78: How can a poetry gathering not include reciting poems?

Under Daoist Priest Xiao Sheng’s incessant guidance, Zhou Yan finally stepped onto the Flower Boat.

When he had observed it from a distance earlier, he only felt that the boat had a unique design, but it didn't seem particularly large.

However, once his feet truly touched the deck, Zhou Yan genuinely felt that the internal space of the boat was far beyond what its exterior suggested.

Could it be that some ingenious Spatial Formation or a unique Artifact Refining technique was used?

It didn't look big from afar, nor did it look big up close, but only after personally stepping inside could he realize that it was ridiculously spacious.

Just as he was secretly pondering the mysteries of the boat, a voice reciting poetry drifted from not far away.

"Pond light first breaks at dawn, the breeze gentle and low, green canopies layer upon layer, draped in azure glow."

"Dew drops like jade pearls, round yet not steady, fragrance floats faintly, drunk and forgetting to go."

"Fish swim beneath the leaves, hidden in deep green, butterflies chase flower tips, dotting pale sheen."

"Not vying with other blooms for vibrant hue, a pure silhouette alone, towards gulls it flew."

Zhou Yan looked in the direction of the voice, only to see several women in splendid attire and outstanding beauty, along with several young men—or rather, male-like beings—in uniform sitting behind a long table.

Standing in front of the table was a young scholar; that poem had just come from his mouth.

"The poem is acceptable. Here is your invitation, please keep it safe. Please enter."

A soft-spoken young man behind the table smiled as he handed over a card.

The scholar took the invitation, seemed to notice Zhou Yan's gaze, turned to look, and even raised an eyebrow provocatively, with a hint of smugness.

"What are they doing?" Zhou Yan asked Daoist Priest Xiao, puzzled.

"Oh, that,".

"That's the rule of the poetry gathering."

"If you haven't received an invitation in advance, you have to compose a poem on the spot and get it approved to enter."

After speaking, he patted Brother Zhou Yan’s shoulder, his tone full of trust.

"But Brother Zhou, you clearly have an extraordinary demeanor; this small test certainly won't stump you."

"Even if, by some slim chance, you don't pass, I've been here for a few days and built up some connections, so I guarantee I can get you in."

"I'll go say hello first, then wait for you inside!"

With that, Daoist Priest Xiao Sheng grinned and walked to the long table, whispering a few words to the people in charge of the review.

Then he turned back, winked at Zhou Yan, and made a gesture that said, "Don't worry, leave it to me."

Afterward, he took two heavy wine jars from the side and busied himself delivering wine to the guests in the cabin.

As soon as Daoist Priest Xiao Sheng left, the people behind the table, who had seemed somewhat listless, immediately focused their gaze on Zhou Yan, their eyes flickering with a strange light.

Zhou Yan was all too familiar with this kind of look.

It was exactly like those guys who were about to set off firecrackers in a dog's bowl, load your burger with mustard, or secretly draw a turtle on your back.

Oh no! He'd run into people who specialized in mischief!

"That young man over there," the leading soft-spoken youth smiled and waved at Zhou Yan, "if you don't enter the venue and pass the review soon, we'll have to ask you to leave the boat."

Feeling the curious gazes from all around, Zhou Yan sighed helplessly and could only steel himself to walk forward.

"This young man is Daoist Priest Xiao's friend, isn't he?"

The soft-spoken youth's smile deepened.

"We have long admired Daoist Priest Xiao."

"Since you are the Daoist Priest's friend, we naturally won't make things too difficult for you."

He deliberately paused, looking at Zhou Yan, his lips already uncontrollably curving upwards, while his companions also showed expressions of anticipating a good show.

"To enter the poetry gathering, you need to complete the theme we give you."

"Since you are a friend of the Daoist Priest, your theme will be..."

He cleared his throat and spoke in an almost chanting tone.

"Please compose a poem with 'Lotus Flower' as the theme. However, the poem must not contain any direct descriptions of lotus flowers. Emotionally, it needs to convey both sadness and exhilaration. In terms of color, it should embody 'colorful black,' yet the entire text cannot directly express emotions or describe colors. Finally, the verses must be concise and refined, while the language must also be ornate and beautiful."

He rattled off this long string of contradictory requirements in one breath, and his companions nearby couldn't help but cackle with laughter.

The people preparing to enter, hearing this clearly difficult challenge, also gathered around, wanting to see how this young man would respond.

Zhou Yan understood in his heart that Daoist Priest Xiao Sheng’s 'connections' were anything but. For him not to have been sold out in the two days he'd been on the boat, these people must have been truly kind.

