52: A Song from the Pinnacle—Liu Ruyan

Cao Bu shook his head: "It was composed on the spot, so it has no title."

"Then how did you manage to write that poem?" Liu Ruyan pressed, her tone laced with a hint of doubt.

Logically speaking, even if Cao Bu had heard the rumors about her, he could at most have written the first three lines. Only someone who knew her true background could possibly have written the final line.

Cao Bu pondered for a moment before saying: "To tell you the truth, the moment I laid eyes on the Empress, I felt as if I were facing a deity from the Nine Heavens."

"Especially that faint, lingering aura around the Empress; it filled me with awe."

"Later, when I associated that with the omnipotent deities in storybooks, I naturally imagined the Empress in their place."

Liu Ruyan seemed lost in thought.

In the eyes of Cao Bu, who was in the Heavenly Bridge Realm, the Great Emperor Realm naturally possessed the ability to "arbitrate through the ages."

It seems this Cao Bu is not a person of Reincarnation.

"Then give this poem a title now, and write the whole thing down. I want to keep it," Liu Ruyan added.

Hearing this, Cao Bu looked troubled.

Thinking he was unwilling, Liu Ruyan immediately frowned: "What? You won't even do this small thing for me? Besides, I won't let you write it for nothing; there will be a reward."

Cao Bu looked at Su Li, who hesitated and said: "Ruyan, how about I write it for you instead?"

"No!" Liu Ruyan shook her head decisively: "Only when the author writes the poem himself can the Concept within it be displayed."

Su Li gave Cao Bu a look that said she couldn't help him.

Gritting his teeth, Cao Bu shouted outside: "Xiaoyu, bring me some high-quality brush, ink, paper, and inkstone."

"No need for the trouble, use mine." As Liu Ruyan spoke, she waved her hand, and a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone appeared on the table out of thin air.

Cao Bu's gaze fell upon the brush, and he was secretly surprised.

This brush was actually pink.

He glanced at Liu Ruyan, keeping his expression neutral.

Liu Ruyan said coldly: "What are you looking at? Start writing."

Cao Bu chuckled inwardly; this Liu Ruyan actually had a bit of a girlish heart.

He hesitated again and asked: "Empress, do you really want me to write it? Don't look down on me after it's written."

Liu Ruyan nodded: "Just write it. Is your handwriting that shameful?"

Cao Bu didn't hesitate any longer. He stroked his chin, paced around pretending to be deep in thought, and then dipped his brush to write.

"Peak Chant: Liu Ruyan"

A lonely peak, peerless beauty, with a face cold as frost.

With a flick of a finger, the heavens tilt; proud of the world.

Borrowing no eastern wind, leaning on no moon.

Arbitrating through the ages, Liu Ruyan.

The moment the first character was written, Liu Ruyan regretted it.

She fought back the urge to hit him and watched Cao Bu finish.

Before he wrote, she was confident there was no such thing as shameful handwriting in this world.

After he wrote, she realized there really was.

"Here, I hope the Empress will not mind it." Cao Bu looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction and handed the rice paper to Liu Ruyan with both hands.

Liu Ruyan looked at the handwriting with disgust, then looked at Cao Bu.

Cao Bu maintained a polite smile.

Seeing this, Su Li reached out and took the manuscript from Cao Bu's hands.

"Ruyan, let me write it for you instead."

As she spoke, she was about to destroy the rice paper.

Liu Ruyan quickly snatched it back: "No need, leave it as it is."

She examined it carefully; although the handwriting was unsightly, the Concept within the words was just right.

She nodded and looked at Cao Bu: "Actually, you could develop in the direction of the Confucian Dao. If this poem were written by a Confucian Emperor, it would surely shake the Heavenly Dao."

"Confucian Dao?" Su Li looked confused: "Ruyan, is there really such a path of cultivation as the Confucian Dao in this world?"

Liu Ruyan nodded: "Yes!"

She did not explain much further. The Heavenly Dao of the Spirit Realm was incomplete and did not include the Confucian Dao, so poems composed here would not cause the Heavenly Dao to shake.

If Cao Bu had been born in the Immortal Realm, or other Minor Thousand Worlds that possessed the Confucian Dao, becoming a Confucian Emperor would be very easy, and he might even be able to achieve Immortal Ascension through it.

"Cao Bu, I see you have unique insights into love. Can you compose a poem for me with love as the theme? Of course, I won't let you do it for free; I will give you an Emperor Weapon." Liu Ruyan's tone was filled with a hint of anticipation.

Upon hearing this, Cao Bu was stunned.

Su Li also stared at Liu Ruyan in surprise.

Trading a poem for an Emperor Weapon was truly inconceivable.

Liu Ruyan added: "Of course, this poem must not be worse than 'Peak Chant'."

Although tempted, Cao Bu shook his head and refused.

"Empress, poetry is a combination of emotion and Concept. It was purely luck that I could write 'Peak Chant'; it is very difficult to compose another one of similar quality."

He didn't say this to raise the price, nor was it true that he couldn't write one.

He had only one goal: to make Liu Ruyan keep him on her mind.

This was the method he used to seduce Su Li back then—cast a long line to catch a big fish.

The poems from his past life belonged to others, but here, they were all his, Cao Bu's.

Moreover, he could see that Liu Ruyan did not discriminate against the weak, which meant his chances were even greater.

Liu Ruyan was a bit disappointed, though it was within her expectations.

She took out a token and handed it to Cao Bu: "This is the illusory sound limitless token of my Illusory Sound Workshop. With it, you can have the Illusory Sound Workshop do three things for you in the future, even if it means destroying an Immortal Emperor Dynasty."

Su Li said in surprise: "Ruyan, this is?"

Liu Ruyan said righteously: "You said that if someone could compose a poem that satisfied me, I would gift him a treasure."

She raised the 'Peak Chant' in her hand: "In my eyes, this poem is worth three favors."