I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 180 I will not bow to you
The morning mist had not yet dissipated.

On the blue brick steps of Yin Tianci's courtyard, dew soaked through the air, and dappled sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the sycamore trees.

Yin Tianci was dressed in a worn blue robe, his hair slightly disheveled. He had just been woken up and still looked somewhat tired.

He was rinsing his mouth with a teacup when he suddenly heard steady footsteps outside the door. With a creak of the wooden door, a tall and robust figure stepped in.

"uncle."

Yin Tianci's heart tightened, and he hurriedly stepped forward.

Jian Yong glanced at him indifferently and said in a low voice, "The academy launched a new purple-level mission last night."

Yin Tianci was stunned, his face full of disbelief. "At this juncture, why is the academy still pushing out tasks? Has someone snatched them? If no one has, we must immediately arrange for someone to take action. We absolutely cannot give Xue Xiang a chance."

Jian Yong said coldly, "The mission has already been accepted by Xue Xiang."

Yin Tianci clapped his hands loudly, "How come this kid is so lucky!"

Jian Yong snorted, "Perhaps this mission was tailor-made for him."

Yin Tianci was taken aback and said urgently, "What kind of mission is it? If they dare to cause trouble and disguise it as a purple-level mission, I will definitely make a scene."

"Persuade the Great Zhou to abandon the plan to welcome back the Golden Body of Dao Yun."

Jian Yong frowned slightly.

Yin Tianci was stunned for a long time. "This, this is a purple-level mission? This difficulty is enough to reach the gold level, right?"

"This diplomatic dispute between the two countries has been making headlines in the newspapers for so long, is this something Xue Xiang could possibly handle?"

Upon hearing about such a challenging task, even Yin Tianci felt embarrassed to suspect that the academy had given Xue Xiang preferential treatment.

Jian Yong stared at him, his eyes sharp: "Don't think that Xue Xiang took on a difficult task."

The fact that such a task could be hastily launched can only prove that the academy and the Great Zhou have reached a consensus.

The Great Zhou delegation had no intention of welcoming back the Daoist Golden Body; they were merely going through the motions to help Xue Xiang complete a Purple-level mission.

If that's true, this is the kind of power that could influence the foreign affairs of two countries. This kid is truly incredible; it seems we must adjust our objectives.

Jian Yong's voice was calm, yet it struck Yin Tianci's heart like a heavy hammer.

Just then, Uncle Wu, Yin Tianci's butler, strode in and brought a note.

After quickly reading through it, Yin Tianci's already unpleasant face instantly turned purplish-red. He roared to the sky, "The hatred of having your wife stolen is irreconcilable! You treacherous dog, it's either me or you..."

Jian Yong snatched the note from Yin Tianci's hand and quickly scanned the words on it.

It turned out that after Yin Tianci suspected that Xue Xiang and Song Tingfang were having an affair, he couldn't get rid of this idea, so he sent people to investigate the connection between Song Tingfang and Xue Xiang.

Now, the note contains all the past experiences that Song Tingfang and Xue Xiang shared.

The above not only mentions that Song Tingfang stood up for Xue Xiang when he was wronged, but also spent the New Year at Xue Xiang's house.

For Yin Tianci, this was tantamount to Song Tingfang and Xue Xiang already sleeping in the same bed.

He had always regarded Song Tingfang as his goddess, and now that his goddess's innocence had been ruined by the blond-haired man, his anger naturally exploded.

Jian Yong crumpled the paper into pieces and said in a deep voice, "Things have come to this point, there's no point in saying more."

Tingfang chose the muddy path herself, and she walked it herself.

It's good that you found these things in advance, so you don't need to put in any effort on Tingfang.

Furthermore, Xue Xiang is an extremely strange person. I have been collecting information about him recently, and the more I collect, the more shocked I become.

Such a person is too difficult to deal with. We don't have any deep-seated interests with him, so why make him our mortal enemy?

