I am a winner with Chinese poetry

Soon, Master Jia returned with a bag full of things on his shoulders. He placed the various packages gently on the table and waved to Gu Yunzhou to come over and take a look.

"These are the dry food and spring water we'll need for the journey. While seemingly ordinary, the barbarian lands are vast and barren, with the various tribes scattered across them, not far from each other. Therefore, these supplies are essential. As for the demonic territory, the scenery is quite unique, but poisonous creatures are rampant, so we must be on guard. This small bottle contains an antidote that can dissolve common toxins; the other bottle contains a healing elixir. As for this place..."

One has to admit that Master Jia's preparations this time were extremely thorough. They could be considered standard equipment for the Seven-Pass Team before they set out on the expedition. Each item was carefully packed in the warehouse, and the collection process was simple and quick, eliminating many hassles.

"Oh, and this, too. Mr. Xue specifically asked me to pass it on to you." Master Jia suddenly remembered something, slowly took out an antique ring from his arms, and gently placed it in Gu Yunzhou's palm.

"Although this ring looks plain and simple, with a dark color that is almost hidden in the light and shadow, it contains mysteries. It is engraved with protective patterns that can withstand the full force of a strong man below the sixth rank. If you wear it on your finger, it may save your life at a critical moment. It is indeed a rare protective treasure!"

"Thank you, Master. I will go and thank Mr. Xue later!" Gu Yunzhou happily took the ring and put it on his hand. It was neither too big nor too small, just the right size.

Upon seeing this, Master Jia nodded with satisfaction, his smile tinged with pride and encouragement. "As it should be, this gift isn't just a material gift; it's also Master Xue's recognition and expectation of your talent. Remember, this is a rare honor within the Academy. Yunzhou, you must cherish it, continue to work hard, and don't let this high expectation down!"

By the time Gu Yunzhou came out from Master Jia's place, it was already getting dark. He did not return to his temporary residence, but turned around and went directly to Xue Daru's yard.

Different from the single rooms shared by other students of the Academy of Arts, Xue Daru, as the highest person in charge of the Academy of Arts in Qilianguan, has his own independent courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, flowers are in full bloom, and green pines and cypresses complement each other. Every detail reveals the owner's careful care, as if even the air is filled with the faint fragrance of flowers and the freshness of grass.

Gu Yunzhou gently adjusted his clothes, ensuring his appearance was spotless. Then he raised his hand and knocked on the door with just the right amount of force. "Knock knock," two crisp sounds, remarkably clear in the quiet evening.

"Come in!" A gentle and elegant voice came from inside the door, and the courtyard door opened by itself without wind.

Gu Yunzhou followed the guidance of the soft light in the room and walked forward slowly. He saw Xue Daru sitting in front of the desk, his face slightly tired, holding a letter tightly in his hand, his eyes wandering between them, as if in deep thought.

"I am Gu Yunzhou, a student, and I have come to pay my respects to Mr. Xue!" Gu Yunzhou respectfully performed the etiquette of a student. After Mr. Xue nodded slightly, he carefully chose a chair and sat down.

"Xiao Jia just mentioned that you'll be entering the land of the demons and barbarians tomorrow, and he's been eager to prepare something to protect you. He specifically asked me for it. Lately, I've been preoccupied with trivial matters, and I haven't been outside for a long time, so I'm really short of rare items. After much searching, I managed to find this Black Star Ring. I want to express my gratitude and consider it as fulfilling Xiao Jia's request." Xue Daru folded the letter and placed it in the envelope, his tone filled with resignation and apology. Then he spoke gently.

Gu Yunzhou couldn't help but feel a surge of astonishment. It turned out that this ring was something the Master had specifically requested for Xue Daru. His deepest intentions were truly moving. Touched by the painstaking effort, he became even more respectful and thanked him softly, "I deeply thank you for this generous gift, Master. I will definitely kill a few more demons to repay you and the Master's efforts!"

"That's right, young people should have such spirit. This mission will definitely not be peaceful, but you don't have to worry about your safety when you go with that kid from the Shan family. He has a lot of good things in his hands, and it's more than enough for him to protect you at the critical moment." Xue Daru smiled faintly. He was well-informed and obviously knew everything about Gu Yunzhou joining the Shan Ze team.

"Although you've just broken through to the eighth level of cultivation, your literary aura seems to be leaking out a bit, and it's hard to contain it. When you return today, why not find a quiet place to meditate and carefully savor and contemplate this scroll? By tomorrow, you'll find that the overflowing literary aura has become much more condensed."

With that, Master Xue's fingertips flickered, and a scroll, expertly tied with black string, quietly emerged from his palm. Gu Yunzhou, overjoyed, thanked him once more, then quickly seized the opportunity to pour out a few questions about his own path to cultivation: "Thank you, Master Xue, for your guidance. I have a question in my mind, and I hope you can spare some time to resolve it!"

His words showed both respect for Xue Daru and a thirst for knowledge. It must be said that Xue Daru was indeed a 4th-rank scholar. With just a few words, Gu Yunzhou suddenly understood. He stayed until the night deepened, then he apologized and left.

After returning to his residence, he first washed up. Following the instructions of Xue Daru, he slowly sat down, closed his eyes and concentrated, letting his mind return to tranquility, and visualizing the scroll that he had fixed not far in front of him with his literary aura.

On the scroll, a vivid picture of spring flowers and plants, with brocade flowers and green grass, leaps off the paper, as if one can smell the intoxicating fragrance with just a sniff. Just by staring at it, Gu Yunzhou feels as if he is already in that warm and bright spring day, surrounded by the warm spring light and vitality.

Unconsciously, Gu Yunzhou's breathing became slow, and the world in his eyes gradually changed. It seemed like a long time had passed, and it seemed like only a moment. Time at this moment seemed to become slow and long, or it was fleeting. Gu Yunzhou was immersed in the state of visualization, forgetting everything around him.

Until one moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, and felt a bright light in front of him. The sky outside the window was slightly white, and a faint white light quietly appeared on the edge of the sky, indicating that a new day was about to come.

Gu Yunzhou looked in front of him and saw that the painting was lying quietly on the ground. He entered the Wen Palace to check it out. After a careful inspection, he found that the originally chaotic literary energy had now been tightly condensed. Although it was slightly reduced in size, Gu Yunzhou could clearly feel that its inner quality was completely different from before, and it contained an indescribable depth and power.

After looking at the sky outside, Gu Yunzhou did not hesitate. He packed up all his belongings and put the important things into the Wen Palace. Then he pushed open the door and headed out of the city gate.