“Yes, you've already slapped her face once by upstaging her here. Coldly refuse her offer, and you'll be slapping her face a second time. She will end up a mere backdrop, the butt of all jokes. This means you'll cross her, and perhaps even the whole circle of the up-and-coming generation in the Harmony Divine Palace,” Yun Xiao said.
“How should I decide, then?” Feng Yao unconsciously asked.
“Don’t ask me. Follow your heart. I’m setting you free this time,” Yun Xiao replied.
Sometimes, too much control only turned one into a puppet, robbing them of their bloom.
“Very well!” Feng Yao had made up her mind early on. She was decisive. In front of everyone, she addressed the two Valkyries. “Seniors, I'm profoundly grateful for the favor shown by you two. However, in the first phase of the selection, the Snow Lineage chose me. It’s the rule of the Harmony Divine Palace, and I dare not defy it. I hope you can understand.”
From a distance, the Moon Lemon Valkyrie watched the girl and smiled softly. She didn’t say a word. But she was certain in her heart that Feng Yao would choose her! She knew this girl was not one to seek quick gains at the expense of honor.
And rejecting Dantai Mo showed the pride and courage within her bones. She would not accept a forced choice!
With that declaration, the Harmony Divine Palace fell silent again.
Most eyes, though, were on Dantai Mo!
She seemed slightly startled. Then she smiled, retracting her hand and nodded, “You’re right. Rules are rules, they come first everywhere, even the mighty cannot break them.”
“I hope you understand, though we’re not from the same lineage, we can still communicate a lot,” Feng Yao said.
“Naturally,” Dantai Mo smiled.
“Congratulations, the Snow Lineage has been blessed today,” the Sea Storm Valkyrie, ever the diplomat, immediately offered her congratulations to the Moon Lemon Valkyrie upon Feng Yao’s choice.
However, the Frost Valkyrie had no desire to play along. She glanced at Feng Yao one more time and turned back to ascend the high platform. “The selection continues.”
“I have other matters; I’ll look for you later,” Dantai Mo said, handing a few flying talismans to Feng Yao, then smiling as she departed.
Feng Yao then spoke to the Mortal Dust Devil Seed in her heart, “I handled that pretty well, right? Gave her a graceful way out. She and her friends have no reason to target me anymore, right?”
“Little, you're still too naive,” Yun Xiao remarked.
“Cut it out, all you do is ramble on pretentiously, playing the old sage,” Feng Yao hummed, unwilling to entertain him further.
“My dear, come here,” the Moon Lemon Valkyrie beckoned to her, then asked, “So, your name is Wanyan...”
“Senior,” Feng Yao bit her lip, hesitating, “Actually, that’s just a nickname. I was orphaned, born into hardship, forced to conceal my true self.”
“I bet your dad will be thrilled to hear about that,” Yun Xiao said.
“Shut up. It's all your fault,” Feng Yao snapped.
The Moon Lemon Valkyrie, unaware of the conversation going on within her, asked, “Then what is your real name?”
“Feng Yao,” she replied. She wasn’t about to let Yun Xiao use Wanyan Guifen to mock her anymore!
The Moon Lemon Valkyrie smiled and addressed the crowd, “A name is but a label; talent is the essence. Let it be known to all present here today at the Harmony Divine Palace that the one who shines as bright as seven stars is named Feng Yao.”
This revelation stung many a celestial maiden. This devil girl seemed to have it all, but at least her name was a tragedeigh! But now, it seemed that wasn't the case either. Her actual name was perfectly normal!
Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Wan wore puzzled expressions. They had helped Feng Yao register under the name Wanyan Guifen, yet she had another? What was the situation here? Both were completely baffled.
“Feng Yao, come,” the Moon Lemon Valkyrie called.
She led her down from the test platform to stand behind her on the high stage.
“Hey, you're still holding the Harmony Crown. Let Menglan continue, there are only a few hundred candidates left,” the Frost Valkyrie said, somewhat annoyed.
“I have something to say,” the Moon Lemon Valkyrie, holding the Harmony Corona, told the crowd, “Historically, the higher one’s innate talent, the slower the stars illuminate. For seven stars to shine, it usually takes seven breaths, but for Feng Yao, it was instantaneous.”
"Since we're all departing, let's go together." The Moon Lemon Valkyrie led the disciples, both old and new, along with Feng Yao out of the Harmony Divine Palace.
▬ι══????✧⚰️✧????══ι▬
Outside the Harmony Divine Palace, within a celestial palanquin carried by 1,000 slaves... Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Wan were the first to return.
It was too embarrassing to remain outside any longer. Only within could they salvage some dignity.
"I'm furious! Absolutely furious!" Zhao Mengmeng threw her garments about, her voice venomous, "I'm going to expose her! That wretched devil was just a lover of my aunt, climbing her way up by seduction! I'll make her life miserable!"
"That's not right," Lin Wan, following behind her, furrowed her brow, "Mengmeng, I think this person isn't the original Wanyan Guifen. She might have used that identity to get us to help her register. Her background is very suspicious, maybe she's not even from the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm!"
"What?" Zhao Mengmeng's face lit up with a mix of excitement and shock. "You might be onto something! Only we know this. If it's true, and we expose it to the Ice Lineage and Sea Lineage, we'd be making a major contribution!"
"Yes, we might even turn our fortunes around..." Zhao Mengmeng's face twisted with loathing.
"No, you won't have that chance."
Suddenly, a male voice came from behind the screen.
"Who's there?" Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Wan were startled.
Yun Xiao stepped out from behind the screen, smiling at them.
They were momentarily stunned. Then, Zhao Mengmeng's face contorted with malice, her anger clouding her judgment.
"You?!" She lunged forward, growling, "A spineless slave daring to enter my celestial palanquin, you've got some nerve!"
"Yes, I have." Yun Xiao moved toward her as well.
As they closed in on each other, Yun Xiao's hand flashed, and a Flying Sword suddenly shot forth.
As Zhao Mengmeng's fury peaked, a flash of azure light crossed her vision. Then, that same light pierced through her brow.
"What?" She was confused, then pained, and slowly, she died.
"What on earth..."
The slave, he didn't even have a Corona... How could a slave dare to kill a celestial maiden. Such things didn’t happen in the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm. There were too many things she couldn't understand. But, she had no more time to think.
She collapsed into Yun Xiao's arms, and like a slippery eel, she slid down. In the process, her palm accidentally touched something colossal...
"...!" Zhao Mengmeng died in shock, after making contact with something that shouldn't exist in the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm!
"Mengmeng!" Lin Wan was instantly terrified out of her wits! She whirled around, thinking to flee, but suddenly a platinum Buddha's Treasure Spirit appeared before her!
"You're quite clever, aren't you? Just a name led you to deduce so much truth?"
A Flying Sword, Life Sigil, and Buddha's Treasure Spirit struck from three directions, instantly killing Lin Wan.
"The truth..." Lin Wan, terrified by her realization, died with her eyes wide open.
And so, the two celestial maidens died inside their tranquil celestial palanquin...
Yun Xiao collected all their possessions.
Outside, Feng Yao and a group of Harmony Divine Palace disciples were approaching.
"Hey, where are you?" she said exasperatedly to the Mortal Dust Devil Seed.
The Mortal Dust Devil Seed sent back an impatient voice. "What do you think? I was wiping your big butt for you like usual!"