"what."

Yin Tianci was utterly incredulous. He was furious and wished he could destroy the world, yet Jian Yong was here talking about reconciliation.

Jian Yong patted his shoulder heavily, "In this life, who doesn't encounter an insurmountable obstacle?"

If you do encounter it, just avoid it.

Listen to me, from now on, we'll be complete strangers to Xue Xiang, and have nothing to do with each other.

Yin Tianci took a deep breath and forced a smile: "Uncle's words are right, I've taken them to heart."

Jian Yong nodded, "A real man should not worry about not having a wife. I will keep your matter in mind."

However, I have been away from Canglan for some time now.

If you need anything, seek out Elder Du of Canglan Academy. I've already made arrangements.

"Thank you, uncle."

Yin Tianci bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

Jian Yong gently patted his shoulder, then turned and strode away.

The courtyard gate creaked shut again, and at the same time, the calm on Yin Tianci's face also closed.

When he turned around again, Butler Wu was almost startled and stumbled. He swore to God that he had never seen such a terrifying expression in his life.

"Uncle Wu, go and invite Old Cat."

Yin Tianci said calmly.

Uncle Wu was startled. "Young master, they are sorcerers..."

"Go and invite them!"

Yin Tianci had a terrifying and ferocious face, as if he wanted to devour someone.

"Yes."

Uncle Wu left quickly.

Snapped!
Yin Tianci slammed his palm on the stone table in the courtyard, shattering it into pieces. "Others might turn back after hitting Nanshan, but I, Yin, am determined to knock Nanshan down."

………………

The Lizhe River winds its way from the northwest mountain ranges, and at the foot of Ledao Mountain, it suddenly turns, where the water flow changes from rapid to slow, and then from slow to deep, like a green ox lying on the riverbed, silent and still, yet suppressing the water veins for thousands of miles.

The river here is hundreds of feet wide, and there is always mist in the center of the water, which is like a light veil even on a sunny day.
Both sides of the strait are bustling with activity and vibrant city life.

It was early morning; normally, the streets would be bustling with merchants and travelers, and the people would be living in peace and contentment.

However, since midnight yesterday, the river has been filled with howling winds and ghostly fog.

As dawn broke, wisps of black smoke billowed from the river's center, sounding like the wailing of vengeful ghosts, frightening the riverside residents so much that no one dared to approach the river's surface.

Normally, at times like this, the Taoist deities by the river would be even more popular with worshippers.

But today, it has become a place that the common people avoid like the plague, only daring to hide in the distance and watch the government officials and their entourage bustling around the golden statue of the Daoist deity.

This is a golden statue, thirty feet tall, embedded in the heart of the mountain, with gentle yet stern eyes, calmly observing the river and sky.

To the left and right of the golden statue are stone frames ten feet long, which were inlaid with couplets written by Mr. Guangcheng in the past.

At this moment, the writing in the two frames has almost completely peeled away, leaving only a few specks of gold dust, like a layer of fish scales that have been shed from the passage of time.

But the mysterious magical patterns inside the stone frame remain clear.

What unsettled everyone was that the enormous golden body imbued with Daoist essence trembled from time to time, as if it were about to come to life.

With each tremor of the golden statue, the entire Ledao Mountain shook violently, and the black aura in the river and the ghostly wails intensified.

Before we knew it, it was broad daylight.

Vendors heading to the early market, ferrymen, women carrying water, pilgrims from various temples along the river, tourists coming to watch the spectacle, and scholars from the literati who came to uphold public opinion... all crowded together in layers.

"It seems that Master Dao will be setting off today."

Someone said in a low voice, "I heard that the Great Zhou has been arguing that Daoist is from their place."

"Nonsense! Daoist Master is clearly one of our Great Xia people. What evidence do they have? They didn't come to claim him back then. Now that we've made Daoist Master so effective, these bastards from Great Zhou come to steal him."

