Gu Fangchen narrowed his eyes and reached out to catch the falling rain.
But before the raindrops could touch him, they all retreated of their own accord, transforming midair into a fine mist that refracted the multicolored radiance surrounding him.
In that moment, Gu Fangchen's entire body was enveloped in a halo of five-colored light, and every lotus flower blooming around him bent slightly toward him in reverence.
It was divine, dreamlike.
In Qionglin Garden, most people had been drenched by the sudden downpour.
But right now, no one cared.
Every single person stared blankly at Gu Fangchen. Some even collapsed onto the ground, mumbling the verses he had just recited, feeling as though the heavens themselves had fallen.
It had been said that in this world, cultivators walked only two paths: the Divine Path and the Martial Path. All other means were merely skills.
For the scholars present, their "skill" was their literary talent.
Within this realm, there existed a force called "literary aura." And the highest recognition of that aura was the Omen of Heaven and Earth born from Resonance of Talent.
Whether it was poetry, prose, or verse of any kind, long or short, if it was acknowledged by heaven and earth, it could summon an omen, and that omen could even be used as a weapon.
For instance, the "Poetry Immortal" Li Wangji once slew a ghost general with his sword transformed into a green serpent, all born from a single poem.
However, if one wrote a lyrical poem merely describing scenery, even if an omen appeared, it would only create some visual embellishment at best.
If one's cultivation was insufficient, the power of the Omen of Heaven and Earth would also be limited.
In Mirror in the Dust, players could likewise engage in poetic duels with NPCs to trigger Omens of Heaven and Earth, a small but delightful secret feature.
Each of the poems Gu Fangchen had just recited was enough on its own to summon such an omen.
In theory, though, it should not have been so extreme, at most, it might cause the lotuses in the pond to bloom fully.
But he had unleashed six poems in a row!
That sheer number created a qualitative transformation, escalating the "effects" to the level of heaven and earth changing color, clouds gathering, and divine radiance flooding the air.
At this point, the entire Huangtian City could see the phenomenon.
Shocked beyond words, everyone's gaze shifted toward the dazed Gu Youren. Their expressions grew complex.
Gu Yuandao's face was iron blue as he glared at the five-colored aura surrounding Gu Fangchen.
Even he himself had only twice in his life written a piece that evoked the Omen of Heaven and Earth through Resonance of Talent, and even that had made him one of the era's few true prodigies, with scarcely anyone able to match him.
Worse still, every one of those poems was flawless.
Even if the "Poetry Immortal" himself were to judge, his verdict would be the same!
The manifestation of the Omens of Heaven and Earth not only proved the extraordinary caliber of these poems, but also proved that this was their first appearance in the world.
In other words, before today, no one had ever spoken them aloud.
If someone else had whispered them to Gu Fangchen, the very act of reciting them would have immediately triggered the omens.
Besides, who could possibly compose six consecutive lotus-themed poems, each capable of summoning an omen?
Whether or not Gu Fangchen could, one thing was certain, Liu Xuan absolutely could not.
Gu Youren had misjudged again. She had become the very kind of person she despised most, blind to right and wrong, twisting black and white.
"Impossible... it can't be..."
She sat frozen in her seat, the rain pouring down upon her, murmuring faintly,
"Flowers placed in gold, leaves ground to dust... could it be... could it be that I was wrong?"
A shout came from nearby.
"Lord Lin! Lord Lin! What's wrong with you, Lord Lin?!"
The old official who had wagered with Gu Fangchen suddenly rolled his eyes and collapsed stiffly to the ground. The students nearby scrambled to carry him away.
No one could tell whether he had fainted for real or was merely pretending.
One thing could be said, the instincts of an old bureaucratic fox were as quick as ever.
Gu Yuandao looked at the chaos engulfing Qionglin Garden and took a deep breath. He knew that if he didn't act soon, this banquet would become Gu Fangchen's one-man show.
He stepped up to Liu Xuan and said solemnly,
"Brother Liu, my sincerest apologies. My elder sister was hasty in judgment."
Liu Xuan's face remained cold as he waved a hand.
"I did indeed use Spirit Projection earlier, so it's understandable that Sir Gu would misunderstand. As Scholar Gu Yuandao said earlier, to know one's fault and correct it is the greatest virtue."
"But the ones who truly owe an apology are to His Lordship, the Heir."
Gu Yuandao paused, his eyes narrowing. A faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he muttered under his breath,
"That's only if he survives this test..."
Liu Xuan frowned deeply, feeling an unexpected discomfort in his heart.
