*Twang!*
Xi Shen missed played a note due to the bellowing shout that suddenly echoed from outside.
The entire hall became silent and a few people’s expressions turned venomous as stared at the entrance of the hall.
In the outside world, droves of people leaped off the ships and fly into the air before entering the Imperial Palace.
These people showed no regard for where they were, it was a blatant disrespect to the Li Clan Royal Family.
Guest they maybe, but barging into someone else’s home and bellowing out your presence would get the home owner to look at you with ire.
In the lead of these droves of people was an old man. He looked to be around his late sixties, but cultivators with his appearance could only mean that his cultivation was very profound.
Walking just behind him was a group of youths that were curiously looking around the hall, specifically at the people around their age. They seemed to be probing them more than anything.
In the lead of these youth was an otherworldly handsome young man, that looked around his mid-twenties. His bearing was immaculate and could even put most male competitors to shame when they stand next to him.
The announcer by the door saw the sword insignia on this first group of peoples’ left chest and his expression stiffened before he yelled, “The Representatives of the Profound Sword Sect have arrived!!”
After the first group entered the hall, the others soon followed.
The announcer going from his memory announced the various sects from the Star Bound Continent.
The seven that stuck out the most, and looked like the main focus of the entire group from the Star Bound Continent were, the Profound Sword Sect, the Heavenly Pillar Sect, the High Mountain Sect, the Solitary River Sect, the Seven Poisons Sect, the Shifting Cloud Sect, and the Silver Moon Sect.
Each group had an elder accompanying them along with young talents from their Sects.
Xi Shen who was annoyed that he was interrupted had laid his hand flat on his zither strings while watching these people unabashedly saunter into the hall.
Their demeanor and attitude had no semblance of tact and it seems to them where they were walking was no different than a cow shed.
The indifferent gaze of the elder in front, the arrogance, and haughtiness prominent in the youths’ eyes as they look at people like Ming Shiming, Sun Donghai, and Yang Su as well as the others. It showed that they had not a ounce of respect for where they were.
Xi Shen suddenly looked over the crowd once again.
He looked at the various powers on the Maple Continent. He could tell each of them from their chosen attire.
The Seven Major Clans, the various academies that made up the Academy Alliance, the black robed individuals who Xi Shen suspected to be from the Mercenary Association, as well as the Noble Families loyal to the Crown.
When he first looked at them, the spacing between each other was quite visible. There was a sort of tension between them that caused the atmosphere in the hall to feel like some deep-rooted conflict was boiling under the surface.
And that wasn't a surprise since in the outside world these powers were at the top of the hierarchy and were in constant conflict with each other.
Now that they were in one room together, albeit they were being respectful in the presence of the Emperor, the tension between them was still palpable.
However, when these people from the Star Bound Continent came, the atmosphere instantly shifted.
It was so noticeable that Xi Shen couldn’t help but sense it immediately.
Gone was the tension between these behemoths and small powers. The only thing that remained was a single concise notion between them.
‘These are our enemies.’
These people who were always in conflict over resources or personal and political interests, all unanimously agreed to put their differences aside and welcome these conceited outsiders with hostility and repulsion.
While Xi Shen observe this scene, he marveled in his heart. There was actually a sense of comradely buried deep within these people, but only showed itself when an outside force enters their Continent.
Xi Shen wondered how that was possible. With all the scheming and conniving plans being carried out, how can they so easily come together to oppose an enemy?
Glancing from the crowd Xi Shen observed the people of the Star Bound Continent as they walked forward.
He saw it.
‘Our Continent is ruled by a single monarchy. Under this single power, we can gather up our forces that were once clashing against each other. But…’
Xi Shen looked at the indifference the various sects from the Star Bound Continent showed for each other.
Their power distribution was shared between more than one Sect. Even in this situation, although they were together they weren't united at all. The string that held them together was barely able to remain in place, and that string was the Profound Sword Sect.
As these people draw closer to him, his gaze moved from the arrogant-looking Elder from the Profound Sword Sect to stop on the handsome young man.
‘What a handsome guy. I mean I’m quite handsome myself, but jeez his face looked like it was taken right out of a portrait.’
Xi Shen's gaze then left the handsome young man to stop at the haughty youths behind him.
Xi Shen’s eyes stop on the only youth that looked relatively calm out of the group. He didn't look at the other geniuses from the Maple Continent with arrogance or haughtiness, but with nonchalance. However, that nonchalance came off as complete indifference.
'Being arrogant without trying to be arrogant. What a mastery of being conceited. This is the essence of being completely and utterly shamelessly arrogant.'
Xi Shen couldn't help but marvel at this youth's behavior. He also wondered where this confidence of his came from.
Was it his status? His power? His talents?
Xi Shen was a bit curious about this fellow man who also cultivates the art of being shameless. His skill was higher than his own, and the ease at which he displayed it was just too impeccable.
Xi Shen also realized the youth had similar facial features as the handsome young man, albeit, he wasn’t as handsome.