"In my opinion, if they hadn't been fighting and angered the Daoist, so many strange changes wouldn't have happened."

"Stop making noise! ​​Last night I heard crying in the river, like someone filing iron underwater."

“That’s not crying, that’s resentment. The Taoist priest has suppressed too many evil spirits, all of which are contained within his golden body. Now that the Taoist priest’s golden body is unstable, many evil spirits have taken the opportunity to slip out. This is really troublesome.”

"........."

Amidst the clamor of the crowd, a group of people descended from the sky and landed atop Ledao Mountain.

The leader, dressed in gray, had white hair but his eyes were sharp and clear as knives. Who else could it be but Wei Fan?
Following them were Gu Huaisu, in a green robe with wide sleeves and a snow-white beard; Shen Baoshi, whose expression was a mixture of anger and laughter; Su Ning, whose features were as cold and aloof as if carved from frost and jade; and Zhou Jing'an and Liu Chengli from the Great Zhou delegation.

Xue Xiang stood between them, keeping an eye on all sides, his hands in his sleeves, silently gathering the sounds of the river breeze and the voices of people.

He was very annoyed.

He went to great lengths to connect with all parties and secure the purple-level mission.

It's just a formality, and then it's considered complete.

Now, news of Dao Yun's instability has spread, and the officials of Great Xia and Great Zhou, who had temporarily reached a consensus on whether Dao Yun should stay or leave, are now arguing again.

According to the Great Zhou, since the Dao Yun deity was unwilling to stay in the Great Xia, the Great Xia should not force him to remain.

The two sides argued endlessly, and eventually the group had to go to the scene to resolve the issue.

As soon as they stopped, Jiang Qingming, the city magistrate of Fengwei City, came forward to greet them. He first bowed deeply and said, "Gentlemen, today the Dao Yun Golden Body has been acting strangely, and I have been unable to eat or sleep. Fortunately, you have come."

"I am saved! The people are saved!"

Wei Fan waved his hand impatiently, "Enough with the nonsense, let's get down to business."

Jiang Qingming pointed to the mountain: "Since the two countries have been arguing over the ownership of the golden statue, the deities have been uneasy, but they mostly just 'sing and chanting by the river,' and when the wind rises at the third watch, the waves should be ten feet high."

Last night at dusk, some people heard the ground shaking in the middle of the river, and then saw five-colored lights moving around in the middle of the river.

In the latter half of the night, some people saw that the golden lines on Dao Yun's golden body were moving erratically, and the words in the couplets on both sides were completely peeled off.

As you all know, the text in the couplets on both sides was written by Mr. Guangcheng, and it is such a grand and profound statement.

Even his own words couldn't hold back the tears; this humble official is truly at a loss.

"No way? Is that all there is to it? What use are you to the imperial court..."

Wei Fan flew into a rage.

Taking this opportunity, Xue Xiang quietly asked Su Ning, "Could this Dao-infused deity have already cultivated into a Wish-granting spirit?"

Xue Xiang was well-versed in classical texts and had a very broad knowledge base.

The so-called "spirit of faith" is the spirit formed by the combined power of people's faith to a certain degree, and is even more so, the spirit of sincerity.

Since they are living beings, they possess independent consciousness. Although they still uphold the wish to protect the people, they are no longer clay or wooden figures.

Su Ning nodded and said, "That's natural. The Dao-infused deity has already developed wondrous abilities and can be called a Dao-infused deity."

The struggle between our two nations for his ownership has troubled his spirit, causing him unease.

Originally, this wasn't a big deal.

The problem likely stems from the unusual event in the middle of the river last night. It's highly probable that someone disturbed the earth's ley lines, causing disorder among the spirits, which led to today's anomaly.

"The black fog in the middle of the river."

Xue asked.

"They are all evil spirits that have been suppressed for many years."

Su Ningfen said, "The golden body of Dao Yun has been manifesting for hundreds of years, and its golden body has suppressed countless evil spirits."

