Liu Fushu caught a glimpse of this scene and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief: “Thank goodness, thank goodness! Bai Jiyun made the same mistake as me.”

“Hold on, I still have a chance!”

After making continuous errors, Liu Fushu realized where the difficulty of this test question lay.

He had no choice but to grit his teeth, slow his speed to the absolute limit, writing each stroke slowly, overcoming his instincts, and finally progressing steadily.

But this meant he fell far behind and lacked the ability to catch up quickly.

Liu Fushu was secretly anxious. Seeing Bai Jiyun suffer, his pressure suddenly decreased significantly.

He immediately felt ashamed: “If Brother Bai wins, I should be happy for him. He is my friend; I shouldn’t gloat like this. This is not the act of a gentleman!”

Bai Jiyun failed more than a dozen times in a row, and his entire face turned pale!

He paused for a few breaths, exhaled a cloudy breath, and simply stopped writing altogether.

He frowned, concentrated, and fell into deep thought.

“So, the difficulty of this strange question lies here!”

“But why would Mister Chu Xuangui test us this way?”

“Cultivators with deeper calligraphy skills are反而 weaker. This is a Ruist Fei Yun Minor Test, yet it favors cultivators with shallow calligraphy skills. Is this fair?”

Bai Jiyun scanned the surrounding cultivators, his gaze fixed on Ning Zhuo.

In his opinion, Ning Zhuo had no literary qi swirling around him and should not be a Ruist cultivator. But relying on solid talisman strokes, he had been steadily progressing and was now firmly in second place.

In a normal Ruist minor test, this situation would be almost impossible.

And the first place—

Bai Jiyun’s gaze fixed on Kong Ran.

A thought suddenly arose in his Sea of Consciousness: “Huiyi brush, child prodigy—could it be that this Fei Yun Minor Test was specifically designed for Kong Ran?”

Liu Fushu would not have this awareness, as his experience was too shallow.

But Bai Jiyun was different; he wasn’t simply sightseeing but had traveled through Fei Yun Country, witnessed countless customs and traditions, and was quite knowledgeable about various aspects of society.

“If I guessed correctly—” Bai Jiyun turned to look at Chu Xuangui again, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. “It’s hard to imagine that Mister Chu Xuangui, known throughout the country for his meticulousness and impartial iron fist, would do such a thing!”

Bai Jiyun gave up directly.

At this pace, even if he tried his best to catch up, he wouldn’t be able to match the top two.

At this point, the situation was quite clear.

Most Ruist cultivators found themselves in the same predicament as Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu.

They made mistake after mistake, progressing slowly.

The top two were far ahead.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the true winner would be decided between these two!

“I’m going to win!” Kong Ran also didn’t forget to observe his competitors. When he found himself in first place, he was overjoyed.

Liu Fushu didn’t give up and was still trying his best.

Chu Xuangui was expressionless.

Ning Zhuo, on the other hand, had a calm expression, seemingly unhurried, but was actually steady and solid, never being left behind by Kong Ran.

After a few more poems, more and more Ruist cultivators noticed the huge gap and gradually gave up.

They gathered around, discussing animatedly.

“Who is that big-headed young man?”

“I never expected that Kong Ran would actually get the Huiyi brush in the end!”

“He’s a child prodigy, always choosing his Dao path. No wonder Mister Chu Xuangui would bring out the Huiyi brush; it’s probably because of Kong Ran’s arrival.”

Realizing that Kong Ran was likely already favored and would be inducted into the core circle of Ruist cultivators in the Myriad Forms Sect in the future, these Ruist cultivators began to cheer for Kong Ran.

Compared to Ning Zhuo, who was clearly an outsider, they preferred this child cultivator who clearly had a brighter future.

For a time, the atmosphere was lively, as if Kong Ran was already destined to be the ultimate winner.

But Ning Zhuo was never left behind, maintaining his pursuit.

Kong Ran made a mistake.

His state of mind was disturbed.

The praise and expectations of others added a lot of external pressure to his young mind.

Once he made a mistake, he had to rewrite it.

Kong Ran had to start writing from scratch. In his haste, he turned to look back and check Ning Zhuo’s progress.

Although Ning Zhuo’s progress had not surpassed him, the previous distance had almost completely vanished after this mistake.

“Oh no!”

“I can’t make any more mistakes.”

“The Huiyi brush must be mine!”

Kong Ran became increasingly nervous. With a resolute heart, he activated his talent, consumed his literary qi, and unleashed a Ruist technique.

Myriad Forms Cradle!

Ning Zhuo was surprised and looked up at Kong Ran for the first time: “This familiar aura, could his talent also be—precocious intelligence?”

Under the enhancement of the Ruist technique, Kong Ran’s eyes became clear as water, like an infant’s.

His memories were suppressed to the lowest layer, and he was like a newborn infant, encountering the world for the first time. He observed the things before him as if seeing them for the first time.

