Although Yan Zhi was full of gossip, she had official duties to attend to, and since Xue Ying was a family member of the person involved, the matter was set aside for the time being.
After the Dragon King fell ill, the crown prince was still young, while the other dragon princes and princesses were in their prime. As an outsider by marriage, logic would dictate that a palace intrigue should unfold. Yet, surprisingly, none of them made a move. They simply carried on with their lives, eating and drinking as usual.
One princess even comforted Yan Zhi, “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it after a few more times.”
Before Ao Fugui was born, the Dragon King would frequently collapse, his aged face powdered with lead to conceal his true lineage.
Compared to the bedridden Dragon King, the Dragon Princess was more concerned about the heartbroken Ao Fugui. She specially summoned Yan Zhi and confided in her, “My brother is the Crown Prince of the East Sea, the true Son of Heaven, a reincarnation of the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon. In the future, he will unite the Dao Realm, challenge the Demon Realm, crush the Phoenix Clan with his fists, and trample the Cangwu with his feet. What do you think, Prime Minister?”
Though Yan Zhi didn’t quite understand what the Dragon Princess was talking about, she still affirmed her conviction. Sometimes, it’s not about whether you dream big—it’s about whether you dare to dream at all. “Your Highness speaks wisely.”
Thus emboldened, the once-lazy Dragon Princess straightened her back and declared, “Where is the Prime Minister?”
“Yan Zhi is here!”
“Now, immediately, find me hundreds—no, thousands—of beautiful women. They must have ample bosoms. Those without need not apply. We must soothe my brother’s wounded heart.”
“Yan Zhi…”
The Dragon Princess glared at her. “Did I say something wrong? My brother’s heart has been shattered by that witch. He’s despondent, unable to eat or drink. Now, with our father unconscious and our elder brothers plotting, the East Sea teeters on the brink of collapse. The only solution is to awaken my brother and have him hold up this crumbling family. Prime Minister, do you think I’m wrong?”
Yan Zhi wanted to argue but found her reasoning sound. “But selecting beauties…”
It didn’t sound like something an upright dragon would do.
“What do you know?” The Dragon Princess slammed the table. “A great king, one destined to inherit the throne, should have no weaknesses—especially not when it comes to women. If you fall in one place, you must rise from the same place. So what if they’re seductive temptresses? Find hundreds, thousands of them! Grind the iron rod into a needle. My brother’s heart will harden like steel, and he’ll never love again.”
Xue Ying, who had been listening, couldn’t help but marvel. “Your dragon clan even understands desensitization therapy. So sophisticated! Truly befitting an ancient noble lineage.”
Yan Zhi: “…”
No, she was pretty sure the princess was just looking for entertainment.
In the end, the steadfast Yan Zhi, holding high the banner of the East Sea Dragon Clan, set off to select beauties.
That night, Yan Zhi poured her heart out to Xue Ying, clutching a wine jar and weeping. “For the sake of the dragon clan, even if I bear the infamy of generations and become a sycophantic minister, my heart remains unchanged.”
Xue Ying didn’t understand her anguish. “It’s just selecting beauties. How bad can it be?”
Yan Zhi grabbed Xue Ying’s collar, her eyes red. “What do you know? It’s an insult to my character, a trampling of my dignity. I’m no longer a pure and loyal minister!”
Xue Ying nodded, summarizing for her. “So… you’re tainted now.”
She had once stripped away all pretenses, baring her true self before the swordsman, hoping for comfort—only to be mercilessly mocked.
Yan Zhi shrieked, “Shut up!”
Regardless, the selection of beauties proceeded with great fanfare.
The Dragon Princess, brimming with enthusiasm, dragged the lifeless Ao Fugui into the activity. As the saying goes, “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” With the Dragon King absent, the princess converted the grand hall for court assemblies into an audition stage, serving as a judge alongside her siblings.
Xue Ying felt that since she was being paid, she ought to contribute. But now, it seemed the grand palace intrigue she’d expected wasn’t happening. Surveying the newly transformed audition venue, surrounded by stunning beauties, she watched as the Dragon Princess delivered a passionate speech on the benefits of joining the dragon clan. “If you can’t make it as an idol, you can always return as a crown princess. A foolproof deal!” The crowd erupted in cheers, the girls’ eyes sparkling with excitement. Even Xue Ying was swept up in the fervor, her blood boiling with enthusiasm. She approached a staff member and whispered, “Are you hiring security guards?”