"Now that Dao Yun's golden body is unstable, evil spirits are overflowing. If we don't eliminate them quickly, once they gain power, they will surely wreak havoc along the coast for hundreds of miles."

As the two were discussing quietly, an argument broke out on the other side.

Then Zhou Jing'an said loudly, "What is the key to appeasing the Daoist deities?"
Everyone knows that these are the couplets on either side of the golden statue of Dao Yun. The couplets were written by the sage Guang Cheng, and over time, they have become a ritual implement.

Today, the words of the sage Guangcheng in the couplet have crumbled, and the golden statue of Daoyun can no longer reside here.

"Why not take this opportunity to welcome back the golden statue of Dao Yun, so as to rectify the foundation of our nation?"

Wei Fan snorted coldly, "You just agreed on it, and now you want to change your mind again?"
The reason why the Daoist deities are unstable is because someone has secretly disturbed the earth's veins.

Who knows what this thief is up to?
In my opinion, whoever has designs on the Daoist deities is most likely the thief.

Zhou Jing'an was furious. "Don't point at monks and call them bald. I really can't think of anyone else who could stir up the earth's veins so easily, except for the Witch God Cult."

It is not that Zhou is taking advantage of the situation; if your country has the ability, then let the Dao Yun Golden Body remain in its rightful place.

Otherwise, if this turmoil continues, the spirit of the Daoist Golden Body will remain uneasy and may eventually dissipate.

Gu Huaisu stroked his beard and said, "I can go and ask the Grand Master of the Confucian Temple to rewrite a few lines. I am sure that this will appease the gods and spirits."

Shen Baoshi shook his head: "I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Who knows how long the spirit can hold on?"

He had barely finished speaking when a loud bang was heard.

The entire Ledao Mountain was shaking when a thin line carrying golden light slashed diagonally across the river between the golden statue's eyebrows. The river surface was cleaved open by the light blade, a large amount of black smoke dissipated, and the wailing of the vengeful ghosts paused slightly.

Before long, the river surface began to boil again.

The suppressed evil spirits suddenly let out a sharp howl.

The deity seemed to be stimulated; his seated golden body suddenly trembled and he seemed about to rise slightly.

He raised his arms and chest little by little, yet this "little by little" seemed as if heaven and earth were moving.

The mountain made a "crackling" sound, and tiny cracks spread out in a net-like pattern throughout the entire mountain wall.

Some onlookers were so frightened that their knees buckled, and they knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly to the golden statue: "Taoist Master, please calm your anger! Taoist Master, please calm your anger!"

"not good!"

Jiang Qingming said urgently, "My lords, we must not allow the golden body to detach from the mountain, otherwise the mountain range will be altered and the earth's veins will be severed."

The Daoist deities will likely never return, causing widespread anxiety among the millions along the river, which will undoubtedly shake the very foundations of the nation.

Before he finished speaking, Wei Fan roared, and a vast expanse of literary energy suddenly rose from his mind, like a thin curtain of literature, instantly shining brightly and illuminating all directions.

Dense, blurry images appeared on the screen, vaguely resembling classic texts and historical records. Each word seemed to be a breath, as if thousands of people were reciting them simultaneously.

He raised his hand, forming a sharp blade, and began to write on the stone frames flanking the deity. The brush was not in his hand, but in his heart;
The essence of ink lies not in the inkstone, but in its spirit.

With each stroke of the pen, a clang echoed in the river breeze, followed by words being hammered into the stone frame as if struck by a hammer:
First line: He dedicated his life to the country, guarding this land for eternity;

The second line reads: "May its influence last for ten thousand generations, protecting our people without end."

As the golden light faded, the golden statue, which had been about to rise, suddenly sat back down.

The crowd erupted in a thunderous cheer.

"The teacher's power is truly admirable."

Xue Xiang quickly offered flattery.

Wei Fan stroked his beard and returned a smile, but his pale face was still visible.

