Entering the mountain cave, Master Ji received the legacy; yet when struck again, his resolve wavered, lost amidst chaos and doubt.
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Ji Shi had been trekking through the remote mountains for a long time before finally discovering a cave beneath a low hill. Without hesitation, he slowly entered.
From a distance, this hill seemed ordinary, but it was actually the convergence point of nine surrounding mountain ranges, forming a majestic pattern reminiscent of nine dragons arching around a pearl.
Inside the cave, Ji Shi casually found a spot to sit and began closing his eyes to practice the Qi guiding technique.
At the hour of Mao, he opened his eyes and suddenly exclaimed, “Ah! What’s this?” He was startled by a statue of Kun standing before him.
Lighting a firestick, he glanced deeper into the cave and exclaimed, “By the gods, isn’t this the Kun Sacred Temple?!”
It turned out the interior layout was identical to that of the Kun Sacred Temple atop Donggang Mountain.
Could it be that a treasure left behind by the Kun Holy Emperor was hidden here? Excited, Ji Shi ventured further inside until he reached the innermost chamber.
There, he saw a Kun Holy Emperor statue unlike any he had seen outside. Beneath the statue sat a large chest.
“This statue looks just like the Kun Holy Emperor from my dreams. I wonder how my little brat is doing… sigh.” As he pondered this, he noticed something unusual.
Examining the chest closely, he realized it was secured with a combination lock. “This can’t be right! Could the Kun Holy Emperor have been a traveler through time as well? And such a formidable one at that!”
He began guessing the combination. “What could it be? One, two, three, four, five, six? No. Eight eights? No.” Just as Ji Shi prepared to try again, an alarm sounded.
“Beep! One attempt remaining. Incorrect code entered. Initiating destruction mode!”
“Ah, what do I do now?!” Hearing the warning, Ji Shi was convinced the Kun Holy Emperor was indeed a time traveler. “My Kun brother, what kind of code is this? I’m truly baffled!”
Resolute, he decided to try one last time, focusing intently on the chest.
“Beep! Correct code!”
Relieved, Ji Shi laughed heartily. “I knew it! 114514 — my Kun brother would definitely set this. Now, let’s see what treasures lie within!”
He slowly opened the chest to find inside a sword, two ancient manuals, and a jade pendant of deep green.
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Seeing this, Ji Shi’s excitement grew. He began examining the items carefully.
“‘Kun Fist’ — good, this can be given to Jia Kang, or saved for my little brat. And ‘Heavenly Kun Qi Guiding Technique: Grandmaster Edition’ — hahaha, jackpot! I was worrying about what to practice next at the Grandmaster level; I’ll save this for when I reach the peak of the Primordial Realm!”
Next, he picked up the jade pendant and found a note stuck on its back. Ji Shi read it: “Green Corpse Curse — simply grasp the pendant and silently recite the name of the person you wish to curse three times; that person will suffer misfortune for three days.”
A small line of fine print followed, which Ji Shi overlooked: “Note: There is a 30% chance the curse will backfire on the user, and it is ineffective against those above half-step Dao Realm!”
“To bring others misfortune, heh heh heh, I’ll try it out first!” Holding the pendant, Ji Shi silently repeated, “Little brat!” three times.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield where the young general Chi Ji was leading an assault on Baling for the Zhongshan King, his horse suddenly came to a sharp halt, causing him to fall off.
“What? What’s going on?” As he tried to remount, the horse jerked again, throwing him off once more. “Damn, what rotten luck!”
“Heh heh heh, that brat Chi is definitely having a rough time!”
Ji Shi then turned his attention to the sword. “Chao Fen Sword? What a strange name!” He lifted it, testing its balance. “Hmm, not bad, really good! I’ll keep it! Kun brother is truly great!”
At that moment, he noticed something else at the very bottom of the chest: a scroll. Ji Shi unfolded it and read a single line: “Ji Shi’s adventure — the Kun Dao has been passed down.”
Stunned, Ji Shi thought, “Could it be my Kun brother knew I would come all along? Who exactly is he? Another time traveler, yet so outstanding... Heaven is unjust!”
With that, Ji Shi began his journey back. “Though I don’t fully understand the Kun Holy Emperor’s meaning, reaching Jiang City to reunite with everyone is more important.”
Jiang City, a beautiful metropolis nestled between prosperity and ancient charm, was renowned as the crossroads of nine provinces.
At sunset, the last rays bathed the Yellow Crane Tower in golden light, shimmering alongside the rippling waves of the Yangtze River, painting a breathtaking scene.
