Chapter 49: Literary Dao Trial of the Heart

The entire audience fell silent!

Just then—

A thunderclap suddenly exploded in the sky, as if a heavenly drum had been beaten.

A massive curtain of light slowly unfurled from the main stage, like a gateway opening. Seven ancient characters appeared upon it: "Literary Dao Trial of the Heart, Ink Manifestation."

At this moment, every literary Cultivator student who had qualified for the Grand Ceremony held their breath, their eyes burning with intensity.

Lin Chen felt a jolt in her heart. Her identity jade pendant suddenly grew slightly warm, and a golden pattern flew out from it, slowly merging into the light curtain.

Su Xiaoxiao also exclaimed: "Mine lit up too—are we… selected?"

Zhuge Yuanjing scanned the entire audience and said in a deep voice:

"The Literary Soul Grand Ceremony is the greatest event of our Moxiang Academy. It was established by the Dao Ancestor Zhuge in the Early Stage of his Ascension, and it also commemorates the sages of the Central Plains, serving as the cornerstone for establishing the cultural lineage of the Ascension world."

"What is being unsealed now is the first stage: Literary Dao Trial of the Heart."

"All literary Cultivator students who have received the mark, enter the formation immediately!"

Before his voice had even faded, dozens of people on the field rose into the air, stepping into the gateway of light one after another, their figures swallowed by the golden light.

Lin Chen looked down at Su Xiaoxiao and asked in a low voice: "Are you sure you can go in?"

Su Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes: "It lit up, so how could I not go? Do you really think I came here just to mooch sunflower seeds?"

Lin Chen smiled and nodded. With a wave of her hand, she stepped into the formation side-by-side with Su Xiaoxiao.

At that moment, thousands of eyes from below the viewing platform turned toward them.

Especially Crown Prince Li Chongjun, whose brows furrowed slightly. He seemed to want to say something, but ultimately remained silent, just standing quietly on the outer circle, watching the moon-white and golden-patterned figures drift away.

Literary Dao Trial of the Heart: World Within the Formation

When Lin Chen opened her eyes, she was in a strange space where heaven and earth were inverted and the stars and moon shone together.

The ground, like a golden desert, stretched endlessly in all directions, while above in the sky, countless ink strokes flowed and pages floated, each page seemingly pulsating with thousands of spiritual intentions.

An ethereal voice rang out:

"Literary Dao Trial of the Heart: observe one's nature, test one's will, manifest one's intent, and command one's form."

"The first thought in your heart is the soul of your brush. Now, write down the person, event, or belief you most want to protect."

"If you can manifest it into form, you will pass."

Lin Chen's heart stirred.

She took hold of a brush floating in the void. After a moment of contemplation, she set the brush down like the wind.

Two characters appeared on the paper:

"Lin Fan."

At that moment, golden light burst forth, and the entire sheet of paper ignited on its own, transforming into a phantom image.

That figure was clad in dark gold martial attire, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, his face handsome and upright—it was none other than Lin Fan!

The phantom stepped on the wind and approached, gazing at her tenderly.

Lin Chen froze for an instant, her eyes growing warm and her throat tightening, but she stubbornly held back her tears.

The next moment, the phantom suddenly transformed into a pure white light, condensing into a long sword as transparent as starlight—the Starlight Literary Sword!

It was the manifestation of the purest belief in her heart, and the concrete form of her ink and brush will!

At the same time, there was movement on Su Xiaoxiao's side.

What she wrote was a string of strange symbols—they looked like self-created literary phrases, or perhaps just messy scribbles.

Others couldn't understand them, but Lin Chen understood.

It was the "Sisters' Protection Treaty" she had once secretly drawn for Lin Chen, messy and chaotic, yet written until the page was full.

Yet it was this chaotic but sincere brush intent that transformed into a vine of golden light, forming a protective halo around her.

Her brush intent was not a sword, but a shield.

One sword, one shield.

The two stood side-by-side. The surrounding literary Cultivator students had all completed their ink manifestations; various Flying Swords, scrolls, talismans, and poetic charms crisscrossed and danced in the air.

Just at this moment, the voice of the Trial of the Heart formation rang out again—

"The second stage, Literary Sword Dao Inquiry, begins now."

"Form swords with poetry, sever souls with literary phrases, and create formations with mental intent!"

Boom!

The entire golden sand sea instantly collapsed. The light formation beneath everyone lifted them up, ascending into another vast battlefield in the Void Realm!

Huge characters appeared in the air: "The Literary Sword is formless, the will is the blade!"

Su Xiaoxiao grabbed Lin Chen's hand, her eyes suddenly becoming serious:

"Don't be afraid, I will protect you."

Lin Chen smiled slightly, gripped her hand back, and said softly:

"It's my turn."

She raised the Starlight Literary Sword in her hand. Starlight rained down, and a vast, clear Qi slowly rose from her body.

