Chapter 37

“From your tone, you’re not even sure if there’s a shortcut—yet you dare spout nonsense here.”

“Young brother, did you really gain extraordinary power from reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms?”

“What shortcut?”

“I think we should let this young brother speak—whether it’s useful or not, we can judge for ourselves.”

Thousands chimed in, each with their own ideas.

Guan Heng, who had only just thought of this possibility upon entering Tai Xu Mountain, excitedly raised his hand and pressed downward, signaling silence, then shouted:

“Everyone has studied calligraphy or practiced martial arts, haven’t they?”

“To master them, it’s nothing but repeated learning and imitation.”

“When I first read the first chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I paid special attention to Guan Yun Chang, because I share his surname.”

“Unconsciously, I imitated the way Guan Yun Chang spoke and carried himself, as if possessed.”

“I don’t know when it started, but I had a vague premonition—I might gain some extraordinary power. And just the day before yesterday, when I faced danger, I naturally acquired the Martial Soul: Green Dragon Crescent Blade.”

“In the Man Sha zone, there were fifteen seventh-rank Man soldiers—I used one Green Dragon Crescent Blade and killed fourteen of them.”

“I’m only an eighth-rank martial cultivator!”

Guan Heng’s facial muscles twitched uncontrollably with excitement.

“So you mean imitation alone can grant extraordinary power? I mean no offense, but so far, no one has gained such power.”

A middle-aged man with indistinct features stepped forward and continued: “I don’t believe others haven’t immersed themselves in books. The elegance of Wen Guan Hou’s writings speaks for itself—no need for me to elaborate.”

Guan Heng shook his head repeatedly: “You merely immerse yourselves—I’m talking about imitation. There may also need to be elements of peril…”

Lu Fang stared in shock, for just moments ago he had asked Jing Ling—and discovered the “Imitation Role Method” was genuinely effective.

Seeing most people doubting Guan Heng, Lu Fang hesitated, then decided to lend a hand.

Even if it cost him some literary aura, he was willing.

It was a reward for Guan Heng’s courage and wisdom!

“Look over there!”

“So much literary aura swirling around—is Tai Xu Mountain acknowledging his imitation method?”

“Can you really gain extraordinary power this way?”

Amid the crowd’s exclamations, a half-foot-long strand of literary aura appeared around Guan Heng, spun several times, then merged into his own literary aura.

One strand of literary aura is woven from eighteen one-foot-long strands.

While others still had only finger-length strands, the sudden appearance of a half-foot-long strand naturally sparked cheers.

Amid the crowd’s shouts, Lu Fang exited the Tai Xu Illusion.

That half-foot-long strand of literary aura had been given to Guan Heng at the cost of his own—his head had simply overheated and he’d done it.

It pained him terribly!

…

Year 29 of Tian Feng.

November 2nd.

With winter solstice just days away, the air in the Imperial Capital grew colder.

Behind the Wenyuan Academy.

On an open patch of ground gathered over a hundred people—mostly those who had earned entry into the Seventh-Rank Small Upper Realm, men and women, Confucians and Daoists alike.

Today was the day the Small Upper Realm opened; its entrance lay beneath the cliff behind the academy, so everyone had arrived early to wait.

“Xiao Yunru has arrived!”

Someone shouted.

Before the arched gate leading into the open ground, a dozen elegant women shrieked in rhythmic unison: “First to arrive—Xiao Yunru!”

Xiao Yunru wore a purple-gold trimmed Confucian robe, a jade crown on his head, his handsome face expressionless as he ignored the admirers on either side and strode forward.

Instantly, many bowed and greeted him.

Among them, a short fat man and a tall thin man shouted loudly.

The short fat man in his Confucian robe said: “So many admirers for Young Master Xiao—truly enviable.”

The tall thin man in his blue robe grinned and added: “Young Master Xiao holds the top rank among seventh-rank third-stage cultivators—of course he has admirers.”

“Just some common beauties—not worth mentioning!”

