some kind of memory, and said:

"Ji Bai is different from you. He did not follow the others from Qi. Instead, he came to me alone. At first, I thought he was just an ordinary person. I never expected that his intelligence would completely exceed my expectations."

"He could have easily obtained the Wenxin, but he gave it to this examiner who was on his deathbed."

As he spoke, Ji Bai seemed moved by his own lie, wiping away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes, and said, "The condition is that he can give up his literary heart, but this examiner will also help him save more people."

This person is talking complete nonsense.

Gongsun Yang and the others had intended to think that way, but the examiner's behavior perfectly matched his words.

If the examiner hadn't agreed to the request from Ji Bai, a scholar from Qi, why would he have intervened to stop them from killing each other?

The group stammered, momentarily at a loss for words, their faces filled with surprise, shock, and disbelief.

I never imagined that there would be a scholar in the world whom Wenxin rejected.

"He must be an idiot," the group thought to themselves.