A clash between masters

All eyes followed the sound, and to their surprise, it was a handsome, refined young man, seemingly not yet twenty. Under everyone's gaze, he ascended the stage step by step.

Ye Qianran had always held herself in high esteem, confident in both her talents and appearance. Encountering a formidable opponent naturally stirred in her the desire to compete, all the more since she was intensely curious about Gu Qingcheng. The legendary "Celestial Immortal Descends From Beyond" dance was something she had long admired, and so she dared to take this chance, convinced her talent was no less than Gu Qingcheng's.

Gu Qingcheng carefully pondered the reply to her couplet. The answer was so perfectly matched that she couldn't help but view the newcomer in a new light. She had thought her couplet to be a challenge for the ages, never expecting someone to solve it so easily. Her gaze lingered on the youth: plain, rough servant’s clothes, eyes clear as spring water, skin smooth as jade, a refined brow and delicate features. Though she feigned masculine airs, Gu Qingcheng instantly recognized her as a woman. After all, the brothel was full of men; she was well-practiced in distinguishing between the sexes. Gu Qingcheng watched her impassively, recalling the wager she had made with Wei Zhuang before taking the stage.

At that time, Wei Zhuang had just lifted the curtain to peer outside. Whatever he saw brought a glimmer of amusement to his unfathomable eyes. He turned back with a smile and said, “Qingcheng, I’m afraid you won’t escape this time.”

Gu Qingcheng was pouring tea for him when she heard this. Raising an eyebrow with interest, she asked, “Whom did you see that gives you such confidence, sir?”

Wei Zhuang only smiled, saying nothing as he raised his teacup and took a sip. As if struck by a delightful thought, he laughed softly. “Why don’t we make a wager?”

“What shall we bet?”

“I wager that tonight, you will have to perform the Celestial Immortal Descends From Beyond. And if, by chance, I win, you must help me keep the one who answers the riddle. How about it?”

“Oh?” Gu Qingcheng arched a brow. “And what use do you have for him?”

Wei Zhuang smiled without answering.

Reflecting now, could it be that the person he spoke of was this very girl? Gu Qingcheng smiled, finding it unlikely. She had always been confident that no one could surpass all three challenges, yet Wei Zhuang’s judgment was rarely wrong. This left her uncertain, even a little intrigued.

On the second floor, Wei Zhuang watched the stage with great interest. It was a rare spectacle—celebrated beauties of the capital in contest, masters pitting their skills. The audience below was lucky to witness such a scene, though few truly understood its depths. Wei Zhuang felt a touch of pride, as if he alone knew the secret location of treasure in a desert everyone else only knew existed.

In an elegant box on the second floor, another man also watched the stage intently. In fact, all eyes were fixed there, but while the crowd cared for the outcome, only Wei Zhuang and this man watched a particular person.

This man was Zhuge Liuyun.

Ye An, seeing his younger sister come to the rescue on stage, was both surprised and delighted. “Cousin, is that you?”

Ye Qianran could only smile wryly—her brother was truly an actor. Ye An threw an arm around her shoulders and introduced her, “This is my cousin, Ye... Ye Xin.” Then, turning to Ye Qianran, he said, “Since you wish to win Miss Qingcheng’s favor, I’ll let you have this chance. Don’t let me down!” He gave her a conspiratorial wink and left the stage.

Ye Qianran nodded slightly by way of greeting. Gu Qingcheng returned the gesture with a graceful bow, her eyes sweeping over her several times before she smiled and said, “No one has ever matched this couplet so perfectly. You are truly talented—I am impressed.”

Ye Qianran replied modestly, “You flatter me. Perhaps it will be more fitting to admire me after I have passed all three challenges.”

Gu Qingcheng was momentarily taken aback. The words were perfectly poised—any more would sound arrogant, any less would be false modesty. She thought secretly: today, at last, I have met my match.

Her smile deepened as she clapped her hands. Immediately, a servant brought out a square rosewood table, and a maid placed a wine jug and cups upon it. Ye Qianran was unsure of the intent. Gu Qingcheng, smiling, walked to the table, picked up the wine jug, and poured wine into a cup. Ye Qianran wondered if the challenge could be as simple as drinking wine. To her surprise, she was right—except this wine cup was no ordinary one. The peculiarity was that the cup was filled to the brim but did not overflow. The wine seemed ready to spill, yet did not. However, the slightest disturbance would cause it to run over immediately.

Unable to see clearly from the floor, the crowd craned their necks. Gu Qingcheng explained with a smile, “This challenge is for the young master to drink the entire cup of wine without spilling a single drop. If you can do that, you will have passed this trial.”

