Chi Guyan’s hair danced in the wind, almost like the splashes from a waterfall cras.h.i.+ng against the rocks.

Fang Zhengzhi’s lips twitched.

Defeat Chi Guyan?

He had thought about it before. This had nothing to do with the deal he had with Chi Guyan. As a man, he had to protect his pride. He would not be bullied by a girl!

The first time he had seen Chi Guyan...

Fang Zhengzhi was floored by her abilities. He had a completely new understanding of this world. He had thought that he had closed the gap after eight years of hard work.

However, when he saw Chi Guyan in action he last two days...

He could only exclaim to himself.

Why is this girl so powerful?

Isn’t it a little too ridiculous?

However, despite Chi Guyan’s power, Fang Zhengzhi did not think that he would lose. Regardless, he still had a chance at winning. After all, there were many ways to defeat someone.

He could defeat her mentally, verbally, intellectually...

Of course, Chi Guyan was referring to defeating her in a duel.

"Can I interpret your question as you wanting to marry me?" Fang Zhengzhi chose to answer the question with a question.

"Don’t you want to marry me?"

"I actually want you to be my servant!" Fang Zhengzhi added additional phrases in his heart. You would warm my bed for me, sing for me, dance for me...

"Servant?" Chi Guyan’s expression froze. She was the treasured daughter of the Divine Constabulary and the number one talent in the empire. Anyone in that position would be fuming if a guy wanted her to be his servant.

However, Chi Guyan was calm.

She contemplated this question for a moment. Then, she smiled, "Your idea is not bad, but you must defeat me fairly first!"

Fang Zhengzhi noted that she emphasized the word ‘fairly’. Her intentions were clear.

What did she mean by fairly?

He had to defeat her using his power, his techniques, his cultivation level...

Furthermore, he could not have any tricks up his sleeve. He also could not rely on weapons or treasures. This was a pure contest of ability.

This was clearly not a battle he was suited for.

"If I defeat you fairly, you will be my servant?" Fang Zhengzhi needed to verify the terms of the wager first.

"I will do it for a month." Chi Guyan replied.

"Will you swear on it?"

"Not only will I swear on it, I will announce it to the whole world!"

Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes shot open. Imagine if the treasured daughter of the Divine Constabulary, a princess, the top talent of the empire, and the prospective commander in chief would be his servant for a month...

"Not only must you serve me food and drinks, you must obey my commands, sing, and dance. Can you do it?" Fang Zhengzhi challenged.

"I can." Chi Guyan nodded seriously.

"Okay then, deal!"

"Haha, what a vivid imagination you have. What if you lose?"

"What do you want?"

"I want you to be my servant for a month. If I’m sitting, you must stand. If I’m lying down, you must stand. If I’m asleep, you have to guard the door, standing!" Chi Guyan returned the challenge.

Fang Zhengzhi glanced at Chi Guyan. He seemed to understand why Chi Guyan would emphasize the word ‘standing’.

Isn’t it just standing?

Fine, I’ll do it!

"Okay!" Fang Zhengzhi grit his teeth.

"In addition, you must tell me a joke everyday. If I don’t laugh on any given day, you will be beaten 50 times and forced to kneel and repent at my door!" Chi Guyan added.

"Do you have to make it so serious?"

"Are you scared?"

"Me, scared? What a joke!" Fang Zhengzhi chuckled icily. Then, he stood up from the chair. "However, I have no interest in taking up such a lopsided wager!"

"Why don’t you think about it? Other than singing and dancing, I know how to play the Guzheng, the drums, **, solve riddles, etc. Don’t forget that I grew up in a military family! I am familiar with what guys like!" Chi Guyan blinked at Fang Zhengzhi.

This was an open challenge to Fang Zhengzhi.

F*ck!

Fang Zhengzhi stopped in his tracks.

He had honestly forgotten that Chi Guyan grew up in a military family. She had interacted with soldiers all her life, and she wasn’t the usual, embroidery loving girl.