She was no longer that timid freshman.

She was—the one whose Literary Heart had been opened and whose stars had awakened—Lin Chen!

"Literary Sword Dao Inquiry, arena duels, officially begin!"

Seven arenas appeared in the Void Realm. Beneath each one was a golden-patterned sealing formation, and above them floated ink-colored battle curtains, displaying the combatants' names and spiritual pattern scores.

Lin Chen and Su Xiaoxiao were assigned to different arenas.

She stood upon it, her robes fluttering, holding the Starlight Literary Sword. Her temperament was cold and clear, like a Fairy beneath the starlight.

Opposing her was a Disciple from a prestigious family from the "Moxuan Literary Pavilion," Zhang Huaizheng.

Zhang Huaizheng's literary sword danced like a scroll, and he recited a poem:

"Thunder roars beneath the brush, urging iron horses; ink falls between the pages, coiling like dragons and snakes!"

He formed a formation with his literary phrases, and an ink Dragon coiled in the air, charging straight at Lin Chen!

Lin Chen just lifted her hand lightly and calmly uttered four words:

"Stars fall without a sound."

The Starlight Literary Sword broke through the air, without a hint of wind or thunder, but with one strike, it shattered the roaring ink Dragon!

Boom—

Zhang Huaizheng was knocked out of the formation along with his sword, spitting blood. The battle curtain automatically dropped: [Lin Chen wins!]

The spectators below the arena were in an uproar!

"She's just a freshman, right? How—"

"This Spiritual Root fluctuation… Immortal Grade?! She actually has dual Immortal Grade Spiritual Roots?!"

On the viewing platform, the expressions of those old Cultivators changed slightly, and some even began to secretly note down her name.

Meanwhile, on the arena where Su Xiaoxiao was dueling, the scene was quite "tragic."

Her opponent was a female Disciple from the "Guyin Study," whose literary words were as sharp as blades. She immediately unleashed a chain of attacks with the "Three Absolute Intent-Severing Strikes."

Su Xiaoxiao, however, acted like a rookie who didn't know how to fight, dodging left and right. She even missed her footing and rolled back from the edge of the arena, her hair disheveled.

"Ah! That hurts—"

"Don't hit the face, don't hit the face, hey—"

She wailed and rolled on the ground, terrified that the opponent might detect a shred of Battle Intent. She looked like a bullied little rabbit, and a burst of suppressed laughter even broke out from below the arena.

But she knew very clearly—her task was: act for a full ten minutes.

She was waiting for time to pass.

The opponent became more and more confused as the fight went on: How, how am I supposed to continue this? Are you here to fight, or are you here to act cute?

But just as the opponent gritted their teeth, preparing to launch the finishing blow—

A shout suddenly exploded! "Stop!"

Boom—A streak of Sword Qi slashed in diagonally from the side of the arena, instantly intercepting the opponent's attack!

A powerful figure flashed, and a figure in red robes landed on the arena, shielding Su Xiaoxiao.

It was—Crown Prince Li Chongjun!

The entire audience was shocked.

The Grand Ceremony formation fluctuated violently, and the formation spirit's warning voice boomed out: "An outsider has trespassed into the arena formation, violating the Literary Sword regulations. According to the laws of the Grand Ceremony, they shall be expelled from the academy and their literary seal revoked!"

Crown Prince Li Chongjun, however, remained unmoved. Instead, he directly swept his sleeve, scooping up Su Xiaoxiao and shielding her within his embrace.

His face was full of anger, and he gritted his teeth and growled: "She is nothing but a body with a wasted Spiritual Root. To strike her with such vicious intent—how can you still call this the Literary Dao of Cultivators?!"

At that instant, Su Xiaoxiao completely exploded.

She was held in his arms, half her face pressed against his chest, her mouth twitching with anger: "Let me go!"

"I, am, a, man!!"

Crown Prince Li Chongjun ignored her, his tone growing even heavier: "What does it matter if you are a man? I don't care!"

"I only know that if she suffers even the slightest injury, I, this person… will destroy these rules!"

The entire audience fell into dead silence.

Even the few Grand Elders, including Zhuge Yuanjing, were so furious they were about to rise!

Above the viewing platform of Moxiang Academy, a golden seal faintly appeared—it seemed that they were just waiting for a command to suppress Crown Prince Li Chongjun within the formation!

Su Xiaoxiao was so anxious she was about to smoke: "You, you, you… are you out of your mind?!"

"I acted so pitifully just because I didn't want to attract attention, and you—you just helped me unleash a super move!"

Lin Chen also flew down at this moment, glanced at the two of them, and tilted her head with a strange look in her eyes.

She said softly: "Xiaoxiao, it seems… you're famous again."

Su Xiaoxiao's pretty face instantly turned bright red! "I want to die!!"