Chapter 66: Abdicating the Position of Wenqu

"Big brother."

"How long are you going to stay here? My parents estimate they won't be back until the day after tomorrow."

Xu Ling'er waited for Xu Shilin to set down his teacup, then curiously asked.

Xu Shilin gave a slight smile: "I'll have to stay for a while."

"Brother, I have some matters to attend to."

"Oh, that's good!" Xu Ling'er nodded, then asked again:

"Then, big brother."

"How does it feel to be the top scholar? Has the Emperor bestowed an official title upon you?"

"Is it a very high rank?! Like our prefect?!"

Listening to her barrage of questions and seeing her eyes glittering, full of admiration.

Xu Shilin laughed and said:

"The Emperor hasn't granted a title yet; after a few more days a prefecture appointment is impossible. It should be around a sixth‑rank official post."

"Moreover, I fear I also won't have the chance to become an official…"

He shook his head and did not continue.

Xu Ling'er saw this, opened her mouth, but still couldn't hear anything.

She was carefree and fine, but not clueless.

At this moment the person was clearly in a bad mood and didn't want to be asked, so it was best not to ask.

So.

She stood up: "Big brother, let's not talk about this!"

"Have you eaten?"

"If you haven't, I'll treat you!"

Xu Shilin had already had breakfast, but seeing her enthusiasm and thinking that with Big Tiger present nothing would be wasted, he didn't dampen her spirits and rose, saying:

"Alright, then today big brother will have a feast with you! Hahaha."

And so.

The three who had just entered the house stepped out of the courtyard again.

Eating and drinking while chatting.

Xu Shilin's broad perspective and knowledge opened Xu Ling'er's eyes, and Xu Ling'er occasionally said some whimsical remarks, causing Xu Shilin to burst into hearty laughter.

Big Tiger was only concerned with eating.

These two, each with a bird's stomach, almost ate all the dishes!

He ate so much he could have burst!

After they were full and satisfied.

"Ling'er, sister."

Xu Shilin stood up and said to Xu Ling'er:

"Big brother, I still have some matters to attend to. Since Uncle and Aunt aren't here, I'll come by the next day."

"I'll take my leave first, excuse me."

"Hey, big brother, wait!" Seeing him about to leave with Big Tiger, Xu Ling'er hurriedly got up, grabbed his sleeve:

"Big brother, don't!"

"My parents have already had someone tidy up your room; why not just stay at my house!"

Xu Shilin shook his head: "I've already paid for the guest room; I can't waste it."

"I'll come back to stay the day after tomorrow; that's fine."

"What, Ling'er sister, are you alone at home at night, scared?"

Seeing him joke with himself, as if it were true, Xu Ling'er released his sleeve helplessly and said:

"I'm not scared at all."

"Fine… then, big brother, if you finish your matters, remember to come find me."

"I still have many things to ask you!"

"Certainly, certainly." Xu Shilin answered eagerly, then led Big Tiger downstairs, disappearing from Xu Ling'er's sight.

"Where are you going?"

"Of course, to Leifeng Tower."

"When they arrived at Leifeng Tower."

The sun was setting, and twilight gradually spread.

From afar, the tower stood majestically, its eaves soaring, the top gilded with a layer of golden‑red in the lingering sunset, like a blazing flame.

Ancient trees towered beside the tower, their leaves rustling.

Xu Shilin made Big Tiger stop, and he walked forward step by step, his heartbeat quickening.

Before reaching the tower, an inexplicable sense of familiarity surged in his heart, as if something deep in his blood was calling him.

When he finally stood beneath Leifeng Tower, an invisible force suddenly barred him outside, making it hard for him to take another step.

In a daze, the scene before his eyes abruptly changed—

At the deep base of the tower, a massive White Snake coiled, its body bound by countless golden chains, unable to move.

Shifting his gaze, the White Snake transformed into a graceful woman, her white robes surpassing snow, features like a painting.

She quietly gazed at Xu Shilin, her eyes full of compassion and remorse, lips slightly parting, silently saying:

"Shilin… mother, I'm sorry to you......"

"This is what my mother should receive... go back..."

Xu Shilin's eyes welled up, he shook his head abruptly, knelt heavily on both knees, bowed deeply toward Leifeng Tower, his voice choked yet resolute:

"Xu Shilin, please grant mercy!"

Xu Shilin's forehead slammed onto the blue stone slab, blood streaming down his browbones, staining the ground before his eyes red.

His voice was hoarse yet firm, echoing again and again in the open space before the tower:

"Buddha, grant mercy! Heaven and Earth, grant mercy!"

"Free my mother!"

Each shout was accompanied by a heavy bow, and a dark crimson spread gradually across the blue stone.

Big Tiger watched nearby, his eyes reddening, his fists clenched with a crackling sound, unsure how to help, he could only kneel along, shouting some words pleading for mercy.

He didn't know if this would work, but he only knew he had to do it.

The setting sun dyed the sky crimson, and Xu Shilin's vision was already blurred by blood.

In a daze, he seemed to see Ji Gong swaying a Palm Fan, hearing that familiar voice echo beside his ear:

"The Zhuangyuan Tower will not fall, that tower will not fall..."

Xu Shilin shuddered all over, suddenly enlightened.

He lifted his head toward the sky reddened by the afterglow, and shouted with all his strength:

"Xu Shilin offers the Zhuangyuan Position, offers the Wenqu Xingjun Position, to inherit my mother's karmic debt!"

"I only ask for mercy, to let her out of the tower..."

Before the last syllable faded, Leifeng Tower suddenly quaked violently, its copper bell at the top ringing without wind.

In an instant, the heavens brightened abruptly!

The Wenqu Star shone brilliantly, a dazzling stellar beam cascading like the Milky Way, striking straight at Leifeng Tower's summit.

Behind Xu Shilin, countless phantom figures rose in succession — scholars who had earned the Zhuangyuan in successive dynasties, in blue robes and jade sashes, all bowing deeply toward Leifeng Tower:

"Please grant mercy!"

Their voices rang like a great bell, shaking the tower so that bricks and stones fell away!

Suddenly, an illusion appeared on the sky: towering waves engulfed Jinshan, the populace wailed and fled, floating corpses drifted with the currents...

"These living beings are being scorched—how can we let them go?! How can we let them go?!!"

"Unless they die and are reborn!"

The deafening question exploded beside Xu Shilin's ear, a massive pressure crushing down like a landslide and tsunami!

Crack—

Xu Shilin's kneecap cracked, blood spurted from his seven orifices.

The Zhuangyuan phantom shadows behind him faded inch by inch, the Wenqu Star's rays being devoured by dark clouds!

He only felt an endless sense of powerlessness surge, and gave a wry smile:

"Still not working? Dharma Master, what exactly must I do?"

Just as he was about to faint.

Another strange vision rose!

"Wa!"

Countless streams of light suddenly shot in from all directions, falling into the sky illusion like meteors!

Looking closely, they turned out to be lifelike Wood Carving figurines!

The moment these figurines fell into the illusion, they transformed into living human silhouettes:

A physician carrying a medicine basket rescued children from the flood;

A robust Han man used door planks to build a floating bridge;

Even a monk tossed his prayer beads, turning into a lifesaving float...

Each figurine became a savior figure, rescuing lives one by one in the raging flood!

Immediately after, an ancient voice rang through the clouds:

"Xu Xian offers his lifelong merit, to inherit Bai Niangzi's karmic debt!"