Gate of God

All of the villagers were stunned.

They had thought that the army had been defeated. The deputies were all wetting themselves after the battle. Little did they expect that the army would take advantage of the situation when they saw Fang Zhengzhi drop his sword.

The villagers simply could not understand.

However, Fang Zhengzhi understood. This was a last ditch attempt by the deputies. If he did not die, they would still be dealt with harshly by the military even if they lived.

Furthermore, soldiers lived and died by the orders they got.

Even though they were afraid of Fang Zhengzhi, they had to respect and obey the orders of their superiors. Soldiers still launched their spears.

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had killed many of their comrades. These were their brothers in arms, people that they had a real connection with.

After all, they had shared a camp for many years.

Qin Xuelian paled as she saw the rain of spears. In that instant, she wanted to shield Fang Zhengzhi with her body.

Fang Zhengzhi could guess what Qin Xuelian would try to do. From the moment he saw the spears launch, he knew exactly what she would think.

Because...

Qin Xuelian was his mother.

Even before Qin Xuelian could stand in front of him, he already took Qin Xuelian into his arms.

Qin Xuelian’s fear was unrestrained. Sweat poured from her forehead. She realized that she had made a mistake. She should have never rushed out like that. No matter how many soldiers he killed, Fang Zhengzhi was still her son.

Her only son.

Fang Zhengzhi looked at Qin Xuelian, his back towards the rain of spears. Waves crashed overhead - that was his shield.

He knew that in the face of a thousand spears, a stone wall would be best. But, here was he going to find sand to make into stone in such a hurry?

As such, he could only try to use the water to slow down the spears. Even so, it was unlikely that the spears would miss their mark.

Was he going to die?!

Fang Zhengzhi was quite sad to leave this all behind. The villagers here cared for him, and he had a warm family.

"Boom boom boom..."

Sounds echoed from behind him.

Fang Zhengzhi felt that the spears should have already landed. However, his area of control had not been hit. Where were the sounds coming from?

Just as he was thinking about it...

He turned around subconsciously.

He saw something stunning. There was a green sword ray in the middle of the rain of spears...

No.

It was countless sword rays.

The sword rays intertwined with each other like a spider web. The rays moved quickly, defending him from the spears.

The moment the spears hit the web of light, the sword rays would explode into smaller and finer sword rays. Those rays would intertwine once again.

"Dao is endless and constantly changing. The rules governing the world are Dao!" A crisp voice rang out next to him. Then, a figure dressed in black shot through the air like a meteor.

Within moments, the figure landed next to Fang Zhengzhi.

She wore a tight fitting leather suit and had a branded belt around her waist. This accentuated her great figure. She also wore a leather cap which covered her forehead.

Under the cap, a pair of bright starry eyes stared at the soldiers and the bloody bodies of the fallen. She frowned.

"Chi Guyan?" Fang Zhengzhi was shocked to see the figure next to him. He had not figured out how he escaped The Vast World, but he knew it had something to do with the black crack.

How did Chi Guyan manage to escape?

"Dao is endless and constantly changing. The rules governing the world are Dao!"

Fang Zhengzhi knew what this cryptic sentence meant.

This was an interpretation of Dao. It stated that Dao was represented by constant changes in physical properties. This change was known as ‘gasification’. It also said that the gasification was not random. It followed a strict set of rules, and these rules are Dao.

The physical properties referred to Ying and Yang, as well as the five elements (gold, wood, water, fire, earth). Everything was formed from these basic building blocks, and were just representations of Dao.

But, why would she say something like this now?

Fang Zhengzhi glanced at the green web of sword lights above his head. He suddenly understood what Chi Guyan meant!

Dao would give rise to one. One would become two, two becomes three, and it would keep going on!

He finally understood!

Chi Guyan could produce an infinite amount of sword rays with a single one. Whenever one was shattered, it would reproduce itself. This was a cycle that would continue unbroken.

It was one of the most powerful defensive techniques around.

"Is the difference between our abilities really that great?" Fang Zhengzhi had a strong understanding of the theories. However, he did not have the practical experience.

Chi Guyan was far more well versed in that aspect.

She had managed to defend against the storm of spears effortlessly. All of the soldiers were stunned by what they saw.

This was clearly the work of a Heavenly Reflection State individual. However, there were only a few who had such control over their territories.

As for ladies...

A name appeared in the minds of the soldiers. They simply could not believe it. That’s impossible! Why would she appear in such a tiny village?

All of the deputies paled instantly.

Their eyes widened as they looked at the figure who had defended against their attacks so effortlessly. They were at a loss.

At this point, a young voice could be heard from afar.

"Sister Yan, you’re walking too quickly, Ping Yang can’t catch up!" Before long, a flaming red figure jumped from the top of a house.

Her Red Flame Flower Armor glowed in the sun and she held a bright red spear in her hand. There was a flickering golden light at the tip of the spear.

When the soldiers saw this figure and heard the name Ping Yang, shivers were sent straight down their spines.

"Ping Yang!"

"The most favored princess of the empire, Ping Yang!"

All of the soldiers did not want to believe that this was happening. However, the Red Flame Flower Armor was clear for all to see. Furthermore, that spear...

My god...

That was the Blazing Qilin Spear, one of the ten greatest treasures of the Great Xia Dynasty.

"Sister Yan?"

"Ping Yang called this lady Sister Yan?!"