The streets bustled with crowds; vendors’ calls mixed with laughter, creating a lively atmosphere. On the river, boats drifted back and forth beneath fluttering sails, while distant fishermen’s songs echoed melodiously.
As Ji Shi walked through this vibrant scene, his heart swelled with emotion. Jiang City’s beauty was indeed well deserved, and here he would soon meet his companions to embark on a new journey.
“First, I’ll head to Yellow Crane Tower to gather some news!”
Entering the tower, Ji Shi found it alive with noise and excitement. In the main hall on the first floor stood a long table covered with rice paper, brushes, and ink.
A group of scholars and poets gathered around, some deep in thought, others energetically composing, holding a grand literary gathering. Each was eager to leave a lasting masterpiece inscribed on Yellow Crane Tower.
Ji Shi squeezed into the crowd, watching as lines of poetry took shape on the paper—some grand and majestic, others delicate and subtle—eliciting his quiet admiration.
Suddenly, the crowd stirred as a man holding a sheet of rice paper ascended the stage. Ji Shi’s eyes lit up with amusement.
“Unexpectedly, it’s that fellow again. I thought after the Yuzhang Lantern Riddle incident he’d lost his nerve, yet here he is, still writing poems. Looks like I’ll have to prove him wrong once more!” With keen interest, Ji Shi turned to watch the man known as Fanwei Ji see what poem he could produce.
Fanwei Ji glanced around nervously. “Hopefully, that meddlesome Ji Shi isn’t here this time. I heard he offended the Scarlet Blood Alliance and might have lost his life!”
He then slowly recited his poem “Ascending Yellow Crane Tower,” confident it would be a masterpiece:
“A lone boat sails ten thousand miles,
Leaning on the railing singing to the distant flow.
The sea moon sets behind three mountains,
River clouds gather in early autumn’s glow.
Who now asks of the old home’s sights?
Ancient pipes lament past sorrows slow.
Recalling last year’s Zhang Zhongzi,
Scratching his head, carefree and slow.”
Sunlight filtered through mottled shadows, illuminating the rustic Yellow Crane Tower. Everyone sat together, faces glowing with admiration for Fanwei Ji’s poem.
Fanwei Ji smiled proudly, about to offer modest words, when Ji Shi shook his head gently, frowned slightly, and murmured, “So-so.”
The room fell silent as if time froze. People exchanged surprised glances, shock evident in their expressions. Fanwei Ji’s smile stiffened, his body trembling.
“How could it be him? No, no, it’s impossible! I refuse to believe he has a better poem. I spent so much time pondering this and even consulted the Poetry Immortal Li Yuanke!”
Panicked, Fanwei Ji looked anxiously at Ji Shi.
“Hahaha, of course I have better ones!” Ji Shi declared, leaning on the railing and downing a cup of wine. “Everyone, listen to the Dragon’s Roar! Here is my ‘Yellow Crane Tower’ for you.”
“Long ago, one rode the yellow crane away,
Here now stands the empty Yellow Crane Tower.
The yellow crane gone, never to return,
White clouds drift, ages empty and slow.
Clear river trees mark Han Yang’s shore,
Fragrant grasses grow lush on Parrot Isle.
At dusk, where lies my hometown’s path?
Mist and waves on the river bring sorrow’s wile.”
As Ji Shi’s poem echoed, the crowd was immersed in its transcendent imagery, their praise rising like a gentle spring breeze carrying a delicate fragrance.
Only Fanwei Ji’s face paled, eyes flickering with panic and despair. He suddenly rose, causing chairs and tables to creak. Like a startled beast, he shouted, “No! This can’t be! I’m supposed to be the strongest! How dare Ji Shi!”
Tears mixed with sweat streamed down his face as he fled, his silhouette lengthening in the sunset, lonely and forlorn.
“Hope he’s not losing his mind,” Ji Shi mused, watching the retreating figure.
At that moment, someone called out, “Young Master Ji, you remain as outstanding as ever!”
Jia Kang approached with Master Jia and Qi Jin, accompanied by the blue half-moon cat.
“How’s your recovery?” Ji Shi asked Jia Kang.
“All thanks to Qi Jin! But your poetry is impressive too!” Jia Kang smiled, not probing into how Ji Shi had escaped the Grandmaster’s nemesis.
Qi Jin smiled shyly, and the half-moon cat meowed at Ji Shi.
“Well, now that we’re together, let’s eat first, then I’ll show you my Three Thousand Divine Stratagem Army!” Ji Shi said to Jia Kang, unaware of the strange look in Jia Kang’s eyes.
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