"10,000 silvers... for one night?!" Ping Yang could not believe her ears. Chi Guyan was the most intelligent person she knew.

When did Chi Guyan ever do anything stupid?

However, Chi Guyan was clearly doing something stupid right now.

How could this delapidated house be worth 10,000 silvers a night? Then wouldn’t her residence be worth millions a night? 10,000 silvers would be more than sufficient to buy the entire village.

"Do you think money can buy you everything?" Fang Zhengzhi replied apathetically.

"15,000." Chi Guyan made a counter offer.

"Mom, lay out a mattress for this lady! I want to see how long she can stay here!" Fang Zhengzhi turned and entered the house.

Ping Yang was stunned.

Where did his pride and determination go to? Didn’t he say money could not buy everything? Why did he change his mind? He did not change at all! He was still as shameless.

Fang Zhengzhi would never reject a large offer of silver!

He turned and entered the house.

Qin Xuelian was still recovering from what just happened.

Fang Zhengzhi had become a celebrity in the village ever since he killed the Blue Fire Wolf on Cang Ling Mountain. In the years after that, his name reverberated throughout all the nearby villages.

Many people had came to the Fang Family asking for an engagement.

Qin Xuelian had never agreed to any of them.

Her son was meant for great things. He was meant to go to the major cities one day! How could any of these girls be a match for him?

However, Qin Xuelian had taken a liking to Chi Guyan ever since she saw her. She was knowledgeable and carried herself well.

Ever since that time, Qin Xuelian had wanted Chi Guyan to be her daughter in law.

Why would her otherwise intelligent son do something so stupid today?

This lady was not just a lady from a rich and influential family. She was the daughter of the Divine Constabulary, the top talent in the Great Xia Dynasty. All of the princes and princesses had to treat her with respect.

She had countless admirers.

Why would her son turn down such a great girl?

More importantly...

Chi Guyan was not angered by it! She even offered to pay a large amount of silver! What was going on? Is she really in love with Fang Zhengzhi?"

"It is our honor to host the princess. Please stay as many days as you like! Don’t mention anything about the silvers. Both of you, please come in!" Qin Xuelian disregarded Fang Zhengzhi’s wishes completely.

As a mother, she had to make a decision on the spot.

Even though the chances of anything materializing were low, she would still give it a go.

As long as

there was a sliver of hope, she would try.

"Thank you auntie!" Chi Guyan smiled, then held Qin Xuelian’s arm. She glanced at the unhappy Ping Yang and walked leisurely through the door.

"Son, go grill some meat! The princess loves it!" Qin Xuelian was ecstatic when Chi Guyan held her arm.

She had completely forgotten about the troubles of the day.

To be supported by the pride of the Northern five constabularies, the daughter of the Divine Constabulary was something that she did not even dare dream about.

"If she wants to eat, she can do it herself!" Fang Zhengzhi said dismissively.

"What is with that att.i.tude. Your mom told you to go grill some meat. Grill more and send some to Uncle Yangping. He is injured and needs the meat!" Fang Houde bellowed when he heard Zhengzhi’s reply.

Are you becoming rebellious?

Ping Yang smiled when she heard this, "Uncle, auntie, I like grilled rabbit!"

"Son, did you hear that, grill two green furred rabbits!" Fang Houde chuckled, then hollered to the unhappy Fang Zhengzhi.

"Dad, Mom, I have a question for you." Fang Zhengzhi’s voice came floating out of the kitchen.

"What is it?"

"Am I your son?"

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l! If you don’t do it now, I will break your legs!"

"That’s great! Uncle, do it now, I have the medicine to help him recover! This is a medicine specially made for the royal family! It can heal broken bones!" Ping Yang continued to add fuel to the flames as she waved a white jade bottle in the air.

Fang Houde and Qin Xuelian looked at each other. They were at a loss. Was this really a princess?

Should we act on it?

Just as Fang Houde and Qin Xuelian were at a loss, a figure rushed out from inside the house. It brushed past Ping Yang like a gust of wind.

"Not bad at all!"

Before Ping Yang could react, the white jade bottle had been s.n.a.t.c.hed by Fang Zhengzhi. Then, he kept it in his pocket.

Before she could chide him...

Fang Zhengzhi shot out the door, "I’m going to grill the meat!"

Ping Yang was not going to let Fang Zhengzhi off so easily. Just as she prepared to give chase, Chi Guyan held her back.

"The meat he grills is the best thing in the entire Northern Mountain Village."

