Chapter 3: My Master

The day for the competition comes fast, ten (10) different personalities of immortals and fairies stand on the line in the wide yard awaiting the arrival of the God of War, Liuwen runs in rushing into the front line of an immortal but the immortal uses a magic spell and flings her out.

"Ouch!" Liuwen screams as she falls to the ground.

"What are you doing here?"

"Go kill yourself!"

"No position for you!"

The fairies and immortals snort mockingly at Liuwen; she stands and walks to the last line behind a fairy.

"God of War is here!" Ling Quan, the subordinate of Jue Chen announces as Jue Chen walks onto the higher platform majestically alongside immortal Chang, the fairies/immortals kneel and kowtow respectively saying:

"Welcome God of War!"

Jue Chen sits graciously and beckons for a rise thus everyone arises and stands upright.

Jue Chen signals Ling Quan, he faces the participants and announces loudly:

"Let the competition begin!"

Ten archery boards are placed around the central in the wide Banxue Hall, young masters hand arrows and bows to the participants and leave the hall.

"Everyone must score five points else you will be exterminated in this stage!" Ling Quan announces loudly.

The fairies and immortals prepare and start shooting the arrows straight to the boards as some miss the target.

Immortal Jin scores five points she smiles proudly as she is commanded to stand in a position followed by other fairies, Liuwen at the end scores three points thus she is annihilated to the next level.

The participants were finally five in number as the archery boards were taken away.

"Next round begins!" Ling Quan announces loudly.

A beautiful set of comfortable wooden armchairs and tables are placed sequentially and on them are tea equipment (cups, kettles). The participants bow and sit smoothly to begin the competition.

Everyone begins brewing their tea but Liuwen sits idle thinking about how to start.

Immediately Liuwen stands and rushes over to a small garden this makes Jue Chen attentively focus on her, immortal Jin notices and scoffs annoyingly. Though it's Liuwen's first time to brew tea, she prepares it gently and mildly as she grinds the leaves from the garden and steams the available water, Jue Chen for the first time smirks while immortal Chang nods slowly in approval.

"Present the tea!" Ling Quan announces loudly as they start presenting their tea courteously one after the other while Jue Chen tastes them to find the winner.

After the presentation, the five participants stand below the center and face Jue Chen, Ling Quan approaches his master and whispers.

Ling Quan takes a cup from Jue Chen's table and raises it to the participants.

"Who made this tea?" Ling Quan asks anxiously and politely.

There is a brief silence and Liuwen nervously raises her hand saying:

"Me."

"Liuwen, Immortal Jin, Immortal Lou Si and Fairy Toasi passed this round. The next round begins!" Ling Quan announces loudly as some servants clear the tables and armchairs while some young master walks in with a long tablet, they unfold it revealing beautiful calligraphy written by the ancient Lord of Heaven.

"As soon as the incense starts burning, everyone has to memorize and write down this calligraphy until the incense burns out" Ling Quan informs politely as the participants start memorizing, the calligraphy is indeed difficult to write even after memorizing.

The participants take their writing brushes to start writing after some minutes of memorizing but Liuwen sits idle staring at others for aside from being kind she has never held a brush before as she hates writing, immortal Jin on seeing the current state smirks happily.

"Why isn't she writing?" Immortal Chang asks anxiously as he uses his hand fan to cool himself, Jue Chen ignores him while staring at Liuwen attentively.

All this time Liuwen has been watching the way others hold their brush and write thus she takes her brush and starts writing, Jue Chen smirks.

The calligraphy she had memorized comes into her memory like pictures as she writes impatiently.

"Wait- -- what's happening?" Immortal Chang asks with a surprised facial expression while Jue Chen nods slowly in admiration.

The incense finally burns out.

"Stop!" Ling Quan announces loudly, the participants present their works on a large table and stand at a distance.

Jue Chen, immortal Chang, and Ling Quan walk down to the lower platform. Jue Chen takes a red brush and inspects the writings. Except for Liuwen, everyone's calligraphy has errors and mistakes.

"She won." Jue Chen informs confidently with power as he drops the brush and leaves the hall.

"Keep it up." Immortal Chang beckons at Liuwen and follows Jue Chen, the remaining participants mutter sadly to themselves.

"I won, this is surreal," Liuwen said happily to herself as she left the yard.

<><><><><>

Liuwen has finally gained freedom and was asked to move into the Qinwen Palace.

For decades aside from heavenly royalties, no uninvited immortals, deities or fairies have ever stayed in Qinwen Palace, it's a chamber made for Jue Chen alone.

As the news spread viral in the realm, fairies and immortals burn in jealousy and depression.

"Unbelievable Liuwen, I won't be seeing you often" Chu and Liuwen discuss while walking into the peach garden.

"I will miss my peach tree so much, Chu once it blooms make sure to notify me" Liuwen climbs the peach tree and sits on the branch.

"You should be getting ready to leave, master prepared an elixir for you," Chu informs smiling and Liuwen jumps down from the tree.

"Master is very nice to me, can I ever repay her?" they start walking out of the peach garden.

"Be good in heaven," Chu responds with a bright smile.

Liuwen arrives at Qinwen Palace and nervously walks in the hallway admiring beautiful trees, heavenly streams, and golden mansions.

"Fairy Liuwen." Ling Quan approaches her with a smile and she responds with a nod.

"Come with me, I will take you to your personal manor," Ling Quan said politely as he leads the way, Liuwen follows suit.

"Where is the God of War?" Liuwen asks anxiously after she has dropped off her belongings.

"He is in his study." Ling Quan informs bluntly and before a blink of an eye, Liuwen leaves the room heading to Jue Chen's study.

The study hall is located in an isolated area at Qinwen Palace; Liuwen announces her arrival and walks into the large hall. Jue Chen immediately hid the ancient tablet in his hand.

"What are you doing here? Who allowed you to trespass?" Jue Chen asks angrily and she shivers in fear.