Two salaries for one job—perfect!
Yan Zhi had never anticipated the Dragon Princess would turn this into an entertainment spectacle. Furious, she confronted her. “This is outrageous! The main hall is a sacred place for imperial ceremonies. How can it be defiled by outsiders?”
And it was as noisy as a marketplace!
The Dragon Princess raised her voice even louder. “What else should we tell them? That we’re selecting concubines? If such decadence were to spread, what would become of my father’s reputation? Of the crown prince’s dignity?”
Not only was her voice louder, but she was also taller. With her long dragon tail propping her up, she towered over Yan Zhi, looking down on her literally and figuratively.
Yan Zhi was livid. The Dragon Princess was the one who proposed selecting beauties, yet now she condemned it as decadent. She had taken both sides, leaving Yan Zhi in an impossible position.
“As a crown princess, she must not only be beautiful but also intelligent. After all, she will one day rule a sea. A pretty face alone isn’t enough. But an idol is different—she must excel in talent, win the hearts of mentors, and, most importantly, emerge victorious from fierce competition. By then, she will no longer be the naive, kind girl she once was.”
The Dragon Princess pressed a hand to her chest, gazing at the scallop-shaped ceiling at a 45-degree angle, tears glistening in her eyes. “I’m doing this for her own good. Through this competition, she’ll glimpse the dangers of palace life in advance. If she grows weary, she can still walk away. It’s laughable—in this dragon palace, who among us is truly pure?”
Yan Zhi’s mind unhelpfully echoed Xue Ying’s words: “You’re tainted now.” She forced a strained smile. “Your Highness is far-sighted. Yan Zhi is too narrow-minded.”
The Dragon Princess toyed with her seaweed-like hair. “I don’t blame you. After all, long hair means short-sightedness—and your hair is even longer than mine.”
Yan Zhi: *I’ll strangle you.*
To fully dispel Yan Zhi’s concerns, the Dragon Princess continued persuasively, “Prime Minister, my brother is the true Son of Heaven. One day, he will unite the four realms. To know your enemy and yourself is the key to victory. Our dragon clan has long secluded itself in the East Sea, ignorant of the changes in the Dao Realm. We need a pioneer to scout the way—someone who isn’t a dragon, lest the sects grow wary, yet not too distant, lest we lose control. A crown princess would be perfect. Besides, I’ve heard that in the Knowledge Realm, a saintess carved out her own domain through sheer ability. With such a precedent, replicating a second saintess shouldn’t be difficult.”
After this speech, Yan Zhi had no further objections. She bowed. “As you command.”
With internal conflicts resolved, the talent show proceeded smoothly. The day of the elimination rounds arrived, with contestants from across the seas gathering in the dragon palace, preparing for the upcoming Top 64.
On stage, the atmosphere was electric. The previous contestant, an octopus shapeshifter, had single-handedly (or rather, single-tentacledly) hosted a full concert. The audience erupted in applause, while backstage, the remaining contestants wore grim expressions. Feng Yuemian gnawed at his fingernails, his beautiful face twisted with murderous intent.
To think that he, the mighty Phoenix King, had been reduced to performing for dragons. If word got out, it would be utterly humiliating.
But if the dragons marched into the Demon Realm with the Five-Colored Divine Feather, it wouldn’t be a laughing matter—it would be a question of how many years it took for fossils to form.
Ever since Qiuqiu gifted the feather to Yunmengze, Feng Yuemian had been uneasy, stationing birds to keep watch. He had planned to seize it back someday, but he never expected Yunmengze to auction it publicly—with dragons involved, no less.
Just as Feng Yuemian’s heart sank, he heard that the overbearing CEO of Taichu Sect had won the bid. The antics of Ao Fugui had amused him briefly—until news arrived that Taixuan Sect disciple Xue Ying had fled to the East Sea with the feather, enraging Taichu Sect.
Feng Yuemian’s smile vanished instantly.
Whether it was a tale of romance or rivalry, the fact remained: the Five-Colored Divine Feather was now in dragon hands.
In Feng Yuemian’s mind, a simple equation formed: He was Qiuqiu’s emergency food supply. The feather belonged to Qiuqiu. Therefore, by transitive property, the feather belonged to the phoenix clan.