Playing the Guzheng, the drums...

d.a.m.n.

These were things that guys knew how to do. However, it was rare for a lady to know how to do these things! Chi Guyan was a rare talent indeed.

For the first time, Fang Zhengzhi felt his determination waver.

However...

He did not take the bait.

After all, his opponent was Chi Guyan, the number one talent in the empire. He was just like a lead in a storm when compared to Chi Guyan - utterly insignificant.

"If you can promise me one thing, I will consider taking up the wager." Fang Zhengzhi’s expression was solemn.

"Tell me what it is."

"Give me 50 teachers like w.a.n.g Anhua."

"You don’t want to open up a stable?"

"I would much rather teach a man how to fish than to give a man a fish. If the villagers want to stand on their own feet, they would have to do it themselves. I can make the village prosperous, but I cannot make it powerful."

"Okay, I will bring over 50 of the best teachers from the top 10 schools in the Northern Territories. They will stay here for three years. After which, they can choose to stay or leave. I will replace those who leave with new teachers."

"Will you partic.i.p.ate in the court examinations?" Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

"I partic.i.p.ated two years ago, so I cannot partic.i.p.ate this time. However, those who pa.s.s the court examinations have the privilege of attending the "Heaven Dao Pavillion disciple selection. I will be waiting for you there. I will also accept your challenge there! But, are you sure you want to challenge me so soon?" Chi Guyan knew what Fang Zhengzhi was getting at.

"Since we are going to duel anyways, there is no point pus.h.i.+ng it backwards. We are both constantly improving. That being said, I have a question. Why must I go to the Heaven Dao Pavillion?"

"Didn’t you say you wanted to be a spectator? Only the disciples of the Heaven Dao Pavillion are free from the restraints of the laws of the empire!"

"What else?"

"The imperial courts are highly political. Influence and authority rule there. The Heaven Dao Pavillion is the closest to ‘Dao’ in the entire empire. You will be able to access significantly more resources there."

"How many disciples do they take in every year?" Fang Zhengzhi nodded. "One pavilion, four sages, thirteen constabularies" was the representation of power in the empire.

The Heaven Dao Pavillion was right at the top of the food chain.

They were the only ones who were peers with the Great Xia Dynasty. In the eyes of the cultivators, the Heaven Dao Pavillion was even more attractive than the imperial courts.

However, such a well endowed place was not open to everyone.

"They only take in three disciples every two years. During the selection, the Northern Barbarians and the Southern Mountain Range people will all be attending. The Heaven Dao Pavillion and the Great Xia Dynasty have a standing agreement that at least one of the disciples will be from the Great Xia Dynasty." Chi Guyan explained.

"Three?!" Fang Zhengzhi had expected the selection to be difficult, but he never expected it to be this difficult.

Three disciples every two years?

How many disciples did they have?

"Are you thinking that they run the risk of not having any successors by having such a stringent selection?" Chi Guyan guessed Fang Zhengzhi’s thoughts.

"I would like to think of it as a break in the line." Fang Zhengzhi did not deny it.

"Haha, you don’t have to worry about that. The Heaven Dao Pavilion has a tradition. At any point in time, they will have 3000 disciples inside."

"3000 disciples?" Fang Zhengzhi was confused.

If they accepted three every two years, 3000 disciples...

That did not make any sense!

"As to why they have 3000 disciples, you would understand once you enter. I think you should focus on pa.s.sing the court examinations!"

"Is it

"Is it very difficult?"

"Well, if you thought the imperial examinations were difficult, the court examinations would make them look like a piece of cake!" Chi Guyan explained.

"Why so?"

"Normally, people would be given the posts of officials once they pa.s.s the imperial examinations. Promotions would be given afterwards based on their contributions. However, the court examinations are the final Dao examinations. The final name list is strictly guarded. They will only select nine people, and there is no top three."

"No top three?"

