Chapter 297: This Is a Living "God of Poetry"!

The moment Ning Fei stepped out of the Valley of Death, a massive crowd of reporters swarmed him.

Microphones of every shape and size were shoved into his face.

"Ning Guan master, tell us how you feel about discovering the Kunlun Heavenly Palace."

"Is that skeleton inside real?"

"Ning Guan master, netizens say you are an immortal. What do you think about that?"

"Ning Guan master, how can you move so easily at such a high altitude? As far as I know, the air there is extremely thin."

"May I ask how you maintain your health?"

"Some people say you are secretly married and have a child, is this true?"

The questions battered him from all sides.

Every reporter was desperate to mine his answers for trending topics and headlines.

No matter how he answered some of these questions, people would easily twist his words out of proportion.

Ning Fei felt a wave of helplessness wash over him as he listened.

He nodded at the cameras and simply said in a mild voice, "The New Year is only a few days away."

"I wish everyone a Happy New Year."

Then, ignoring the mob of reporters, he pushed his way through the crowd and walked straight off.

Bai Yuanche's car was parked outside waiting for him.

Ning Fei climbed in, and Bai Yuanche immediately started the engine and drove off.

"Did you get it?" Bai Yuanche asked.

Bai Yuanche was alone in the car. Bai Yi had stayed home to help Lin Chu prepare for the New Year.

"I did." Ning Fei pulled out the gemstone and nodded.

"There won't be any issues, right?" Bai Yuanche asked. He was worried that experts and scholars might notice a gemstone was missing.

"It's fine. The avalanche a few days ago knocked a lot of loose rock into the cavern. It's a mess in there, so they won't be able to tell anything is missing," Ning Fei replied.

Ning Fei looked at the gemstone in his hand.

It was a solid emerald-green, oval-shaped stone. The surface resembled jade, but it wasn't any known variety of it.

'System, what is this thing?'

Ning Fei closed his eyes and asked silently.

"Muchen Bead. Rumored to be a bead condensed from Phoenix Spiritual Energy, originating from an unknown world."

The System's voice rang out.

'What is its function?'

"It is useless to humans, but it can stimulate the Phoenix bloodline within the Red Phoenix Canary."

A trace of astonishment flickered across Ning Fei's face at the System's reply.

Useless to humans.

So King Mu of Zhou had gone through all that effort for nothing.

Just like the Flat Peach and Immortal beans, this Muchen Bead came from some unknown world.

How had it ended up here during the Zhou Dynasty, thousands of years ago?

Did someone else possess a System in that era?

It was a question that perhaps no one could answer.

After returning to the courtyard, Ning Fei served a cup of tea to Lin Chu. She did not scold him; instead, she gently urged him not to take such dangerous risks in the future.

Ning Fei settled in quietly for the time being.

Meanwhile, the exploration team was trudging through the wilderness with two experts in tow. They eventually ran into trouble at the cliff face—the experts simply couldn't scale such a steep incline.

The viewers watching the team's broadcast suddenly gained a much deeper appreciation for just how incredible Ning Fei was.

Even the Cultural Relics Protection Bureau reached out to Ning Fei, hoping he would assist them in excavating and preserving the Kunlun Heavenly Palace.

Ning Fei firmly declined.

For the next few days, he just wanted to spend a quiet New Year with his family.

Besides, he had already been to the Heavenly Palace. There wasn't much left to see anyway.

"Brother, it's time to write the spring couplets!"

Out in the courtyard, Bai Yi hurried over with some red paper, a calligraphy brush, and a bottle of ink. She looked eager.

"Alright. Did Master or Master's wife say what they wanted me to write?"

"My dad said it's entirely up to you."

The two of them set up a table outside in the courtyard and spread out the red paper. Bai Yi poured the ink and got the brush ready for him.

At the same time, Ning Fei turned on his live stream.

This would be his final stream before the New Year.

He told his viewers that he would be taking a break for the holiday to stay with his master's family, and that he wouldn't resume streaming until a few days later.

As soon as the stream went live, the viewers flooded in.

"He's live! With the New Year so close, his schedule is all over the place."

"He's writing spring couplets today!"

"Haha, I'm going to take notes and hang some on my walls too."

