This immortal was clearly ordinary, yet he was unusually confident.

The first snowfall of the night arrived after dark, and I witnessed the entire process of Zhengzhuang arriving by boat.

She had always been quite curious about this Peach Blossom Immortal; she had only ever met one cultivator, Chen Chui.

For spiritual practitioners, worldly riches and honors are not very attractive, because they are often readily available to them.

Most practitioners live in seclusion in the mountains, but Chen Chui only stayed by her side because of her mother.

However, it is indeed somewhat unconventional for a practitioner like Zheng Zhuang to go against the grain and deliberately settle down in the secular world.

Especially after learning that Zheng Zhuang had feelings for her, she became even more curious, because Chen Chui had once said that cultivation is about cultivating the mind, and if one really falls in love with a mortal woman, it will definitely affect her state of mind.

This is also why Chen Chui, despite frequently visiting brothels, never married or had children.

But as a woman, even as an empress, she couldn't help but feel a little smug. Although she had many admirers, the so-called immortal was the first one.

"He's quite an interesting person!" Ye Chuxue said with a smile.

“Hehe, Fellow Daoist Zheng is indeed extraordinary. I’ve noticed something interesting: he really likes to show off… uh, flaunt! He seems to really enjoy being flattered.” Chen Chui nodded with a smile.

"Hmph, I didn't expect cultivators to be so vain," Ding Wu said disdainfully.

Ye Chuxue waved her hand and said, "Everyone has their own ambitions. Knowing that he has such interests makes it easier for us to win him over. Now that he has won two consecutive literary contests, Ye Ningshuang's conspiracy is destined to fail. 'A boat full of dreams presses down on the Milky Way'! It is indeed a good poem. If he were not a cultivator, he might have been able to become the top scholar in the imperial examination."

Chen Chui agreed, "Yes, I never expected him to have such talent. However, given the current situation, His Majesty must be unable to refuse to see him."

Ye Chuxue smiled and said, "Of course I want to meet him. I would like to get to know such an interesting person."

“But…” Chen Chui hesitated.

“Uncle Chen is overthinking it. Judging from his words and actions, he shouldn’t be the kind of person who makes trouble unreasonably,” Ye Chuxue said.

Chen Chui nodded, a strange smile appearing on his face: "That's right, Fellow Daoist Zheng is unusually confident in his appearance. I hope Your Majesty will not expose him to his face, otherwise..."

Ye Chuxue was taken aback at first, then chuckled and said, "I'll leave it at that. Let's see how this poetry gathering ends."

At the pavilion in the middle of the lake, the members of the Rising Sun delegation sensed something was wrong. Everyone could see that the second defeat was inevitable.

Instructor Li glanced at Yang Minghan, asking him with his eyes what the next step should be.

Yang Minghan sighed with a wry smile, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Meng Chang, and said:

"Yang conceded defeat in the second round, but given Mr. Zheng's current situation..."

"I'm fine!" Zheng Zhuang sat up abruptly.

A few black lines appeared on everyone's foreheads. So this guy had been acting all along!

Just then, Qin Qianqian walked to the side of the small boat and was about to drape the cloak over Zheng Zhuang's shoulders when she saw him sit up. The little girl's hand awkwardly stopped in mid-air, unsure whether to take it back or give it away.

"What do you want to do?" Zheng Zhuang asked, glancing sideways at the little girl.

"I...hum!"

The little girl immediately took back her cloak, then turned and walked away angrily.

Zheng Zhuang watched her retreating figure, and his heart warmed. This little girl was the first person in the world who had truly been kind to him. With his cultivation level, how could he possibly catch a cold? What a silly girl!

"Now that you are awake, sir, the third round of the competition can continue. What do you think, sir?"

Yang Minghan’s tone was full of fighting spirit. Since they had already lost the first two games, the outcome of the third game was no longer important. Why not go all out?

“I am unharmed!” Zheng Zhuang said.

"That's good! However, I have a request. The first two rounds were about composing poems, so how about we change the format for the third round and have a competition to compose lyrics?"

Yang Minghan had already witnessed Zheng Zhuang's poetic talent, and he felt he had no chance of winning if he continued to write poetry.

"as you wish!"

Zheng Zhuang readily agreed, secretly chuckling to himself, "You're just asking for trouble! I have several classic examples of 'freebie hunters' in my mind."

Don't be surprised, people like Liu Yong and Su Dongpo never had to pay when visiting brothels!

"Then I, Yang, will make a fool of myself!"

Having learned from his previous two experiences, Yang Minghan went straight to the desk, picked up his pen, and began to write. It would be quite unreasonable if he hadn't even touched a pen during the three competitions.

Zheng Zhuang did not stop him, wanting to see what Yang Minghan was capable of.

Yang Minghan was well-prepared and wrote it in one go:

"Green snails add to the distant mountains. Two delicate cheeks, round when smiling. Embracing clouds and hooking snow, viewed by lamplight. So beautiful that one cannot help but feel pity."

"In this life, I only wish for no parting, beneath the flowers and moon, before the embroidered screen. Like two silkworms spinning cocoons, we intertwine in tenderness. May our bond be forged in the next life."

Her hair was styled in a bun like a green snail, her eyebrows resembled distant mountains, her skin was as white as snow, her dimples were captivating, and she was shy and timid, making her all the more endearing.

I wish we could never be separated in this life, always entwined, and that we could continue our love in the next life.

Meng Chang couldn't help but sigh, "The younger generation is truly formidable! This poem is deeply moving, and the strong emotions expressed in it are overflowing. It is indeed a masterpiece."

Liu Mengchen, however, turned her gaze to Zheng Zhuang, suddenly looking forward to seeing what kind of lyrics he would compose.

Zheng Zhuang glanced through it and thought the poem was alright, but too mushy.

Having had his experience, he felt that reading it aloud himself was more effective.

With that thought, he lightly tapped his foot and flew to the top of the pavilion.

This action doesn't require much magical power; ordinary martial artists can do it using their lightness skills. So, although everyone was surprised, they didn't pay too much attention to it.

This time, Zheng Zhuang didn't use any fancy tricks. After gathering his emotions slightly, he spoke in a clear voice:

"The east wind blows at night, setting a thousand trees ablaze with blossoms. It also blows down stars like rain. The road is filled with the fragrance of precious carriages and carved horses. The sound of phoenix flutes stirs, the jade pot shines, and fish and dragons dance all night long."

Everyone was immediately stunned, and a beautiful picture appeared before their eyes, like a spring breeze blowing open a thousand trees of silver flowers, or like a rain of stars falling from the sky. The colorful carriage pulled by the BMW was filled with a wonderful fragrance, the melodious sound of the flute echoed everywhere, the bright moon gradually set in the west, and the colorful lanterns of fish and dragons danced joyfully.

Meng Chang frowned slightly. The poem was excellent, but what did it have to do with "the one he loved"?

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Zheng Zhuang's voice came again, only noticeably lower:

"Moths, willows, and golden threads. Laughter and sweet fragrance linger as they depart."

Zheng Zhuang paused, then slowly turned his head to look at a corner on the shore, his tone filled with joy:

I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd. Suddenly, I turned around, and there she was, in the dim light!

Yang Minghan's calligraphy brush had fallen to the ground without him noticing.

In that corner on the shore, Ye Chuxue suddenly clutched her chest, because just now, the golden lock left by her mother had trembled violently!