Ping Yang looked at Chi Guyan in disbelief. However, she was famished and tired of eating rations. She had no choice but to swallow her pride.

"Humph! I will settle the score with you after you’re done grilling the meet!" Ping Yang stomped her feet as she watched Fang Zhengzhi leave.

The meal was quite enjoyable.

Ping Yang’s eyes glimmered when she saw the spread. She looked like a ravenous wolf salivating at a herd of lamb.

She threw her royal demeanor away.

She began to take in large chunks of meat and drank wine by the bowls. Her mouth was stained with grease. Despite her pet.i.te size, she managed to finish an entire rabbit and a leg of lamb!

As night fell, a familiar calm returned to the Northern Mountain Village. The moon shone brightly in the sky, lighting up the courtyard of the house.

Fang Zhengzhi lay on the bench in the courtyard, enjoying the peace. He had a plate of melon seeds and a flask of fruit wine by his side.

A figure appeared in the courtyard. Under the light of the moon, a shadow of her pet.i.te and shapely body was cast on the ground. She wore a pink dress, looking like a blooming flower in the night.

Chi Guyan had changed out of her disguise.

She stopped to Fang Zhengzhi’s right. However, she did not speak, choosing to stand quietly by his side.

Anyone who saw this scene would not believe their eyes. A villager lying on his side whilst the treasured daughter of the Divine Constabulary stood by his side.

But this was the scene in a courtyard inside the Northern Mountain Village.

Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes were closed, almost as if he did not see Chi Guyan arrive. He reached for the fruit wine and took a gulp.

Chi Guyan watched as Fang Zhengzhi put the flask back down.

She extended her hand and the flask flew into her hands. Then, shockingly, she also took a sip of the wine.

Afterwards, she put the flask back in its original position.

Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes twitched but he did not open them. He rolled and switched to an even more comfortable position.

Chi Guyan still did not speak.

This stalemate continued for a long time. The moon eventually reached its peak as the temperature dipped. It was so late that almost all life on the Mountain was asleep.

"Now that you’ve completed what you wanted to do, what are you still doing here?" Fang Zhengzhi finally broke the silence, his eyes still shut.

"If the issues were resolved, I would definitely leave. The fact that I’m still here means that I have unfinished business." Chi Guyan replied.

"You have already handed the matters regarding Cang Ling Mountain to Xing Hou. What else is left for someone of your standing to do?"

"There is!"

"Life is like chess. Is it worth it to give up the game just to save a single piece?"

"No."

"Then why aren’t you leaving?"

"I still have unfinished business."

Fang Zhengzhi was silent for a moment. Then, he spoke up. "Cang Ling Mountain was a trap set up by the demons. They wanted to sink the Stabilisation Constabulary. You also set up a ploy here on Cang Ling Mountain. If I am correct, you already have troops stationed here."

"Yes, I had arranged for 1000 Red Pinion Squad members and 500 Divine Constabulary special forces members to hide at the base of Cang Ling Mountain." Chi Guyan replied honestly.

"Yet you didn’t tell me anything during our journey."

"So what if I did?"

"If I had known about it earlier, I would not have toured and enjoyed myself. I would have rushed back here to chase those soldiers away!"

"Would the result be any different?"

"Of course! For everyday earlier that I could have arrived, the villagers would have suffered for one less day."

"Could it be any less than what they’ve already suffered? Droughts, landslides, and a lack of game are already affecting them. What changes have you made in the past eight years?"

"Changes?" Fang Zhengzhi was stumped. He could not bring himself to say that he had made any significant changes to the village.

The lives that they led were only better when compared with the other villages.

In actual fact, the villagers were still leading tough lives. They barely managed to fill their stomachs. Most did not have any stores or savings.

Almost all of the silver he had earned over the years had gone into subsidizing village expenses.

How much could one person, a nameless person at that, do to change an entire village?

"If my guess is correct, you want to stay here and never enter the courts. You do not want to partake in the combat examinations and the subsequent court examinations." Chi Guyan continued.

Fang Zhengzhi did not respond. He did think this way. He was afraid that a similar incident would occur. He was afraid of possible vengeance.

He wanted to stay in the Northern Mountain Village. He wanted to protect his parents and all of the other members of this ‘family".

"Based on your current abilities, you may be able to protect the village right now. But can you protect it forever?" Chi Guyan’s voice rang out.

"I have my methods." Fang Zhengzhi replied flatly.