"Ning Guan master, did you see the exploration team's climbing stream? They're struggling so much. They've been stuck at that cliff for a whole day and two of them still haven't made it up."

"Seriously. The Kunlun Heavenly Palace was basically handed to them, and they're still moving like snails."

Ning Fei took a moment to think about what to write, then addressed his viewers.

"Hello, everyone. Today, I'll be streaming myself writing spring couplets."

"It's nothing special, but I'll be taking a break for the holiday. I won't be streaming again until the third or fourth day of the New Year."

A wave of disappointment washed through the chat.

Just then, Little Dog and Little Fei trotted over, both dressed in festive outfits.

On the stream, the viewers could feel the thick, festive New Year atmosphere filling the master's courtyard.

Bai Yi was wearing a traditional red robe with white fur trim along the collar and cuffs, fastened together with Huaxia knots. She looked exactly like a young lady from an ancient, wealthy family.

The viewers couldn't help but marvel.

"Ning Guan master is truly blessed."

Afterward, someone else asked, "What kind of couplets are you going to write, Ning Guan master? They must be incredibly elegant, right?"

Ning Fei picked up the calligraphy brush and looked at the camera.

"Spring couplets are a unique part of Huaxia culture. Black ink on red paper—vibrant, yet dignified."

"They represent every household's hopes and wishes for the New Year."

"Generally speaking, the content of a couplet should be grounded. If it's too highbrow, it loses that touch of everyday, mortal life."

"It's better to be direct. For example, 'Joyfully welcoming the new spring; smilingly bidding farewell to the old year.' As long as the couplets match up neatly and carry a beautiful meaning, they are perfect."

Hearing his explanation, the viewers suddenly understood.

So there was actually a specific philosophy behind writing couplets.

Making them too deep or complex would defeat their original purpose.

Even if one lived a life like an immortal, they still had to eat ordinary food and keep their feet firmly planted on the ground.

"For the first pair: 'Smooth sailing year after year; everything goes as desired, rising step by step.'"

Ning Fei smoothed out the red paper and flourished his brush.

His brush calligraphy had always been exquisite. His strokes flowed with a profound charm and rhythm, making it incredibly satisfying to watch.

At first, the viewers felt the couplet was a bit too straightforward.

But seeing the words laid out on the paper, they realized that this was exactly what a spring couplet should look like.

It had exactly the right feel.

Afterward, Ning Fei wrote down a few more couplets: "The nation prospers and the people find peace in a golden age; favorable winds and timely rains bless the prosperous years," and, "Favorable circumstances year after year bring endless wealth; peace and safety year after year bring fortune and long life."

The viewers loved joining in on the fun.

Seeing these couplets, the chat began to tease him playfully.

"What a masterpiece! The symmetry is flawless, every word a sparkling gem. It's concise yet profound, bursting with wit, and completely natural. My admiration for Ning Guan master flows like a mighty river, endless and unceasing!"

Once one person started the over-the-top flattery, the rest of the chat immediately followed suit.

"Ning Guan master truly is an unprecedented, unrivaled poet! How fortunate am I to witness such classic couplets in this lifetime!"

"Ning Guan master's couplets flow from the brush like drifting clouds and rushing water. His brilliant brush brings words to life; reading them is an absolute thrill that makes me want to slam my desk in applause!"

"God of Poetry! This is a living God of Poetry!"

"If Li Bai were alive to see these couplets, he'd be too ashamed to ever write another poem!"

"Hahaha, is it really okay for you guys to troll him like this?"

"I almost believed you guys for a second."

"I can only say that Ning Guan master's handwriting is incredibly beautiful."

"Spring couplets are supposed to be like this."

The courtyard was brimming with the festive, jubilant spirit of the New Year.

In the stream, the viewers were chatting and laughing, thoroughly enjoying the warm atmosphere.

That was the true essence of the New Year—forgetting all of one's worries and just being happy for a few days.

As Ning Fei finished each couplet, Bai Yi would carefully carry it to the side to dry.

Once all the writing was done, Ning Fei looked at his viewers.

"The New Year is only a few days away."

"I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year in advance."

"I hope that in the coming year, all of you remain safe and healthy, and that all your wishes come true."