How could a phoenix treasure fall into dragon claws?
For all these reasons, Feng Yuemian was determined to reclaim the feather. But a phoenix out of water was worse than a chicken, and his combat prowess plummeted in the sea. Since brute force wouldn’t work, he had to rely on wit.
Hence, his participation in the talent show.
Relying on his looks alone, he had advanced this far. But as he watched the other contestants showcase their talents, Feng Yuemian grew restless.
He was afraid of being eliminated.
Another contestant took the stage—a mermaid whose singing enchanted the entire hall. Feng Yuemian fidgeted, desperate for a distraction.
The pride of the phoenix clan made him picky. After dismissing the other contestants, his gaze landed on Cen Wuwang, sitting quietly in a corner.
He remembered this little sprite—nothing particularly impressive, just some flashy swordplay that had intrigued the judges enough to keep her.
Unlike him, Feng Yuemian, who excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, who could sing and dance, whose beauty and voice had already won him fans.
Smug, he adopted the persona of a caring elder sister and sat beside Cen Wuwang, whispering gently, “Are you scared?”
Cen Wuwang’s eyes lingered on Feng Yuemian’s ample chest, suddenly understanding something.
“Not really.”
He wasn’t here to compete—just to hitch a free ride.
The dragons were incredibly generous. The show provided three meals a day and round-trip transportation, a far cry from Cen Wuwang’s original plan to swim to the dragon palace.
Feng Yuemian scoffed. *Not scared? More like emotionally numb.* He put on a bright smile, unsure if he was comforting Cen Wuwang or himself.
“Don’t worry. There’s always someone better. Making it this far proves you’re already outstanding. The rest is up to fate.”
*See? I’m prettier than you.*
He then scrutinized Cen Wuwang’s attire. *Poor thing, wearing the same pink dress over and over. Not like me—my wardrobe’s bursting with outfits.*
“You know, I envy you. Your determination to move forward, never looking back. If you lose, you accept it gracefully and start anew. Not like me—I have only one path: debut. If I fail, I’ll have to return and inherit the family business.”
He took Cen Wuwang’s hand, flashing a dazzling yet anxious smile. “You don’t think I talk too much, do you?”
Every sprite present had sharp ears, and Feng Yuemian’s words didn’t go unnoticed. Many rolled their eyes, openly or not.
*Typical phoenix arrogance.* Cen Wuwang considered comforting him. “No.”
Then added, “I once had a billion-yuan inheritance waiting for me. I understand.”
Feng Yuemian: “…”
Some sprites burst into laughter. Feng Yuemian choked on his words, but before he could retort, a little turtle called for Cen Wuwang.
As Cen Wuwang stood to leave, he kindly reminded Feng Yuemian, “Your chest padding is too high.”
Seeing Feng Yuemian’s dark expression, others quickly restrained him. “Brother Chicken, let it go.”
Feng Yuemian erupted. “What did you call me?!”
The offender shrank back. “A phoenix out of water is worse than a chicken. But you’re the king—even out of water, you’re still better than a chicken.”
Feng Yuemian: “…You’re the chicken! Your whole family is chickens!”
After beating up the insolent featherless fowl, Feng Yuemian stuffed more padding into his dress and confidently watched Cen Wuwang take the stage.
The Dragon Princess eyed Cen Wuwang’s chest. *Wasn’t ample bosom a basic requirement? Why is this flat-chested contestant here?*
She asked, “Since you’ve made it this far, you must have exceptional talents. Care to share?”
Yan Zhi, recognizing Cen Wuwang, paled. *Wasn’t the script I gave this senior…?*
“I’m not here for the competition. I’m here to find my beloved.”
The previously bored audience perked up instantly. The Dragon Princess played along. “May I hear your story?”
Yan Zhi panicked. “Your Highness, everyone here earned their place through skill, not sob stories—”
“Yan Zhi, did my disciple leave with you because she’s carrying your child?”
*Her, her, and him—transcending gender, age, and morality, entwined with power and conspiracy.* That single line spawned countless interpretations.
Yan Zhi felt like a thousand needles were pricking her back. Staring at Cen Wuwang’s calm expression, only one thought crossed her mind:
*Three women make a drama. The ancients didn’t lie.*
Backstage, Feng Yuemian snapped a fingernail. *This little sprite has quite the audacity!*
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage