“It’s highly likely!” Kong Delun said.

“Brother Delun! Twelve breaths left.” Fang Yun’s voice suddenly rang out, and Kong Delun immediately shut his mouth, preparing to write a poem.

Under Fang Yun’s command, the group’s ascent up the mountain was very smooth, their climbing speed far surpassing that of the Demon Barbarians.

This was at the cost of consuming their talent, and because each initial recitation of a poem had a burst of treasure light, doubling the power of the poem.

Time ticked away.

Thick snow crazily rushed down the slope, but various poetic forces kept appearing, opening up paths, parting the snow waves, allowing the human race to keep climbing.

After reaching halfway up the mountain, the atmosphere of the team noticeably changed, everyone no longer chatted and laughed as before.

After composing six poems in succession, Ma Xiong finally couldn’t keep up. After being called by Fang Yun again, he said, “I have to repeat the first poem.” Saying this, he wrote the poem “Ode to Pine”, but this time there was no treasure light, and the power was only half of the original.

A large number of pine trees appeared, forming a “Jie” character shape, parting the snow waves. However, these light-shadow pine trees just appeared and emitted a slight cracking sound, as if they could hardly bear the power of the avalanche.

Traces of cold air fell on everyone through the light-shadow pine trees.

Almost everyone’s face changed.

No one could guarantee to continuously produce new poems.

Ma Xiong’s first repetition of a poem was like a long ringing alarm bell, waking everyone up.

Fang Yun said, “Brother Jing’an, it’s your turn in seven breaths. Now we are facing three difficulties. The first is the repetition of poems. The power of the poems is halved when they are not initially recited, but the power of the avalanche remains the same. So, everyone needs to write poems more frequently. Fanming, it’s your turn in eight breaths.”

“As for the second difficulty, it’s the issue of talent. Everyone’s talent is being consumed continuously. I must calculate the connection between every two poems more precisely to ensure that the power of the poems does not overlap and waste. Brother Shitang, six breaths later.”

“As for the third difficulty, the coldness in the snow can already penetrate the power of the poems. Although it has been weakened, it will also affect us. Brother Yan, a strongest snow wave will come in twelve breaths, can you resist it with a poem?”

“I can.” Yan Yukong said.

“That’s good.” Fang Yun nodded.

After listening to Fang Yun’s words, everyone realized the most obvious difference between now and before: previously, everyone could chat and laugh for a while before needing to switch to writing poems, but now, Fang Yun had to divide his speech into three parts after only saying a few words. This showed how serious the situation was.

“Brother Zhang, the poem will be completed in ten breaths.” Fang Yun looked at another person, then continued, “From now on, everyone must not use the power of The Courage to Write to resist the cold. In case of an accident, it can barely resist for a few breaths, leaving time for writing poems…”

Next, Fang Yun directed everyone to continue writing poems while suggesting various countermeasures.

Even though the situation was critical, the team was still moving forward in an orderly manner, because the connection between every two poems was excellent, and the speed of climbing did not slow down.

However, except for Fang Yun, everyone’s faces were frozen blue, the cold penetrated to the bone, their bodies were obviously not agile, but they gritted their teeth and moved forward.

Before long, everyone noticed something unusual about Fang Yun.

“Fang Yun, why do you look normal? We are frozen stiff, but you seem to be unaffected!” Li Fanming suddenly asked.

“Honing a knife does not interfere with chopping wood.” Fang Yun said.

Everyone present was a top Presented Scholar from the ten nations. They immediately recalled Fang Yun’s performance in the first corridor.

“Ah… I should have done the same.” Yan Yukong sighed lightly, finally understanding another reason why Fang Yun took over the command. He had already comprehended the power of the cold in the first corridor, so he could command everyone better on the avalanche slope without being affected by the cold.

A Presented Scholar said in a low voice with shame, “Just now, a poem could withstand for a long time, and I thought Fang Yun’s command was not very useful. Now, with the frequent rotation to resist the avalanche, I realize how powerful Fang Yun is. Without him, not only would we waste by overlapping poems, but we might also be wiped out if we are not careful.”

“Confucius said: ‘Only when it is cold, do we know that the pine and cypress are the last to wither.’ The words of Sage Confucius are most appropriate to praise Fang Yun at this moment.” Han Shoulu sighed lightly.

Everyone knew that this was a direct quote from Confucius in the “Analects”. Only when it is the coldest, and all the trees wither, can we find that only the pine and cypress can persist to the end.

Everyone regretted that there was no chance to comprehend the power of the cold on the avalanche slope, and the power level of the following corridors was stronger, making the possibility of comprehension even smaller.

After another quarter of an hour, the frequency of rotation for writing poems increased again.

Before, Fang Yun had been calling out one name at a time, but this time, after calling out one person’s name, he immediately said, “Brother Yuqing, be ready, the poem will be completed in seven breaths. Brother Wude, be prepared, a strongest snow wave will come in about twelve breaths.”

Everyone silently prepared, the rotation frequency was getting faster and faster, almost everyone couldn’t write new poems, they could only keep repeating one of their poems, Fang Yun had already memorized the time they could hold on with their poems.

A new wave of the strongest snow wave appeared. Looking up, a line of snow waves was noticeably slightly higher, carrying a deafening sound and quickly pressing over.

Zong Wude took a deep breath and repeated a poem he had written before. As a direct descendant of the Zong Saint, he had passed three mountains and three towers when he became a Presented Scholar, and obtained the lower-grade Rapid Writing, one breath per sentence.

