Gate of God

...

Fang Zhengzhi did not rush to the capitol. If he had galloped the entire way, the Snow Treading Dragon Stallions would have only required a month to get here.

But, he was not in a hurry.

For one, he wanted to prepare well for the Imperial examination. Secondly, he wanted to see what everyone was saying about him breaking through to the Heavenly Reflection State.

Fang Zhengzhi had travelled to the capitol from the Northern Desert. Along the way, in the various teahouses in the cities and towns, he had heard the storytellers weave a tale about his breakthrough although each edition was slightly different. The kids playing on the streets had also composed poems and songs about his breakthrough.

The gist of it was that Fang Zhengzhi came from a poor mountain village, but managed to top both the County and Capital Examinations. He even managed to attain the Heavenly Reflection State at 15.

All in all, Fang Zhengzhi’s reputation was much better than it was when he had participated in the River of Trust Province Examination. He was now a role model for kids everywhere.

He was particularly popular amongst the younger generations.

Kids in the streets frequently wore blue long sleeved shirts and held wooden swords as they announced Fang Zhengzhi’s arrival.

The first time Fang Zhengzhi heard it, he was shocked. Those kids were incredibly haggard, but yet, they got the job done.

He had to admire Su Jiu’s methods.

Teahouses...

And kid’s songs. These were really the fastest ways for news to travel.

He made many stops along the way, reading up and enjoying the scenery. Every time he saw a place he liked, he would stop for a rest to read his books and taste the tea.

Fang Zhengzhi wasn’t particularly lazy.

However, he had a feeling that he should enjoy this lifestyle while it lasted. Once he reached the capitol, he probably had to fight for his life.

Even so, the Snow Treading Dragon Stallions got him to the capitol in two months, faster than Fang Zhengzhi had expected.

"We’re finally here..." He raised his head and stared at the words "Yan Capital". Fang Zhengzhi shifted into a more comfortable position and nodded as he approached the gates.

"I think that most of the hostels here are full, why don’t you stay with me?" Yan Xiu was keenly aware of the crowd during the Imperial Examination period.

This was something that happened every other year. Not only were people rushing here for the exam, there were people coming as spectators, and there were officials who came to relive their experiences from back in the day.

"Stay with you? I expect quite a bit of trouble whilst we are here, can you handle it?" Fang Zhengzhi knew that Yan Xiu was just using a cover reason to mask his worry for Fang Zhengzhi.

"I’ll try." Yan Xiu replied calmly.

"Okay, let’s do it then." Fang Zhengzhi did not reject the offer. They were friends, and pleasantries were unnecessary.

...

The two of them passed through the city gates. Upon seeing the Snow Treading Dragon Stallions, the guards at the gate were stunned for a moment, their eyes glimmering.

The Snow Treading Dragon Stallions were the mark of the Northern Desert Divine Constabulary.

News that Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu were riding the Snow Treading Dragon Stallions had spread very quickly. Seeing the two men outfit riding towards the gate, two names flashed in the minds of the guards.

"Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu are in the capitol!"

The moment they came to that realization, one of the guards rushed towards the city centre hurriedly, probably to deliver a message.

Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu looked on calmly. They had seen this happen too many times along the way and thought nothing of it

"Let’s go!"

"Mm."

...

The Fragrance Restaurant is the oldest teahouse in the capitol. It is said that it was founded centuries ago, and has always been a melting pot of ideas and conversations.

Then, the people would write poems on the walls. There were love poems, poems describing scenery, but most spoke of revenge and armies.

The ancient writings on the walls of the teahouse attracted many tourists.

With business flourishing, the teahouse managed to blossom. Even the teacups had a natural tea aroma as a result of the number of cups of tea they had held.

There was also an exquisitely designed space inside the teahouse.

There were many rich people in Yan Capital, however, there were no more than 20 people in the entire city who could make the owner open up the space for them.

Now, there were three people in the room.

Two females and one male.

It quickly became one male and one female. After the waitress made and served the tea, she respectfully took her leave.

The faint aroma of the tea wafted into the air. The scent was incredibly refined and soothing.

"Ninth brother, I am unwell!" The lady exclaimed in a coquettish voice. Her voice was crisp and did not really fit with the environment.

Her makeup was also incredibly unique. Her hair was bound by a red hairband. She wore a purplish red cloak and rose gold high heels. Her eyes were as clear as water.

She exuded an aura of class.

If not for her dainty, small mouth, and her shaking slender legs, the aura might be a lot stronger.

The youth sitting opposite her was much more refined and well mannered. He wore white and had a flower pinned on his top. His face was white, but a little too pale, making him seem slightly weak.

The youth sighed as he stared at the girl.

"Where are you feeling unwell?"

"My heart!"

"If it’s your heart, then I can’t do anything about it. After all, heart problems can only be cured by heart medicine!" The youth replied calmly. He was all too used to the girl’s antics.

"But you have the medicine?" The girl pressed.

"Aish... I can give you whatever you want, but I can’t give you the Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion!" The youth quickly saw through the ruse of the girl.

"I see... how about we have a wager?" The girl took her legs off the table, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"No one here would be willing to wager with you." The youth shook his head.

"But you’re different from them. You pamper me so much. Ever since I was a little kid, you have been extremely good to me. You’re almost like my brother..."

"Okay okay, tell me how the wager will go." The youth interrupted in exasperation.

"Do you know Fang Zhengzhi?" Once the youth agreed, the girl’s eyes brightened and she rushed to his side, her eyes blinking.

"Mm, the entire empire is buzzing over the news that he has attained the Heavenly Reflection State, how can I not know him?" The youth unconsciously leaned backwards. Then, he picked up the glass in front of him, sniffed it lightly, then took a sip.

"Tell me what is your opinion of him."

"I don’t have much of an opinion. However, he must be quite smart for Chi Guyan to openly declare a possibility of marriage in front of the Five Constabularies. From an ability point of view, he topped both the examinations he has participated in. He also achieved Heavenly Reflection at 15. These points alone make him quite extraordinary." The youth took another sip.

"Can you not talk about the engagement between her and sister Yan?" The girl pouted.

"Okay, I won’t talk about it." The youth said in exasperation.

"Mm, you’re the best to me! Since you think that Fang Zhengzhi is quite extraordinary, let’s use him as the center of our wager?" The girl beamed.

"Use Fang Zhengzhi? How?" The youth asked.

"I think that once he has met me, he will willingly help me feed and take care of my ride. He will be my servant!" The girl blinked confidently.

"Servant? I don’t think so. I heard that he had challenged becoming an in law of the Divine Constabulary. Even though he comes from a poor family, I think that he is quite the principled man. He will not be easily tempted by riches.

"Since you don’t believe it’s possible, do you accept the wager?"

"Sure, but if you lose, I don’t ask for anything in return. Just stop having ideas about my Purple Lightning Dragon Stallion, okay?" The youth nodded after a moment of silence.

"Sure!" The girl leapt in joy, "You better keep to your word. I have news that Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu arrived in the city some time ago, I will go find him now, hahaha..."

Just as she was about to leave the elegant space, she turned back to look at the youth.

"Actually, I am killing two birds with one stone here, aren’t I smart?" Then, she turned to leave before the youth could respond.

The youth looked at the disappearing silhouette of the lady and looked on pamperedly. However, he quickly shook his head and turned to watch the darkening sky, his expression increasingly worried.

"There’s always something to worry about!"

...