He had heard rumors of the dispute within the Northern Garrison Prince's Manor over the true and false heirs, but now it seemed the rift ran even deeper than he had imagined.
This Qionglin Banquet today felt like nothing less than a Hongmen Banquet arranged specifically to destroy Gu Fangchen.
The entire Northern Garrison Prince's household seemed eager to see him removed.
Given Gu Fangchen's usual temperament and behavior, such hostility from the prince's household might have seemed justified, but now, seeing more clearly, Liu Xuan realized that perhaps this heir had been hiding his true ability all along.
Either way, at least Liu Xuan's own predicament was now resolved.
He exhaled deeply, took out the congratulatory gift box prepared by his teacher, and stepped toward Gu Fangchen, who had just leapt down from the table.
He spoke in a loud, clear voice:
"This was my teacher's old sword, named 'The Finest Stream.' Today, having witnessed Your Lordship's six poems upon the lotus and the descent of celestial radiance, I, Liu, would like to offer this sword in admiration!"
Gu Fangchen glanced at the sword in the box.
It was indeed a fine blade, but...
"Brother Liu, don't be hasty."
Gu Fangchen's tone was modest and courteous as he said,
"Since this sword came from the academy, it must have been prepared as a congratulatory gift for the top scholar. You may as well give it to Gu Yuandao."
"?"
Was this the same man who had arrogantly stood on the table moments ago?
Liu Xuan was puzzled, but he persisted:
"Your Lordship's poetic talent is unmatched beneath heaven. Only this 'Finest Stream' is worthy of you!"
After the misunderstanding earlier, this gesture of gifting the sword to Gu Fangchen was more than fitting.
Gu Fangchen picked up the longsword and said thoughtfully,
"Then don't regret it later."
Liu Xuan laughed boldly.
"Never!"
Whispers rose around them.
"Isn't that the 'Poetry Immortal's' sword, 'The Finest Stream'? I heard it was meant as a gift for the top scholar, why's it being given to Gu Fangchen?"
"A gift is a matter of respect. But after being accused of cheating, who would still accept it?"
"Say what you will, His Lordship's six lotus poems, once revealed, have outshone even the older generation. Who could compare? This 'Finest Stream' truly lives up to its name."
"As for the top scholar..."
Gu Yuandao took a deep breath, forcing down his anger, and raised his voice:
"Everyone!"
"Since there has been a misunderstanding, it must be resolved! When human judgment cannot discern truth from falsehood, we shall let the 'Rules' decide!"
"Gu Fangchen, earlier you asked whether I dared, so now, do you dare let the 'Rules' test your heart?"
The hidden dagger was finally drawn.
Gu Fangchen looked around, raised an eyebrow, and said,
"Why wouldn't I dare? If you dare, then I dare."
As a disciple of the Sage, Gu Yuandao had the privilege to summon the Sage's spiritual beast, and he had already reported this plan to Xie Qian in advance.
Soon, two academy students carried forward a massive stone tortoise bearing a stele on its back.
The tortoise was enormous, its shell covered in scripture and glowing with deep green runes. Its half-closed eyes exuded a profound and mysterious aura.
Gu Fangchen stepped forward.
The tortoise raised its head and spoke in a human voice, calm and measured:
"I, the 'Rules,' shall ask, "
Its tone shifted.
"Are you of the Northern Garrison Prince's true bloodline?"
Gu Fangchen stood still, unable to resist the compulsion to answer truthfully. He shook his head.
"No."
Gu Yuandao's lips curved upward, barely containing his laughter. The result was just as expected, everything was settled!
Gasps rose from the crowd below.
Gu Fangchen lifted his brows.
"Then I have a question for you."
The spirit tortoise froze. In the next moment, it saw the golden avian embroidery on Gu Fangchen's robes suddenly ignite, turning into a blaze of golden fire that spread outward, sealing off everyone nearby.
He clenched his fist, grinning wickedly.
"Since when has our Demonic Sect ever followed the rules?"
Gu Fangchen surged with spiritual power. The marks left by the Demon-Suppressing Nails on his arm flared to life, lines of blood connecting into a constellation-like pattern.
He shot forward, drew the "Finest Stream," and thrust it straight into the tortoise's mouth, prying out one of its teeth.
With his other hand, he seized the tooth. The "Measure" sigil on his palm lit up, and in an instant, it pulled him into the realm "Between the Weft and Warp."
Below, Liu Xuan stood stunned, frozen in disbelief. Before he could even react, Gu Fangchen's figure had already vanished.
Only then did he truly understand:
So that's what "don't regret it later" meant.