Zong Wude was very confident in himself, according to the plan, the poem would be completed in four breaths, it would take effect in half a breath, and the strongest snow wave would come in another half breath.However, just as he was writing the last sentence, a chill invaded Zong Wude’s body. His hand trembled, the tip of the pen slipped, one stroke was wrong, one character was wrong.

The poem was ruined.

All the Presented Scholars were stunned, because a breath later, the strongest wave of snow was about to rush over. No one could write a poem in a breath.

Niu Shan hurriedly stood in front of Fang Yun.

Yan Yukong didn’t say a word, he rushed up with a leap, intending to temporarily block the snow wave with the power of his fully developed Courage to Write. Although he would be killed by the snow wave, it was enough to buy some time for the people behind him.

Invisible sadness and touch rose in everyone’s hearts, and everyone picked up their pens to write.

“Sigh…”

Everyone heard Fang Yun sigh lightly, frowned, and many people thought, why is he sighing at this time? Shouldn’t he be writing a poem to save Yan Yukong? How could Fang Yun be so ignorant of the importance at this critical moment?

Many Presented Scholars were writing while glancing at Fang Yun, but everyone was stunned, then they stopped their pens, uniformly raised their heads to look directly at Fang Yun, and finally at his hand and pen.

Fang Yun’s brush was writing at a speed far beyond everyone else’s.

A breath later, a four-line poem was completed.

“The solitary peak is covered with white overnight, only the dark fragrance braves the cold to bloom. The north wind shatters a thousand layers of snow, sending ten thousand plums to compete for spring.”

As the poem was completed, the energy surged.

A violent wind swept up, instantly blowing the snow wave in front up into the sky, turning it into a snowfall scattering all over the sky. Then, rows of dense plum trees extended forward, pushing aside the snow wave and paving a safe climbing path.

Yan Yukong, who had thought he was going to die, stood in place, then turned around in surprise to look at Fang Yun.

“A poem in one breath?” Yan Yukong asked incredulously.

Li Fanming answered, “Yes, a poem in one breath! Only the legendary top-grade Heart of Literature can achieve this! But before he entered the Holy Land, he was just an Accomplished Scholar! Wasn’t it said that he only passed the three mountains and three pavilions of Book Mountain but not the third pavilion? Wasn’t it said that he was just like the top Accomplished Scholars of the past? Where did he get his Heart of Literature? Kong Delun, has any Accomplished Scholar from your Kong Family ever obtained the top-grade Heart of Literature?”

“Don’t even mention Accomplished Scholars, even Presented Scholars have never obtained it! Apart from Semi-Saints, I have never heard of anyone possessing a top-grade Heart of Literature!” Kong Delun replied.

“Indeed, where did he get his top-grade Heart of Literature?” Shi Tang wondered. He hadn’t even figured out the blood of the great sage, and now there was a top-grade Heart of Literature?

“Isn’t it obvious? This guy Fang Yun broke the convention that Accomplished Scholars can’t pass the three mountains on his first visit to Book Mountain. He passed the three mountains and three pavilions, and not only that, he also obtained the unprecedented top-grade Heart of Literature!”

Hua Yuqing suddenly shouted, “I remember now! That day when Fang Yun wrote ‘Iron horses and icy rivers enter my dreams’, he was obviously severely poisoned, and it took him a long time to write a single character, but his writing speed was close to that of an ordinary person, which is clearly achievable only with the top-grade Heart of Literature!”

“So that’s how it is. No wonder he could still write The War Poetry even when he was so severely poisoned! Fang Yun, you bastard, you’ve been hiding this from us!” Li Fanming shouted.

“An Accomplished Scholar passing the three mountains and obtaining a top-grade Heart of Literature, this is unheard of. It’s truly amazing!”

“If this gets out, it will shock the ten nations and two realms! Tell us, what other big secrets are you hiding from us?”

“Completing a poem in one breath, it’s really eye-opening. I wish I could slap myself. When he sighed just now, I thought he was being sentimental and not knowing the importance of the situation. Now I understand, he sighed because he didn’t want to reveal his true strength!”

“Don’t just stand there. Tell us what’s going on. The only top-grade Heart of Literature below the Semi-Saints is much more important than your Presented Scholar before the saint, or your role model for literati!”

“Yes, apart from publicly writing a poem ‘Dream of Wind and Rain’ and playing the war song ‘General’s Order’, you have never publicly written The War Poetry. At most, you have been eloquent, and we didn’t even notice that you have a top-grade Heart of Literature!”

Fang Yun just smiled faintly and said, “Ma Xiong, the poem will be completed in eighteen breaths, please prepare.”

Seeing that Fang Yun didn’t speak, everyone was as anxious as ants on a hot pot, especially the big rabbit, hopping and jumping, wishing to find out what was going on right away.

Kong Delun suddenly shouted, “I order as the executive of the Holy Academy’s Punishment Hall, from now on, no one is allowed to mention this matter. After leaving the Holy Land, I will ask for a holy trial, and everyone must keep their mouths shut!”

“Yes!” Everyone agreed in unison, this kind of news was not a joke.

Li Fanming quickly looked around and said, “Fortunately, we are blocked by big trees around, and the Demon Barbarians didn’t see it. Xun Ye didn’t see it either, otherwise it would be dangerous.”

“Let’s keep going, but why do I feel that this avalanche slope has become much safer?” Yan Yukong smiled.

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. With Fang Yun, who could complete a poem in one breath, it was a hundred times safer than before! (To be continued.)