Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Five: Residual Memories

Can poetry strengthen destiny?

This is the only method Lu Fang can currently think of.

He Zixuan sighed and shook his head: “I’ve tried every classic text of the sages and every poem and verse of the ancient sages—none of them increased my destiny at all.”

Lu Fang tried reciting: “Do you not see the waters of the Yellow River come from heaven, rushing to the sea and never returning? Do you not see the bright mirrors in high halls grieve over white hair—morning black silk, evening snow…”

“At dawn I depart from White Emperor City amid colorful clouds; a thousand li to Jiangling, I return in a single day. The cries of apes on both banks never cease; my light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains.”

“A pot of wine among the flowers, I drink alone with no companion. I raise my cup to invite the bright moon; with my shadow, we become three.”

When it comes to poetry, Li Bai cannot be avoided.

In the Great Zhou, these poems were composed by the Wine Sword Immortal Li Taibai, a literary titan a thousand years ago.

“It’s useless… I’ve recited all of these already.”

He Zixuan smiled bitterly.

“Wu wu wu…”

The clan destiny kui beneath them trembled again, swallowed by the demon barbarians’ clan destiny kui from behind—unless something changed, they wouldn’t last an hour.

They had to break this stalemate quickly.

As they drew closer, the mocking voices of the demon barbarians reached them.

Chi Jue sneered:

“I heard the Great Zhou produced a prodigy—barely of age, yet composed one xiangxiang-level poem and one poem, three elegant prose pieces, and even condensed a Book Spirit. But in my view, he’s nothing special.”

Bai Jinghu—Hu Feng, in his human form a burly man, grinned mockingly: “Lord Wenguan, Li Taibai’s poems have already been recited by that fat man—useless.”

Jinmao Moyuan—Yuan Jin let out a loud, cheerful laugh:

“They say Lord Wenguan is a prophet, a man of great destiny. I eagerly await how you’ll escape this predicament. Let me remind you, Lord Wenguan—until the Destiny Tablet manifests, no matter how brilliant your talent, it won’t increase your destiny!”

“You’re like a flock of crows cawing! The demon barbarians are nothing but loud mouths—your strength is weak, yet your tongues are sharp!”

Snow Luo Sha strode to the tail of the clan destiny kui and retorted angrily.

But her retort immediately drew a torrent of vile curses from the demon barbarians.

“Your Highness, ignore them.”

Shui Yao pulled Snow Luo Sha back; hearing the mocking laughter from the demon barbarians’ side, she growled in frustration: “Lord Wenguan, didn’t you say you had an eighty percent chance of victory? Why are you just sitting here staring?”

Lu Fang took a deep breath and recited:

“Drunk, I lamp-light and gaze at my sword; in dreams I return to the camp where horns blow. Eight hundred li of meat is shared among the troops; fifty strings play the sounds of the northern frontier—autumn on the battlefield, troops reviewed. Horses gallop like Dilu, bows snap like thunder. I fulfill my lord’s quest for the realm, winning fame in life and after death.”

This poem by Xin Qiji had never been composed in the Great Zhou.

If even this fails…

“A xiangxiang-level masterpiece!”

He Zixuan exclaimed in shock.

Above Lu Fang, the air twisted violently; vast amounts of righteous qi surged forth, forming a “Troop Review on the Battlefield” image.

“Wonderful!”

Snow Luo Sha clenched her fists tightly.

Shui Yao’s face also broke into a faint smile—Lord Wenguan was truly extraordinary. Not only was his combat power absurdly strong, but he could produce xiangxiang-level masterpieces at will.

Such a commotion naturally drew the attention of the demon barbarians, sparking immediate uproar.

Jinmao Moyuan—Yuan Jin shouted: “Lord Wenguan! So what if you can compose a xiangxiang-level masterpiece? Your human clan destiny kui hasn’t gained a single point of destiny! Stop wasting your effort—it’s useless!”

Lu Fang closed his eyes and sensed, then sighed.

Jinmao Moyuan was right—the clan destiny kui beneath him had gained no destiny at all.

No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t stand against the entire demon barbarian alliance, especially since they were all now protected by their clan destiny kui’s aura.

No matter how many poems he had, they were useless until the Destiny Tablet manifested.

If the clan destiny kui beneath him was swallowed by the demon barbarians, he, the two others, and the Spirit would all die here!

“It’s all my fault—I should never have come searching for those human ghosts.”

Snow Luo Sha said guiltily.

Lu Fang’s eyes lit up urgently: “You said earlier you heard human ghosts screaming in the chaotic stone pillar zone—were they still shouting those two lines? Do you remember what they said?”

Snow Luo Sha recalled: “Fight for the survival of the human race. Fight for the future of human descendants.”

“Wu Hun—Shi Hou!”

Behind Lu Fang, Zhang Yide appeared. He stepped to the edge of the clan destiny kui and shouted toward the chaotic stone pillar zone below: “Fight for the survival of the human race. Fight for the future of human descendants…”

He repeated the two lines over and over.

Extraordinary power: Wu Hun—Shi Hou—intimidates the enemy through a roar; its effect depends on the relative strength of both sides’ momentum.

It has no offensive power—only a sudden, deafening shout to intimidate.

For Lu Fang to shout so many characters at once only made his voice louder and carried farther.

“Is the Great Zhou’s Lord Wenguan mad?”

Chi Jue raised an eyebrow lightly.

Jinmao Moyuan—Yuan Jin, seated beside him, sneered: “Just desperate last gasps. If shouting a few times could help…”

At that moment, a goat spirit standing at the edge shouted: “Heavens! Look! What is that?”

All the demon barbarians turned their gaze downward.

Below, in the chaotic stone pillar zone, dozens of human ghosts appeared… no, they were not ghosts—they were residual memories. Men and women, all dressed in crude clothing, utterly out of place in this era.

These human residual memories, from unknown eras, varied in strength.

Of the dozen or so, only two had clear faces and outlines; the rest flickered in and out, as if they might vanish in the next instant.

Whether strong or weak, all these human residual memories chanted in a language resembling human speech, mechanically: “Fight for the survival of the human race. Fight for the future of human descendants!”

Again and again!

Though their voices were faint—so faint that without careful listening, they could not be heard—they kept shouting.

Seeing this, He Zixuan’s skin prickled with goosebumps. He clenched his fists tightly and joined Lu Fang in shouting: “Fight for the survival of the human race. Fight for the future of human descendants!”

Snow Luo Sha could no longer hold back her tears—every time she heard these human residual memories chant, she wanted to cry.

So she took Shui Yao’s hand and joined them in shouting: “Fight for the survival of the human race. Fight for the future of human descendants!”

A miraculous sight appeared: the dozen or so human residual memories dissolved into specks of destiny, rising and merging into the human clan destiny kui.

Naturally, those dozen human residual memories vanished.

But even as they vanished, they continued to chant without pause.

“Wu wu wu…”

The human clan destiny kui whipped its tail, its body swelling by a full third, its speed increasing slightly—just enough to evade the demon barbarians’ clan destiny kui’s attempt to swallow it.

“How is this possible!”

Chi Jue exclaimed in shock.

Jinmao Moyuan snorted: “Useless! This tiny bit of destiny is like a drop in the ocean…”

His words cut off abruptly.

For below, in the chaotic stone pillar zone, countless human residual memories flickered in and out—stretching as far as the eye could see, dense as a swarm.