Chapter 46: When the Madman Falls for the Crossdresser

Everyone suddenly realized, "Oh, so that's how it is!"

Su Xiaoxiao was on the verge of a breakdown, her voice cracking slightly, yet it remained exceptionally pleasant to the ear: "I am a man! I really am a man!"

Crown Prince Li Chongjun remained gentle, looking at her exquisitely beautiful face, and said word by word: "A man? Pity, I do not care."

Su Xiaoxiao was stunned, a buzzing sound exploding in her ears: "Ah? You don't care?"

Crown Prince Li Chongjun nodded gently, his expression as solemn as if he were making a marriage vow: "Yes, I do not care, I only love you."

As soon as these words were spoken, the color drained completely from Su Xiaoxiao's face.

She suspected that perhaps she hadn't slashed well with her sword and had damaged this guy's brain. She was a man! How could he say… he only loved her?

"Y-y-you… don't talk nonsense, I really am a man, I'm not pretending!" She tried hard to make him come to his senses.

However, Crown Prince Li Chongjun was obsessed to the point of madness, and the near-manic smile on his face made many people around them shiver involuntarily.

Lin Chen tugged at her sleeve: "Xiaoxiao… let's run, I—I think he is serious…"

Just then, the long toll of a bell slowly rang out from the direction of Moxiang Pavilion, solemn and dignified, as if it had descended from the highest clouds, instantly suppressing everyone's words and emotions.

Then, an old Confucian scholar with white beard and hair stepped onto the stage, his voice resonant, spreading throughout the entire academy: "Disciples, listen to the order. Today's commotion ends here. The triennial 'Wenhun Observation Ceremony' will be held in ten days at the square in front of the Heavenly Book Hall!"

"This ceremony will feature two observation competitions: 'Dao Heart Trial' and 'Sword Dao Inquiry,' personally presided over by Palace Master Shangguan Waner!"

"This time, not only will all Moxiang Academy Disciples participate, but all major Immortal Realm sects from the Nine Heavens and Ten Territories may recommend people to compete. Among them, the descendant of Han's General Zhang Fei, Zhang Hongfei, and the grandson of Chu's Strength King Xiang Yu, Xiang Qingxuan, will also appear at the ceremony to exchange pointers in Sword Dao and spread the might of their ancient clan Bloodlines!"

The moment he finished speaking, the whole place was in an uproar!

The Wenhun Observation Ceremony was the highest-level event of Moxiang Academy, where only students deemed to have truly achieved "enlightenment of the literary heart" were eligible to participate, and it was also a grand stage for literary Cultivators from the entire Immortal Realm to showcase their style.

It is said that this tradition originated from the founding by the Dao Ancestor Zhuge in the early days of Ascension, both to commemorate the sages of the Central Plains and to ignite the cultural Legacy of the new world after Ascension.

The "Dao Heart Trial" tests whether one's Heart-Nature and the will of brush and ink can manifest into forms to control artifacts or summon spirits into swords.

"Sword Dao Inquiry" is a real combat competition—forming swords with poetry, severing souls with literary sentences, and forming arrays with thoughts!

Su Xiaoxiao and Lin Chen listened, dumbfounded.

"This… sounds… very impressive." Lin Chen bit her finger, her eyes full of curiosity.

Su Xiaoxiao swallowed hard: "I've only been here for three days. Dao? Sword Dao? Isn't this just asking me to make a fool of myself…"

"I heard… during Sword Dao Inquiry, the strongest person's Wenhun sword can summon Heavenly Book lightning patterns, and be recorded on the Heavenly Book by Dao Ancestor Zhuge." Lin Chen whispered.

Su Xiaoxiao: "…"

She suddenly felt that this might be even more terrifying than being forced to marry Crown Prince Li Chongjun.

Just as everyone's hearts were churning, Crown Prince Li Chongjun smiled slightly and looked at Su Xiaoxiao: "Miss Su will participate in this ceremony, right? I look forward to inquiring about the Dao side by side with you, and writing an immortal chapter."

