Chapter 6: Chapter Six: The Exterminate Demons Lyric

Li Yu smiled and nodded: “A poem on exterminating demons is indeed fitting.”

County Magistrate Zhao sat in his chair, smiling silently, lifting his tea bowl to sip, understanding the youth’s eagerness to prove himself.

Yet most times, haste only backfires.

Lu Fang paced back and forth in the room, pondering the Song lyric in his mind.

In this fantasy world’s Zhou Dynasty, poetry and lyrics flourished; the empire had stood over three thousand years, so most of the finest verses from his past life already existed here—only a few remained untouched, just enough for him to “borrow.”

This Song lyric was truly excellent; he only needed to tweak a few words to make it fit the theme.

The study fell silent.

After finishing his tea, County Magistrate Zhao saw Lu Fang frowning, still pacing, lost in thought, and thought to himself:

“Though this boy can write elegant prose and summon a Book Spirit, his past record shows he’s utterly devoid of literary talent—even if he does produce a poem, how could it possibly be a masterpiece?”

It wasn’t that Zhao looked down on Lu Fang; the Zhou Dynasty was full of literati, and only a select few had true poetic brilliance.

Zhao himself had been a minor prodigy in his youth, yet after decades, he’d never written a single poem he was satisfied with—let alone Lu Fang, whose reputation was poor.

“I believe young Lu Fang is capable of composing a fine lyric; perhaps he’s rushed. Why not return home to polish it, and present it next time…”

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zhao offered Lu Fang a graceful exit.

“Indeed, composing on the spot is difficult.”

Li Yu sipped two mouthfuls from her “miniature wine flask,” never having expected anything from the start.

To Li Yu, a twenty-year-old who hadn’t yet awakened the Vast Righteous Qi, even if he summoned a Book Spirit, his future achievements would be limited.

Those who achieved greatness in the capital had all shone brightly since childhood.

Take Li Yu herself, the famed female prodigy of the capital—her father was the great Confucian Li Mao, her mother the younger sister of the Minister of Literature, her master the great Confucian Wang Fu.

Li Yu awakened the Vast Righteous Qi at ten, and at sixteen, her two “Ru Meng Ling” poems made her famous.

Especially “Ru Meng Ling · Last Night the Rain Was Light, the Wind Violent”—this “Image-Forming” masterpiece left countless scholars awestruck.

Last night the rain was light, the wind violent,

Deep sleep failed to dispel the lingering wine.

I asked the one rolling up the curtain, who replied: “The crabapple blooms remain unchanged.”

Do you know? Do you know? The green should be lush, the red thin.

How “beautiful” the imagery!

Had Li Yu not been so lazy, her realm might not be stuck at Fifth Rank, Third Stage as a Confucian Scholar.

Lu Fang halted and stood still, gazing at the lashing rain outside the door; the hastily revised “Exorcism Chant” might be flawed, but it now choked his heart, demanding to be spoken.

Lu Fang halted, gazing out at the torrential rain outside the door; the hastily revised “Exterminate Demons” lyric might be imperfect, but it was lodged in his heart, demanding release.

“Furious hair lifts my crown, leaning on the railing, the drizzle ceases.”

“I lift my eyes, cry to the heavens, my heart ablaze with righteous fury.”

“Twenty years of fame—dust and soil; eight thousand miles of road—clouds and moon.”

As he recited the first half of the “Exterminate Demons” lyric, the air above Lu Fang trembled, swirling forth pale green literary qi, then pure blue Vast Righteous Qi.

“Vast Righteous Qi!”

County Magistrate Zhao’s hand shook, nearly dropping his tea bowl.

Many could summon Vast Righteous Qi by reciting Confucian classics or ancient poems, but few ever did so with their own composition.

He had just lamented that Lu Fang had written elegant prose and summoned a Book Spirit—yet failed to awaken Vast Righteous Qi.

Now, with this single “Exterminate Demons” lyric, Lu Fang had succeeded—truly unexpected.

“Excellent lyric!” Li Yu was proud and discerning; few poems earned her praise. To say “good” meant she truly admired it.