Xiao Yunru spoke these words, yet his smile betrayed his inner delight—even if he claimed indifference, he reveled in being adored.

It was human nature.

His words had barely ended.

A commotion erupted at the archway.

Word spread: Wen Guan Hou Lu Fang had arrived!

A flood of people surged toward the archway—nearly everyone present here was a fan of Dream of the Red Chamber and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

“Wen Guan Hou!”

Without realizing it, they all shouted in unison.

Lu Fang and He Zixuan had just stepped through the archway and were stunned by the sight—they were surrounded three layers deep.

A rising tide of shouts echoed to the heavens.

Some screamed hoarsely…

Some declared their love loudly…

Others offered more rational greetings…

It was a full-blown celebrity fan scene.

Fortunately, the Wenyuan Academy guards saw the danger and rushed in to disperse the crowd.

Lu Fang was dazed—within just a few incense sticks’ time, his robe had been torn apart; several unscrupulous women had boldly reached out and touched him.

“The morals of this age are in decline!” He Zixuan’s robe was torn too.

Even with a line of guards protecting them, many still refused to move away, leaving Lu Fang and He Zixuan unable to take a single step.

“He just got lucky writing elegant prose.”

The short fat man sneered.

The tall thin man fawned on Xiao Yunru: “Lu Fang is utterly presumptuous—a mere eighth-rank first-stage cultivator daring to enter the Small Upper Realm. If I meet him there, I’ll make him suffer.”

Xiao Yunru glanced at Lu Fang; a flash of killing intent flickered deep in his eyes as he spoke slowly: “A petty trickster!”

“Hmm?” Lu Fang sensed something and turned toward the crowd—just in time to lock eyes with Xiao Yunru and catch the fleeting killing intent in his gaze.

“Watch out!”

Xiao Yunru smirked, forming the words silently with his lips.

Lu Fang smiled—brightly, openly. He didn’t reply with lip movements, nor did he even consider Xiao Yunru a threat.

His goal in entering the Small Upper Realm was to seize as much fortune as possible.

If someone foolishly provoked him—

Whether it was the seventh-rank third-stage top cultivator or some other race, he had full confidence he’d send them packing.

“Everyone, quiet down.”

Li Mao and Wang Fu, the head and deputy head of Wenyuan Academy, led a group onto the platform—among them were several Daoist priests in their robes.

After reciting an opening speech,

the academy guards distributed positioning talismans and fortune stones to those entering the Small Upper Realm.

Positioning talisman.

Once carried, it will guide you toward other talismans nearby, helping you find companions and form groups within the Small Upper Realm.

The entrance to the Small Upper Realm was forcibly opened; a teleportation array was specially arranged to ensure entrants land safely.

Due to chaotic currents, entrants are scattered across various locations.

To maximize survival in the perilous Small Upper Realm, using the positioning talisman to find the nearest person and form a group is the best choice.

Fortune stone.

Unlike the one Master Wang Fu gave Lu Fang, this fortune stone requires righteous qi to activate before it can absorb unclaimed fortune from the Small Upper Realm.

Lu Fang’s fortune stone absorbs unclaimed fortune directly and rapidly—only when drawn into the body does it require a touch of righteous qi.

Once all preparations were complete,

several half-sages jointly opened the entrance beneath the cliff from afar.

In an instant, dark clouds above spiraled downward like a vortex, their immense pressure pushing everyone backward.

A deep, resonant bell rang.

The swirling storm vanished; in midair above the cliff, a massive Eight Trigrams diagram appeared—the characters Qian, Kun, Zhen, Gen, Li, Kan, Dui, and Xun slowly rose a hundred zhang, then crashed down.

BOOM!

The Eight Trigrams diagram vanished, replaced by a black hole-like entrance.

Those selected were engraved with arrays by the Daoist priests standing guard, then leapt one by one into the dark abyss of the Small Upper Realm.

When Lu Fang’s name was called, he leapt without hesitation.