Chapter 116: Chapter 114: Parting the Clouds and Astonishing the Immortals【4000 words, 8th update, seeking subscription】_2
However, on this day, a problem arose.
The incessant rain had been pouring for days, causing the people to suffer immensely.
Sha Chen’s alter ego, Li Bai, had no desire to pay much attention to this; he still needed to cozy up to Sun Wukong, lest the fellow forget about him.
But on that day, the city was illuminated with dazzling golden light, surrounded by immortal aura, while dragons peered down from amidst the clouds.
The people within the city were all prostrate on the ground, terrified, begging the Dragon King to calm his anger and pleading for mercy from the immortals above.
Li Bai dared not reveal himself, acting like a scholar, drinking and making merry in a brothel.
At that moment, however, a young scholar dressed in white was showing off his talents in the brothel. He possessed an incredible flair for the arts, persuasive speech, and most impressively, he even seemed to know some magic. The women of the brothel and the pleasure-seeking young masters were all deeply intimidated.
Li Bai initially did not want to get involved, but the scholar in white noticed him. Seeing Li Bai unmoved, he took the initiative to greet him.
The arrogant scholar in white said, "What’s your esteemed name, young sir? Why don’t you applaud when I recite poetry and compose couplets? Why don’t you cheer when I conjure wind and rain?"
Li Bai frowned and was about to leave.
But the scholar in white blocked his way, saying, "I won’t let you go unless you explain yourself."
Li Bai replied, "Sir, your talent is boundless; I am in awe and pale in comparison. Please let me pass. I have other matters to attend to. Farewell."
The scholar in white burst into hearty laughter. "Haha, what a timid scholar! At least you know your place, recognizing your inferiority to this King."
Li Bai had intended to depart, but hearing this form of address, he furrowed his brow. He hesitated for a moment and activated his Heavenly Vision. Suddenly, he received quite a shock.
The scholar in white before him was, in fact, a true dragon.
It then dawned on him that outside the city lay the Hanshui River, which later generations would call the Jing River.
This was indeed a true dragon, lurking near the Jing River, and moreover, one who liked to disguise himself as a white-robed scholar to show off in the mortal realm. Could this be the brother-in-law of the West Sea Dragon King, the one with nine sons who occupied the major waterways of China, with power so immense that even the Jade Emperor harbored murderous intentions towards him—the Jinghe Dragon King?!
Li Bai’s expression turned odd. It was an incredible stroke of luck; he had been searching for this creature and never expected to stumble upon him here. He needed to cause trouble for the Heavenly Court so they wouldn’t have the resources to deal with his true self. This creature was perfect for the task.
Li Bai said with a smile, "Sir, your talent is indeed infinite. But when I said I was outmatched, that was humility. If you took it seriously, then that is your mistake."
The surrounding crowd burst into an uproar.
The scholar in white, who was the Jinghe Dragon King, was utterly stunned.
Then, deep anger surged within him; He felt humiliated. This scholar dared to mock him!? He had approached because he had sensed some Spiritual Energy from Li Bai, suspecting him to be a cultivator, and had deliberately come to show off. He also believed that this scholar must have recognized his true form yet still dared to spout such bold and shameless words. It made the affront even more unbearable.
Grinding his teeth, he said, "Seeing your full heavenly forehead and square earthly jaw, with Spiritual Energy rising from your head, you must be a being of accomplished Cultivation. Can you not discern my true form?"
Li Bai responded, "I have recognized it, but that seems to have no bearing on whose talent—yours or mine—is superior."
He was not an impulsive person, nor one eager to provoke those stronger than himself.
But he had been searching for the Jinghe Dragon King for many years, on the orders of his true self. Now that he had encountered him, if he failed to capture his attention and deliver an initial show of strength, any subsequent discussion would surely be met with disdain.
The Jinghe Dragon King snorted coldly. "Good. Just now, this King displayed his literary brilliance, skilled in all forms of poetry and song. Do you dare to challenge me to see who is better?"
Li Bai chuckled to himself. If the competition were about magical abilities and Divine Power, he indeed would not be a match for the Jinghe Dragon King. But when it came to poetry and literature, even a hundred Jinghe Dragon Kings would be no match for him. His alter ego dared to call himself Li Bai precisely because he was well-versed in three hundred poems from the Tang and Song dynasties—eras still far in the future. Dazzling the Jinghe Dragon King with them would be a simple matter.
The talented scholars and beautiful women in the brothel were all looking on with anticipation, eagerly cheering, loving the drama.
Two young men, guards from the Dragon Palace, stood up as if to take action.
The Dragon King stopped them, waiting with a cold smile for Li Bai to make a fool of himself.
This young man before him possessed some Spiritual Power, but his actual strength was pitifully weak. If he, a Dragon King, were to use his might to bully this youth, word would spread, and he would become a laughingstock. For someone of his status, this was unacceptable.
So, here in the brothel, a contest of artistic talent was the way.
He refused to believe it. With all the tutors in the Dragon Palace and his years of mingling with mortal scholars, how could he not surpass this youth?
Thus, he called for more wine and recited again the poems and verses he had delivered earlier.
The crowd cheered once more.
Afterward, the Jinghe Dragon King turned to Li Bai, saying, "Your turn. Don’t be so awestruck by my talent that you’re speechless."
Li Bai gave a chuckle, took a jug of wine, had a sip, and recited a poem.
"A golden goblet of fine wine, a measure worth ten thousand coins; a jade dish of exquisite delicacies, valued at ten thousand cash..."
"Drawing a sword to cut water, the water only flows faster; raising a cup to drown sorrow, sorrow only grows deeper..."
"I raise my cup to invite the bright moon, and with my shadow, we become three..."
"A cataract cascades three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way falls from the Ninth Heaven..."
He drank three hundred jars of fine wine, emptying the brothel of its entire stock, yet he continued, ceaselessly reciting poems and verses.
People both inside and outside the brothel were drawn by this display, flocking to witness the spectacle.
Witnessing someone truly produce a verse with every sip of wine left them utterly astounded.
They yearned to cheer but feared interrupting the poet. They wished to echo his verses but lacked the literary grace. Their entire vocabulary seemed to shrink to a single, universally applicable phrase: "Holy shit!"