Jiang Qingming was full of praise.

"not that simple."

Zhou Jing'an said in a deep voice, "Although Brother Wei's couplet is of the highest rank, it is difficult to appease the spirit of the deceased."

The resentment of the spirit is hard to quell.

Before he finished speaking, the black fog on the river surged again, and the howling wind returned.

The golden statue emitted light from between its eyebrows, which shone directly onto the river surface, stirring up towering waves.

In an instant, the words that had fallen into the stone frame scattered and flew away.

With a whoosh, Wei Fan spat out a mouthful of blood.

Xue Xiang hurriedly offered Wei Fan a Phoenix Five Pill, but Wei Fan waved it off, looking extremely dejected.

Jiang Qingming was at a loss and shouted loudly in all directions, "Friends present, this is truly a critical moment of life and death. The safety of thousands of people is in your hands."

Why do we read the books of sages and worthies?
Please don't hesitate to lend a hand.

This is also something that brings fame throughout the world.

As soon as Jiang Qingming finished speaking, a man in white robes soared into the air, displaying a heroic and unparalleled handsome appearance.

Cheers suddenly erupted from the crowd.

"It's Gu Jianchen."

"With the legendary Canglan warrior Gu Jianchen making his move, we're in luck."

"........."

Amidst the discussions, Gu Jianchen bowed slightly towards where Wei Fan and the others were.

In an instant, he let out a long howl, and the spiritual energy shot out from his spiritual platform, like a dragon's light shooting into the ruins of the Dipper and the Ox, directly into the stone frame.

Once everyone could see the words, the people along the river all shouted in unison, "The divine way is clear, protecting all the people of this river; the virtue of literature is majestic, forever blessing our mountains and rivers."

Once the couplet was completed, the howling wind immediately dissipated, and the golden statue of the deity returned to peace.

"Truly a magnificent steed that can travel a thousand miles across the vast ocean."

After praising him loudly, Gu Huaisu glanced at Xue Xiang and said sarcastically, "Young friend, you should have made a move. You can even crack the painting's hidden meaning."

Oh, I forgot, wordplay and literary expression are two different things.

Moreover, a sentimental heart, inclined towards poetry and romance, cannot support the grandeur of a vast and majestic landscape.

He couldn't let go of the fact that such a large wishing cake had been lost to Xue Xiang.

Whenever they get the chance, they can't help but diss.

Xue Xiang turned a deaf ear.

"It's not that easy."

Shen Baoshi said coldly, "This couplet is too flowery and full of praise. If Dao Yun were such a deity, he would not be so beloved by so many people."

"The spirit is currently processing these two sentences; it is only at peace for now and may not truly agree with them."

As soon as he finished speaking, the couplet text that had just been formed on the stone frames on both sides immediately crumbled.

In an instant, cries of sorrow filled both sides of the strait.

"Let me do it."

Gu Huaisu stared coldly at Xue Xiang and shouted loudly, "Establish virtue to solidify the foundation, and the empire will remain unchanged for eternity; uphold righteousness to act, and the nation will be renewed for a thousand autumns."

Two lines of text flew into the stone frame, the characters like deep bells, and when they fell, the embankment resounded, as if trying to use their weight to settle the wavering deity.

Unfortunately, the words flew away the moment they were written.

Dao Yun's golden body trembled violently, and a fierce light suddenly shone between his brows, shooting into the heart of the river and surging up a vast expanse of waves.

The evil aura flowing through the river seemed to be activated, not only failing to subside but also beginning to howl wildly.

Gu Huaisu's face flushed red, and he said coldly, "It's all Gu Jianchen's fault. He was not strong enough and angered Dao Yunyuan Spirit first."

So much so that my work was rejected by the spirit before it could even be carefully considered.

Even on Suning's face, which was as cold as an ice sculpture, a look of disgust appeared between his brows.

Just then, Dao Yun's golden body raised its arms, shattering the mountain mist above its head. As the earth shook, countless people ran away.

