Martial Saint through Reading

Chapter 379: Chapter 280: Probing Abstract Paintings, Reverse-Engineering Ancient Shell Script_4

How could his talent surpass Luu Xi?

Tang Bai turned around and said with a smile, "This test is unfair to Luu Xi. Shouldn’t Left Minister also set up a test?"

"In my excitement, I almost forgot." Zuo Yuan walked to the hall and started writing something.

In no time, he wrote ten sets of poems in complex text across four pages, each set identical.

"Lord Tang, my test is quite simple. Here are ten sets of poems in complex characters. Each set forms a whole. Your task is to deduce the pictographic verse from the complex text, which will be my test."

"Since Chu Ming has studied the Ancient Armor Script, he should deduce it back to the Ancient Armor Script. Luu Xi, Qi Chen, and Pei Yi, you have studied ancient texts for a long time and have mastered various pictographic scripts, no fewer than two."

Luu Xi nodded, and although Qi Chen and Pei Yi felt aggrieved, they still had to put on a determined front.

"Hmm?" Tang Bai frowned slightly. This method is a reverse deduction technique in ancient text research, something he had taught Qi Chen and Pei Yi, and of course, Luu Xi would know it too.

Therefore, he felt it was a bit unfair to Chu Ming.

However, since Chu Ming only needed to deduce one script while the other three had to deduce two, it seemed balanced.

"Left Minister’s method is quite interesting. In that case, I will add ten more sets."

Adding ten more sets would increase the vocabulary reserve of pictographic words, raising the difficulty level.

The greater the difficulty, the lesser the perceived unfairness.

Saying so, Tang Bai looked at the young man in white, "Chu Ming, this is the Left Minister."

"I have seen the Left Minister." Chu Ming slightly bowed.

"Haha, Chu Ming, I’ve heard of you. County Magistrate Xiao has recommended you several times, saying you have a talent for the Ancient Armor Script."

"Thank you, Prime Minister."

The old fox is indeed an old fox, speaking without revealing any useful information.

At this time, Tang Bai had already walked to the platform and added ten more sets of complex text poems to the four sheets.

Now, there were twenty sets of complex text poems.

"How many sets does the Left Minister think should be deduced to be considered passing?"

"Still within two hours. I originally intended for three sets to be the passing standard. Since Lord Tang added ten more sets, we can set six sets as the passing line. What does Lord Tang think?" Zuo Yuan said with a smile.

"Certainly." Tang Bai looked towards the four individuals below, "You heard it, six sets are the passing mark."

"Begin."

The test papers were distributed, and the four of them sat down again.

Luu Xi casually picked up the pen, and after dipping it in ink, his writing speed became incredibly fast.

Qi Chen and Pei Yi were slightly slower, but not by much.

The passing line was six sets, but no one wanted to just scrape by.

In the previous test, they had been outdone by the son of a merchant from a small county; the three of them didn’t want to repeat that mistake.

They had practiced deducing the pictographic text from complex text poems in several documents, so they were quite familiar with it.

Looking at the twenty sets of poems on the paper, they found some that were parts Qi Chen and Pei Yi had been deducing recently.

As a result, their confidence greatly increased.

While six sets seemed like a passing standard, it was actually a contest between several people.

Chu Ming, as before, lowered his eyes in contemplation.

Compared to Tang Bai’s simple line drawing test, this reverse deduction method was much easier.

Although he hadn’t read beyond the Mountain Scripture, it didn’t mean his Ancient Armor Script knowledge was confined to it.

From the expressions of Qi Chen and Pei Yi, it seemed they were very confident and their reverse deduction speed was not slow, indicating they were quite familiar.

So, was the old fox trying to exclude him from Wenlin Garden in this way?

Wenlin Garden had the "Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Sea Scripture," and he must gain entry.

Whether it was the intent of the one on the Dragon Throne to slander his teacher or today’s deliberate obstruction, Chu Ming had taken note.

As the test progressed, more than half the time had passed.

Zuo Yuan and Tang Bai stood at the high platform, scanning the floor below.

Luu Xi continued to display his extraordinary talent, with ten lines of pictographic text on each of the two pages, one of which was in the Ancient Armor Script.

Zuo Yuan remained impassive.

Tang Bai was somewhat surprised, internally more displeased with Luu Xi.

He knew that Luu Xi mastered as many as five pictographic scripts, and the Ancient Armor Script was not among his top skills.

Yet he used a script he was less skilled in to answer, intending to what end?

It was evident he was discontent about the line drawing test where Chu Ming outshone him, and he intended to defeat Chu Ming using the only thing he excelled at—the Ancient Armor Script—aiming to crush his spirit.

His competitive arrogance appeared narrow-minded, lacking the broad-mindedness expected of a gentleman.

Turning to Qi Chen and Pei Yi, each had eight lines on their two pages and continued to write the ninth line.