A dozen maids lined up in the center of the open space in front of Shangqing Hall. A servant brought a royal chair and placed it in front of them. Su Feng glanced at Qing He beside him and sat down.
The maids were all dressed in identical pink gauze overcoats with blue sashes, looking as neat and tidy as school uniforms.
The women all had good posture, and it was obvious from their gestures that they had been trained, but... Qinghe couldn't help but think of the goddess Lingxi.
As goddesses, Lingxi's beauty is unparalleled, while the others pale in comparison.
"Northern Lord, may we begin?"
Someone asked in a low voice. Bei Jun, who was also the fourth brother, glanced at Su Feng, who was sitting on the seat and showed no interest, and nodded.
Upon receiving instructions, the lead maid immediately conjured a weapon and began her performance; a contest that was not a competition was about to begin.
The vast majority of the maids in the training class aimed to become goddesses, so they trained hard for many years without ever complaining, all for the sake of gaining the favor of Lord Sufeng, this noble and handsome ancient god. No matter how cruel the training was, they endured it all.
The benefits of this are not only to become the beloved of an ancient god, but also to gain greater power and enable their families to have a foothold in the divine realm. Therefore, they must do their utmost to showcase themselves, as such opportunities are rare.
But no matter what she did, Lord Sufeng never glanced at her, as if she were air and had no presence in front of him.
Her heart sank lower and lower, growing colder as she fell. Sweat poured from her hands, and under Su Feng's cold and indifferent gaze, she became increasingly tense until, with a clang, the sword fell to the ground.
For a moment, she stood frozen in place, unable to move, her eyes unsure of where to look, her head spinning as if she were about to fall to the ground. Her ears were ringing, and she couldn't hear what the people around her were saying. It wasn't until someone led her away from Shangqing Palace that she vaguely came back to her senses.
Bei Jun glared at the departing maid's back, then ordered in a deep voice, "Next."
The first maid had been defeated and left, leaving behind only sorrow on the ground.
Perhaps influenced by her, the second maid who performed suddenly felt nervous and apprehensive, her mind a jumbled mess of thoughts.
What if I don't perform well? What if I'm not selected? My father has such high hopes for me; what if I disappoint him?
Too many concerns will impure your swordsmanship, and failure is inevitable.
In less than half an incense stick's time, the person who had followed in the footsteps of the previous one had already fallen into the same trap.
Bei Jun sighed: "Next."
The third one finally performed at her normal or even exceptional level, moving with agility like a swimming dragon. Bei Jun nodded repeatedly in praise, "This one is good. What's her name?"
The person next to him checked the roster and said, "Mu Ge is the little disciple of Daoist Banliu."
Banliu Daojun is a deity who plants and guards willow trees on Mount Futu. He is nearly eight hundred years old. Although he is not of high seniority in the divine realm, he is kind and honest, and is also good at making medicine. Everyone respects him very much.
“Not bad, not bad. People taught by Banliu can't be bad in character, and their movement skills are also quite good. You can write down her name first, and I will decide whether to keep her or not after I report to the Divine Lord.”
"yes."
The maids' performances continued, and after watching for a while, Qinghe became a little dizzy. She couldn't help but lower her head to rest her eyes, and just then she met Sufeng's gaze.
He looked up at her, showing no embarrassment at being caught, but instead winked at her and became even more serious.
Qing smiled at him, but her sharp eyes noticed that Su Feng's ears turned red at a visible speed.
This guy's habit of getting red ears hasn't changed.
Bored with the performance, Qinghe took two steps back when Su Feng wasn't looking, intending to sneak out for some fresh air. But as soon as she turned around, she suddenly stopped, her brows furrowing as that dizziness surged up again.
Her hands, gripping the throne, were clenched so tightly they turned white. Qing and Jiang stood frozen in place, trying their best to remain unharmed. She glanced at Su Feng, and seeing that he hadn't noticed anything amiss, she quietly slipped out.
On the long, quiet path, Qinghe leaned against a large stone wall, panting slightly. He pinched his brow, trying to alleviate the discomfort, but after a long time, even the space between his brows was bruised and purple, and the dizziness only increased.
Spiritual energy slowly condensed around her body, and azure light continuously flowed from her fingertips into her brow, but it had no effect whatsoever, which made her increasingly anxious.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, without any human presence or birdsong. Qinghe felt as if she had fallen into endless darkness, losing all sense of perception. The negative emotions suppressed in her heart, such as anxiety and unease, seemed about to break free of their cage and take control of her entire body at any moment.
The feeling was like being in the deepest hell, causing unbearable pain.
She groped in the darkness, desperate to leave, and ran forward with all her might along a straight line, but to no avail.
A warm, strong hand landed on her shoulder, and Qinghe saw a ray of light at the end of the darkness.
From a tiny point of light, it gradually expanded into a large beam of light, like the rising sun gently yet forcefully eroding her darkness.
Are you alright?
Qinghe suddenly opened her eyes, and Su Feng was standing in front of her, looking at her with concern.
The dizziness and discomfort vanished instantly. Qinghe shook her head: "It's nothing. Why did you come out? Aren't you going to choose the goddess?"
Su Feng: "I've handed it over to Bei Jun. Let him choose for himself."
Qinghe raised the corners of his mouth, but his face was not good and his smile was somewhat forced. "He has been worried sick about your lifelong happiness as a god. If you do this, he will definitely be unhappy and may even take his anger out on me."
Su Feng was unaware of Bei Jun's purpose. Upon hearing her words, he frowned and said earnestly to Qing He, "Don't worry, I won't let you get hurt."
It was meant as a joke, but Su Feng took it so seriously.
Qing paused, rubbing her fingers against the bracelet on her wrist, and nodded solemnly: "I believe you."
"Oh dear, it seems I've come at the wrong time."
Shen Xun stood not far away, watching this touching scene with amusement.
Qinghe: "Why are you here?"
Shen Xun waved a branch he had picked from somewhere and said leisurely, "I was so bored in the dorm that I came out for a stroll." His eyes darted back and forth between the two people. "Who knew that as soon as I came out, I would see someone saying to another person with deep affection, 'I believe you,' tsk tsk tsk, so sour."
As he spoke, he imitated Qinghe's expressions perfectly.
Qinghe raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms, and looked at him. "Some people don't even have the chance to say these words, so what right do they have to mock others?"
Su Feng chimed in, "Qing He is right."
Qinghe gently took Sufeng's arm, deliberately walked around in front of Shenxun, turned a corner and walked into the distance. Her gentle voice rang in Shenxun's ears, "Come on, let's go see the sunset. I heard that couples who see the sunset together will receive God's blessing and will have a happy and fulfilling life."
Su Feng: "Really? Then let's go see."
Qinghe: "Okay, let's go."
The sound gradually faded into the distance. Shen Xun stared intently at the backs of the two figures with a dark expression. The desolate and quiet environment accentuated his loneliness.
"Will seeing the sunset truly bring a lifetime of happiness...?"
With a desolate and forlorn tone, Shen Xun stroked the red thread copper coin on his wrist. Inside that square, hollow coin lived a girl whose soul was now just a wisp of its own.
Unfortunately, she was fast asleep and did not hear the boy's soft murmur.
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