Was this the retribution for tricking Daoist Priest Xiao Sheng?

He hadn't expected it to come so quickly.

Zhou Yan smiled bitterly in his heart. So be it, he would take this loss to settle that Karma.

You thought I'd say that?

Hehe.

However, Zhou Yan did not fall into the predicament they desired.

Under everyone's expectant gazes, he calmly and unassumingly pulled out an invitation from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table.

The clear imprint and patterns on the invitation instantly silenced the Misty Rain Painted Barge staff behind the table, who had been waiting for a laugh. They stopped their giggling.

They looked at each other, then reluctantly stood up, and said in unison, feebly.

"Welcome to the Misty Rain Painted Barge, please enter the venue from the left."

Zhou Yan smiled and shook his head.

"Your attitude isn't good enough."

"As part of the service industry, how can you be so perfunctory towards distinguished guests?"

"Today, with such a service attitude, how can guests be satisfied?"

"I really should report you."

The smiles didn't disappear; they merely transferred from their faces to Zhou Yan's.

Upon hearing this, their expressions changed slightly, but they quickly composed themselves.

The leading youth forced a smile.

"Guest, you jest. Although you have an invitation, we are still..."

"Clap!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhou Yan had already slapped the invitation onto the table.

"This, can this make your attitude better?" Zhou Yan asked unhurriedly.

"Guest, you..."

"Clap!"

With another soft sound, a fish tally was immediately slapped by Zhou Yan next to the invitation.

"This, plus this, can it make your attitude, just a little bit better?"

The Cultivators present were all of no low cultivation, and their senses were extremely keen.

The moment the fish tally was placed, they had already clearly seen the content inscribed on it.

That represented official status and a certain authority over their industry.

The young men and women of the painted barge were so frightened that they immediately stood at attention, barely stopping themselves from reflexively squatting down with their heads in their hands.

Fortunately, they immediately realized that in Great Yu, this identity was not a taboo, and this was a poetry gathering, where they were legitimate review staff, which allowed them to barely breathe a sigh of relief.

But looking at Zhou Yan again, their eyes no longer held the previous teasing and playfulness, only deep reverence and a hint of panic.

This was an instinctive fear from a "special industry" towards a "more powerful special industry."

"Please... may I ask this distinguished guest."

The leading Cultivator's voice trembled slightly. It was his first time standing and talking to an official judicial officer, and his legs felt somewhat disobedient, the illusion of wanting to squat down refusing to disappear.

"What... what do you need? We will certainly comply!"

Zhou Yan nodded, satisfied with their current attitude.

"You don't need to do anything special. A poetry gathering, after all, is a relaxed and pleasant occasion; it's better if the atmosphere is lively."

He casually took out a brush and a piece of Xuan paper from his sleeve, and quickly wrote a few lines.

"Read this aloud once, with enthusiasm and infectiousness."

"And, every guest who comes after this, you must say this to them."

Zhou Yan pushed the Xuan paper over, adding with a smile.

"Otherwise, after I go in, if I casually ask the later guests if they received a warm welcome, and if I hear they didn't... I might come back and 'invite' all of you back to assist in the investigation, you know."

The few of them looked at the content on the Xuan paper, on the verge of tears. Although they usually loved to make fun of others, when the joke landed on themselves, especially when the content was so embarrassing, few were willing.

"Tap, tap."

Zhou Yan gently tapped the table with the fish tally, producing a crisp sound, then smiled and elegantly made a gesture of "please begin your performance."

Under Zhou Yan's "gentle" gaze, everyone looked at each other, then resignedly took a deep breath, and shouted in unison with the greatest enthusiasm of their lives.

"Balabababa."

"Misty Rain Painted Barge loves for you to come! Loves for you to come again! Loves for you to come every day!"

"Please enter the venue from over there! Thank you! Smooch!"

This abrupt and highly contrasting welcome message instantly resounded through the area, and the previously somewhat noisy entrance fell into an eerie silence.

Whether it was the guests who were about to enter the venue or the crowd waiting to be reviewed, all stared dumbfounded at these few Misty Rain Painted Barge staff, as if they had seen something incredible.

Some had even already gone inside, but seeing this scene, they secretly turned back and spontaneously lined up at the back.

As for the instigator, Zhou Yan, he had long put away his fish tally and invitation, entering the venue leisurely with a pleased smile, his deeds hidden from fame.

Only those few red-faced Misty Rain Painted Barge staff remained, trying to maintain professional smiles that were uglier than crying.