The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 182 I took the exam twice (combined chapters)

Gu Fangchen was focused on refining the "Golden Hairpin Pendant," but due to the medicinal properties, she looked exceptionally ferocious.

Although Ying Liangxin was a fraud, he had at least served as the Daoist Master of "Love" for a hundred years.

At first, he was so flustered that his thinking was a beat slow, but he quickly realized that he was not in a good state.

She quickly realized that Gu Fangchen also possessed a kind of "heart-planting poison".

Considering the effects of the "Heart-Planting Poison" and the "Golden Hairpin Pendant," it becomes clear that the two poisons must be clashing. The reason Gu Fangchen didn't unleash her beastly nature was that she was trying to resolve the issue.

Ying Liangxin breathed a sigh of relief, then his expression changed, his eyes flashing as he stared at Gu Fangchen, and he secretly drew his sword.

Since Gu Fangchen was able to escape the secret room unscathed, it proves that he has completely confirmed his identity as the master of the "Love" Dao.

Now, the only ones who know his true identity are that traitor Guan Yue and himself!

As both a victim and someone who knew the truth, based on her years of experience surviving in the Demonic Sect, Gu Fangchen might actually show mercy, but the possibility of him showing mercy was unlikely.

Why not take this opportunity...and kill him!

Both hearts should be firmly gripping the sword in their hands.

At this moment, Guan Yue probably withdrew from the scene so as not to disturb Gu Fangchen's good time. If she didn't make a move now, she was afraid she would be doomed later.

But this guy is so cunning... Could it be that he deliberately feigned weakness, waiting for me to make my move, and then woke up to say he was just kidding? He probably didn't expect some fools to actually fall for it...

Ying Liangxin felt that this possibility was quite high.

Gu Fangchen just tricked all five Dao Lords at once. It has to be said that this guy is indeed much more suitable to be the Dao Lord of the "Love" Dao than she is.

She didn't want to be a fool, but she also didn't want to die...

But if she was going to die either way, she could only die fighting, not dying a foolish death.

Ying Liangxin's expression was uncertain. She picked up her sword and put it down again, repeatedly probing Gu Fangchen's movements. The last time, she almost brought the sword down, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Gu Fangchen was fine, but she herself was exhausted.

"Hoo hoo hoo, fine... do whatever you want with me, just give me a quick death!"

Ying Liangxin glared at Gu Fangchen, panting as she raised her sword and pointed it at him.

The young man had returned to normal. His eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes, seeing the tip of the sword before him.

He raised an eyebrow, followed the sword's edge to meet Ying Liangxin's gaze, and then feigned confusion, saying:
"Why didn't you leave?"

He waved his hand and opened the door:
“I even had Guanyue send everyone else away, and I prepared a bag and travel expenses, enough for you to live the free life of an ordinary person in the city that you want.”

Because of her background, Ying Liangxin was forced to remain in the position of the "Love" Dao Master for a hundred years. In the original story, she died under the identity of Shang Zizhi, without a happy ending.

Players can only learn about her true identity and this small wish from the descriptions of the equipment and skills she drops.

A miserable bunch.

Gu Fangchen had no conflict of interest with her; he took her identity and then gave her back her freedom.

Ying Liangxin: "..."

She stiffly turned her head little by little and saw an empty doorway and a package on the ground.

Ying Liangxin took a deep breath. Now that things had come to this, she couldn't very well say that it was because she was naturally suspicious that she doubted his offer to let her go as a lie...

So, foolishly, he stayed where he was and couldn't leave.

Her expression remained unchanged, a nonchalant one, as she raised her chin and said with utter disdain:
"Ha, how do you know what kind of mundane, ordinary life I want?"

"Why would I abandon my proper identity as a cultivator and associate with mortals? Wouldn't that be self-degradation?"

I must say, this little guy is quite intimidating.

However, Gu Fangchen, who knew Ying Liangxin's personality, knew that this girl was just pretending, probably because she had been struggling for a long time and hadn't been able to make a move against her.

Gu Fangchen stroked her chin and said with a smile:

"So what do you want? Since you don't want to leave, there has to be a reason for me to keep you here. Otherwise, keeping you here would just be keeping a potential problem."

Ying Liangxin was filled with immense regret at this moment, she was so remorseful... Damn it, why was I so stubborn?

But since she had already said it, she could only bite the bullet and say:
"If you want to control the 'love' path, I can be your right-hand man. I know the process better than you do."

Gu Fangchen nodded, a half-smile playing on her lips.
"That makes some sense, but I use Mizuki because she's usable. How can you guarantee you'll be usable?"

