Chapter 106: Arrival

From the very day the golden volume of "Literary Power" appeared in Song Mu’s mind alongside the ancient book, he had been searching for a way to unlock its secrets. Specifically, how to enable the ancient book to absorb more poetry.

Other great classic texts could not be absorbed by this mental tome, but since this book was called "Appreciation of Ancient and Modern Poetry," it must have a unique connection to poetry.

Over the past few days, Song Mu had attempted to write many poems, but none yielded satisfactory results. He even began to suspect that the book’s function might be rather trivial, or that perhaps he needed to grow stronger before any change could occur.

Yet, just when he felt lost and hopeless, a glimmer of hope suddenly appeared, like a village emerging at the end of a dark path.

This morning, upon awakening, the fruits of his relentless contemplation had manifested in the ancient book within his mind.

With joy, Song Mu carefully examined the entries. Almost all the poems he had written himself last night were recorded, except for one: "The Swallow Song." Also included was the poem titled "Cloud and Sun."

Though he had used paper inscribed with verses by others, none of those poems appeared in the book.

Reflecting on the situation, Song Mu began to understand how the book imprinted poetry.

Previously, when he wrote poems in his study and activated them with literary power, the ancient book did not record them. This suggested that for the book to incorporate non-original poems, the poem must be personally handwritten by Song Mu and applied to a demon.

Alternatively, if the poem belonged to one of his ancestors—a bloodline poem—it would naturally appear in the mental tome, just as the secret manual of his ancestor Song Wenrong had.

Upon reaching this conclusion, Song Mu felt a twinge of regret. He recalled the battle with the weasel demon yesterday and wondered why he hadn’t written a couple more non-original poems then. Had he done so, perhaps his mental book would now contain several more ancient verses.

He knew that poems imprinted in his mental book consumed far less literary power when used, while simultaneously increasing the potency of their effect.

The more poems that appeared, the greater Song Mu’s strength would grow.

Yet, understanding this method brought a new dilemma. To add more poems to the book, he would need to frequently recite poetry attacks on demons.

But where could he find demons now?

Could it be that, as he had once considered, he must join the border army?

Song Mu’s face darkened. For now, he could only shake his head and push the thought aside.

---

Regardless, he had at least gained some understanding of the ancient book.

While Song Mu was still immersed in the surprises brought by the tome, the cabin door quietly opened. Kong Zong entered, carrying a bowl of porridge. Upon seeing Song Mu seated on the berth, he spoke.

“Brother Song, you’re awake?”

Song Mu opened his eyes and nodded to Kong Zong. The cramped cabin left little room for movement.

Kong Zong handed over the bowl of fish porridge with a smile. “The boatmen made this—just enough for you to take a few bites. We should reach Shiyang County by tonight.”

Song Mu took the bowl, nodded, and tasted the porridge before asking, “The demon is dead, then?”

“Dead as can be,” Kong Zong replied, standing by the door. “It was a stroke of luck to encounter that demon there. I didn’t expect it to end like this.”

Holding the bowl, Song Mu nodded and sighed. “I never imagined I’d find my ancestor’s poetry there. Come to think of it, I haven’t even thanked that old gentleman.”

At this, Kong Zong’s expression faltered slightly. Song Mu immediately sensed something amiss and looked at him. Kong Zong then said, “The old gentleman passed away last night.”

“What?” Song Mu was shocked, blinking in disbelief. The image of the frail old man lingered in his mind, and he pursed his lips.

“What about… that fishing village?” Song Mu asked again.

Kong Zong pressed his lips together. “Now that the demon is gone, there shouldn’t be any major problems. Plus, the master reinforced the Literary Communication Stele. Although the village has lost its scholar guardian, the government still regularly sends officials to infuse the stele with literary power.”

Song Mu nodded. With such a threat eliminated, the small fishing village should be safe.

He sighed softly and stepped out of the cabin, gazing over the broad river and the mountains embracing the distant stern.

Perhaps fate would allow him to visit again someday.

Leaning against the railing, Song Mu finished the porridge. Soon, several fellow scholars approached, inquiring about his health.

The group chatted eagerly about the previous night’s events, their voices full of the thrill of survival.

---

Master Xun also came by to check on Song Mu. Seeing him well, he nodded in approval.

He recounted the events of the previous day thoroughly to the group, explaining clearly to several scholars how they should practice moving forward.

The hurried battle had at least given them some understanding of the demons’ strength and combat tactics.

Such experience was impossible to acquire without organized group hunts by scholars from the county academy or joining the border army to exterminate demons.

The group listened intently, their faces alight with excitement.

Song Mu naturally stayed to listen as well. Master Xun shared many insights into cultivation, drawing from his own experience as a successful candidate, offering invaluable guidance.

However, since they were on a rocking boat, some felt uneasy. Master Xun was lenient and instructed everyone to rest well. Once they returned to Shiyang County, their training would resume in earnest.

Song Mu spent some time at the bow, chatting with the boat owner, who confirmed that demon appearances along the Gan River’s shipping lane were rare nowadays.

After the incident in Shiyang County, thousands of beasts had besieged the city, enraging the governor of Jiangnan West Circuit. He fought the Gan River Demon Lord and renegotiated terms to restore peace to the river.

Additionally, it was currently the dry season, and the shallow waterways were inhospitable to demons, who had retreated to large lakes or deeper river channels.

After a brief conversation, Song Mu returned to his cabin. There was still some time before reaching Shiyang County, so he focused on restoring his mental energy.

As dusk fell and night descended, the boatmen, emboldened by the presence of so many scholars and the clear, starry sky, pressed onward for over half an hour.

Finally, they arrived at Shiyang County’s dock well past midnight.

The dock was closed, and the county remained under martial law. Only Master Xun approached the city’s soldiers to negotiate, allowing the boat to temporarily berth.

They waited for sunrise before disembarking.

At dawn, Song Mu and the others awoke early and prepared their belongings.

It was Song Mu’s first time seeing Shiyang County’s morning view from the Gan River.

…