Although Kong Ran was young, he was not yet old enough for formal schooling. However, his father was one of the prime ministers of Fei Yun Country, holding a high position and power. Kong Ran also possessed talent and was highly regarded by his father. From a very young age, a special teacher was hired to tutor him at home in all his subjects.

Therefore, although his calligraphy skills were not as good as Liu Fushu’s or Bai Jiyun’s, he still had a solid foundation.

Now, under the enhancement of the Myriad Forms Cradle Ruist technique, everything around Kong Ran became new to him. In addition to being novel, they all became enlightening objects for a child, bringing him continuous inspiration and guidance.

As a result, his previous calligraphy foundation no longer interfered with him.

Kong Ran’s writing speed was three points faster than before.

A moment later, he once again widened the distance between himself and Ning Zhuo, and the gap grew larger and larger.

The cultivators were amazed and discussed animatedly.

“Is that talent?”

“It is rumored that Kong Ran possesses the talent of precocious intelligence; it seems this is true now!”

“With the help of this talent, Kong Ran will undoubtedly be the winner this time.”

Liu Fushu’s eyes were bloodshot. Seeing Kong Ran write faster and faster, he finally gave up dejectedly.

Such an enormous advantage left Liu Fushu with no hope of catching up.

At the same time, he also had a similar thought to Bai Jiyun: “This Fei Yun Minor Test is different from previous ones; the questions are strange, and the prize is too high. Could it really be to guide Kong Ran onto the path of Ruist cultivation?”

At this point, no cultivators in the field continued to participate.

After Kong Ran used his talent, he truly stood out, causing the cultivators to instantly recognize the situation and stop.

Only Ning Zhuo did not stop.

After a moment, seeing that the gap between Ning Zhuo and Kong Ran had widened too much, yet Ning Zhuo showed no sign of giving up, the cultivators grew impatient. “Is it still necessary to continue like this?”

“Face reality. Your opponent is a child prodigy with talent!”

“I understand this big-headed young man. After all, he once saw hope of winning, but when Kong Ran revealed his true capabilities, hope turned into despair. The drop was too great for him to accept immediately.”

“Hmph, he’s not a Ruist cultivator at all; he’s purely an outsider. Participating in this Ruist Fei Yun Minor Test must be out of interest, to play around. With such a foundation, does he still dare to try and snatch treasure from the hands of us Ruist cultivators?”

“That statement is a bit biased. Kong Ran isn’t a true Ruist cultivator either.”

“But Kong Ran is only at the Qi Cultivation stage, while this young man has already reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Since he has reached Foundation Establishment, he has already chosen his path of cultivation, so why be greedy and try to gain an advantage from the Ruist path?”

“Indeed, that’s true.”

The cultivators’ discussions reached Ning Zhuo’s ears, apparently intentionally, but Ning Zhuo seemed deaf and continued to do as he pleased.

Chu Xuangui saw this scene and secretly nodded in his heart. Leaving aside everything else, this state of mind alone was excellent for someone of Ning Zhuo’s age.

At this stage of the Fei Yun Minor Test, Kong Ran was far ahead, but Chu Xuangui remained calm, without the slightest hint of panic.

He naturally knew Kong Ran’s information, including his precocious intelligence and the use of his talent, which were all within his calculations.

Chu Xuangui remained expressionless and continued to condense poems with his magic power.

As poem after poem appeared, Kong Ran’s face became increasingly pale, fine beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and his entire upper body began to sway.

He was about to collapse!

Using one’s talent not only consumes physical energy and magic power but also mental energy.

In the past, he had also used the Myriad Forms Cradle to aid his studies, but he had never maintained it for so long.

The heavy burden pushed him to his limit, and Kong Ran had to voluntarily stop using his talent.

His head was heavy, and golden light flashed in his vision. He barely managed to turn and look at Ning Zhuo, feeling cold all over: “Why is this guy still persisting?”

Kong Ran began to make frequent mistakes.

His condition was too poor; he had to write at least seven or eight versions of a single line of poetry to meet the standard and barely pass.

And an entire poem had at least four lines.

As a result, by the time Kong Ran finished one poem, Ning Zhuo had written four or five.

Under these circumstances, Ning Zhuo began to catch up steadily.

The cultivators were all speechless.

Many did not expect such a reversal in the later stages.

“That’s right, although Kong Ran is a child prodigy, he is only at the Qi Cultivation stage after all.”

“Compared to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his foundation is too weak to fight a protracted battle.”

“What a pity. If I had known this, I wouldn’t have given up!”

The cultivators all turned their gazes to Ning Zhuo, their expressions very complex.

Thud.

A moment later, Kong Ran could no longer hold on and fainted on the spot.

Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu rushed over to help him and revived him.

Kong Ran’s body was limp, and he watched Ning Zhuo surpass him with tired eyes.

