After the sixth tie, the seventh competition between the two of them turned into a mutual question-and-answer session. It actually held significant meaning and was not simply a straightforward competition. When they had to come up with their own questions, they had to ponder and search for each other's weakest points. That was why both of them initially chose questions related to sword cultivation without any prior agreement.
However, Gu Ming could never have imagined that the girl from the academy had developed an interest in sword cultivation techniques long before the Myriad Willow Convention began. She was already a sword cultivator. She simply did not go around proclaiming it and those who knew about it were even less likely to spread the information. Thus, only a few people were aware of this matter.
Therefore, the question posed by Gu Ming held no difficulty for Xie Nandu. She quickly provided the answer.
As the bell rang, both of them submitted their answers once again.
Bookman had a respectable reputation in the cultivation world, not because his cultivation base was profound, but because he had spent many years studying and had a wide range of knowledge. He was truly well-versed in the past and present. Otherwise, he would not have been invited from the distant south to set the questions for the literary exam. Now, as he received the seventh set of papers from the two candidates, Bookman furrowed his brow slightly, with a hint of admiration in his eyes.
In terms of the questions they came up with, both of them had calculated carefully. Otherwise, they would not have simultaneously chosen questions about sword cultivation.
It was just that the results might have disappointed both of them.
Bookman smiled and said, "The seventh round is a tie."
He looked at the two young individuals and felt vicissitudes of emotion. In the cultivation world, very few people would waste their time on this. So, those who could truly be considered well-versed in the past and present were extremely rare. However, although these two youngsters still had a long way to go, they were already more impressive than the vast majority of people in the world.
As a new piece of blank paper reappeared on their desks, the eighth round of competition between them began.
The competition did not start at the moment of answering the questions but rather, it already started from the moment of setting the questions.
It was already dusk at the moment and the setting sun cast a golden glow over the lake, landing on the face of the girl too. Xie Nandu had sweat beads rolling down her face from her collar. It was not due to nervousness or any other emotion but simply because she had recently started her cultivation journey and was feeling a bit warm.
The summer in the Divine Capital was scorching, but everyone present was a cultivator, so no one paid it much attention. Xie Nandu had brought a talisman with her when she came out earlier to cool herself down. It was a common method used by many people in the Divine Capital to beat the summer heat. The talismans were not expensive and could be easily purchased from the shops on the street. One talisman could provide cooling effects for four to six hours.
At that time, Xie Nandu thought she would be able to quickly leave after completing a round of literary exam and return to the academy. But, she never expected it to last until now. The talisman had already lost its effectiveness and she could finally feel the heat by the lakeside.
Some beads of sweat even dripped onto the blank white paper.
Xie Nandu furrowed her brow slightly, realizing that if it continued , she might not even make it back in time for dinner. So she started to think seriously.
She began to carefully recall all the questions from the previous seven rounds of competition, searching for the weak points of her opponent within those questions.
Before long, she put her brush on the paper, and a question quickly took shape under her brush.
As the bell rang, both of them stopped writing.
A cultivator picked up the questions they had written and handed them to the other party.
At a glance, Gu Ming noticed the markings on the test paper and pondered for a moment, realizing that it was caused by sweat droplets.
Although he had average talent and could only study, he had already been cultivating for many years, and had long surpassed Initial Realm. Why would he mind the summer heat? However, thinking about the rumors that the girl had just started cultivating, he felt a bit sorry for her.
But when he returned to his senses and looked down at the test paper in front of him, he started feeling uneasy.
There was one question on it.
A very ordinary question.
This question could not be called tricky, nor could it be described as obscure or niche. In fact, it was a very ordinary topic related to cultivation.
It was not particularly hard.
The only problem was that it was too simple, too ordinary, to the point where he suddenly could not remember the answer.
When preparing for the Myriad Willow Convention's literary exam, many cultivators would search for those obscure and niche things that few people knew. In doing so, they would expend a great deal of effort. However, it was precisely because of this that they would often forget the most obvious things and struggle to recall them.
At present, this question was exactly like that.
Ordinary to the point that Gu Ming was well aware that he must have seen it before and knew the answer too. But at this moment, no matter what he did, he could not recall it. He flipped through everything in his mind, but in the end, he still could not find what he was looking for.
As time slowly passed, sweat beads formed on Gu Ming's forehead, and his expression became increasingly ugly.