At that moment, an anomaly erupted.

The Vast Righteous Qi above Lu Fang coalesced into a scroll: a figure in white Confucian robes stood with his back turned at the railing, gazing at the sudden rain, his silhouette radiating loneliness.

Only half the lyric had been recited, yet Heaven deemed it an “Image-Forming” masterpiece.

Crack!

County Magistrate Zhao’s tea bowl shattered on the floor.

In all his years, he had never witnessed an “Image-Forming” lyric composed on the spot—he trembled with excitement, his beard quivering.

“This…” Li Yu had believed her own “Ru Meng Ling · Last Night the Rain Was Light, the Wind Violent” was the pinnacle she could never surpass—it was an “Image-Forming” lyric.

Yet here was Lu Fang: his idle prose had been deemed elegant, he had summoned a Book Spirit, and now he had composed an “Image-Forming” “Exterminate Demons” lyric?

Even the great Confucians commissioned to write on “Exterminating Demons” had produced verses—yet compared to this, they were mud beside jade!

Li Yu sat up straight, her laziness vanishing, eyes fixed on Lu Fang, listening intently.

Lu Fang paused, closed his eyes, felt the literary qi and Vast Righteous Qi flooding his body, then continued reciting:

“Demons run rampant, invading the Zhou—must be exterminated.”

“Drive the chariot, shatter the peaks of Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.”

“With noble rage, I feast on demon-lord flesh; with laughter, I drink demon-slave blood.”

“When I restore the old lands and rivers, I shall return to the Heavenly Palace.”

As he recited the second half of the “Exterminate Demons” lyric, the Vast Righteous Qi scroll transformed violently.

A figure in white Confucian robes stepped down from an ancient war chariot.

With each step, his body swelled a thousand zhang, radiant five-colored auroras piercing the clouds, his feet crushing mountains as demons fled in terror!

When the “Exterminate Demons” lyric ended, the Vast Righteous Qi scroll changed once more.

The figure in white Confucian robes strode proudly along bustling, prosperous streets.

When all phenomena vanished, County Magistrate Zhao leapt to his feet, seized Lu Fang’s hand, and roared with laughter: “Our Pian County has produced a scholar who composed an Image-Forming lyric! Truly, the Emperor’s grace is boundless!”

“Drive the chariot, shatter the peaks of Ten Thousand Demons Mountain.”

“With noble rage, I feast on demon-lord flesh; with laughter, I drink demon-slave blood.”

Li Yu murmured the lines repeatedly, sighing inwardly: Why could I never compose such a bold lyric?

…

“Bozhou” main camp.

Two great Confucians, tasked with purging demonic disturbances, sat in the tent playing Go with black and white stones.

The tall Li Mao raised his beard and said: “Wang, I’ve won.”

Wang Fu, seated opposite, replied gravely: “I let you win today.”

Li Mao was about to tease him when he felt something, pulling a “glowing” “voice-communication jade tablet” from his robe.

Wang Fu smiled: “I suspect my good student has successfully eradicated a demon in Jiangzhou and comes to report good news.”

Li Mao sighed:

“You’ve spoiled Yu’er too much—lazy, always with a flask in hand, now disobeying orders and wandering everywhere. Had I known, I should’ve stopped her from becoming your disciple.”

Wang Fu rolled his eyes, utterly unimpressed.

Li Mao shook his head helplessly, tapped the jade tablet with his finger. At first, his gaze was judgmental; gradually, his eyes widened, then he blurted out in shock:

“This is extraordinary!”

Wang Fu, puzzled, shot a sharp glance at the jade tablet’s contents.

It was a “Exterminate Demons” lyric!

Excellent lyric! Image-Forming level!

“The Tale of Nie Xiaoqian” elegant prose!

It had summoned a Book Spirit from an idle story!

“This was composed by a Confucian named Lu Fang—could it be…”

“The Prophecy of the Ten Thousand Trees King!”

Li Mao and Wang Fu exchanged glances, both seeing astonishment in the other’s eyes.