Chapter 113: The Secret Realm of the Great Emperor Opens! One Hundred Enter, Competing for Opportunities

    Seeing the crowd’s eager anticipation, Lin Qi’an had no choice but to recite another poem, ‘Drinking Alone Under the Moon’.

    Originally, he had thought he was here to show off by copying famous poems, but now, the one who had tried plagiarizing was actually the Child of Destiny, and he had even failed at it.

    Just as everyone was still lost in the atmosphere of *Drinking Alone Under the Moon*, a thunderous sound erupted.

    Boom!!

    The cascading waterfall suddenly exploded! Fierce winds howled, the air distorted, and the Milky Way seemed to reverse its flow.

    “What’s happening...”

    “The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is madly converging there. What’s going on?”

    “What a powerful aura!”

    In the center of the waterfall, a glowing door slowly appeared, with divine light flowing like water.

    “This... this is the secret realm of the Wenchu Emperor!”

    “The Crown Prince’s poem has resonated with the secret realm!”

    “My heavens, there’s really a secret realm of the Great Emperor here!”

    The crowd’s eyes were filled with wild excitement. If one could obtain the inheritance of the Wenchu Emperor inside this secret realm, they would undoubtedly soar to new heights!

    Even Lu Miaoyin, usually so composed, couldn’t hide the burning desire in her eyes. After all, her ultimate pursuit was to follow the same path as the Wenchu Emperor—using literature to attain the Dao!

    She never imagined that the Crown Prince’s recitation would open the secret realm, giving her a chance to fulfill her aspirations. She felt overwhelming gratitude in her heart.

    Even the Book Saint, the Ink Saint, and the National Preceptor behind Zhao Ziyu couldn’t maintain their calm. A secret realm of the Great Emperor—who wouldn’t be tempted?

    Suddenly, the secret realm unleashed a tremendous suction force, like a vortex in the deep sea. It was selecting individuals to enter!

    Those being chosen were all the talents who had showcased their literary prowess at the gathering earlier. Others, no matter how much they desired to enter, simply weren’t qualified.

    “Don’t miss this chance, hurry in!”

    Those who weren’t chosen desperately tried to rush into the secret realm. The Sage of Literature and the Ink Sage also leaped into action. But for those not selected, no amount of effort mattered—not even saints could force their way in. Without exception, everyone was blocked by the barrier of the secret realm.

    “The entrance is closing!”

    “Damn it...”

    Within just a few breaths, the light around the secret realm dimmed, and the entrance completely sealed. Hundreds were left standing outside in frustration.

    These were his unrivaled divine abilities. Learning even a single character would grant the ability to command the heavens with words and make decrees that manifested reality! Just one word could destroy a myriad of enemies, suppress all evil, and wield immense righteous power.

    Only the most exceptional person from each trial would be granted these words. Now, the real competition of the literary gathering had begun.

    “How do we pass this trial?”

    “Are we supposed to defeat those soldiers across from us?”

    “But we can’t use our spiritual power here. How can we possibly fight them?”

    “Idiot! This is the Wenchu Emperor’s secret realm—it’s obviously about winning with literature, not force!”

    “Look over there, under the sand!” someone shouted. Beneath the swirling sands, a complex network of lines was revealed, dividing the ground into squares.

    “Wait, is this... a chessboard?”

    “But what kind of chess is this? I’ve never seen it before!”

    Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, even the two saintesses shook their heads, uncertain about what lay before them.

    All except Lin Qi’an. Looking closely at the central line, he saw the words clearly written: Chu River, Han Border.

    This wasn’t Go.

    It was Chinese chess!

    临 (Lin) – “Arrive” or “Approach”

    兵 (Bing) – “Soldier” or “Troop”

    斗 (Dou) – “Battle” or “Fight”

    者 (Zhe) – “One who” or “Those who”

    皆 (Jie) – “All” or “Everyone”

    阵 (Zhen) – “Formation” or “Array”

    列 (Lie) – “Arrange” or “Line up”

    在 (Zai) – “At” or “In”

    前 (Qian) – “Front”

    Literal Meaning: “The soldiers and warriors all form a line in front.”

    Contextual Meaning: This phrase is often seen as part of incantations or spells in Taoism or in the genre of Xianxia, symbolizing the summoning of power, military formations, or invoking protection. It conveys the idea of readiness for battle, as if calling forth forces to arrange themselves before the speaker.