The old man stroked his beard and smiled: "Not bad, the characters are written well, and you're quite familiar with the Analects. I suppose you've passed the first test?"

  "But this is still not enough, you must also accept old man's trial."

  "In the past, Cao Zhi wrote a poem in seven steps. I won't make it difficult for you either. As long as you can compose a poem within thirty steps, I'll immediately accept you as my disciple. How about it? Dare you or not?"

  Yang Chengye smiled and said: "No need for thirty steps, I'll make one now."

  The old man laughed and said: "Little guy, don't burst the cowhide!"

  Yang Chengye secretly smiled to himself. As a modern person, he knew countless Tang poems, Song lyrics, and Ming dynasty poetry. Although he couldn't compose them himself, quoting them was still possible!

  Yang Chengye thought of Tang Yin, a talented and elegant poet of the Ming Dynasty. His poems were floating and lively, but also unrestrained and unorthodox. The old man was conservative in his ways, so he probably wouldn't like them?

  Suddenly, Yang Chengye thought of Xin Qiji's "Water Dragon Tune, Climbing Healthy and Happy Pavilion".

  Xin Qiji is not yet born, he should be able to handle it anyway.

  The Chu sky is thousands of miles clear in autumn, the water follows the sky and goes with the endless autumn.

  Distant mountains and far-off eyes, offering sorrow and providing resentment, jade hairpins and coiled buns.

  Sunset on the building, in the sound of a lonely goose, a traveler from Jiangnan.

  Look at Wu Gou, pat all over the column, no one understands, the meaning of ascending and descending.

  The fish is worth eating, but the west wind has blown away, and the osprey has not returned yet?

  Seeking fields and asking for houses, fearing should be ashamed to see, Liu Lang's talent and prestige.

  Alas, the years have passed, and the sorrowful wind and rain, yet the tree remains thus!

  Who can summon the red scarf and green sleeves, to wipe away the hero's tears?

  Yang Chengye finished reciting "Shui Long Yin, Ascending to the Healthy and Admirable Pavilion", and suddenly the hall was silent, with no sound of birds chirping or needles dropping.

  It wasn't until a whole quarter of an hour had passed that the old man and Shen You came back to their senses.

  "Good!"

  The old man applauded and praised: "The word is beautiful, the hierarchy is clear, the first call echoes, the reference is just right, it's a rare good word."

  "Unexpectedly, you've brought an old man a genius! It's truly beyond my expectations! This disciple of the closed door, I'll take him on!"

  At this time, Shen You was also stunned. He never thought that Yang Chengye could write such a good poem. Although he didn't understand it, he immersed himself in it and even got praised by Master Lao.

  "Second brother, hurry up and pay your respects to your master!"

  Shen You hastily made a signal with his eyes to Yang Chengye, asking him to perform the courtesy of paying respects to a master.

  Yang Chengye bowed his hands and waist, knelt down on the ground, and said: "Student Yang Chengye pays respects to teacher!"

  The old master stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Good, good, good!"

  "Your surname is Yang and your name is Chengye; do you have a courtesy name?"

  Yang Chengye replied: "My father gave his students a courtesy name as an heir to their ancestors."

  "May I ask how your respected father is addressed and where he currently resides?"

  Yang Chengye replied: "My father's surname is Yang and his name is Zai Xing. He was under the command of Yue Wu Mu."

  "What?"

  Upon hearing this, the old master was suddenly shocked and immediately stood up, asking: "Is it General Yang Zaixing who led 3,000 elite soldiers to defend Xiao Shang Bridge and defeated 300,000 Jin troops?"

  Yang Chengye replied: "It is indeed my father."

  "Alright! Alright! Alright!"

  Shi Lao repeatedly praised: "The Yang family is full of loyal and heroic people, guarding the border. Your father is one of the few people I admire in my life!"

  "The Yang family has been known for their martial arts skills, but I didn't expect that they would also produce a literary genius like you. This is truly something to be celebrated!"

  I blushed and said: "Teacher, you're overpraising me!"

  The old master paused for a moment and then said: "Inheritor of the ancestors, such a good phrase, I don't know if you came up with it on the spot or had prepared it in advance?"

  Yang Chengye awkwardly said: "It was improvised."

  The old master smiled and said: "Good, can you make another one? I will definitely record it down to pass on to future generations."

  When he heard this, Yang Chengye secretly smiled to himself. He had plagiarized Xin Qiji's poem and wondered what would happen if Xin Qiji found out in the future. He was afraid that he would vomit three liters of blood.

