A moment later, he once again pulled ahead of Ning Zhuo, and the gap continued to widen.
The cultivators were in shock, engaging in heated discussions.
"Is this innate talent?"
"It’s rumored that Kong Ran possesses the Early Wisdom Talent, and it seems to be true!"
"With this talent assisting him, Kong Ran is surely the winner this time."
Liu Fushu’s eyes were bloodshot, watching as Kong Ran wrote faster and faster, and eventually gave up in dismay.
This advantage was too great, leaving Liu Fushu without any hope of catching up.
At the same time, he had thoughts similar to Bai Jiyun: "This time’s Feiyun minor trial is different from before, the questions are strange, and the rewards are too high. Could it truly be to guide Kong Ran onto the path of a Confucian cultivator?"
At this point, no cultivators were participating anymore.
After employing his talent, Kong Ran left everyone in the dust, making the cultivators instantly recognize the situation and they all withdrew.
Only Ning Zhuo did not stop.
After a moment, the cultivators saw how vast the gap between Ning Zhuo and Kong Ran was, yet Ning Zhuo showed no intention of giving up, and they all felt impatient.
"Is there any point in continuing like this?"
"Face reality. Your opponent is a Divine Child with innate talent!"
"I know this strapping youth. After seeing a glimmer of hope for victory, only to have that hope turn into despair once Kong Ran showed his depths, the gap was too large for him to accept right away."
"Hmph, he’s not even a Confucian cultivator, just an outsider. Joining this Confucian Feiyun trial must have been out of curiosity, a playful endeavor. With such a foundation, does he still delude himself into taking treasures from us Confucian cultivators?"
"Such words are biased. Kong Ran isn’t truly a Confucian cultivator either."
"But Kong Ran is only at the Qi Refining Level, whereas this youth has already reached Foundation Establishment. Having chosen a path in cultivation, why be greedy and try to profit from the Confucian path?"
"Indeed, that’s true."
The cultivators’ discussions were deliberately loud enough for Ning Zhuo to hear, yet he acted as if he were deaf, remaining true to himself.
Chu Xuangu watched this scene with a silent nod. Regardless of anything else, this mindset was excellent for someone of Ning Zhuo’s age.
At this stage of the Feiyun minor trial, Kong Ran led by a large margin, but Chu Xuangu remained calm, without any hint of panic.
He was also aware of information about Kong Ran, including the Early Wisdom Talent and the use of talents, all factored into his plans.
Chu Xuangu continued to use mana to gather poems unhurriedly.
As the poems continued, Kong Ran’s complexion grew paler, beads of cold sweat appearing on his forehead, his upper body starting to sway.
He was reaching his limit!
Employing talent like this consumed not just physical strength and mana, but also spirit.
In the past, he used the Myriad Phenomena Cradle to assist his learning, but never for this long.
The heavy burden pushed him to his limits, and he had to stop the talent method himself.
His head was dizzy, and his vision was filled with golden light. Struggling, he turned to look at Ning Zhuo, feeling a chill in his heart: "Why is this guy still persisting?"
Kong Ran began to make frequent mistakes.
His current state was too poor; he had to write a line of poetry seven or eight times to meet the standards, barely passing.
And a whole poem comprised at least four lines.
As a result, while Kong Ran completed one poem, Ning Zhuo completed four or five.
In this situation, Ning Zhuo began to close the gap steadily.
The cultivators were all astonished.
Many had not expected such a reversal toward the end.
"It’s true, although Kong Ran is a Divine Child, after all, he is only in the Qi Refinement Realm."
"Compared to the Foundation Establishment Stage, his depth is too shallow and cannot sustain a long battle."
"What a pity. If I had known this, I wouldn’t have given up!"
The cultivators all turned their complicated gazes toward Ning Zhuo.
Thud.
A moment later, Kong Ran could no longer hold on and fainted on the spot.
Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu rushed to help him up and revived him.
Kong Ran’s body was limp, and he looked with weary eyes as Ning Zhuo overtook him.
"Ah, my Ideograph Brush!" His eyes rolled back, and he fainted again out of anger.
Chu Xuangu slowly stopped using mana, no longer forming character sheets out of thin air.
He looked at Ning Zhuo with an expressionless face.
The cultivators fell silent.