"Go to hell!"

Su Xiaoxiao was furious, almost roaring at Crown Prince Li Chongjun, her face turning as red as an apple.

But Crown Prince Li Chongjun looked up and laughed, his laughter clear yet filled with infatuation. He waved his folding fan and walked away while laughing: "Hahahaha… Miss Su truly has an extraordinary temperament. To think there is such a woman in this world, with such proud bones and straightforward speech—truly a rare treasure."

He closed his fan, his steps leisurely, his back graceful as the wind, and he muttered to himself: "Not only beautiful, but also fiery—the sharper the sword, the more it makes me fall in love."

This scene left the surrounding crowd of onlookers stunned.

Crown Prince Li Chongjun wasn't angered away by Su Xiaoxiao's rejection; instead… he loved her even more?

Su Xiaoxiao's face turned green: "Lin Chen… I, I'm done for. Is he crazy?"

Lin Chen nodded sympathetically and added fuel to the fire in a low voice: "And he… is serious."

The night was gentle, the moonlight like water, and the candles in Moxiang Pavilion flickered.

Lin Chen and Su Xiaoxiao sat before Palace Master Shangguan Waner, their expressions serious and slightly nervous.

Palace Master Shangguan Waner gently raised her fair hand and placed a Jade Slip in front of the two, her tone gentle but slightly heavy: "This Wenhun Observation Ceremony… is not just a display for the academy."

"The descendant of Strength King Xiang Yu, Xiang Qingxuan, and the descendant of General Zhang Fei, Zhang Hongfei, will both lead teams to observe the ceremony. It is called observing the ceremony, but in reality, it is to challenge the hall."

Su Xiaoxiao's face collapsed upon hearing this: "Challenge the hall?!"

Lin Chen was almost crying: "Isn't it supposed to be an observation? How did it become challenging the hall?"

Palace Master Shangguan Waner sighed softly, looking at the bright moon outside the window, and said in a low voice: "They come from ancient martial families and do not submit to the way of literary cultivation. They believe that our Moxiang Academy is just talking on paper and has no real combat power. They have come to use martial cultivation to crush us during the Sword Dao Inquiry stage and completely destroy the prestige of our academy."

"I know you two haven't been here long, but this time, you must participate."

Su Xiaoxiao's fur stood on end: "I only have a waste Spiritual Root, okay! I came here to avoid trouble! I can't beat those muscular men!"

Lin Chen panicked too: "I, I just learned how to hold a brush to control a sword. I haven't even summoned my Wenhun yet!"

Palace Master Shangguan Waner smiled gently: "Do not worry. For the next ten days, I will teach you personally, and I will arrange for each of you a 'Library Secret Scripture Elder' as a teaching assistant."

"Lin Chen, you will learn the 'Heart-Calming Literary Technique' to awaken the power of the literary heart."

"Xiaoxiao… you will learn the 'Three Styles of Controlling Ink.' These three styles can turn brushes into blades and words into long spears. With your ingenious Artifact Refining methods, you might not be unable to fight."

Lin Chen hesitated: "But ten days… is it really enough?"

Palace Master Shangguan Waner stood up and walked slowly to the window, her back bathed in silver light, like a deity: "If it were ordinary people, naturally it wouldn't be enough."

"But you… are not ordinary people."

Her tone was gentle, but her eyes were firm: "If you can hold on for a stick of incense during the ceremony, even if you don't win, you will become famous in the academy and be regarded as the best among the newcomers."

"If you can summon the Wenhun sword… you can stand on equal footing with those 'Extraordinary Families from Outside the Heavens,' and even allow—the name of the Literary Saint to return!"

Su Xiaoxiao swallowed hard and looked at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen held her hand tightly and said softly: "Let's do it together. No matter what… we cannot let others look down on Moxiang Academy."

Su Xiaoxiao nodded gently: "…Okay!"