  Since I've already plagiarized one poem, I might as well come up with another one.

  Thinking of this, Yang Chengye recited again:

  Spring has returned, look at the beauty's head, fluttering spring streamers.

  Unexpected wind and rain, reluctant to dispel the remaining cold. At this time of year, swallows are supposed to have arrived, I reckon they'll be in my dreams tonight at the Western Garden.

  The banquet is not yet ready, Huang Gan recommends wine, and also serves a dish of scallions.

  But smiled at the east wind, from then on, the plum blossoms dyed the willows, and there was no more leisure.

  In leisure time, I come again in front of the mirror, transforming my crimson face. My clear sorrow is unending, who can understand the linked rings?

  Afraid to see flowers bloom and wither, geese return before dawn.

  Having heard this, Shifu exclaimed: "Wonderful! This poem is even more beautiful than the last one. It's a masterpiece that stands out from all the poems of past and present!"

  "I will definitely record it down, to pass on to future generations!"

  The master accepted Yang Chengye as his last disciple and also accepted the gift sent by Shen You, and he instructed Yang Chengye to come every day, and he would teach him with all his heart.

  Back at the Shen residence, Wu Ruolan hastily ran over and asked: "Inheritor, how was it? Did Master accept you?"

  Without waiting for Yang Chengye to respond, Shen You spoke up first: "Mother, Shifu has already accepted Second Brother as his closed-door disciple and will instruct him with all his heart. Moreover, he even praised Second Brother's writing talent, saying that he will definitely have a bright future!"

  Upon hearing this, Wu Ruo Lan grasped Yang Cheng Ye's hand and burst into tears of joy, exclaiming: "It's truly a blessing from heaven, the Yang family finally has hope for revival!"

  Although Yang Chengye had no intention of entering officialdom, he put filial piety first among all virtues. In order to comfort Wu Ruolan, he reluctantly became a disciple and then took part in the imperial examination.

  As for his martial arts skills, he didn't fall behind at all, and as time passed, they became more and more refined.

  Suddenly, Yang Chengye thought of the Murong family in Gusu.

  In the Tianlong era, it was known as "Nan Murong Bei Qiaofeng".

  Qiao Feng, the sixth leader of the Beggar Clan, had three great skills in his lifetime. The Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms were unbeatable, and all who opposed him perished.

  The Dragon Subduing Hand emerges with spirit and enters with transformation, rarely encountering an opponent's hand.

  The stick for beating dogs is magical and unpredictable, turning decay into wonder.

  The three great skills were lost at the moment of Qiao Feng's death, which is a pity.

  Nan Murong was well-versed in various schools of martial arts, with one hand turning the stars and shifting them, using his opponent's techniques against him, which was quite magical. Although there was a hint of cleverness, being able to create such a technique also showed that he was an exceptionally talented individual.

  Qiao Feng's three greatest skills were what Yang Qing most coveted, and then there was the One-Yang Finger of the Dali Segments and the Six-Meridian Divine Sword.

  The Six Meridians Divine Sword can only be cultivated to perfection by Duan Yu, while others can only cultivate one meridian. The reason is that the Six Meridians Divine Sword has extremely strict requirements for internal energy, and without strong internal energy support, it cannot be executed at all.

  As for Duan Yu, he can absorb other people's internal energy for his own use, so there is no need to worry about running out of internal energy. Therefore, only he succeeded in cultivating the Six Meridians Divine Sword among the Dali Duan family.

  As for the One Yang Finger, it was also introduced in Tian Long Temple. When Qiu Mozi went to Dali Tianlong Temple to observe the Six Meridians Divine Sword, Ku Rong Elder mentioned the One Yang Finger, which when practiced to a high level is unfathomable and can destroy anything, even more sharp than the Six Meridians Divine Sword.

  So Yang Chengye was most envious of Qiao Feng's three great skills and Dali Duan's One-Yang Finger.

  One yang extreme is strong and extremely yang, while the Nine Yin Manual that Yang Chenyu cultivates is extremely yin and soft. The two are contradictory, and he doesn't know if it's possible to cultivate both at the same time.

  If he could get the "Nine Yang Scripture" and cultivate both Nine Yin and Nine Yang at the same time, I don't know if he would explode and die.

  Yang Chengye thought about it and felt a chill, fortunately he had not yet obtained the first volume of the "Nine Yin Scripture", as for the "Nine Yang Scripture" he did not hold out hope, how could he possibly have such good luck to obtain both the "Nine Yin Scripture" and the "Nine Yang Scripture"?