"Yes, I am sure that you can do it, but you can’t do it as quickly as me! Only when you are influential can you change the fate of a village! With a single command, I could make the Northern Mountain Village the most prosperous village in the north!"

Fang Zhengzhi did not deny it. It was all true. As the most talented youth in the empire, she could drastically change the fate of the village.

Furthermore, she was no living off the glory and status of the Divine Constabulary. The constabulary lived and died by her.

She was not famous just because she was the second generation of an influential family. After all, the family was now basking in her glory.

"It is a pity though. I may be able to change a village, a city, or even a province. However, I cannot change a dynasty or the fate of humanity!" Chi Guyan’s tone became very solemn, however, her expression was just as calm as before.

"I heard that the Double Dragon Roll Champion would shock the world, and bring peace to the world!" Fang Zhengzhi said cryptically.

"Do you believe it?"

"No."

"But I do. The Heavenly Prophecy cannot be wrong! You may think that I am not taking care of the Northern Mountain Village, but I am more concerned with the fate of humanity. Someone has to do it. If you don’t do it, I’ll have to do it. This world will always need a hero."

"Do you think you’re a hero?"

"No, I am just a chess piece. A chess piece in someone’s plan."

"If you are just a chess piece, then so am I. Furthermore, I am an even weaker chess piece than you." Fang Zhengzhi chuckled.

"I have a few questions that have been bugging me for quite some time." Chi Guyan did not respond directly, choosing instead to broach a new topic.

"There’s something that you don’t know?"

"Yes, for example: How do you learn other people’s techniques so quickly? How did you manage to solve the Ill.u.s.tration of All Creation? Why are you even more powerful than an advanced state Heavenly Reflection cultivator even though you just broke through?"

"I can answer your first question. I do not want to answer the second one. As for the third question, I do not know the answer." Fang Zhengzhi replied seriously.

Chi Guyan was silent. Her eyes glimmered in antic.i.p.ation as she awaited Fang Zhengzhi’s reply.

"I successfully accessed Dao eight years ago. I attained the Star Conglomerate State a year later. I did not know about the various states, so I spent seven years acc.u.mulating stars..."

"What you’re saying is, you managed to understand many of the Daos?"

"I do not know if its is a lot. I estimate at least two to three hundred?" Fang Zhengzhi responded casually.

"Two to three hundred..." Chi Guyan was in awe. This was the first time she had lost her composure in front of Fang Zhengzhi.

However, she recovered quickly, her awe turning into joy. In that moment, she smiled.

She looked as beautiful as a flower in full bloom.

Fang Zhengzhi, whose eyes were still shut, was slightly moved. However, he had always seen Chi Guyan and himself as people from different worlds.

She fought for the country whilst he fought for his home. How could they ever mix?

"I know where your problem is!"

Just as Fang Zhengzhi was thinking about it, Chi Guyan spoke up. Her eyes glimmered with excitement.

This was a rare sight.

This was the first time Fang Zhengzhi had seen this kind of glimmer in Chi Guyan’s eyes.

"What problem do I have?"

"If I am correct, your pocket dimension has a huge tree filled with many fruits. Each fruit is about the same size!" Chi Guyan a.s.serted.

This stunned Fang Zhengzhi.

Everyone’s pocket dimension was different. It would differ based on one’s cultivation process and techniques. For example, the first pocket dimension hs had came into contact with was a world made of rocks.

As such...

How could Chi Guyan guess what his pocket dimension looked like?

This was not science!

Fang Zhengzhi did not understand it. However, Chi Guyan’s expression and words had piqued his curiosity.

"What about it?" Fang Zhengzhi asked.

"Do... do you one to be the one playing chess?" Chi Guyan smiled as she looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

"A chess player?" Fang Zhengzhi wanted to chide Chi Guyan for jumping between topics too quickly. They were talking about chess when she changed the topic to cultivation. Now that they were talking about cultivation, she wanted to talk about chess?

"Yes, didn’t you say that you were an even weaker chess piece than me? If you don’t want to be a chess piece, you have to be chess player. You would be the master of others’ destinies."

"I do not want to be a chess player." Fang Zhengzhi shook his head, then continued. "In fact, I do not want to be either. There is another type of person, the spectator! There is an ancient saying, the spectator sees the most clearly!"

"The spectator sees the most clearly..." Chi Guyan murmured to herself. After a moment of silence, she spoke up. "Actually, that was something that I tried working towards before. However, I never managed to do it. I never expected you..."

Chi Guyan paused. She raised her head and looked at the bright moon, "Do you want to defeat me?"