“Ah, my Huiyi brush!” He rolled his eyes, so angry that he fainted again.

Chu Xuangui slowly stopped his magic power and no longer condensed calligraphy from thin air.

He looked at Ning Zhuo expressionlessly.

The cultivators fell silent.

After a few breaths, Chu Xuangui finally nodded slightly and said calmly: “You are the winner of this Fei Yun Minor Test. What is your name?”

Ning Zhuo cupped his hands in a respectful bow, reporting his name with a slightly trembling voice to show his slight excitement.

“Good.” Chu Xuangui immediately took out a token and handed it to Ning Zhuo along with the Huiyi brush.

Then, he looked around and said in a deep voice: “In ancient times, Cang Zu created characters, leaving behind the Tai Gu Zhuan Stele. This stele is the national artifact of Hua Zhang Country and is open to the public, always seeking a suitable successor.”

“However, countless Ruist cultivators, whether prodigies or mighty figures, have all met their defeat before the Tai Gu Zhuan Stele.”

“Although we are in the Myriad Forms Sect, we have the qualification to recommend.”

“Not long ago, I discussed with a friend and gained some insights—Cang Zu created characters by imitating the forms of talismans, thus establishing the Tai Gu Zhuan style.”

“Since Ruist cultivators are not succeeding, why not follow the origin of Cang Zu’s character creation and start from talismans?”

Upon hearing this, all the Ruist cultivators revealed expressions of sudden realization.

Chu Xuangui showed a hint of a complex expression and looked at Ning Zhuo: “You are not a Ruist cultivator, but it doesn’t matter. I hope you make good use of this Huiyi brush to improve your talisman crafting skills. If you can also cultivate Ruist classics, that would be even better.”

“In the future, if you achieve success in your studies and have confidence, come to me with this token. As long as you pass the assessment, we will recommend you to Hua Zhang Country to attempt the Tai Gu Zhuan Stele.”

Bai Jiyun’s brows relaxed: “So that’s it! As expected of Mister Chu Xuangui; I judged a gentleman by my own petty standards.”

Liu Fushu secretly clenched his fists: “It’s truly a pity! I missed this opportunity, and incidentally, I also missed the chance to interact with the Tai Gu Zhuan Stele.”

“Mister Chu Xuangui truly lives up to his reputation as a senior in the Ruist sect, always fair and just. He did not intentionally favor Kong Ran because of his precocious intelligence.”

“Giving the victory of this Fei Yun Minor Test to an outsider is enough to prove his integrity and character!”

Kong Ran was still unconscious.

Ning Zhuo saw that Chu Xuangui’s words easily convinced the public and completely cleared him of suspicion. A glint flashed in his eyes, and he thought, “Amazing! I’ve learned a lot.”

Ning Zhuo once again bowed to Chu Xuangui, thanking him while also praising Chu Xuangui’s character.

However, Chu Xuangui did not want to be too close to Ning Zhuo. He admonished everyone to study diligently and then turned and left.

Without a Golden Core senior present, the atmosphere on the peak immediately became relaxed.

Many Ruist cultivators gathered around Ning Zhuo, actively seeking to befriend him.

Ning Zhuo accepted all comers, smiling, humble, and friendly, giving people the feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze.

Finally, he voluntarily walked up to Bai Jiyun, Liu Fushu, and the unconscious Kong Ran: “Three fellow Daoists, our meeting this time is predestined.”

“It’s lunchtime now; why don’t I treat you? I wonder if the three fellow Daoists would grace me with your presence?”

Bai Jiyun and Liu Fushu exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously: “Alright.”

The location for the banquet was the Qing Shi Cave Mansion.

Ning Zhuo introduced Chef Lao, Qing Chi, and Gongsun Yan to the three, which made Bai, Liu, and Kong exchange glances again.

Ning Zhuo’s clothes were ordinary, but he had three attendants by his side, plus his speech and demeanor, clearly indicating he was not from a small family.

The three cultivators immediately raised their evaluation of Ning Zhuo by one level.

Even without his specialty dark cuisine, Chef Lao could still make delicious dishes.

Bai Jiyun and Kong Ran were fine, but even Liu Fushu, despite his efforts to restrain himself, couldn’t help but eat more.

After three rounds of drinks, Kong Ran bit into a chicken leg and finally couldn’t help but ask, “Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, do you intend to sell that Huiyi brush? My father is one of the current prime ministers of Fei Yun Country. If you do, name your price!”

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “The Huiyi brush can increase one’s cultivation realm; I have no intention of selling it. However—I have a close acquaintance who possesses the talent of precocious intelligence. Previously, Fellow Daoist Kong Ran seemed to have used his talent for a technique; I wonder if this technique can be sold?”

“If feasible, this Golden Core will serve as a deposit.”

The three cultivators’ pupils all constricted, and their gazes fixed on the Ghost Dao Golden Core in Ning Zhuo’s hand.