‘A brother?’
As Xi Shen thought that, his gaze was about to leave the Profound Sword Sect to observe the other groups, but he suddenly saw someone that made his body freeze and caused his neutral expression to completely disappear to be replaced with a deep-rooted look of shock.
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
Xi Shen’s heart speed up and he could hear it banging against his chest.
“Maivilin…?”
Xi Shen softly muttered as he looked at the only girl within the group of youths from the Profound Sword Sect.
There was quite some distance between her and the others, and she was walking side by side with the handsome young man.
This was a tell her status among them was several ranks higher.
But what was very eye-catching was her looks. It was no less than the handsome young man’s own.
Several young and slightly older males from the Maple Continent would gawk at her as she walked by.
“Wow, who is that, how can there be someone so beautiful in this world?”
“My eyes have been bless, kill me now. I don’t think I’ll ever find anything more beautiful than her, I might as well die.”
Exaggerated murmurs like these came from the crowd, as more and more youths got entranced by this girl's beauty.
She didn’t wear the Profound Sword Sect’s disciple robes, instead, she was in a deep blue dress that cascaded down to the marble tiled floor like a naturally flowing river.
This complimented her light blue hair that flowed behind her to reach her lower back.
But even with these otherworldly features on this one beautiful girl, what stood out the most was her sapphire blue and sapphire red pupils that radiated extremely coldness and indifference.
Since entering this hall she hadn’t once let go of such an expression. Even as her gaze met the Emperor’s, her expression remained the same, as if nothing in this world could warrant her expression to change. Not even someone of power and status as Li Shu.
Also, it seemed like if she was placed in front of a mighty existence like a God, her expression would still remain aloof and indifferent.
Such an emotionless display of unchanging indifference could be considered arrogant, but for some reason for her, it looked like the most natural thing in the world.
Xi Shen took in everything in detail about this girl and despite everything else looking unfamiliar, her face was something that have been carved into his heart.
Even if he were to die a million more times he would never be able to forget the face of the person he fell in love with.
The face of the person he once yarned for.
The face of the person that completely broke his heart and caused him to become a train wreck of a person even in this life.
After his initial surprise, Xi Shen became annoyed. He didn’t know who this girl was but he instantly didn’t like her.
Having the face of that person had completely killed any good feelings he could have developed for her.
It wasn’t anything personal, but who told her to go ahead and be born with that face?
As beautiful as it may be, Xi Shen found it repulsive.
Xi Shen’s eyes removed themselves from the girl and lowered it down to his zither. He let out a breath of air to calm his emotions.
‘It's a coincidence, just forget, forget, forget….’
Xi Shen started chanting in his mind, hoping to erase the unpleasant memories that were being dragged up because of this girl.
Reaching the end of the hall, the elder of the Profound Sword Sect cupped his fist and attempted to look respectful as he said, “Greetings to Emperor Shu, I am Elder Long, the representative of the Profound Sword Sect and I speak on behalf of everyone from the Star Bound Continent when I say we are honored to have been allowed to attend the Second Prince’s Coming of Age celebration.”
After Elder Long said that, the handsome young man behind him step forward and after cupping his fists he bowed, unlike Elder Long, before saying, “Emperor Shu, it is an honor for me to be here on the Maple Continent. My name is Lu Xue Feng and I am the current Legacy Disciple of the Profound Sword Sect. As the main representative for the younger generation from the Star Bound Continent, we humbly thank you for allowing us to attend the Second Prince’s birthday and Coming of Age celebration.”
A few people in the crowd were taken aback by this young man’s words. He was unlike the others who were filled with haughtiness and arrogance.
He was smart as well.
As soon as the youths from the Star Bound Continent saw Lu Xue Feng being so humble, their haughtiness lessen a bit.
If someone like him was acting as such, they were in no position to act all arrogant.
Seeing that the momentum he had built up was being squashed, Elder Long frown a bit.
‘Enough of this posturing Elder Long. It is of no use to antagonize the people of the Maple Continent when it is us that is requesting their cooperation. Put away your pride and arrogance.’
Those last words from Lu Xue Feng came with a stern gaze. Elder Long despite being an elder had no choice but to heed his command and rein in the bit of Nascent Soul Realm cultivation he was leaking on purpose.
Emperor Li Shu saw this exchange and his curiosity towards Lu Xue Feng peaked.
“No need to stand on ceremonies. I allowed you here because you have a proposal you wish to request from me?”
Lu Xue Feng took over Elder Long’s position and he replied, “Yes, Emperor Shu, indeed we have a request.”
“Then go ahead and say it, it’s best to get it out of the way before moving on to my son’s celebration without any troubles.”
Lu Xue Feng nodded in response before he motioned to the beautiful girl behind him.
As she stepped forward next to him Lu Xue Feng introduced her.
“This is my little sister, her name is Lu Yue. On behalf of our Lu Clan, we formally propose a marriage alliance between her and the Second Prince.”
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