I am a winner with Chinese poetry

"Needless to say? It's my duty. Count me in!" Zhuang Xian spoke first, his words radiating undeniable composure. "How can I, Wu Ziyu, be absent from the fight against these demons and barbarians? We must fight shoulder to shoulder and join them on this journey!" Wu Ziyu followed closely behind, his words resonant and full of passion.

"And me!" Jiang Liunian was unwilling to be outdone. "Although I'm only a sixth-rank scholar, my offensive power shouldn't be underestimated!" He hastily stated his position, his words tinged with eagerness and confidence. Aside from the rookie Gu Yunzhou, the others were all highly skilled cultivators.

Shan Ze and Zhuang Xian are particularly outstanding. They are both fifth-rank Confucian scholars. It is amazing that they have reached such a realm at such a young age, especially Shan Ze. He is not yet thirty years old. This talent and strength are also the foundation of the top three human countries. Wu Ziyu is also a sixth-rank peak Confucian scholar. It is no exaggeration to say that with such a team, as long as they do not face the large army of the monster tribe head-on, they can be at ease and invincible.

"If that's possible, could you please include me?" Gu Yunzhou quickly spoke up. Amidst the surprised and frowning faces of the others, he added calmly, "I have a special literary skill that can quickly restore the literary energy of my teammates. Although I'm only an eighth-rank scholar, this ability might bring you unexpected assistance."

He had just broken through to the 8th rank today, but in fact, he had already been on the verge of success. Today's fierce battle seemed to have broken through that barrier, and breaking through to the 8th rank was a natural result. Master Jia's expression was completely numb when he found out.

"So who was the person who was rumored to be able to help others quickly recover their spirit? It was actually Brother Gu! It's really like searching for a needle in a haystack, but it came to me without any effort. I was sending people to inquire around, and now it seems that Brother Gu's joining is undoubtedly a blessing for us, and you are most welcome!" Shan Ze was full of surprise. He didn't even know how many surprises Gu Yunzhou had brought him today.

"Wow, it's a special skill! Yun Zhou, you are really a hidden talent. With this skill, the flexibility of our team will undoubtedly be greatly improved. Even if we encounter a small group of monsters, we will be able to fight!" Jiang Liunian's eyes flashed with surprise, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"That's right, it just fills a gap in our team. Yunzhou welcomes you to join our team!" Zhuang Xian also spoke afterwards. He patted Gu Yunzhou on the shoulder, and a rare smile bloomed on his resolute face, which was warm and sincere.

"I have no objection. I can ask Yunzhou about the music score when I have free time!" Wu Ziyu did not object. So far, the five-member team was officially formed. Poor Master Jia was still thinking excitedly about which team from the Academy of Literature to find to lead Gu Yunzhou to familiarize himself with the battlefield. Little did he know that the person he was concerned about had quietly prepared a big surprise for him.

This surprise was undoubtedly a strong and sturdy arm. Even the elite of the Academy—the students in Class A—were mostly only seventh-rank scholars. The occasional appearance of one or two scholars who had barely scratched the surface of the sixth-rank was already a rare achievement. In contrast, this small team, with an average sixth-rank starting at the top, and fifth-rank being the norm, was a level of sophistication far beyond the reach of the former.

The reason why Gu Yunzhou chose to join them was, firstly, because he was impressed by their strength, and secondly, he wanted to be close to them and get first-hand information in a timely manner. This was a unique advantage that the teams from the Academy of Literature could hardly give him.

"In that case, I'll immediately go to the border defense forces to handle the relevant paperwork. We'll meet outside the city gates at dawn tomorrow, ready to depart at 11:00 AM." Shan Ze made a decisive decision, his tone undeniable. This was Yun Zhou's first mission, and Shan Ze carefully instructed them, "We don't know when we'll return, so remember to pack plenty of dry food and medicinal pills, just in case." After these instructions, they chatted for a while before hurriedly leaving to prepare for their respective tasks.

It is worth mentioning that when Shan Ze was about to pay the bill, he was told that the shopkeeper had waived the Tanmen bill. Not only that, in the future, everyone who came to Qionghua Pavilion would get a 50% discount, especially Gu Yunzhou, who got it for free.

Shan Ze just smiled faintly, turned around and left without refusing. To him, this little money was nothing at all. Those gold, silver and other money were just external possessions and insignificant.

However, the shopkeeper's thoughtful move was very comforting. With such a business approach that was aware of the times and understood people's hearts, it was no wonder that even though Qionghua Pavilion was located in a border area, it was still famous and became the first choice of many elegant people and was highly respected.

After returning to the Academy of Literature, he had no time to inform Master Jia before he was sent to the reception room, saying that someone was waiting for him. Gu Yunzhou, confused, went to the reception room with doubts, only to see Hammer and his group, who had just parted ways not long ago, sitting there bored, as if they were looking forward to something.

"Captain Zheng, and everyone else, what a coincidence. I, Gu, am honored to meet you. I wonder what brings you here?" Gu Yunzhou bowed and smiled, with a hint of curiosity and exploration between his brows. It had not been long since they parted, and now they came to see each other again, no one knew what was going on.

"Mr. Gu, the thing is, after much deliberation, we feel that a great talent like you, the human race, would inevitably encounter those ignorant monsters and barbarians if he were to go to Yuanshan Pass alone. So after we discussed it, the captain brought us here specially, and is willing to escort Mr. Gu and his party to Yuanshan Pass for free!" Qian Tian was eloquent, so he spoke on behalf of the group.

"That's right, Mr. Gu has a few of us to escort him, so you can rest assured about the safety of your group!" Hammer also patted his chest with a proud look on his face.

Gu Yunzhou frowned, thinking that these people must have heard something, which was why they were so proactive in offering to escort him back to Yuanshan Pass. Their undisguised enthusiasm was almost overflowing.

If it weren't for the protection of Xue Daru, he might have really been moved by this unexpected help. However, the current situation was far more complicated. Not only did he have Xue Daru's protection, allowing him to rest in peace at Qilianguan, but he also had new friends today. Tomorrow, he would accompany them to the territory of the Yaoman tribe. How could he possibly go to Yuanshanguan again? He could only appreciate this kindness.

"I appreciate your kindness, everyone. However, I've made up my mind to stay at Qilianguan for now. I'm afraid my trip to Yuanshanguan will have to be postponed." Gu Yunzhou bowed slightly to the group, his tone apologetic and resolute. He hadn't expected plans to change, but he wasn't against it.