122: Writing Poetry

“Then how many Medicinal Pills can be refined from the remaining Materials?” Wei Xun asked, ignoring his surprise.

“The remaining Materials!” The Ming Mountain Daoist pondered for a moment before saying, “They can refine at least three hundred Cloud Dew Spirit Pills.”

“Then Master!” Wei Xun became excited upon hearing this. “If not now, when should we refine them?”

“We can’t refine them yet!” The Ming Mountain Daoist shook his head.

“Are we still missing something?” Wei Xun asked.

“To refine the Cloud Dew Spirit Pill, we are still missing one Material!”

“What Material?”

The Ming Mountain Daoist looked back at his shelves full of medicinal herbs, and after a moment, he said, “The Sulfur Flame Stone Powder I just told you about!”

“How do we obtain this item?” Wei Xun immediately asked.

“This item is quite rare!” The Ming Mountain Daoist slowly explained, “It can generally only be found in deep underground rock caves. It is fiery red all over and slightly hot. If you find this stone, it can only be used as medicine after being ground into powder.”

“If we can’t find this item, won’t we be unable to refine the Cloud Dew Spirit Pill?” Wei Xun felt a little dejected after hearing this.

“This ten-thousand-year immortal ginseng is of the fire element. Excessive consumption will lead to internal heat. If the Meridians cannot withstand this scorching, it can easily lead to a violent death!”

The Ming Mountain Daoist began to explain.

“So, it needs to be paired with the water-element Cloud Condensing Grass to neutralize its properties and reduce its side effects!”

“Then why also pair it with Sulfur Flame Stone Powder, which sounds like it’s of the fire element?” Wei Xun felt confused.

“Although Sulfur Flame Stone Powder sounds like it’s of the fire element, it is actually of the earth element!” The Ming Mountain Daoist smiled, “The Cloud Dew Spirit Pill needs to be roasted over a large fire in the Pill Furnace. If this burn-resistant Sulfur Flame Stone Powder is not added, it will easily be refined into waste!”

Although Wei Xun didn't fully understand, he roughly grasped the reason behind it.

If he could refine the Cloud Dew Spirit Pill that the Ming Mountain Daoist spoke of, then his Cultivation path would surely be twice as effective with half the effort, and he wouldn't have wasted such a ten-thousand-year immortal ginseng for nothing.

“Master is very knowledgeable!” Wei Xun smiled, “I wonder if Master knows a way to find this Sulfur Flame Stone?”

“I really don’t have any way!” The Ming Mountain Daoist shook his head, “However, that fellow upstairs has a way!”

Wei Xun looked up at the ceiling; that was the sixth floor!

“What kind of person lives upstairs?” Wei Xun asked curiously.

“You’ll know when you go up!” The Ming Mountain Daoist said with a smile, “If you’re lucky, maybe he’ll help you.”

Wei Xun nodded upon hearing this. “Then Master, I’ll go up and take a look!”

“Go!” The Ming Mountain Daoist nodded.

So, Wei Xun immediately turned and walked to the staircase, ascending to the sixth floor of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pagoda.

Upon reaching the sixth floor, Wei Xun found that it was like an art gallery filled with ancient calligraphy and paintings.

Calligraphy and paintings hung everywhere, astonishing Wei Xun.

These scrolls and artworks hung from the ceiling, reaching down to the floor.

The entire sixth floor was covered, and after a while, Wei Xun felt a bit dizzy from looking.

Due to the sheer number of calligraphy and paintings hanging in the room, Wei Xun couldn't find the person living on the sixth floor for a moment.

He could only walk forward, pushing aside the artworks that blocked his path.

It wasn't until he reached the very center of the room that he saw a scholar dressed in a white robe, holding a brush and writing, in front of a writing desk.

This scholar appeared to be middle-aged, with a wisp of black goatee, and was currently holding his brush motionless.

After seeing him, Wei Xun cautiously walked closer, looking up and peering at what he was writing.

