Volume Two: The Sages Illuminate the Present, A Truly Brilliant Age Chapter One: The Scholar's Grief, Graceful Sleeves in Sorrow

Unexpected changes?

Speculation was pointless, and Mo Wen did not linger. After bidding farewell to Lin Tianci, he returned to the Violet Garden in the Magic City. Lin Xi and Mo Wen exchanged smiles; this place felt like their cozy nest, warm and sweet.

Without delay, they hurried to the Transportation Institute. Inside the small building, besides Zhao Tiansheng, there was another person present—Class Advisor Granny Huang!

Mo Wen greeted Granny Huang with a cheerful smile. Granny Huang, flustered like a thief caught in the act, hurriedly explained, "I'm here to help the Dean clean up!"

Her words betrayed her unease.

Amused, Mo Wen paid no mind to Granny Huang’s embarrassment. He found Zhao Tiansheng carefully polishing a long azure sword, his movements gentle, as if caressing a lover.

Mo Wen was in no hurry and waited silently. After a long while, Zhao Tiansheng sheathed the sword and spoke slowly, "I called you back urgently for a reason. I had thought that with the Dao approaching, the monster clans would soon emerge, and the strange phenomena would resurface, becoming a persistent concern for our people. But unexpectedly, yesterday, someone from antiquity traversed the river of time and arrived."

Someone from antiquity?

Mo Wen had initially thought it was another supernatural disturbance, but this development caught him off guard.

"Someone from antiquity? How did they arrive—through time travel, or reincarnation and possession?"

Zhao Tiansheng shook his head and uttered two words, "Reflecting the present."

"What does 'reflecting the present' mean?"

Mo Wen was perplexed. For ancient people to appear in the present, it could only be through time travel or reincarnation. This ‘reflecting the present’ was intriguing.

"Based on their own era’s true self, they project into the current world, coming prepared, though their purpose is unknown."

Zhao Tiansheng explained slowly. It was as if a projector were at work—the ancient person’s true self remained in their own era, while a projected apparition crossed the river of time, manifesting in the present world.

So far, only two such ancient figures had been discovered: Tang Wan of the Southern Song, and Guan Panpan of the Tang Dynasty.

What’s more, Tang Wan was currently visiting the Wang family in Jiangnan, as an honored guest of Mi Lu. Guan Panpan, it was said, was residing with the Liu family in Yu.

Mo Wen decided to first visit the talented Southern Song poetess Tang Wan.

Unbeknownst to him, news of ancient figures reflecting into the present spread rapidly, stirring a tempest online. The public had only just come to terms with the reality of the world’s upheaval and mass evolution, when another bombshell dropped.

Back at the Violet Garden, Lin Xi thoroughly cleaned their cozy nest, pulling Mo Wen everywhere to show off her efforts. Mo Wen rubbed his nose, a little embarrassed, and said, "Call your best friend—let’s pay her a visit today."

---

Lin Xi, annoyed, pinched Mo Wen’s waist sharply, a shadow crossing her heart. "What’s wrong? Is there a problem with Mi Lu’s family? If her family has done something wrong, can’t you spare Mi Lu?"

Mo Wen laughed, tapping Lin Xi’s delicate nose, and replied softly, "What are you thinking? Do I look like a villain, exterminating whole clans at the drop of a hat? This time is different. Mi Lu’s family has a stunning guest—we’re going to see her."

Feigning mystery, Mo Wen made Lin Xi ignore him. She called Mi Lu, and the two set off in a hurry.

Zhoushan, by the sea, and once again beneath Mount Putuo, Mo Wen suddenly remembered the Bone King of Fengdu and wondered whether he should destroy him.

When Mi Lu saw Lin Xi, her eyes lit up, treating Mo Wen as if he were invisible. After a round of mutual praise between the two women, they finally arrived at the Wang family’s residence.

Although not as prominent as the great clans of the Northern Capital, the Wang family was one of Jiangnan’s leading Po-Breaker clans. Since absorbing much of the Murong family’s assets, they had grown stronger, now hinting at becoming the foremost among Jiangnan’s four great families.