A few breaths later, Chu Xuangu finally nodded slightly and spoke calmly: "In this Feiyun minor trial, you are the winner. What is your full name?"
Ning Zhuo cupped his hands in respect, his voice slightly trembling as he reported his name, showing his slightly excited emotion.
"Good." Chu Xuangu immediately took out a token and handed it, along with the Ideograph Brush, to Ning Zhuo.
Then, he looked around and spoke in a deep voice: "In ancient times, Cangzu created characters and left behind the ancient seal stele. This stele is the national treasure of Huazhang Country, and we’ve been looking for a qualified inheritor."
"However, countless Confucian cultivators, whether geniuses or powerful figures, have all failed before the ancient seal stele."
"Although we are in the Myriad Images Sect, we have the qualification to recommend."
"Recently, I had a discussion with a friend and gained insights—Cangzu’s creation of characters was a mimicry of talisman forms, creating the ancient seal script."
"Since Confucian cultivators have failed, why not start from the source of Cangzu’s character creation, from talismans?"
The Confucian cultivators upon hearing this, showed expressions of sudden realization.
Chu Xuangu showed a complex expression as he looked at Ning Zhuo: "You are not a Confucian cultivator, but that doesn’t matter. I hope you make good use of this Ideograph Brush to enhance your talisman-making skills, and if you can also cultivate Confucian classics, that would be even better."
"When you are accomplished and confident in the future, bring the token to find me. As long as you pass the assessment, we’ll recommend you to go to Huazhang Country to attempt the ancient seal stele."
Bai Jiyun’s eyebrows relaxed: "I see! As expected of Mr. Chu Xuangu, I underestimated him with my small-mindedness."
Liu Fushu clenched his fists secretly: "It’s really a shame! I missed this opportunity and also the chance to engage with the ancient seal stele."
"Mr. Chu Xuangu is indeed a venerable figure of the Confucian Sect, always fair and just. He did not favor Kong Ran just because of his Early Wisdom Talent."
"Granting the victory to an outsider this time is enough to prove his character and virtue!"
Kong Ran was still unconscious.
Ning Zhuo saw Chu Xuangu’s words easily swayed the masses, clearing any suspicion entirely, and a gleam flashed in his eyes, thinking, "Amazing! I’ve learned a lot."
Ning Zhuo paid his respects to Chu Xuangu, thanking him while praising his virtue.
Chu Xuangu, however, did not wish to be overly familiar with Ning Zhuo and advised everyone to study diligently before turning to leave.
Without a Golden Core senior present, the atmosphere at the peak became instantly relaxed.
Many Confucian cultivators gathered around Ning Zhuo, eager to make friends.
Ning Zhuo welcomed them all with a smile, humble and approachable, giving people a pleasant feeling.
Finally, he approached Bai Jiyun, Liu Fushu, and the unconscious Kong Ran: "Fellow Daoists, our encounter this time is truly fated."
"It’s lunchtime now. Why don’t I host a meal? Would the three Daoists honor me with your presence?"
Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement: "Sure."
The gathering’s location was the Bluestone Cave Mansion.
Ning Zhuo introduced Chef Lao, Qing Chi, and Gongsun Yan to the three, causing Bai Liu Kong to exchange another glance.
Though Ning Zhuo’s attire was ordinary, the fact that he had three attendants suggested he wasn’t from an insignificant background, evidenced in his speech and demeanor.
The trio’s estimation of Ning Zhuo improved significantly.
Even without using Chef Lao’s signature dark cuisine, he managed to create delicious dishes.
Bai Jiyun and Kong Ran found it delightful, and even Liu Fushu, despite trying to restrain himself, couldn’t help but eat more.
After three rounds of drinks, Kong Ran took a bite of chicken leg and finally spoke: "Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo, are you interested in selling that Ideograph Brush? My father is one of the current Prime Ministers of Flying Cloud Country. If you’re interested, name your price!"
Ning Zhuo shook his head: "The Ideograph Brush can enhance one’s realm, so I have no intention of selling it. However, I do have someone close to me with the Early Wisdom Talent. Earlier, Daoist Fellow Kong Ran seemed to use a talent method; I wonder if this method is for sale?"
"If possible, this Golden Core can serve as the deposit."
The three cultivators couldn’t help but have their pupils constrict, as their eyes fixed on the Ghost Dao Golden Core in Ning Zhuo’s hand.