He found that there was a blank sheet of paper in front of him, with nothing written on it.

“Brother, what are you trying to write?” Wei Xun walked up and asked curiously.

Hearing the voice, the scholar finally came back to his senses, then turned to look at Wei Xun: “A new person?”

“Huh?” Wei Xun was a bit confused by the scholar’s words.

But then he thought about it and guessed that he was probably referring to the person who obtained this pagoda six hundred years ago.

“Forget it!” The scholar shook his head, “This poem is not worth writing!”

“May I ask, Brother, if you’ve encountered some difficulty?” Wei Xun asked.

“Someone wrote a poem before!” The scholar slowly began, “It was better than any poem I’ve ever written. I can’t write anything better than his poem.”

“What poem?” Wei Xun was a bit curious after hearing this.

“Wind urgent, sky high, apes wail mournfully; sand white on the clear islet, birds fly back...” The scholar slowly recited.

Upon hearing these two lines, Wei Xun’s pupils constricted sharply!

“Boundless trees rustle down, endless Yangtze rolls on...”

Indeed, it was exactly the same.

“For ten thousand li, I often wander sadly in autumn; for a hundred years, often ill, I ascend the tower alone. Hardship and bitter sorrow whiten my temples; dispirited, I’ve just stopped my muddy wine cup!”

Before the scholar could continue reciting, Wei Xun preemptively recited the latter part of the poem directly.

“How do you know this poem?” Upon hearing Wei Xun’s recitation, the scholar’s originally numb face suddenly showed a look of surprise.

“Brother, you might have been deceived!” Wei Xun said, “This poem that troubles you was not written by that person; he merely borrowed someone else’s poem to trick you.”

“Is that so?” The scholar immediately fell into deep thought upon hearing Wei Xun’s words.

And Wei Xun was also sorting out the logic.

Could the person who obtained this pagoda over six hundred years ago also have Transmigrated from Earth, just like him?

Thinking of this, Wei Xun didn’t feel surprised.

After all, he entered this world because of a pirated video game disc.

If he could come in, others could too.

If that were the case, then he wasn’t the only Transmigrator in this world.

That guy from over six hundred years ago was also one.

There was even a possibility that there were more Transmigrators in this world.

“Even if this poem wasn’t written by him!” The scholar suddenly spoke at this moment, “But I still can’t write anything better than this poem.”

“That’s very normal!” Wei Xun consoled him from the side, “This poem is known as being written by Du Fu, the Saint of Poetry. To surpass this poem is as difficult as ascending to Heaven!”

“Saint of Poetry?” The scholar’s eyes revealed a look of admiration after hearing this.

“Exactly!” Wei Xun nodded.

“How come I’ve never heard of such a figure?” The scholar’s expression became confused again.

“This Saint of Poetry is a person from the Heavenly Realm, so it’s normal not to know him!” Wei Xun said casually.

“A person from the Heavenly Realm?” The confusion in the scholar’s eyes deepened, “Then how do you know this person from the Heavenly Realm?”

“I...” Wei Xun hadn’t expected the scholar to ask this, so he had to think quickly, “I dreamed about him when I was dreaming.”

“A Heavenly Immortal’s dream prophecy!” The scholar looked yearning upon hearing this, “How come I don’t have such an Opportunity!”

“Alright, Brother!” Wei Xun returned to the main topic, “What are the rules for the challenge on your floor?”

“I give the topic, and you write the poem!” The scholar said, “If I approve of the poem you write, then you win!”

“What’s the reward for winning?” Wei Xun asked again.

“If you win, I will pass on to you the Cultivation Technique, the Dao of Calligraphy and Painting Talismans!”

“Then let’s begin!” Wei Xun didn’t say much more after hearing this and directly asked, “What will be the topic?”

“Since you’ve dreamed of the Heavenly Realm, then the topic will be the Heavenly Realm!” The scholar said.