"No top three. The top ranking individual in the court examinations would be given the t.i.tle ‘Ringleader’.

"Ringleader?" Fang Zhengzhi knew what it meant. This phrase was used to describe the leader in a particular field.

This term could also be used to describe someone who was peerless.

"Yes, ringleader is the special t.i.tle conferred to the top scorer at the court examinations. The commoners would confer him the t.i.tle of ‘Top talent’!" Chi Guyan said calmly.

"Top talent?" Fang Zhengzhi looked at Chi Guyan, "You are also a top talent?"

"Yes, but why didn’t you specify my gender in the t.i.tle like what others do?"

"Are there any in the Supernatural State at the court examinations?"

"It differs from year to year. There were two in the edition I partic.i.p.ated in."

"Two Supernatural State? Why didn’t they pa.s.s the court examinations?"

"The Great Xia Dynasty uses the "Law of Dao" as the foundation for our cultivation. Many things can happen in the short span of two years. For example, who would have expected you to top both the county and provincial examinations?"

Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

The road of cultivation was constantly changing. It all depended on one’s understanding. Who was to say that he couldn’t breakthrough to the Supernatural State in two years?

"I get it now."

"Actually, a Heavenly Reflection State cultivator may not necessarily lose to a Supernatural State one. Even though the difference is significant, some who are at the pinnacle of the previous state can push through and breach the gap."

"Like you?"

"There is one other person!"

"Who?"

Chi Guyan did not answer Fang Zhengzhi immediately. A name flashed across her mind.

This was a name which reverberated throughout the entire Great Xia Dynasty.

Nangong Hao!

Four years ago, Nangong Hao had partic.i.p.ated in the examinations, taking home the top spot at the imperial examinations. Everyone favored him to take home the t.i.tle of ‘top talent’.

The Heaven Dao Pavilion also announced that Nangong Hao would definitely be selected as a disciple if he could pa.s.s the court examinations and attend the selection.

However, he unexpectedly gave up that opportunity, claiming that his foundation was not stable. He chose to return to the Nangong Family to continue his cultivation.

This had caused an uproar.

He had managed to defeat Supernatural State cultivators as a Heavenly Reflection State cultivator. How could his foundation not be stable?

No one knew what he was thinking.

No one knew why he would give up such a golden opportunity.

Two years ago, when the examinations were held once again, everyone expected that Nangong Hao would return to claim the t.i.tle and enter the Heaven Dao Pavilion. However, the attendee was Nangong Mu.

In the end, Nangong Mu also gave up before the imperial examinations, choosing to return to the Nangong family.

However, this time, no one was surprised.

Chi Guyan had burst onto the scene. She destroyed all the compet.i.tion in her way, taking home the t.i.tle of ‘ringleader’ and entered the Heaven Dao Pavilion.

One year later, she challenged Nangong Hao.

She topped the two Dragon Rolls and became the top talent of the generation.

Nangong Hao’s name slowly faded into obscurity. People were now raving over Chi Guyan, the one who they thought was going to fulfill the heavenly prophecy.

However...

Chi Guyan knew one thing.

The Heaven Dao Pavilion has an age restriction on the disciples they recruit. A quick calculation told her that this would be Nangong Hao’s last chance to be recruited.

This meant that...

Nangong Hao would definitely partic.i.p.ate in this edition of the court examinations.

"I think that you will meet him very soon. He will also partic.i.p.ate in the court examinations!" Chi Guyan sat down next to Fang Zhengzhi without saying more.

Fang Zhengzhi took in the aroma from her clothes. Then, he remembered something, "15,000 silvers a night, are you serious?"

Chi Guyan’s body moved slightly.

"Make a guess!"

Fang Zhengzhi’s expression changed. I have studied so much, don’t try to trick me. If you do, I will make sure I make you something worse than a servant.

"If I give you a way to instantly make yourself stronger, do you still want the silvers?" Chi Guyan continued before Fang Zhengzhi could respond.