"Bang, bang, bang..." A burst of enthusiastic applause.
The crowd murmured amongst themselves: "Sky matches earth, rain matches wind, continent matches sky, mountain flowers match sea trees, blazing sun matches azure firmament!"
"Such symmetry!"...
The clerk nodded repeatedly: "It seems this year's Poetry Couplet Competition is quite interesting."
Liao Rusheng said: "Qiong Chi? You have some skill, but it's only to this extent, isn't it?"
Ming Zhi Tian sneered: "Such simple couplets, I could recite them backward when I was in first grade. Can we have something more challenging?"
"Madman!" Liao Rusheng declared, "Next, I, Liao Rusheng, will teach you how to behave. I will make you lose miserably!"
Ming Zhi Tian said: "Bring it on, son."
Liao Rusheng was greatly angered and flicked his fan, proclaiming: "Return to life, return to truth, return to nature!"
Ming Zhi Tian stood firm with his arms crossed: "Dawn is ahead, our mission is in our hearts, the heavy responsibility is on our shoulders."
Liao Rusheng: "Think first, act first, step first!"
Ming Zhi Tian: "Walk towards dreams, choose the best, seize the opportunity."
Liao Rusheng pondered: "Accompanying solitude, braving wind and snow, honored by dedication!"
Ming Zhi Tian responded fluently: "Enlightened the thinking, learned the methods, found the direction."
Liao Rusheng thought for several minutes: "Stand on the main battlefield, hold the main position, broaden the main platform!"
Ming Zhi Tian still responded fluently: "The ignorant are fearless, the apathetic are unmerciful, the unmerciful are heartless."
Liao Rusheng: "Bad atmosphere drives people away, clean and upright atmosphere retains people, integrity and uprightness earn respect!"
Ming Zhi Tian's mind spun rapidly: "Got it! What is built with combined strength is invincible, what is accomplished with collective wisdom is attainable, what is won with united hearts is assured."
Liao Rusheng's expression became tense, sweat beading on his brow. He thought: "How is this possible? How is this possible? How can I lose? Who exactly are you?!"
The final killing blow! "A sense of responsibility as if treading on thin ice, a sense of urgency like Mount Tai pressing down, a sense of glory like the bugle call to advance!"
Ming Zhi Tian waved his hand: "A visual epic that gathers energy, a magnificent epochal coordinate, an indomitable spirit of struggle."
"Ahhh! Impossible!" Liao Rusheng covered his head with his hands, pulling at his hair in frustration!
Ming Zhi Tian looked up and sneered: "Is that all? It's my turn to set the questions."
"Decide by slapping one's head, guarantee by patting one's chest, agree by clapping one's hands.
Learn the sentiment of physicians, pay tribute to the benevolent hearts of physicians, praise the integrity of physicians.
Lead with role models around, call with solemn ceremonies, inspire with humanistic care.
Honor is the life of a soldier, merit is the desire of a soldier, the battlefield is the dream of a soldier.
Witness the exemplary demeanor, feel the glory of role models, learn from the spirit of role models.
How the dragon's head moves, how the dragon's body undulates, how the dragon's tail whips!"
Liao Rusheng: "I... I... I..."
Ming Zhi Tian continued to sneer: "What? Can't think of a single one? Your capacity is only enough to hold half a flask of weak ink."
The clerk rejoiced greatly... "Congratulations to Mr. Qiong Chi for winning the championship of this quadrennial Poetry Couplet Competition! Mr. Qiong Chi will be the Poetry Sage of the Demon Spirit City for the next four years! Congratulations!"
Ming Zhi Tian received his reward: ten sixteen-year-old daughters from impoverished families unable to pay taxes, to serve him for life.
However, he shook his head and released the ten women: "Go back. I told you, your lives are your own, not belonging to anyone else."
The ten women were bewildered but terrified. Having finally been saved, they said, "Thank you," and quickly fled.