Nathan Ye sat in the private booth, showing no intention of joining the competition below. Gavin Tsai kept his eyes closed, in no rush to step onto the stage either.
"Looks like those two are already sizing each other up," some whispered. Tsai's motives were unknown, but Nathan was clearly indifferent. He watched the ongoing contest with a curious gaze.
About thirty scholars were hunched over desks, composing poetry. As soon as their brushes touched the paper, an aura of talent began to exude from them. The entire Chunfeng Pavilion filled with an intoxicating fragrance of ink.
"Ah, the beauty of poetry and verse—pure wonder! I could live without meat for three months if I had a masterpiece to savor." Sang Liu commented, slightly tipsy, his cheeks flushed. As he watched the scene below, an air of reckless passion stirred within him. As a literary man himself, it was easy to be drawn into the thick scholarly atmosphere.
"Young Master Huang's poem lacks depth; without a twist, it's unlikely to impress anyone."
"Young Master Zhang's writing isn't bad, but it's rather clichéd—a well-worn topic, so his literary aura is not too strong."
"At the moment, Young Master Wang leads by a margin, with his work showing a literary aura three feet high, quite commendable!"
The crowd discussed among themselves, debating the highs and lows. The talent of each scholar became apparent the instant they penned down their words. Each stroke produced threads of orange talent that floated above the text, vibrant and beautiful. By the density of the aura, one could judge who held the most talent.
So far, no one was particularly outstanding. None could impress Clara Xiao nor captivate the famous courtesans of the pavilion.
"What a show-off." Gavin Tsai finally opened his eyes, glancing toward Nathan's booth. Seeing that he was still inactive, Tsai sneered before stepping onto the stage.
"The Top Scholar is about to write!" Anticipation lit up the faces of the spectators.
This was the Top Scholar, after all! By some measure, he was considered the most talented scholar in Zhou this year. Gavin Tsai picked up the brush with confidence; he already had his composition planned, flowing smoothly onto the page.
"What elegant writing!" someone gasped.
Just as he started, an aura of talent surged forth—due in part to the fine calligraphy. With continuous strokes, he completed half of a seven-character verse, his talent visibly intensifying. Suddenly, a rich fragrance of ink filled the air, spreading in all directions.
"Half a County-Level Masterpiece!" The scholars gasped with joy.
Others competing on stage turned pale, their concentration shattered, unable to continue. Nathan knew that there were standards for judging poetry in this world. Once the literary aura reached a certain level, it became a "County-Level Masterpiece." In essence, it meant the poem was worthy of spreading across a county and could be considered an excellent work.
Beyond that was "Province-Level Fame," a level that meant the work could gain renown throughout a province, solidifying its place in literary circles. Then came "National Treasure" status, reserved for works so extraordinary they were cherished by the entire nation and passed down through generations.
Finally, there was "World-Renowned," the rarest of all levels—works that could shake the world upon completion. Currently, there were only a few pieces at this level in existence, each one authored by a Poet Sage or Verse Saint.
"The Top Scholar's half-verse has already reached County-Level! Once completed, it could very well become a Province-Level masterpiece."
"If he achieves Province-Level, it will be a monumental event in the literary world!"
"I admit defeat—he truly deserves the title of Top Scholar, his talent is unmatched."
The crowd buzzed with excitement. In an era where literary aura was sparse, achieving Province-Level poetry was challenging, let alone composing it spontaneously, as Gavin Tsai was doing now.
"Young Master Tsai is indeed extraordinarily talented." Sang Liu cast a glance at Nathan, curious about his reaction. Unfortunately, Nathan's expression remained stoic, neither pressured nor confident.
Tsai continued writing, a fine sweat breaking out on his forehead as his literary spirit surged within him, fueling his energy to complete a grand composition. Finally, he set down his brush. The talent aura pulsed, nearly reaching Province-Level but falling just shy.
"What a shame, he was so close."
"Province-Level works are indeed rare."
"Young Master Tsai has already achieved so much."
The audience sighed, but they did not mock him; rather, they encouraged him. To them, this was already impressive. With some refinement, Tsai's piece might reach Province-Level upon completion. For most people, achieving a single work of this level would be a lifetime accomplishment.
Gavin Tsai shared the sentiment, though slightly regretful, a smile lingered on his face, satisfied with his work. But his smile quickly faded as he noticed that Nathan Ye still hadn't moved. This dampened his joy considerably. Looking up at the private booth, he couldn't help but taunt.
"Brother Ye, why haven't you come down? Are you perhaps out of inspiration?"
After watching the others write for so long, Nathan's curiosity was satisfied. He had been planning to participate and, seeing Gavin Tsai's prompt, a smile appeared on his lips.
"Young man, you're really brave!"
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。