He held the brush in his hand but could not bring himself to start writing.
He could not answer this question, so he could only hope that the girl would also be unable to answer his question.
The question he had posed was extremely obscure, it was likely that the average person would find it difficult to know the answer. However, that girl was not an ordinary person, so he felt somewhat uncertain.
All the way until the bell slowly sounded out.
Gu Ming finally set down his pen. He did not answer because he truly did not know the answer.
Someone collected his test paper, as well as Xie Nandu's script.
The Bookman quickly received the test papers and glanced at them, furrowing his brows slightly. It was because among the two papers, one had an answer, consisting of just a short sentence, while the other paper was blank.
As Bookman looked at the answer on that paper, a glimmer appeared in his eyes. Soon, he stood up and smiled, saying, "We have a winner."
Hearing these words, Gu Ming smiled bitterly and shook his head, knowing that he had lost.
Voices began to rise from the lakeside.
Bookman addressed the pavilion over there, saying, "In this literary exam, the first place goes to Xie Nandu from the academy."
His voice was loud, addressing everyone present.
Many people were waiting to see if there would be an eighth or ninth tie in this competition. Now, upon hearing this announcement, they felt somewhat disappointed. However, they still admired the two individuals over there. Seven ties in a row could only be said that the two were very remarkable youngsters in the current era.
At least, in terms of the knowledge they possessed.
Weng Quan looked at Chen Chao with a face full of lingering fear and said gratefully, "Thank you, Deputy Commander. If it weren't for you, I might have jumped into the lake tonight!"
Chen Chao rubbed his shoulder and complained, "Why did it take so long?"
Bookman said some encouraging words to the two and departed along the lakeside. He was in a good mood today and wanted to find a place to have a drink.
The cultivators presiding over this literary exam also left. They had spent too much time here today and were feeling quite tired at this moment.
Xie Nandu was about to leave.
However, Gu Ming called out to her, stopping her.
"Fellow Daoist Xie, your thinking is meticulous. I am truly inferior," he said earnestly, without any trace of sarcasm in his words.
Xie Nandu turned her head and looked at the young daoist as she said, "I merely resorted to trickery. Go back and review these things again. Next time we meet, it won't be so easy for me to win."
Although they had determined a winner, it did not mean they had eliminated the other party. They might even compete again in the future.
Gu Ming asked, "Regarding the question from the sixth round, I believed that no one in this world other than me would have seen it. I'm curious how you knew the answer."
Xie Nandu thought for a moment. She remembered that question clearly. It happened to be the one she had seen when she left the palace on the day of the imperial banquet. She read it inside the carriage.
At that time, there was this story in that book.
"It was just a coincidence. However, that question was indeed very obscure, much more so than the question you presented at the end."
Xie Nandu looked at him. For that final question, their approaches were completely different. Gu Ming chose to continue searching for questions in the most obscure places, while Xie Nandu's question was too ordinary, as if she did not put much thought into it at all.
Gu Ming thought for a moment and said softly, "I lost. I hope that in our next encounter, I can surpass you."
Xie Nandu shook her head. "There's no meaning."
"Why?" Gu Ming looked at Xie Nandu, very confused.
What did she mean by "no meaning"?
Xie Nandu said, "No matter how many books you read, becoming the most knowledgeable person in the world, there's has no meaning too. Reading books is only a means to do other things. If you only read books, what's the point?"
"So even if you defeat me later, it has no meaning either. I've only just begun my cultivation journey. Otherwise, I'd be participating in the martial exam too."
Gu Ming felt a sense of pain. He had initially thought that the girl before him was like him; someone who loved reading. But he never expected that she was so different from what he had imagined.
"Ultimately, it all happens here. What's the difference?" Gu Ming chuckled rather self-mockingly.
Then, he noticed a young man in black not far away walking towards them.
It was precisely Chen Chao.
Chen Chao looked at Xie Nandu's slightly sweaty face. Extending his hand to pass her a cooling talisman, he said, "Almost bankrupted me today."
Xie Nandu took the talisman and just smiled without saying anything. If it were not for the bet he made, she would not have endured until now.
Xie Nandu glanced at Chen Chao and said wearily, "Let's have roasted sweet potatoes tonight."
Chen Chao smiled and replied, "As much as you can eat."
The two of them continued their conversation as they walked away along the lakeside, looking harmonious.
While Gu Ming who was standing on the spot looked at these two and was very silent.