"There is only one person who Ping Yang calls Sister Yan. That is the top ranking individual on two of the dragon rolls. She is the heir to the Divine Constabulary. She only answers to one person, and even the emperor has to accord her due respect! She is none other than Chi Guyan!"

"It really is Chi Guyan!"

In that instant, all of the soldiers retreated. Then, they all fell to their knees, the deputies included.

"Greetings your highness, greetings princess Chi!"

"Your highness?!"

"Princess?!"

All of the villagers looked at each other, unable to figure out what was going on. However, the soldiers had already dropped to their knees.

"We the commoners extend our greetings to your highness and the princess!"

"Greetings your highness, greetings princess Chi!"

After some chaotic chatters, all of the villagers fell to their knees. When they saw Chi Guyan stand next to Fang Zhengzhi, they were all stunned.

They all remembered.

This girl was Guyan, the Guyan who had spent almost a month in the Northern Mountain Village.

She was a princess?!

"I, teacher Wang Anhua, extend my greetings to your highness and the princess!" Wang Anhua also rushed over and fell to his knees.

He did not attend the feast the previous night. Furthermore, he had not seen Chi Guyan in eight years. As such, he did not recognize her when she appeared.

When Chi Guyan had stayed in the Northern Mountain Village for a month, the school had yet to be moved over. As such, he was in the dark about that.

However, upon hearing the soldiers and taking a closer look, he realized that this was his master, the daughter of the Divine Constabulary, Chi Guyan.

All of them fell to their knees.

Fang Houde and Qin Xuelian felt their legs turn to jelly. All this while, they had thought of Chi Guyan as their daughter-in-law.

Now that they heard that she was a princess, how could they possibly still think about that?

"Son, kneel down quickly! Greet the two princesses!" Qin Xuelian pulled Fang Zhengzhi as she prepared to kneel. She had thought that Fang Zhengzhi did not know about this. Afterall, when Fang Zhengzhi had brought Chi Guyan back, they had met at the entrance to the village.

"Mom, get up! Dad, don’t kneel!" Fang Zhengzhi pulled Qin Xuelian upwards.

At this point, Chi Guyan also walked over and bent down. She held Qin Xuelian’s arms respectfully.

"Uncle, Auntie, please get up. I do not need you to kneel!" Chi Guyan made use of an invisible force to prevent Fang Houde from kneeling.

"Get up! Uncle Yang Ping, get everyone to recover! What’s there to kneel?" Fang Zhengzhi glanced at Ping Yang.

Ping Yang pouted instantly.

"Humph! I am a princess, why shouldn’t they kneel?" However, she immediately saw Fang Zhengzhi’s expression change. She added quickly, "All Northern Mountain villagers, please rise!"

Her intentions were simple. The soldiers were to keep on kneeling.

Upon hearing her words, all of the villagers looked at each other before standing up, their eyes filled with fear.

Ping Yang walked over to Fang Zhengzhi.

"Shameless fella, I... I thought you were dead! If not for the fact that Sister Yan insisted that you would come back here, I..." Ping Yang noticed the pile of spears on the ground. Her gaze turned icy as she looked at the soldiers.

"How dare you attack a rank four official of the imperial courts!"

All of the soldiers were stunned by what they heard. Rank four official? Who was a rank four official?

Could it be...

How is that possible?!

According to the dates, the imperial examinations would have just ended. Even if Fang Zhengzhi had passed, he could not possibly have been made an official. Even if he had, how could he be a rank four official?

Rank four?!

This was completely unprecedented.

When the deputies heard what Ping Yang said, they froze. They knew how difficult it was to climb the ranks in the courts.

When has there ever been someone who was promoted to rank four immediately after passing the imperial examinations?

However, this was said by Ping Yang. Ping Yang was the most favored princess of the empire! How could anything she said possibly be fake?

In an instant, the deputies felt that their worlds were turned upside down. They could not even stabilize themselves despite being on their knees.

All of the Northern Mountain villagers were wide eyed.

"Rank four official?!"

"Is she saying... that Zhengzhi is a rank four official?!"

"Zhengzhi is a rank four official?!"

The same thought flashed through all of the villagers’ minds. Their faces flushed in excitement. Afterall, Fang Zhengzhi was the only academic in their midst.

As such, Ping Yang had to be referring to Fang Zhengzhi.

All of the humiliation the villagers had endured were instantly forgotten when they heard the news. Tears of joy flowed down their cheeks.

Zhang Yangping’s eyes turned red. He murmured to himself, "Zhengzhi is a rank four official? Really a rank four official? The River of Trust Province Governor is only a rank five official. Zhengzhi is rank four?"

He was in disbelief.

The ones most in shock were Fang Houde and Qin Xuelian.

Fang Zhengzhi had told them about it. Furthermore, he even showed them the official seal of a rank four official. That being said, would they believe him then?

Definitely not.

However, now that Ping Yang said it herself, there was no way they could not believe it.

"My son is a rank four official! Hahaha... my son has made it!" Fang Houde hollered. He was overwhelmed by the news and momentarily forgot the presence of Ping Yang and Chi Guyan.

As for Qin Xuelian, she hugged Fang Zhengzhi tightly, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks and falling to the ground.

She did not say a single word. She hugged Fang Zhengzhi tightly. In all honesty, she did not want to let go.

"Sister Yan, these people have blatantly attacked an official of the imperial courts. That is akin to treason! Should we execute them all?" Ping Yang glanced at Fang Zhengzhi and Qin Xuelian. Then, her unrestrained icy gaze turned on the soldiers.