Although the two hearts should be harmless to each other, since he intends to keep them, he certainly won't leave any hidden dangers.

Ying Liangxin pursed her lips, knowing she had no choice but to make a vow against her inner demons.

After going around in circles, she found herself back in the realm of "love"... and now she's completely tied to Gu Fangchen.

Fortunately, I no longer have to play the role of the Dao Lord in fear and trembling.

You should comfort yourself in your heart.

……

"These next two days, you and Zhaohua will go to these places to set up formations as I have instructed."

Gu Fangchen stood up, took out a prepared map, along with the Dao Master's Token of the "Love" Dao, and handed it to Guan Yue.

The two guardians of the "love" path are "the moon at the bottom of the well" (meaning to observe the moon) and "the flower in the water" (meaning to reflect the flower).

Guan Yue nodded and stepped back to leave.

Gu Fangchen pushed open the door and looked at the "Heart-Planting Poison" in her hand. She still savored the feeling from just now.

It took an hour to refine this "golden hairpin pendant," mainly because they were afraid of triggering the "heart-planting poison," so they were extra careful.

The wisp of divine thought mingled with the snow-scented perfume, helping to detoxify.

It could even be said that most of the time, his attention was actually focused on detoxifying Xuexiang. Gu Fangchen had already regained consciousness in the second half. If Ying Liangxin really wanted to make a move, Guanyue would have entered the next second.

But I must say, the experience of spiritual communion is truly extraordinary...

In terms of sensation, it surpasses even physical pleasure. The body may have a threshold, but mental pleasure can be elevated to an unimaginable level.

Even with Xuexiang having no cultivation level, Gu Fangchen dared not go too deep.

If it were any other cultivators practicing dual cultivation, I can't even imagine how pleasurable it would be...

However, refining the "Golden Hairpin Pendant" doesn't significantly improve "Magic Refining," and it's not enough to advance from the second to the third level. Only the special effects are somewhat useful. If combined with the "Night Watchman" buff, it might have a surprising effect.

He looked at Ying Liangxin and smiled:
"Come with me to the Dugu family and have a chat with Dugu Yue."

……

Seven days later.

On the banks of the Jiangling River, in front of the Wenwu Pagoda.

A group of young cultivators gathered here, looking up at the fourth floor that was slowly lighting up with colorful light, and cheered.

Located at the confluence of waterways between Lutai Road and Gushu Road, Yaoshan has a Wenwu Pagoda. There are no restrictions; anyone with lofty aspirations can enter and take on the challenge, demonstrating the Confucian principle of education for all.

Even outside the academy, they continued to spread their teachings throughout the world.

As its name suggests, the Wenwu Tower is divided into two parts: one for civil examinations and the other for military examinations.

It is divided into nine levels, and on each level stands a preaching stele. The preaching stele is engraved with the insights left by cultivators from the ninth to the second rank, while the top level contains a wisp of Daoist charm from the "Confucian Sage" Xie Qian.

If someone is recognized by the academy, they can also add their own insights and experiences to the academy.

This tower is comparable to the library of a great family or sect, and its value is immense.

It's far more appealing than displaying rare and precious treasures!

Regardless of one's level of strength, whether a martial arts cultivator or a divine cultivator, as long as one can pass the corresponding trials, one will definitely be able to improve their strength.

Every year, practitioners come here hoping to gain fame and prove their strength.

However, to this day, no one has been able to touch that wisp of Daoist essence.

At this moment, a cultivator passed the test of the sixth rank.

This level is already quite high, and another name might be added to the Little Heaven Ranking, so the people below are naturally happy to support it.

However, the practitioners' attention was not entirely on the tower; some were also whispering and exchanging gossip about the recent events.

"Alas, I've heard that uprisings are breaking out everywhere; it's probably the work of a demonic cult!"

"Not necessarily, there are some places where it's truly unavoidable to oppose..."

"Be careful with your words!"

"It would be better to prepare early. Zhuang Pengju of Jiangnan has already taken over three areas, sweeping away all obstacles. He has the momentum of a dragon coiled and a tiger crouching. Several immortal sects have already defected. He is coming on strong!"

"What's the panic? The imperial court has already sent the Prince of Zhenbei to redeem himself by suppressing the rebellion. With the 'Sage of War' taking action, these so-called rebel armies are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs."

"But I've heard that a new dragon vein is about to form in Jiangnan, could it be..."

"I wouldn't dare say! But the rebel army is almost at our doorstep, and the Dugu family hasn't made a move. It feels a bit suspicious..."