"Oh no, the golden body is about to break free."

Su Ning said loudly, "Mr. Zhou, Mr. Liu, this is not the time for a fight of egos. Protecting the people is the most important thing."

"I implore you, Second Master, to take action."

Zhou Jing'an and Liu Chengli exchanged a glance, and almost simultaneously unleashed their literary energy.

Golden light shot out and entered each of the stone frames.

The first line reads: May the spirits have a Lord, the Lord is with the people, not with the nation;
The second line reads: "The Way dwells in peace, finding peace in righteousness, not in fragrance."

Upon hearing these two lines, the golden statue suddenly fell still, and the wind and waves on the river abruptly ceased.

Having experienced the previous "peace followed by chaos," no one dared to show any joy at the outset.

More than ten breaths passed, and the entire Daoist golden body remained undisturbed. The only sound in the world was the rustling of birds flying through the air.

"Both of you are exceptionally talented; I, Wei, am completely convinced."

Wei Fan bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

Although he was unwilling to tarnish the prestige of the nation, the contributions of Zhou Jing'an and Liu Chengli were obvious, and pretending not to see them would only make him look inferior.

"it's useless."

Gu Jianchen suddenly appeared, standing a hundred feet away, and cupped his hands, saying, "Please ask Elder Wei to quickly inform the Confucian Temple and request the Grandmaster to lend a hand."

The spirits of the deities who grant wishes have already gained spiritual intelligence, making them incomparable to ordinary spirits.

Only a grandmaster could use words of transcendence and sainthood to appease the spirits who make wishes.

Zhou Jing'an sighed and said, "What this young friend said is true. If the spirit is at peace, the evil spirits on the river will be immediately suppressed within the golden body."

At this moment, everything seems calm, but evil spirits lurk and yin energy still lingers.

"It probably won't be long before the Daoist Golden Body becomes restless again."

Jiang Qingming's hands and feet were ice-cold. He cried to Wei Fan, "Please inform the Confucian Temple as soon as possible. I am evacuating the people now, and there is no time to do so."

Once the golden body erupts, it will be a catastrophic disaster.

He's like a jinx.

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden statue of the deity indeed began to tremble.

"That brat."

Gu Huaisu shouted sharply, pointing directly at Xu Yi, "As a student of Canglan Academy, this is also an internal matter of Canglan Prefecture."

I, an outsider, still put in the effort, while you only care about whispering with foreigners.

Such behavior is truly that of a petty person.

He seized every opportunity to frame Xue Xiang.

"Gu Huaisu".

Wei Fan rebuked him sternly, "My students are not for you to lecture."

Gu Huaisu sneered, "Exactly. Your students, when there's merit or benefit, will naturally rush to the front; when there's danger, they'll hide in the rear..."

Even he couldn't claim credit for stabilizing the golden body of the Daoist deity; instead, he suffered considerable damage.

In an instant, his burning anger, with nowhere to vent, naturally turned all its energy towards Xue Xiang.

"Senior Gu, getting angry is bad for your health."

Xue Xiang said loudly, "My conversation with Brother Su was not about anything else, but about inquiring about the life experiences of Mr. Daoyun."

This spirit containing the wishes of the gods, though formed from the wishes of the people, already possesses a spirit.

Its spirit must also inherit the experiences of the deity in his lifetime, thus shaping its spiritual personality.

It's not that I'm unwilling to put in the effort, but rather that I'm unwilling to shoot arrows without a clear objective.

Gu Huaisu snorted, "Easy for you to say. What have you found out so far? Are you planning to make a point?"

"Of course."

Xue Xiang said loudly, "When Mr. Daoyun was alive, he was always quick to help those in distress and took the suffering of the people as his own."

At the moment of his death, he made a grand vow that if his spirit were in heaven, it would punish evil and promote good, and protect the virtuous.