The audience burst into laughter and heckling. So simple! Many boasted they could easily do it. At Gu Qingcheng’s signal, her maid selected several of the loudest guests to try. Once on stage, they realized the difficulty. Gu Qingcheng explained, “Each cup holds at most one tael, two fen, and four qian of wine. If filled any fuller, it will overflow. As soon as you touch the cup, the wine will spill. If you don’t believe it, try.”

The men tried in turn, but couldn’t so much as lift the cup without spilling wine, let alone drink from it. No matter how they attempted, the wine overflowed. The hall erupted again. Ye An, standing beside Meng Lanyi, whispered, “Do you think my sister can pass this test?”

Meng Lanyi’s face was expressionless, her voice cold. “I’m not your sister. How would I know?”

Ye An was momentarily stunned, then recovered and smiled. “Are you angry that I came here today?”

Meng Lanyi’s lips curved in a mocking smile, though her voice remained icy. “Ye An, you really flatter yourself.”

Ye An stiffened. More and more, he found her impossible to understand. Sometimes she seemed warm and receptive to his feelings; other times, she was icy and trampled his affections. He had once thought he knew her well, but the more he interacted with her, the more she became a mystery. Why was she sometimes so warm, and at others cold as an ice sculpture?

A wounded look flickered in his dark eyes. He forced a bitter smile and said in a low, hoarse voice, “It doesn’t matter what you say. I’m used to it.”

Meng Lanyi’s face remained unmoved, a flicker of light passing through her eyes before she returned to calm.

On stage, Ye Qianran saw the hint of provocation on Gu Qingcheng’s lips and smiled inwardly. This challenge might stump most, but not her. In her youth, she had traveled with her grandfather and encountered many legendary people and events. Once, someone had explained the principle of “full but not overflowing” water to her. Today, it was wine instead of water; the principle was the same. A sly smile formed at her lips as she asked, “Might I trouble you for some cinnamon?”

Gu Qingcheng was puzzled but ordered it brought. Ye Qianran pinched a tiny amount of cinnamon powder and sprinkled it into the wine. The wine did not overflow.

Gu Qingcheng watched the cup intently, as did the audience, who crowded around the stage. Once the powder had fully dissolved, Ye Qianran carefully lifted the cup; it rose from the table without a drop being spilled. Calmly, she drank the wine.

Applause and cheers erupted as the audience returned to their seats.

Ye Qianran smiled as she explained, “It is not difficult. The wine’s surface tension can be increased by adding substances to it. I added cinnamon to increase the surface tension, making it easy to lift the cup without spilling.”

Gu Qingcheng smiled approvingly, though her heart admitted she had underestimated her opponent. Not simple at all. Still, Gu Qingcheng was confident the third challenge would be insurmountable. This test was simple, easily solved, but few understood that the answer was so straightforward.

Ye Qianran turned and smiled at her. “Forgive my display, Miss. I hope it did not offend.”

Gu Qingcheng smiled with pursed lips, giving Ye Qianran a strange look she did not quite understand. Gu Qingcheng clapped her hands again, and this time a painting was brought forth. The maid unfurled it to reveal a maze, its paths crisscrossing in dizzying confusion. With her most charming smile and gentle voice, Gu Qingcheng explained, “This is a maze diagram. The challenge is to trace a path out of it in a single stroke, without retracing your steps.” With a graceful bow, she added, “If you can pass this challenge, I will gladly perform the Celestial Immortal Descends From Beyond in honor of your skill.”

Her words were courteous, but to Ye Qianran, they were clearly a provocation. It was as if she knew Ye Qianran could not pass this final hurdle and was already adopting a gracious pose in victory. As Gu Qingcheng rose, Ye Qianran caught a flash of triumph at the corner of her lips.

Ye Qianran tightened her hand and took a deep breath. Having come this far, she was determined to see it through to the end. She wanted Gu Qingcheng to dance for her—and there was pride at stake too. Until now, she had never had the chance to compete with Gu Qingcheng, never known who was truly superior. Now that the opportunity had come, she could not allow herself to lose. Both hailed as peerless beauties—if she lost here, she would have to accept inferiority. But she would never let that happen; she would always strive to be the best.

It is only when one meets a true rival that one’s competitive spirit is truly awakened, only then discovering that beneath a calm and serene exterior lies a fierce will to win.

Wei Zhuang’s eyes never left her. Every gesture, every expression—none could escape his keen gaze.