Chapter 641 - 620: Descent
"The Young Lady is here!"
Suspended in the air, Mu Chen was sizing up the crowd below. Suddenly, a shout from an unknown person drew his complete attention.
Along the main road leading to the Main Hall Square, two rows of neatly dressed Maids advanced with graceful poise. Between them walked a slender, black-haired woman in a magnificent red dress, who was undoubtedly the focus of everyone’s attention.
She walked with an elegant gait, her hands clasped before her flat stomach. Her gaze flowed, and her eyes held a spark of liveliness that had all but vanished. But even though it was faint, such a spark was still exceedingly rare in this world.
"Wow!!"
"Beautiful! So beautiful!"
"I’d give ten years of my life to marry her."
"Just ten years? I’d give up a hundred!"
"You think you’re going to live that long? Dumbass!"
"..."
Countless handsome men cried out in astonishment. Indeed, Wan Xian’Er was just that beautiful. Mu Chen, who had seen her long before, once said her beauty transcended the mortal world. It was not a matter of appearance—it was a state of being!
"So that’s the Palace Master’s daughter, Wan Xian’Er?"
Just as Tuoba Rui was raising a wine cup to his lips, his eyes fixed on the figure slowly approaching in the distance. The cup froze mid-air. Though the graceful woman wore a veil, revealing only the faintest hint of her silhouette, that glimpse alone was enough to mesmerize him.
"She’s even more beautiful than before. The only shame is that the spark in her eyes has diminished so much. It seems the blow from that incident was far, far too great for her."
Yu Wen Tuo sighed, the adoration in his eyes plain to see. It was a profound emotion, one he had cherished and kept hidden for a long time—a secret love.
Zhang Lie, in contrast, couldn’t hide the intense desire in his eyes, nor did he try. As the Young Patriarch of the Zhang Family in the City of Si Nan, he was always surrounded by stunning women. However, the moment he laid eyes on Wan Xian’Er, he realized all those so-called beauties were nothing but common trash in her presence. He felt as if he had wasted the first half of his life! His hand, hidden beneath the table, clenched into a tight fist as he chanted to himself like a madman, ’She’s mine! She’s mine! She is mine!’
Seeing Zhang Lie’s predatory expression, Yu Wen Tuo’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, and he grew wary. He was a Cauldron Master; his combat experience was certainly a notch below that of Zhang Lie and Tuoba Rui. But no matter what, he couldn’t stand the thought of Wan Xian’Er choosing Zhang Lie. ’That man is a scumbag!’
High above the Main Hall, Mu Chen had already tuned everyone else out. His gaze, fixed on Wan Xian’Er in her red dress, held nothing but tenderness and warmth. As Wan Xianzhong took in this scene, the deep-seated hatred in his heart faded somewhat.
But even though Mu Chen was the Saint Heir of the Ding Palace, Wan Xianzhong couldn’t completely erase the hatred in his heart. The reason was not Wan Xian’Er, but Xiao Ying’er. He thought back to his past: he had lost his beloved wife when Xian’Er was born, a heart-wrenching pain that led him to see Xian’Er as his everything. Now Xian’Er had a child, his granddaughter. Wan Xian’Er herself was unharmed, but the misfortune had been passed down to her child. The pain he felt from losing his wife had been transferred to Xian’Er, because now she had to bear the pain of losing her own daughter. ’They say it’s all fate!’ he thought bitterly. ’But if it weren’t for Mu Chen, if it weren’t for that accident, Xian’Er would still be her old self. At least she wouldn’t be in such pain!’
Following the Maids’ pace, Wan Xian’Er walked step-by-step onto a massive platform situated on the square. The Maids stopped, lining up on the platform and facing outwards. Wan Xian’Er did likewise. However, when she stood on a certain spot, a two-meter square section of the platform suddenly rose slowly into the air. It ascended five meters before stopping, then moved horizontally away from the main platform to float to one side.
Once the Suspended platform came to a halt, Wan Xian’Er’s captivating eyes began to sweep across the crowd. Wherever her gaze passed, the talented young men participating in the recruitment ceremony deliberately struck their most dignified poses, hoping to leave an impression on her. After all, the ceremony wasn’t just a test of strength; if Wan Xian’Er were to personally name someone, they would directly qualify.
She scanned the entire crowd, but still couldn’t find the figure she yearned for day and night. Wan Xian’Er’s expression gradually fell, and her eyes began to shimmer as if with gathering mist.
This scene was witnessed not only by everyone on the square but also by Mu Chen, Wan Xianlin, Wan Xianzhong, and all the others watching from the sky.
Mu Chen’s breath came in ragged gasps; he barely restrained himself from charging down and sweeping Wan Xian’Er away. But he didn’t want to, and he couldn’t. He, Mu Chen, was no coward! Since so many people below wanted to steal his woman, then he would let them know the consequences of daring to do so! ’Especially that Zhang Lie!’ he thought. ’His gaze has crossed a line!’
"Quiet, everyone!"
Just then, a grand and ancient voice materialized out of thin air above the platform—the voice arriving before the man. Only when everyone had fallen silent did the shimmering figure of an old man in loose robes appear in the center of the platform.
"I am the Nineteenth Elder of the Ding Palace. You may call me Elder An. I will be presiding over this recruitment ceremony, so while I am speaking, I ask that you remain silent. Otherwise, you will be expelled from the Main Hall."
After he spoke these authoritative words, the entire square fell silent. There was no doubt this Nineteenth Elder was a Saint Realm Great Power, not to mention his esteemed status in the Ding Palace. How could they dare to be anything but quiet?