Such virtuous people, whose spirits are still in heaven and continue to be worshipped, will surely not lose their divine virtue.

The couplets composed by you all praise Mr. Daoyun's character and virtue, and are indeed excellent works.

But Master Daoyun disliked praise during his lifetime, so how could he accept it after his death?

I believe that if Master Daoyun were alive, he would also be thinking of educating all beings and guiding people towards goodness.

At this point, Xue Xiang stood up and looked back at the river, the bank, the people, the temple, the incense, the crying, the laughing—all these things came into view.

The gazes and breaths of both sides of the strait seemed to be strung together by a thin thread, held firmly in his palm.

Suddenly, his tongue thundered, and he recited aloud:
"If your intentions are wicked, burning incense will bring you no benefit whatsoever."
"If you are upright and honest, what harm is there in not bowing to me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his fingers moved as if wielding a sharp blade.

His profound literary spirit burst forth from his mind, gathering into words.

Even as the text was still in the air, the stone frame generated a suction force, drawing the two lines of text straight in.

As soon as the words appeared, Wei Fan couldn't help but applaud.

Gu Huaisu's heart sank. With his level of expertise, he could easily tell the quality of those two lines.

Gu Jianchen gritted his teeth and stared intently at Xue Xiang.

"This person truly possesses boundless talent. I originally intended to give it a try, but compared to these two sentences from him, it's like comparing heaven and earth."

Suning clenched his fists tightly.

In an instant, the entire golden body of the deity shone brightly, and the light between its brows gradually seeped into its body.

Suddenly, countless bubbles rose from the river surface, and the black mist disappeared into the golden body.

Immediately afterwards, thousands of golden rays slowly spread out from the chest of the golden body.

It was not the piercing sharpness of before, but a warm and thick light, like the sun shining through thin clouds.

The light spreads across the river, onto the riverbanks, and onto the people on both sides, reaching straight into the sky.

Those who bask in the auspicious light are invariably at peace and filled with joy.

In an instant, all the people knelt down and praised him endlessly.

Xue Xiangteng turned and went back. When Wei Fan looked at him, his eyes were full of kindness.

Gu Jianchen's eyes gleamed with a sharp light as he stared intently at Xue Xiang.

Su Ning remained standing there, her expression as cold as ice, but her bright eyes held a newfound warmth.

Gu Huaisu snorted softly, feeling extremely annoyed and regretful. "Why do I always let this kid start from the smallest details and grasp the key to solving the problem?"

This time, what a great achievement it will be! How much resentment will arise in the literary palace?

That's absolutely infuriating!

“What a wonderful couplet, ‘If you are upright and honest, what harm is there in not bowing to me?’ Once this couplet is published, all the couplets in front of temples and shrines in the world should be abolished, and which deity in the world would dare to lightly challenge the sharp edge of the deity who embodies Taoism.”

Shen Baoshi looked at Xue Xiang with admiration in his eyes, "Young friend, you truly have endless ingenuity. How could you come up with such wonderful lines?"

Such a talented person, if he were to enter my Jiangzuo Academy, I, Shen, would…

"shut up!"

Wei Fan shouted sternly, "Old man Shen, I'm not dead yet!"

Shen Baoshi laughed and said, "You're too stingy. What's wrong with your Canglan Prefecture lately? Are all the Wenqu Stars falling into the sky?"

There was already a melancholy autumn traveler who was the envy of many, and now there's Xu Yi too.

Wei Fan chuckled and said, "The more handsome men like this, the better. There's no use being envious."

"My young friend has shown me such great kindness that I have no way to repay it. I will inscribe this on stone so that your kindness may be praised for a thousand years."

Jiang Qingming stepped forward and bowed deeply to Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang declined the offer, and instead reminded Jiang Qingming that the people should be evacuated to prevent a mass gathering and chaos.

Jiang Qingming readily agreed, leaped down, and ordered the officials in Fengwei City to evacuate the people.

(End of this chapter)