"Respected Teacher, this student believes… the mistake lies in the second line."
She paused, lifted her head, and under the heavy gaze of the Teacher, answered with confidence:
"In the second stanza of The Peach Blossom Blooming, the line should be 'The peach tree is lush, its fruit abundant'—not 'its wood abundant'."
Her words fell like thunder.
Gasps spread through the classroom.Even the disciples from the Demonic Sect could not hide their shock. How could this seemingly ordinary student, no different from them, so precisely pinpoint the Teacher's error?
Only the student who had been marked earlier for reciting the Book of Songs correctly revealed no surprise. Instead, a mysterious smile tugged at his lips.
Sure enough, the Teacher upon the high platform did not smile at the answer. Instead, his brow creased ever so slightly.
He neither praised nor scolded her, only stared into Liu Qi's eyes with that abyss-like gaze and asked slowly:
"Oh? Then tell me—why is it 'fruit abundant' and not 'wood abundant'?"
Liu Qi's heart sank.
How could she possibly know why?
Even the correction itself had been whispered into her mind by Lin Qingwan's soul. She did not even know how to properly write the word "fen" (fruit), let alone explain its meaning.
After a brief silence, she could only stiffly repeat the corrected line:
"This student does not know. Only that… an elder sister once taught me the verse should be this way."
The Teacher did not show anger, nor did he reveal satisfaction. His expression remained as stern as ever.
He shook his head in silence and turned away. Pointing at another student, he said:
"You—stand and answer."
The student jolted up, trembling. He, too, could not explain. After much stammering, he muttered:
"This… student also believes the mistake lies in 'its wood abundant'."
"Why?" the Teacher pressed.
"I… I…" The poor student flushed red, straining his mind until he finally stammered, "I only… felt it sounded awkward. But I cannot say why."
Again, the Teacher shook his head. His eyes swept across the room.
"Does anyone else dare answer?"
Silence. None wished to risk ridicule after the previous failures.
Then—one hand rose.
The Teacher's gaze fell upon the student who had earlier been marked.
"You—speak."
That student bowed respectfully before answering in a clear voice:
"Teacher, I too believe 'its wood abundant' is incorrect.
First—like my classmate said, the line breaks the rhythm of the Book of Songs. It lacks the harmony of sound.
Second—this poem is composed of three stanzas, each a layered image. The first stanza with 'its blossoms blazing' likens the bride to radiant peach flowers. The third stanza with 'its leaves luxuriant' symbolizes a thriving family and harmonious kin. Both are flawless.
But the second stanza—if it speaks of peach wood—the meaning becomes awkward. Peach wood, though yielding fruit, is more often symbolic of warding off evil and hardness. Hardly fitting for a newlywed's home, as it loses the imagery of abundance and harmony.
Therefore, I humbly suggest the line should be 'fruit abundant'. The peach blossom, the peach fruit, the peach leaves—three images unified. They perfectly portray marriage, prosperity, and flourishing descendants. This is the true essence of 'pure thought without evil'."
He bowed deeply once again.
"Excellent!"
This time, the Teacher's face lit up with genuine satisfaction.
He nodded, then turned back to Liu Qi and said:
"Do you see? That is the answer I sought.
You were the first to point out the error, yet you knew the what but not the why.
Even if told by another, you have yet to grasp the essence."
"Yes…" Liu Qi lowered her head in shame.
Now she finally understood the discord she had felt earlier.
The Teacher had not been testing memory—he was testing comprehension of the poem's imagery.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as realization struck. But then, the Teacher added:
"Still, since you were the first to answer correctly, and remembered the verse, you shall also be awarded one point."
A glow of light shot from his fingertip, marking her forehead.
At the same time, the eloquent student received one point as well. Even the poor stammering student, who had guessed by instinct, was awarded half a point.
Those who had remained silent now regretted bitterly—who would have thought even hesitant answers were rewarded? But regret came too late.
The Teacher, now in good spirits, clapped his hands with a smile.
"Today, three students excelled! I have here some small rewards to encourage diligence."
From his sleeve, he placed three items upon the lectern: one Qi-Nurturing Pill, and two ancient beast-skin books.
Upon one cover were carved three archaic characters: The Rite of Poetry Technique (Li Shi Jue), beneath which were the words Qi Refining Volume.
The other bore the same title—but was marked Foundation Establishment Volume.
The pill was nothing special; in the marketplace of Three Talents Square, one could buy hundreds with a single coin.
But when Liu Qi saw the manuals, her heart pounded violently.
The Rite of Poetry Technique!
This name… could it be connected to the Poetry Hall?
Surely—it must be a core technique, equal to the Mysterious Yin Art and Blood Feast Art!
And it contained not only the Qi Refining stage—but the entire Foundation Establishment stage as well!
The eloquent student immediately chose the Foundation Establishment Volume, bowing before the Teacher before returning to his seat.
Liu Qi, smiling inwardly at his choice, stepped forward and claimed the Qi Refining Volume.
She opened it eagerly, skimming through, her heart pounding.
The third student reluctantly accepted the Qi-Nurturing Pill.
But then—Liu Qi did something none expected.
Her lips curled into a wild grin. Hugging the manual tightly, she jumped and shouted like a madwoman:
"Wonderful! Wonderful! With this manual, if I turn it over to the Sect, the rewards will be endless! Hahahaha!"
The entire class froze.
And the Teacher's smile stiffened, his eyes hardening as he appeared before her in an instant.
His voice was cold as steel:
"What… did you just say?"