Chapter Seventy-Two: The Sea of Muses

"First of all, her clothes were immaculate, spotless and elegant. The claim of fleeing for her life was nothing but a blatant lie."

"Second, for a woman to appear in such a desolate mountain wilderness is, in itself, highly suspicious."

"Realizing her ill intentions, I naturally could not sit and wait for disaster. So, I decided to play along, pretending to be compliant. The woman thought I would take her home and settle her down, unaware that her childish ruse had already been seen through by me."

"At the time, I was at the foot of Mount Qi, with no one else around for miles. Fearing she might have accomplices, my first thought was to head for Jade Void Monastery. The master there is highly skilled, and with his protection, the villain’s plot would surely fail. But to my surprise, just as I arrived at the gates of the monastery and was about to make my escape, my body suddenly felt as if it were bound, unable to move an inch."

"I knew at once that things had taken a turn for the worse. My suspicions were confirmed: in the wilds, a woman appearing out of nowhere—either fiend or villain."

"Facing this evil, a flash of inspiration came to me. My first thought was of the protective talisman my mother had once begged from the master for me. Strangely, though my body was bound, my hand could still move. That talisman, a keepsake from my mother, I have always worn around my neck, never parting with it."

"The moment my fingers touched the talisman, I distinctly remember a faint golden light emanating from it. At once, my body was freed. Taking advantage of the fiend’s distraction, I ran headlong toward the monastery, not daring to look back."

"As for what followed, the young master is already aware."

After hearing the scholar’s account, Xuan Yangzi frowned, feeling that the whole matter was rather odd. If the one he had encountered truly was a deadly fiend, it would not matter if he were a frail scholar or a robust warrior—anyone would be at the fiend’s mercy.

Nevertheless, Xuan Yangzi believed the scholar was not lying.

"The talisman I gave you is not particularly profound—it can only dispel some crude sorcery. However, we can surmise that the fiend was but a fledgling. Otherwise, you would hardly be standing here chatting with me now," Xuan Yangzi mused.

It seemed he had worried too much—the fiend was merely a minor creature, though losing a ginseng root in the process was still a painful sacrifice.

However, conclusions could not yet be drawn. Everything would only be clear upon confronting the fiend.

"Everything has its cause. Since the fiend targeted you, there must be a reason. Think carefully—what is it about you that might have attracted such a creature?" Yi An inquired.

The scholar nodded in earnest agreement.

This was indeed the source of his puzzlement. By rights, he was nothing more than a poor, unremarkable scholar, possessing nothing but a newly acquired academic title.

Could it be because of the title?

As the thought crossed his mind, he confessed everything he could think of, holding nothing back.

As it turned out, this scholar was Miao Shihai, who had recently taken third place in the provincial examination—a true scholar from a humble background, whose ten years of bitter study had brought him sudden fame in Hangzhou.

To rank third, his talent was beyond question. However, unlike Huang Zongping, he did not seek fame or favor, nor did he enjoy displaying himself in public, which was why few had heard of him.

Upon hearing this, Yi An cast a surprised look at Miao Shihai. He might not know every successful candidate, but the names of the top three in the exams were certainly familiar to him.

Miao Shihai glanced uncertainly at Yi An. The other's reaction did not escape him. Could his name already have spread so widely?

He did not know Yi An's identity, but since he was with the master, he must be a man of some repute.

As mentioned, Miao Shihai had always kept a low profile. He knew Yi An by name, but had never met him.

"Hahaha, perhaps you don't know—you are third in the examination, but this young man here is the top scholar. Since you are both men of letters, you should get to know each other," Xuan Yangzi said with a smile.

At this, Miao Shihai immediately straightened, his gaze toward Yi An now filled with admiration.

"To meet you in person is even better than your reputation, Brother Yi. You are truly a man of talent," Miao Shihai said sincerely.

Whether it was Yi An’s poem at the literary gathering or his essays in the examination, all testified to his extraordinary brilliance.

In his heart, though only two ranks separated them, the real distance was like a gulf.

Miao Shihai felt himself outmatched.

Beside them, Yan Chixia was also surprised to learn their identities. He might be a rough man, but he knew well what the top three in the provincial exam signified. It was said in the villages that such men were stars of literature descended to earth.

"Miao, you flatter me. These are but empty titles," Yi An replied, not out of modesty, but because he truly thought so. In fact, Miao Shihai struck him as refined and composed, quite unlike the arrogant Huang Zongping.

In terms of learning, perhaps Huang Zongping had the edge, but in terms of future achievement, Yi An was certain that one day, Miao Shihai would rise to heights Huang could never reach, no matter how fast he rode.

Scholarship is the stepping stone to officialdom, true—but only when the gap is wide. With Miao and Huang nearly equal in ability, after the next exam their starting points might differ slightly, but not by much. When it came time to show real ability, Huang would inevitably be left behind.

This was not a reckless judgment, but one based on many factors. Even if future events did not play out exactly as he predicted, the difference would not be great.

"Brother Yi, did you, too, encounter something similar, is that why you sought out the master?" Miao Shihai asked, turning the conversation back to the matter at hand. Now that he knew Yi An’s identity and recalled his own ordeal, he could not help but wonder.

"Ah, that's a misunderstanding. I came here for the matter of the fiend," Yi An replied frankly—there was no point in hiding it from Miao Shihai, who was involved.

"Ah?" Miao Shihai was taken aback, momentarily at a loss for words.

Wasn't Yi An the top scholar? Was he also versed in subduing evil and defending the path?

"You will understand soon enough," Yi An replied with a mysterious smile, offering no further explanation.

Xuan Yangzi reasoned, "It seems, then, that the fiend targeted you precisely because you ranked among the top three in the provincial exam."