Wang Zhongyan had been waiting. Despite being prepared, he was still shocked upon seeing Mo Wen—a twenty-one-year-old Po-Breaker, who had entered the Dao through the sword!

Mo Wen eyed the radiant Wang Zhongyan and raised his brow. "Uncle Wang, you’ve reached Divine Pivot? Not bad! It seems the past year has been smooth sailing for you."

Wang Zhongyan gave a dry laugh. "Not really, just barely getting by, thanks to Brother Mo’s help."

Mo Wen got straight to the point, and Wang Zhongyan’s expression grew solemn. He instructed Mi Lu to invite the Southern Song poetess.

In the Wang family’s reception hall, this meeting across time seemed to herald a new era.

"Many blessings, Sir!"

A woman stepped forward, dressed in a brocade short jacket, a yellow silk skirt with silver embroidery, and a flower-embellished waistband. She bowed gracefully in greeting.

Mo Wen’s eyes lit up. Tang Wan evoked a sense of sorrowful beauty, a melancholic allure—a fitting impression, considering her tragic life. Tang Wan and Lu You loved each other but could never be together, an enduring regret.

"Greetings, Lady. I am Mo Wen. May I ask, what brings you across time to this place?"

Mo Wen was direct. Though Tang Wan appeared frail, she was actually at the Po-Breaker level—a Po-Breaker, if left unchecked in the present, could have unpredictable consequences.

"I await Lu Lang, hoping only to be with him always. I desire nothing else," Tang Wan sighed, her voice tinged with sadness.

"How did you traverse from ancient times to the present?"

Mo Wen was most concerned about this. It seemed a portal had opened between past and present—if all ancient people could reflect into the present, chaos would surely ensue.

---

"I do not know," she replied. "I lived in my family’s small courtyard in Shanyin, Yuezhou, praying daily for Lu Lang. One day, a great sage enlightened me, and in a single night, I comprehended the Dao. The sage told me that while I cannot be with Lu Lang in this life, in the next, we shall be united. With divine powers, the sage sent me to this place."

Tang Wan spoke gently. Mo Wen fell silent, pondering. According to Tang Wan, there was a hidden force behind these ancient reflections. But their true intentions were a mystery. Even more alarming was that Tang Wan claimed to have attained Po-Breaker overnight—what kind of sage possessed such world-shaking abilities?

Tang Wan seemed indifferent to everything in the present, only asking Mi Lu to inquire about Lu You. She remained secluded in the Wang family, never venturing out.

After declining Wang Zhongyan’s invitation to stay, Mo Wen’s next destination was Yu, to meet Guan Panpan.

Without pause, enduring fatigue from the journey, Mo Wen and Lin Xi hurried to Yu. Unlike Tang Wan’s reclusiveness, Guan Panpan was flamboyant. Rumors online claimed she frequented all the major bars in Yu, accepting any invitations, and had quickly become the most popular celebrity.

Arriving in Yu late at night, they found the media tracking Guan Panpan’s whereabouts in real time. That night, she was spotted at a bar called "Music Room."

When Mo Wen and Lin Xi arrived, they found the place packed, with hundreds queuing outside. Faced with such a scene, Mo Wen had to resort to some means.

"I am Mo Wen from the Magic City. Would everyone kindly make way?"

His booming voice echoed in the night sky above Yu. It worked—the crowd instantly fell silent. Some who recognized Mo Wen whispered to their companions, "Damn, it’s that little demon king from the Magic City. What’s he doing here? Make way, quick!"

His name carried weight. News of the battle against the Zhuo family in the Northern Capital had spread across China, and most cultivators had heard of Mo Wen.

Mo Wen led Lin Xi forward, hand in hand, as the crowd parted to form a passage several meters wide. The bar manager, a shifty-looking man with Divine Pivot cultivation, greeted them respectfully and led Mo Wen and Lin Xi inside.

Inside, on the central stage, a graceful figure immediately caught Mo Wen’s eye. She wore a sheer red robe, her figure tantalizingly visible beneath, her sleeves swirling as she danced amidst the colorful lights, like a celestial descending to the mortal world.

The bar was packed, many men gazing at her with covetous eyes—some even wiped drool from their mouths.

Truly, a woman whose beauty could topple kingdoms, just as the ancients said.