"That's not necessarily true. Isn't that young master close to finding out the truth about what happened back then? The Dugu family is busy helping him."

"Hey, stop talking! The pleasure boat is here!"

These words immediately ended the entire conversation.

Those pretentious and righteous young cultivators immediately turned their heads to look at the several painted boats drifting on the river in the distance.

These painted boats are adorned with numerous luxurious pavilions, each bearing the insignia of aristocratic families. They are used by young ladies from prominent families to enjoy the scenery of the Jiangling River.

Unfortunately, the true appearance of a noble lady is not something that can be easily seen. Both sides of the river are guarded by members of noble families, and without connections, it is impossible to get close.

However, the area around the Wenwu Tower is slightly closer and not within the guarded area.

Many cultivators gathered at the foot of the Wenwu Pagoda to watch the spectacle and catch a glimpse of the beautiful young lady.

I heard that the Princess Consort of Zhenbei is also on the painted boat this time.

She was once the most beautiful woman in the world!
It would be good to see it for myself.

Unfortunately, it was still too far away. We could only vaguely see the outline of a boat, and the figures on it were as small as sesame seeds. We could hardly see them at all.

If one possesses the cultivation level of the upper three ranks, one might be able to see clearly even from a great distance.

Alternatively, there are rumors that from the seventh floor of the Wenwu Tower, one can see the beautiful women on the painted boats.

However, this rumor has never been actually confirmed.

Suddenly, everyone's hearts stirred, their expressions changed, and they all looked up to see several figures rapidly floating through the air.

Immediately, someone's pupils constricted, and they exclaimed in alarm:

"Those are people from the academy!"

"Aren't these the teachers from the academy? They're all at the fourth rank of cultivation... Why are they all coming to the Literary and Martial Tower? Could it be that some important figure is coming?"

Leading the group was Master You Shao of the Poetry School. After landing, he cupped his hands towards the young man who had been standing in the corner, looking up at the Wenwu Pagoda, and said:
"Welcome, Your Highness. We are honored that the academy has invited you here."

You Shaoke smiled politely and gently.

A murmur rippled through the crowd as they noticed the handsome young man standing in the corner. Dressed in a white robe embroidered with silver qilin patterns, he exuded elegance and had a striking appearance.

The maid following behind him was veiled, with a pair of almond-shaped eyes that were clear and refined, and a touch of charm in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. Her skin was fair and delicate, and she held a sword in her hand.

The combination of a handsome young man and a sword-wielding maid is quite eye-catching.

However, the few ugly characters on the fan in Gu Fangchen's hand completely ruined the atmosphere.

For some reason, no one had noticed the presence of these two people at all.

Hearing the teacher address him as "Your Highness," he realized that this was none other than Gu Fangchen, the rising star of the Prince of Zhenbei.

Gu Fangchen shook her fan and chuckled:
"No need to be so polite. Xie Sheng once invited me to join the academy as a teacher for fun. Who knows, we might even become colleagues in the future."

You Shao: "..."

There's no need to be so impolite.

However, they were all there on a mission this time, and they didn't engage in any verbal sparring with Gu Fangchen.

You Shao smiled and said:
"The young master possesses a scholarly air that even a sage himself acknowledged, so becoming a teacher would be a piece of cake for him."

"However, the academy still has to follow the procedures. If an outsider wants to become a teacher, he must first pass through the Literary and Martial Tower, which has at least five floors."

"Of course, it's not that we don't believe in the Crown Prince's strength, it's just that the young men below have heard what the Sage said back then, that he could teach them the meaning of heaven and earth... so they are inevitably arrogant and unwilling to admit defeat."

"Your Highness might as well take this opportunity to give them a warning."

Gu Fangchen snapped her fan shut and said solemnly:

"That makes sense!"

"Whether or not I become a teacher, what I hate most in my life are those arrogant and ignorant people. They need to know that geniuses are not only those in the academy."

He waved his hand with great enthusiasm and said casually:

"Let them watch closely, today I will directly open the Wenwu Tower!"

After saying that, Gu Fangchen walked towards the Wenwu Pagoda.

Xuexiang, holding her sword, followed behind in small steps.

You Shao was stunned:
"Your Highness! Is your maidservant also going?"

Gu Fangchen raised an eyebrow and turned around to say:

"Is that not acceptable? I find this sword too heavy; she must come along."

"This……"

You Shao didn't know if it would work; there was no precedent for this before.

Gu Fangchen waved her hand and said:
"They only release people after passing the test at this tower, so why don't I just take the test twice?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: I'll revise this later; please refresh if there are any errors or omissions.

(End of this chapter)